The Gospel According To Matthew Site

2008-03-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

The Cost of the Kingdom (See Mk 8:31-38; Lk 9:22-26; Jn 12:25)

Key point: The Cross is Central

ESV Matthew 16:21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." 24 ¶ Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

1) Cross is central in Jesus' mission (vs 21): The gospel message is incomplete without it.

His disciples knew who he was, so now they could begin to understand what he was going to do in Jerusalem.
Note: He must die....it is the plan.

Jesus controlled the timing of his death. He ultimately provoked his own death by his assault on an institution
known for dealing harshly with those who oppose it.

2) Promises of the Kingdom without the cross come from the devil. (vs 22-23)

Correcting one's teacher was rare in ancient times. Some sages taught that even teaching in the presence of ones
leader warranted the death penalty. Peter didn't jovially pull Jesus aside to correct him. This was a well thought out opposition to Jesus'
abiding teaching that he was going to die in Jerusalem.

Get behind is a play on the role of a disciple.

Satan offered Jesus the kingdom without the cross in Matthew 4:8-9. Here he is offering it again through Peter.

Peter's role as a stumbling block is a play on his role as the stone....vs stumbling block.

3) Jesus' mission is death, and he expects no less from his disciples.

Self denial is not saying you are worthless. It means here to follow Jesus to his execution.

Marching on the way to one's execution...shamefully carrying the heavy horizontal beam of one's own death instrument.
In this passage it refers to following Jesus to his death, rather than not denying him in the face of persecution (Mt 10:33)

4) Jesus is worth any price a disciple must pay to follow him.

3) If Jesus' mission includes death, he expects no less from his disciples. (vs 24)

4) Jesus is worth any price a disciple must pay to follow Him (25-27)

2008-02-03T17:25:00.000-08:00

Matthew 6:1-17

This section of scripture deals with three areas that I'd like to focus on.

1) Alms to the poor.
2) Prayer
3) Fasting

All of them have the common thought that our good deeds are to be done in secret so that we will be rewarded by God openly and in eternity.

Jesus says 'when' not 'if' for each of these. All Christians are expected to give alms to the poor, pray and fast.

Ancient church practices include alms of 10% if there is no prophet in the local church body (see Didache), praying the Lord's prayer three times a day, and fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays so their fasts were separate from the Pharisees (hypocrites).

Reference to Bill Bright's seven steps to fasting document.

Call everyone to fast, set aside money in their wallet for the needy, and to pray daily.

2008-01-27T12:59:00.000-08:00

The Kingdom of Heaven and the Law and the Prophets
Matthew 5:17-24

Intro: Have you ever been to a store where they sell rocks & gems? I'm talking about agates and granite, onyx and fool's gold...? Some stores have rows of boxes loaded with many polished stones.

Then there's the fine jewelry store with a string of expensive hand selected pearls arranged in necklace. Or a beautiful ring with exquisite diamonds arranged around the center stone. True works of art that are assembled by a fine jeweler with a lifetime of experience.

Some people approach the bible as if it were a rock and gem store. You just walk along and pick whatever you like and skip the rest. You can make any combination of colors or rocks to accomplish anything in your life you want to accomplish. But there are some hard sayings in the bible. Is the bible like a rock and gem store where we can pick and choose whatever we want and leave the rest? Or is the bible the product of a fine jeweler who has assembled a great piece of art for us to be in awe of and to be transformed by?

I believe that because the bible is not a rock and gem store with little nuggets for us to pick and choose from, that we are well served to study even the hard passages of the bible. We need every word that proceeds from God's mouth. Not just the ones we like or even just the ones we understand.

Today's passage is one of the tough ones in the new testament with various views held by good Christians.

Let us humble ourselves in prayer and ask God to open up this passage for us today.

ESV Matthew 5:17 ¶ "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21 ¶ "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Why did Jesus have to tell people that he did not come to abolish the law or the prophets? What does he mean by fulfill them?

Jesus spoke as one who had a high view of the Law and the Prophets.

Jesus life and ministry is not in opposition to the Law and the Prophets. He is the object of which the law and the prophets are the shadow.

The Old Testament sacrificial system points to the cross. Jesus fasted for 40 days. Israel had 40 years. Jesus had 12 disciples. Israel had 12 tribes. Jesus had one disciple betray him. Israel had one tribe virtually destroyed because of judgment.

Jesus has been talking about 'The Kingdom of heaven'.

ESV Matthew 4:23 ¶ And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

He book ended the beattitudes with ESV Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
ESV Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(John the Baptist was preaching the approach of the Kingdom...ESV Matthew 3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.")

Jesus came preaching the Kingdom as well. ESV Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Not only did John the Baptist come preaching the Kingdom of heaven. Jesus came preaching it as well. But Matthew takes great care to point this out.
Then he book-ends the beattitudes with the same point.

So Jesus is announcing the Kingdom of Heaven. This is a different kingdom than the kingdom of Israel or the kingdom of Judah or the kingdom of Egypt or the Kingdom of Babylon or the Kingdom of Rome. The Kingdom of heaven is other worldly. It is not earthly. It invades the earth not through earthly armies like the Popes did in the crusades. No the Kingdom of heaven invades through the Spirit of God's work in mens hearts. It will no longer be about a temple in the city of Jerusalem...not the one on earth...but it is about a new temple in the new Jerusalem which will come down from heaven.

But did Jesus come to destroy Israel? Did Jesus come to destroy Moses' work? Did Jesus come to destroy the law or the prophets?

Never!! These things all point to Jesus!

How did Jesus fulfill the law? And what does Jesus mean when he says we are not to abolish the law?

Road to Emmaus ESV Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

ESV Luke 24:44 ¶ Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."

ESV Romans 3:21 ¶ But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it--

A different nation. England's left side of the road drivers.
America's right side of the road drivers.
New world with new laws.

Kingdom of heaven: A new man in a new nation.
We are new creations in Christ Jesus....living in a new holy nation.

ESV Galatians 6:15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

ESV Exodus 19:6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."

ESV 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

ESV Isaiah 55:5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.

ESV 1 Peter 2:9 ¶ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

ESV Ephesians 4:22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

ESV Romans 6:10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

ESV Romans 7:4 ¶ Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

By faith in Christ we walk in the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. We fulfill the law of Christ through faith. The law of love. Not the law written on stone tablets by Moses. But the law of Christ written on our new hearts.

ESV 2 Corinthians 3:1 ¶ Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 ¶ Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 ¶ Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. 12 ¶ Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

We are of the Kingdom of heaven. Heaven is in our hearts now. We are to be eternally minded. We are not under the law even though the law is in existence. The law is still good. It is still holy it is still from God. But it is not operating in heaven's kingdom. The law of Moses and the prophets operate for the nation of Israel under the covenant of Moses. All of that is a shadow of Christ's covenant with us through the blood of the cross. (remember our studies through Hebrews).

1 Tim 1:5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. 8 ¶ Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

We are not under the law because we are not living under Moses' covenant anymore. When Christ died, we died with him. When he died, he finally fulfilled all of the law of Moses. The law was and is perfect and holy. We died to the law and cannot be joined to it again. This is why Paul warned the Galatians not to go back and restart circumcision or try to live under the sabbaths and holy days of the law of Moses.

So how do we as Christians apply these things? We do as Jesus shows us:

We bring out the heart of the law as the Holy Spirit leads us. We see the principles and we seek for the Kingdom of heaven to come in us with these qualities.

We see Jesus on the pages of the Old Testament and we see His heart in the law and the prophets. Then by faith in Christ we turn to Him and we enjoy His life flowing in us to produce these qualities. So instead of looking to a stone tablet chiseled out on the mountain to tell us that we ought not to murder. We have a new heart pulsating with the love of God to show us that even anger or putting others down is not of the kingdom of heaven. We move by the Spirit now because He is in us and developing in us a holy garden of spiritual fruit that will last forever. Faith hope and love.

So don't be afraid of the law of Moses or the prophets. Just look for the principles in them that the Spirit of God will breath on us.
Enjoy them. All scripture is profitable if we interpret it correctly.

2008-01-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

Kingdom Upside-Down

Matthew 5:3-12, ESV

Presented January 13, 2008 at The Vineyard Church, Bloomington IL
by Tory Larson

It seems, most of the time, that we have an almost condescending attitude toward the beatitudes. We read these sayings of Jesus, and we perceive them as nice, warm, pithy, simple. But even though they’re simple-sounding and easily read, what we see in them, if we take the time to look, is a radical upending of the human values-system. We see attitudes portrayed that are, in reality, almost diametrically opposed to that which comes naturally to us. Think for a moment about the themes that characterize an earthly kingdom: pride and dominance, being a whole person rather than being broken, being bold and imposing, getting all you can any way you can, self-reliance, ruthlessness, being on-top of everyone else. Yet, as we weave our way through this passage of scripture that has come to be known as the beatitudes, we see the values of an earthly kingdom turned upside down.

Let me share with you a few things that may enhance your understanding as we begin our journey. Theological egg-heads like to take this passage of scripture and do all kinds of interesting things with it. My goal today is to keep the "main thing" the "main thing." There are, as David indicated last week, controversies surrounding source and origin of the sayings in the sermon on the mount--but I believe they are peripheral to our purpose today. My point is this: Jesus said these things, and the Father saw fit to ensure that they made it into the canon of scripture. We have to have a little faith and trust that if the Father has taken care of it for all of these years, that perhaps we just need to focus on the message at hand and what it means to us.

Now, another thing we've seen done with this passage is some significant changes in the English wording. I've heard it said that "blessed" is a poor word in these verses...and that "happy" is a better translation. I disagree. Like so many words in Aramaic, Greek, and Hebrew--the root languages here carry more meaning than the English can convey in a brief translation. The word translated here as "blessed" or "happy," in a literal sense, carries with it the idea of approval. That is, when we manifest the behaviors Jesus describes in this discourse, the Father smiles on us. I recently listened to Dr. Larry Crabb relating a conversation he'd had with Brennan Manning, author of The Ragamuffin Gospel. After a shared speaking engagement, Crabb asked Manning what was next for him. Manning replied that he was going on a 10-day silent retreat. So, Crabb asked him, "What does that do for you?" After a moment of thought, Manning replied, "I guess I never thought about it. I just figure that God likes it when I show up." You want to give God a good time? Live this way; embrace the ideals we're discussing today. To carry this through, I think it's obvious that if we make the Father happy, He blesses us--which in turn makes us happy. That's what Jesus is talking about when we read that we are "blessed."

The sermon on the mount is Jesus' manifesto; it is his statement of intent regarding his people and his Kingdom. As we read through the next few chapters of scripture, we get a snapshot of what our lives are supposed to be like as people of the Kingdom. In the beatitudes, we also gain an understanding of the "already, but not yet" nature of the Kingdom of God. These promises carry blessings that not only describe what will happen for us in the future, but a certainty that God will care for us in the here-and-now. They also acknowledge the temporary nature of the things we endure here as representative of the "not yet" aspect of the Kingdom.

Finally, it is also important that we realize that the 8 character qualities listed here in the beatitudes do not describe 8 different groups of people with different rewards, but rather a composite of what the character of a Christ-follower should be. Now, having said all of this, let's move on to the text.

(Matthew 5:3) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The poor in spirit...probably one of the most cryptic phrases in the beatitudes. What does it mean? Is it a specific class of people? Can only certain folks be "poor in spirit?" It's a puzzling phrase--but I think if we take the time to meditate on it, the meaning becomes clear. The Greek for “poor” here could perhaps be better rendered as “needy.” What does it mean to be spiritually needy? It’s just the opposite of the attitude in America today. It is to acknowledge our dependence on God completely. It is to stop going after our own selfish agenda, and start passionately pursuing God’s agenda. To be poor in spirit is to be like the tax collector in Luke 18(:9-14), whose attitude and focus was on his unworthiness to receive grace—not on his position, financial stature, or how much he deserved. Being poor in spirit is just the opposite of thinking that you’re spiritually “all that.” You become fully dependent on God when you realize that you’re not "OK," and there's nothing you can do to make yourself "OK." Get that: you are fully dependent on God when you stop thinking that you’ve got it all together, spiritually-speaking. It’s when you realize that you’re no better than the drunk guy down the street who doesn’t know Jesus at all—you’re just a whole lot better off.

Being spiritually poor means that you take your eyes off of your own accomplishments and instead get them on God, your only source and supply. It’s when we stop trying to be mega-church and instead focus on being mercy-church. It is when we come to the realization that we are all, in the words of Brennan Manning, “privileged but undeserving beggars at the door of God’s mercy.”

So, why then are the poor in spirit blessed? Because, they get the kingdom of heaven. They get it. They understand. Insight has come to their house as they have embraced the Kingdom life wholeheartedly, glimpsing the depth of God’s grace and realizing their desperate need for the water of life, for Jesus himself. Theirs is the Kingdom of heaven—all of it. Think about that for just a moment before we move on.

(Matthew 5:4) "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

It’s important that we understand that the beatitudes, in context, address character qualities. Mourning doesn’t exactly seem like it qualifies as a character quality, does it? So many of us, dare I say most of us, have interpreted this passage to say that “When I’m sad, Jesus makes me happy!” Has anyone ever thought that way? And while that may be true—but not always—it doesn’t seem to be what Jesus is talking about here, at least in this context. “Blessed are those who mourn…” The Greek used here for “mourn,” while accurately translated, is the strongest word Matthew could have used to describe the kind of lamenting referred to here. It is more than weeping. It is wailing—it is a profound sadness that envelopes the entirety of your countenance. It is what David described in Psalm 32(:3-4) after his affair with Bathsheba. It is Peter upon the realization that he had denied Jesus three times. It is the full weight of the realization of how much you’ve hurt your Savior and those He loves by living life on your own terms. When we mourn in this way, we are overwhelmed by our brokenness, seeing ourselves as we truly are.

I wonder how much we mourn in America today—not that put-on sobby thing that religious people do on TV when they want to convince you that they’re passionate about something—but real mourning. Holy silence. Uncontrollable weeping. How much do we mourn for the holocaust of unborn children that we’ve allowed to occur in our nation? How much do we mourn for people bound in alternative lifestyles—not only because they’re hurting, but also because we’ve allowed a moral climate to develop that makes ungodly lifestyles acceptable. How much do we mourn because so many people perceive Christians as the enemy, because of our lack of love? I wonder, do we ever consider these things—and their import in our lives?

This, this is the kind of mourning that Jesus is referring to here. But Jesus is so beautiful. His will for us is not that we would wallow in the pain of our sin, but rather that we’d realize it and bring it to him, naked and poor, wretched and blind. For when we mourn—when we realize how far from God we really are—then Jesus says that we will be comforted. Psalm 51:16-17 is a beautiful thread of redemption for us to trace in relation to this idea of mourning:

For Thou dost not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;

Thou art not pleased with burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

(Matthew 5:5) "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Someplace along the line, we got the idea that in order to be a good Christian, you had to be willing to let people walk all over you. Somehow we understood that turning the other cheek meant sticking our heads in the sand. We read that the meek will inherit the earth—and we thought that if we were just quiet and nondescript, that we would get our just recompense. Well, if we live like that, we will get our just recompense. But it’s not exactly what were planning on.

What do you think of when you think of the word “meek”? What would be a good metaphor, or image, of the word “meek”? Perhaps you think of an innocent lamb. I think of a mouse—a little, gray, house mouse, easily ensnared and killed by a piece of cheese on a trap. The American Heritage Dictionary says:

1.

Showing patience and humility; gentle. --> which is good
2.

Easily imposed on; submissive. --> umm, that's not so good

Please permit me a little liberty with the verse for a moment: “Blessed are you when you let people take advantage of you, for you shall inherit the earth.” Yeah, right. Other translations say, “Blessed are the gentle…” Now, that’s a little better. Charles Swindoll writes, “In our high-pressured world of aggressive techniques, gentleness suggests becoming someone’s doormat…sort of a cross between a wimp and a wallflower.” (Simple Faith, p. 28) I'm here today to tell you that citizens of the Kingdom are not doormats. If we study out the Greek for this word, here’s what we learn:

*

This word, praüs, was used to describe a powerful animal which had been tamed
*

Praüs described words used to calm down a person
*

A salve which drew pain out a wound was said to be a praüs medication
*

Praüs was used with another word to describe a person who gave love or pleasure to someone else.

I guess I don’t see any indication of weakness there. Yet, when we think of someone who is meek or gentle, we often think of a person who is easily taken advantage of. This is not what Jesus meant to communicate at all. I think the best metaphor for this word, translated as meek, is that of a tamed animal—like a horse. The horse has not compromised his strength one bit—that’s where we get the term “horse power.” But he has been brought under control. This word, meek, in context means great strength brought under control. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes, “The man who is truly meek is the one who is amazed that God and man can think of him as well as they do and treat him as well as they do.” (Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, 1:69) One who is meek is someone who has willingly placed himself under the Lord's control. He is someone who has allowed the Lord to bridle his strengths and use them for a greater good.

We read that the meek will inherit the earth. When we study the root language, we find that the reward of those who are meek, by its true definition, is that they will receive the portion meant for them. And by saying “earth” here, we’re obviously referring to something material as opposed to merely spiritual—although if we regard the material as we should we will find it intensely spiritual. To take it further, the Greek refers specifically to plowable land. So, we’re not talking about having a blessing handed to us on a silver platter here, but rather that we are given what we need to be productive, to supply our needs and then bless others. By being meek or gentle, we gain favor in such a way that we are supplied with the means to be productive. This still involves our effort—not only in being meek, but also in making use of what we’re given.

(Matthew 5:6) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

What does it mean to be righteous? To be righteous, according to the Greek, is to be as you ought to be. It is how you would be if all were right in the world and you were completely as God made you to be. Righteous. Justified. Perfect. Just as if you’d never sinned. Just as if no one had ever done you wrong. Righteous: living for truth, standing boldly for what’s right with just the right mix of grace in there to appeal to a lost world. Righteous.

So, let’s discuss this idea of hungering and thirsting after righteousness. When we talk about hunger and thirst, we’re talking about some of a man’s most basic needs, the others being clothing and shelter. Clothing and shelter have to do with covering, with safety. Hunger and thirst have to do with nourishment and sustenance…and I think this is the very idea that God would want us to get from this. For many, righteousness is a thing you do—an activity for Sunday morning. But God’s will for us is that righteousness would be who we are—that it would radiate from within us like the warmth from the sun. When we talk about hungering after righteousness, the Greek word conveys the idea of a person who is starved, desperate for food. The idea conveyed by the Greek word for thirst is similar, literally to suffer thirst, to ache for refreshment. God’s blessing comes to us if we pursue righteousness in our lives like a man stranded in the desert without water or food, ravenously hungry and dangerously thirsty—ready to indulge the second he’s presented the opportunity.

It’s important that I point something out here: righteousness is a description of God’s very nature. When we talk hungering and thirsting for righteousness, we are talking about an insatiable desire to explore and absorb the very nature of God, from the inside-out. We want to take His essence, His being into ourselves and allow it to soak through the very fibers of who we are. And included in this idea of righteousness is the concept of true justice, not as meted out by a man, but as determined by God. To pursue righteousness means that we also pursue justice in the world, that everyone gets their fair chance—and plenty of mercy to go along with it.

Jesus says that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed because they will be satisfied. The Greek word translated "satisfied" is interesting. It means to be literally filled, like a fattened calf; stuffed to the brim with the righteousness we so earnestly desire. An interesting observation about a fattened calf--not only is it nourished, but it provides nourishment to others. I think the same is true for us when we hunger and thirst after righteousness.

(Matthew 5:7) "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

In the analysis of the original Greek, I found that this verse says just what it says. As such, I won't bore you with all the pithy details. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” But before we go on, I think it's important that we define the word, “mercy.” According to the American Heritage Dictionary, “mercy” is:

1.

Compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power; clemency.
2.

A disposition to be kind and forgiving: a heart full of mercy.
3.

Something for which to be thankful; a blessing: It was a mercy that no one was hurt.
4.

Alleviation of distress; relief: Taking in the refugees was an act of mercy.

Now, I'm quite confident that I could probably expand on each of these points in detail. Scripture has much to say about each of them. The one definition we don't usually think about is the third one: “Something for which to be thankful.” You could plug that into Jesus' statement there: “Blessed are those who give others something for which to be thankful, for they will be given things for which to be thankful.” I don't think we ever really look at it that way. You know, mercy—at its core—involves helping those who are more unfortunate than we are. But, that doesn't necessarily just mean that we're giving money and goods to the poor. It is true that often money plays a part, but I think more frequently we see people involved in difficult circumstances who are in need of mercy. Chuck Swindoll says this: “...it means identifying with those who are hurting and imagining the pain they are having to endure, then doing something about it." (Chuck Swindoll, A Simple Faith, p. 31) There it is. If we see those who are hurting—for whatever reason: financial, situational, spiritual—and just feel bad for them then we are merely experiencing empathy. Christians all over the world do that—experience empathy—and think they've done something great. It's as if they only read as far as Jesus having seen the multitudes and then having compassion on them. If we read on, we know that he followed up his compassion with action. Most people miss that. Just as faith without works is dead, compassion (or empathy) without action is worthless—both to the hurting, and to God. 1 John 3:17 NLT says, "But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help – how can God's love be in that person?"

Ouch. “How can God's love be in that person?” If we have empathy—if we see the need and yet do nothing about it—how can God's love be in us? It's a good question. I wonder if it truly is? But that's a question you'll have to answer for yourself.

We have to realize that to have mercy is to simply follow Jesus' example. He took his life in his hands, laid aside his deity, and came to earth to stand in our shoes and understand our perspective. Hebrews 4:15-16 says that, “...we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” If we live it, then God is gracious to ensure that we receive it. Consider the alternative.

(Matthew 5:8) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Are you pure in heart? Now, I’m not asking if you’re a good person, or if you do good things—but, are you pure in heart? It’s a tough question. And in reality, few of us are pure in heart. Why? Life pollutes us; the stuff that we live with every day pollutes and defiles our lives. The things we see and hear, the way we were raised, the people to whom we are exposed—all of it influences the way we are and the way we think. And so, few of us are truly pure in heart. Furthermore, what does it even mean to be “pure in heart?”

When the Bible speaks of one’s heart, it refers to the mind and soul. In the words of James Thayer, “[it is] the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, [and] endeavors.” Think of it as the central command of your life—it is where your motives live, where thoughts and actions are conceived, where you experience pain of all kinds. It is where your feelings get hurt, but also where the Holy Spirit pricks you inside to motivate you to do good things. That is your heart.

Now, to be pure, here’s what your heart needs to be: free from all corrupt desires, from sin and guilt. There needs to be in you nothing that is false—and I’m not necessarily speaking of a consuming thing, but also influencing things. The words Thayer uses are “free from admixture,” meaning that there is nothing mixed in that shouldn’t be there. Think of it this way: anything that is not of God is something false. Of course, also implied is being blameless, unable to be implicated for guilt in anything. But a beautiful image emerges when we realize that this same Greek word is used to describe a vine that has been pruned to bear fruit. There need not be perfection—all pruned vines retain the scars—there only need be the submission to God to allow Him to remove from us all of the things which keep us from bearing fruit for His kingdom’s sake.

Speaking of this beatitude, Chuck Swindoll writes, “Perhaps the words “blessed are the utterly sincere” would be an appropriate paraphrase. If a film were made about someone who lived this kind of completely sincere life in both public and private, there would be no need to edit. You could videotape that person at church or at home, at work or at play, and you would catch no contradictions. The pure in heart live transparently…no guile, no hidden motives.”

Jesus says that the pure in heart are blessed because they will see God. The Greek here actually communicates two things. The first is a deep, honest, probing, and ongoing inspection. It is so much more than merely seeing God and acknowledging Him. Imagine the freedom that would come with never having to fear being found out. Imagine living in such a way that you’d never have to wonder if someone was going to see the real you. That kind of freedom can only come with a sincere purity of heart. And it is the conduit that opens up a revealing and sincere relationship between you and God. You see the other idea in the Greek simply states that the observation goes the other way—that you are seen clearly. You will know as you are known. And you and God will communicate and live together. No pretenses. No walls. No barriers. No guilt. No shame. No regret. Just freedom. That's what comes from purity of heart, and that's what we need.

(Matthew 5:9) "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Jesus says that peacemakers are blessed. Why? Because then people identify them with God. We don't see it as much anymore, but in Jesus' day you were known by your father and his reputation. For instance, Jesus would have been properly referred to as Y'shua ben Yosef: Jesus, son of Joseph. He was expected to follow in his father's footsteps, both in reputation and trade. If Joseph had been a man of ill reputation, Jesus would have automatically had a huge stumbling block to overcome. It is fair? Probably not. Is it right? To us, no. But that's the way it was. And that's the light in which we need to understand this verse.

So, to put it all in perspective, if we are peacemakers—and this is about the only way this Greek word can be rendered—then people will associate us with our Heavenly Father. They will ask the question, “Whose child is that?”, maybe not literally, but certainly metaphorically. And our peaceable behavior will lead them to God. It's a huge responsibility on our part...but it's more of an obligation than a choice, I think. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NLT says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (18) All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: (19) that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

I wonder something: how often is that our message? Seriously, we're really good at standing up for what we feel is right. But why is it that when those who don't embrace our viewpoint consider us, they only think of scorn and deviciveness? Understand now, I'm not proposing that we reconcile with the ways of the world. That's not what the scripture says. But we are to be ministers of God's reconciliation. Our job is not to tell people that they're wrong. It is the Holy Spirit's job to lead them to that conclusion. Our job is to help them see that there is a far better way than that which they're living. We are to show them that way—to encourage them to be reconciled to God. It should be our love for people that motivates us, not our need to be right and to trumpet our viewpoints. Making peace is not always about avoiding conflict. Being a minister of God's reconciliation doesn't always guarantee that we can avoid conflict. It simply means that we do everything we can to discourage strife.

(Matthew 5:10-12) "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (11) "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. (12) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In the analysis of that first verse, I found something interesting. To be persecuted in this context literally means to be chased after and harassed. It means to suffer active discrimination because of the righteous standard you choose to uphold. It is a standard of integrity, virtue, and purity of life. If you suffer persecution for thinking, feeling, and acting correctly, then you are blessed.

Here's the reality check: we just don't see much of that in America today. We, personally, don't experience much in the way of active persecution for our faith.

Jesus goes on to say that you are blessed when people insult you, persecute you, and lie about you because of your stand for Christ. I think in many ways these things for us are more or less a guarantee. If you truly take a stand for Christ, sooner or later people will insult you and persecute you...because they don't understand the life you live. I know from experience that they will lie about you for no reason. So there's certainly something here for us. And Jesus still makes us a promise here: that our reward in heaven will be great.

Here are a couple of observations for you, however:

First, like I said before, we don't see much out-and-out persecution in America today. There are times we are ridiculed for our faith, but there are few instances where truly righteous people are actually pursued and persecuted for their righteousness. Perhaps this is why the church in America has become so complacent, by and large. Without exception, historically the church has thrived under persecution. Be assured of something: a time is coming in this post-Christian America when our faith will be in jeopardy. Christianity in America will be like it was in Rome during the reign of Nero--a religio illicita--an illegitimate or illegal religion. When that time comes, God will use it as a winnowing fork to sort us out. For those who are faithful, the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. It is a guarantee.

The second observation I'd like to make is this: Jesus said that our reward in Heaven is great when we are insulted, persecuted, and lied about simply because of our association with Him, not because of anything we've done. He didn't say anything more than that. Do yourself and the Kingdom a favor: don't use the Gospel to assault people. If people can't handle the truth, then it's their problem. But in most cases I've seen where folks have problems with Christians, it's not the truth they can't handle, even if they disagree with it. The thing they have a problem with is how Christians handle the truth. Your reward is great when people are hard on you because of Jesus--because of how you follow Him and live for him; because of how you dare to stand for truth even when it's not the popular thing to do, just like He did. Jesus never went out of his way to get in people's faces. He waited until they came to him. And when these people opened the door, He did tell them about themselves. He didn't ever argue or fight. He just told them about themselves and moved on. If they received it, then good for them. If not, well then, they had to deal with that, too. God gives grace to the humble and the law to the proud. But just so you don't read into what I've said something that's not there, also be assured that Jesus did go to those who needed His love. He just didn't seek confrontation with the self-righteous who didn't desire Him.

So, there you have it--Jesus' manifesto, a composite of Christian character. It's a massive list--and guess what? It's not attainable. You and I, in our own strength are too human to consistently live by these ideals. But you see, that's the beauty of it. In every way, our desire to live this way counts and draws us--perhaps it would be better to say that it drives us--straight back to Jesus. It is his loving, patient, work in our life that allows us to achieve these ideals and reap the rewards of living the Kingdom life. He's already done the work--all we have to do is desire to receive it. In doing so, we become a part of God's upside-down Kingdom.

2008-01-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

The Forerunner & His Message (Matthew 3)

Several things are pointed out by Matthew which are significant to the Jewish audience he is writing to.

1) He quotes the most beautiful of Hebrew writings-Isaiah. We just finished a three month series on Isaiah. For more on that beautiful book, please look at
www.otindex.blogspot.com

2) John's preaching location is not without rich history.
He is preaching in the general area where the entire nation of Israel entered the promised land.
The combination of a call to repentance and the location he is using points to the final stages of Israel's exodus.

ESV Joshua 3:1 ¶ Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out (a)from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 (a)At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, "As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by (a)the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4 (a)Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits(1 )in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before." 5 Then Joshua said to the people, (a)"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you." 6 And Joshua said to the priests, a)"Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

ESV Joshua 3:14 ¶ So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing (a)the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and (a)the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now (b)the Jordan overflows all its banks (c)throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside (a)Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of (b)the Arabah, (c)the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, (a)and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

3) Camel's hair garment: Poor mans clothing. Prophets clothing. Austere poverty. Uses the materials available around him for free or which is the very cheapest.

4) Locusts

Louw & Nida entry:

4.47 f: an insect of the family Acrididae (in Europe the term ''locust' is used for the large varieties of these insects and the term 'grasshopper' is used for smaller varieties, while in North America all these insects are generally called 'grasshoppers,' and the term 'locust' refers to cidadas of the family Cicadadae) - 'grasshopper/locust.'

Some persons have assumed that the reference to grasshoppers being eaten by John the Baptist should be understood not as the insects but as carob pods, but there is neither linguistic nor cultural evidence to support such an interpretation.

In a number of parts of the world there are different kinds of grasshoppers/locusts, some of which are edible, and others which are not edible. It is therefore important in the contexts of to select a term which designates edible insects.

Today people in some parts of the world feast on insects, including some species of locusts, grasshoppers and even termites.

More than 500 insect species are used for human consumption in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In Africa, many species of insects have been used as traditional foods among indigenous people and have played an important role in the history of human nutrition. Many insects usually considered as crop pests such as locusts, grasshoppers, weevils and some termite species have been used as important food sources. Interviews with 9 main Kenyan ethnic groups and field surveys in western Kenya revealed that at least 8 insect families representing 6 orders are eaten. The major orders of edible insects include Isoptera (termites), Orthoptera (locusts, grasshoppers, crickets), Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (honey bees), Lepidoptera (moths) and Diptera (lakeflies). The most common edible insects are the termites which are highly appreciated by practically every ethnic group in Kenya.

http://www.jircas.affrc.go.jp/kankoubutsu/news/newsletter/nl1998/no.14/yagi.html

5) Wild honey-John ate what was plentiful and easily obtained around him. There is some debate about what this term refers to, but probably it was uncultivated honey
that was taken by breaking honey comb in wild bee hives.

So John the Baptist was a vegetarian who lived a very simple, humble life. His ministry location cried out 'Inheritance of the Promised Land' and was itself a prophetic sign to those coming to him.

John's ministry was prophetic. He operated by faith. He did not know for sure who the coming Messiah was when he started proclaiming the coming of the Messiah. It was at Christ's baptism that John received the confirmation.

Scope of John the Baptist's ministry: John the Baptist's ministry reached everyone in the region and was world renowned. Josephus, the ancient historian wrote about him from a Greek perspective.

An account of John the Baptist is found in all extant manuscripts of Flavius Josephus' Jewish Antiquities book 18, chapter 5, paragraph 2:

Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. Now when [many] others came in crowds about him, for they were very greatly moved [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion, (for they seemed ready to do any thing he should advise,) thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God's displeasure to him. (Whiston Translation) [1]

The bible reveals that Herod killed John because of moral corruption at a party.

John confronts the Pharisees and Sadducees with an accusation of being a brood of vipers.

Vipers were dangerous to ancient Judeans. They could hide in a home and strike when least expected.
But John doesn't call them vipers. He calls them a brood of vipers.
Herodotus in the 5th century bc claimed that vipers ate their way out of their mothers and killed their mothers
in revenge for the mother viper killing their fathers during the mating time. It was commonly believed
that a brood of vipers were mother killers...a nasty lot. So the insult was more than just calling them a bunch
of snakes. There may not have been a stronger offense he could have laid at their feet.

They were of the utmost moral depravity.

In the ancient world, after a harvest, the stubble of the fields would be burned off to prepare the field for a winter sowing. When farmers burned their fields
vipers would flee the fire as well as whatever else was living in the fields. A brood or nest of vipers scrambling from the burning of the fields may be what John
is talking about. Or vipers living in trees....and scrambling as the tree is being cut down.

Fruit tree: Psalm 80:16 references along with Ezekiel 31:12-18, Jer 11:16, 2 Sam 23:6-7 and Romans 11:16-17 the idea of a tree representing a nation.
The cutting down of the nation is what John the Baptist was inferring as he intentionally offended the leaders of Israel. He did this so that they would not
participate in the way making for the Messiah that the people were receiving. In a very real way this prepared them for their role in crucifying Jesus.

Focus on John's message:

What did he preach?

In one word: Repent.

What does that mean? ESV 2 Corinthians 7:10 For (a)godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas (b)worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, (a)what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one (a)who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.

godly sorrow and worldly sorrow are better translations here. See the NIV.

They look the same to observers. They talk differently. They bear fruit that is completely the opposite of each other.

Illustrate: Two children at Walgreens each take a toy without their parents knowing it. When they are caught their thinking shows the kind of sorrow they have.

Is it godly or worldly?

Godly is oriented towards God and how our sin is seen from His perspective. Worldly sorry only sees sin from our own perspective.

John is calling for a repentance in Matthew 3 that resembles what a gentile would go through to become a Jew. He is here calling Jews to go through a similar
process to become a special follower of his who are designated as those waiting for the Messiah.

You could call this a conversion repentance. In 2 Corinthians 7 Paul is talking about the process of believers who are in Christ already. The difference shows ways that
repentance was used in it's 55 occurrences of the NT. Sometimes repentance means conversion to a movement. Sometimes it means to change your heart and lifestyle.
By the NT times it no longer meant the change your mind only. That etymological meaning was archaic in the NT (D.A. Carson-Exegetical Fallacies).

Fire in this passage was the burning of unusable materials from the harvest. Those fires were fueled by chaff. Cooking and heating fires.

Kingdom of heaven(s)-

Nature of the Kingdom. Rule of Christ. The functioning of His royal sceptre. This is not a democracy. It is the Kingship of Jesus over our lives.

Proximity of the Kingdom. Near to you right now: In your face.

Realm of the Kingdom (heaven). Capturing eternal vision rather than temporal vision for this world alone.

The empowering ability of the presence of the Kingdom is real because of the Holy Spirit's activity in and around us.

The thing to do: Examine yourself and lay aside any sin that blocks.
Pray for the Kingdom to come. This is ongoing...and is part of the ministry philosophy we use in worship to experience God more and more.

The Kingdom prayer is: Let thy kingdom come! Our repentance is a purifying of our souls.

2006-09-17T22:28:00.000-07:00

I have a course on Matthew 28:19-20 that works through the commands of Jesus. I just found out that Bill Gothard has written seven workbooks on these as well. Interesting.