Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet’?
If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
I think that some answers to deep questions are fairly simple unless you are predisposed to reject the obvious answers. Such is the case in this question that Jesus asks the Pharisees. The son of David and the Son of God stood before some of the greatest biblical scholars of that day and not one of them had a clue concerning the answer. One might think that these who knew the scriptures might have known that the Messiah was not a mere mortal.
I have to admit that, like the Pharisees, my biblical predispositions have caused me to be blind towards the workings of the Holy Spirit. Because of my rigid belief system I once could not see people in 'liberal' churches as people indwelt by the Spirit of God. Interesting to note that I now attend one of those churches and have been blessed by the way that my eyes have been opened to biblical truth there. And my eyes are a bit clearer these days.
Open my eyes again today Lord that I might see Jesus.
The stone that the builders rejected
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
The Lord has just shared a parable with the crowd. In it he speaks about how the tenants of a vineyard repeatedly mistreated and killed servants of the vineyard owner. The parable ends when the tenants murder the owner's son. Such is the picture that Jesus paints of the religious leaders of his day. For years God sent prophets to their forefathers and they rejected their message. And in like manner these elders rejected John the Baptist. And sadly they were now rejecting the Son of God.
Is there a more chilling passage in all of scripture than this one that speaks of a stone that breaks and crushes? When I think about that cornerstone I go back to the day I fell on it and my life was broken to pieces. My pride was broken. My attitude was broken. My sin was broken. Falling on that rock was the best thing that has ever happened to me. Yet to those who reject the Cornerstone, and do not fall on it, Jesus speaks of a terrifying expectation of crushing as the stone falls on them.
Again I fall at your feet Lord Jesus. Break me and mold me in your image.
“‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
The Lord has just shared a parable with the crowd. In it he speaks about how the tenants of a vineyard repeatedly mistreated and killed servants of the vineyard owner. The parable ends when the tenants murder the owner's son. Such is the picture that Jesus paints of the religious leaders of his day. For years God sent prophets to their forefathers and they rejected their message. And in like manner these elders rejected John the Baptist. And sadly they were now rejecting the Son of God.
Is there a more chilling passage in all of scripture than this one that speaks of a stone that breaks and crushes? When I think about that cornerstone I go back to the day I fell on it and my life was broken to pieces. My pride was broken. My attitude was broken. My sin was broken. Falling on that rock was the best thing that has ever happened to me. Yet to those who reject the Cornerstone, and do not fall on it, Jesus speaks of a terrifying expectation of crushing as the stone falls on them.
Again I fall at your feet Lord Jesus. Break me and mold me in your image.
O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
What would it have been like to have been one of disciples in the boat? Jesus has just scared the heck out of them, the winds are still raging and now they see impetuous Peter going overboard? They watch Peter walk on water for a bit and then they watch as Jesus saves the sinking Peter. They hear Jesus rebuke Peter for doubting rather than encouraging him for getting out of the boat. And as the wind ceases they fall down and worship the Son of God. Daylight comes and they are once again on dry land.
This image presents a picture of what it is sometimes like to follow Jesus. In the midst of a stormy trial we often sit in our boat scared to death about the wind. And when God shows up we don't recognize him as he walks towards us. Sometimes we ask God if we can jump ship and he allows it even though he knows we will sink.. and we experience his gentle rebuke. Then the stormy trial passes and all we can do is worship Him and acknowledge who he is.
I think that the last few verses of this passage are so filled with hope as people are healed as they simply, in faith, touch the fringe of Christ's robe. It directs me back to Peter. Little faith will sometimes cause us to walk on troubled waters for a bit and it will sometimes bring healing in a simple act of desperation. There is nothing formulaic about faith.. be it little or large.. faith simply comes when we fix our eyes on Jesus and not the winds and the waves.
Help me to keep my eyes on you Jesus.. in troubled and calm waters.
And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
What would it have been like to have been one of disciples in the boat? Jesus has just scared the heck out of them, the winds are still raging and now they see impetuous Peter going overboard? They watch Peter walk on water for a bit and then they watch as Jesus saves the sinking Peter. They hear Jesus rebuke Peter for doubting rather than encouraging him for getting out of the boat. And as the wind ceases they fall down and worship the Son of God. Daylight comes and they are once again on dry land.
This image presents a picture of what it is sometimes like to follow Jesus. In the midst of a stormy trial we often sit in our boat scared to death about the wind. And when God shows up we don't recognize him as he walks towards us. Sometimes we ask God if we can jump ship and he allows it even though he knows we will sink.. and we experience his gentle rebuke. Then the stormy trial passes and all we can do is worship Him and acknowledge who he is.
I think that the last few verses of this passage are so filled with hope as people are healed as they simply, in faith, touch the fringe of Christ's robe. It directs me back to Peter. Little faith will sometimes cause us to walk on troubled waters for a bit and it will sometimes bring healing in a simple act of desperation. There is nothing formulaic about faith.. be it little or large.. faith simply comes when we fix our eyes on Jesus and not the winds and the waves.
Help me to keep my eyes on you Jesus.. in troubled and calm waters.
Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
This passage reminds me that discipleship has a cost and the cost is our life. In the Old Testament the Lord was sometimes characterized as a jealous God. In these few sentences Jesus reinforces that idea and tells us that God will not take a back seat to anything or anyone - not to family members and not even to ourselves. This is a hard message but a very biblical one because of the way that these things can become idols that interfere with our relationship to God.
When Jesus speaks about not being worthy of him he is declaring that he is God and as such is worthy of their, and our, lives. If he were not God then he would have no right to claim preeminence in their, and our, lives. He speaks as God when he speaks of losing our life for his sake. Only the Creator has this right. It is something that the disciples most likely remembered when they were imprisoned and lost their lives for Jesus sake. How can we live differently? How can our message be anything less.
I am humbled Lord when I think of all that have literally lost their lives for your sake. I am unworthy because I have not fully embraced my cross. Help me today Lord to embrace and carry my cross. You are worthy Lord Jesus because you are God.
This passage reminds me that discipleship has a cost and the cost is our life. In the Old Testament the Lord was sometimes characterized as a jealous God. In these few sentences Jesus reinforces that idea and tells us that God will not take a back seat to anything or anyone - not to family members and not even to ourselves. This is a hard message but a very biblical one because of the way that these things can become idols that interfere with our relationship to God.
When Jesus speaks about not being worthy of him he is declaring that he is God and as such is worthy of their, and our, lives. If he were not God then he would have no right to claim preeminence in their, and our, lives. He speaks as God when he speaks of losing our life for his sake. Only the Creator has this right. It is something that the disciples most likely remembered when they were imprisoned and lost their lives for Jesus sake. How can we live differently? How can our message be anything less.
I am humbled Lord when I think of all that have literally lost their lives for your sake. I am unworthy because I have not fully embraced my cross. Help me today Lord to embrace and carry my cross. You are worthy Lord Jesus because you are God.
Merry Christmas
She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger---there was no room for them to stay in the inn. There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them,
"Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David's town your Savior was born---Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:
"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!"When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,
"Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us."So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger. When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child.
All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said.
There is no Fear in Love
Don Hendricks, my online friend, recently wrote something on his blog that I so agree with concerning the relationship between God and His people. Here it is:
A proper understanding of how the fear of the Lord evolves resembles that of an earthly child and their father. A child's healthy relationship with their (seemingly larger than life) father "begins" with fear. But a healthy relationship does not stay in fear. A grown child should honor and respect their father but should not fear him. So it is understandable, in that context, why a young believer would fear God. But as the believer matures the fear looks more like an awe filled honor and respect of their heavenly Father.
Thinking about that I am reminded about a Facebook dialog I recently had with an old friend of mine where I responded to his assertion that:I have a pet peeve about some popular ways we live out Christmas truth. It seems that many still live in a relationship with the Old Covenant. As I preach through the prophecies of Isaiah I see tremendous changes promised....but many are more interested in the God who punished His old covenant people for their sins.
We are not in a community that is punished for being out of line, for the line, ie. the law, was hung on the cross. There is still an inevitable sowing and reaping in our moral decisions, but God in Christ is for us, for all of us. Peace on earth is about God understanding we are pretty much hopeless in the perfect obedience department. Christ became God's perfect obedience, and his faith saves us. It's so simple that we simply miss the core of the good news. God loves sinners, sent His Son to save us.
"I should flee with Godly fear from all personal wrong-doing lest I come under his righteous judgment. Thus, the fear of the Lord keeps me from evil."I pointed out to him, and I do to you today, that God is love and there is no fear in love.
A proper understanding of how the fear of the Lord evolves resembles that of an earthly child and their father. A child's healthy relationship with their (seemingly larger than life) father "begins" with fear. But a healthy relationship does not stay in fear. A grown child should honor and respect their father but should not fear him. So it is understandable, in that context, why a young believer would fear God. But as the believer matures the fear looks more like an awe filled honor and respect of their heavenly Father.
Press On
Dedicated for those who are struggling in this holiday season. I join with you in affirming:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)