Christ Steps Out into the Spotlight
We finished last time with Jesus trying to help His apostles embrace love, forgiveness, and humility – to remove any self-induced roadblocks to their ‘Great Commission’s efficacy (see Are You Putting Christ First in Your Life).
He continues, this time addressing the importance of compassionate, non-judgmental mercy – especially for the ‘backslider’:
“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.” Mt. 18:15 – 17. NLT
Thus, Jesus reveals the godly way of handling offenses, which all humans will commit many times in their lifetime.
Jesus then repeats what He told Peter privately, to the rest of the apostles [see Pharisaical Falsehoods and the Truth (Mt. 16:17 – 19)]:
“Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as my followers], I am there among them.” Mt. 18 – 20. AMP
There is a powerful synergy created in heaven in response to corporate prayer and Jesus inserts His own power into that synergism, to bring prayer requests to fruition.
Yet Peter, (and you just have to love those apostles when they show their human side; it gives us all hope), seems to be brushing Jesus’ teachings aside, when he whines about having to put up with sinners:
“Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!” Mt. 18:21, 22. NLT
The Holy Spirit gave the apostle Paul wisdom in this area as well:
Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them, pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! …Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Rm. 12:14 – 16 & 18. NLT
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own…Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Eph. 4:30 – 32. NLT
Going back to what Jesus said, 490 times we must forgive? Yet He wasn’t being literal but speaking a hyperbole. What He means is that we should we exercise forgiveness as many times as we can muster it, if we are dealing with a repentant person.
Jesus put a period on this matter by relating a parable to them (Mt. 18:23 – 34). In it, He tells a story of a merciful king who forgives one of his slaves’ very large indebtedness owed to him. The same slave turns around and has another slave, who owed him a much smaller debt, thrown in jail.
When the king gets wind of this, he throws the first slave in prison as well.
Jesus then says:
“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” Mt. 18:35 NLT
Christ and His apostles hung out in the region of Galilee instead of journeying on to Judea, because He could foresee that the Jewish officials were waiting there to kill Him. It wasn’t fear that kept Him from going, but because Jesus had a Divine timetable that He had to adhere to.
It is now the end of September, 29 A.D. – near the time for the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths). Jesus’ brothers (those born from Mary and Joseph after His virgin birth), did not believe that He was the Messiah at this time. They attempt to get their Brother to go to the festival and work miracles. They want Him to step out into the spotlight – perhaps (my guess) to receive glory by association).
Again, Christ has His own predetermined schedule. He responds:
“My time has not come; but any time is right for you. The world cannot hate you [since you are a part of it], but it does hate Me because I denounce it and testify that its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” Jn. 7:6 – 8. AMP
So, Jesus stayed behind. He was telling His brothers that He brings the righteous light of exposure to the sins that people try to hide or legitimize. They hate Him for that, as well as anyone who represents Him.
Not long after His brothers left for the festival however, the ripening of His mandate manifests:
As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Lk. 9:51 AMP
Jesus and the apostles took the direct route from Galilee to Jerusalem, which included traveling through Samaria – whereupon the Samaritans refused to grant them lodging. (Some biblical scholars believe that it was because they were going to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship, instead of the one in Samaria that the inhabitants maintained was the only legitimate place of veneration).
This upset John and James, who asked Jesus if they could call down heavenly fire to destroy them. Christ rebukes them:
“You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” Lk. 9:55, 56. NKJV
The Son of God is telling them that their intent was in error because the spirit of His followers needs to be one that readily offers peace and love through the free sharing of the Gospel – not the show of anger and retribution for those who refuse to receive it.
Three would-be followers of Christ approached Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. One said:
“I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to even lay his head.” Lk. 9:57, 58. NLT
He said to another person, “Come follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead. Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Lk. 9:59, 60. NLT
Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Lk. 9:61, 62. NLT
Jesus is clarifying the parameters for, and the consequences of, making the decision to follow Him: First, it will be challenging because we must give up the (supposed) security of all things worldly, and place our absolute trust in Christ’s ability to provide what we need.
Secondly, we must make our obedience to Jesus our highest priority, even over our familial obligations, (although we are not to ignore them).
Lastly, we must face forward, and not look back, to stay on our heavenly course. We cannot keep one leg in the world and try to straddle the other in heaven. Remember Lot’s wife (Lk. 77:32).
Ultimately, this is what Christ calls us to do:
…be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus…Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. Endure suffering…as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. 2 Tim. 2:1 – 4. NLT
When Jesus finally arrives in Jerusalem, He keeps a low profile. The religious authorities are looking for Him and the crowds are talking about Him. Midway through the festival, Christ enters the Temple – stepping out into the spotlight.
He astounds the people with His command and understanding of Scripture because they know that He has had no formal training. Jesus knows this and responds:
“My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.” Jn. 7:16, 17. NLT
“Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me.” Jn. 7:18, 19. NLT
Jesus speaks the word of God. In fact, He isthe living word of God – speaking to glorify His Father, not Himself. Christ also declares that He is void of unrighteousness, yet this crowd is steeped in it, as He points out in speaking to their desire to kill Him.
Then, Jesus challenges the crowd to reveal what kind of crime it is that He has committed.
They begin to grumble about whether He should be arrested or killed. Others wondered if He really was the Messiah, while those who knew Him as a child in Nazareth did not believe. Jesus speaks to their quandary:
“Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” Jn. 7:28, 29. NLT
Obviously, these people did not possess a good knowledge of Old Testament Scripture, or they would have started putting the pieces together:
“But as for you Bethlehem…too little to be among the clans of Judah; from you One shall come forth for Me [who is] to be Ruler in Israel, His goings forth (appearances) are from long ago, from ancient days.” Mic. 5:2 AMP
What Jesus is telling them, is that they might recognize His earthly form but have no grasp of His divine nature nor believe that God had sent Him. Furthermore, He accuses them of not knowing who God is.
That was crossing a ‘red line’ as far as the crowd was concerned. The chief priests and the scribes tried to have Him arrested, but He was supernaturally delivered from their grasp (Jn. 7:30 – 32). Jesus spoke to the crowd once more:
“For a little while longer I am [still] with you, and then I go to Him who sent Me. You will look for Me, and will not [be able to] find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” Jn. 7:33, 34. AMP
Jesus is speaking of His resurrection and ascension to heaven. He is also alluding to the sins of these people, which will rob them of a similar experience.
The crowd stubbornly remains clueless…
To be continued in Part 2.
Goodnight and God bless.
Rebellion and Mercy
The Bible tells about the next five generations of descendants from the line of Cain. No further mention is made of any more of them. Adam and Eve produced another son, Seth; and the Bible follows his line, which will eventually give rise to the incarnated Christ. Here, we will just consider the first ten generations of Seth’s descendants.
At the time of Seth’s tenth generation of descendants, the entire population on the earth had degraded into unrelenting sin – rebelling against God in every fathomable way:
The LORD saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually. Gn. 6:5 AMP
The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence…for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. Gn. 11, 12. NKJV
If all of humankind was in rebellion, it means that they had turned away from being led by their spirit – yielding instead to every desire of the flesh. The Bible gives us a crystal-clear picture of what the corruption of the flesh manifests:
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. Gal. 5:19 – 21. ESV
Not a pretty picture. Thus, the world was separated from its Creator. God could do nothing to change the hearts of humankind, because that would mean violating their free will, which He will not do.
God was crestfallen (Gn. 6:6), because He loved them. However, God cannot pardon those who will not change; He must let them fall victim to the consequences of their actions. Sadly, seeing no way out, because God cannot abide with sin, He decided to wipe humanity off the earth (Gn. 6:7).
Yet, God’s heart is so big, and He loves us so much, that He exercised His vast mercy to comb all of humanity, to see if He could find just one exception – one uncorrupted individual from which He could forge a new people. Fortuitously for us, God found eight: Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their son’s wives.
Noah was 500 years old when God called Him and commanded him to build an ark, which took him 120 years! How many times must Noah have had to explain his doings to an unbelieving populace? He would have been effectively preaching the word of God. In spite of their mockery, Noah remained faithful to his task:
By faith [with confidence in God and His word], Noah, being warned by God about events not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his family. By this [act of obedience] he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith. Heb. 11:7 AMP
God then floods the world. Noah and his family and the animals survive, they disembark when the flood recedes, and begin to re-populate the earth. Praise God for His mercy!
To reiterate, why did God have to start over? Because of intentional, unrepentant, chronic sin. So, let us dig a little deeper into the nature of sin…
We make many mistakes over the course of our lifetimes. Every one of them has the potential to teach us something, be it the knowledge that a particular act is not a good thing to repeat, or, it can reveal the way to a better path.
Some mistakes bring severe consequences. Many of these include ‘sins,’ i.e. acts that are contrary to God’s ways. Jehovah never intended sin and its consequences to be part of His plan for you. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve blew that.
Every time that we turn away from the path that God sets for us, sin is waiting. We can however, with God’s help, turn away from sin, and instead pursue righteousness.
The glory of humankind manifests itself when they reach for the highest good; and in so doing, become a reflection of the glory of God, and glorifying Him as well.
Why is sin so deadly? First, sin is the opposite of love:
He who despises his neighbor sins [against God and his fellow man]… Pr. 14:21 AMP
To despise is to hate. Hate is the opposite of love. Thus, sin is the opposite of love. God is love; so, sin is contrary to God.
Our Creator is also a God of peace. Sin, on the other hand, is borne out of unchecked emotions. That is why He gives us this warning:
BE ANGRY [at sin – at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], YET DO NOT SIN; do not let your anger [cause you to shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down. And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness]. Eph. 4:26, 27. AMP
We see then that prolonged, unexamined sin invites the author of them, Satan, into your life. Your welfare is not what he has in mind. What the devil is looking for, is to bring enslavement and death to his victims / followers:
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. 1 Jn. 3:8 ESV
Do you not know that when you continuously offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)? Rm. 6:16 AMP
Sin never involves the sinner alone. They are always hurting someone else as well – be it another person, Jesus Christ, or Jehovah God.
We need to see and own the vile nature of sin, so that we can develop a godly aversion to these acts. How else can we minimize our practice of it?
1. Do not hang out with people who will not give up their willful sinning. Guilt by association is a real thing. Their sin will rub off on you.
2. Do not listen to that voice (ego) in your head for advice. You know that voice; it is the one that berates you.
3. Do your best to walk in God’s word.
4. Most importantly if you have sinned, go to God, and confess with a repentant heart:
“…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin…” 2 Chr. 7:14 NKJV
Jehovah God is the ultimate forgiver, who gave up the life of His only Son so that you can be made clean.
We will fall from time to time, that is human nature. Yet, God always has an outstretched hand to lift you back up. Why? So that He can cherish you…
Goodnight and God bless.