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Joy is Found in Suffering as Well

We are continuing with our study on the letters the Apostle Paul wrote during His imprisonment in Rome, (see our examination of the first one, now known as the biblical book of Ephesians: Immersing Yourself in Spiritual Growth and Insights into the Mystery of Christ).

            Now, we are going to illuminate ourselves in the analysis of his second letter, which became the book of Philippians.

            The apostle and his disciple Timothy co-wrote this Holy Spirit-inspired letter to the church of Philippi, a church located in the city of the same name, situated in Macedonia (modern-day Greece). It was the first church he planted in Europe, 10 years prior, during his second missionary journey.

            Paul first exhorts the church for their having contributed to his sustenance in prison, and for their work in spreading the Gospel. He has a real affection for the Philippians:

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make all my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ…And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. Phil. 1:3 – 7. NLT

            Jehovah wraps His arms around you and never lets you go. All the while, He’s working within you, bringing you to spiritual perfection, preparing you for eternal bliss.

            The apostle then encourages the Philippians to remain open to God’s workmanship:

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. Phil. 1:9, 10. NLT

            On the surface, it seems like an impossible task. But not really. If you continue to immerse yourself in the word of God, and do your best to obey His commandments, the Holy Spirit will continually bring you greater revelations regarding God’s purpose, which He wants to fulfill through you.

            As you are doing this, Jehovah occupies more space in your heart – tweaking your perfection, covering you with compassion, picking you back up when you fall short, and setting your feet back onto His path.

            The church in Philippi had previously expressed their concern over Paul’s imprisonment. Yet he tells them that his confinement has become an opportune vehicle to advance the Kingdom of God.

            The apostle says that everyone around him, including the Roman Imperial Guards, knows that he is imprisoned solely for his service for Christ. Moreover, Paul continues to preach boldly to his visitors, which in turn has inspired other preachers in his circle of influence. 

            He assures the church that he will be delivered from his detention. However, he remains content to serve Christ in all circumstances:

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for
Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. Phil. 1:20, 21. NLT

            In other words, Paul was finding joy in suffering for Christ as well. If he lives, he is honored to continue to glorify the Son of God; and if he should die, he will be in the presence of his Savior. Either way, the apostle continues to pursue his spiritual progress, and he instructs the church to do likewise:

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting for the faith, which is the Good News.

Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. Phil. 1:27 – 29. NLT

            It always comes down to walking the walk. The more we emulate Jesus, the more of God’s purpose is revealed, as He immerses us in His love, so that we can radiate that love to others.

When we pursue our spiritual progress, Christ brings us closer to Him and His Father – illuminating more of God’s divine plan, allowing us to play an ever-increasing part. In that part, we must stand in faith and unity for the Gospel, even in the face of worldly opposition.

We must work tirelessly through whatever suffering the world brings to bear, as we continue to bring more souls to the opportunity for salvation. As always, Paul lifts up Jesus as our example:

…make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but to the interests of others. Phil. 2:2 – 4. CSB

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Phil. 2:5 – 8. NLT

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father. Phil. 2:9 – 11. NLT

            God calls us to be humble and live in peace – united in Christ, holding the needs of others above our own. Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. He relinquished His divine nature and stature to become a mere mortal.

            In so doing, He could commiserate with our human sufferings, and out of His limitless compassion, took our deserved divine punishment for our sins, upon Himself, for the salvation of these mortals that He and His Father love so dearly.

            Likewise, it glorifies both the Father and the Son when we put our personal concerns aside, to strive to bring the Key (Jesus) to the Kingdom to everyone that we can touch in our lifetimes.

            Jehovah acknowledged His Son’s obedience by restoring Him to His divine status and exalting Him to kingship over all creation. Christ’s followers too, will be exalted for their service when God sends His Son to claim them forever.

            Paul now reveals actions that will enhance spiritual progress:

Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life… Phil. 2:12 – 16. NLT

            The apostle is not preaching salvation by works. He is saying that we need to be diligent in our pursuit of spiritual growth. We cannot forget the reverence that we must hold onto for God and His Son, nor the imperative that we have for completing the tasks that They set before us – especially in the face of opposition:

Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort… Phil. 3:2, 3. NLT

            Paul is turning a phrase here. It was the Jews who usually referred to Gentiles as ‘dogs.’

Here, he is using ‘dogs’ to refer to a group of Jews (called Judaizers), who were teaching Gentiles that they were still required to follow Mosaic Law and Jewish traditions.

            So, the apostle is telling us that our salvation and spiritual progress is worked out within our spirits, not being subject to rituals of the flesh. He uses His own personal conversion as an example:

I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.

I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. Phil. 3:6 – 9. NLT

            The apostle had lived the luxurious life of a Pharisee, yet he discarded everything after his experience on the road to Damascus. We are called to do the same. We don’t have to be perfect in our endeavor. Nevertheless, we remain a marvelous work in spiritual progress because of our sincere efforts:

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess the perfection for which Jesus Christ first possessed me. Phil. 3:12

…I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and look forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ, is calling us. Phil. 3:13, 14. NLT

            Our spiritual progress will stand in a stark contrast against what most of the world will be engaged in:

…there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. Phil. 3:18, 19. NLT

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. Phil. 3:20, 21. NLT

            Paul winds up his letter with an exhortation:

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:4 – 7. NLT

            God covers you with His Son. Relax and lean on Him, learn from Him, and stay the course:

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me – everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Phil. 4:8, 9. NLT

            Why? Because the rewards are many:

 …I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. Phil. 4:11 NLT

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Phil. 4:13 NLT

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19 NLT

            We are content because we have faith. We have faith because Christ empowers us. We have abundance because our heavenly Father is a promise-keeper! We are marvelous works in progress…

            Goodnight and God bless.

Are You Afraid or Jubilant Over the Second Coming-2?

            We left Jesus talking about His ‘second coming’ to various crowds, and how to prepare for that (see Part 1).

         It is now the day of the Sabbath, and Jesus is once again invited to dine at a Pharisee’s house. (It appears that this is the most favored way the Pharisees try to shake Him down).

            As Jesus enters the Pharisee’s house, He sees that one of the dinner guests is suffering from ‘dropsy’ (edema). Christ turns to the other guests (which include more Pharisees and Scribes) and says:

“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” Lk. 14:3 NASB

            I love the way Jesus baits them prior to correcting their twisted beliefs. Recall that He had previously faced down the Pharisees in the Temple over this very thing, when He cured the man with the ‘withered hand’ (Lk. 6:6).

            No one makes a peep. Jesus heals the man right on the spot. He turns to the others again and interrogates them:

“Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” Lk. 14:4 NLT

            Silence.

         Sitting down for dinner, Jesus watches the guests jockeying amongst themselves for the highest places of honor. He addresses this by way of a parable, (Lk. 14:7 – 10.), to give them the understanding that when invited to a feast, he / she should wait until everyone else sits down first. Then, perhaps they will be upgraded by the host to a seat of higher honor, rather than sitting first and be downgraded for sitting in a seat meant for another.

            Jesus then ties this into the hierarchy in heaven:

“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Lk. 14:11 NLT

            Amazing! Jesus is still trying to help the Pharisees and scribes (even though He knows they want to kill Him), to straighten them up so that they may receive His salvation.

         Then He singled out His dinner host – saying that he should refrain from inviting well-to-do family and friends over to his house for dinner, (because Jesus knows that he does that only to cull favor from them in the future). He offers him an alternative:

“Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” Lk. 14:13, 14. NLT

(There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need. Dt. 15:11 NLT)

         At that point, a dinner guest cries out:

“What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” Lk. 14:15 NLT

            The guest was obviously (but incorrectly) including himself in that group. Jesus responds with a parable (Lk. 14:14 – 23.) about a man who was throwing a grandiose dinner party. However, all the invited made excuses for not attending, because they were preoccupied with their worldly affairs.

            The host reacts by gathering the poor, crippled and blind from off the streets, and fed them. Jesus’ primary message in the parable is contained in the host’s disposition towards the no-shows:

“For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.” Lk. 14:24 NLT

            Jesus is implying that none of the people that He is dining with will have access to the Kingdom of God because they refused His invitation.

(God’s promise still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news – that God has prepared this rest – has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. Heb. 4:1, 2. NLT)

         He left the dinner quickly but was swiftly surrounded by another large crowd. He continues to teach how to prepare the way for a heavenly journey:

“IF anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] – cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] cannot be My disciple. Lk. 14:26, 27. AMP

“In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Lk. 14:33 CSB  

(For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away. This is because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt. Heb. 6:4 – 6. CSB)

            Jesus does not mean for you to actually hate your family. He is saying that He must come first before anything else in your life. Your commitment to Him must be 100%.

       The Son of God never deviates from His Father’s plan. He keeps gathering these sinners to Himself to give them a chance for redemption. Of course, that ruffles the Pharisees’ feathers. So, He addresses them through another parable – this one about a man with 100 sheep. He loses one of them, and then drops everything and searches until he finds it. When he does, he is filled with joy.

            Christ reveals the heavenly application:

“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” Lk. 15:7 NLT

         Jesus is pointing out to the Pharisees that the focus of their so-called ministry is greatly misguided. He drives His point home with the parable of the Prodigal Son – wherein the younger of two sons asks his father to give him his inheritance in present time, instead of having to wait for his father’s death.

            He takes the money and runs off, living the high life, until his funds are depleted. Starving and humbled, he returns to his father expecting a rebuke as he utters his mortification:

‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’ Lk. 15:21 CSB

            Instead of delivering a rebuke, the father was ebullient. He throws a great feast to celebrate his son’s return and declares:

‘…this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ Lk. 15:25 NLT

(“No one is righteous – not even one. Rm. 3:10 NLT)

(But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. Rm. 2:4, 5. NLT)

            The prodigal son’s older brother was angry with his father, thinking that his righteousness (read: self-righteousness) warranted a feast as well.

         Jesus is using this parable to demonstrate the self-righteous pouting of the scribes and Pharisees. (They felt He was snubbing their supposed righteousness by keeping His focus on the souls of the outcasts).

            Moreover, He told them to put the Kingdom of God above their love of money, and to serve Him. They react by trying to ridicule Jesus. He’s not having it:

“You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors, is detestable in the sight of God.” Lk. 16:15 NLT

(Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Jas. 4:4)

(The LORD has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the LORD of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. Is. 8:11 – 13. NLT)

            Jesus follows this with blasting them with the veracity and authority of God’s word:

“Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s laws to disappear.” Lk. 16:16, 17. NLT

            Christ is confirming that in no uncertain terms that the only way to get to Heaven is through His Son.

         Finally, Jesus revisits the Pharisees’ love for money, by delivering one more parable. In it, there was one man living a very opulent life. There came a beggar at his gate, but he refused to come to the beggar’s aid.

            After they both die, the rich man finds himself in hell. He could see the beggar far off in the distance, living with Abraham in heaven. The rich man pleads with Abraham to send the beggar to him with a drink of water. Abraham replies:

“…there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.” Lk. 16:26 NLT

(This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. Jas. 5:3)

            Christ is unveiling to us that your thoughts and actions determine your final destination – written in stone for all eternity.

            The rich man appeals to Abraham again, this time to send the beggar to his living brothers, to warn them, so that they will not suffer a similar fate. Abraham told him that they already had their heavenly invite, but they refused – just like the Pharisees are doing now. 

            So, the question remains: Are you afraid or jubilant over the Second Coming?

            Goodnight and God bless.

Pharisaical Falsehoods and the Truth

Many of Jesus’ followers, (not the apostles), deserted Him because they found His teachings to be too radical and or / obtuse (see Have You Eaten the Flesh and Drank of the Blood?).

            Their difficulties in comprehension were due to their hardened hearts and their refusal to exercise faith.

         Simultaneously, those who doubted Jesus the most, the Pharisees, came to Him again, to manipulate Him into violating Mosaic Law, which would be blasphemy. For example, one of them approached Christ and asked a question:

So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.” Mk. 7:5 NLT

            The Pharisees had also invented litanies for how to eat, how to use and clean cooking utensils, and for discerning the proper place to sit at a table. These inventions were mandated for one to remain ‘pure.’ Here, they were to discern whether Jesus was teaching the apostles to disobey Pharisaical law. In response, He lambastes them:

“Isaiah prophesied correctly (Is. 29:13) about you hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me.

They worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrine human commands.

Abandoning the command of God, you hold onto human traditions…You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up your tradition!” Mk. 7:6 – 9. CSB

            The apostle Paul addressed this subject as well:

So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.

You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world…?  Col. 16, 17 & 20. NLT

            Jesus was alluding to the worthlessness of their traditions.

         The Pharisees claimed that they spoke for God, when in fact, they were modifying His word, which is verboten to Jehovah:

“You must not add anything to what I command you or take away from it, so that you may keep the commands of the LORD your God I am giving you.” Dt. 4:2 CSB

            There are consequences for the people who comply with the Pharisees or others like them:

This is what the LORD says, “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future…But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.” Jer. 17:5 – 8. NLT

         Christ then rips the Pharisees with another example:

“For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ (Ex. 20:12) and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ (Ex. 20:17).

“But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”  Mk. 7:10 – 13. NLT

            To paraphrase, the Pharisees often laid claim to a man’s wages for the Temple, rather than let him care for his parents if they needed it.

            Further vilifying the Pharisees, Jesus calls out to a crown of people and tells them to gather around Him as He has His final say about this matter:

“It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.” Mk. 7:15 NLT

         Afterwards, the apostles took Jesus to a nearby house and asked Him to clarify what He had just said to the crowd:

“Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

“It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” Mk.7:18-23. NLT

(We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. Is. 64:6 NLT)

            The devil cannot force you to do anything. He can only suggest. Thus, if you transgress the word of God, you are doing it of your own free will. You are responsible for your actions…

         Jesus then traveled to the region of Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon). It was only 1 of 2 trips that He ever made outside of Israel. There, a Phoenician woman approach Him and begged Him to cast a demon out of her daughter. He replied:

“I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep – the people of Israel.” Mt. 15:24 NLT

            The Gentile woman was aware of this but was undeterred due to her faith in Christ. Unlike the lies that spew forth from the Jewish Pharisees, she knew the TRUTH. The Phoenician worshipped Jesus and continued to plead for her daughter.

            Jesus repeats His mandate from His Father, but from a different angle:

“It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” Mt. 15:26 NLT

            Yet, the woman persisted in her prayer and pleas, (required for effective prayer), and she replied:

“That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their master’s table.” Mt. 15:27 NLT

            We can see that Christ is moved by her entreaty by listening to His response:

“Dear woman,’ Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed. Mt. 15:28 NLT

            Afterwards, Jesus traveled to His second Gentile destination – the Decapolis, which was a region consisting of 10 cities spread across the countries of Jordan, Palestine, and Syria.

            During His travels, a crowd, 4000 in number, brought their sick, and all were healed. These Gentiles glorified Jehovah; and isn’t that why Christ came?

            The crowd followed Him for 3 days without food. Jesus took 7 loaves of bread and fed the 4000.

         Jesus and His apostles returned to the region of Galilee, only to be accosted once more by the Pharisees. They asked Him for a supernatural sign to prove that He is the Messiah. He answered the question similarly as when they had asked Him in an earlier encounter (Mt. 12:39):

“Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Mt. 16:4 NLT

            He is referring to His upcoming 3-day miracle of His death and resurrection.

         Next, Christ and the boys set sail for the opposite shore of the Sea of Galilee, whereupon He healed a blind man. Then they traveled onto the district of Caesarea Philippi, located in the northernmost aspect of Israel. When they arrived, Jesus asked His apostles to tell Him who the people thought He was. They replied:

“Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Mt. 16:14 CSB

Then, he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Mt. 16:15 NLT

            Peter answers:

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Mt. 16:16 NLT

            Jesus responds:

“You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

“And I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” Mt. 16:17 – 19. NLT

            What Jesus is saying to Peter is that he could not have divined His true nature unless God opened his spiritual sight. He is also exercising a little wordplay with Peter’s name. His full name was Simon Peter. ‘Peter’ is translated from the Greek word ‘petros,’ meaning ‘rock.’

         Jesus is alluding to Peter’s rock-like faith, the kind of foundational faith He will build His church upon. (This is the first time the word ‘church’ is used in the Bible. It is interpreted from the Greek ekklesia, meaning a ‘Christian assembly.’)

            What Jesus is not saying, is that Peter has a more special relationship with Him as opposed to the other apostles. They all (except for Judas Iscariot) has equal authority in the church. Thus, all held the keys to the Kingdom.

            You too can hold your key. It’s always about the faith…

            Goodnight and God bless.  

Sermon on the Mount 3

In part one of our peer into the Sermon on the Mount (see Defining the Sabbath, the Gathering of the Twelve and the Sermon on the Mount), we listened to Christ preach the Beatitudes – the introduction and summary of the entire sermon.

In part two (see Sermon on the Mount 2), we learned how to apply His preaching for living a godly life, as well as how to remain in godly character by emulating Christ. Contained within those teachings, Jesus ‘evolved’ several Scriptures into their highest meanings (Mt. 5:21 – 45.).

Now, He begins to reveal the ways to please God, by teaching us first, what doesn’t:

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do – blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.

But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Mt. 6:1 – 4. NLT

            Jesus tells us to act out our righteousness – performing acts that reflect the transformation of our salvation, based solely from our love for God and from our desire to please Him. We please God when we bring His plan for us, to life. In return, we receive Jehovah’s boundless love and joy.

            These God-inspired motivations stand in stark contrast to ‘pious acts,’ performed by those whose sole purpose is to gain status in the eyes of others. Their rewards consist mostly of a transient bloating of the ego.

“The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Sam. 16:7 NLT

         God loves you immeasurably. He wants you to walk in the steps that He prepared for you, so that you thrive in your love relationship with Him. Those ‘steps’ require thoughts and actions that lead to godly living. To most efficiently do this, you must remain in constant contact with Jehovah, through prayer:

Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thess. 5:17, 18. NLT

            Going back to the Sermon on the Mount, Christ teaches us how to pray:

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Mt. 6:5, 6. NLT

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” Mt. 6:7, 8. NLT

            Prayer is a sacred ‘love exchange’ between you and God, not a tool for trying to appear pious in public. (Public prayer has its place, but it is generally rendered for the benefit of others).

         Count on Jesus to leave no stone unturned. He now provides a structural template for effective prayer, (commonly referred as ‘the Lord’s Prayer’):

“Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us today the food we need, and forgive our sins as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” Mt. 6:9-13. NLT

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Mt. 6:13 NKJV

            Jesus is not telling us that we need to pray this prayer verbatim. Personalize it and apply it to ‘the Lord’s Prayer’s’ structure.

            Thus, Christ’s model shows that our prayers should begin with a preface – a declaration of Whom we are praying to (Jehovah). Note too, in that prayer we can approach God most intimately – as our heavenly Father.

            Follow the preface with offerings of praise for His limitless love, grace, peace, abundance, life, and mercy; and bring Him offerings springing from our recognition of Jehovah’s lordship over all things.

            Next, petition God to bring His Kingdom to earth – which we can also use to remind ourselves of our own role in forwarding the Kingdom, by walking a Christ-like walk. We ask that our hearts are open to His will, and that we may function as God’s hands, to carry it out.

            The next petition is for the food we need, i.e., our physical necessities. Note that throughout thus structure, we are praying for our brothers and sisters as well, not just ourselves. (My personal belief is that in this stage of our prayer, we would also pray about whatever else is on our hearts).

            Continuing, the third petition, is about forgiveness of the sins that we and our brothers and sisters in Christ have committed against God, through confession and repentance, so as to restore our love-connection with Him. In addition, we ask for His help to forgive those who transgress against us – just as Jehovah Himself forgives us.

            The final petition is asking for God’s strength not to give into our flesh, when confronted with temptation that entices us to sin. We are to pray continually (1 Thess. 5:17). Why? Because that’s how often the devil assaults you with temptation.

            Some Bible translations close this prayer with additional praise for our Creator (see Mt. 6:13 NKJV at the end of the prayer).

         Later Jesus will teach us that to have our prayers granted with the greatest certainty, we must seal our prayer in His name:

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” Jn. 14:13, 14. NKJV

            Jesus finishes with the structure for prayer, but He adds an admonition related to the third petition, the one concerning forgiveness:

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. Mt. 6:14, 15. NLT

            Forgiveness is BIG with God.

            Christ then returns to warning us again about making public displays of piousness – in this case, to try to make everyone see what suffering he or she is having, because they are fasting.

Fasting is between you and God as you are trying to heighten your spiritual focus, moving it away from the flesh (Mt. 6:16 – 18.).

         Speaking of spiritual focus, Jesus begins to teach us what to keep it on:

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.

Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Mt. 6:19 – 21. NLT

            Jesus is not prohibiting the saving of money or of having material possessions. He is saying that these things are only temporal. They require a good and responsible stewardship on our part, but our primary focus should be on things eternal (spiritual). When our focus is on God, His focus is also on us. Christ said this:

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefitting from God’s precepts].” Mt. 6:22 AMP

            Further driving His point home:

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” Mt. 6:24 AMP

         And, if you are not serving God, you are serving the devil. There is no in-between. So, it behooves you to choose Jehovah and have faith that He is always working on your behalf, that He has everything handled:

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Mt. 6:25 – 27. NLT

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” Mt. 28 – 30. NLT

            In essence, Jesus is saying, ‘Don’t worry, be happy!’ God takes care of our every need, but only after we see to our spiritual needs first:

“These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Mt. 6:32, 33. NLT

            The apostle Paul also addresses this:

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Rm. 8:28 NLT

            Amen. We will finish the Sermon on the Mount next time…

            Goodnight and God bless.

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