relationships (Matthew 21:33-46) Choosing Our Master

(Matthew 21:33-41)

33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and he leased it to vine-growers and went on a journey. 34 And when the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his fruit. 35 And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they did the same things to them. 37 But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let’s kill him and take possession of his inheritance!’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” 41 They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other vine-growers, who will pay him the fruit in the proper seasons.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

In Rome and in the Israeli region of Galilee, there were many wealthy landowners.  Therefore the people who were hearing this parable could understand its concept.  These landowners typically were so rich, that they could go off and live a life of leisure somewhere far away, while having trusted overseers.  But this particular landowner, who is benevolent (and only seems far away, because He is unseen), represents God.

Not all slaves were involuntary forced laborers.  There were some slaves that had debts that they couldn't pay, and once they had worked a specific amount of time, they were set free.  Especially if the master was benevolent, some of these slaves would become voluntary bondslaves (bondmen), choosing to disregard their own interests and devote themselves to the interests of their benevolent master.  Thus, the slaves in this parable would be the latter, representing God's prophets.

Tenants would rent or lease land for a predetermined amount or percentage of profit, which was rendered at harvest time.  Interestingly, in ancient business documents, profit was often called "fruit".  Spiritually, fruit represents good and righteous outcomes from one's service.  This represents how God works through those who believe in Him, and willingly obey Him, in His will, all to His glory.

To those listening to Jesus' parable, the peasants would have been the ones to praise the benevolent landowner.  But the aristocrats would have considered this landowner naive, especially because, who in their right mind would have been so patient and appealed to their sense of honor this long.  They would have considered this folly.  Typically, landowners had power, socially and legally, to enforce their will.  Some even had hired assassins to deal with presumptuous, troublesome tenants.  But in this parable, the tenants acted as if they were the landowners with power, and exploited it mercilessly.

The outrageous actions of the tenants would have horrified everyone hearing this parable, from the peasants to the spiritual leaders.  Yet, the tenants in this story represented the kings and spiritual leaders of Israel who had martyred many of God's prophets.  And in just a little while, the spiritual leaders listening to this, were going to crucify Jesus, the Son of God.  Jesus reminded those who fancied themselves rulers of Israel, that they were appointed by God to be merely custodians over His vineyard.  But just like the selfish, wicked and stupid tenants, the spiritual leaders presumed they would inherit and own everything (illegally), by getting rid of Jesus.

Unlike the landowner in this story, God always knew that He would have to come to earth in flesh to suffer and die for all sin, for all people, of all time, and be raised up to have victory over sin and death.  Whether one accepts or rejects Him, the Lord did this because He loves us.  He did this because He desires that we all come to know Him personally.  But it is our choice to make.

Because, including those pious spiritual leaders, we are all born as slaves to sin, evil and death is our master, for now and all eternity, UNLESS we humble our hearts and accept the freedom that Jesus offers us.  Our one and only hope is to accept Jesus' payment of redemption (His death in place of our eternal death).  Repenting of our sins is to give Him our sins in exchange for His forgiveness and eternal life with Him.  In salvation and freedom, we get to serve, honor and worship the most benevolent Master, Lord, Savior, King and heavenly Father.

relationships (Matthew 21:28-32) What Makes the Difference?

(Matthew 21:28-32)

28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ 29 But he replied, ‘I do not want to.’ Yet afterward he regretted it and went. 30 And the man came to his second son and said the same thing; and he replied, ‘I will, sir’; and yet he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even have second thoughts afterward so as to believe him.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

To openly refuse to do as one's father has asked was a punishable offense, but failing to do what the father has asked was worse, and even more so if one had promised to obey.  The latter scenario represents those people who are simply doing religion, thinking that it's all about what they do and say.  But in one's own efforts and strength, it is impossible to be perfectly obedient in God's eyes.  

By using tax gatherers and prostitutes in comparison with the pious spiritual leaders, Jesus could not have chosen a much more offensive set of examples.  Many people will be insulted and indignant in hearing all of this, and sadly, dismiss the good news and truth, that God comes to us, to do everything for us.  Even though we are all born with a sinful nature, even the most sinful person is invited to repent, to receive eternal life, and be part of God's family.

Therefore, to be righteous, one must become a believer.  When one humbly repents of their sins, they are forgiven, and covered with the righteousness of Jesus.  It is the righteousness of Jesus, and His indwelling Holy Spirit who changes us from the inside out, that makes it possible for us to strive in obedience, in God's will - not because we have to, but because we want to!  Christianity is all about having a personal connection and relationship with the Lord!  And He wants us to continue growing closer to Him, so that He can help us more and more, and bless us through our willingness to obey.

relationships (Matthew 21:23-27) The Art of Communicating

(Matthew 21:23-27)

23 When He entered the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” 24 But Jesus responded and said to them, “I will also ask you one question, which, if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John was from what source: from heaven or from men?” And they began considering the implications among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.” 27 And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

I love it!  Why can't I be more like Jesus!?  I'm way too quick to try to answer people when they challenge me.  Because, not everyone who asks a question about God, actually wants to know the answer.  Some people are only looking to argue, with the intentions of "winning".  And with this, I really have to fight my own competitiveness, and quickly confess my prideful urge to also "win" using my own intelligence.  Everything I do and say should be done with God's love, wisdom and guidance.  And to be more like Jesus requires that I go to Jesus for His help.  

As the Creator, being omniscient, the Lord Jesus knows everything, including how to communicate!   He is, after all, the author of truth.  Therefore, it is a very good thing to be studying God's word, which helps us to know and understand God's truths accurately.  And, not only do I need to learn how to ask questions, I need to be praying for God's wisdom in everything, and asking Him to speak through me, since every situation and conversation is going to be different.

relationships (Matthew 21:18-22) Accepting the Connection

(Matthew 21:18-22)

18 Now in the early morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19 And seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves alone; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

20 Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” 21 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive it all.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Interesting!  The disciples asked Jesus HOW the fig tree withered immediately, but not WHY.  Well, Jesus answered both the how and the why, because, well... He's just awesome that way!  And let's use other illustrations that the Lord has given us to put this all into context.  The Lord is the vine (tree), and those who are believers are branches.  As we are nourished by the Lord and His righteousness and power, we will produce fruit (good deeds done with the Lord's righteousness and power).

Without having a personal relationship with the Lord, a person cannot produce any spiritual fruit of God.  Because the Lord God is the Living Water, and the Light, and the Life, without being connected with Him in His Salvation, one is spiritually dead.  As soon as we are born, we are already spiritually dead, because of our sinful nature.  And by refusing to be connected to the Lord, one's own way only leads to eternal death.

Here is the solution and the good news!  We are saved and given eternal life by accepting and having a personal relationship with the Lord.  This includes having His Holy Spirit within us to teach, nourish and guide us, helping us to produce fruit.  And in our intimate connection with God, we will know what we are called to do.  And, believing fully that He is able, by asking and allowing Him to work for us, in us and through us, God will do very amazing things... like "moving mountains"... things that are beyond our scope of thinking!

relationships (Matthew 21:6-17) Be Swept Up By Truth That Saves

(Matthew 21:6-17)

6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on them; and He sat on the cloaks. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,

     “Hosanna to the Son of David;
     Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord;
     Hosanna in the highest!”

10 When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

12 And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.”

14 And those who were blind and those who limped came to Him in the temple area, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, 16 and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” 17 And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

The mob-mentality is very persuasive, whether good or bad, because most people prefer to go with the flow, and can easily get caught up in emotional frenzies.  At this moment, people were cheering because Jesus was healing people, and there was this hope that He would rid their land of the Romans.  Yet soon after, the mob would be shouting "crucify Him!"  Quite the contrary of sentiments!  Irrational behaviors are easily provoked with radical propaganda, fear and hatred.  What helps is to take a step back, pray, ask for wisdom, seek out truth in God's word, look at the facts...

"Hosanna" translates to "oh save", therefore the words that the people were shouting were very correct, although many would not have fully understood or believed what they were shouting.  Because notice in verse 11, that when asked, the people from the crowds only described Jesus as a prophet, completely forgetting and/or too afraid to say that Jesus is the Son of David... their Messiah (Christ), the Son of God!  In fact, they added that He was a prophet FROM Nazareth in Galilee, which was a dig at Jesus, since those in Judea were divided against those in Galilee.

After Jesus had cleansed the temple, and as He was healing those who came to Him, it was the children who continued shouting out the truth that Jesus is their Messiah who will save!  This is just one reason why Jesus tells us that we must become like children... who trust in the truth, and haven't "learned fear" yet about how society will reject and persecute us if and when we disagree with them, especially when those in authority are also against the truth.

Like Jeremiah’s smashing the pot in the temple centuries before (Jeremiah 19), Jesus’ demonstration of righteous (and controlled) anger was a prophetic act inviting repentance and warning of the temple’s imminent destruction.  People were allowed to sell animals for sacrifice, but not for exaggerated profits, and not inside the temple... not even in the Outer Court, also called the Court of the Gentiles, as the temple was to be for the Gentiles as well!  And there were other says that the spiritual leaders had desecrated the temple, besides leading the people astray.

As Jesus healed people and the children shouted praises, the power-hungry Sadducean priests were indignant because they did not appreciate Jesus coming and challenging their power.  At the very least, they had expected the Messiah to have come to them first to seek an alliance with them.  In their arrogant thinking, to seek followers from among the weak was dishonorable and a foolish way to try to establish a kingdom.  So, because this "Galilean prophet" had challenged their honor and insulted them, they sought to avenge themselves and put Him to death.  

Therefore, in their pride, greed and selfishness, these spiritual leaders were going to lead the people deeper into sin.  Their intentions were to put an end to Jesus and His kingdom, but their evil actions would be used by God to further His kingdom and bring about victory over death and freedom from one's pride, greed and selfishness.

To be saved, one only needs to humble their hearts before the Lord, understanding that they are sinners in need of saving.  In repenting of our sins, Jesus cleanses us, forgiving us of all our sins (past, present and future).  Then, covering us with His righteousness, we are not only able to enter into His presence, but we become a temple of the Lord, since we have been given His indwelling Holy Spirit, who will lead us in selfless love, truth, peace and eternal life.

relationships (Matthew 21:4-5) Coming to Establish Peace

(Matthew 21:1-7a)

1 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with it. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them on immediately.” 4 Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:

5   “Say to the daughter of Zion,
     ‘Behold your King is coming to you,
     Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
     Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt...

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Yesterday's devotion looked at our response to the Lord's calling:  to serve Him with our time, resources, energy and willingness.  Today is more about "the why".  Jesus came to earth in flesh, not to be served, but to serve, as an example for us to follow.  And even here, the Lord Jesus - the sovereign King of kings - the One who has more power than all powers put together - exemplifies this in the simple act of presenting Himself to the people, riding into the city on a donkey.

In those days, a horse represented war, as well as triumph in war.  Just so, at the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will ride in on a horse, and at the Armageddon battle, He will have victory over evil.  He will then lead all those who become believers during those seven years into the Millennial kingdom.  With righteousness and justice, Jesus will sit on the throne, to serve all people, by establishing worldwide peace, both physical as well as spiritual.

As well, in those days, for a king to ride in on a donkey represented peace.  When Jesus came to earth in flesh the first time, to serve all people, He came to establish spiritual peace.  Throughout His ministry, we see how Jesus is our perfect example of being humble, as well as being a peacemaker.  Being meek is another term used, although, in our society, this word can come across as sounding very pathetic - but it is not.  To be gentle (meek) involves compassion and mercy, as opposed to exploiting one’s power for selfish gains.  Right!?  This sounds more like it!

Let us not redefine the word "compassion" to mean tolerating sin and crime and/or excusing the actions of bullies, criminals or terrorists.  God's words clearly tell us that we are to stand up for justice to protect the victims, the weak and vulnerable.  Jesus didn't die on the cross to justify sinful actions, He humbly died on the cross to forgive sins - to anyone who humbly repents and confesses their sins and puts their belief, faith and hope in Him!  Making Jesus our personal Savior and King, this is how true spiritual peace will reign within our hearts.  And having a relationship of peace with Jesus, helps us to have relationships of peace with others!

Without having the Lord in our lives, and embracing a close relationship with Him, we will struggle with being humble and selfless, because we need Him to change us from the inside out.  Just in becoming a believer begins with us humbling our hearts, realizing our need to be forgiven and saved.  And then continuing on in our relationship with Jesus, He helps us realize our continuous need for His direction and help, to understand that it is the Lord who wants to bless us as we allow Him to work for us, within us, and through us, all to His glory!

relationships (Matthew 21:1-7a) Our Response

(Matthew 21:1-7a)

1 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with it. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them on immediately.” 4 Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:

5   “Say to the daughter of Zion,
     ‘Behold your King is coming to you,
     Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
     Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt...

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

In a personal relationship with the Lord, one will recognize Him and His calling us to various ministries or carrying out certain deeds.  It could be as simple as allowing one's donkeys to be used to serve God.  And here, Jesus always knew that the owner of these animals would be willing to give, without question.  

The disciples, as well, had to trust that when Jesus asked them to go and get these animals, everything would work out, just as He said.  They could have very easily questioned the call with thoughts such as, "What if the owners think we are lying and stealing their livestock, and we get into trouble?" etc.  They still might have had some of these questions and doubts, but they still obeyed the Lord's directions.  If they had done this task any other way, they would have missed out on witnessing yet another a miracle, and experiencing another amazing way that God provides.

For us, we might think it is much more difficult to know if Jesus is asking us to do something specific.  Well, we do have the Lord's explicit directions for us to live by, written down for us in His word.  It might all sound so very easy that we brush these directions aside.  Just considering these few, for example: treat others the way we want to be treated... treat others as more important than ourself... love our neighbor as we love ourself...  So simple to say, but do we trust the Lord when He nudges and prompts us to apply these verses, especially when the other person is rude?

As believers, we all have His indwelling Holy Spirit to prompt, guide and help us.  And the closer we grow to the Lord in our relationship with Him, the clearer His voice will be.  Not that everyone will literally hear Him speaking.  Some do, but while I haven't heard His voice, I will most definitely get nudges.  And when those nudges align with God's words, I know He is asking me to do something.  

The question always is:  am I willing to trust the Lord and what He is asking of me?  Do I trust Him enough to respond with obedience?  And, besides fear and doubt, am I being selfish about my time and resources???  So, maybe it begins with me confessing some sins in my life;  and then, praying and asking Him to help me listen for and recognize Him calling me to opportunities!  If I'm not doing this, then I will miss out on opportunities to witness miracles and experience God's amazing provisions and blessings.