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Isaiah 4-6, Matthew 23

Sometimes, Jesus is inconvenient.  Lots of times, Jesus behaves differently than we want him to.  Maybe we got overlooked for that promotion, or our health is failing.  There is no end to the troubles in this world.  Would you like to make it easier?

Good, so would I.  Now, all we have to do is control God.  I bet that if we do certain things, everything will go our way.  We can start by going to church on Sunday.  Not just this Sunday but EVERY Sunday.  Then, we can give a little more.  In fact, we can celebrate how much we give.  Heck, they might even name the next building after me!  Don’t forget about sharing.  We must tell everyone we know how great Jesus is and how great he has made our lives.  If we do all of those things, and maybe a few others along the way, God will take good care of us, right?

Wrong.  It doesn’t work that way.  That is what Jesus is trying to tell us today in Matthew 23.  The Pharisees had been trying it for years.  Follow the rules, spread the word, and give lots of money.  Jesus wasn’t having it.  “Woe to you!” he warned.  None of these things return righteousness.  None of these bring life.  None of these make you worthy.

What, then, God?  What will make us worthy?  Albert Tate heard these words from the Holy Spirit when asking similar questions.  They are true for us too.

Albert, when you studied all week, you still weren’t worthy. When you prayed all night, you still weren’t worthy. Your worthiness to stand and declare the truths of My gospel isn’t based on your preparation. It’s not based on your prayer life or the work that you’ve put in. Yes, it’s important that you do that work, but don’t you associate that work with your worth. Your worth was never your work. Your worth was always, always based on my work. All the work I’ve done in your life, it was always about My grace. It was about My grace on your worst day, and on your most prepared day. Either day, you’re still unworthy. But what makes you worthy is My grace alone.

His grace and our willingness to embrace it is the difference between being religious and being saved.

Tate, Albert. Disobedient God (p. 95). FaithWords. Kindle Edition.

Today’s Reading:  Isaiah 1-3, Psalm 9, Matthew 22

As I start my 25th year as an educator, I still get so excited, like it is my first day.    My wife will jokingly tell me I am the only one who gets that way still.  I remind her that I know many other parents who are counting down the days until school starts. (We did have a blast making the short trips around time and just being together as we did some travels.)

For myself, as we work towards the end of the summer, it is often a time of reflection. What happened? What did we learn as a family over the summer? Were there any highlight moments? The start of the summer did present itself with an opportunity to move my family.  It was hard to think of these changes.  I have been pretty content,  but looking to do or need more based on selfish and earthly family dreams. My ongoing prayer was for God to put me exactly where HE wanted me.  For now, it is still here.  Doing all I love.  These reflective moments brought me to today’s verses on judgment and hope.  Sins of selfishness brought me to my knees when I expected everything to go how I wanted things.  I, I, I was a repeat in various places.  Today’s verses reminded me about earthly idols that can impact every person.  These verses also reminded me about our Savior, who died to wash me clean.  To wash you clean.

I reflected upon everything I saw.  Lots of selfishness in so many of my decisions, looking more at things of this world and trying to live in this earthly world instead of looking towards Heaven.  I lost sight of His glory and looked to my own success or trying to please others.

These verses help remind me about God’s promises of not only judgment but hope. 

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. 19 If you are  willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land;

Do the idols in life sometimes get too big to where you can fall into disobedience?  Pray for obedience daily. 

8. Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands,
to what their fingers have made. 9 So people will be brought low
and everyone humbled— do not forgive them. (watch for idols we can create with our hands)

11 The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low;
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. 12 The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted. (judgment will come) 

10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. (trust and seek Him always – He is not of this world) 

(Matthew reminds us what is truly the most important. )

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first an  greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

I once answered an interview question that asked, “How long would you fail at a task before you quit?”  Now remember, this was an interview.  My foolish answer was, “I’m not a quitter.”    I say that because I am, and you probably are too.

Don’t worry; we are in good company.  The disciples quit too.  Look at the story starting at Matthew 17:14.  A man brought to them a demon-possessed boy for healing.  They tried everything they knew, but it didn’t work.  So, what did they do?  They quit.

What does that mean?  It means that they gave up hope and bailed.  Can you imagine looking at the man and the boy in their desperate situation and saying, “Sorry, we can’t do it, see you later.  Have a nice life.”

The truth is that we do it all the time.  That’s right; we give up.  Most times, we don’t even try.  Remember that homeless man you passed on the street corner?  He was asking for help too.  But I didn’t stop.  Why not?  Because, like the disciples, I don’t believe I can make a difference.

Jesus’ response was appropriate.  “Faithless generation,” he calls them.  “how long do I have to put up with you?” He asks with disgust.  Thankfully, this is not the story’s end for the boy or the disciples.  The boy gets the healing he needs and the disciples learn some valuable lessons.

For instance, the disciples could have approached Jesus humbly and honestly, seeking his guidance rather than running.  They could have provoked God’s intercession through prayer and they could have simply trusted that God will do what he say’s he will do.  In short, they proved their lack of faith by accepting their human limitations and not turning to God.

At the time, the disciples didn’t think they were quitting. Instead, they accepted the task as impossible.  But Jesus said otherwise, “Nothing will be impossible for you.”  Now, they know better.  They know their failure is directly linked to their lack of faith.  Now, we know better too.

Which personal attributes are most appealing to you in other people? One of the most important to me is to observe humility. Humble leaders, servants, winners and losers, teachers, preachers, friends, colleagues, and family members. This attribute kept coming to mind this week while on a business trip to our corporate office where I had numerous interactions with many people that I’d either not seen for a long time or who are new to our organization.

When I recounted conversations and described someone to another person, I found myself saying that he or she is very humble whenever this value stood out. It is one of my “checklist” attributes with similar rankings as being honest or wise.

Humility doesn’t mean being shy or weak. From my observations, I believe humble people are able to learn fast as they accept what they don’t know, they make great servant leaders as they put others’ needs before their own, and they are easily approachable which helps facilitate meaningful relationships. Further, when I meet people of great humility it in turn humbles me because I realize I’ve got a lot more work to do.

Today’s reading: Amos 7-9; Matthew 15

In Matthew 15 there’s a story of a woman who begged Jesus to heal her daughter who was severely oppressed by a demon. Initially, Jesus dismisses the woman yet she persists and lowers herself by kneeling before him, calling him Lord (or Master in some versions), and referring to herself as a dog, a lowly and undeserving creature.

She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” (Matthew 15:27)

Humility also shows in what we don’t ask for: She wasn’t asking for power, wealth, or even sustenance; merely the healing of her daughter. Like this woman, it is our choice as to how we respond to Jesus Christ who gave everything for us; for our sins of the past, present, and future. He gives us mercy and grace every single day. He gives us life, love, and hope for eternity. We can either fall at his feet with faith, accepting him and calling him Lord or refuse him as we falsely elevate ourselves in denial of our own faults and failures.

“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed. (Matthew 15:28)

Will you humbly accept him today?

Amos 1-3, Matthew 13

In today’s reading of Matthew 13, we encounter Jesus talking in more parables.  What are parables, exactly?  Parables are short, simple stories that convey a moral or spiritual lesson.  There are several reasons that Jesus chose to communicate with parables.

Accessibility: Jesus used parables to make complex spiritual and moral lessons accessible to diverse audiences. By using familiar scenarios and everyday situations, he could connect with people from different backgrounds and walks of life.

Engagement: Parables are inherently engaging and thought-provoking. They capture the audience’s attention and encourage them to think deeply about the underlying message. Parables allowed Jesus to convey profound truths in a way that held people’s interest.

Memorability: The storytelling nature of parables made them easier to remember.  When people remember it, they will share it.

Protection: In some instances, Jesus used parables to convey sensitive or controversial teachings without attracting unnecessary opposition or persecution. The symbolic language of parables allowed him to deliver challenging messages while providing a degree of protection from immediate backlash.

Spiritual Revelation: Parables often contain hidden meanings and profound spiritual truths. Jesus explained the meanings of some parables to his disciples privately, giving them insights into the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

Self-Reflection: Parables required active participation from the audience. Listeners had to ponder the stories and discern the moral or spiritual implications, which encouraged self-reflection and personal growth.

These reasons are fine, but there is a catch to parables.   You must be willing to hear (Matthew 13:43).   Author John Macarthur puts it this way, “If a person rejects the propositional truth being illustrated by a parable, of course, it remains an open riddle.”

MacArthur, John F.. Parables: The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed Through the Stories Jesus Told (p. xviii). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.