Gnat

 

“What do you think about the Christ? Who’s son is He?” (Matthew 22:42 [NASB])

 Read Matthew 22:41-46 & 23:13-36, Mark 12:35-37, and Luke 20:41-44. Jesus again taught the Pharisees and religious leaders. He spoke to them about their straining of the gnat and not the camel. Jesus also spoke to them about Him being both son of man and Son of God.

The Pharisees and other religious leaders refused to see Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah. They actively refused to believe, so much so that they executed Him on a cross. They also actively strained the gnat, the small laws that made them appear more pious, but couldn't make time for the camel, the things everyone else does in following God's commands, decrees, and laws. These leaders went to great trouble to strain out all the small things. It takes more care to strain small things than large things like the camel. Yet, their efforts to follow the letter of the laws they created supposedly showed their piety.

Jesus’ statement to these men meant they considered the Son of God like the camel; they refused to hear and believe Jesus is the Son of God. These leaders believed He was flesh and a son of David but no more. They wanted to keep their reputation and status in Judea and not be overshadowed by anyone. These religious leaders knew all the laws, commands, and decrees of God and the traditions of the church, but they chose to make only the small things important, things like church traditions. They believed Jesus was a son of man because of His parentage, but refused to believe He is more than that, that He is Sovereign Lord. These leaders wanted people to keep thinking they themselves were the most God-like. They did not want to concede that some poor carpenter's son from Bethlehem is God made flesh. 

To apply this to us, which of the traditions of the church and the laws, commands, and decrees of God do we choose to follow to appear more godly than other people and which do we relegate to the closet considering them unworthy of recognition? Do we make sure we are seen giving money to the needy or the church? Do we attend church every Easter, Christmas, and Sunday only so others can see us attend? Do we give money to a charitable organization that lists its donors? Do we do these things instead of choosing to recognize, listen to, heed, and obey God in the daily things of our lives? When we do these gnat-straining things, we are like the Jewish religious leaders who actively did not seek Jesus Messiah but sought to enhance their status in the community.

God seeks obedience, not grand gestures. This means we must live like Jesus is the Sovereign Lord of our lives and of the world. We must step out of the spotlight and honor and serve God by serving others. Live like Jesus is son of man and Son of God, not one or the other. Let Jesus be Savior and Ruler of your life each day as Son of God,  and be son of man, knowing what it’s like to deal with what life throws at you.

  “Therefore, if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” (Jesus said.) (Matthew 22:45 [NASB]) 

F.I.R.E.: It's a Relationship (redux)

Relationships and the state of the world’s salvation should be the concern of every person, especially of every Christian.

Over the last twenty to thirty years, Americans and maybe people of other countries, too, have become so involved in succeeding that relationships and a Christian witness have taken a backseat in each person’s life. As you walk in public, if you look, you can see people closed down and in pain. They have no one with whom to share their burdens because relationships in society are minimal in our day and age. Many of these people have  no one, including God, with whom to share their burdens because no one took the time to share the Gospel with them.

Relationships have broken down.

Evangelism took a back seat in Christian lives.

This should disturb every one.

Life should be about relationship. God created every person for relationship – with Himself and with other people. Jesus called Christians to be in relationship. Consider Matthew 22:36-39,

‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied, ‘Love the LORD your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it,  Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [NIV]

When did we Christians close our hearts and eyes to seeing other people?

I think this occurred because: 1) People have adopted a policy of tolerance for all beliefs and, therefore, do not want to "force" their beliefs on someone else; 2) People have become so involved in their lives and efforts at “succeeding” that they literally do not see people enough to have a real conversation with them; 3) People are afraid to tell of their Christian faith to others because they are afraid they will make a mistake or are afraid of being rejected by the person to whom they are talking.  Can I make a suggestion? You are not the one who may be rejected. Jesus Christ is the One who they would reject, if they rejected what you said. You would have been doing what Christ told His followers to do - go out and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

Another thought, if you do not tell others because you are promoting tolerance, remember Jesus has been tolerant for thousands of years. He loves all his creation, men and women of every race and tongue. You may be the one He chose to tell this person near you about Him. Remember, God has a plan for everyone to hear about Jesus Christ and when that occurs, the end will come.

Would you like to be the reason someone did not hear about Jesus and the Father’s love? We Christians have a secure hope of living with God forever in heaven, but we must stand before God and receive His judgment for our actions, too. You need to take the opportunity God gives you to tell others about Him. You must see other people. Act upon the time God gives you to speak His love to them.

What I find is that the number one reason Christians give for not sharing about Jesus is they are afraid. I addressed the fear of rejection earlier. The people to whom you talk will not be rejecting you, but Jesus. The best way to get over this fear is to take a course on how to witness. Take two courses. Then, put it into action. The more times you make the time to share with others, the easier it will become. Most important of all is this: you must truly care about the person. When God saves a person through Jesus, His Son, He puts His love in you. This love is God's Spirit. He has put His love - His Spirit - inside you and you must call upon this love, His Spirit to love other people. You must put aside your human limitations and prejudices and allow God to love this person through you. Once you do that, he or she will realize you care. That person will want to listen to and trust you.

This is relational evangelism - God's love for others shining through you.

God wants a relationship with that person very much.

He already loves him or her.

How do you do relationship evangelism? First, it is easier to love someone, and listen to and speak with a person if you have known him or her for a while. If you do not know the person, you can use the F.I.R.E. method of evangelism to gain an interest in and learn about a person. Your listening to a person tell you about him or herself will make you see he or she is a person who needs love and friendship, too. That person will learn to trust you because of it. During the time you listen to a person, you will recognize he or she has needs, too. This will unlock your heart for others.

What is F.I.R.E.? The short answer is Family, Interests, Religious experience, and Evangelism. The application is easy. It requires you to be human and truly take an interest in another person. Besides this, it requires you not talk as much as you listen. Get to know the person. 

v  Ask about his or her Family. 

o   Does he or she have kids or grandkids? 

o   Who lives at home with him or her? 

o   Where is he or she from? 

o   Find out about him or her. 

v  Ask about the person's Interests. 

o   Does he or she like to read, play an instrument, play computer games, camp? 

Are you now finding out you have a common interest with them? 

v  Ask about his or her Religious background. 

o   Does he or she go to a church? 

o   Which faith system does he or she follow? 

o   What are his or her thoughts on what happens after this life is over? 

Once you have taken time to get to know the person, which may take fifteen minutes, a few days, or months, you will have a heart for the person. He or she will realize you can be trusted and that you care about him or her. By this time, you recognize at least one area of need the person expressed about his or her life.

At this point, you can tell the person about yourself - your Family, Interests, and Religious experiences.

The E of FIRE -

v  As you tell the person about your Religious experience, tell him or her how God met/meets your needs  and can meet his or her needs.

v  Share how Jesus came to give abundant life because He loves him or her.

v  Share how God and Jesus showed that love and how it changed your life.

v  Eventually you will come to a place where you can ask the person if he or she would like to know Jesus in this way -  experience a life in which Jesus:

·         gives meaning to the person’s life.

·         forgives the person of all his or her wrongdoings.

·         is the Savior of his or her life. 

·         is there to take lead of his or her life to be his or her Savior, Provider, Protector, and King. Jesus wants the person to follow Him the rest of his or her life. 

v  Tell the person how your life has changed since you gave your life to Jesus. 

v  Ask if he or she wants to make that commitment to Jesus, to follow Him as his or her Lord and King. 

v  Lead the person in a prayer of confession and acceptance of Jesus Christ as his or her Savior.

Make a commitment to the person to help him or her grow in knowing what this commitment to Christ means and how they can grow to be more Christ-like.

Try this. It is a relational way to speak to someone about God and Jesus Christ - their love and sacrifice.

Try it more than once. Seek to speak to a person each week with an intention of talking with him or her about Christ. 

Intentionally go to a public place with no need to shop or return for a schedule, then you will be more open to seeing people in need or to whom God is leading you to speak. 

Be intentional. Go out once a week with the sole agenda being to seek a person who needs to hear a word from God, a person who needs to know God and you care about and love him or her. 

It is a relationship thing. What is stopping you?

Who's the Boss of You?

Matthew 22-23

These chapters concern Jesus teaching the parable of the wedding guest, answering three questions, and lamenting the religious teaching and following of God in Jerusalem.

Jesus’ parable teaches that we must be ready when God calls us to come, either to a task or to go to His kingdom.  Jesus said many are called to come to the wedding/His kingdom, but not all are chosen to enter the kingdom of God or to do His ministries.  We are all called to give a testimony, but if you have not prepared yourself by studying and growing, then you are not fit to be called to the ministry.  Similarly, we are all called to be the children of God, but not many are chosen to enter God’s kingdom because some have rejected Him and His ways.  This speaks about God’s grace.  It also speaks about who we let be our lord, ourselves or God.

 The first question, which is posed by the Pharisees to Jesus after this parable, concerns paying tribute or tax to Caesar.  They want to know if it is lawful.  Jesus takes a coin and asks them whose likeness is on it.  They tell Him it is Caesar’s.  Jesus says, then, to render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.  Subjection to civil authorities is not inconsistent with the reverence and fear of God.  All have a right to have their dues rendered to them be they civil magistrates, the earthly lords, or the heavenly Lord, God.  Even the Jews know that the king of Israel is due his reverence and the King of Heaven is due His.  Religion is not an enemy of civil government.  The Pharisees are amazed at His wisdom. 

The second question is posed by the Sadducees.  Verses 23-34 show us just how astute Jesus was about the beliefs of the people around Him.  He knew the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection of bodies.  This made their question to Jesus even more biting.  They hoped to trap Him.  In Jewish Law, if a woman’s husband dies, she is to marry his brother and have children for her husband.  The Sadducees took this question to the extreme.  They posed a question where there were 7 sons in a family.  (Remember the number 7 is considered a complete and holy number.)  If they all died before her, whose wife would she be when the resurrection of the bodies occurred?  You see the trick they laid for Him?  If he said that she was the wife of the first or any of the brothers, then they, who do not believe in a resurrection, could catch Jesus and sting Him with their beliefs.  Jesus, however, gave them an answer they did not anticipate, just like He gave to the Pharisees.  Jesus told them they did not understand Scriptures or the power of God.    After the resurrection, there will be no marriage.  Also, He says, concerning the resurrection of the dead, God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He is the God of the living.  He is not the God of the dead.  Jesus was telling them, not only do they not understand the intent of the Law, which was to provide for a widowed wife and her children, they do not understand the kingdom of God and God’s heart .  There will not be dead people in the kingdom.  All who enter the kingdom are alive because they have received new life in Christ when they professed faith in Him.   Those who are dead are the ones who did not believe in Jesus; they are the ones who are watching from hell.  Jesus is stating that not only do they not know the Law by which they live their earthly lives, they do not know Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who is the giver of life to all who believe.  Their question had just blown up in their faces, like the Pharisee’s question.  They walk away amazed at His wisdom.  They must decide Who is lord, their ideas about after-earthly life or Jesus.  They must decide which religious belief is correct. 

We have had the Pharisees, the tribunal keepers of the Law, ask Jesus a question as well as the Sadducees, who don’t believe in the resurrection.  Now, a lawyer, an interpreter of the Law, comes up to Jesus to trick Him.  He wants to check His judgment not His knowledge.  This lawyer asks Him, “Which is the great commandment in the Law?”  Jesus told him what he and all other Jews knew by heart because it is the Shema which is recited at each worship.  It was on each doorpost and spoken about regularly (see Deuteronomy 6).   Jesus answered, “You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind.”  Jesus even reiterated it for all to hear by saying it is “the great and foremost commandment.”  Continuing, Jesus went further to state the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (see Leviticus 19).  When Jesus said this, He made a Law from the Old Testament into a commandment and gave it greater precedent than any other commandment except for the Shema.  Jesus states that all the Laws and Prophets depend on these.  Jesus was setting a precedent; relationship with God and mankind was more important than anything else.  You cannot have this relationship though without considering Who you would allow to be your Lord. 

Jesus then asked them all a question, “Whose son is the Christ, the Messiah?”  He was asking them what they had been taught for generations from the Prophets to the current time.  They knew the Messiah would be from the line of the kings of Israel.  They repeated from rote that He would come from the line of David.  Christ then asked another question of them.  If he is the son of David, from the line of David, how is it that David called Him Lord in Psalm 110:11?  They could not answer unless they said that the Son of the man, of David, was also the Messiah who sits on the throne to whom David was speaking when he wrote this Psalm.  David is accounting Messiah as the Lord yet is the Son of Man and the son of David.  If David is calling Him Lord, then He truly must be Lord, would be the logical conclusion, especially in the Jewish mind since they highly revered King David.  The Pharisees and Sadducees left pondering how to answer this question.  It is answerable when we accept that the Son of God came down in human form to be God manifested in flesh.  This is how He is the Son of man and the Son of David.  The Pharisees and Sadducees could not accept Jesus as Lord yet so they walked away from these answers and are amazed at His wisdom. 

Questions are still being asked.  What was Jesus’ main point now that everyone had asked their questions?  His parable tells us that God’s grace calls everyone to come to Him; however, not all accept this gift and so are not chosen to enter the kingdom of God.  The Pharisees’ question teach us that we must give to the lord on earth and the Lord of heaven.  Religion does not negate our duty to civil authority.  If that is the case, then what is our duty to our heavenly Lord?  (hint: the greatest commandment)  The question of the Sadducees revealed the answer that God is the God of the living not of the dead.  The Law that was handed down by God to the Israelites will not be in effect because the new law of God, of the new life, will be written on the resurrected persons’ hearts and minds by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  The Sadducees will be without God and the Law if they do not turn to God.  Those who die under the Law without acknowledging the Messiah will remain forever in hell under the rule of Satan.  Jesus tells the lawyer that the two most important laws that will not pass away are to love God with everything by which they were created and to love others as themselves.   To each of these three, Jesus teaches them what is important and supreme in each realm.  For the Pharisees, Caesar is lord on the earth and Jesus Christ is Lord over all creation.  For the Sadducees, God is Lord over the living, which points to Satan being lord of the dead.  For the lawyer, Jesus points to the ultimate Lord over all.  This Lord deserves the tribute of each person’s heart, soul, and mind.  This is not too much since He created them.  He also goes further to say that in our living on this earth, we are not to consider ourselves above others, but to love them as we do ourselves.  We are not to be lord over other people, but we are all equals, with the exception of municipal magistrates.   

These questions all come down to the question of who is lord?  Jesus sums it up with a question of His to which they do not want to be committed.  He asks who is the Lord of whom, the Messiah of David or David of the Messiah?  People must all come to this point.  We must each ask ourselves, of whom are we lord over and Who is Lord over us?  So many people will answer that no one is in charge of them.  It is a common phrase used especially by young people.  The Lord laments over each one of us who turns our backs on Him and His gift of grace.  He lamented over Jerusalem, too.  Chapter 23 is Jesus’ lament over them.  He likens them to the chicks of a hen.  He wants to protect them under His wings, but they do not want to accept His leadership and follow Him. 

He laments Jerusalem, the “religious” children of God, for five specific reasons.  The first reason is that they act “religious” but they are not actually faithful to God.  They are hypocrites who say the right thing but do not do that which is required by God.  Jesus is not Lord of them.  Second, they teach false teachings, even to new converts, so that they can have a following instead of giving the converts true knowledge of new life as a child of God.  This is two indictments, desiring their own followers (setting themselves up on the pedestal with God) and false teaching.  Third, they did not care for the disenfranchised, the widows and orphans.  Instead of helping them, they prospered by taking their assets and using it for themselves.  Fourth, they were swearing oaths instead of just being honest and being known for their integrity.  They thought by attaching an oath to something large and tangible, their oath would seem more credible.  Christ calls them on that because they cannot change gold or a tabernacle by the outcome of their action, whether they kept the oath or not.  If they failed to follow through on their promise, that did not give the other party the right or ability to take the gold of the temple or to even take the temple.  These oaths were in vain.  They should be known for their integrity and let shame fall on their name if they do not follow through.  The final thing that Christ laments is that they have killed righteous people of God in the past and present and will in the future.  By claiming they are the sons of someone from the past, they are accepting the sins of that person if that ancestor persecuted, scourged, or killed a prophet or righteous person.  Not only that, but Christ knew they would do it again in the future.  He knew what His demise would be and what many of His followers would endure at the hands of these people.   

Jesus pointed out their faults/sins.  He pointed out who these chosen children of God had been, who they are, and who they will continue to be.  He showed them that they must decide for themselves who is going to be their lord, things of the world which was created by Yahweh, or the Son of David, the Messiah.  He told them in a parable.  He answered three of their “tricky questions” and asked a question of them, which received no answer.  Finally, He showed them His heart; He wept over their hardened hearts.  He lamented that they would not accept His yoke which comes with grace and brings freedom.  When we have decided that Jesus is truly Lord, then we can honestly love our neighbors as ourselves.  Until we love the Lord our God, until that vertical relationship is correct, we cannot get the horizontal relationships right, this includes ourselves.  Until we give to God what He commanded in the greatest commandment, our heart, soul, and mind, we will not be free to be all that we were created to be.  We must make this decision for our selves, each of us must do it.  If we do not make a decision or do not let Jesus be Lord, then we do not have new life; we are not reborn.  We are trapped in the snare that Satan set for us and we are condemned to live separated from God in heaven, a place of eternal bliss.  We must ask ourselves who is lord of my life, me or Jesus.  We must further ask ourselves, will I give my heart, soul, and mind to Him?  I hope you say yes…for yourself, for your relationships on earth, and for Christ.  Unlike the false Rabbis in chapter 23 verse 13, Jesus has opened the doors of the kingdom to you.  He is waiting for you to accept His invitation to the wedding feast.  He loves you and wants to spend eternity with you.  The decision is up to you.