November 24, 2014 One Master

One Master

Matthew 23:7-8 “The Pharisees love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’ 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.” 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.”   

ONCE I walked into a room in the church and some people were standing. One person standing said, “We’re standing for Jesus and for pastor.” Now I want to be clear that the words were not designed to elevate me to the level of Jesus. The one who said it loves Jesus very much and certainly knows the difference. To affirm that, I quickly responded that only Jesus is the one we must so honor.

     With that said, Jesus said we are to honor others: “honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 19:19) And we know it is good manners to stand for others as they enter a room or leave. Certainly one way to love others is to honor them with good manners.

     Honor, though, can become inappropriate and idolatry as we hold some people in the church above others. Pastors and elders are given authority to rule in a church. “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.” (Ephesians 4:11) But all church members are to equally honor each other. God chooses such people to serve; yet, we must know Jesus taught there is only one Father, and there is only one Master – himself.

     Honor each other as a family in Christ. Honor God above all.

LIFE Link: Know the one Master.  

November 23, 2014 Humbly Grateful

Humbly Grateful

Matthew 23:5-6 Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues

ONE repeated truth of Jesus’ teachings is this: live with a real heart of faith. Jesus emphasized this here when He pointed to the Pharisees’ tassels and phylacteries. What are those?

     Here is God’s instruction to Moses about tassels in Numbers 15:38-39 Speak to the Israelites and say to them: “Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.”  The tassels were to be an obvious and open reminder of God’s laws to help God’s people to be ever mindful to avoid sin and live in God’s righteousness.

     Likewise, phylacteries were pouches or boxes in which the Jews stored scrolls of parchment on which they had written portions of the law. Later, they would bind these to their foreheads and wrists as a display of their righteousness. This, too, was in obedience to God’s law from Deuteronomy 6:8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

     Why, then, did Jesus condemn the Pharisees? In truth they disobeyed the purpose of the tassels and phylacteries. They were to point to God as the source of right living. Instead, the Pharisees arrogantly wore them for “men to see”, pointing to themselves as the source of right living. Jesus hated their self-righteous displays.  

LIFE Link: Gratefully wear God’s words on your heart.

November 14, 2014 Whose Love?

Whose Image?

Matthew 22:16-21 The Pharisees sent their disciples to Jesus along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” 21 “Caesar's,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Cesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.” 

THE center point of this conversation is not about the coin, but it is about the image on the coin and in our hearts. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to speak against Rome’s taxes, to accuse Jesus of rebellion against Rome, a capital offense.

     Jesus, though, asked, “Whose portrait (image) is this?” to essentially say, “I’m not interested in where your money goes. My desire is to stamp God’s image on your heart.”

     Sin has clouded God’s portrait in our lives. Through the ages the devil has trapped mankind’s mind to cause us to say, “I want what is desirable to the eye.” Those earthly desires corrupt God’s eternal image in us. Instead of our lives reflecting our eternal God, our mirrors reflect “more”.

     Jesus has come to restore mankind to bear the image of God, and he taught us that day, “Give to God what is God’s.” Yes, give to God your heart, mind and soul. Give your life to the One whose image is stamped on you.

LIFE Link: Reflect God.

November 13, 2014 Trap

Trap

Matthew 22:15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.  

THE Pharisees had heard enough. They were tired of arguing with Jesus. His teachings greatly threatened their authority over the temple and the Jews. They would not win the battle of words with Jesus. They had to remove Him from the scene. The Pharisees had to kill Jesus. It is a dangerous thing to challenge men who are in power.

     As we live today with the truth of the Gospel in our homes and in our churches, we can be very grateful for those who have challenged men in power. First o all, we are grateful to our Lord. Obeying the Father’s will, Jesus stepped into the power structures of a religion that kept God’s people from Him. Yes, the temple authorities did kill Jesus, but, as we know, He won the war against death. And we know He will overcome all earthly power structures one day to restore the earth to His glory.

     And as Jesus fulfilled the Gospel, we can be thankful for the brave people who stood through the centuries against power structures that kept Jesus’ people from Him in Jesus’ church.

     There is John Wycliffe and his followers who first translated the Bible into more common English in the 1300’s. One of his followers, Jan Hus, was burned at the stake in the 1400’s for his bravery to bring Jesus’ teachings to everyone. A century later, Martin Luther, John Zwingli, John Calvin and dozens of others put their lives on the line to stand on the Word of God, not the reputations of men, as the primary rule of authority in Jesus’ Church.

     Today, Satan’s evil puts the “authority” of complacency and small faith between us and Jesus’ teachings. We must stand for Jesus and be saved.

LIFE Link: Truth

November 12, 2014 Who to Wear

Who to Wear

Matthew 22:11-14 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

IN His final teachings on earth before the cross, Jesus continued to define in various images what He requires of those who will “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6b)

     In Jesus’ parable, the wedding feast is the church. Many have come. The hall is filled, but something is wrong. The king noticed someone improperly dressed and cast him out.  

     It’s easy at a wedding reception to notice someone who is wearing a T-shirt and blue jeans. Sometimes people (maybe it was you) are simply living in their own fashion, and they are allowed to remain. Not so in the Kingdom of God.

     The truth we cannot be casual and live in our own fashion in Jesus’ church. He has a specific wardrobe requirement: Himself. Yes, your only proper dress for Jesus’ church is Jesus.

“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Romans 13:14)

     As the king was the only one to notice the improperly dressed guest, so will King Jesus judge those hypocrites in His church who are not clothed in Him.

     Put on Jesus. Wear Him in all you do. Be His true servant and strive to clothe others with Jesus, too. His eternal clothes are free.

LIFE Link: No shoes, no shirt, no Savior.