Sermon on the Mount for Today: October 2014

Friday, October 31, 2014

The Lord’s Prayer as a Pattern for Prayer

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:9-13)

The verses above, often called The Lord’s Prayer, is one of the most famous prayers of all time. It has been recited by millions of people in all kinds of Christian churches all around the world over the past two thousand years.

But is that really what Jesus intended? Did he really want his disciples to pray in a formulaic, ritualistic way without any hint of intimacy or deep relationship with God? Or could it be that Jesus wasn’t giving us a prayer to memorize and recite by rote but was instead giving us an example that could be personalized and expanded upon by his disciples?

Like many of us, I learned The Lord’s Prayer as a child. For years I faithfully recited the words every Sunday in church. And yet it wasn’t until after I wandered away from the Lord for a few years and then came back to Him as an adult that I really began to let the meaning of the words sink into my soul. Will you do that with me today? Can you set aside the familiarity of the prayer and let the words sink deep into your soul today? If you do it will refresh your spirit and jumpstart your prayer life.

Let’s begin by using the prayer as a pattern for us to follow. Start with the words, “Our Father.” Don’t just recite the words and speed along to the rest of the prayer. Pause and be led by the Spirit as you dwell and what those words mean. God Almighty – the Creator of the universe, the Sustainer of all that there is, the Great I Am – He is your father and you are His child. He is there for you, ready to provide for you, care for you, counsel you, and encourage you. He is proud of you and loves you with and undying love. He loves it when you come and talk to Him and tell Him about your day, your struggles and triumphs, your worries and your requests.

After spending some time with your Father in this way, move on in your prayer and give Him the glory and thanksgiving that is due Him. “Hallowed be your name” is a good place to start, but go deeper by asking that He would be glorified in your life. Ask Him to glorify Himself in the eyes of your loved ones and the people you meet along life’s path. Give Him thanks for everything He has done for you in the past and is doing for you currently.

Then move into the heart of the prayer, asking that His kingdom would come and His will would be done in your life and in the lives of those around you. Lift situations in your life before Him and ask Him to reign in those situations. Lift loved ones and friends and co-workers before the Lord and ask that His will would be done in their lives. You will be amazed at how God will answer.

After praying for God’s reign to come in this way, simply lift your own needs before the Lord. Remember He knows your needs better than you do, so just be simple and to the point – ask Him to provide your daily bread, money for the rent, gas for the car, and other necessities. He loves you and cares for you and will be faithful to provide.

After covering your physical needs, move on to your spiritual needs and go a little deeper. Confess your debts and sins to the Lord, knowing that anything you owe anyone or to the Lord is forgiven because Jesus died on the cross for that very reason. And then forgive anyone who has sinned against you or harmed you or owes you anything at all. Forgive from the heart, and let it all go, knowing that the Lord is the Ultimate Judge and he will take care of it.

And finally, as you prepare to finish your prayer time and go on with your day, ask the Lord to guide your steps and lead you not into temptation but into paths of righteousness. Ask Him to keep the Evil One at bay and to give you wisdom in how to stand against temptation and the snares of Satan.

That pretty much wraps up the Lord’s example of how we should pray, except that some manuscripts and translations add “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.” Spending a little time at the end of your prayer to give God glory and to remind yourself of his ability to come through is certainly a good thing, so go ahead and use those words if they are meaningful to you.

The main thing in all of this is relationship. Prayer is not a performance, not a ritual, nor a magical incantation done to manipulate some “force” into moving on your behalf. It is talking to God from your heart just as a child would talk to his or her father.

Let’s not waste another moment. Start talking to your Father, and use the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern, just as I have described above.

Pray with me:

Our Father, …pray as you are led using the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer…

Please use this blog for personal devotional use and feel free to share it with friends and family. However, all publishing rights are reserved. No reproduction or publication of this blog is permitted without the permission of the author, Pastor Randy Brockett of New Song Foursquare Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. To contact Pastor Randy, email him at randybrockett@yahoo.com.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Righteous Act #2 – Prayer

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8)

As Jesus continues his teaching on righteous living, he turns his attention to prayer. And, as he did with his teaching on giving, Jesus makes the assumption that his followers will do it and he also warns us not to be hypocrites, play-actors who make a big show of talking to God when really they are just drawing attention to themselves.

First, let’s talk about the assumption that Jesus makes – that his followers will pray. I’m sure that most of us do pray, especially when life puts us in a foxhole or between a rock and a hard place. However, I can’t assume that we all pray regularly or even daily.

I have known a lot of Christians and have been surprised by the number of people who confess that even though they want to pray, they often put it off. They can’t seem to find the time, or the right time and place in the day. Or, if they are honest, they feel unworthy to talk to God or they doubt that He is listening or that He will do anything to answer their request anyway. Lack of faith in God to hear and respond to their request or lack of faith in the work of Christ to make them worthy and holy before Him steal away their intimacy with God in prayer.

Don’t let this happen to you. Jesus suffered on the cross so that your sins can be forgiven and you can have direct access to God. If you feel unworthy to pray, then confess your sins to God, put your faith in Christ, and give your life to Him, knowing that His sacrifice on the cross makes you holy and without sin, able to go to Him in prayer whenever and wherever you desire.

And let me emphasize the whenever and wherever you desire. You don’t have to have a set time and place, although that helps some people maintain regular contact with God so that is a good thing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can talk to God, just pouring out your heart and feelings to Him, at any time and any place. Private places are best – in your bedroom, the car, the shower, while on a walk, while doing housework or yard work, whatever – just start talking to Him as often as you can. You will be blessed!

So then, when you pray, talk to God from your heart, not from a script. If you are praying publicly, don’t feel like you have to pray for a certain amount of time or use the right words. Public prayer is not a performance; it is leading the people of God into His presence and talking to Him on their behalf.

The same is especially true when you are praying privately. There is no need to feel that you have to babble on for a certain period of time or use the right words or hit every need on your list. The Father knows what you need better than you do. You don’t have to say the right words or do the right ritual or sing the right incantation to get Him to do what you want Him to do. It doesn’t work that way. It is more like a child talking to a parent that loves him very, very much.

Your Father loves you and wants what’s best for you, so just crawl into His lap and talk to Him. Tell Him your concerns, your fears, your worries. Tell Him about the mistakes you have made and where you need His help. He will be quick to answer, although it might be in ways you never expected!

Pray with me:

Father, thank you that because of Jesus I am holy and have direct access to you. Thank you that I am your child and I can talk to you anytime I want, and I bring these concerns before you now…continue praying as you are led…

For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:

Phil 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Rom 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

1 Thess 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Col 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Righteous Act #1 – Giving

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:2-4)

Jesus’ teaching on righteous living begins with righteous giving. It is a good place to start, after all, as a famous preacher once said, “Show me a man’s checkbook and I’ll show you his priorities.” It doesn’t take long in today’s world to see where your money goes – just go on the internet and pull up your bank statements and credit card statements and you will quickly see what you spent it on or to whom you gave it. Unless, of course, you give away a lot of cash, which you can likely tally up in your head.

What did this little exercise tell you? A little later in our study on the Sermon on the Mount we will get to the place where Jesus says we can’t serve both God and money. For now, though, just honestly ask yourself, do I give to the poor? Do I support my local church and worthwhile ministries in my community and around the world? Am I being a good steward of the money God has given me?

It is interesting that Jesus just assumes that his followers will be regular givers. He doesn’t make a big deal about it or command it; he just assumes it when he says, “When you give to the needy…” rather than “If you give to the needy…” It is kind of a big assumption if you think about it. Jesus is assuming both that his followers will have enough money so that they can give and that they will have a heart that is willing to give. It shows a lot of faith – faith in the Father to provide and faith in believers to give.

It does take a lot of faith to give, if you think about it. Probably one of the main reasons we don’t give is lack of faith. We are afraid that if we give money away then we won’t have enough of it for ourselves and we will wind up lacking or even destitute. We don’t believe that our heavenly Father will take care of us, even though He has promised that He would.

Another way that lack of faith keeps us from giving is that we want to stand in as judge and jury on the lives of the people that are needy. If past sins have put them in a hard place or current bad habits cause them to spend the money foolishly, we take it as a license not to give. And if an organization fails to be wise or uses money in a way that we deem inappropriate, we use that as an excuse to not give to them or, in some cases, to anyone at all. We let other people’s failures and our lack of faith in God rob us of the joy of giving.

After all, one of the great joy-givers in life is to give. As Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” For when we give we are following in His footsteps and giving ourselves away for the sake of others. God sees it and rewards us with great joy and intimacy with Him; the people to whom we give are blessed both materially and spiritually as we show them God’s love. It is a win-win situation. But there is one caveat, one thing that must be avoided as it can ruin everything.

That one thing is prideful play-acting. Being a hypocrite, someone who acts one way but deep inside is something else entirely. Giving money away so that you can get the attention of man gets in the way of what God really wants to do in the lives of the giver and the receiver. It all becomes a show, with trumpets blowing in Jesus’ day and with the media attention or name on a plaque or whatever it might be in our modern day.

So do your giving in secret, Jesus says, so that no one knows except you. Sure, there might be others who find out, like the one to whom you are giving or your spouse or family members or close friends. But there won’t be the fanfare, the hand-shaking and back-slapping, the prideful exaltation that comes as others congratulate you and tell you how great you are. If the fanfare is what you are after, then you have received your reward, the very thing that you were after.

But if you are giving to please God and to demonstrate His love to others, then He will see and He will reward you. To Him, the way that we give and our heart attitude as we give is more important than the amount that we give. So give freely and secretly, knowing that God will provide for your every need and His reward will be far better than anything the world has to offer.

Pray with me:

Lord, help me to be like you when it comes to righteous giving. Give me faith to not hold back but to trust you and give generously in every occasion. Help me to give myself away, just as you did. Forgive me for those times when I should have given but I didn’t. Forgive me for those times when I gave just so I would look good in the eyes of others. And Lord, bless these people who I know have needs and give me opportunities to give to them…continue praying as you are led…

For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:

Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Matt 6:25, 33 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? … But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Do Righteous Acts for the Father, Not for Man

“Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:1)

With the words above, Jesus once again takes a common religious teaching and makes it an issue of the heart. Hungering and thirsting for righteousness is not just a matter of giving, praying, and fasting; it is doing these righteous acts with a heart to please God and draw near to Him.

In New Testament times, it was common to do righteous acts in a way that everyone around would know how religious and pious the person was. Trumpets would be blown to draw attention to a large gift; prayers in public would be loud, long-winded, and ostentatious; those who were fasting would make sure everyone knew about it. The whole point was to get the approval of the men and women around you, and Jesus simply says that if that is your goal, then that will be your reward. You will have no reward from your Father in heaven because you weren't doing it for Him in the first place.

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today, we might say, “Well, we don’t have to worry about this verse. We don’t blow trumpets when we give and the average person rarely fasts or prays in public anyway. It doesn't apply to us.”

Or does it?

When we get all dressed up in our Sunday best and make the kids be on their best behavior at church, is it for God or is it so that we will look good in front of our friends and neighbors?

When we give is it with a joyful heart unto God or is it with strings attached – the money must be used in the way we want it to be; we feel that we should be asked to be on the church board or leadership team; we want an accurate accounting so that we can get credit with the IRS and maybe even with church or community leaders who might find out about it.

And when we pray or lead worship or read Scripture publicly, is it with joy in our heart that we are in the presence of the Lord and among his people or is it a performance that will be evaluated by the amount of applause or the accolades after the service is over?

Jesus knew how easy it is to slide from doing something for God to doing it for man. He knew that the Pharisees and religious leaders in his day were more concerned with impressing each other than with impressing God – He called them a brood of vipers and sons of hell and many other colorful terms.

And Jesus knows not only their hearts but yours and mine. If your acts of righteousness are done with a heart for God and a desire to please him, then you will give Him great pleasure and you will be rewarded, regardless of the amount of the gift or how eloquent your prayer or how long you fast. And if you have even just now realized that you are performing your acts of righteousness for the approval of man, you know what to do about it. Confess it to the Lord and He will be faithful to forgive you and help you get back on track with Him.

Pray with me:

Lord, forgive me for when I have done things that were supposedly for you but in reality they were done for the approval of others. Help me to be whole-heartedly for you in my acts of righteousness; it is my desire to please you and you alone. And Lord, don’t just help me in this area, but help my church and my Christian friends and family members that I bring before you now…continue praying as you are led…

For further study, ask the Lord to give you insight on these Scriptures:

Luke 12:1-5 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

The verse above is explained by Matthew 6:1-18. For more on the outline of the Sermon on the Mount, see the very first post of this blog, entitled The Key to the Sermon on the Mount and posted on Sept. 26, 2014.

“Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:1-18)

Hungering and thirsting for righteousness. That is a trait seldom seen in people in our day and age. I know people who are hungering and thirsting for a lot of different things, but righteousness isn't usually at the top of the list. I see them hungering and thirsting for a better job, a better house, a better car, a better sex partner, a better high, even a better spiritual life – all kinds of things – but rarely do I see someone who is hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

Even in our churches and Christian culture today, righteous living is not often taught or preached. It seems like we have convinced ourselves that the grace of God – the truth that Jesus died for our sins so that our salvation is based upon what He did rather than what we do – has made righteous living an unnecessary burden. But that is not what Jesus taught.

Jesus taught that it is a blessing to be hungry for righteousness and he assumed that his followers would habitually do “acts of righteousness” such as fasting, praying, and giving to the poor (Matthew 6:1-18). If that were not enough, the entire New Testament is full of commands to live righteously and the Apostles Paul and James wrote extensively on this conundrum, that though we are saved by grace, our faith in God and our desire to please Him will cause us to live righteously.

And what, exactly, is righteous living, one might ask? Jesus spells it out in the text above in terms of our behavior, our acts of righteousness, and at other points he alludes to it in terms of righteousness in our heart, in our innermost being. We will study these acts of righteousness in the days to come as we study those verses, but for now I would challenge you to ask yourself honestly, “Do I hunger and thirst for righteousness? Is right living the foremost of my priorities in life? Do I strive to do what is right rather than what is convenient? Do I try to please God rather than trying to please everyone around me? Do I habitually and regularly spend time with God, worshiping and praying and fasting?

If you are like me, and if you are being honest with yourself and with God, you can likely see room for improvement in your righteous living. Rest assured, my friend, that it is not your righteousness that will get you into heaven or even closer to God. It is the righteousness of Jesus that does that. But it is your hungering and thirsting after righteousness that brings the blessed happiness that Jesus’ promises.

For as we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we are hungering and thirsting to be more like Jesus. And in a sense, when we are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, we are hungering and thirsting after Jesus himself, for He is our righteousness.

Remember, when we see God face-to-face in eternity, it won’t be our righteous acts that will be our ticket into heaven. It will be the righteous act of Jesus on the cross that will be our golden ticket. Rest in that while still hungering and thirsting after righteous living and you will be happy and blessed.

Pray with me:

Father, thank you that I have a right standing with you because of Jesus. Help me to live righteously; help me to live out what you have already declared – that I am righteous and holy. Help me to make righteous decisions in these life circumstances that I bring before you now…continue praying as you are led…

For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:

Rom 3:21-25 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Phil 3:8-10 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

1 Tim 6:11-12 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Be Merciful to All, Even Your Enemies

Be Merciful to All, Even Your Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighborand hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:43-48)

With the verses above, Jesus raises the bar even higher when it comes to how merciful his followers are to be. For most of us, if we were the ones doing the teaching, we couldn't imagine how to make it any higher. Jesus has already taught that his followers are to be more merciful than the Old Testament law, even more merciful than man’s laws commonly required, and if that were not enough, they are to have a merciful heart and give away whatever is asked of them and loan their possessions and money to whoever asks to borrow.

But Jesus does raise the bar even higher – he moves from the outward externals to the issues of the heart – he asks his disciples not only to love one another but to love their enemies as well. No one else ever thought of such a drastic radical love as this – loving your enemies who are coming against you to insult you, to rob you of your possessions, even to injure or kill you or your loved ones. Only the God of love, who put on flesh and became love personified, could even think of this kind of radical love, let alone live it out.

But live it out He did, laying down his divine form and all of its privileges so that he could take the form of a servant and become obedient even unto death, even death on the cross. For while we were still enemies of God, living for ourselves and our own fleshly desires, Jesus died for us. He loved His enemies – us and the whole world – so much that He gave His life for ours. Is it possible, if not probable, then, that He would ask His followers to do the same?

That is exactly what Jesus does. He raises the bar so high that no one can do it by simple willpower or thought control. Only someone who has been born again in Christ and living in the love and power that He offers can even begin to meet the seemingly impossible standard of loving one’s enemies.

Like they did with many of the other extreme commands of Jesus, some writers and teachers try to put limits on what Jesus taught as they attempt to tell us what Jesus really meant when he told us to love our enemies. But the love of God in Jesus is limitless, and so should ours be. Even when someone is persecuting us, even when faced with the loss of possessions, even when faced with bodily harm or even death, our attitudes and our reactions are to be merciful and loving.

When dealing with our enemies, do we see them as potential Christ-followers, created in the image of God, people for whom Jesus died? Do we love them and pray for them even as they are inflicting harm upon us or our loved ones? If by the grace of God we are able to do so, then we are becoming more and more like Jesus, who prayed from the cross for those who were crucifying him.

As we live out this kind of love, we separate ourselves from those around us – from the tax collectors and the pagans in Jesus’ teaching, from the co-workers, the neighbors, and the person at the grocery store in our every day lives. For as we live out this kind of love, we become more and more like our Heavenly Father and less and less like our old selves and the people in the world around us.

Many Christians around the world and over the centuries have struggled with how to live out their love for their enemies. Some have chosen to be total pacifists, never raising a hand to defend themselves. Others have prayerfully defended themselves while trying to keep a heart of mercy that doesn't seek vengeance or retaliation. I won’t pretend to have all the answers here; each one of us has to follow Christ as seems best to him or her.

But one thing I do know – as we love our enemies we are being like our Father in heaven and we are living as his sons and daughters. And like children who are growing up and becoming more and more like their parents, we too will become more and more like our Heavenly Father who is perfect – complete and mature – in His love and mercy.

If you are like me, you likely recognize that none of us are completely mature and perfect in our mercy and love towards others. But one day we will be, when we see Jesus face-to-face and He will make us perfect and complete. In the meantime, let’s strive to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect. Let’s make sure we are on the narrow path to maturity and completeness in our love and mercy towards others. Let’s love our enemies and everyone else God brings across our path.

It’s not easy but it is worth it. For as Jesus promised in the Beatitude, those who are merciful will receive mercy. Those who live for God by being merciful and loving towards others will live for eternity in the presence of a loving and merciful God. And not only that, their earthly lives will be filled with blessings and prolonged happiness as they make it their practice to be merciful towards others.

Pray with me: Thank you, Jesus, for being merciful to me! Following You is not easy but it is worth it! Help me to live for you day by day. Help me to love everyone, even my enemies. Give me wisdom and discernment as to how to live this out day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. Give me wisdom, especially in these situations and with these people I bring before you now…continue praying as you are led…

For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:

1 John 4:15-17 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.

1 John 4:7-8 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:9-12 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Be Merciful with Your Possessions

Be Merciful with Your Possessions

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matt. 5:42)

With the words above, Jesus continues to raise the bar as to how merciful his followers are to be towards others. The needs of others are to be more important to his disciples than their own possessions. The literal straight-forward interpretation of what Jesus is saying is simple to understand but hard to practice: Give away whatever people ask you for, and loan out whatever someone asks to borrow, regardless of their character or trustworthiness.

Everything in us wants to say, “But wait a minute, if I do that, I could wind up completely broke!” But could that be the point that Jesus is making, that we would be better off penniless and completely dependent upon God for our sustenance? That is what exactly what Jesus asked of the rich young ruler in Luke Chapter 18. In addition, Jesus frequently taught that it was a blessing to be poor and a stumbling block to be rich; he was adamant that his followers should seek first the kingdom of God and His reign in their lives rather than pursuing wealth or monetary gain.

And if that were not enough, Jesus modeled to us a kingdom-first lifestyle with practically no worldly possessions or wealth except for his clothing. He could have easily had the mansions and Rolls Royces and bling of his day; just think of how much money he could have had if he asked for a donation every time he healed someone! But he didn’t do that. He traveled from town to town with no place to lay his head and only the clothes on his back. Whatever offerings came in were used for necessities or for the poor. Jesus didn’t even keep track of the money – his disciple Judas Iscariot did that. And we know what that kind of temptation did to Judas – it led him down the path of betraying Jesus and then committing suicide in his sorrow.

So maybe Jesus is being completely serious and literal when he tells us to give it all away. Maybe we’re better off with less and those people whose needs are met through us will glorify God for our generosity. It’s certainly something to pray about and see how God leads us.

Of course, in Jesus’ day he wasn’t approached by dozens of strangers a day with their hands out on the side of the freeway off-ramp. And he certainly didn’t open up his laptop and skim through requests for money from people in far-away lands who need help with the taxes on their lottery winnings or help with their supposed illness or whatever the latest scam happens to be. So we have to take it all into account and be wise and ask ourselves the famous question, “What would Jesus do?”

I don’t know about you, but for me, as I have struggled to answer that question for myself, I have come to the realization that I am much happier when I have a merciful heart and simply give away what I can to whoever asks me face-to-face and seems to have a genuine need. I don’t have to judge them or worry about how they will spend the money; that’s between them and God. And I don’t have to give to every scammer that emails me or sends a solicitation in the mail – I don’t know them and they are not just asking me but asking thousands of people at the same time. To me they are professional beggars at best and criminals at worst. Long story short, then, if I know someone, or know the organization and what they do, then I will consider how much I can give and still meet my responsibilities to care for my family.

So then, if there is someone before me with a genuine need I will do what I can to meet that need. It may only be a dollar or two or even just some spare change, but if I give when asked than I am being merciful and it opens up the door to experiencing the joy of having a merciful heart. It often also opens up the door to conversation and to sometimes praying for someone or even getting more involved in a person’s life. But that comes as you talk to the person and sense God’s leading as to if you are to do more.

It all starts with a heart of mercy, though. A heart that is open and ready to give rather than closed and habitually hoarding. If Jesus were to walk our streets today, I think he would freely give to everyone who asks. And for the scammers and the criminals, I think he would smile at them and with a twinkle in his eye he would offer them something even better than money – the forgiveness of sin and eternal life if they would only repent and put their trust in Him.

Pray with me: Lord Jesus, help me to have a giving heart. Help me to cultivate a heart of mercy that rejoices when given the opportunity to give. Help me to be a good steward, so that I don’t squander the money you have provided for me. You alone are my provider, and I thank you for my job and all the other sources of income you have provided for me, but ultimately I know that it all comes from you. Help me to honor you and give generously with a heart of mercy, not judging the needy but seeing them through eyes of mercy…continue praying as you feel led…

For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:

Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

John 12:4-6 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Matt 27:3-5 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."

"What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."

So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

1 Tim 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Be More Merciful Than Man's Law

Be More Merciful than Man’s Law

“And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” (Matt. 5:40-41)

With the words above, Jesus continues to raise the bar as to how merciful his followers should be. They should not only refrain from excessive vengeance as the Old Testament required; they should go out of their way to help someone out and to keep the peace, even if they don’t deserve it, and even if they are your enemy.

This, like the previous teaching, is hard to live out. Especially when we consider that people in New Testament times only had one or two or maybe three sets of clothes if they were fortunate. So if someone asked for your tunic (a garment that went around the whole body), and you also gave him your cloak (an upper outer garment like a coat), it was serious business! To the common person it was giving away half your wardrobe, and to some it might have meant giving away the clothes they were wearing. They would literally be giving their adversary in court the clothes off their back without so much as a fight or complaint.

To meet such a high standard, to follow Christ in this way, the disciple of Christ must have absolute faith that God is a very real presence in his or her life and that He will provide for his or her needs, whether it be in this life or the next, in eternity. The disciple must trust that there is an ultimate good that will come out of this type of sacrifice, whether that good be in their own life (the disciple becoming more like Christ by giving up their tunic and cloak) or in the life of the person that receives the cloak (the disciple’s adversary seeing Christ in them and being brought near to God as a result).

This type of faith in God to bring good out of difficult circumstances is required if we are to live according to the second example that Jesus gives as well. Roman officials had the right to compel their subjects to carry messages or materials for up to a mile. There was no post office in that day but there were stations along the way where messages or materials were passed along from one station to the next. So if an unlucky traveler were to meet a Roman official, he might be forced to go a mile out of his way to deliver the message or materials.

That would be hard enough to submit to with a good attitude, after all you have to go not only the first mile but then back the mile you went out of your way and you are likely on foot or on a donkey, but Jesus says to not only do that but double it! Go two miles out of your way and two miles back! And, when you do that with a merciful heart and a smile on your face and a song in your heart, you will be blessed!

Jesus – who gave up his life in the ultimate sacrifice – and those of us who are serious followers of him and live sacrificially day in and day out, live in a realm of existence that is far different than the average person who walks the earth. They have an understanding that their life is not their own but is to be lived for God and for others. They have a faith in God to guide them and to provide for them, whatever the circumstances.

This kind of life is not easy and requires great faith and sacrifice, but the rewards are eternal. Those who give mercy, receive mercy, just as Jesus promises in the Beatitude. And others are blessed as well, as they come to know Jesus and understand the sacrifice He made by seeing the sacrificial life of others.

Pray with me: Lord, help me to follow you in this way. I can’t do it without you. Give me the faith to live for you. I feel like the man who said “I believe, Lord, help me in my unbelief!” I have faith in you, Lord, but I need even more faith if I am to live as you are calling me to. Give me faith to live for you in these situations I bring before you now…continue praying as you are led…

For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:

1 Peter 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

1 Peter 2:19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.

1 Peter 4:12-13 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Be More Merciful Than the Old Testament Law

Be More Merciful than the Old Testament Law

“You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matt. 5:38-39)

Once again, Jesus uses the wording, “You have heard that it was said…But I tell you…” And once again, Jesus takes the Old Testament law and raises the bar. It is not that the Old Testament teaching was bad – it was in fact quite fair as it limited the amount of vengeance that could be dished out in the name of justice. In other words, using an example from that day and age, if a person were to kill one of your sheep, then you had cause to go and kill one of their sheep. But you couldn’t go and kill the person, as some strong-tempered people would like to do.

So the Old Testament teaching had its purpose, and Jesus affirmed the Old Testament repeatedly, but in this case Jesus takes it a step further. He says that if you want to be blessed and happy, be a merciful man or woman who doesn’t resist the evil person but instead understands that the evil person is trapped in sin and in need of God’s grace and mercy. Endure the insult and pain of a hand-slap (a slap in the face was an insult in Jesus’ day), and maintain an attitude of love and forgiveness towards the person who is hurting you.

At this point I think all of us start to think of how hard that is to do and begin to make rationalizations of why we can’t or shouldn’t be that merciful – surely Jesus didn’t really mean that? If no one resists the evil person, we say, then what will become of society? What if no one ever stands up for what is right?

But if we our honest with ourselves, we are just rationalizing our way out of our responsibility to follow Jesus in this way. For if you look closely, Jesus is talking about an insult and minor injury, nothing life-threatening. And he definitely is not talking about standing up for someone else who is being abused or about making a policy for social justice. There is a place for self-defense or for standing up for righteousness on the behalf of someone else.

What Jesus is saying to his followers is that they will find themselves in a place of blessed happiness when they can get their own egos out of the way and look through eyes of mercy at those who are causing them harm. When they begin to see things through eyes of mercy rather than eyes tinted by egotistical emotion they can begin to see people as God sees them – as hurting individuals trapped in sin and in need of a Savior.

When one sees people in this way, his or her response becomes more godly, more like Jesus himself when he was struck in the face. He didn’t retaliate, but continued to talk with the officer who hit him. In fact, Jesus didn’t stop there. He allowed himself to be mocked, whipped, and crucified when he had done nothing to deserve that kind of abuse.

So when Jesus says, “Do not resist an evil person…” we cannot just write it off and say he didn’t really mean it. He not only meant it, he lived it. He modeled it for us and gave his life for ours; how can we not do the same for others? For as we refuse to retaliate, as we forgive rather than seek vengeance, our adversaries will see that there is something different about us – they will see Christ in us, the hope of glory for both us and them.

Pray with me: Lord, I confess that often I find it hard to endure an insult or turn the other cheek. My flesh, my sin nature within me, wants to retaliate and get revenge when someone hurts me. Help me to be like you. Help me to not retaliate but to forgive. And use my feeble efforts for your glory – let others see you in me so that they too can come to know you. I pray now for these people and situations in my life…continue praying as the Spirit brings people to your mind…

For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:

Heb 12:2-3 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Luke 9:23-24 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

Monday, October 20, 2014

The Blessing of Being Merciful

The Blessing of Being Merciful

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7

The verse above is explained by Matthew 5:38-48. For more on the outline of the Sermon on the Mount, see the very first post of this blog, entitled The Key to the Sermon on the Mount and posted on Sept. 26, 2014.

Matthew 5:38-48 “You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Blessed are you, happy are you when you have a merciful attitude towards others, declares Jesus. But what does it mean, exactly, to be merciful? And why? Why is it a blessing, why does it make me happy, when I extend mercy to others?

Jesus tells us the answer in Matthew 5:38-48, and we will look at those Scriptures in depth in the week ahead, but for now let’s focus on being merciful and receiving mercy. Jesus links these two together in the Beatitude, and it is for good reason. They go hand-in-hand; they are opposite sides of the same coin; they are the door that swings both ways to let mercy flow into a person’s life and then flow back out again. A heart that is closed to receiving mercy finds it hard to give mercy while a heart that is open to receiving mercy finds it easy to extend mercy.

In other words, it all starts with receiving the mercy that God offers us and then extending it to others. Jesus, who was completely sinless and did nothing wrong, died on the cross for us so that our sins might be forgiven; who are we to then turn around and hold sins against people who have hurt us? And if that were not enough, as he hung on the cross breathing his last breath, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Now that is mercy! Jesus didn’t call down curses upon those who insulted him, whipped him, and crucified him unfairly; instead he forgave them and prayed for them. He didn’t call down legions of angels to deliver him from the cross; instead he willingly submitted himself to the cruel injustice so that others could be saved by his actions and his example.

It is this example – this extreme mercy – that must be forefront in our minds as we look at his teaching on mercy. For once again Jesus makes some pretty extreme statements – turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, give to everyone who asks, love your enemy – but could it be that this time he actually wants us to do it? To live such a radical and extreme lifestyle that we actually live like he did, without worldly possessions and nowhere to lay his head?

This challenge by Jesus to his followers is one of the hardest to live out. Many scholarly writers and religious leaders have therefore tried to explain what Jesus “really meant” when he said those things. After all, to live as Jesus describes in the Sermon on the Mount is impractical and seemingly impossible to do. The wisdom of man would dictate a more conservative approach to life, a moderate lifestyle of doing good deeds when it is convenient and giving a little money away here and there when it seems best.

But Jesus is neither conservative nor moderate. He is extreme in every sense of the word and He calls his followers to be the same. He calls them to do good deeds all the time, be merciful to everyone, give away everything they own. He calls each of us to pick up our cross and follow him, to be ready not only to die for him, but to live each day for him.

This kind of radical commitment and extreme lifestyle requires a lot of mercy. Mercy from him to forgive us when we fall short, and merciful attitudes from us towards others so that they too can know the mercy of God. For we are all saved by the same merciful Christ on the cross, and no matter how mean and unlovable our coworker or neighbor seems to be, we can respond with mercy and love because without Christ we would be in the same condition. As someone once said, “Except for the grace of God there go I.”

Pray with me: Lord Jesus, I receive your mercy. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. Help me to take the mercy I have received and extend it to others. I accept your challenge to live for you; help me to live it out day by day, hour by hour, decision by decision. Help me to extend mercy to the people you have placed in my life, even those who are difficult to be around, people such as…continue praying as fits your life situation…

For further study, meditate on or even memorize this Scripture:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)

Friday, October 17, 2014

Seeing God

Seeing God

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matt. 5:9)

Soren Kierkegaard, a 19^th century writer, philosopher, and theologian, wrote a book called Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing. That’s an excellent way to sum up everything we’ve learned in the past few readings, assuming that the one thing a person wills to do is to glorify God and do His will in every situation, especially in their thought life and attitudes, in their marriage and other actions of the will, and in the vows they make and the words they articulate.

Those who live in such a state of purity of heart, those who are single-minded and pure in their purpose of pleasing God, will receive the blessing that Jesus promised – they will see God. There are no “ifs, ands, or buts,” about it; those who are pure in heart will see God. Jesus said it; we believe it; it will happen. Count on it.

But what exactly does it mean when Jesus says “for they will see God?” Is it a literal viewing of God with our physical eyes, with an outcome similar to that of the Israelites who looked into the Ark of the Covenant and fell down dead? Or is it that we will see God with our spiritual eyes, recognizing Him at work in the hearts of His people and in the world around us? Or finally, when we talk about seeing God, are we talking about seeing Him in the same way we go to see a doctor? Are we talking about just seeing Him from an objective distance or are we instead referring to seeing Him by going into His presence to meet and converse with Him?

The answers to each of these questions has a “now” and a “not yet” component to them. In other words, in this age, in the here-and-now, we see “through a glass darkly” but in the age to come, after Christ comes again, we will see Him as He is.

For example, in this age people don’t see God with their physical eyes, but in the age to come we will. In this age, we use our spiritual eyes to see God at work all around us, but in the age to come we will have far more understanding and insight. And while we enjoy fellowship with Him through worship and the Word and an intimate prayer life, it is only a foretaste of what is to come when Jesus welcomes us into His Father’s house.

For now, though, we must “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.” We are in the same condition as the Ephesians, for whom Paul prayed that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

As the eyes of our heart are opened, as we get to know God better and walk more in step with Him in purity of heart, a wonderful thing happens. We begin to see Him more and more. We see Him moving in a person’s life. We see His will being done in a situation. We see how His Word fits in a certain situation and are able to give wise Biblical counsel. We become more and more like Jesus, who only did what He saw the Father doing.

As fantastic as this sounds – that in the age to come we will literally see God but for now we see Him with our spiritual eyes – there is still an even greater truth. For if you think about it, we often use the word “see” to describe coming into someone’s presence and having a face-to-face meeting and conversation with someone. In everyday use, we make an appointment to “see” the doctor. We don’t intend to wave at the doctor from a distance; we want to be in his presence and interact with him. So when Jesus says that we will see God, could it be that we will not only see God from a distance but see Him face-to-face and ask Him all those questions that have nagged us for years? Could it be that we could really know the Creator and Lord of the universe?

When we think about seeing God in this way, it has wonderful implications for our devotional life. It means that as we are pure in heart – 100% clean by the blood of Christ and sold out in our devotion to Him – we will see God, be admitted into His presence, experience nearness to Him in worship and prayer. As we seek Him, we will find Him. When we talk to Him, we’ll hear back from Him. After we pray, we’ll see answers come to pass.

When we are pure in heart and spend time each day in God’s presence, we will see God. Our devotional lives won’t be dry exercises but will instead be dynamic encounters with the Living God.

Let’s enter into the Lord’s presence now, asking the Lord to open our eyes as we strive to live in purity of heart:

Lord, you know my heart is to live in purity of heart, with unmixed devotion to you and to your will in my life. You have promised that the pure in heart will see God, and I ask that you would open the eyes of my heart more and more each day, so that I can see you moving and working in my life and in the lives of those around me…continue praying as the Spirit leads…

For further study and meditation:

Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. John 5:19-21 NIV

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor 4:16-18 NIV

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2 NIV