Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
What a wonderful prayer and yet how much do we mean it? In this short verse we are acknowledging that God is king and rules in His kingdom. This means He is Sovereign and is in control. There is no higher authority. He made us and has the right to tell us how to operate in relation to His world and to Him. Psalm 24 makes this clear: The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters. Our Great God is King and He reigns. His kingdom is the whole realm of His authority. It is not just localized to a geographical location.
Jesus continually preached the kingdom of God saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15. In other words the kingdom of God is God's ruling. Jesus called people to enter the kingdom and submit to God's Lordship. Jesus taught that the kingdom may not impress many at first glance, but it is something incredible,like a bush large enough to shelter all of God's creatures. Mark 4:30-32
The disciples asked when Jesus would establish His kingdom and were told that only the Father knows that. Yet, we can see that God has reigned in the past. "For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a Great King over all the earth." Psalm 47:2 He reigned in Jesus' time. "The kingdom of God is at hand." Mark 1:15 In fact, the people declared Him king on Palm Sunday when He triumphantly entered Jerusalem. Jesus established His kingship during His sacrificial death and resurrection. He is Sovereign now although satan's influence on the hearts of man keep it from being seen perfectly. His kingdom will come in perfection upon Jesus' Second Coming. At that time, not only will people acknowledge Jesus in their hearts but His kingdom will be visible and will endure forever. At this time the Father will exalt Christ to the highest place of honor and authority. "Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11 Past, present and future, God's kingdom is not bound by the constraints of time.
Matthew 6:10 says, Lord, extend your reign over our lives. Help us to do everything we can to please you. Help us to joyfully do all that you command. Let your will be done in every aspect of our lives. Let us so live that others are drawn to accept your will for their lives, also. Let Jesus come in power and perfection so that He reigns completely on earth right NOW as He does in heaven.
All those who accept Jesus accept an invitation to enter into the kingdom. We can rejoice that He reigns over our lives, "...for the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17
Reign on, King Jesus!!
Showing posts with label Christian conduct. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian conduct. Show all posts
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Caution: Beware Your Own Motives
Matthew 6:1-4
Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Therefore, when you do your charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
That your charitable deed may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will, Himself, reward you openly. NKJV
I enjoy a good movie or a theatrical production. I can "lose myself" in the story line when really good actors and actresses exercise their craft skillfully. I have cried with Miss Celie, in "The Color Purple", as life handed her blow after blow. I empathized with the woman in "Diary of a Mad Housewife" when she discovered her husband's infidelity. I have gone to the movies to see Malcolm X and then been distraught when assassins "killed" Denzel Washington, who played the main part. (Not really. Denzel is still alive and well and most handsome. He was just acting like he was dead.)I have gone to Passion plays at Easter and been convicted as I watched how my sin and your sin hung Jesus on a cross. I tell you I love a good production.
But Matthew 6 lets us know that in the Theater of Real Life, God is the audience and we are the performers, and He does not appreciate us wearing a mask. He does not applaud when we engage in pretense and hypocrisy and admonishes us to keep it real.
In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us not to do our charitable deeds in order to be seen by men. Do not be like the hypocrites who sound a trumpet to call attention to their deeds by blowing a loud trumpet. Those who do good works or give alms to the poor in order to gain the praise of man will have no reward from their Father who is in heaven.
In Bible times, the hypocrite was a person who read a script. They often wore a mask equipped to amplify their voice. In the New Testament, the word is often used to talk of a person who is playing a role. They exhibited piety and external righteousness,of a sort,in public, but they were insincere.
Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisee for being hypocrites and He knew their motives for giving, praying, fasting and doing good deeds was often polluted by a desire to receive the approval of men. They wanted to seem to be better than they were and better than everybody else. They did the right things for the wrong reasons and later Paul, in 2Timothy 3:5 describes this kind of behavior as "having a form of godliness, but without power". From such people we are told to stay away.
In Matthew 23, Jesus goes on to pronounce devastation and ruin on the Pharisees. On the one hand they went around giving long drawn out public prayers, while at the same time, devoured widows. In other words, they were exploiting the helpless at the same time they were trying to look like the were super holy. (v.14)
Matthew 23:15 goes on to say to the Pharisees, "Woe to you" for you travel land and sea seeking to win converts to your religion only to turn them into bigger devils than yourself.
Verse 25 tells us that the hypocrites sanctimoniously cleaned the outside of dishes and cups as part of their religious rituals, but inside their own hearts they were full of extortion and self indulgence. Verse 27 tells us they looked like beautiful whitewashed tombs on the outside but were really full of dead men's bones and uncleanness. "Even so, (said Jesus), you outwardly appear righteous to men but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
Hypocrisy is the same sin that made Paul rebuke Peter in Galatians 2:11. For at one time as he evangelized, he broke bread with the Gentiles, but when his friends came from Jerusalem, he pretended he did not know them and would not eat with them.
Hypocrisy is the same thing that got Ananias and Sapphira in trouble in Acts 5, for when they saw Barnabas sell his property and lay the proceeds at the feet of the apostles to be used for the common good of the Christian community, they pretended to do the same. However, in reality, they sold their land and kept back a portion for themselves. Peter accused them of lying not only to man but to the Holy Spirit. Upon hearing this, Ananias was convicted and died. Young men came in, carried him away and buried him. Three hours later, Sapphira came in with the same story and had the same tragic results and the undertakers buried her beside her husband.
God wants us to be real. He wants us to do the things we do, not to win the approval of men, but to please God. He sees our hearts and despite our best pretenses, our All-knowing God is not fooled by our external acts of false piety and he will not reward them. He wants us to be as truthful and faithful as He is. When He makes a promise it will be performed. When He does a compassionate act, it comes from His loving character and proceeds out of who He is. There is no pretense in God. He is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.
Therefore, 1 Peter 2:1 reminds us to lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy and all evil speaking. How can the world be won if our witness is corrupt and how can we influence others for Christ if we are not who we say we are? Be careful. your motives are showing.
Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Therefore, when you do your charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
That your charitable deed may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will, Himself, reward you openly. NKJV
I enjoy a good movie or a theatrical production. I can "lose myself" in the story line when really good actors and actresses exercise their craft skillfully. I have cried with Miss Celie, in "The Color Purple", as life handed her blow after blow. I empathized with the woman in "Diary of a Mad Housewife" when she discovered her husband's infidelity. I have gone to the movies to see Malcolm X and then been distraught when assassins "killed" Denzel Washington, who played the main part. (Not really. Denzel is still alive and well and most handsome. He was just acting like he was dead.)I have gone to Passion plays at Easter and been convicted as I watched how my sin and your sin hung Jesus on a cross. I tell you I love a good production.
But Matthew 6 lets us know that in the Theater of Real Life, God is the audience and we are the performers, and He does not appreciate us wearing a mask. He does not applaud when we engage in pretense and hypocrisy and admonishes us to keep it real.
In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us not to do our charitable deeds in order to be seen by men. Do not be like the hypocrites who sound a trumpet to call attention to their deeds by blowing a loud trumpet. Those who do good works or give alms to the poor in order to gain the praise of man will have no reward from their Father who is in heaven.
In Bible times, the hypocrite was a person who read a script. They often wore a mask equipped to amplify their voice. In the New Testament, the word is often used to talk of a person who is playing a role. They exhibited piety and external righteousness,of a sort,in public, but they were insincere.
Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisee for being hypocrites and He knew their motives for giving, praying, fasting and doing good deeds was often polluted by a desire to receive the approval of men. They wanted to seem to be better than they were and better than everybody else. They did the right things for the wrong reasons and later Paul, in 2Timothy 3:5 describes this kind of behavior as "having a form of godliness, but without power". From such people we are told to stay away.
In Matthew 23, Jesus goes on to pronounce devastation and ruin on the Pharisees. On the one hand they went around giving long drawn out public prayers, while at the same time, devoured widows. In other words, they were exploiting the helpless at the same time they were trying to look like the were super holy. (v.14)
Matthew 23:15 goes on to say to the Pharisees, "Woe to you" for you travel land and sea seeking to win converts to your religion only to turn them into bigger devils than yourself.
Verse 25 tells us that the hypocrites sanctimoniously cleaned the outside of dishes and cups as part of their religious rituals, but inside their own hearts they were full of extortion and self indulgence. Verse 27 tells us they looked like beautiful whitewashed tombs on the outside but were really full of dead men's bones and uncleanness. "Even so, (said Jesus), you outwardly appear righteous to men but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
Hypocrisy is the same sin that made Paul rebuke Peter in Galatians 2:11. For at one time as he evangelized, he broke bread with the Gentiles, but when his friends came from Jerusalem, he pretended he did not know them and would not eat with them.
Hypocrisy is the same thing that got Ananias and Sapphira in trouble in Acts 5, for when they saw Barnabas sell his property and lay the proceeds at the feet of the apostles to be used for the common good of the Christian community, they pretended to do the same. However, in reality, they sold their land and kept back a portion for themselves. Peter accused them of lying not only to man but to the Holy Spirit. Upon hearing this, Ananias was convicted and died. Young men came in, carried him away and buried him. Three hours later, Sapphira came in with the same story and had the same tragic results and the undertakers buried her beside her husband.
God wants us to be real. He wants us to do the things we do, not to win the approval of men, but to please God. He sees our hearts and despite our best pretenses, our All-knowing God is not fooled by our external acts of false piety and he will not reward them. He wants us to be as truthful and faithful as He is. When He makes a promise it will be performed. When He does a compassionate act, it comes from His loving character and proceeds out of who He is. There is no pretense in God. He is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.
Therefore, 1 Peter 2:1 reminds us to lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy and all evil speaking. How can the world be won if our witness is corrupt and how can we influence others for Christ if we are not who we say we are? Be careful. your motives are showing.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Love Your Enemies
Matthew 5:43-45
"You have heard that it was said,'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
It was a Sunday morning like many other Sundays in this small Illinois town, and yet everything was about to change for one church. Pastor Fred Winters was delivering a message when a man walked down the aisle. Perhaps thinking that this man was so excited that he couldn't wait for the invitation, Pastor Fred extended his hand and asked, "May I help you, brother?" The man opened fire and killed him as the stunned congregation looked on. Eventually, he was subdued and order of sorts was restored.
I couldn't help but think of this as a backdrop for Jesus' lesson. He said, "You have heard it said to love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say...love your enemies."
Every natural fiber cries out, "What Jesus? Are you kidding? You can't be serious!" How can I love the one who means me harm; the one who has caused such immeasurable distress and heartache? You don't mean love that one who betrayed my trust; abused that child? Lord, I love you, but surely I don't have to still love that one who persecuted me because of the color of my skin or my family of origin.
"This is unbelievable!" we shout. Certainly if anybody has a "free to hate" pass it should be me in my circumstance or this church whose pastor was taking care of your business. Surely the family of such a good man, father, pastor and community leader can be exempt from the "love clause".
Yet, as we look at Pastor Winter's church in interview after interview, we see a determination to forgive the shooter and pray for his family. The widow exhorted everyone not to focus on Fred, for that would have disappointed him, but rather to forgive and to heal and to go on.
How extraordinary this sounds to our ears and how revolutionary was this idea to the disciples of Jesus. For centuries they had been under the foot of Rome. They had prayed for relief and God had promised to send a deliverer. They had visions of the Messiah coming and turning society upside down with them on top and the oppressor vanquished. They had hopes that Jesus was this Messiah and yet here He was saying, "Love your enemies."
What was Jesus' rationale for such a bold statement? Because, if they loved like that, they would look like their Father in heaven who was so full of grace and mercy that He sent rain on the just and unjust. He allowed His sun to shine on everyone regardless of their behavior. His love was not meted out by the merit of the one loved but came out of His divine nature. (He is love.)
Those who love the Lord are told to love like the One who gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life. This kind of love is sacrificial and unmerited. Furthermore, we are told that "...while we were still enemies, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8b While our sin was still abhorrent to God; while we were still messy people without hope and without strength to change, Christ gave His best for us.
He, who knew no sin, became sin (everything despicable to the Father) for us and paid a sin debt that we could never repay. He did this so that we no longer remained enemies but became the children of God.
Jesus continued His teaching by saying, "Be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." The only way this perfect, "enemy loving" "hatred destroying",love is possible, is by receiving the love of Jesus, then and having it poured into us by His Spirit. In our own strength, we have no inclination to love those who are hurting us. In fact, we usually, can not. But with the help of God, we see that love is not just a warm, fuzzy feeling. It is a decision to love "on purpose" like God, our example. It is to be concerned about the welfare of another, to the point, that we are moved to do something about it. This kind of love renounces retaliation, knowing that "Vengeance is mine" saith the Lord. This love prays for the enemy and expects God to change not only the hated one, but to change our own hearts. This kind of love prays that the person will be delivered, healed, and transformed and not obliterated and utterly destroyed. This love cries out to God acknowledging that we haven't loved like He has loved us and asks for help to do so.
Love your enemies! How mind-blowing and yet how like our LORD. What about you? Do you bless those who curse you and do good to those who spitefully use you? If not, won't you join me as I also petition for help for us to be perfected in our loving?
Lord God, how far we fall short of your glory. How grateful we are that you love us so wonderfully in spite of our transgressions against you. Lord, we confess that there are those who have harmed us, offended us, and betrayed us that we still haven't completely released. Help us to harbor no grudges. Help us to know that just blocking out what the enemy did is not the same as forgiving them. Forgive us when we don't wish our enemy well and when we haven't actively prayed for him/her. Perfect our love, through Christ Jesus, so that we really reflect your love to a watching world...for you have said they will know we are Christians by our love. In Jesus' name we ask these things. Amen.
"You have heard that it was said,'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
It was a Sunday morning like many other Sundays in this small Illinois town, and yet everything was about to change for one church. Pastor Fred Winters was delivering a message when a man walked down the aisle. Perhaps thinking that this man was so excited that he couldn't wait for the invitation, Pastor Fred extended his hand and asked, "May I help you, brother?" The man opened fire and killed him as the stunned congregation looked on. Eventually, he was subdued and order of sorts was restored.
I couldn't help but think of this as a backdrop for Jesus' lesson. He said, "You have heard it said to love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say...love your enemies."
Every natural fiber cries out, "What Jesus? Are you kidding? You can't be serious!" How can I love the one who means me harm; the one who has caused such immeasurable distress and heartache? You don't mean love that one who betrayed my trust; abused that child? Lord, I love you, but surely I don't have to still love that one who persecuted me because of the color of my skin or my family of origin.
"This is unbelievable!" we shout. Certainly if anybody has a "free to hate" pass it should be me in my circumstance or this church whose pastor was taking care of your business. Surely the family of such a good man, father, pastor and community leader can be exempt from the "love clause".
Yet, as we look at Pastor Winter's church in interview after interview, we see a determination to forgive the shooter and pray for his family. The widow exhorted everyone not to focus on Fred, for that would have disappointed him, but rather to forgive and to heal and to go on.
How extraordinary this sounds to our ears and how revolutionary was this idea to the disciples of Jesus. For centuries they had been under the foot of Rome. They had prayed for relief and God had promised to send a deliverer. They had visions of the Messiah coming and turning society upside down with them on top and the oppressor vanquished. They had hopes that Jesus was this Messiah and yet here He was saying, "Love your enemies."
What was Jesus' rationale for such a bold statement? Because, if they loved like that, they would look like their Father in heaven who was so full of grace and mercy that He sent rain on the just and unjust. He allowed His sun to shine on everyone regardless of their behavior. His love was not meted out by the merit of the one loved but came out of His divine nature. (He is love.)
Those who love the Lord are told to love like the One who gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life. This kind of love is sacrificial and unmerited. Furthermore, we are told that "...while we were still enemies, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8b While our sin was still abhorrent to God; while we were still messy people without hope and without strength to change, Christ gave His best for us.
He, who knew no sin, became sin (everything despicable to the Father) for us and paid a sin debt that we could never repay. He did this so that we no longer remained enemies but became the children of God.
Jesus continued His teaching by saying, "Be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." The only way this perfect, "enemy loving" "hatred destroying",love is possible, is by receiving the love of Jesus, then and having it poured into us by His Spirit. In our own strength, we have no inclination to love those who are hurting us. In fact, we usually, can not. But with the help of God, we see that love is not just a warm, fuzzy feeling. It is a decision to love "on purpose" like God, our example. It is to be concerned about the welfare of another, to the point, that we are moved to do something about it. This kind of love renounces retaliation, knowing that "Vengeance is mine" saith the Lord. This love prays for the enemy and expects God to change not only the hated one, but to change our own hearts. This kind of love prays that the person will be delivered, healed, and transformed and not obliterated and utterly destroyed. This love cries out to God acknowledging that we haven't loved like He has loved us and asks for help to do so.
Love your enemies! How mind-blowing and yet how like our LORD. What about you? Do you bless those who curse you and do good to those who spitefully use you? If not, won't you join me as I also petition for help for us to be perfected in our loving?
Lord God, how far we fall short of your glory. How grateful we are that you love us so wonderfully in spite of our transgressions against you. Lord, we confess that there are those who have harmed us, offended us, and betrayed us that we still haven't completely released. Help us to harbor no grudges. Help us to know that just blocking out what the enemy did is not the same as forgiving them. Forgive us when we don't wish our enemy well and when we haven't actively prayed for him/her. Perfect our love, through Christ Jesus, so that we really reflect your love to a watching world...for you have said they will know we are Christians by our love. In Jesus' name we ask these things. Amen.
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