Tag: ministry

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Matthew: Jesus’ Identity

Read: Matthew 11-12

Matthew wants to make sure we are clear on this: Jesus is The Messiah. The blind see, the lame walk, the sick are healed, the dead rise, and the gospel is proclaimed! This is the great news they’ve been waiting to hear, but some can’t understand because Jesus’ yoke is light, He didn’t provide hundreds of rules for people to follow. It’s in this simplicity that we find complexity. It is easy to understand, but challenging to accept. Yet here it is, plain and simple:

“Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Matthew 11:4-6

Yes, John, your life has not been in vain, though Herod is about to take it. Yes, disciples of John, Jesus is the real deal, the one your ministry team has been longing for. Honor John for his incredible character, accept the endorsement Jesus himself provides in Matthew 11:7-14, but let’s keep moving forward!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Very few of us have any real appreciation for the quote above, unless you’re part of a megachurch…then the yoke of rules is crazy. Still, I doubt we have anything that compares to that of the 613 laws the Pharisees developed in an effort to keep Israel on track*. The concept was valid since the Israelites were notoriously bad at staying focused. They wandered far from God for any excuse, so it makes sense that the Levites would develop rules to help. Jesus, however, reveals that they have lost their way in trying not to lose their way. His way is much simpler, even if it’s hard to understand because of its simplicity.

Our world of super intelligent, over-educated masses, has a similar problem. We, the college-educated (and therefore super intelligent), want scientific answers, proofs and intellectually stimulating evidence. The concept of faith seems lost, but is it really? I think not! We must not buy into Satan’s scheme here. Faith definitely wins and intelligent arguments do exist. It’s just difficult to explain faith and therefore we tend to shy away from the discussion.

In Mark Mittleberg’s book, The Ten Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask, he begins by telling a story that explains how we actually have more faith in the secular world than many believe. From the very beginning of the book, Mittleberg provides the story of how he met his wife and their loving relationship over the course of 20+ years. I wasn’t sure where he was going with that until he provided this insight: “But can I prove it to you? Can I show you our love for each other in a tangible way – one that you can see, hear, or touch? No, the love itself is invisible.” You don’t have to be a Christ follower to get it.

We should not place the yoke of faith on someone who has yet to accept Christ, but we should not shy away from the concept of faith — everyone has faith!

The Pharisees remain unconvinced, wrapped in their own warped world of wanting rules and recognition for their sacrifices. I get it. If I memorized the entire Pentateuch and could recite any passage on a whim, I would want some appreciation for the difficulty of the task and my amazing commitment to the Word. Right? It’s great to have knowledge, but better to have love. That simple truth is more than our modern culture can swallow all at once. Be patient.

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, though the Pharisees don’t get it (Matthew 12:1-14).

But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Matthew 12:14

But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” Matthew 12:24

These two “but” verses should get our attention. Lord, help us to avoid being “but” people. Pour into our conscious minds the present reality of the Holy Spirit living inside of us — we have the capability of overcoming these obstacles.

Toward the end of chapter 12, I’m reminded of a song I wrote some years ago.

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 12:43-45

Put Your Beauty In Mine is all primarily about the indwelling of the Spirit–a rather difficult concept for those who are far from Christ. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, when our beauty is replaced by the beauty of Christ, we are perfect in his eyes. We have the capacity, but do we have the faith?

So much to consider this morning. Lord, help us to keep it simple and love you fully! Let this love pour out of our thoughts and deeds so we may be Your effective witnesses working to expand the harvest in the ripe fields directly in front of us today.

 

 

 

See: *https://bible.org/illustration/pharisaic-laws

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Matthew: Jesus Sends Out His Disciples; Working Within Your Gifts

Read: Matthew 10

In this incredible chapter we read about Jesus sending out his fledgling followers we revere as His amazing disciples. They weren’t so amazing when they started, but they had one major advantage: they knew. They knew Jesus was the Messiah because they walked and talk and watched Him do things beyond their wildest imaginations. Here’s the thing: we know that at well! We might be beaten down by the world in which we live, but we know beyond a doubt that Jesus is the Messiah and He has given us the same Spirit — “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Romans 12:6).

Truly Called

Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:6-8

One of the first and most important steps in church planting is to affirm the calling of the pastor. It’s significant for obvious reasons because the level of responsibility is incredible and the cost of failure is devastating for the pastor and everyone associated with the church plant.

In this incredible passage in Matthew, Jesus himself sends out the disciples He has called. Including Judas. Let that sink in for a while. He sends them out with power and authority, with words and capability far beyond their training as fishermen, tax collectors, etc. Even though The Pentecost event has yet to occur, Jesus provides assurance that the Spirit is there:

But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Matthew 10:19-20

I’d rather only give you verse 20 above, for it will not be…, but look what Jesus tells them before letting them know the Spirit will provide the right words: when they arrest you… Hold on! How am I supposed to hear the rest of the sentence when it starts with arrest, flogging, and humiliation? Are you sure you want to be called to pastor a church? Really?

Jesus continues His own special form of encouragement:

You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 10:22

Yes! Sign me up! Really?

Many times we encourage someone to enter ministry, anything from teaching a class to starting a church, by painting this wonderful picture of service with a pat on the back from Jesus. The lesson I take from these words would suggest the opposite is more appropriate, but don’t overdo it! Here’s what I mean. In church planting circles, you hear over and over again, “church planting is hard…” It goes deeper than that, but that’s the tagline for any church planting discussion.

While it’s true, it is incredibly rewarding to be working in a field that is commensurate with your gifts and abilities. This past Sunday we spent the afternoon at Hope Fellowship talking about this very subject. I would contend that working within your gifts is always a joy–even when it sucks!

Greg Wiens would call this your A-Game.

“The challenge with most of us in ministry is that we are not really clear about what our A-game is and what venues of ministry capitalize on our strengths. Too many of us fulfill roles which are either based on someone’s expectations or that simply don’t align with our strengths. Every leader has a venue for their leadership to extend the Kingdom.”HGC Assessments

Find your A-Game through assessments, introspective times surrounded by prayer, and working with a mentor or coach — the counsel of those who have gone before. You might feel like a pioneer, but you are not the only one who has had to step out in faith and do that which God has called them to do!

Here some words of encouragement from Jesus:

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

We are not in this alone, far from it, we go to battle with the Holy Spirit indwelling within us. Lord, help us to find our A-Game, to go into the world with confidence that You are there with us, that You are for us and that You have a unique plan for our lives to grow Your kingdom on earth — today!

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Matthew: A Collection of Miracles and Some Ministry Notes

Read: Matthew 8-9

Matthew provides an incredible list of miracles by Jesus throughout the area and some unique ministry challenges in these two chapters. It’s hard to imagine how this news spread around the region, how it was received, etc. I’m sure they were skeptical of the fake-news of their day and I’m confident I would have been with the group that wanted to see proof. At the same time, loyalties are being tested: will you follow Jesus or John? Pharisees or this One they are calling the Messiah? Matthew quickly stirs the pot by introducing a wide range of characters and concerns. May God speak to you through one of these many examples.

In chapter 4, Matthew reports that Jesus’ ministry began and briefly said He was healing those with diseases, those who were sick, suffering, in pain, paralyzed, demon-possessed, and more (Matthew 4:23-24).  Matthew provides specific examples of miracles that demonstrate the breadth of Jesus’ reach in these chapters.

Miracles

Matthew wants us to know that Jesus was no ordinary prophet, rather, He was the one proclaimed by the prophets who would “took on our infirmities and bore our diseases” (Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:4). Here’s a quick list for reference:

A quick scan of the outline above leaves us with the simple conclusion: there is no limit of Jesus’ authority. Men, women, servants, Romans, even children are considered important enough to Jesus that they would be healed of diseases and more. He even controls nature by rebuking the storm as if disciplining a child, “now stop that tantrum!” And it was calm.

It’s interesting that the example of one who has great faith is taken from a Roman Centurion, one who would have been seen as oppressive authority, yet he is the one that Jesus points out:

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Matthew 8:10

For just a moment look back at Matthew 2:16 where Herod gives orders to kill all of the males two and younger. Those orders were no doubt flawlessly executed by men who were under the rule of centurions, the military authority. What they represented was synonymous with the Gestapo in Hitler’s regime, brutally following orders. Somehow Jesus sees what no other person can see: he sees the heart. Lord, may we have eyes to see beyond that which the world honors or hates. You called us to love. Help us to do your will when it’s as difficult as this must have been for the disciples to witness.

Jesus is not bound by titles or positions. When a synagogue leader approached Jesus, He went and raised his daughter from death. Faith is rewarded in realtime in these stories. We know that’s not always the case, but it is heart-warming to read such stories and know that Jesus can heal anyone at any time. Lord, help us to have such faith!

The narrative on the demon-possessed men and the reaction of the town is somewhat strange and remarkable. These two men are completely out of their minds because of the demons that have taken residence within them–that alone is a lot to consider. I must confess that this is a difficult concept to appreciate, but I do believe we fight an enormous battle in the spiritual realm, it’s just impossible to explain in words. Jesus is confronted by the spirits through these men and a herd of pigs is lost as a result. Weird. Even stranger, the town tells Jesus to leave! As if to suggest they could deal with two crazed men, but the loss of their pigs was too much to handle, they plead with Jesus to leave their town.

Ministry Notes

Matthew seems to say, “It’s not all about miracles!” as he intersperses some important ministry topics in his narrative:

It’s interesting how Matthew weaves these topics into the narrative, the cost to be a disciple is more than most were willing to consider, too much for the Pharisee here or the man who is more concerned about following procedures for burying a family member who has died. Jesus has no patience for people who simply refuse to look beyond the letter of the laws they have created, those trapped by their own misplaced loyalties. The call is far greater than such earthly matters.

Matthew’s own calling is somewhat of a footnote with an emphasis on his sinful nature rather than his qualifications to become a disciple. In contrast to the previous thought, Matthew heard the call and simple, “got up and followed” Jesus. Period.

The question about fasting is somewhat fascinating. John the Baptist’s disciples have to make a decision on who to follow–it must have been so confusing. They went out to the wilderness, heard John proclaim the gospel and were moved to the point that they become his disciples. John is in prison, so they’re fasting and praying, but Jesus has a whole different perspective. Can’t they see they are confronted with the One about whom he was preaching?

The narrative in today’s reading ends with a call to work:

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38

Jesus had compassion on the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd: defenseless, unprotected, destined for death. Through His eyes there is so much pain, so many lost. I often speak about those who don’t even know they are lost, the guy who has a great job, happy wife and kids, discretionary income–success by worldly standards. All the trappings of success, but no sign of Jesus in his life. Perhaps he shows up on Sunday at a church. Check. Takes his family to Christmas Eve service or the special show during the Advent season. Check. Maybe even attends a special event and watches his children get baptized. Check. All the while, the Spirit is not within his heart.

Like sheep without a shepherd, this man will not be saved unless someone reaches him. How can we reach him if we are inwardly focused? How will we see him if we define the lost in terms of financially poor or destitute? Lord, help us to get beyond the exterior. There is so much work to do. Help us to be disciple makers that desire to enter the fields and harvest what others miss!

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Matthew: Sermon on the Mount

Read: Matthew 5-7

There is no way that this simple post can adequately cover the vast material in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Seriously.

I have to point back to the primary purpose of this blog at this time: read through the Bible and post thoughts that stick out as significant.

With that disclaimer, let’s fly through this profound discourse of 111 verses in red letters — Jesus’ words — as captured by Matthew. Prepare to be amazed:

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Matthew 7:28-29

Each section of this narrative invites us to get lost in the words of the greatest teacher the world has ever known. Jesus was much more than a great teacher, but from this perspective alone we have much to learn. Here’s an outline with links:

  1. The Beatitudes: Matthew 5:3-12
  2. Salt and Light: Matthew 5:13-16
  3. Christ Came to Fulfill the Law: Matthew 5:17-20
  4. Anger === Murder: Matthew 5:21-26
  5. Lust === Adultery: Matthew 5:27-30
  6. Divorce: Matthew 5:31-32
  7. Oaths: Matthew 5:33-37
  8. Retaliation, Eye for Eye: Matthew 5:38-42
  9. Love Your Enemies: Matthew 5:43-48
  10. Give to the Needy: Matthew 6:1-4
  11. The Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6:5-15
  12. Fasting: Matthew 6:16-18
  13. Lay up Treasures in Heaven: Matthew 6:19-24
  14. Do Not Be Anxious: Matthew 6:25-34
  15. Judging Others: Matthew 7:1-6
  16. Ask, Seek, Knock: Matthew 7:7-11
  17. The Golden Rule: Matthew 7:12
  18. The Narrow and Wide Gates: Matthew 7:13-14
  19. True and False Prophets: Matthew 7:15-20
  20. True and False Disciples: Matthew 7:21-23
  21. Wise and Foolish Builders: Matthew 7:24-27

The outline alone is overwhelming! How can we begin to talk about this today? The simple answer: pick one of the 21 items above and listen to the words of Jesus for your life at this moment. A quick search on Amazon.com revealed: 3,599 results for “sermon on the mount.”

Here are some thoughts to consider:

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12

During the Servant Leadership class yesterday, one of the Spiritual Gifts we discussed was that of prophecy. While it may be wonderful to be given the gift of prophecy, it comes with a price. Reading through the prophets in the Old Testament, we certainly walk away with the appreciation for the difficulty that surrounded their ministry. The prophet’s reward is not one received on earth.

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20

That’s a verse that preaches well — not! In the Bible-belt south, where tracts are handed out and evangelists put notches in their belts for leading someone to say a prayer, the idea that “you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” is completely lost. Bonhoeffer’s idea of Cheap Grace comes to mind. On the other hand, Jesus didn’t think much of the Pharisees, so perhaps the bar really isn’t that high after all.

All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;
anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Matthew 5:37

Wouldn’t life be much simpler if we would learn to just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’? No complicated oaths or legal documents, just speak the truth.

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:46-48

Loving our enemies is hard enough most of the time, but Jesus tags this hard lesson with “Be perfect.” Put that on a meme and post it! I wonder if He said this just before lunch, right after talking about loving enemies and walking the extra mile, oh, by the way, be perfect and pass the salad please. Forgive me for heretical thoughts, but seriously? We’ll have to unpack that section for sure!

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Matthew 6:3-4

I long for the day when I can be so attuned to the Spirit that giving to the needy is so second nature that I don’t even notice. The concept of helping those in need is discussed so many times throughout the Bible! This morning’s Our Daily Bread covered the concept from Psalm 41:1-3. Lord, help us to consider those in need and do something about it.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24

Lord Jesus, help us to keep this in mind as we know we need funds to eat, to pay bills, to survive in this world. I earnestly pray that people will simply give to ministry without me asking for a dime. If my thoughts are so focused on building the kingdom, it seems like that would work out, yet we often ask for funding and donations, etc. How else can we survive? May we remain devoted to You, Lord, trusting You will take care of the details as You promised in the very next section: Do Not Worry.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:33-34

That is my overwhelming prayer each day: Seek First. Thank you Jesus for that reassurance!

Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11

Lord, help us to seek You first and ask for that which is truly important today. May our hearts be driven by the Spirit that our desires naturally ask for things that matter most.

So many thoughts to ponder as we read some highlights from the Sermon on the Mount. Sometimes I wish you had waited to come at a time when we could have recorded your sermons, broadcast them live, etc., but then again, Your timing and Your plans are so much better than the least of my thoughts.

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Matthew: John Prepares the Way; Jesus’ Ministry Begins

Read: Matthew 3-4

TheBibleProject.org’s video introduction to Matthew helps provide context and a framework within which we gain his perspective on the life of Jesus. Matthew choice of stories depend on some knowledge of what we call the Old Testament, common knowledge for those in his time. Today we read about John the Baptist’s preaching and baptizing many in the wilderness, most notably Jesus himself! Then the earthly ministry of Jesus begins following his own wilderness experience where He is confronted by Satan. In these two short chapters we move from preparation to call of disciples to news about Jesus healing the sick. Matthew uses few words to cover much territory.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

Why would people come out and confess their sins to a wild man in the wilderness? Did he look like one of the prophets of old? Were the people tired of the weight of rules and regulations created by the Pharisees and Sadducees? Lots of questions come to mind. Matthew’s account of John the Baptist is succinct, highlighting several important aspects of his ministry that impacted the entire region–that alone is truly impressive.

People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Matthew 3:5-6

It’s been some 400 years since Malachi preached to those who returned from exile. John’s message must have been incredibly compelling since his reach is well beyond the local community. The time is right and the people were drawn to hear from this man who challenged the established religious leaders. When the Pharisees and Sadducees come to check him out, he dismisses them with blunt words of rebuke, “you brood of vipers” is bold to say the least.

One point I would like to learn from this is simply that John’s message, like the prophets before him, has nothing to do with promoting himself. He has nothing to gain personally from his preaching. He doesn’t say, “look at me…” In fact, it’s completely the opposite. John’s message is, “look to the one who is coming,” though he didn’t know it was his cousin!

Jesus is Baptized by John

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. Matthew 3:13-15

The anointing of the Holy Spirit must have radically changed the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth. They grew up together as cousins. Elizabeth and Mary certainly knew each other as family ties in those days were significant. I suspect they gathered consistently over the 30 years prior to this point, but now everything has changed.

See how the Spirit moves in the lives of those who love God above all else. There is nothing like feeling the very presence of the Spirit move inside my chest. Just a few days ago, Beth and I were reading through Scripture and out of nowhere tears began to form as we were writing a song that would compel people to think about loving God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. As we dwelled on this theme, it was clear that the Spirit wants us to pray with people as the body of Christ, to lay hands on those who are desperately looking for answers, who hear the message of hope and want to know how that works today. Music has a way of opening hearts. We know we’re just messengers. The memory comes to mind, but it is insignificant compared to the story here in Matthew.

The proclamation of Jesus’ ministry is awesome and brief from Matthew’s perspective. He moves the story along quite quickly to the next foundational phase.

Temptation in the Wilderness

Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights as He prepared to begin his ministry. Though I haven’t really thought about this before, I can’t imagine this was a secret to those around him. Can you imagine any of your friends or family fasting for an extended period without being noticed? Much less in a day when families lived in close community. Something was happening, but I’m sure no one really knew just what was going on between the cousins.

After this extended fast, Jesus was hungry and the devil was ready with his 3-pronged attack:

  1. “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
  2. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down…”
  3. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus replies, “it is written…” all three times and dismisses Satan. The scene evokes all kinds of thoughts, but one that prevails is the idea that Jesus, the Son of God, allowed Satan to confront Him. He allowed time and space for the interaction, for the words of deception to be spoken and the words of correction to be heard. We must know that when the Spirit moves deep within, Satan will be present. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus shows us how to win these battles and has given us more tools than those in Matthew’s day–we have the entire Bible!

Jesus Begins to Preach

John the Baptist gets tossed in prison as a result of his harsh, though accurate, words. Now Jesus begins to preach to the people that John has stirred into action. People are prepared to hear, not everyone, but crowds are ready to listen.

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17

Notice that Jesus didn’t tell people to grab their lambs and head to the temple for sacrificial cleansing. His message is much more personal: Repent yourself! The focus is changing from following a system to one of personal transformation.

Matthew briefly covers the call of Jesus’ first disciples: Peter, Andrew, James and John (Zebedee brothers), each immediately left their boats and followed Jesus.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Matthew 4:23

Jesus teaches in the synagogues, the very heart of the Israelites’ religious community. The chosen people hear first from the Chosen One–and it’s good news people! Jesus shows up to preach repentance for the good of all. On top of spiritual healing, Jesus is concerned about physical illness and goes about healing disease and sickness.

This must have been an incredible change in the lives of those in Jesus’ day. They’ve been waiting for the Messiah with all kinds of hopes for what that might mean, but no idea that their generation would be the generation that would see Him.

Lord Jesus, please let us be a people that hear your voice and act like it! Let us be those who follow you completely, wherever that would lead, for Your purpose and not our hidden agendas. You alone are worthy to be praised.

 

 

A few interesting links from research and reading this morning:

  • http://www.seekfind.org/
  • https://bible.org/seriespage/4-john-baptist-and-jesus-matthew-31-17
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Matthew: Jesus’ Heritage, Birth, Escape and Return

Read: Matthew 1-2

Following the ReadScripture plan, we start with the first two chapters in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew begins by establishing who Jesus was in human terms that we can understand and historians can validate. It’s quite interesting to read chapter 2 in parallel with Exodus as we see Joseph leading his little family to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod, then return to begin the process of truly setting all people free!

Genealogy of Jesus — Notable Men

Matthew does an amazing job of framing the story of Jesus by firmly pointing back to family heritage. Names like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Boaz, Jesse and King David where no doubt known by everyone in their contemporary context as well as those of us who have the privilege of reading the most modern version of the Bible.

He runs through a list of prominent kings: Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa,  Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. When we look back through 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles, we notice that all of these kings are from the southern kingdom since the northern kingdom’s kings were all accounted for as evil and ultimately swept away by the Assyrians.

The list continues after the exile to Babylon: Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abihud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Akim, Elihud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, Joseph, the husband of Mary. Most of these names are not particularly notable, but serve to make Matthew’s point: Jesus comes from the line that can be traced back through King David and, of course, back to Abraham.

Joseph’s Challenge

Having fully established his awareness of the lineage of Jesus, Matthew points out a huge problem for Joseph to deal with–his betrothed is pregnant and he’s not the father!

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. Matthew 1:19

An angel visits Joseph in a dream and assures him this is a divine appointment, so Joseph has to make a decision. This is quickly overlooked, but rather profound: the angel didn’t threaten Joseph, rather, he set him up for success and allowed him to decide. When Mordecai challenged Esther to approach the king, he made sure to tell her that God would save his people through her or someone else if she didn’t follow through (see: Esther 4:12-14). I wonder if Joseph thought about this when he decided:

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:24-25

Not only did he make the right decision, Joseph proved himself to be a very honorable man. We know very little about the life of Joseph, but his example here leads me to believe he was incredibly humble and well respected in his small community.

Wise Men Visit

The story of the wise men, magi or kings, coming to visit the newly born Jesus is really astonishing. For centuries, the Jews have been saying (through the writings of the prophets) that this was going to happen, suddenly the future is current news.

wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2

With these few words we see they knew Jesus was born to be king and it is their honor to worship him. When they appeared in town, Herod was informed, or perhaps they started their search by going to the town center to find out where this great thing happened. I can imagine the logistics and politics of their actions: First, they’re from out of town–something you simply can hide, the authorities know the wise men are there for a reason. Second, they’re looking for the one who fulfills great prophecy–surely the local people are aware of this, right? They saw “his star” and have come to worship. This is the appropriate response!

They find Jesus, Mary and Joseph and present their gifts in a way that seems so modest given their journey and status, yet appropriate. They were warned in a dream to slip away without letting Herod know the details, so they vanish into the desert without a trace of where the Holy family was residing. That’s pretty amazing all by itself!

Escape and Return from Egypt

Of course Herod doesn’t see it that way and responds by deciding to kill all the male children that are 2 years old or younger. I can’t imagine being part of a military force that could execute such orders. A strange and sad time. Joseph was warned by an angel in a dream to hide in Egypt to escape such wrath. Again, this is fantastic! Surely Herod’s orders were secretly given…there’s no way he would have announced to the public that he was going to kill male children. The military operation would have been completed in secrecy and swiftly to ensure success.

Joseph gets another visit from an angel and returns to the quiet town of Nazareth to raise his family. This is the last time Matthew mentions Joseph, but I just can’t help being in awe of the man who led this family. I’m not sure if he is the father of James, but I’d like to think so just because of his character.

Born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, the Savior of all is about to begin His ministry.

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Matthew’s Genealogy of Jesus — The Women

Read: Matthew 1:1-17

The New Testament begins with a list of who’s who from the Old Testament, a very direct link to the past. The list of characters range from good to notoriously bad and even includes five women! As I tried to get through the first two chapters, I found myself digging into the details of these women. The text below briefly summarizes a lot of what I found, but it’s incredibly interesting that in a male-dominated culture that women would even be mentioned, let alone honored, in such a way.

Before diving into the details, I simply have to say I’m somewhat overwhelmed by the list of names of real people that lived through incredible times spanning so many years. Though I’ve glossed over this section other times, it seems prudent to look closely at the names, the people, and gain some appreciation for the role they played in the ancestry of Joseph, the man who raised Jesus as His earthly father. That alone is worth thinking about!

Side note: We’re began a series on Exodus at Hope Fellowship a few days ago, so it’s interesting that Moses is not mentioned here at all. Though his role was profoundly significant, his progeny was not required. Yet another idea for a post!

Five Women in the Lineage of Jesus

Obviously, there were a lot more women involved in the genealogy of Jesus, but these are the five named in Matthew’s account. Each is a story all by herself, but here are some thoughts from reading this morning.

Tamar

Judah’s firstborn son was Er, a wicked son that God put to death (Genesis 38:6). But before this, Judah selected Tamar as his wife, so Tamar was Judah’s daughter-in-law. The crazy drama is covered in Genesis 38 where Judah tries to extend his bloodline by having another son sleep with Tamar. That doesn’t work, so he puts her aside and forgets about her. After some time, Tamar hears Judah is coming to town so she dresses up like a prostitute and Judah sees her and arranges to have sex with her, cuz that makes sense somehow! She has a plan and the deal is consummated. Later the men accuse Tamar of prostitution and call her out to be put to death. No punishment is mentioned about the man, only the woman, but Tamar is clever and produces evidence that Judah was the one who had sex with her, so the torches are set aside and Tamar has twins: Perez and Zerah, but Perez is first to be born, though Zerah got a hand out first (crazy story within a crazy story).

Rahab

Joshua 2 provides the backstory for Rahab, the prostitute turned savior for Joshua and Caleb. Once again, the idea of a prostitute as a normal, everyday interaction is at best odd from our cultural perspective. I’m in no way trying to suggest we should think of prostitution as anything other than hedonistic and sinful, but it is challenging to read how casually it’s mentioned as part of the narrative. Rahab’s reward is to be welcomed into the family of Israelites after the fall of Jericho and she marries Salmon who gives birth to Obed.

Ruth

The marriage of Rahab and Salmon is difficult to find explicitly, but the union of Ruth and Boaz is a wonderful story captured in the book of Ruth (some notes here). Ruth and Mary seem to be the only women of virtue, though it’s fair to say that Rahab must have changed her ways when she become part of the Israelites.

Bathsheba

The story of lust, desire, adultery, and murder surround the legacy of David and Bathsheba (some notes here). David caves into his lustful desires for Bathsheba and, since he’s the king, she appears to go along with the plan, though there’s no implication that she knew anything about David’s ultimate plan to have Uriah killed in battle.  Fast-forward, the son they had through adultery dies and she eventually gives birth to Solomon and the lineage of Jesus continues.

Mary

Mary is an incredible woman, revered by many, highly favored, the woman who bore Jesus. Ted Dekker casts a respectful and favorable light on Mary in his book A.D. 30. Honorable is the word that comes to mind. I can understand, in part, how the Roman Catholic church sees Mary as significant and important in her role as the woman who carried Jesus through childbirth, beyond the life of Joseph, and no doubt played a part in the early church as people knew who she was. Who knows, perhaps Mary is the one that really got James’ ministry started (complete conjecture on my part).

Some Thoughts

God’s master plan includes women from the very beginning of life on earth. It is His plan that man and woman would be joined and through that relationship the world is populated. We, the big we, have no doubt messed that up more times than we’ve got it right! Yet where would we be without the women in our lives? Our culture is still predominantly male-oriented, as if being male is somehow better than being female. That is crazy talk! It’s easy to support the concept that all are created in God’s image, all are equal, but our society tends to make some more equal than others.

From my perspective, especially as I prepare to teach a class on Spiritual Gifts, God is not bound by limits of our definitions or ridiculous musings. The Spirit gives gifts to those who call Jesus their Lord, their Savior. Those gifts could be incredible wisdom, knowledge, etc., and He can use women in roles of leadership and servanthood — there is no conflict in definition in my mind. We’ve seen great women role models in our time like Mother Teresa, Fortune 500 CEOs and Angela Merkel. Each gifted with leadership abilities that men follow without reservation. I would suggest they are not followed because of their gender, rather, they are followed because of their great example, for being who they were called to be without concern for conforming to a role imposed on them.

At the minimum we should embrace our calling in the body of Christ, figure out what that is by studying those who have gone before while praying for discernment and understanding as we learn from these examples given to us in Scripture.

Jesus, born of a woman, came from a line of men and women who didn’t get it right most of the time, yet did their part as best they knew how. I can’t wait to get into the New Testament and see how men and women served faithfully in sharing the Gospel by actions, through faith and deeds that changed the world for good!

 

 

Interesting references:

  • https://bible.org/seriespage/1-origins-jesus-christ-matthew-11-25
  • http://www.recoveryversion.bible/matthew.html
  • http://www.bible-codes.org/Names-Bible-Prophecy-Code-notes.htm
  • https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/issues-v05-n06/ the-genealogy-of-the-messiah
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Nehemiah Rebukes Officials

Read: Nehemiah 13

The closing chapter of Nehemiah exposes Eliashib’s character and the problems caused by his association with Tobiah. Way back when I was a young child, my parents used to tell me they knew who I was playing with by my attitude when I came home. Nothing new here. The Tobiah/Eliashib relationship runs deep. I’m only surprised that Nehemiah didn’t do something about this when he was in town in the first place. Is it possible that he didn’t pick up on the association? That seems unlikely, but in any case, Nehemiah’s coming back to town to set things right again!

“Some time later” Nehemiah probably heard rumors about Jerusalem, so he asks the king for permission to go and see for himself.

Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense. Nehemiah 13:7-9

The issue may have started with Eliashib and Tobiah, but it didn’t end there, the officials appointed to take care of the Levites and musicians were not doing their jobs well either:

I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?” Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts. Nehemiah 13:10-11

Nehemiah put trustworthy people in charge of these key areas as a start to getting things back in order. He’s not done yet!

Dear God, remember me…

Four times in this chapter Nehemiah asks God to remember him for the good things he did.

Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services. Nehemiah 13:14

How many things have you started in good faith and with great effort only to find them far off track when you return “some time later?” I say “things” because this applies to ministry, programs, projects, churches, business, etc. Somewhat selfishly, I take comfort in seeing the problems Nehemiah had to deal with.

His reaction is pretty amazing:

  • rebuked officials of Jerusalem
  • rebuked the nobles of Judah
  • replaced key personnel in leadership
  • threatened to arrest merchants and sellers of goods violating the Sabbath
  • beat some of the men and pulled out their hair
  • drove away one of Eliashib’s grandsons, son-in-law to Sanballat
  • purified the priests and the Levites; assigned them duties

These are no doubt just the highlights of the things Nehemiah did to clean house in Jerusalem. Seriously, what was going on in these years when Nehemiah was not carefully watching over Jerusalem? What lessons do we draw from this?

To begin with, I would conclude that we must not shy away from the foreign concept of rebuking our brothers and sisters. In our politically correct, no spanking allowed, everyone is right, blah, blah, blah, world, we need to stand out as an example for others to follow. Rebuking will only be effective if we approach each issue, every case, with care and concern for our fellow Christ-follower. Hear the words of Jesus:

“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” Luke 17:2-4

There is so much to learn from Jesus here. Lord, help me to rebuke appropriately and accept the rebuke from others who point out the obvious sin in my life. May I repent gracefully and accept the words from my brothers and sisters who ask me for forgiveness. May all of those who call themselves followers of Jesus be willing to rebuke and accept rebuke for the building up of the church and for the body of Christ. Rid us of our selfish motivations and desires. Light the fire within us to be your light in this day and in this place.

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Project Stalled — Prophets Step In

Read: Ezra 5-6, Haggai 1-2 and Zechariah 1-6

We left the story at the point where it appears the opposition has won, the work in Jerusalem came to a halt. Does that read like an ancient headline or a text you just received?

Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them. Ezra 5:1-2

The first words of Haggai are stern and strong:

“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Haggai 1:9

Zerubbabel and Joshua received the message well, they heard the word of the Lord through Haggai and as a result blessings flowed upon them for the sake of Jerusalem and for God’s glory.

Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. Haggai 1:13

Those four words, “I am with you,” are perhaps the most powerful words anyone in ministry can possibly hear. When the Lord speaks these few words over your ministry, the world stands still. We know that if God is with us, there is absolutely nothing that will stand in the way–nothing!

A month later, Haggai speaks more words of encouragement for Zerubbabel and Joshua,

But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ Haggai 2:4-5

Seriously folks, these are the words I long to hear, be strong, for I am with you and do not fear. Enough said, let’s go out and do God’s work with all our might!

Zechariah joins in with Haggai to speak truth and provide amazing encouragement:

‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. Do not be like your ancestors, … “Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’”
Zechariah 1:3-4,6

Zechariah 2, A Man With A Measuring Line, tells the Israelites to leave Babylon, to come home!

“Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. Zechariah 2:10

Joshua is given new clothes and a turban in Zechariah 3–blessed and called by God to lead the people from exile.  Then Zerubbabel is blessed in chapter 4:

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’” Zechariah 4:6-7

Wow! Such amazing words of encouragement! Yesterday, call me weird, but I read aloud the two chapters of Haggai and most of Zechariah as if preaching a sermon. There are days, even months, when we need to hear such stirring words. The Spirit of God is not idle.

Zechariah 5 depicts evil being purged from Jerusalem, the iniquity of the people is removed from the land. Joshua is crowned as king in Zechariah 6, he will be a priest on the throne and there will be harmony between priests and rulers.  We’ll pick up with chapter 7 a bit later as it jumps ahead a few years.

And so, with those words of assurance, the story in Ezra 5 picks up the pace and a bold letter is written to King Darius to search his records and see that the rebuilding project was indeed sanctioned by his predecessor.

Then let the king send us his decision in this matter. Ezra 5:17

Not only did King Cyrus authorize the rebuilding, he offered to fund it!

Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. Ezra 6:8

Punishment for disobeying this command:

Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble. Ezra 6:11

There’s nothing like a story with a happy ending:

So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah Ezra 6:14

As we seek ways to build God’s kingdom here on earth, I pray for such clear and bold prophecy. Those returning from exile were not wrong, it just looked like it from the reaction of those who did not want them to succeed. They were on the right path, but they needed to hear the message from God through Haggai and Zechariah and they did not disappoint the leaders! Lord, show us our iniquities, pack them up in a box and ship them to Babylon, wherever that is these days! Show us clearly what you would have us do this day for your purpose.

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Jonah: A Man Like Me?

Read: Jonah 1-4

Jonah is a short story that has captured the imaginations of countless people of all ages, but especially children in Sunday Schools and Vacation Bible Schools around the globe. It’s ironic that children enjoy the story while adults, if they would answer honestly, will most likely say it’s a fictional or allegorical work based on legend or folklore.

The NIV Study Bible provides this insight:

Although their specific suggestions range from fictional short story to allegory to parable, they share the common assumption that the account sprang essentially from the author’s imagination, despite its serious and gracious message. On the other hand, it must be acknowledged that Biblical narrators were more than historians.
They [Old Testament prophets] interpretatively recounted the past with the unswerving purpose of bringing it to bear on the present and the future. In the portrayal of past events, they used their materials to achieve this purpose effectively. Nonetheless, the integrity with which they treated the past ought not to be questioned. The book of Jonah recounts real events in the life and ministry of the prophet himself.

Why is it that we choose to believe one miracle and not another? We are so well educated that we think we can explain the universe, but in reality, through many apologetic arguments, at some point, we have to step out on faith. I’m not suggesting we put on blinders or act ignorant, but if we believe in a God that created the universe out of nothing, at some level it is possible that the same God could create a divine appointment between prophet and fish.

Then there’s the red-letter evidence in Matthew, the words of Jesus himself:

38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” 39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.
Matthew 12:38-41

I have much to learn and I don’t claim to have any knowledge at all except that I believe in the incarnational life of Jesus Christ, his death by crucifixion and subsequent miraculous resurrection. These beliefs already put me in the crazy pen, why not add the story of Jonah?

The Story

God tells Jonah to preach redemption to the evil city of Nineveh, a city so large that it would take three days to walk around it. That’s huge! Jonah decides to run away rather than be subjected to the humiliation of preaching in such a place as Nineveh. He pays for passage on a boat in the opposite direction and the trouble begins.

The superstitious sailors see the storm as a sign, something from the sea-gods must be happening. They cast lots and determine Jonah is the culprit. After Jonah begs them, they toss him overboard and the sea calms down.

At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him. Jonah 1:16

Jonah’s first converts are on the boat after they are saved by removing him.

Chapter 2 contains Jonah’s short prayer in the belly of the fish, his repentance is recounted briefly here. Three days and nights is a long time to be trapped inside, plenty of time to think about mistakes and misgivings!

Chapter 3 describes Jonah’s renewed mission — he preaches to the Ninevites and they repent!

The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. Jonah 3:5

Chapter 4 provides Jonah’s pathetic response, this is where I draw the title for this post, is this my response to God when his voice clearly tells me to do one thing and I choose to do another?

He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Jonah 4:2

Jonah’s mission was so successful that he wanted to die. These corrupt people, those who lived in great extravagance and self-absorbed living, actually repented and would reap the rewards for turning to God. Historically, we know this doesn’t last long, but for some, it seems, eternity was changed–they turned to God. Jonah is comforted by a plant, then God takes the plant away. God is in control the entire time, but Jonah has a part to play, he has a story to tell and many lives hang in the balance.

Jonah’s main flaw: he didn’t love the Ninevites as God loves all people. I continue to pray for God’s help in learning how to love as He loves, to see people as He sees them. When I get a taste for that kind of love, I know it’s real, but it’s hard to express in words.

Lord, help me to love as you do, at least one bit more today than yesterday. Help me to put aside the lessons this world has taught me and let me focus on your words, your actions, your ways.

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