Matthew 5:6 and Luke 6:21&25
It's good to be back and able to do the weekend sermon again. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I had a nice holiday. Thursday, I watched the football games. On Friday night, my brother and his wife took me out to eat for our family Thanksgiving. It was really good.
Since our Dad passed away, I've become a lot closer to my brother. He is my Dad's son from my Dad's first marriage. My brother is a lot older than me, and we didn't get to spend much time together growing up. It's nice to get to know him better now.
The last time I posted a sermon, we continued in our series of messages on Jesus' teachings in the Sermon in the Mount. We looked a Jesus' statement, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
The meek are those who have a humble and gentle heart that imitates the humble heart of Jesus. The meek follow the example that Jesus set during His time on this earth. They imitate the sacrificial love of Christ.
People with a worldly perspective don't understand how someone who is meek will inherit the earth. Jesus here is talking about ultimate things. When Jesus returns, those who have follwed Him and served Him will rule and reign with the Lord. Only those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will live forever with the Lord at His Second Coming.
Today, we turn our attention to the next in the list of beatitudes given by the Lord. In Matthew 5:6 Jesus says, " Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Luke records this beatitude in a slightly different way in Luke 6:21 where Jesus says, "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied." Like the rest of the beatitudes recorded by Luke, Jesus gives an opposing statement in Luke 6:25 where He says, " Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry."
What does it mean to hunger and thirst after righteousness? I believe that there are a couple of meanings to this statement. First of all, there are those who have yet to come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord who have a hunger and an emptiness in the depths of their soul. They are looking for something to fill the spiritual void in their life.
Many people are searching for something to provide meaning in their lives. This is one of the reasons that there are so many different religions and spiritual groups in this world. People are seeking to satisfy their spiritual hunger. They want to be free from self.
Thanks be to God that many people who are spiritually hungry hear the true message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They come to realize that faith in Jesus is the only answer to their spiritual hunger. Only a relationship with the risen Lord can satisfy their soul.
When a person comes to faith in Jesus, that person is freed from guilt, shame and sin. He is cleansed from sin and washed in the blood of the Lamb. That individual receives the imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and becomes a new creation in Christ. The hunger of their soul is satisfied.
This beatitude also has a meaning for those who are already followers of Jesus. It should be the desire of our heart to want to follow the commandments of the Lord and live a life of righteousness and holiness. It should be our desire to diligently and earnestly seek to be imitators of our Lord.
Those of us who place all of our efforts into living a life of righteousness for Jesus will be rewarded when we die or when Jesus comes again. The Bible says that Jesus is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Jesus will give to each of us according to what we have done.
Now, let's look at this beatitude from Luke's perspective. Luke's account says, "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied."
Their are many people in this world who do not have enough to eat. To me, this is an unbelievable tragedy. In a world with so much food, there's no excuse for people going hungry except for man's inhumanity to man. Injustice, political strife, and a lack of giving are, for the most part, the major causes of hunger.
As believers in Jesus, it is our duty to help feed the hungry where we live and around the world. Every church that has the ability should have a food bank or some similar ministry to help alleviate the problem of hunger. We also need to work to end the injustices that cause so many to go without.
When Jesus returns, He will institute justice. No one who went without will do without in Jesus' kingdom. Everyone will have enough, and they will be full and satisfied. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
When Christ returns, He will judge those who didn't pay people working for them enough to eat properly. He will judge those who didn't provide from their abundance to those who lacked.
It is my prayer that if you don't know Jesus as Lord that you will consider coming to Him. He is the Bread of Life who can satisfy the hunger in your soul. Jesus is the only way.
Next week, Lord willing, we will continue our study of these important words from the Lord. I've been reading a lot of good animal books lately, and I hope to post some reviews this week. May God bless you. Amen.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
A Good Dog Book
I just finished reading a book called "The Dog That Talked to God". The book is published by Abingdon Press. In this book, the main character is a widow named Mary Fassler who lost her husband and son three years earlier. Since this time she has stopped talking to God, and she blames God for the death of her family. Rufus is the name of the miniature schnauzer the woman buys. Rufus begins talking to his new owner one night when they are out on a walk. Rufus mentions that he talks to God. The rest of the book is the story of how Mary rebuilds her life and her faith in God with Rufus' help and the help of her friends.
I really enjoyed this book. Rufus is a great canine character and a great dog. My only criticism of the book is that the ending seems very rushed. Otherwise, I highly recommend it.
I really enjoyed this book. Rufus is a great canine character and a great dog. My only criticism of the book is that the ending seems very rushed. Otherwise, I highly recommend it.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Weekend Sermon--Sermon on the Mount(Part 4)
Matthew 5:5
I'd like to start this week by giving thanks to the Lord for providing me with some good writing opportunities. Please keep praying that I can find enough work to get back on my feet again.
Let us also continue to remember in prayer those affected by Hurricane Sandy. The last I heard, there were still a few places where the power was still out.
One last prayer request regards the tension in the Middle East. With the renewal of strife between Israel and the Palestinians, let us pray for peace in this troubled region of the world.
In last weeks message, I focused on Jesus' statement, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." All of us experience trying times, loss and sadness in this life. Christians aren't exempt. However, when Jesus returns in power and great glory, our sorrow will be turned to gladness.
I don't know about your individual circumstances. I can only speak for myself when I say that I've had enough sorrow in my life to last an eternity. I really look forward to the day when I can be reunited with my family on that day when the Lord will wipe away every tear from our eyes. I want to enter into the fullness of the joy of the Lord.
In today's message, we come to the beatitude that is probably the most misunderstood and the one that is the most ridiculed by those who don't believe in Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 5:5 Jesus says, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
I've heard many skeptics ridicule this verse and say that Jesus couldn't have gotten it any more wrong. The meek don't inherit the earth. The meek are the ones who are ground down under the foot of the oppressor. If you don't fight back or fight to get what is yours, you will never get anywhere in life.
Another verse that we will come to later in our study of the Sermon on the Mount is ridiculed in the same way. That is the verse where Jesus tells His followers to turn the other cheek and not retaliate against those persecuting you.
The first thing that we need to understand is that the wisdom of God will often seem like foolishness to the unregenerate person because their thinking is clouded by a sinful nature. They can't see things from God's perspective. The are walking through life with spiritual blinders on.
So, what are we to make of this verse? Who are the meek, and how will they inherit the earth?
The meek are those who have a humble heart and a gentle spirit. They pattern their life after the example lived out by the Lord Jesus Christ.
A person who is gentle and humble of heart does not live their life with selfish intentions. The main goal of their life is to find ways to be of service to others.
Jesus explained this when He taught His disciples about servant leadership. Jesus said that whoever would be the greatest in the kingdom of God would be the one that was the servant of all. Jesus gave us an example of humble service when He washed His disciples feet in the Upper Room.
Jesus displayed His gentle and humble heart when He left the riches of Heaven and took upon Himself human form. Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, "not my will, but thine be done." Then he walked up Calvary's mountain and died on the cross for the sins of the world.
Because of what Jesus has done, the Bible says that the Father has given Him a name above every name. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. He will be King over all the earth.
Those who seek the path of Jesus will rule and reign with the Lord when He comes again. Those who imitate the humble heart of Jesus will inherit the earth. It will be an earth free from sin. It will be an earth filled with righteousness.
David wrote about the same idea in Psalm 37:11 where he said, "But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace."
In Luke 1:52, Jesus' Mother echoes the same theme as her Son when she says, "He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate."
The meek will inherit the earth. However, it won't be now. In the world we live in, people are not rewarded by society for living a life according to the principles of Jesus. As the Scriptures state, "Those who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
As Christians, we look to the ultimate outcome. Things won't always be the way that they are now. Jesus is coming, and His reward is with Him. On the day of His coming, the Lord will reward everyone of His followers according to what they have done.
If you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, I hope that today you will make the decision to follow Christ. Jesus invites everyone to follow Him.
Next week is Thanksgiving here in the United States. I only have computer access at the library, and the library is going to be closed most of the week. So, next week I won't be able to post a sermon. I will be back with a sermon in two weeks. I may post a dog book review or two before then. May God bless you. Amen.
I'd like to start this week by giving thanks to the Lord for providing me with some good writing opportunities. Please keep praying that I can find enough work to get back on my feet again.
Let us also continue to remember in prayer those affected by Hurricane Sandy. The last I heard, there were still a few places where the power was still out.
One last prayer request regards the tension in the Middle East. With the renewal of strife between Israel and the Palestinians, let us pray for peace in this troubled region of the world.
In last weeks message, I focused on Jesus' statement, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." All of us experience trying times, loss and sadness in this life. Christians aren't exempt. However, when Jesus returns in power and great glory, our sorrow will be turned to gladness.
I don't know about your individual circumstances. I can only speak for myself when I say that I've had enough sorrow in my life to last an eternity. I really look forward to the day when I can be reunited with my family on that day when the Lord will wipe away every tear from our eyes. I want to enter into the fullness of the joy of the Lord.
In today's message, we come to the beatitude that is probably the most misunderstood and the one that is the most ridiculed by those who don't believe in Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 5:5 Jesus says, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
I've heard many skeptics ridicule this verse and say that Jesus couldn't have gotten it any more wrong. The meek don't inherit the earth. The meek are the ones who are ground down under the foot of the oppressor. If you don't fight back or fight to get what is yours, you will never get anywhere in life.
Another verse that we will come to later in our study of the Sermon on the Mount is ridiculed in the same way. That is the verse where Jesus tells His followers to turn the other cheek and not retaliate against those persecuting you.
The first thing that we need to understand is that the wisdom of God will often seem like foolishness to the unregenerate person because their thinking is clouded by a sinful nature. They can't see things from God's perspective. The are walking through life with spiritual blinders on.
So, what are we to make of this verse? Who are the meek, and how will they inherit the earth?
The meek are those who have a humble heart and a gentle spirit. They pattern their life after the example lived out by the Lord Jesus Christ.
A person who is gentle and humble of heart does not live their life with selfish intentions. The main goal of their life is to find ways to be of service to others.
Jesus explained this when He taught His disciples about servant leadership. Jesus said that whoever would be the greatest in the kingdom of God would be the one that was the servant of all. Jesus gave us an example of humble service when He washed His disciples feet in the Upper Room.
Jesus displayed His gentle and humble heart when He left the riches of Heaven and took upon Himself human form. Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, "not my will, but thine be done." Then he walked up Calvary's mountain and died on the cross for the sins of the world.
Because of what Jesus has done, the Bible says that the Father has given Him a name above every name. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. He will be King over all the earth.
Those who seek the path of Jesus will rule and reign with the Lord when He comes again. Those who imitate the humble heart of Jesus will inherit the earth. It will be an earth free from sin. It will be an earth filled with righteousness.
David wrote about the same idea in Psalm 37:11 where he said, "But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace."
In Luke 1:52, Jesus' Mother echoes the same theme as her Son when she says, "He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate."
The meek will inherit the earth. However, it won't be now. In the world we live in, people are not rewarded by society for living a life according to the principles of Jesus. As the Scriptures state, "Those who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
As Christians, we look to the ultimate outcome. Things won't always be the way that they are now. Jesus is coming, and His reward is with Him. On the day of His coming, the Lord will reward everyone of His followers according to what they have done.
If you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, I hope that today you will make the decision to follow Christ. Jesus invites everyone to follow Him.
Next week is Thanksgiving here in the United States. I only have computer access at the library, and the library is going to be closed most of the week. So, next week I won't be able to post a sermon. I will be back with a sermon in two weeks. I may post a dog book review or two before then. May God bless you. Amen.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Weekend Sermon--Sermon on the Mount(Part 3)
Text: Matthew 5:4
I always enjoy election day. I have a lot of fun watching the results come in. I've always had a great interest in politics, and I minored in political science in college. I just hope that now that the election is over that both parties can work together for the good of the country. I'm glad and thankful to God that I live in a country where I can have the freedom to vote.
Please remember to continue to be in prayer for those who have been affected by the storms on the east coast. They got hit by the hurricane, and now they have been hit by another storm. Hopefully, things will improve for folks out there and they will get all the aid and assistance that they need.
Last week, we started examining the meaning of the beatitudes given by Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. We looked at the statement about blessed are the poor in spirit and Luke's similar statement from Jesus about blessed are the poor.
Those who recognize their need for God and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will be a part of the Lord's kingdom. Those who have suffered in poverty in this life will have all they need in the coming kingdom. Those who have exploited and oppressed the poor will face the judgment of God.
Today, we focus on Jesus' statement found in Matthew 5:4 which states, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Once again, Luke records a similar statement by Jesus that is somewhat different. In Luke 6:21b Jesus says, "...blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh." Luke also records Jesus as stating the opposite of this beatitude in Luke 6:25b which states, "...Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep."
What are we to make of these verses? I think that there are several meanings to what Jesus is saying here.
First of all, I believe there is a very spiritual application. Those who mourn over sin and recognize their need of repentance and forgiveness will receive the comfort and forgiveness that only Jesus can bring. True sorrow over sin leads to the joy of knowing Jesus as Savior and the reality of spending eternity in the presence of Christ.
Those who have no sorrow for sin and mock the teachings of Jesus in this life, will face an eternity of separation from Jesus who is the source of all true joy and happiness.
Another meaning for me from these words of Jesus has to do with the incredible sorrow that is often encountered in this world.
Just today, I was thinking about all of the fun things that my Mom and I used to do together. I think that one of the most fun days we spent together was when we went to the big art gallery in the major city that is about 40 miles north of where I live. We spent hours in that place. I remember that Mom really enjoyed looking at all the displays of beautiful Asian art at the museum.
My Mom and Dad have both passed away, and I really miss them. It makes me very sad that they are gone. I know that they are in Heaven now with Jesus, but it hurts me to be separated from them.
One day, because of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, I will be with my folks again. We will be reunited, and it will be a wonderful time of joy. The Bible says that one day, Jesus will wipe away every tear and those who are in Christ will live a life of happiness forever.
I am sure that many of you have lost someone you love, and even though many years may have passed, you are still sad. Something in life just won't ever feel the same again. Thanks be to God that one day all will be well again. Jesus will make everything new, and all will be restored to the way God originally intended it to be. I long for that day. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Also, I think that this verse refers to those who mourn because of injustices that have happened in their lives. I know some people whose life has just been one heartache after another. Many have been abused mentally and physically. Others face a lifetime of fear and destitution. Probably the saddest thing of all is the fact that many people will go through life never feeling as if anyone has ever really loved them or cared about them.
Jesus cares. If you put your trust in Him, He will be there making sure that all of the hardship and suffering endured in this life is just a memory that will be nothing compared to the joys awaiting with Jesus for all of eternity.
Finally, I believe that those who mourn for the state of this world will be comforted. Some of us realize that this world is not the way that it is supposed to be. Children aren't supposed to die of preventable diseases. In a world filled with food, no one should have to go hungry. Animals that God lovingly made shouldn't be on the brink of extinction. Some of us ask God for a better day. That day will come. When Jesus returns, all the wrongs will be made right. Those who have lacked will have an abundance.
Those who have caused the injustice and those who have laughed at those who mourn will themselves mourn on that day when the power of the glory of the Lord is revealed.
There is hope in Jesus. Believe in Him. He will not let you down. Amen.
I always enjoy election day. I have a lot of fun watching the results come in. I've always had a great interest in politics, and I minored in political science in college. I just hope that now that the election is over that both parties can work together for the good of the country. I'm glad and thankful to God that I live in a country where I can have the freedom to vote.
Please remember to continue to be in prayer for those who have been affected by the storms on the east coast. They got hit by the hurricane, and now they have been hit by another storm. Hopefully, things will improve for folks out there and they will get all the aid and assistance that they need.
Last week, we started examining the meaning of the beatitudes given by Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. We looked at the statement about blessed are the poor in spirit and Luke's similar statement from Jesus about blessed are the poor.
Those who recognize their need for God and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will be a part of the Lord's kingdom. Those who have suffered in poverty in this life will have all they need in the coming kingdom. Those who have exploited and oppressed the poor will face the judgment of God.
Today, we focus on Jesus' statement found in Matthew 5:4 which states, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Once again, Luke records a similar statement by Jesus that is somewhat different. In Luke 6:21b Jesus says, "...blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh." Luke also records Jesus as stating the opposite of this beatitude in Luke 6:25b which states, "...Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep."
What are we to make of these verses? I think that there are several meanings to what Jesus is saying here.
First of all, I believe there is a very spiritual application. Those who mourn over sin and recognize their need of repentance and forgiveness will receive the comfort and forgiveness that only Jesus can bring. True sorrow over sin leads to the joy of knowing Jesus as Savior and the reality of spending eternity in the presence of Christ.
Those who have no sorrow for sin and mock the teachings of Jesus in this life, will face an eternity of separation from Jesus who is the source of all true joy and happiness.
Another meaning for me from these words of Jesus has to do with the incredible sorrow that is often encountered in this world.
Just today, I was thinking about all of the fun things that my Mom and I used to do together. I think that one of the most fun days we spent together was when we went to the big art gallery in the major city that is about 40 miles north of where I live. We spent hours in that place. I remember that Mom really enjoyed looking at all the displays of beautiful Asian art at the museum.
My Mom and Dad have both passed away, and I really miss them. It makes me very sad that they are gone. I know that they are in Heaven now with Jesus, but it hurts me to be separated from them.
One day, because of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, I will be with my folks again. We will be reunited, and it will be a wonderful time of joy. The Bible says that one day, Jesus will wipe away every tear and those who are in Christ will live a life of happiness forever.
I am sure that many of you have lost someone you love, and even though many years may have passed, you are still sad. Something in life just won't ever feel the same again. Thanks be to God that one day all will be well again. Jesus will make everything new, and all will be restored to the way God originally intended it to be. I long for that day. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Also, I think that this verse refers to those who mourn because of injustices that have happened in their lives. I know some people whose life has just been one heartache after another. Many have been abused mentally and physically. Others face a lifetime of fear and destitution. Probably the saddest thing of all is the fact that many people will go through life never feeling as if anyone has ever really loved them or cared about them.
Jesus cares. If you put your trust in Him, He will be there making sure that all of the hardship and suffering endured in this life is just a memory that will be nothing compared to the joys awaiting with Jesus for all of eternity.
Finally, I believe that those who mourn for the state of this world will be comforted. Some of us realize that this world is not the way that it is supposed to be. Children aren't supposed to die of preventable diseases. In a world filled with food, no one should have to go hungry. Animals that God lovingly made shouldn't be on the brink of extinction. Some of us ask God for a better day. That day will come. When Jesus returns, all the wrongs will be made right. Those who have lacked will have an abundance.
Those who have caused the injustice and those who have laughed at those who mourn will themselves mourn on that day when the power of the glory of the Lord is revealed.
There is hope in Jesus. Believe in Him. He will not let you down. Amen.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Weekend Sermon--The Sermon on the Mount(Part 2)
Text: Matthew 5:3 and Luke 6:20 and 24
What a week it has been. I can't get over the terrible devastation the hurricane caused. It's horrific. Before I do anything else, I want to pray for the people who were affected by this storm.
Lord, I pray that your loving presence will be with those who have been hurt by the
storm this week. Please help everyone to get the help that they need to rebuild and
move forward. Give special comfort to any who lost a loved one this week. Thank
You Lord Jesus. Amen.
After my Mom passed away, my Dad and I thought about moving out to the east coast. We didn't do it because my Dad was always afraid to be too close to the ocean because he worried about hurricanes. He said he'd rather deal with the Kansas tornadoes.
Last week, we began a series of messages on Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. I went over some of the theories of interpretation concerning this important passage of Scripture.
As I said last week, I'm going to teach the Sermon on the Mount as if its precepts are for today, and Jesus expects each of His followers to obey His words as best as they possibly can.
We just briefly touched on the beatitudes last week. This week we will go into greater depth about the first of the beatitudes given by our Lord.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Luke records the words of Jesus a little differently in Luke 6:20 that states, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."
Unlike Matthew's account, Luke records Jesus as making some additional statements that are the opposite of the beatitudes. In Luke 6:24 Jesus says, "But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full."
Let's look at both of these passages. In the Matthew passage, Jesus is saying that the poor in spirit have God's favor upon them. Who are the poor in spirit? I think that the poor in spirit are those who recognize that they are totally dependent upon God. They realize that they are sinners and that they cannot do anything to earn salvation or earn God's favor. They realize the importance of grace.
Jesus told a parable that illustrates someone who is poor in spirit. In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus told about two men who went to pray. The Pharisee began his prayer by stating all the good deeds he had done. He prayed, he fasted and he certainly wasn't anything like that no good tax collector. One the other hand, the tax collector wouldn't even lift his eyes to the heavens. He bowed and said, "Lord be merciful to me a sinner." Jesus said that the tax collector was the man who went home justified.
This tax collector was poor in spirit. He recognized his absolute need for God.
The poor in spirit are blessed because they have received the gift of salvation and abundant life through Jesus Christ. Also, those who trust in the Lord will rule and reign with Jesus Christ when he comes again and establishes His kingdom on this earth. He will rule and reign forever.
Now, Luke records Jesus as saying something similar, but it is not the same. Jesus in Luke says, "blessed are the poor" and does not add the words in spirit. What does this mean?
I believe that in this context, Jesus is speaking about people who are monetarily poor. Contrary to what I was taught in church as a boy, the Lord does care about social justice. A reading of the prophetic books of the Bible demonstrates this clearly. The Lord cares for the poor and the oppressed in society, and He expects the governments of the world to take care of their most vulnerable citizens.
There is a vast amount of oppression of the rich against the poor in this world. Just look at how large multi-national corporations pay workers in Third World countries terrible wages and make people work in substandard conditions. All the while the company is raking in the profits.
I'll give you an example I read about recently while I was researching an article for a client. Several years ago, an island nation in the Pacific decided to pass a minimum wage law because some companies were paying very low wages. Some of the biggest employers on the island were tuna canning plants owned by firms based in the US and Europe. After the minimum wage was passed, these companies pulled their factories out and went to another nation where they could pay less money.
God sees all of this, and the day of judgment will come when Jesus Christ returns. When Christ returns, those who have been oppressed, the least of these in society, will receive justice. All greedy oppression will cease immediately under the reign of Jesus.
In Luke's account, Jesus says, "Woe to you who are rich." Does this mean that Jesus is opposed to the wealthy. He is if the rich aren't doing what is right with their wealth of if they have obtain their wealth through the oppression of their workers.
Jesus is opposed to the wealthy making huge profits and paying their workers little. Jesus is opposed to people having vast resources and not using them to alleviate the suffering in the world. James talks about this in his epistle.
One day, all the wealth in this world won't make one bit of difference. When Jesus comes again, He will bring woe to all who have oppressed the poor, the laborer, the widow , the orphan and the underprivileged of the world.
We all have the responsibility to use what God has given us to bring honor and glory to the Lord and make this world a better place.
Next week, Lord willing, we will continue in our study of the Sermon on the Mount. May God bless you. Amen.
What a week it has been. I can't get over the terrible devastation the hurricane caused. It's horrific. Before I do anything else, I want to pray for the people who were affected by this storm.
Lord, I pray that your loving presence will be with those who have been hurt by the
storm this week. Please help everyone to get the help that they need to rebuild and
move forward. Give special comfort to any who lost a loved one this week. Thank
You Lord Jesus. Amen.
After my Mom passed away, my Dad and I thought about moving out to the east coast. We didn't do it because my Dad was always afraid to be too close to the ocean because he worried about hurricanes. He said he'd rather deal with the Kansas tornadoes.
Last week, we began a series of messages on Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. I went over some of the theories of interpretation concerning this important passage of Scripture.
As I said last week, I'm going to teach the Sermon on the Mount as if its precepts are for today, and Jesus expects each of His followers to obey His words as best as they possibly can.
We just briefly touched on the beatitudes last week. This week we will go into greater depth about the first of the beatitudes given by our Lord.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Luke records the words of Jesus a little differently in Luke 6:20 that states, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."
Unlike Matthew's account, Luke records Jesus as making some additional statements that are the opposite of the beatitudes. In Luke 6:24 Jesus says, "But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full."
Let's look at both of these passages. In the Matthew passage, Jesus is saying that the poor in spirit have God's favor upon them. Who are the poor in spirit? I think that the poor in spirit are those who recognize that they are totally dependent upon God. They realize that they are sinners and that they cannot do anything to earn salvation or earn God's favor. They realize the importance of grace.
Jesus told a parable that illustrates someone who is poor in spirit. In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus told about two men who went to pray. The Pharisee began his prayer by stating all the good deeds he had done. He prayed, he fasted and he certainly wasn't anything like that no good tax collector. One the other hand, the tax collector wouldn't even lift his eyes to the heavens. He bowed and said, "Lord be merciful to me a sinner." Jesus said that the tax collector was the man who went home justified.
This tax collector was poor in spirit. He recognized his absolute need for God.
The poor in spirit are blessed because they have received the gift of salvation and abundant life through Jesus Christ. Also, those who trust in the Lord will rule and reign with Jesus Christ when he comes again and establishes His kingdom on this earth. He will rule and reign forever.
Now, Luke records Jesus as saying something similar, but it is not the same. Jesus in Luke says, "blessed are the poor" and does not add the words in spirit. What does this mean?
I believe that in this context, Jesus is speaking about people who are monetarily poor. Contrary to what I was taught in church as a boy, the Lord does care about social justice. A reading of the prophetic books of the Bible demonstrates this clearly. The Lord cares for the poor and the oppressed in society, and He expects the governments of the world to take care of their most vulnerable citizens.
There is a vast amount of oppression of the rich against the poor in this world. Just look at how large multi-national corporations pay workers in Third World countries terrible wages and make people work in substandard conditions. All the while the company is raking in the profits.
I'll give you an example I read about recently while I was researching an article for a client. Several years ago, an island nation in the Pacific decided to pass a minimum wage law because some companies were paying very low wages. Some of the biggest employers on the island were tuna canning plants owned by firms based in the US and Europe. After the minimum wage was passed, these companies pulled their factories out and went to another nation where they could pay less money.
God sees all of this, and the day of judgment will come when Jesus Christ returns. When Christ returns, those who have been oppressed, the least of these in society, will receive justice. All greedy oppression will cease immediately under the reign of Jesus.
In Luke's account, Jesus says, "Woe to you who are rich." Does this mean that Jesus is opposed to the wealthy. He is if the rich aren't doing what is right with their wealth of if they have obtain their wealth through the oppression of their workers.
Jesus is opposed to the wealthy making huge profits and paying their workers little. Jesus is opposed to people having vast resources and not using them to alleviate the suffering in the world. James talks about this in his epistle.
One day, all the wealth in this world won't make one bit of difference. When Jesus comes again, He will bring woe to all who have oppressed the poor, the laborer, the widow , the orphan and the underprivileged of the world.
We all have the responsibility to use what God has given us to bring honor and glory to the Lord and make this world a better place.
Next week, Lord willing, we will continue in our study of the Sermon on the Mount. May God bless you. Amen.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Weekend Sermon--Sermon On The Mount
This has been quite a week for me. I had to come up with a lot of money for some bills, and I didn't know how I was going to get them payed. Thank the Lord Jesus that He provided the funds in answer to my prayer. I am grateful to the Lord for His provision.
Last week, we finished our study in I John. I hope that everyone who went through the series learned something. I mentioned last week that I was considering some different options concerning what to present for the weekend sermon in the upcoming weeks. I've decided to start a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount. This is a vital teaching of Jesus, and I know that there is much to be gained from a thorough study of these words from the Lord. I pray that you will be blessed as we look at these words of Jesus together.
The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew chapters 5,6 and 7. A similar teaching in a shorter version is found in Luke chapter 6. In all likelihood, Jesus probably preached these words on several different occasions using some material at one time and adding or subtracting material as the case warranted. Along with the Upper Room Discourse recorded in John's gospel, the Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus' longest recorded teachings.
Before we get into the heart of the Sermon on the Mount itself, let's explore some of the different theories of interpretation concerning this teaching.
Some believe that the Sermon in the Mount presents an impossible standard that no one can measure up to. In other words, Jesus was presenting the requirements that needed to be fulfilled in order to keep the law and be in right standing with God. Since no one could possibly live up to the requirements set forth in the Sermon on the Mount, this demonstrates that no one can keep the law. Therefore, it is necessary to trust in Christ by faith alone apart from works for salvation.
While I absolutely agree that we are saved by grace through faith apart from works, I don't believe that this interpretation is correct. I don't see this as Jesus' intention at all because He never mentions anything concerning this in the Sermon on the Mount itself.
Another interpretation similar to the one just mentioned holds that the Sermon on the Mount was all about the law and was no longer in effect after Jesus' death and resurrection. What this interpretation basically says is that the Sermon on the Mount is not for today.
Once again, I do not agree with this interpretation. Jesus repeats some of what is in the Sermon on the Mount in various ways elsewhere in the gospels. Also, many of the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are echoed in later New Testament writings especially in the epistle of James.
One other interpretation that I'd like to mention is the one that holds that the conditions of the Sermon on the Mount will only be applicable during the Millennial reign of Christ. They are teachings about the future Kingdom.
Again, I don't agree for the same reasons I stated before. Most of these dispensationalist theories set up too much of distinction between the way in which God operated throughout the Bible and will operate in the future. They split the Bible into too many different ages.
I believe that the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount are for today and that they are to be taken literally. The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount are the manifesto of the followers of Jesus Christ. He expects His followers to do their best as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live up to the principles taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Of course there are some things that will not receive their ultimate fulfilment until the return of Christ. However, we are to strive to live our lives in accordance with the teachings of Jesus right now. It is hard. There are some difficult teachings in the Sermon on the Mount as we will see in the weeks to come. However, that doesn't mean that the contents of this great message should be ignored simply because they are difficult.
My approach as we go through the Sermon on the Mount will be to find practical ways to live out those things that Jesus expects of His followers.
The Sermon on the Mount begins in Matthew chapter 5. Jesus went up the hill and called His followers to Him. This is important. As we will see, Jesus taught with authority. Under His authority as God come in the flesh, He would actually change some of the Old Testament laws. This demonstrated to the people that He was divine. He was greater than Moses, and He was instituting new laws and interpretations for His Kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount is a display of Jesus' ultimate authority.
Chapter 5 opens with a familiar passage of Scripture known as the Beatitudes. These appear in a slightly different form in Luke 6.
Often, the word blessed used here is translated as happy. I'm not sure that this is the best interpretation. Living according to these principles won't make anyone happy necessarily.
I think that the point Jesus is trying to get across here is that those who live according to the principles of the Beatitudes will have the favor of God on their lives that will lead to ultimate blessing in the age to come.
Next week, Lord willing, we will look at some of these individual Beatitudes in greater depth. May God bless you. Amen.
Last week, we finished our study in I John. I hope that everyone who went through the series learned something. I mentioned last week that I was considering some different options concerning what to present for the weekend sermon in the upcoming weeks. I've decided to start a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount. This is a vital teaching of Jesus, and I know that there is much to be gained from a thorough study of these words from the Lord. I pray that you will be blessed as we look at these words of Jesus together.
The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew chapters 5,6 and 7. A similar teaching in a shorter version is found in Luke chapter 6. In all likelihood, Jesus probably preached these words on several different occasions using some material at one time and adding or subtracting material as the case warranted. Along with the Upper Room Discourse recorded in John's gospel, the Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus' longest recorded teachings.
Before we get into the heart of the Sermon on the Mount itself, let's explore some of the different theories of interpretation concerning this teaching.
Some believe that the Sermon in the Mount presents an impossible standard that no one can measure up to. In other words, Jesus was presenting the requirements that needed to be fulfilled in order to keep the law and be in right standing with God. Since no one could possibly live up to the requirements set forth in the Sermon on the Mount, this demonstrates that no one can keep the law. Therefore, it is necessary to trust in Christ by faith alone apart from works for salvation.
While I absolutely agree that we are saved by grace through faith apart from works, I don't believe that this interpretation is correct. I don't see this as Jesus' intention at all because He never mentions anything concerning this in the Sermon on the Mount itself.
Another interpretation similar to the one just mentioned holds that the Sermon on the Mount was all about the law and was no longer in effect after Jesus' death and resurrection. What this interpretation basically says is that the Sermon on the Mount is not for today.
Once again, I do not agree with this interpretation. Jesus repeats some of what is in the Sermon on the Mount in various ways elsewhere in the gospels. Also, many of the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are echoed in later New Testament writings especially in the epistle of James.
One other interpretation that I'd like to mention is the one that holds that the conditions of the Sermon on the Mount will only be applicable during the Millennial reign of Christ. They are teachings about the future Kingdom.
Again, I don't agree for the same reasons I stated before. Most of these dispensationalist theories set up too much of distinction between the way in which God operated throughout the Bible and will operate in the future. They split the Bible into too many different ages.
I believe that the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount are for today and that they are to be taken literally. The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount are the manifesto of the followers of Jesus Christ. He expects His followers to do their best as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live up to the principles taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Of course there are some things that will not receive their ultimate fulfilment until the return of Christ. However, we are to strive to live our lives in accordance with the teachings of Jesus right now. It is hard. There are some difficult teachings in the Sermon on the Mount as we will see in the weeks to come. However, that doesn't mean that the contents of this great message should be ignored simply because they are difficult.
My approach as we go through the Sermon on the Mount will be to find practical ways to live out those things that Jesus expects of His followers.
The Sermon on the Mount begins in Matthew chapter 5. Jesus went up the hill and called His followers to Him. This is important. As we will see, Jesus taught with authority. Under His authority as God come in the flesh, He would actually change some of the Old Testament laws. This demonstrated to the people that He was divine. He was greater than Moses, and He was instituting new laws and interpretations for His Kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount is a display of Jesus' ultimate authority.
Chapter 5 opens with a familiar passage of Scripture known as the Beatitudes. These appear in a slightly different form in Luke 6.
Often, the word blessed used here is translated as happy. I'm not sure that this is the best interpretation. Living according to these principles won't make anyone happy necessarily.
I think that the point Jesus is trying to get across here is that those who live according to the principles of the Beatitudes will have the favor of God on their lives that will lead to ultimate blessing in the age to come.
Next week, Lord willing, we will look at some of these individual Beatitudes in greater depth. May God bless you. Amen.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Weekend Sermon--I John 5:13-21
Today it is so windy that I thought I would be blown away. I think windy days are my least favorite. It was so windy today that it blew a little kid off of his feet as he was going into the library this morning.
In last week's message we focused our attention on the various interpretations of Jesus' coming by water and the blood. Without going through all that again, I said that I believe that this refers to Jesus' baptism and crucifixion.
This week, we find another controversial section in I John. It is actually one of the more controversial passages in the entire New Testament.
Before we get into that, let's start with verse 13. John states that we can know that we have eternal life. That's actually been John's theme throughout this entire epistle. There are characteristics that identify the true follower of Jesus. The follower of Jesus does not habitually commit sin. When a sin is committed, the true follower of Christ confesses his sin and receives forgiveness from the Lord. Also, the true follower of Jesus believes in the deity and true humanity of Christ. Finally, the true follower of Jesus obeys the commandments of the Lord. John has spoken of these characteristics of Christians over and over again in this epistle.
Verses 14 and 15 once again take up the subject of prayer and receiving what we ask for when we ask for that which is in accordance with the will of God.
I said what I had to say on this subject in a prior message. This whole subject is hard for me to understand, as I mentioned before.
Now we come to the controversial section of the chapter in verses 15 through 20 where John talks about sins that are not unto death and the sin that leads to death.
There are several theories as to what the sin unto death is. First of all, Roman Catholic scholars use this section of Scripture as proof of the existence of venial and mortal sins. A venial sin can be confessed in general confession, but mortal sins lead to spiritual death and must be confessed to a priest. I am not a Catholic, so I do not believe in this interpretation. I believe in the priesthood of the believer. Any sin that we commit can be directly confessed to God. John himself says this in the first part of this epistle. If we are in Christ, we have direct access to the Father. No human being needs to stand between the believer and God.
Another interpretation of this passage holds that the sin unto death is the failure to accept Jesus as one's Savior before death. Those who's names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will experience eternal damnation because they failed to recognize their need for Christ during their lifetimes.
I don't think that this view makes any sense at all. John commands that we shouldn't pray for someone committing the sin unto death. We are supposed to pray that the lost will come to know Jesus. It is not Jesus' will that any should perish but that all come to repentance.
The denomination that I was raised in had a view of this passage I've not heard anywhere else. They believed that a Christian could sin and lead a carnal life to the point that they were unrecognizable as a believer. They also believed in the doctrine of eternal securtiy. They believed that the sin unto death occured when God took the life of a habitually sinning Christian so that person would not sin to the point of losing their salvation.
I don't believe this theory at all. The whole point of John's epistle is that if a person is habitually sinning, this demonstrates that they are not a true follower of Jesus in the first place. The true follower of Christ obeys and does not follow the ways of the world in a consistent manner.
Finally, another view held by many, and the one that I hold, is that this passage refers to the unpardonable sin referred to by Jesus during the time of His earthly ministry. The unpardonable sin is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit occurs when someone attributes the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. This is what the pharisees did when that said that Jesus cast out demons and performed miracles by the power of the devil.
How can this be done today? I think that this sin can be committed today when people call certain manifestations of the Spirit the work of the devil. For instance, some people say that speaking in tongues is of the devil. I don't believe that tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Spirit, but I do believe that it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. I would never say that it was of the devil.
I'm sure that there are many other opinions about this passage. I leave it to you to study the issue further.
John concludes his letter by warning his readers to stay away from idols. We should keep our eyes on Jesus and worship Him alone.
With that we have come to the end of I John. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to share my thoughts on this book with you. I hope that you've been blessed by this study.
I'm not sure what I'm going to focus on in the coming weeks. I'm considering going through I Peter or the Sermon on the Mount or possible just studying various Psalms. If anyone has a preference, let me know. May God bless you. Amen.
In last week's message we focused our attention on the various interpretations of Jesus' coming by water and the blood. Without going through all that again, I said that I believe that this refers to Jesus' baptism and crucifixion.
This week, we find another controversial section in I John. It is actually one of the more controversial passages in the entire New Testament.
Before we get into that, let's start with verse 13. John states that we can know that we have eternal life. That's actually been John's theme throughout this entire epistle. There are characteristics that identify the true follower of Jesus. The follower of Jesus does not habitually commit sin. When a sin is committed, the true follower of Christ confesses his sin and receives forgiveness from the Lord. Also, the true follower of Jesus believes in the deity and true humanity of Christ. Finally, the true follower of Jesus obeys the commandments of the Lord. John has spoken of these characteristics of Christians over and over again in this epistle.
Verses 14 and 15 once again take up the subject of prayer and receiving what we ask for when we ask for that which is in accordance with the will of God.
I said what I had to say on this subject in a prior message. This whole subject is hard for me to understand, as I mentioned before.
Now we come to the controversial section of the chapter in verses 15 through 20 where John talks about sins that are not unto death and the sin that leads to death.
There are several theories as to what the sin unto death is. First of all, Roman Catholic scholars use this section of Scripture as proof of the existence of venial and mortal sins. A venial sin can be confessed in general confession, but mortal sins lead to spiritual death and must be confessed to a priest. I am not a Catholic, so I do not believe in this interpretation. I believe in the priesthood of the believer. Any sin that we commit can be directly confessed to God. John himself says this in the first part of this epistle. If we are in Christ, we have direct access to the Father. No human being needs to stand between the believer and God.
Another interpretation of this passage holds that the sin unto death is the failure to accept Jesus as one's Savior before death. Those who's names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will experience eternal damnation because they failed to recognize their need for Christ during their lifetimes.
I don't think that this view makes any sense at all. John commands that we shouldn't pray for someone committing the sin unto death. We are supposed to pray that the lost will come to know Jesus. It is not Jesus' will that any should perish but that all come to repentance.
The denomination that I was raised in had a view of this passage I've not heard anywhere else. They believed that a Christian could sin and lead a carnal life to the point that they were unrecognizable as a believer. They also believed in the doctrine of eternal securtiy. They believed that the sin unto death occured when God took the life of a habitually sinning Christian so that person would not sin to the point of losing their salvation.
I don't believe this theory at all. The whole point of John's epistle is that if a person is habitually sinning, this demonstrates that they are not a true follower of Jesus in the first place. The true follower of Christ obeys and does not follow the ways of the world in a consistent manner.
Finally, another view held by many, and the one that I hold, is that this passage refers to the unpardonable sin referred to by Jesus during the time of His earthly ministry. The unpardonable sin is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit occurs when someone attributes the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. This is what the pharisees did when that said that Jesus cast out demons and performed miracles by the power of the devil.
How can this be done today? I think that this sin can be committed today when people call certain manifestations of the Spirit the work of the devil. For instance, some people say that speaking in tongues is of the devil. I don't believe that tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Spirit, but I do believe that it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. I would never say that it was of the devil.
I'm sure that there are many other opinions about this passage. I leave it to you to study the issue further.
John concludes his letter by warning his readers to stay away from idols. We should keep our eyes on Jesus and worship Him alone.
With that we have come to the end of I John. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to share my thoughts on this book with you. I hope that you've been blessed by this study.
I'm not sure what I'm going to focus on in the coming weeks. I'm considering going through I Peter or the Sermon on the Mount or possible just studying various Psalms. If anyone has a preference, let me know. May God bless you. Amen.
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