relationships (Matthew 23:15) Our Only Fulfillment

(Matthew 23:15)

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

There are a lot of things in this world that lead people astray, be it money, power, fame, fun, desires of the flesh... These will consume time, energy and resources, and become a person's idol/s and god/s.  But when people realize that there's still something missing in their lives, and consider seeking more important and something bigger than themselves, they can easily fall prey to any of the many cults and religions of this world.  

One might feel fulfilled, at first, because now one's life will be filled (consumed) with all sorts of do's and don'ts and rituals.  And even if one of the religions seem close enough to Christianity, it is still not "close enough".  They are all empty, as these also consume time, energy and resources, simply because one is still trying to do things in one's own efforts and thinking.  And to what end?  What is actually being accomplished?

God created all of us with a free will, and with a soul, that can only be filled by Him.  He created us, so that He'd have children to love, with a desire that we will choose to love Him back.  The whole purpose of creating everything was because God wants to have a close relationship with each and every one of us.  But because Adam and Eve sinned, and brought sin and death into this world, we are all born into this sin nature, spiritually dead, separated from God, and slaves to sin.  

Since God is holy, He cannot have a relationship with sin.  But our loving God didn't just throw up His hands and walk away, He came to earth in flesh, to be fully man while still being fully God, to save us - to save us from death with His eternal life, to free us from the grips of sin with His forgiveness, grace and mercy, through His own death and resurrection.  Heaven belongs to God, therefore it makes sense that we can only get to heaven through Him!  Anything else would be a lie.

Since God is love, He will not force anyone to love Him back, but He will pursue us.  One of the ways God will reach out to us, is to use other believers.  He has given us "the key" (the gospel message), which we are to share with others.  Another way that God pursues us is with His Holy Spirit, who convicts the hearts of sinners (who knocks at the doors of one's heart).  Our souls will remain empty, yearning for something or someone, until we let the Lord in, to fill us completely.  Nothing else or nobody else can do this.  Only the Lord can fulfill us, complete us, and satisfy us.

relationships (Matthew 23:13-14) Not Being a Hypocrite

(Matthew 23:13-14)

13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

The book of Matthew is written very much so for the Israelites, so that they could understand that Jesus was and is their Messiah.  Understand that Jesus knew everything that was going to happen, and yet came to earth, born in flesh, specifically to make salvation possible through His death and resurrection.  

Still, let it be known that at that point:

- had the Israelites, as an entire nation, believed in Him and accepted Him (which is to accept His spiritual peace through salvation)

- they would have entered the kingdom of heaven (aka, the Millennium)

- Jesus would have sat on the throne and ushered in worldwide physical peace

- and Jesus would have fulfilled all of their covenants (land, seed and blessings)

In fact, at any time during the Old Testament, right from when Israel received the Abrahamic covenant, IF they, as a nation, had all personally believed in the Lord, they would have had all of their covenants fulfilled.  So, we can see the patterns of behavior over history.  The more that Israel's priests and kings led the people in God's will, the more they got to enjoy their land, seed and blessings.  But when priests and kings led the people astray, they would struggle.  And now, here we see the Pharisees, leading the people astray, which prevented them from collectively experiencing the blessings of the kingdom of heaven.

In one's personal belief in the Lord, one's sins are completely forgiven, they are sealed with God's indwelling Holy Spirit, and covered by His righteousness.  In this, and only in this, does God see us as perfectly obedient.  And in this relationship with the Lord, we experience His blessings.  The Lord God is rich with blessings, and therefore, the closer we grow to the Lord, the richer in blessings we become.  

(FYI, this is not about earthly wealth through some sort of prosperity gospel, or some name-it-and-claim it kind of thing.  Our treasures are in heaven!  And while on earth, as we trust Him, He will see that we have what we need.  But more than our physical blessings are the spiritual blessings, which are far more valuable!)

The only unforgivable sin is the sin of unbelief.  And those who discourage and lead people away from the Lord, or attempt to keep people from going to the Lord, are doing the work of Satan, and will not be blessed.  There are those people or groups of people who will do this with threats and force.  Yet another type of dangerous person, is the hypocrite who says one thing, but does another.  And the most dangerous hypocrite, is the person who goes through the motions, saying and doing what seems right, but does not believe.  And therefore, when those, whose hearts are not right, even though they do good deeds, they have the wrong motives, and in that cleverly mislead others.

Our motives are critical.  Therefore, as believers, we are to beware of those that lead others astray.  We should also beware that we ourselves do not lead others astray by knowing and understanding God's truths, and asking the Lord for His wisdom, strength, guidance and help.  The Lord will judge and reward good deeds that are done with righteous motives, those things said and done with God's love, because we love God!

relationships (Matthew 23:1-12) Who is Our Top Priority

(Matthew 23:1-12)

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them. 4 And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger. 5 And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6 And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues, 7 and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by the people. 8 But as for you, do not be called Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9 And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11 But the greatest of you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Religions and cults are all about human efforts, in human strength, using human thinking, and it really is all about bringing the glory and the focus on oneself.  Even in the feigned "humility" of anguished actions of adoration and self-sacrifice, it begs for all the attention, like saying, "Look at me and how much compassion I have, and how much I am suffering, and how much I am doing for this god (or for this person, or for this cause, etc.)."

Here, we see that the Pharisees were fully invested in themselves, seeking titles and prominence of positions, including the public's awe and respect through empty piousness and hypocritical legalism.  Even the enhancements to the phylacteries and tassels were meant to call more attention to themselves.  And all these details are significant to the point that Jesus is making. 

Starting with how the Pharisees lengthened their tassels, all Jewish men were to have these.  This makes sense, since the Lord has determined that a man is to be the spiritual head of their family, teaching with humility and leading by example.  So, these tassels on all four corners of their garment were to remind them of God's commandments, and that they are to follow these commandments and be holy.  They were also to remind them that it is the Lord who is God, and it is the Lord who saves us, which enables us to be obedient to the commandments.

(Deuteronomy 22:12)  “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself."

(Numbers 15:38-41)  “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. 39 It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, 40 so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God. 41 I am the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the LORD your God.”

By lengthening the tassels, the Pharisees actually physically and symbolically demonstrated their disobedience, since they were constantly adding to God's laws.  I've run into this sort of thing years ago at a church we attended.  The elders at some point all got caught up in following a man named Bill Gothard, whose "advice" to families became "laws of God".  They were suddenly judging us and telling us things like, (just for example) it is a sin to not homeschool our children, based on Deuteronomy 6:7.  Well, the Bible is actually telling parents to teach their children about God... it is not talking about teaching the three R's.  Obviously, it is not wrong to homeschool, but neither is sending our children to public school!

Now, the phylacteries were based on this verse...   

(Deuteronomy 6:8)  ("These words...")  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.

By interpreting this verse literally, a practice was developed, and the rules concerning this became even stricter under the rabbis.  During morning and evening prayers, men were supposed to use leather straps to affix phylacteries (small boxes) to their heads and left hand.  Scripture passages were then inserted into these boxes, which were to be recited as part of the prayers.  As for the Pharisees, they made their bands wider and the boxes bigger, in order to stand out and be seen as being more spiritual.

"Seating themselves in the chair of Moses" is another way to say that the Pharisees assumed that their additional laws were just as important as the laws that came from Moses.  Of course, we know that those laws came from God, and that Moses was only the messenger.  Sadly, the Pharisees not only misunderstand God and His will, but they mislead the people.

Christianity is not about adhering to a bunch of do's and don'ts.  It is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus.  And because it is Jesus who saves us, it all begins with a humble heart.  And it continues with a humble heart, because it is Jesus who sustains us and wants to continue guiding and helping us. When we humbly put the Lord God and His relationship with us as top priority in our lives, He fights our battles for us, He is able to use us in mighty ways to serve, and He blesses us in so many ways.  

Having God's words available to study, and having God's Holy Spirit within us, is how we have God's words written on our foreheads, which equates to the renewing of our minds.  And having God's words on our hands, equates to our actions that are a result of God working for us, in us and through us, all to His glory.  Our humble service pleases the Lord, and He exalts this obedience, but more importantly, we have the privilege of exalting our heavenly Father!

relationships (Matthew 22:41-46) Recognizing and Accepting

(Matthew 22:41-46)

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
     “Sit at My right hand,
     Until I put Your enemies under Your feet”’?

45 Therefore, if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” 46 No one was able to offer Him a word in answer, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him any more questions.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Jesus was trying to help the Pharisees see that the Son of David was also the Lord of David... that He was and is the Son of God.  The Lord Jesus, the Messiah, was and is both David's human descendant as well as the divine Lord.  This is why the virgin birth was critical to fulfilling this statement and prophecy, as well as making it possible for God to come in flesh, to be fully man, while still being fully God.  

It is also why the genealogies of Jesus are so important, to prove that He is a descendant of king David, through both His earthly mother (Mary), as well as His earthly stepfather, Joseph.  Thus, Jesus not only has a right to sit on Israel's throne as king, Jesus sits on His heavenly throne as the King of kings.  But just the sheer amount of miracles Jesus did in that short time should have opened spiritual eyes.  

Interesting how when someone determines to hate a person, because of their own pride, jealousy and insecurities, they will hate that person even more if they are nice and do good things.  And here Jesus, who didn't have the Pharisees' level of earthly education, kept outwitting and humiliating them.  Here Jesus, who didn't come from their earthly status or have their earthly positions, had a great following of adoring people, which threatened their own popularity and power.  So, the biggest issue was that the Pharisees only saw Jesus as just a person!  

Notice that the Pharisees never recognized Jesus as the Christ (which is another word for Messiah).  Also, the Pharisees didn't understand that the Son of David, their Messiah, would be God in flesh.  They only assumed their Messiah would be a human descendant of David, who would take the throne, be politically savvy enough to win back all of their land, and usher in physical peace and blessings.  They also assumed that this politically savvy person would have approached them first, so that they could have all worked together, with some unified structure of power.

When one doesn't know the Lord God personally, one will create a god in their own image, with the ideas of being able to manipulate "god" into getting one's desires satisfied.  It is either that, or people fancy themselves as "god".  One of the newer terms being used is that people believe they are able to "manifest" the things and events that they desire.  It's a new term, but with an old worldview belief system.  Remember, there is nothing new under the sun.  Everything has been tried before.  And all things that are done in our own wisdom and efforts, even if "successful", will not fully satisfy, and will only be temporary.

Because Jesus is God, He is sovereign and eternal.  His death and resurrection brings about everlasting victory over sin and death.  Therefore, salvation through Jesus is eternal, and fully satisfies.  If one cannot recognize that Jesus is God, then one is not a believer.  One has to realize and confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and that we need and want Jesus to sit on the throne of our hearts.  Then, because the Lord desires for us to know Him personally, and to continuously grow closer and closer to Him, we see Him as someone we can get to know intimately.  Seriously!  Literally, our SOULMATE!!!  Our Very Best Friend FOREVER!!!

relationships (Matthew 22:34-40) How to Truly Love

(Matthew 22:34-46)

34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Jesus sums up the Ten Commandments very nicely:  love God, then love people.  It's when we flip these two around, we run into trouble.  If and when we love people first, we will try to create God in our own image, to please and suit ourselves.  But, how can we know how to love others if we do not know and follow the holy (perfect) and sovereign God of Love!?  

It is only in a relationship with the Lord that we can truly get to know Him and love Him for who He really is.  In a personal relationship with Him, we receive His indwelling Holy Spirit, who changes us from the inside out.  As we get closer to Him, and trust Him more, allowing Him to guide and strengthen us, we will be able to love people as we love ourselves... we will be able to see and love people as God sees and loves people.

To refresh our memory, below are the Ten Commandments, which do not save us, but are guidelines to help us better serve and love God and others.  The first verse reminds Israel of what He has already done for them.  And what is also true, is that in the Lord's salvation, He frees us from eternal death and slavery to sin, to give us spiritual peace, joy and certain hope.  This is explained in the encouraging verses below to remind us that being a Christian is not about do's and don'ts (because it is impossible to save ourselves through our obedience).  We can only be saved and have hope through the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ!

(Exodus 20:1-17)   Then God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.  

4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing favor to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 For six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your cattle, or your resident who stays with you. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; for that reason the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged on the land which the Lord your God gives you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male slave, or his female slave, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

(Romans 8:1-6)  Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace...

relationships (Matthew 22:23-33) What Happens Now and After?

(Matthew 22:23-33)

23 On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us; and the first married and died, and having no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 It was the same also with the second brother, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her in marriage.”

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, since you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Keep in mind that the Abrahamic covenant promised all twelve tribes to be present when all promises were fulfilled.  Therefore, it was necessary that the firstborn male of each family have children, in order to protect the population of their tribe.  Also, each family required an heir to lead the entire family's estate.  If the eldest son married, and then died, the next single brother in line was to marry the woman, etc.  Although some very godly men had more than one wife, no where in the Bible does God approve.

Let's look back to when God created mankind.  He created us in order to have children to love, and hopefully have us return His love.  We were created with a soul to be filled only by the Lord.  So, when we put our faith in Him, He completes us and satisfies our soul.  As God is Three in One, God saw fit to create a suitable teammate, the female to compliment the man, and in their union, the two become "one" flesh.  And then, when both the husband and the wife are believers, each being "one" with the Lord's Holy Spirit, the following verse then has much more meaning.  While no none can lose their salvation, divorce is not likely when both husband and wife are focused on relying on the Lord, in all things.

(Ecclesiastes 4:12)  And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

"What does this mean for the single person?"  For starters, remember that marriage does not complete or fulfill us, it is only in having a personal relationship with God.  "What if I die without ever experiencing sex?" is a very common question and concern.  Just know that heaven and experiencing God's inexplicable eternal joy is going to be far above and beyond anything we would ever be able to experience here on earth.  But until then, focus on the Lord and continue growing closer to Him, to be content in all things.  And, be honest with Him and share everything that is on your heart, and remain patient.  God's answer might not be "No", but rather, "Just wait, I have something far better in mind for you."

Now let's consider what heaven will look like.  All believers will go to heaven and receive glorified bodies - although verse 30 does not specifically say that we WILL be angels - we will be LIKE the angels.  And for now, up until the time of the rapture, believers who have passed away, are enjoying a really good heavenly sleep!!!  So when we lose a loved one who is a believer, it is only a temporary loss.  One day, we will see our entire spiritual family, but nothing will surprise the joy of being there with our Lord and Savior!

(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)  But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

relationships (Matthew 22:15-22) Perspective

(Matthew 22:15-22)

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said. 16 And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and do not care what anyone thinks; for You are not partial to anyone. 17 Tell us then, what do You think? Is it permissible to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. 20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 And hearing this, they were amazed; and they left Him and went away.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

God is very practical and very fair!  God is also all-knowing, so let's not think that we can pull one over on Him.  Our relationship with the Lord is the most important one that we can ever have.  And while He should come first in our lives (and if we have a spouse, they should come second), all else should be put into perspective.  While following Jesus' example, we are not to be partial to anyone.  Be in the world, but not of the world.  This includes submitting to the authorities that are in place, and obeying the laws of our country, as long as they do not go against God's will.  So, with that, as far as we are able, we are to live at peace with others, while striving to live in God's will, with His help and guidance.