What is It About Children?

Mark 10:13-16, CEB - People were bringing children to Jesus so that he would bless them. But the disciples scolded them.  When Jesus saw this, he grew angry and said to them, “Allow the children to come to me. Don’t forbid them, because God’s kingdom belongs to people like these children.  I assure you that whoever doesn’t welcome God’s kingdom like a child will never enter it.”  Then he hugged the children and blessed them.

 

                It’s hard to adequately explain how countercultural Jesus’s actions were in this passage in our current culture where we have shifted to the other extreme.  The disciples, by attempting to keep the children away from Jesus, were doing exactly what they were supposed to do.  Children did not merit being present in the room when a prominent Rabbi was teaching.  In most cases, it would have annoyed the Rabbi and at best distracted the adults present.  Generally, the Rabbi would have been thankful to not have to stop to deal with the children himself.  So imagine the disciples’ surprise when they experience Jesus’s anger instead of his gratitude.  Once again, Jesus is turning cultural expectations upside down.

                Instead of banishing them, Jesus blesses and hugs them.  Even more surprising, He holds them up as an example for the adults to follow.  This would have been downright offensive to even the disciples.  Children are to follow adults, not the other way around!  Even more disturbing – if the adults are not like these children, they will never enter the kingdom of God.  This is a crazy teaching indeed!

                This is essentially important teaching regarding the Kingdom of God here.  First, it primarily belongs to people who are like children.  Children are not able to earn anything.  Their whole existence depends on the provision of others.  In a proper household, even children who tend to be wayward are can still expect to be cared for and provided what they need.  Most adults tend to lose this dependence, which is generally a good thing.  But it is not a good thing when it comes to the Kingdom.  Ther kingdom belongs to those who know they haven’t done anything to earn it.  Much lip service is given to this truth by people who quietly believe their “good” behavior and deeds entitles them to more than certain others.  Jesus is calling such people on the carpet here; to the extent that you think you rightly deserve the kingdom, it will never be yours.  Children tend to trust that what they need will just be there without a thought that they could earn it.  In the Kingdom, all of us are called to trust that way. 

                Finally, Jesus obviously just loves children, for He welcomes, embraces, and blesses them.  Jesus models how children are to be treated in His community.  It’s supposed to be natural for children to be welcomed in the midst of the many activities of the church.  Having them in the midst of the Kingdom community reminds all of us that their dependence mindset should be our mindset as well.  It is also a reminder that our faith is one that is passed down.  Current generations are to always be thinking about how they transfer the faith to those who are coming next.  Our faith is a faith that continues by giving it away. 

 

Questions:  Are there any shreds of entitlement in your relationship to God and or God’s community?  What is your core disposition towards children?

 

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, forgive us for thinking we deserve any of the blessings we have received.  As we experience Your humility, may we live into it ourselves.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for people who will be somewhere they don’t want to be for the holidays.

 

Song:  Someday at Christmas – Stevie Wonder with Andra Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaA7B9cu4kU

Jesus “Brand” Violation?”

Mark 9:38-41, NLT - John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.”

“Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us. If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.

 

This passage is a part of a larger section that extends through the rest of Mark 9, but we are going to break it up into a few reflections.  There are several important messages in the larger section.  So we’re going to “chunk” it into smaller sections.

In the chunk above, the disciples notice that others are operating under the name of Jesus that are not part of the group that Jesus chose.  They are casting out demons in Jesus’s name.  The disciples have a valid concern, for the “outsider exorcists” have no official accountability to Jesus.  They could do things or say things that depart from the core of Jesus’s teaching.  This was a common issue in Hebrew circles where multiple Rabbis operated in the same area.  The disciples of each Rabbi were always careful to not say anything that would be contrary to the teachings of their leader and they would be protective of anyone else who invoke their Rabbi’s name.  This is what is going on here.  The disciples are letting Jesus know that His “brand” is being violated. 

Jesus’s answer must have been rather surprising.  However, He does make an important distinction that could be easily missed.  Jesus stipulates that if someone “performs a miracle in my name,” they are an ally.  Don’t stop them.  He goes further: 

“Anyone who is not against us is for us.”

What Jesus is doing here is blurring the line between insiders and outsiders.  Jesus is starting a movement, not a new club.  He is ushering in a surprising new expression of God’s kingdom on Earth.  It is a kingdom that is accessible to all through the name of Jesus.  If someone has a demon cast out in Jesus’s name, it signifies that they have tapped into the power of God’s kingdom.  If they so much as give a cup of water to support the cause, they are a welcome expression of that kingdom.   They should be embraced, not discouraged.  They should be rewarded, not penalized. 

This should cause us to be careful about who we determine to valid Jesus followers in our day.  There are tens of thousands of denominations in the world that invoke the name of Jesus as their teacher, leader, and Messiah.  While there would be a wide variety of opinions on just about every issue, it is the name of Jesus that we all share.  This is the reason that the Apostle Paul, many years later, would make the following statement when responding to similar concerns:

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.   (Philippians 1:15-17)

In a time when denominations of Christians are fragmenting, we should not make assumptions about which ones constitute the “true” or “authentic” expression of Jesus’s kingdom.  The more important questions are, “are people being delivered from evil?” and “is the name of Jesus being preached?”  To see the fragmentation another way, there are currently tens of thousands of unique witnesses to Jesus that could reach tens of thousands of unique kinds of people.  If people find their way to Jesus, who cares who gets the credit?

 

Question:  Have you ever caught yourself discounting the authenticity of others’ Christian faith because they expressed it in a different way than you are accustomed?

 

Prayer:  God, deliver your church from tribalism and divisive behavior.  Help us celebrate when people come to you and experience the miraculous, no matter whether it is through our chosen group or someone else’s.”  To God be the glory!  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for God to bless people you know who attend a different church than you do.

 

Song:  It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Josh Groban

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uYmUtQogI4  

Nothing But Stories

Mark 4:33-34 - With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.  He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

 

Why would Jesus only use parables, which don’t always have obvious meanings, with the crowd, and then “explain everything” to his disciples later?  The short answer is we aren’t completely sure and because of that, many theories abound.  You are free to google “why did Jesus use parables?” to read a few or hundred, whichever suits your fancy. 

To me, it makes sense for Jesus to use compelling stories with the crowds and be more direct with hiis leaders-in-training.  The crowd is a mixture of people ranging from curious looky-loo’s to people earnestly seeking the Messiah.  Often there were also Jewish religious leaders present.  Parables are less confrontational to religious leaders, enlightening to those earnestly seeking, and might tickle the fancy of the curious – one story fulfilling multiple purposes simultaneously.  This might even be part of the explanation offered to the disciples later; know your audience and use appropriate teaching methods accordingly.

The parables of Jesus are still doing all of these things – confounding the scholarly skeptics, engaging seekers, and drawing in the tire-kickers.  Seems like Jesus knew what He was doing.

 

Question:  What do the parables of Jesus “do” for you or even in you?

 

Prayer:  Jesus, thank you for your teaching in all its forms.  Help us grasp the kingdom you usher in and allow as to be part of the “ushering.” Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for people who may be curious about Jesus, but haven’t gone “all-in” yet.

 

Song:  I Love to Tell the Story – Accapella

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPtzKT-JLw0

Mustard Seeds and Orchids

Mark 4:30-32 - Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

 

I don’t know why, when I read this passage this time, the question hit me, “are mustards seeds actually the smallest seeds on earth?”  I did a little research and it turns out the answer is “no.”  When Jesus told this story, we did not have microscopes, but there are many kinds of seeds that too small to see.  The ones I read most about are orchid seeds.  Just one gram of the smallest orchid seeds contain 3-4 million seeds.  Only the smallest fraction of these seeds ever become beautiful orchids, which are among the largest flowers in nature.  If you ever buy some really high-quality vanilla ice cream, you will notice that there are small dark flecks in the tasty treat.  Those flecks are vanilla orchid seeds.   

We shouldn’t make too much of the fact that Jesus states that mustard seeds are the smallest on earth. They may have been the smallest known seeds on earth at the time.   Jesus told parables using the common knowledge of His day.  The point here is one we could make with mustard seeds or orchid seeds.  I actually like using both together.  Both mustard and orchid seeds are crazy small and grow into surprising large plants/flowers.  Mustard plants are sometimes called trees because they grow so strong and sturdy that a bird can rest and take shelter on it’s branches.  The kingdom Jesus is ushering in is so small in his telling of this story, but he sees what it will become – one of largest religions on earth, providing shelter to close to 2 billion people now.  Adding the image of the orchid to this, the kingdom has become something of amazing beauty out of seeds that were “invisible” before. 

The parable highlights another aspect of the same reality that we spoke about last time with the farmer planting seeds.  Because God is the driving force of the kingdom, something infinitesimally small can be made into a world-changing movement.  We should never underestimate what God can do with almost nothing.  He created all that is out of nothing, so mustard and orchid seeds are a cakewalk.  Imagine what God could do with a person who is completely submitted to the purpose for which they were created.

 

Question:  How often do you underestimate what Giod can do with a specific person, community, and/or situation?

 

Prayer:  God or mustard seeds, exquisite orchids, world-changing communities, inspire us to trust you when it seems we feel don’t have enough or we believe are not enough.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for those in our society that most people never see – the homeless and those in prison.

 

Song:  Mustard Seed - David Ashley Trent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS6Er6I2nbM

In Between Harvests. . .

Mark 4:26-29 - He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.  Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.  All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.  As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

 

You do not have to know how something works to benefit from it.  Millions of people use cars daily to quickly travel long distances who know almost nothing about they work.  People turn on their kitchen sink faucet in the morning with no clue about how that water just “magically” appears at their fingertips.  Smartphones. . . forget it. . . almost none of us how they work, including many of the people working at Apple.  We all use and benefit from hundreds of technologies that we have no way to explain. 

Jesus says the kingdom of God is like that.  We are encouraged to “work the soil” of it without so much as a clue about how the growth actually happens.  We watch for the growth and then we harvest when it comes.  It’s so simple, right?  Just keep scattering seeds.  Get the sickle out when the plants have reached maturity.  Plant and harvest. . .that’s all you need to know, right?

Implicit in this story is that the farmer actually knows much more than that.  She knows that seeds need water and so she waters the ground.  She knows that there are times of the year that seeds will never grow if they are planted then.  She knows that once the sprouts break up from the ground, they will need sunlight, so where she plants the seeds matters.  Likewise, you need to know much more than how to use the brake and accelerator pedals to drive a car.  There is a learning curve to farming, driving a car, using a smartphone, and navigating the kingdom of God.

Unlike a car and a smartphone, farming and the kingdom of God have elusive mysteries to their inner workings that may not be “figured out.”  Even the most technologically advanced 21^st century farms have bad harvests that they cannot explain and get surprised by unusually good harvests as well.  The inner workings of the kingdom of God are even more unknowable.  If we are to get to the harvest, we have to trust that God will make it happen in ways we will never understand.  The idea here is to trust the mysterious processes of God in those times between seeds planted and harvests reaped.

We’re in one of those periods right now.  We were in one before pandemics, wars, hurricanes, and economic upheavals occurred so the process is even more invisible now.  It’s hard to imagine how or when the next great harvest will come, but it will indeed come.  Trust the process. . . or more accurately, trust the One in charge of it.  Keep planting and watering.  The Lord of the Harvest will do the rest, even though we will never understand how.

 

Question:  What are the things about the kingdom that you do know despite all the things you don’t?

 

Prayer:  Lord, we sometimes strain to trust that You are bringing the next harvest.  We confess that struggle in the same breath that proclaim our trust that You will indeed do it.  Increase our hope and faith and show us the things we can do right now to participate in the process.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for those running for public office right now, including those you are not planning to vote for.

 

Song:  Hand of Providence – Michael W. Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2HbrNcfmYs

Secrets Seldom Heard

Mark 4:1-20 - Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.  He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:  “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.  Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.  He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables  so that,

“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,

    and ever hearing but never understanding;

otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

 

Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?  The farmer sows the word.  Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.  Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.  Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;  but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.  Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

 

This is a longer scripture reading than we normally take on, but it’s important to read it as a whole.  We are introduced to the idea that Jesus often taught in parables, we hear an actual parable, and then we get a discussion about why parables are used. Finally, Jesus gives an interpretation of the parable we heard.  All of these “sections” provide insight into what is going on here.  I encourage you to say a quick prayer asking God to speak to you through this text.  Then read it again, listening for meaning. 

I only add a few quick ideas from my own time of doing what I asked you to do just now.  First, I am impressed by Jesus not being impressed with large crowds.  I do get impressed by large crowds and when I hear that large crowds are going to hear “so-and-so,” it makes me want to hear them too.  We live in a society that values speakers, artists, musicians, and others who attract crowds.  The fact that it is possible to make a good living now simply making videos on Youtube or posts on Instagram is witness to this.  Jesus was not impressed by His own ability to draw crowds and the parable He tells explains why.  Jesus knows that only a fraction of those present will ever take His teaching and do something fruitful with it.  I can’t help but think there is even a little sadness in Jesus about this realization. 

When the disciples ask about the use of parables, Jesus explains that this lack of fruitfulness is not a new problem.  He quotes Isaiah where Isaiah is told that while, he is sent to God’s people with God’s message, the people will not really hear or understand the message, much less do anything different as a result. 

This sober truth continues to play out today.  I have been part of more than a dozen Christian congregations in my lifetime.  The large majority of people who attend these congregations live lives that look remarkably similar to the lives they would live if they never attended church.  I don’t say that to be hurtful or judgmental.  It is just the reality that Jesus described.  But here is the hope in Jesus’s teaching here.  The small minority of people who are authentically transformed by the teaching of Jesus tend to have exponential impact on the world around them, “some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times” the seed that was planted in them.  Jesus has faith in the power of the that small group of the transformed to change the world forever.  He faith has proven to be well placed.  Jesus doesn’t seem to care about numbers; He cares about fruit. 

One final encouragement.  This parable is not given as a way to classify others as one of the four kinds of soils described in the story.  I see it as a self-awareness tool given by Jesus to see our own tendencies more clearly.

 

Question:  What kind of “soil” do you most resemble? 

 

Prayer:  Show me my heart, Jesus.  Help me prepare it to more fruitfully receive Your Word.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Spend time just quietly listening for God to speak into your life today.

 

Song:  Here’s My Heart Lord – Casting Crowns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkSBmRAVXNc

This is Changing Everything

Mark 1:14-15 - After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.  “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

 

We are only 15 short verses into Mark and already, prophets foretelling the coming of the Messiah have been quoted. John the Baptist’s ministry begins and ends.  Jesus is baptized, anointed by God the Father, and then spends forty days in the desert.  John is put in prison and Jesus first message is preached.  Mark is definitely an author committed to using as few words as possible!  No wonder people generally like the other three gospels better – they have a lot more juicy details!

 

However, what this economy of words does for us is give us the gospel of Jesus in outline form.  Almost every paragraph is a headline.  Today the headline is this:

 

“The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

 

It has been at least a few hundred years since the last Old Testament Prophet has spoken.  Israel lives under the thumb of the Romans.  Most of the Israelites lived in poverty and oppressive taxation.  Place yourself in that position.  Imagine living in those circumstances.  Don’t read any further until you have taken a mental field-trip to first-century Galilee. 

 

Then imagine some preacher walking out of the desert and announcing that the Kingdom of God has arrived.  He is not saying that the Kingdom is coming.  He is saying that the Kingdom is already here.  He invites you to turn from (repent) your way of life and believe that what he has just announced is actually true.  Would you believe Him?

 

I’m an avid Tampa Bay Rays baseball fan.  I have an app on my phone that sends me updates from the Rays’ games so that while the game is going on, I can get quick updates when runs are scored, someone makes an amazing catch, or some other significant moment during the game.  This is fun for me when I’m not watching the game.  However, when you’re watching a game on TV, there is enough of a delay between when the home run is actually hit in the stadium to the moment that you see it happen on TV that the app can actually notify you on your phone before you see it.  The other day, I got a notification, looked down at my phone and read that Ji-man Choi (one of my favorite players) had hit a home run.  I quickly look back up at the TV and watch the home run on the “live” TV broadcast.   I now tend not to look at my phone while I’m watching games.

 

Jesus is giving us that same kind of notification.  The Kingdom of God has arrived.  Only 15 verses into Mark, you might not have seen it yet, but it has happened.  If you turn from what you’re doing right now and pay attention, you will see it and believe it.  Mark is trying to get you and me, the readers to pay attention and look for the reality that has already happened.  We will re-visit this theme throughout the gospel, but for now, look up and see that it is true.  Our orientation is to be constantly looking for what God has already done.

 

Questions:  Do you actively look for signs that God’s Kingdom is active in the world? In your neighborhood?  In your family? In you?

 

Prayer:  God . . .often. . . when we look around, we see nothing but bad news.  Give us eyes to see the evidence that your Kingdom is here.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for me today.  No particular reason. I just know that I need people praying for me.  Come to think of it. . . you should ask people to pray for you today too.  We all need it.

 

Song:  Secret Kingdom - Newsboys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIUHpvSkXOI

What Do WE Get Out of It?!

 

What Do WE Get Out of It?!

 January 26, 2022

Matthew 19:27-30, The Message - Then Peter chimed in, “We left everything and followed you. What do we get out of it?”

Jesus replied, “Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel. And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life. This is the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.”

 

                I have obviously never met Peter, the disciple of Jesus, but I love him.  He often says what I think I might want to say in the same situation.  The only difference is that I generally only think the Peter says without ever getting the words out of my mouth.  Peter evidently doesn’t have the filter that I do and I honestly love him for it. 

                Take the exchange above between Jesus and Peter.  Jesus has just told the rich young man that, if he wants to receive the kingdom, he needs to give up his wealth.  Peter hears this tough teaching and realizes that he and his compatriots have actually done what Jesus asked.  They weren’t rich (except possibly Matthew), but they left what livelihoods they had.  Most of them had families at home while they wandered around Israel with Jesus.  So Peter, realizing this, blurts out, “What do we get out of it?”

                Had I been there, I would have thought what Peter said, but never said it.  But I’m glad Peter did, because it provides Jesus a great moment to affirm and reassure his most committed disciples.  It also allows us that same affirmation and assurance.  Whatever we have given up to follow Jesus has been noticed.  “Yes, you have followed me,” Jesus says.  Jesus sees the sacrifices, whatever they may be for each of us.  Further, He promises that whatever you and I have left behind, it pales in comparison to what you will receive.

                In a lot of ways, I already see this in my life.  I have, on occasion, thought about how my life might have been different had I chosen a different vocation.  Most of the time, it’s seems impossible to imagine.  I might have made more money, but I’m not sure.  I’m not sure how my family would be different, but I am sure the difference would be night and day.  My guess is that we would have settled in one place and stayed there instead of living in a dozen different places over the years.  Yes, things would have been vastly different even though I struggle to imagine the details.  In the times I have indulged these musings, I always end up with the same conclusion.  I may have given up some possibilities to answer God’s call, but when I think of all that I’ve gained, it hardly seems like a sacrifice. I don’t regret the decision one bit.

                I am aware that my experience is not universal.  I have had colleagues over the years that have deeply regretted following the path that has me so grateful.  I’m also aware that my sacrifices seem so insignificant to those of the disciples for which Peter speaks up.  I am aware that, right now, there are Christians who are being tortured and killed because they decided to follow Jesus.  Jesus has already kept this promise to me, but He will make good on the promise for everyone who follows Him.  The decision to follow Jesus is always the best investment anyone can ever make.  As we watch Peter grow into his calling through the rest of the Gospels and other New Testament books, we see Him live into Jesus’s promise.  A mere fisherman becomes the central leader in a movement that numbers in the billions today.  The Catholic church reveres him as the first Pope. 

                The stories for the rest of the disciples that day vary greatly, but history has shown that Jesus kept the promise to them as well – some of them while they still walked the earth and all after they were martyred.  The bedrock takeaway from this story is that the life Jesus invites us to is one that does require us to say goodbyes to things that, in many cases, seem very difficult to give up.  However, the promise is that, compared to what we will receive in this life and the next, the sacrifice is minimal.  I need to remind myself of that from time to time.  Maybe I’m not the only one.

 

Questions:  What has it cost you to follow Jesus?  What would have been the cost if you had not chosen that path?

 

Prayer: God of provision, your call to follow and serve you requires us to leave things behind.  Help us realize and trust that it is the best decision we can ever make.  Help us catch a glimpse of the great things ahead of those of us willing to trust you.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for the thousands of persecuted Christians across the Globe.

 

Song:  Lord, You Give the Great Commission – arr. Foster

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZU1jpAu79Y

What the Heck did Jesus Just Say?

What the Heck did Jesus Just Say?

 January 19, 2022

 

Matthew 18:18-20, The Message -  “Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”

 

Today’s passage recalls something Matthew says to Peter earlier in the Gospel (Matt 16:18-19):

 

You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.

“And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”

 

Matthew is careful to draw attention to the fact that Jesus has used the exact same words on both occasions in order to reinforce an important facet of God’s kingdom.  In chapter 16, Jesus confers the “keys to the kingdom,” meaning the authority of heaven is now shared with the community of those who confess Jesus as Messiah.  Don’t miss this; the authority of heaven is now shared with those on earth. Throughout the rest of the Gospel, we will see Jesus expand upon what this means, but here the issue is the boundaries of community.  Jesus is saying to his followers that a community who follows Christ as Messiah has the authority to determine what is acceptable and unacceptable within that community.  Furthermore, the Kingdom of Heaven will abide by it.  This is astonishing.  This is also the subject of endless debate on what that really means and the limits of this surprisingly conferred authority.  I do not propose to settle those disputes in my little devotional here even if I thought that I could (which, by the way, I do not).  I fully expect those debates will continue until kingdom is established in its fullness. 

So here’s what I do what to point out – the incredible importance of community in the Kingdom of God.  Jesus does not invite us to an individual faith.  While I believe it is technically possible to have a relationship with God outside the church proper, it’s clear from this teaching of Jesus and many others that God’s invitation to have faith is an invitation to place ourselves under the authority of a community that all profess Jesus is Lord and Messiah. The last sentence above is Jesus’s promise that where there is a community of followers, Jesus is there.   I think it bears repeating once again; your faith and my faith are not really your and my faith.  It is OUR faith.  My faith is missing something without you and vice versa.  And specifically, this means that the way I live out my faith is in submission to the grater authority of OUR faith.  This is what Paul meant when he said, “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” 

In our uber-individualistic society, this is a counter-cultural idea.  It has enormous implications for how we should live which I could not even begin to describe today.  Instead,  I’m inviting you to consider what might be one implication for you.  We all have our own little “kingdoms,” those domains over which we have authority.  Spend some time exploring that for yourself today. Consider the following questions.

 

Questions:  What specific resources, regular decisions, and relationships do you have influence over?  Do you use your influence over those things in a way that reflects a submission to the larger Kingdom of God?

 

Prayer:  Holy God, you are over all things.  We know that and we say that but sometimes we live as if it were not true.  Forgive us.  Help us see one place where we could more fully put your concerns first.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for the Church across the world today as we continue to figure out how to be effective in the new realities created by the pandemic.

 

Song:  Where Two or Three Are Gathered – Liam Lawton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNCFPD1L7F0

Matthew 13:1 - Chosen to See, Hear, and Understand

 

Daily Devo w/ Pastor Eric October 29, 2021

Chosen to See, Hear, and Understand

 

Matthew 13:10-17, NRSV - Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”  He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.  The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’  With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:

 

‘You will indeed listen, but never understand,

    and you will indeed look, but never perceive.

For this people’s heart has grown dull,

    and their ears are hard of hearing,

        and they have shut their eyes;

        so that they might not look with their eyes,

    and listen with their ears,

and understand with their heart and turn—

    and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.  Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

 

                You might have noticed that we skipped some verses yesterday as we covered the parable of the Sower and it’s interpretation by Jesus.  In between the parable and the interpretation, we have the above verses – a quick exchange between Jesus and his disciples about why He uses parables.  Jesus’s explanation creates some tension for many because He seems to suggest that some are chosen to understand the “secrets of the kingdom,” and some are not.  I wish I could come up with rationale to explain that that is not what Jesus means to suggest, but I cannot.  Some ARE chosen to understand the kingdom and some are not.  Jesus says this is not new and quotes the prophet Isaiah who said the same thing.  But it does beg the question, “why?”

                Jesus doesn’t address the “why” question in this exchange here, but Eugene Peterson, in his The Message translation, suggests that it is a question of readiness:

“[Jesus] replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward a welcome awakening. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it. (vs. 11-13)

There is truth to this.  If you aren’t ready to hear something, you will not hear it.  Furthermore, a good story can actually facilitate readiness to hear a hard truth even when you were not ready to hear it.  Many a preacher, including yours truly, know the power of a good story and use stories for that reason.  We chase this practice back to Jesus’s use of parables.

                However, the “power of stories” is NOT Jesus’s point here, lest we get distracted.  Listen again to final statement on the matter; “blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” He reminds the disciples that they are blessed because they have been given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom.  This understanding is not something they can be puffed up about; it is a gift.  Any revelation of the mysteries of God is given because the person has been chosen to receive it.  It was true in Isaiah’s day, Jesus’s day, and now.  To the extent you perceive God’s wonders, you do so because you have been granted access that you could never attain by your own merits, insight, or wisdom.  If you know God, you know God because God wants you to know God.  Don’t ever be tempted to think otherwise.

 

Question:  Have you ever gotten “puffed up” about the fact that you seem to understand the things of God while others do not?

 

Prayer:  Gracious God, thank you for any understanding of your Truth I have.  Purge me of any notion that have such wisdom because my merits.  Keep my heart humble that I may be gracious servant to you and others. Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for church leaders by name today

 

Song:  Chosen – Sidewalk Prophets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1ymenyfDjs

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 - A Story About a “Foolish” Farmer

A Story About a “Foolish” Farmer

 

Matthew 13:1-9,18-23, NIV - That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.  Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

(v. 18) “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.  The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.  The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

 

                Long reading today but I’ll keep the comments short.  Today we encounter the first parable of Jesus in Matthew.  It is also one of the few parables that Jesus actually interprets.  We’ll talk more about that next time, but for now, go back and read the scripture one more time slowly.  Not a lot of modern day folks are farmers, but most of us have been able to observe how plants do well in some environments and don’t do well in others.  And because of this, we tend to focus on the environments, or as the parable talks about, the soil.  We ask ourselves, “what kind of soil/environment am I?” While that might be a fruitful(double meaning intended) question, it’s not what Jesus intends for us to get from this story.  If it was, in v.18, He would have said, “listen to what the parable of the soils means.”  But Jesus plainly states that this story is about the sower. 

                The original audience, who were much more familiar with farming than most modern-day people, would have honed in on this because the sower in this story is quite odd.  The actions of the sower would have seemed foolish to anyone who has ever planted seeds.   Seeds are a valuable and scarce commodity.  A good sower ONLY plants seeds in good soil – not on the road, rocky ground, shallow soil, or among thorns.  Because the sower in Jesus story is so haphazard with the seeds, Jesus’s audience would have known that this is the detail of the story Jesus wants them to notice. 

                God is the Sower and unlike a sower of plants, God is lavishly haphazard in where the message/seed is spread.  Whether you are “receptive soil” or not is not the point; God gives the opportunity for the Kingdom seeds to take root in you anyway.  And not just you, but everyone!  While we might think that foolish . . .  while we might not even like that, God gives everyone an opportunity.  That’s the kind of Sower God is and that’s Jesus’s point here.

 

Questions:  If you were in God’s place, would you give all an opportunity even if you knew in advance that most would not take advantage of that opportunity?

 

Prayer:  God of all creation, thank you for deeming us worthy of an opportunity to participate in the growing of Your Kingdom.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for people who, in your estimation, will never take advantage of the opportunity God has offered them.  I know. I know. I know.  Pray for them anyway.

 

Song:  The Sower's Song - Andrew Peterson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIiKIR6mQOE

Matthew 12:22-30 - The "Runaway Train" of Anger

 

Daily Devo w/ Pastor Eric October 22, 2021

The “Runaway Train” of Anger

 

Matthew 12:22-30, NLT - Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.  The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”

Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.  And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive.  And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said.  But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.  For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

 

Today’s passage is part of a larger section that extends to verse 12:37, but we are going to take two days to talk about it because there is much to see.  In this first part, we see yet another demon-possessed man exorcised and healed by Jesus.  I’d invite you to read the text above one more time remembering what has been happening.  Since Matthew 3 when Jesus was baptized, there is a growing division between the religious leaders (pharisees) and Jesus.  Earlier in chapter 12, we see that this conflict has reached a point where the Pharisees are plotting to kill Jesus.  A real and explosive resentment is growing in their heart for Jesus.

Think about a time when you have been in similar situations.  Something happened between you and another person that has caused hurt and resentment to begin building in your heart.  Then, that person persists in doing things that stir up even more resentment.  Over time, you begin to see everything they do in a negative light.  The offender might even be doing things that others you know do and you feel no offense, but when this wretched offender does it, you are incensed.  The resentment in you can become an unstoppable runaway train.  This is what is happening for the Pharisees.  Their resentment for Jesus has them seeing everything He does in a negative light, even exorcising and healing a poor tortured man.  Their animosity for Jesus has reached a point where they see this compassionate act as one done by the power of evil.  Read the text above again and see if you can see this runaway train.  I’ll wait until you get back 😊

                Can you feel the pharisees’ white-hot anger?  To the extent that we can, we can gain some deep insight into Jesus’s response.  Anger can blind people to things that are obvious to others.  Jesus is trying to point this out to the Pharisees.  The others present for this miracle are so moved by the exorcism that they begin asking, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” It is obvious to most present that they have witnessed something done in the power of God, not Satan.  But the pharisees are so consumed by acrimony towards Jesus, they honestly are convinced they are seeing the work of the Devil.  Jesus asks a poignant, but common-sense question to expose the ridiculous nature of what the Pharisees were thinking; “…if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists?”  Jesus’s question assumes that the pharisees had seen exorcisms before and never attributed such miracles to anyone but God. Jesus’s query is an invitation to the Pharisees to “sober up” and see the obvious that everyone else present sees and they themselves could see if they were only thinking clearly; “the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.”

                We will talk more about this next time, but for today, I want us to see the danger of runaway anger and resentment.  It causes us to see things that are clearly not reality.  It causes us to see others motives as evil when nothing could be further from the truth.  And as will see next time, it puts us in danger of getting to a place where we are so cut off from God that nothing can be done.  Anger itself is not always a bad thing, but nurturing resentments towards others (and God) is toxic to our souls.  Jesus not only wants the pharisees to see this; He wants us to see it as well.

 

Question: Do you harbor any resentments towards others that cause you to see all that they do in a negative light?

 

Prayer:  Lord, help us to see the places in our hearts where unhealthy resentments are residing.  Empower us to refuse to continue to nurture such resentments.  Heal our hearts and deliver our souls. Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for the healing of the multitude of divisions in our country.

 

Song:  There is a Balm in Gilead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3e7AOWHyTM

Matthew 12:14-21 - The "Secret" Ambition of Jesus

 

The “Secret” Ambition of Jesus

 

Matthew 12:14-21, NRSV - But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.  When Jesus became aware of this, he departed. Many crowds followed him, and he cured all of them,  and he ordered them not to make him known.  This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“Here is my servant, whom I have chosen,

    my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased.

I will put my Spirit upon him,

    and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

He will not wrangle or cry aloud,

    nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

He will not break a bruised reed

    or quench a smoldering wick

until he brings justice to victory.

And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

 

As we have noted before in our study of Matthew’s gospel, one of the things that Matthew wants to emphasize in his telling of the Jesus story is how Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan prophesied throughout the Old Testament.  In the passage above, we find the largest single quote of Old Testament prophecy in the book of Matthew.  Matthew cites Isaiah 42:1-4 as a confirmation of what Jesus has just done.  What Jesus has just done is run from the Pharisees (who are plotting to kill Him), attracted a large crowd, healed all the sick and broken among the crowd , and then instructed the crowd not to make Him known.  It should also be noted that Matthew has already eluded to Isaiah 42 in chapter 3, when Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist.  As Jesus is baptized, a dove (a symbol for the Holy Sprit descends upon Jesus and God speaks, “ this is My Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This is a paraphrase of Isaiah 42:1 spoken by God.  Matthew wants us to notice this.

Isaiah 42 is a prophecy first given to the Israelites who are in exile.  Their nation has been conquered, their resources seized, and their people scattered across the vast Babylonian Empire.  Spend some time thinking about what it must have been like to have experienced this kind of trauma.  Imagine the hopelessness that might set in over the course of multiple generations of Israelites who lived in exile for decade after decade.  Then, imagine how the words of the prophet might provide hope that someday, God will send a special “servant” to restore justice to the people of God.  In Isaiah’s day and in the hundreds of years after Isaiah and before Jesus arrived, leaders came along that folks thought “well, this might be the Servant for whom we’ve been waiting.”  Matthew is making it clear that, no matter who people thought that prophecy was about before, Jesus is the one for whom Israel and the whole world has been waiting.  Jesus will not only restore justice and hope for Israel, but for “the Gentiles” as well. 

But Matthew is pointing out something else here as well.  Jesus heals all the sick and broken in the crowd, but instructs them not to make Him known.  Jesus is not trying to create a buzz of become famous enough to eventually be made King.  Isaiah speaks of a humble Servant who resists “wrangling” and “crying aloud.”  This Servant goes about the mission quietly and without fanfare.  He doesn’t fan the flames of conflict (breaking bruised reeds), but keeps nurturing hope (smoldering wicks).  His mission is justice for all nations and He will not stop until it is accomplished.  Matthew will continue to develop this notion throughout the rest of the gospel, but it is here that He signals strongly that Jesus is not the next conqueror.  His kingdom transcends all earthly kingdoms. 

This message is important for us to hear today as well.  The Kingdom we are invited to be a part of is not nationalistic.  It doesn’t pit one nation against others.  It is for ALL nations.  It is about healing, justice and hope, not an engaged conflict to usher in an earthly King.  The Servant that comes from God doesn’t choose sides for the mission is to bring all to one side.  The politics of division have no place in God’s kingdom.  Healing, Justice, and Hope – that’s the Servant’s mandate and it is our mandate as well.

 

Question:  Do you ever find yourself hoping God will take your side over against others? 

 

Prayer:  God, help us to view the world through your lens of healing, justice, and hope.  Empower us to serve faithfully as Your Servant Jesus did.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for peace to take hold in the world’s fiercest conflicts today.

 

Song:  Secret Ambition – Michael w. Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTji0JRMDDs

Matthew 11:20-26 - A Jesus That Makes Us Uncomfortble

 

Daily Devo w/ Pastor Eric October 18, 2021

A Jesus that Makes Us Uncomfortable

 

Matthew 11:20-26, CEV - In the towns where Jesus had worked most of his miracles, the people refused to turn to God. So Jesus was upset with them and said:

You people of Chorazin are in for trouble! You people of Bethsaida are in for trouble too! If the miracles that took place in your towns had happened in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have turned to God long ago. They would have dressed in sackcloth and put ashes on their heads. I tell you that on the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will.

People of Capernaum, do you think you will be honored in heaven? You will go down to hell! If the miracles that took place in your town had happened in Sodom, that town would still be standing.  So I tell you that on the day of judgment the people of Sodom will get off easier than you.

At that moment Jesus said:

My Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I am grateful that you hid all this from wise and educated people and showed it to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that is what pleased you.

                 

When we began this study of Matthew, I initially thought that it we would take selected passages of Matthew and move at a steady pace through the Gospel.  You might have noticed (since we are only on Chapter 11 two and half months later) that I was led early on to deal with every passage and skip none.  My primary reason for making this decision was that I did indeed feel that God was leading me to do so.  Along with that though, was a recognition that I needed to resist a tendency I have to skip over passages that are hard to comment on and uncomfortable to hear.  The above passage for today is one of those.  Reading and hearing this particular passage is important because it speaks directly to the resistance in us that tends to only pay attention to Jesus when his words are comfortable to hear. 

As Jesus traveled the Galilean countryside preaching, teaching, healing, and performing other miracles, some places were very receptive to his ministry and they turned wholeheartedly toward Him and the Kingdom He proclaimed.  This turning toward also implies a turning away from the way things were – this simultaneous turning away from and turning toward is the core definition of repentance.  The people who embraced Jesus’s kingdom saw their lives transformed.  This was Jesus’s intention for them and, by the way, it is still Jesus intention for us. 

But there were other towns, like Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, that may have enjoyed Jesus’s miracles, had their ears tickled by His teaching and may have even believed that Jesus was who He said He was, but there was no substantive change in their lives as a result.  They did NOT turn away from their old lives and they did NOT turn toward Jesus’s kingdom.  They may have enjoyed Jesus’s performance, but they were unchanged in any significant way. 

It's here where Jesus’s words get uncomfortable.  Judgement is coming for the those who do not turn away from their wickedness and lest we think that judgement is no big deal, Jesus recalls three cities whose terrible fates (Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom) will be better than the unrepentant cities he visited.  Tyre and Sidon were conquered and destroyed; Sodom was completely burned to the ground and wiped from the face of the earth.   All three cities were implored by the prophets to repent but did not prior to their destruction.   Like Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, they were unchanged by God’s word and works towards them.  Jesus emphatically proclaims there are dire consequences for making that collective choice.

My pastoral instinct is to try and soften Jesus’s words here – to offer some explanation for this harshness from the mouth of our Savior.  But to do so would be an attempt to “domesticate” Jesus, to make Him and His message something less jarring.  But the truth is that Jesus intends for His message to be jarring.   People do not change their ways when they are perfectly comfortable with their present ways.  There is no repentance (a simultaneous turning away from what was and a turning toward what is coming) in people who like what was just fine. 

So instead, my invitation today is “sit with” the discomfort of Jesus’s words above (and elsewhere).  Let that discomfort permeate your defenses and unsettle that in you which needs to be unsettled – those things in you that need to change.  Because Jesus proclaimed these warnings to whole cities (large groups/systems of people), I also invite us to let Jesus’s words unsettle in our own groups/systems of people that which needs to be unsettled – those systemic changes that need to happen in order for our cities to be aligned with the Kingdom of God. 

Tomorrow, we will hear the Jesus we like to hear, a Jesus who is “humble and gentle at heart” and who offers to lighten our load.  But today, we need to sit with the Jesus expects us and our cities to be changed by His words and warns us of the dire consequences coming if that change/repentance never comes. 

 

Question: What is something that would have to change if you were to turn toward Jesus even more than you have at this point in your life?

 

Prayer:  Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me, Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—then guide me on the road to eternal life. (Psalm 139:24-25, The Message) Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for specific places/situations of injustice that you are aware of right now in our world.

 

Song:  Lord Have Mercy - Michael W. Smith ft. Amy Grant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID0Mpy6zfts