evil hearts

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” [Matthew 12:24 ESV]

The Pharisees have accused Jesus of being in league with Satan.
Jesus responds the way that John the Baptist did and calls them a brood of vipers.
He says that their words are representative of people who have evil hearts.

Many people bristle at the idea that some have evil hearts.
These think that all people are basically good.
It reminds me of our need for spiritual rebirth and inner transformation.

Here is the promise from the prophet Ezekiel:
I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.
And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
The truth is that we all need a new heart that is neither evil or desperately wicked.
The promise is that God will give us that new heart when we respond to him.
And our mouths will speak good things from that new heart.

Thank you Lord for your transforming power. Thank you for my new heart.

... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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spiritual slander

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. [Matthew 12:30-31 ESV]

Jesus has responded to accusations by the Pharisees that concern the source of his power.
He then says something very chilling about the words that they uttered.
He says that there is a sin that will not be forgiven.

Blasphémia (βλασφημία) is a Greek word that can be rendered as 'slander'.
It signifies a switching of right for wrong and wrong for right.
The Pharisees were certainly guilty of this in the gospels.

Much has been written about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
The context here indicates that this sins involves being against the Messiah.
This is basically the sin of continually rejecting the convicting the Holy Spirit.

Given that, it is understandable why this sin cannot be forgiven.
For if one confuses right with wrong, they will continue to slander what is right.
The progressive entrenchment of such behavior will make it impossible for repentance.

This is where some are at today when the Holy Spirit begins to convict them.
Like the Pharisees they will, at every turn, reject God's influence in their life.
In doing so they present themselves as people who are against Jesus the Messiah.

Breakdown the hardness of hearts today Lord. That each might respond to your Spirit.

... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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religious divisions

Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste,
and no city or house divided against itself will stand. [Matthew 12:25 ESV]

Once again Jesus is confronted by pejorative religious unbelief.
A man is miraculously healed by him and the means of the man's healing is questioned.
Sadly everyone was amazed by this miracle except the religious leaders.

How could the hearts of these leaders be so hard and lacking compassion?
It seems that jealousy has taken hold of them and blinded them.
In this state of jealousy they begin to rationalize that Jesus is in league with Satan.

Jesus mocks their logic and says that only one stronger than Satan could cast him out.
He then confronts their opposition saying that they should be with him and not he with them.
This is where I fear many are at today in their faith.

Many today do not understand how God may be working in the world today.
As such, they find themselves mocking things that they do not understand.
In the end they choose to divide instead of finding common ground.

So heartbreaking the way that believers in God argue with each other.
These see people, who think differently, as their enemies.
In reality, these will never cast out demons or heal the sick.

Religious divisions embrace an unhealthy inward focus that ignores hurting people.
Instead of uniting Christ's body to do the work of the kingdom, they separate it.
In contrast, healing can come when we see past our differences and find common ground.

Come Holy Spirit. We need you. Unite us in the love of Christ.

... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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callous indifference

When Jesus left the field, he entered their meeting place. There was a man there with a crippled hand. They said to Jesus, “Is it legal to heal on the Sabbath?” They were baiting him. [Matthew 12:10 MSG]

Can you imagine coming to an emergency room and finding it closed because it is Sunday?
That would make no more sense than the hypocritical legalism of these religious folks.
What kind of a person would deny a cure to a hurting person in the name of religion?

Jesus then compares the man to one of the their sheep who fell into a ditch on the Sabbath.
He knows, and they know too, that these would certainly lift their sheep from the ditch.
His teaching exposes a callous indifference to the suffering of this hurting man.

The scene transitions to the miraculous as Jesus brings heaven to earth.
The words “stretch out your hand” are so understated.
Can you imagine what it would have been like to have been that man?

Jesus didn't touch him but merely spoke a few words to him.
His withered hand becomes like his healthy one as he stretches it in faith.
This passage, and others like it, are some of the most chilling ones in the gospels.

In reading these verses we are reminded that God is not limited by religious rules.
He will meet us in times when everyone has given up on us.
Such is the very nature and character of the one who call us to “stretch out your hand”.

I am in awe of your compassion and power Lord Jesus. You are God the Son!

... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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the Lord of the Law

I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath. [Matthew 12:6-8 ESV

The context of this passage is a condemnation by the Pharisees.
They accused the disciples of "doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath".
Jesus' rebuke to these religious leaders points to a truth that transcends written law.

In these few sentences Jesus seems to redefine the whole concept of Sabbath.
When he says that He is the lord of the Sabbath he points us to something greater than a day.
In essence he asks: "Why follow the Law when you can follow the Lord of the Law?"

Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that Jesus knew that he was God Incarnate?
When he speaks of being lord of the Sabbath he attests to that.
He shocked them all when he said that he was greater than the temple of God's presence.

Jesus implies that he is greater than King David and priests who minister in the temple.
In saying these things he acknowledges the kingly and priestly nature of the Messiah.
Jesus absolutely knew who he was and left no doubt about that.

So when he says ‘I desire mercy’ he is speaking the the nature of divine law.
He is communicating to them, and to us, about the timeless will of God.
And he is offering us a challenge to act differently.

Jesus, I confess you as Lord. Help me to show mercy today and every day.

... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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the root of peace

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. [Matthew 11:28-30 ESV]

There is no verse that speaks so well to the heart of Christ as this one.
Jesus speaks to that deep part of us that is weary and in need of encouragement.
When I think of the rest that I need I go directly to how I need peace in my life.

Life can be so stressful and peace can be so hard to find.
Yet Jesus' invitation is so clear. And so compelling.
His words are a call to a different sort of life.

When Jesus speaks of himself he gives us a peek into what peace looks like.
He identifies as being gentle and lowly in heart.
In saying this he calls humility to come forth in our lives.

The truth is that we will never have peace if we are not humble.
Pride will always bring stress to our lives because it demands that we control.
Peace will accompany an attitude of humility because it calls us to release control.

The image of a yoke speaks deeply to me about how Jesus wants to walk beside us.
I love this image of a leadership that walks with us and not before or behind us.
This to me is the difference between humble and arrogant leadership.

In John's gospel Jesus says that he will send the Holy Spirit when he leaves the earth.
He uses the Greek word paraklētos to describe the Spirit.
The word is descriptive of one who is called alongside of us to help.

Jesus' invitation is not for us to simply come, but to come and walk with him.
His assurance is that he will bear our burden and the load we carry will lighten.
His pledge is that we will find peaceful rest when we come to him.

Lord, I come.

... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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spiritual children

Jesus said, “I praise you, Father. You are Lord of heaven and earth. You have hidden these things from wise and educated people. But you have shown them to little children. [Matthew 11:25 NIRV]

There is a spiritual knowledge that can only be received by spiritual children.
These have not learned to rely on their heads for direction and leadership.
In contrast, I can relate to leading a religious life where my head trumped my heart.

This verse in Proverbs 3 changed that aspect of my life when I began to fully embrace it:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
The religious side of me bristles at the idea that following God is not about following rules.
I love rules and principles because I can blindly use them to follow God.
Of course that is exactly the way that the Pharisees lived their lives.

In reality, following God, and understanding spiritual truth, is not about religious rules.
When I think about children I first consider how much these little ones love.
The way that innocent children accept what their parents say as truth is beautiful.

Children are believing because they have not been taught to be unbelieving.
They have not learned to rely on their own understanding.
They know what it is to trust with ALL of their heart.

Lord, I give you all of my adult religious filters. Give me the heart of a child.

... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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