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!!!