Harmony #84: Eternal Life (John 12:20-32)

When I was growing up, I got a lot of really good teaching about the life to come. I read books on Heaven; I read accounts of people who claimed to have visited. The hope of eternal life in Heaven was something to sustain and encourage us as we slogged through life, and rightfully so. The Bible’s image of the New Heaven and New Earth is glorious.

What I don’t remember hearing as much about was how God intended to have us participate in eternal life right now. We would sing, “This world is not my home, I’m just passing through,” which suggested life was a frustrating annoyance until we got to the good stuff after we died.

It turns out we are not “just passing through.” Jesus invites us to enter into and experience the life of the Kingdom now in very tangible ways. Life isn’t just an inconvenient means to an end. Jesus invites us to flourish in God’s good creation, filled with His Spirit, invited to become part of the “body” of Christ for the nourishing of the world with the lived out good news that God is love, and His love is for you.

I wish I had heard that more. I wish we had talked more about what that looked like. So, here we go.

Here is today’s text with commentary added to provide the context and subtext. I encourage you to read this passage on your own in its uninterrupted form just to be clear on the distinction J

Now there were some God-fearing Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast of Passover. They came to Philip, who was from the Greek are of  Bethsaida in Galilee[1], with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to observe Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus about the request.

 Jesus granted permission, then spoke to them all. “This is what’s happening. Listen carefully: truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

 Anyone who delights in his life in this world more than in God will lose it, while anyone who thinks so little of his life, and so much of God, that he is willing to sacrifice it all for God, will keep it for eternal life.[2] Whoever serves me must follow me to where I am going; and where I am, my servant also will be.

 My Father will honor the one who serves me. Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. This is the fulfillment of the Father’s plan. Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified my name, and will glorify it again.” Some in the crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.[3]

Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine: to confirm you in this great truth, that I am the Son of God, he whom God the Father has sent into the world, by and in whom he designs to bring glory to His name.[4] 

 Now is the time for judgment and condemnation on the power of sin in this world[5]; now the prince of this world will be driven out and decisively defeated for all to see[6]. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will, like a fisherman dragging in his net, drag all the  people[7] of the world to me.”[8] (He said this to show that he would be lifted up by dying on a cross lifted up from the earth.)

* * * * *

Let’s pause for a Biblical Words Nerd Corner Moment.  This isn’t trivia; it’s clarity about the subject matter. The Bible has an interesting way of talking about things that last forever, or things that have ‘eternal life’ or are ‘everlasting’.

·  Animal sacrifices were to be offered “forever”- until the sacrifice of Jesus Christ ended the need for animal sacrifices (2 Chronicles 2:4; Hebrews 7:11-10:18).

·  God planned to dwell in Solomon’s temple “forever” - but it was destroyed (2 Chronicles 7:16).

·  The old covenant of the law is referred to as the "everlasting covenant" (Leviticus 24:8), yet 2 Corinthians 3 tells us it was transitory and has been replaced, and Hebrews 8:13 says, “In speaking of a new covenant, [Jesus] makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

Were the biblical writers confused? I don’t think so. I believe they were inspired to choose even their individual words in a way that captured what God wanted to reveal. So if we assume this was not a mistake, there must be something going on with the language that is important.

In Hebrew, the word translated in 2 Chronicles as “forever” is olam. It's all over the Old Testament. It can mean an ancient time, a future time, a lifetime, a span of time with an uncertain end, an age of the world, a dynasty, an eternity… It’s a very flexible word.

When the Hebrew was translated into Greek in the Septuagint, the (still inspired) writers had to make a choice about how to translate olam. They chose the word aionios.[9] You will usually see this translated in English as ‘eternal,’ ‘everlasting,’ or forever just like olam is in the Old Testament. However, it’s more complex than that.

Its primary meaning is that the end is not known. While in the belly of the big fish, Jonah said the earth bound him forever (olam/aionios), but it was only three days. It was a time span with an unknown end. The end is there; you just can’t see it until its there -– like when you look out over Lake Michigan at the dunes and can’t see an end to the water. It’s a mystery. We might say it goes on forever. A bored child might say, “We’ve been here for ages. When are we going to leave?” Think of the disciples’ question in our passage today:

Matthew 24:3 “Tell us, when these things will be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age (aion)?”[10]

When is this age – this ‘forever’ age? this ‘eternal’ age? – going to end and the next one begin? Clearly the disciples meant something other than ‘eternal’ when used a word often translated as ‘eternal’. They aren’t the only ones.

Hebrews 1:1-2  “…in these last days [God] did speak to us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages (aion).[11]

Hebrews 9:26 ”…But now He has appeared… at the consumation of the ages (aion),[12] for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”

Ephesians 3:8-9 To me…this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages (aionon) has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:19-20, 26 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross…the mystery which has been hidden from ages (aionon) and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

So there have been ages in world history (not eternities in world history) –and we aren’t done yet.

Ephesians 1:20-21 “…when He raised [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age (aion) but also in that age which is to come.”

Ephesians 2:6-8 “…raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages (aion) he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

So, there have been a few ages; there will be more. The writers aren’t babbling incoherently about one endless eternity after another. They clearly mean something different. Meanwhile, both John and Paul show us what it looks like to talk about something being everlasting, covering all ages.

Revelation 1: 17-18  “I am the First and the Last, and I am the living One[13]. I entered the realm of the dead; but see, I am alive now and to the ages (aion) of the ages (aion) .”[14]

Revelation 22:5  “God’s servants will continually serve and worship Him… by His light, they will reign throughout the ages (aion) of the ages (aion).”[15]

Ephesians 3:21  “..to Him is the glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus, to all the generations of the age (aion) of the ages (aion).”

Clearly, John and Paul write of eternal life in the way we think of it, endless life in the ages of ages to come. But in today’s text, when Jesus said his disciples would get and keep eternal life, he was saying something about aionios life – life in this age, something we have now. How so?

It turns out that this word also describe a quality of life. It’s about who we are and what we do. HELPS Word Studies describes it like this:

An "age-characteristic"…the unique quality reality of God's life at work in the believer… Eternal (aiṓnios) life gives time its everlasting meaning for the believer through faith…thus believers live in "eternal (aiṓnios) life" right now, experiencing this quality of God's life now as a present possession.” (HELPS Word-studies)

When the rich ruler asked Jesus what he needed to do to have “eternal life,” and when Jesus talked to his disciples about eternal life, the phrase is aionios zoe[16], literally: “age life/life in the age,” the kind of life that comes from relationship with God beginning now and enduring throughout the age. They weren’t asking about where they were going to go when they died (though they had questions about that other places). Here, Jesus is talking about the life “more abundant” that Jesus offers us beginning now (John 10:10). A little later in the book of John, Jesus explained:

This is eternal life (zoe aionios): that they may know You, the only true God.”(John 17:3)

Earlier in the gospel, Jesus said:

“He who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life (zoe aionios), and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24)

Zoe aionios (“eternal life”) begins now with Christ in us, the hope of glory.[17] Back to the text we read this morning.

 “Anyone who serves Me must follow My path; anyone who serves Me will want to be where I am, and he will be honored by the Father…”

Those who are willing to sacrifice their life to follow Jesus will live in the aionios life God has given to them.

Bottom line: Though spiritual life or death, destruction or reward of the ages to come is always in our spiritual line of sight, we will live in and experience life or death, destruction or reward in this age as well. Jesus told his disciples to follow him now, embrace eternal life now, walk in the light now, in the midst of the darkness of this age.

Okay, we are out of the Biblical Words Nerd Corner.

How do we live in this life? As a response to the love God has shown us through Jesus, we are like the seed that falls to the ground: that which brings death and destruction – sin – must die if we are to rise into aionios life by following the person, teaching and the path of Jesus above all else. 

Dying sounds hard because it is. But we all have to let some things in out life die so that other things can live.

·   If I want to live healthy, I need to let my desire for fried chicken and mac and cheese die.

·   If I want to be a violin virtuoso, I will need to let my desire for 10,000 hours worth of other activities die.

·   If I want to really be known and loved, I need to let my desire to hide die.

 Maybe another way of saying it is that I am going to need to know which things need to be dead to me so that I might live.

If I am going to follow Jesus, my desire for things that compete for my allegiance and worship must die; my desire to be lord of my life must die; my sight must be fixed on that which brings and builds eternal life so that I can taste and see that the Lord and His Kingdom are good.

This dying to self is not simply the way for us to experience the fullness of zoe aionios, the life of heaven in this age.  It’s how we spread it to everyone around us.

Whenever we worship, somebody dies, and it will be either us or others.

If I worship my comfort, I will sacrifice my wife and kids. They will pay the cost of my comfort. “Stop bothering me. We will talk when I’m good and ready. No, you adjust your hopes and dreams and priorities because they don’t match mine.” I will sacrifice my friends. “I need you to show up on my terms.” I remain dead in my selfishness and sin, and I drag down those close to me.

If I worship my reputation, I will sacrifice any of you who don’t make me look good. “You think I’m wrong? You’re an idiot. You are winning an argument with me? I will lash out and try to humiliate you or keep beating this argument to death because I can’t be wrong.”  And I will remain dead in myself selfishness and sin and drag down those around me.

If I worship money, I will choose work time over relationship time and I will choose profit over people.  If I worship my health, I will make everyone else take second place to my diet and workout schedule. If I worship sex, all that will matter is my fulfillment and my happiness, and I will sacrifice the dignity and autonomy of people around me as I manipulate and pressure and use… And I will remain dead in my selfishness and sin and drag down those around me.

You want to know what you worship? Ask yourself whom you are willing to sacrifice; then ask yourself why.

So what do we do if we are caught in this trap? We must become that seed that falls to the ground and dies so it can be brought back to life and bear good fruit. Or, as Paul wrote, we present our bodies as living sacrifices, wholly acceptable unto God (Romans 12:1). Watch for a very important two words to show up J

In the same way you gave your bodily members away as servants to corrupt and lawless living and found yourselves deeper in your unruly lives, now devote your members as servants to right and reconciled lives so you will find yourselves deeper in holy living.  In the days when you lived as slaves to sin, you had no obligation to do the right thing. In that regard, you were free.But what do you have to show from your former lives besides shame? The outcome of that life is death, guaranteed.

But now that you have been emancipated from the death grip of sin and are God’s slave, you have a different sort of life, a growing holiness. The outcome of that life is eternal life (zoe aionios). The payoff for a life of sin is death, but God is offering us a free gift—eternal life through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King. (Romans 6: 19-23)

It begins with a commitment to Jesus. We acknowledge the reality of who Jesus is; we surrender the lordship of our life to Him; we commit to following his path rather than ours. Holy living leads to growing holiness, which leads to experiencing the gift of zoe aionios God has given us.

I remember thinking as a young man that I wanted to make a difference in the Kingdom of God. I really wanted my life to count. I saw some older folks who were godly and whose presence had really impacted my life. I knew it was because of Jesus at work in them, and I wanted that!

I took me years to realize I couldn't just want that. We rest in Christ, but we don’t lounge in zoe aionios; we are invited to participate. A call to follow Jesus will require putting one foot in front of the other in the same direction as Jesus if we want to go with Jesus where Jesus is going.

·  If I wanted the wisdom of aionios life, I had to prioritize certain things in my life that would lead to wisdom, like listening to and reading wise voices instead of entertaining but dumb ones.

·  If I wanted the self-control of aionios life, I had to demonstrate the fruit of self-control that the Holy Spirit was growing on my branches.

·  If I wanted the patience of aionios life instead of the anger that filled me, I had to follow Jesus deeper into understanding myself and maybe to a good counselor who helps me discover God’s healing.

·  If I wanted to move from lustful thoughts to the pure thoughts of aionios life, I had to change what was filling my mind and bring in some righteous material the helped me view people as God sees them.

·  If I wanted my marriage to embody spousal relationships in aionios life, I needed to increasingly learn and do biblical habits of loving and honoring and partnering with my wife.

There was no amount of wishful thinking that was going to change me in those areas.  There was, however, the power of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit as the absolute foundation. Then, participation in aionios life: praying, studying the Bible, seeking counsel both casual and professional that steadied me in the path of righteousness, becoming accountable to others…and putting into practice what I learned.  Holy living, leading to holy maturity, leading me deeper into eternal life.

That is still my challenge and my goal. Every day I need to drop seeds of sin to the ground to die so that I might produce life and not death. Every day, even in small ways, I must willing reject that which brings aionios death and embrace that which brings aionios life.

It is in this path that we begin to truly see how the Kingdom of God, right here and now, is meant for our good and God’s glory. N.T. Wright gets the final word.

“Jesus's resurrection is the beginning of God's new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven…The point of the resurrection…is that the present bodily life is not valueless…God has a great future in store for it.

What you do in the present—by painting, preaching, singing, sewing, praying, teaching, building hospitals, digging wells, campaigning for justice, writing poems, caring for the needy, loving your neighbor as yourself—will last into God's future.

These activities are not simply ways of making the present life a little less beastly…They are part of what we may call building for God's kingdom.

Our task as image-bearing, God-loving, Christ-shaped, Spirit-filled Christians, following Christ and shaping our world, is to announce redemption to a world that has discovered its fallenness, to announce healing to a world that has discovered its brokenness, to proclaim love and trust to a world that knows only exploitation, fear and suspicion...

The message of Easter is that God's new world has been unveiled in Jesus Christ and that you're now invited to belong to it.” 
― N. T. Wright

 _________________________________________________________________________

[1] “Philip’s name is Greek; he came from the region governed by Herod Philip… with connections to the Decapolis, which consisted of ten cities that were Greek in character.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

[2] Loves his life means “delights in his life in this world more than in God.” Hates his life in this world means “thinks so little of his life, and so much of God, that he is willing to sacrifice it all for God.” (ESV Global Study Bible)

[3] Think of a similar scenario at Paul’s conversion (Acts 9:7; 22:9).

[4] Matthew Poole Commentary

[5]  “By His coming death, Jesus will end the power of sin over Adam’s race, judging and condemning it.” (ESV Reformation Study bible)

[6] “At the cross, the devil will be cast out, that is, decisively defeated (see Luke 10:18; Heb. 2:14–15; Rev. 20:10).” (ESV Global Study Bible)

[7] HELPS Word-studies  3956 pás – each, every; each "part(s) of a totality…each (every) part that applies." The emphasis is on "one piece at a time."  

[8] “There is an allusion here to the ensigns or colors of commanders of regiments, elevated on high places, that the people might flock to his standard.” (Adam Clarke)

[9] There could have chosen a Greek word that only means eternal or everlasting in a way that matches what we think of when we use the English words. That word is aidos. However, it’s only used twice in Scripture, and never in the phrase we translate as “eternal life.”

[10] Some translations say “end of the world.” That makes it sound like the end of time, but aionios points toward a time with an end, not the end of all time.

[11] Some translations say universe, world or worlds. That just…not what it means.

[12] The CEV says “at the end of time”; Webster’s says “world.” That’s not what it means.

[13] Daniel 4:34

[14] This is often translated “forever and ever” captures the intent of “ages” plural. The Aramaic Bible says “eternity of eternities,” which nails the intent,

[15] That’s how a Greek writer described forever and ever. They doubled down.

[16] “All life (2222 /zōḗ), throughout the universe, is derived – i.e. it always (only) comes from and is sustained by God's self-existent life. The Lord intimately shares His gift of life with people, creating each in His image which gives all the capacity to know His eternal life.” (HELPS Word Studies)

[17] “Eternal life is having the kind of life that God has… It isn’t just lasting forever. It’s a quality of life that we come to have by participating in the Kingdom of God.” (Dallas Williard)

Harmony #83: The Word That Endures (Matthew 23-24; Mark 12; Luke 20-21)

Over the past several weeks, we’ve seen a theme.

Jesus cleanses the temple and withers the fig tree (a symbol of Jewish religious leaders) to prophecy the end of the Sadducees as the priestly line, as well as the end of the Jerusalem Temple as ground zero of the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom’s mantle will be passed to the church, where all are priests[1] and, as Jesus told the Samaritan woman, you won’t have to ask what mountain to go to in order to worship in the right temple. God’s people will worship in Spirit and in Truth[2] in the new temple: us as individuals[3], and us in community[4].

The Sadducees challenge him. Jesus responds to these three challenges by highlighting why they “withered at the root”:

• compromising relationship with Rome

• lack of knowledge concerning the Scripture

• misunderstanding of the power of God

• · lack of love

Jesus isn’t done. Now it’s time to teach.

 (Matthew 23:1-3, 5-12; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47)

As all the people were listening to his teaching, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the experts in the law and the Pharisees who [read the Torah] on Moses’ seat. Pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach.

They devour widows’ property and will receive a more severe punishment. They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they like walking around in long robes, with their phylacteries wide and their tassels long, and as a show make long prayers. They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces.

They love to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ.

The greatest among you will be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

I highlighted Jesus’ conclusion because I’m not sure this is as much about using titles as it is about the danger of pride, of wanting those titles to be exalted. This is a contrast of attitudes, not roles. So, let’s update the list.

• compromising relationship with Rome

• lack of knowledge concerning the Scripture

• misunderstanding of the power of God

• lack of love

• lack of service and humility

Then, in good rabbinic fashion, Jesus points to something happening around them to contrast the Sadducees with an unexpected hero.

 (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4)

Then Jesus sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing their gifts of large amounts into the offering box. He also saw a poor widow come and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny.

He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. For they all offered their gifts out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.”

True worship will be costly. If we really worship, we will feel it. As David once said, “I will not give God sacrifices that cost me nothing.”[5] Jesus point out a contrast between the widow and the religious leaders living in luxury and making a show of their generosity, which turned out not to be that generous after all. It was nothing to them.

Jesus was going to need spiritual leaders in his new church who knew what it meant to be “broken and spilled out” for those around them. This will come true in the lives of the disciples and the apostles like Paul. Almost all of them will pay with their lives.

There is a place in Paul’s letter to Corinth where we see some exasperation. He is writing about false teachers making a show about how impressive they are: “super apostles” who are great speakers, who elevate themselves, and who evidently get rich off of the people they are supposed to be serving. He says they are “masquerading as servants of righteousness.” Then he basically says, “Listen, if we are looking for pumped up resumes, check this out.” At one point he cites what he has gone through.

“I have been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move.

I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 

Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (2 Corinthians 11:23-30)

You would never have heard a Sadducee boast in that. Their boast was in the luxury and comfort that followed their compromise with the Romans. Clearly they were blessed by God because they prospered financially, physically and socially, right? They looked impressive – on Roman terms. Jesus flipped that table when he flipped their physical tables in the Temple. What was the most impressive resume of the follower of Jesus? Worship and love of God expressed in love of neighbor, which was going to look like humble service, often at great cost. Jesus once taught,

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)

Notice what people become when this happens.

 “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (13-16)

What is the light and salt? Good deeds of humble service motivated and empowered by God’s love. Back to today’s text.

(Matthew 24:1-2; Luke 21:5)

Jesus left the temple. As He was walking away, His disciples came up to Him and asked what He thought about the temple buildings. Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. He replied,” Look around you. All of it will become rubble. I tell you this: not one stone will be left standing.”

I think the disciples he was telling them that the Temple was going to be destroyed. It must have been hard for them to wrap their minds around the idea that it would be gone. It had been home base all their lives. Everything centered around the Temple and the Torah. “Are you sure? Look how impressive this is.”

I wonder if we wouldn’t have done the same. The Temple was a massive feat of architecture.[6]The stones were huge. Estimates are that it would take 7 modern cranes to move some of the rocks. No one is quite sure how they moved them – and fit them together as well as modern brick and mortar. It had lots of marble covered with gold. Josephus wrote that it was so opulent that it looked like a snow-capped mountain. “Are you sure, Jesus?”

Matthew 24:3-35; Mark 13:3-31; Luke 21

Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “We don’t understand Your predictions. Tell us, when will these things happen: When will the temple be destroyed? What will be the sign that You are returning in judgment?[7] How will we know that the end of this age is upon us?”

Jesus: “Take care that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name claiming they are the Anointed One, and many poor souls will be taken in. You will hear of wars, and you will hear rumors of wars, but you should not panic. It is inevitable, this violent breaking apart of the sinful world, but remember, the wars are not the end. The end is still unfolding.

Nations will do battle with nations, and kingdoms will fight neighboring kingdoms, and there will be famines and earthquakes. But these are not the end. These are the birth pangs, the beginning. The end is still unfolding.

They will hand you over to your enemies, who will torture you and then kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. And many who have followed Me and claimed to love Me and sought God’s kingdom will turn away—they will abandon the faith and betray and hate one another. 

The love that they had for one another will grow cold because few will obey the law. False prophets will appear, many will be taken in by them, and the only thing that will grow is wickedness. There will be no end to the increase of wickedness.

 But those who do not waver from our path and do not follow those false prophets—those among you will be saved. And this good news of God’s kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, a testimony to all people and all nations. Then, beloved, the end/the consummation of the age will come.

When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. You will remember that the prophet Daniel predicted this—predicted the abomination that causes desolation[8]—when you see the prophesied desolation of the holy place. (Reader, take notice; it is important that you understand this.) When you see this, let those in Judea flee to the mountains.[9]

 If you are relaxing on your rooftop one evening and the signs of the temple’s destructions come, don’t return to your house to rescue a book or a pet or a scrap of clothing. If you are in the field when the great destruction begins, don’t return home for a cloak. Pregnant women and nursing mothers will have the worst of it. And as for you, pray that your flight to the hills will not come on the Sabbath or in the cold of winter.

They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. For the tribulation will be unparalleled—hardships of a magnitude that has not been seen since creation and that will not be seen again.

 Indeed the Lord God your merciful judge will cut this time of trial short, and this will be done for the benefit of the elect that some might indeed be saved—for no one could survive the depravity for very long.[10]

 I cannot say this clearly enough: during this time, someone will say to you, “Look, here is the Anointed One!” or “Aren’t you relieved? Haven’t you seen the Savior down there, around the bend, over the hill and dale?” Do not believe them. 

False liberators and false prophets will appear, and they will know a few tricks—they will perform great miracles, and they will make great promises. If it were possible, they would even deceive God’s elect. But I am warning you ahead of time: remember—do not fall for their lies or lines or promises.

 If someone says, “He’s out there in the desert”—do not go. And if someone says, “He’s here at our house, at our table”—do not believe him. When the Son of Man comes, He will be as visible as lightning in the East is visible even in the West. And where the carcass is, there will always be vultures.[11]

And as the prophets have foretold it: after the distress of those days, “The sun will grow dark, and the moon will be hidden. The stars will fall from the sky, and all the powers in the heavens will be dislodged and shaken from their places.”[12]

That is when the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming; they will see Him powerful and glorious, riding on chariots of clouds in the sky.[13] With a loud trumpet call, He will send out battalions of heavenly messengers; and they will gather His beloved faithful elect from the four corners of creation, from one end of heaven to the other.[14]

Now think of the fig tree. As soon as its twigs get tender and greenish, as soon as it begins to sprout leaves, you know to expect summer. In the same way, when you see the wars and the suffering and the false liberators and the desolations, you will know the Son of Man is near—right at the door.

I tell you this: this generation will see all these things take place before it passes away. My words are always true and always here with you. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.[15]

 Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 

Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

* * * * *

Bible scholars generally take one of two views on this text: 

1.) Half of the chapter tells of the destruction of Jerusalem (v.1-35); the other half tells about the final judgment (v.36-51).

2.) The entire chapter deals with the destruction of Jerusalem.

If you click through different translations in Biblegateway.com, you will often see a heading at the beginning of Matthew 24. It will either say “The Destruction of Jerusalem” or “The Destruction of Jerusalem and Signs of the End Times,” or something like that.

There is no doubt that the destruction of the Temple is in view. Both views agree on this point. A.D. 66-70 were a terrible four years. The Zealots defended Jerusalem…zealously. The Romans, equally determined, starved its inhabitants into cannibalism at one point. In AD 70, they destroyed the temple and the city. More than a million Jews died, and more than 97,000 were taken captive. The Romans erected Titus’ Arch in Rome to celebrate the victory.[16]

The document I’ve been using for this Harmony Of the Gospel’s approach has this title: “The Destruction of Jerusalem.” I hold this in an open hand, but here’s a few quick reasons I prefer this view.

In the introductory remarks, Jesus speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem (1-3).

• The gospel was supposed to be “preached in all the world” before “the end” (of Jerusalem), which we see fulfilled in Colossians 1:6,23.

• Jesus said that the sign of the end was ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ in the ‘holy place.’ This is very likely the destruction of the Temple by the Romans, who first filled it with banners containing images of Caesar.

• When that happens, His disciples would know that the fall of Jerusalem was near (32-33), and the people in Judea will flee.

• The things of which He spoke were to come upon “this generation,”  “Generation” is used in Matthew 1:17, 11:16, 12:39, 41, 42, 45, 16:4, 17:17, 23:36, and 24:34. Every other place refers to the generation standing right in front of Jesus. He says to his disciples, “Pray that you may escape.”

• The concern about fleeing “on the Sabbath” is a very Jewish concern as opposed to a Gentile one, so this wouldn’t apply to all the world.

• As a result of Jerusalem’s destruction, those who leave are saved; those who stay die. When the Bible talks about what happens at the end of all things, the opposite is true. Those who stay inherit the New Heaven and New Earth, and those who are taken do not.

• People can flee from this judgment and hide; not so if it's the Final Judgment.

* * * * * 

Two points. The first one is a challenge, the second an encouragement.

I suspect the judgment that fell upon Jerusalem and the Temple was a form of “sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind.” (Hosea 8) What was going on with the leaders? 

• compromising relationship with Rome

• lack of knowledge concerning the Scripture

• misunderstanding of the power of God

• lack of love

• lack of service and humility

First, Israel’s history had shown that whenever God’s people relied on empires like Egypt and Assyria for provision and safety instead of God, the empires always turned on them.

Second, the Sadducees knew better. They should have taken their sacred texts seriously, because they contain that warning.

Third and fourth, what happens when you get to cozy with the Empire? You start to look like the empire, and at that point you stop being salt and light because there are no good deeds that bring glory to God. This list of the sins of the Sadducees could be equally applied to the leaders of Rome. Now, they were just parties competing or power.

And when the Jewish leaders could not control their own people (the Zealots), they found out very quickly that Rome had only tolerated them while they were useful on Rome’s terms.

There is a warning here for the church. The characteristics of the Sadducees (and the Zealots) cannot characterize us. When a coercive, bullying or violent attempt to spread the Kingdom of God combines with a corrupt desire to share the power and luxury of the Empire at the expense of righteous obedience and true worship, we will become full of mold, and wither at the root. It will corrupt us from the inside out, and it will invite a whirlwind of destruction.

Second, I love how Jesus ends with hope. If I were a disciple, I might not have slept well that night considering all the things that were about to land on Jerusalem. But Jesus reminded them of what lasts, what is eternal.

“My words are always true and always here with you. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” 

 “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.”(John 6:33)

The disciples need to hear this. The words of The Word will endure. The Sprit and the Life God gives will endure.

Truth will endure.

Hope will endure.

The love of many may wax cold, but yours doesn’t have to.

Many will believe lies, but you don’t have to.

Many will give themselves to wickedness, but you don’t have to.

Many will leave the faith and betray each other, but you don’t have to.

Steady.

Don’t panic.

Through you, the good news of God’s kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all people and all nations.

 ____________________________________________________________________

[1] 1 Peter 2

[2] John 4

[3] 1 Corinthians 6

[4] Ephesians 2

[5] 2 Samuel 24

[6] NET Bible footnotes

[7] “Parousia, commonly denoting presence. Readers with a Jewish background would have taken these words to describe a coming in judgment.” (Gordon Ferguson)

[8] “The abomination of desolation is an allusion to Daniel 9:27. Though some have seen the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy in the actions of Antiochus IV in 167 b.c., Jesus seems to indicate that Antiochus was not the final fulfillment…Some argue that this was realized in a.d. 70, while others claim that it will not be fully realized until the great tribulation at the end of the age (Mark 13:14, 19, 24; Rev 3:10).” (NET Bible footnotes)

[9] Fleeing to the mountains is a key OT image: Gen 19:17; Judg 6:2; Isa 15:5; Jer 16:16; Zech 14:5. (NET Bible footnotes)

[10] “In a siege against the city lasting nearly a year, Cestius Gallius, the Roman general, withdrew to Caesarea and brought back a larger army. This break in the battle allowed the Christians who understood Jesus’ prophecy to flee the city. Josephus says that many did, leaving behind the Jews in the city who were determined to fight to the death (which they did).” (Gordon Ferguson, “Matthew 24: End of the World or End of the Age?”)

[11] In other words, when the judgment comes, the location will be obvious.

[12] “An allusion to Isaiah 13:10; 34:4 and Joel 2:10. The heavens were seen as the abode of heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm. Although some take the powers as a reference to bodies in the heavens, this is not as likely.” (NET Bible footnotes) See also Ezekiel 32.

[13] “See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within them.” (Isaiah 19:1)

[14] “The reference to the Son of Man coming in the clouds is a figurative reference to Divine judgment upon the nations (Isa.19:1-4; Isaiah 34). And the reference to the angels gathering the elect is symbolic of God’s protection of His people (cp. Rev.7:1-3).” (Lanny Smith)

[15] See Isaiah 40:8. Also, “My words shall not pass away; be vain and empty, and unaccomplished; which is true of anything, and everything spoken by Christ; and especially here regards all that he had said concerning the calamities that should befall the Jews, before, at, or upon the destruction of their nation, city, and temple; and the design of the expression, is to show the certainty, unalterableness, and sure accomplishment of these things.” (Gill’s Exposition)

[16] https://hope4israel.org/jerusalem-70-ad-not-one-stone-left-upon-another/

Harmony #82: “First the Word, then the words.” (Matthew 22:15-40: Mark 12:13-34; Luke 20:20-40)

After Jesus routed the money changers from the Temple, Matthew records three attempts by religious leaders to trap Jesus: a question about temple taxes, a question about the afterlife, and a question about the Law. I am going to lump them together for two key reasons: think Jesus’ answer to the third one gives them the foundational answer to every tension they propose, and Jesus shows us how to pursue wisdom as a community.[1]

In Jesus’ time, there was great debate among the Jewish people: “Do I buy Caesar’s tribute coin and pay tribute to Caesar?” It was a form of taxation, and Judaism had opinions about paying taxes.

“He is king whose coin passes current.”[2]

"A publican, or tax gatherer, that is appointed by the king, whether a king of Israel, or of the Gentiles…it is forbidden to refuse payment of the tax to him, for, ‘the right of a king is right’.''[3]

So I don’t think this was a generic question about taxes in general. That issue had been resolved. But…

• These tribute coins had language about the divinity of Caesar. Marty Solomon has a coin with the inscription “Caesar, son of divine, most high God.” That kind of language was very common.

• There was often an image of a god or goddess on the back.

• The money raised went to the Temple of Jupiter, the center of ancient Roman religion.

• The coin was a receipt that proved you paid tribute to Caesar and to Rome. When you got this coin, you burned incense to worship Caesar. Now it’s not just a tax. It might be idolatry.

So, what should they do?

The Herodians are going to pay. “It’s just part of the Roman world we live in and enjoy. It’s fine. We are supposed to pay taxes. Grab the coin, go through the motions. As much as is possible, live at peace with all people.”[4]

The Sadducees are probably selling the coins at an upcharge and keeping the money. They’re going to say, “Don’t you know what Rome gives us? We’ve worked pretty hard to get this whole political alignment figured out. Keep your head down. Get the coin.”

The Essenes? They’re going to be in the desert. This coin means nothing to them. If they lived in Jerusalem, they would do the opposite of the Sadducees.

The Zealots will buy it, then stab the person who sold it to them, because anybody who offers this kind of idolatrous temple tribute deserves to die.

The Pharisees are going to have an internal squabble because the schools of Hillel and Shammai will not agree about what to do.

• Shammai Pharisees built on the foundational commandments of “Love God and keep the Sabbath.” They were all about obedience and the letter of the Law. They would’ve said, “This is idolatry. Obedience demands we not purchase the coin.”

• Hillel Pharisees built on, “Love God and love your neighbor.” God said of Nebuchadnezzar, one of the most brutal tyrants in human history: “The whole earth is mine and I give it to Nebuchadnezzar.” (Jeremiah 27:6) Hillel said that the ruling authorities, even Rome, were put in place by God. Buying the tribute coin was not idolatry; it was giving back to the ruler what God has decided in His sovereign will to give him in the first place.

Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians out and planned together to entrap Jesus with his own words. They watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They wanted to take advantage of what he might say so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.

When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and speak and teach correctly. You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay tribute taxes to Caesar or not?”

Let’s take the problem up a notch. It was also a politically explosive issue. In Acts 5, we read of Judas of Galilee, who resorted to violence in his opposition to the tax. There was the potential for violence depending on what Jesus’ listeners did with his answer.

If Jesus affirmed the lawfulness of the tax, he would lose any future merit with the Hillel Pharisees, Essenes and Zealots. He would alienate those who already ground their teeth with the need to pay taxes to a foreign occupying army, let alone this blasphemous temple tax.

If he said it was unlawful, the Sadducees and Herodians would present him as an enemy of Rome and hand him over to the Romans for the treason inciting others to dishonor Caesar – which is what they do in Luke 23 when they falsely accuse him of this very thing.[5]Remember, it’s Passover, and Roman soldiers are everywhere to keep an eye on any fermenting violence.

Today we might say he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and perceived their deceit and evil intentions and said to them “Hypocrites! Why are you testing me?  Show me the denarius (tribute coin) used for the tax.” So they brought him a denarius.

By calling them hypocrites, Jesus is saying they were acting; they weren’t serious. They were playing a role that was just for show – in this case, they were playing the role of pious followers of God concerned about righteousness and pursuing truth. He proves their hypocrisy in a clever way.

Jews were very sensitive about images of emperors. They would not even allow flags or standards bearing imperial images to be carried in Jerusalem. There were cases where they would block the roads so that Rome could not bring images of the emperor into their spaces. It was a big deal.

But…when Jesus asks for the coin, the Herodians and Pharisees start reaching into their robe pockets: “You mean like this one?” Marty Solomon notes, “I picture Jesus like reaching out winking at them. ‘We know where you stand now. Thank you.’”

 He said to them, “Whose image[6] and inscription are on it?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” Then Jesus said to them, “Then give back/return to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Now when they heard this they were utterly amazed at him, and were unable in the presence of the people to trap him with his own words. Stunned by his answer, they fell silent, and left him and went away.

In those days, putting your image on a thing meant claiming ownership of the thing. Jesus is making a contrast: Caesar’s image is on the tribute coin, so he can lay claim to his money; give it back to him. God’s image is on humanity, so he lays claim to the lives of people; give your life back to him. Give back Caesar’s coin, but don’t give him your life or your worship.

Jesus does not resolve this question. They are going to continue to wrestle with those issues. Meanwhile, they are also going to have to do some introspection to determine whose image and whose inscription was most prominently displayed on them.

To whom did they pledge their allegiance? Who had their heart, soul, mind and strength? I was trying to think of something similar today, and it’s not easy to make a clean correlation here in the U.S. What if the government would say, “Have your churches, no problem, but…we’re gonna need everyone to go to the courthouse every year and go on record saying the Pledge of Allegiance.” I think you would see a similar kind of tension, with similar arguments. I suspect Jesus would give the same answer. We’ll talk about why in a moment.

Were they sure that they had not traded in their hope and trust for God and made the things of the Empire a source of their hope and worship? God’s people had a history of turning to Empires for provision when God had promised to take care of them: Egypt, Assyria, now Rome. Did their interaction with Rome reveal an attempt to be neighborly and live at peace with all people, or did it reflect something troubling: giving up on God’s plan and turning to Rome’s? Once again, who had their heart?

Let’s briefly look at the other two tests, then tie them together.

The same day Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to him and asked him, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, his brother must marry the widow and father children for his brother.’

Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children he left his wife to his brother. The second married her and died without any children. Then the third married her, and in this same way all seven died, leaving no children. Last of all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.” Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you deceived for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God? The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.

 But those who are regarded as worthy to share in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. In fact, they can no longer die, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection.Now as for the resurrection of the dead, even Moses revealed that the dead are raised in the passage about the bush,where God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Now he is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live before him. You are badly mistaken!”

Jesus calls them out: they don’t understand the power of God and they don’t understand the Scriptures. Ouch. As for their hypothetical, the closest he gets to answering is saying the age to come will be so different in terms or our redeemed nature that this question will seem silly. But his response will likely bring out a response in them similar to how he answered the first question. Back to the text.

Now one of the experts in religious law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him a question to test him, “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest, the most important of all?”

Jesus answered him, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and prophets depend on these two commandments. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”[7]

* * * * *

A common thread in all of Jesus’ replies is that he pushes them into the text. That was the Jewish way; that was the manner of rabbinical teaching. The teacher did not necessarily answer their question (though Jesus did in the third instance, while still pushing him back to the text). A good Jewish teacher pushed his students to study, to wrestle, to dig out the treasure from God’s Word, to own their answers for themselves, and to do so in community. First the Word, then the words. First we study the text, then we talk with each other.

With the temple tax, he leaves them with question: what is Caesar’s and what is God’s? What does it mean to return it? Does obedience to God require not using Caesar’s money, or does hospitality and love of neighbor include playing nice with Roman customs to some degree? James would seen teach the importance of keeping yourself unspotted from the world.[8] Paul would soon write that as much as possible, they should live at peace with all people and respect authorities.[9]

Jesus seems content to leave them with debate, as if the process of navigating differences was an important part of doing life together. It was going to press his audience back into the Torah, back into all the Old Testament writings. It was going to push them into the text yet again. Then, they would get together and talk it out. First the Word, then the words.

With the marriage question, he just points out that they don’t understand what life will be like in the age to come because a) they don’t understand God’s power, and b) they don’t know the Scripture. He didn’t answer their question directly. He did give them hints about where they were going wrong. This is going to push them into the text yet again. And then they are going to talk together. First the Word, then the words.

With the greatest commandment question, Jesus gives a direct answer. He sides with Hillel. The greatest commandment does not conclude with honor the Sabbath, but with love your neighbor. Luke 10 records that Jesus already covered this ground once before, and it led to the parable of the Good Samaritan. Who is our neighbor? Everybody, even the most unlikely. And the good neighbor is the one who has mercy on others. (Luke 10:37) Okay but what does that look like practically? Back to the text, and talk yet again. First the Word, then the words.

* * * * *

I have been wondering what kind of questions we would ask Jesus today. How might we try to get him on our side? How might we try to trip him up? How might he point us back to the text? (To be sure, Jesus’ answers would be much more clever than the examples I’m about to give. It’s just an experiment J)

Us: Jesus, Calvinism or Arminianism? Resolve the predestination question!”

Jesus: “Because I have chosen you from the foundation of the world,[10] you should choose this day whom you will serve.[11]”

Us: “So we should choose to be chosen?”

Jesus: (raises one eyebrow)

Me: “Jesus, just how involved can we be with entertainment?”

Jesus: “As it is written, ‘Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine that he drank.’”  (Daniel 1:8)

Us: “But all of his other food was from the king and it didn’t defile him.”

Jesus: “Hmmm.”

Us: “What do you think of our current immigration policies?”

Jesus: “Who is your neighbor?” #goodsamaritanstory

Us: “Both citizen and immigrant.”

Jesus: “What is the most merciful and loving approach for all of them?”

Us: THAT’S THE QUESTION I NEED ANSWERED!!!!

Me: “Jesus, who should I vote for?”

Jesus: As it is written, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.” (Proverbs 29:2)

* * * * *

I’ve been thinking about what we can learn from Jesus about when to not take sides and when to take sides, when to avoid a question and when to bluntly answer it, and how we live righteously in the midst of tension. Jesus does not give a template; He gives us examples.

The tax issue suggests some issues should be driving all of us back to the text over and over because it’s messy navigating how to be harmless as doves and wise as serpents[12] as children of the Kingdom living in an empire. As I understand it, their answer on the tribute tax would not necessarily place them outside or inside the kingdom of God. I suspect Jesus wanted them to take a stance with ‘clean hands and a pure heart’,[13] not a stance taken from fear of Rome – or love of Rome. Whatever they did, they dare not give to Caesar what ought to be given only to God.

It seems there are questions we will wrestle with as entire communities and perhaps never fully resolve. The Mishnah recorded the conclusions of both Hillel and Shammai, often at odds with each other, on how to live out their faith. Jesus didn’t say it was bad that the camps of Shammai and Hillel both existed. It was an opportunity for iron to sharpen iron[14]. In the end, they would have to study the text over and over, and surrender their hearts for God to search, and then talk. First the Word, and then the words.

The marriage issue suggests we are sometimes just wrong on issues that we feel passionately about because we haven’t studied enough, we have speculated about things we don’t understand, or we don’t understand God. Where was this going to send them? Back to the text, and then talk. First the Word, and then the words.

Once again, Jesus didn’t answer their question. In other cases where being in the kingdom was on the line – “you are making disciples of hell!!!”[15] - Jesus is much more explicit in his teaching. But it seems there are also times when the best solution is to press into the text yet again! JThen, we are better equipped to talk through it with each other.

As for the greatest commandment, Jesus definitively answers this one. I think it’s because if you get this one wrong, you are not going to understand God or the Kingdom of God. Notice, by the way, it’s the greatest commandment, suggesting other really great commandments. Shammai’s emphasis on Sabbath wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t the greatest. All the Law and the Prophets hinge on remembering to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Jesus lists two commandments, but says the Law the Prophets hinge on this commandment (singular), as if loving God and loving others cannot be separated. Love is lived. If we love God, we will live in such a way that His love for all passes through us to those around us. All of those around us.

If we can understand that, that would ground us in the midst of all our differences and questions. It will move us ever closer to or deeper into the kingdom of God as we live the love Jesus has shown us.

 _______________________________________________________________________________

[1] I owe a lot to Marty Solomon’s podcast at bemadiscipleship.com, episode 126, “Trapped By A Question.”

[2]  Hat Tip to Cambridge Bible For Schools and Colleges.

[3] HT Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

[4] Paul didn’t write that until later, but it seems to fit J (Romans 12:18)

[5] Hat tip to Pulpit Commentary

[6] In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the word for image in Genesis 1:26 is the same word. 

[7] Good reminder that knowing the right answers is not the same as being in the Kingdom of God. Perhaps this man is the wedding guest in Jesus’ previous parable, invited to the feast but lacking the wedding garments only the King can provide.

[8] James 1:26-27

[9] Romans 13

[10] Ephesians 1:4

[11] Joshua 24:15

[12] Matthew 10:16

[13] Psalm 24

[14] Proverbs 27:17

[15] Matthew 23:15

Harmony #81: The Feast of the King (Matthew 21:23 – 22:14)

At the beginning of Matthew 21, Jesus is welcomed as a Zealot Messiah when he arrives in Jerusalem, which causes him to weep for the city. The path of the Zealot was not going to bring his people peace. That urge was going to bring destruction, which happens in A.D. 70 when the Temple, the priesthood, and the Zealots are destroyed by Rome.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, he promptly cleansed the temple and withered a fig tree, which we noted was a visual representation of the lack of fruit of the Sadducees and a foreshadowing of the withering of the religious rulers (Sadducees) and the shift from the Temple in Jerusalem as the center of God’s fruit-bearing plan to the church, the new Temple of God, the new spiritual nation with a priesthood of all believers. (1 Peter 2:9)

To no one’s surprise, the Sadducees are going to promptly question his authority. This brings us into today’s text.

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

When Jesus went back into the temple he had just cleansed (#bold), the Sadducees basically asked, “Who made you a rabbi?” People couldn’t appoint themselves into that position. They would have trained for years under another rabbi who would then appoint them if he considered them worthy. The most likely rabbi of Jesus was John the Baptist, an Essene who had left the Sadducees because of their corrupt connection with Rome.

Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’  But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

After this, Jesus goes into three parables that stay on the theme started with the cleansing of the Temple and the withering of the fig tree. God’s plan for His Kingdom is going to be handed off to those who will actually build the Kingdom, who will actually display the fruit of righteousness for the world to see.

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.[2]

 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.[3] Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them.[4] ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’  So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

The listeners would know the parable was about God and his people because of Old Testament imagery, such as that found in Isaiah 5. However, Jewish listeners would not think they were the tenants in this parable. The tenants would be evil people - the Romans, who were trampling God’s vineyard. They were “wretches who deserve a wretched end.” Then, finally, the Sadducees will be in their full glory of leadership! But...

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? [5] “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people/nation[6] who will produce its fruit.[7] Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces;[8] anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”[9]

This is almost a direct quote from Isaiah 8, in which Isaiah described what happened when the people put their trust is Assyria rather that Yahweh, much like the Sadducees had put their trust in Rome. First, God gave them what they wanted – Assyria, who invaded them and almost won. The Sadducees got what they wanted – Rome – which is about to destroy them. Jesus was warning them in good rabbinical fashion not to forget what history had shown about seeking the power of empires rather than the power of God.

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come.

“Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.” ’

But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. The king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire.[10]

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ And those servants[11] went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.[12]And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” [13]

* * * * * 

1. Jesus’ primary concern is for the purity of His people.

He didn’t show up and cleanse a Roman temple filled with pagan worship. He cleansed His temple of its sinful mold. There is sooo much he could have said about the terrible fruit of Artemis and Zeus. He talked to the Sadducees about their terrible fruit; he told the Pharisees they were making disciples of Gehennah.

God’s plan for the world, starting with the children of Israel, was to place a holy group in the world that would be the center of a grassroots expansion of the lived-out Kingdom of God into all the world. They were to be a light to the nations; they were to be salt in society.

But Jesus once warned that if light becomes darkness, that darkness would be great. If God’s people aren’t the kind of people who represent God well, then a moldly kingdom could permeate all of society to the destruction of both the church and the culture. Making disciples under the banner of “Jesus” doesn’t guarantee that we are actually making disciples of Jesus.

 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who disregard God’s law.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

This is what is happening with the dude who had the wrong wedding clothes on.[14] In Jesus’ time, there was a code for wedding dress. Often the host would provide everyone with clothes so that the guests were clothed on the host’s terms. A guest didn’t get to say, “I’d like to join the feast on my terms.” We cannot have the kingdom on our own terms. The kingdom must shape our identity so that we have a whole different set of priorities, loves, and perspective as we surrender our heart, soul, mind and strength to the formation of the King.

Everyone was invited, but to feast, they had to put on the robes of the King, which are the righteousness provided through Jesus:

·  “Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,and let your saints shout for joy.” (Psalm 132:9)

·  “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” (Isaiah 61:10)

Righteousness = living in right relationship with God and others. Alec Motyer defines “righteous” as those “right with God and therefore committed to putting right all other relationships in life.” It’s God’s heart change demonstrated by a life change. God transforms our souls, and we express it in our skin. Amos 5 and Job 29 parallel righteousness with justice. Paul wrote,

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)

That’s what we will look like if we have indeed responded to the gospel invitation by dressing ourselves the way the King would have us dress.

What is the feast that nourishes us? Maybe think of the food as: 

·  Jesus, the Bread of life (John 6:35). We taste and see that the Lord is good. We commune with him like we commemorate when we take communion. We pray; we talk to God; we follow in His path to learn the goodness of His ways.

·  God’s Word taken seriously, ingested, digested, nourishing us. (Jeremiah 15:16)

·  The Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5) When we display that fruit, those around us feast on the fruits of our presence.

Bottom line: the wedding guests are living in God's space where God is king and where everything that is done is God's will. [15]

If we are not willing to be in spiritual space where God is king and we are committed to aligning ourselves with God’s will, we are not at the feast. We are always invited – many are called - but not all will take their seat – far too few take their place among the guests. 

Weddings were typically at night in Jesus’ time. Jesus gives this image of someone who wants to be part of the celebration being put out into the darkness, forced to watch the party from a distance. [16] I suppose he can put on the proper wedding attire that the king offers at any time – I assume the invitation is still open – but until then, the King will not compromise on the kind of robes one must have to sit at his table. It must be the King’s attire, on the King’s terms.

Initial responses are not ultimate responses. An initial refusal does not have to stay a refusal, and an initial agreement is not enough. The response to the invitation must be lived.[17] Do we live in an ongoing spiritual space where God is king and we are committed to aligning ourselves with God’s will? Are we dressed in the fashion of the King?

Jesus’ primary concern is for the purity of His people. The plan as I understand it is that God’s people, as salt and light, will carry that righteousness with which the King has covered them into all the world so that the world is, in fact, transformed. But that starts in the House of God. That starts in the Temple. That starts with us, in us.

2. The King’s servants gathered both bad and good.

·  Bad: “properly, pain-ridden, emphasizing the inevitable agonies (misery) that always go with evil.” (HELPS Word Studies) In Luke, the substitute guests are explicitly the poor and disabled (14:13), the marginalized of society. Jesus mentions tax collectors and prostitutes.

·  Good: “(agathós) describes what originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life, through faith.” (HELPS Word Studies)

You might think, “If they are both there, this is the opposite of what you just said. This doesn’t look like a consistently righteous crowd.” The king called the good and the bad, yes, but what do they all have in common now? The King has dressed them all  in righteous robes. They are with the King, at the King’s invitation, on the King’s terms.

I have been pondering something this week: do I, as a servant of the King, invite those “pain-ridden with the agony that comes from evil” into the Kingdom knowing that Jesus invites them into the Kingdom?

Do I live like Jesus by “eating with sinners” as part of the invitation to enjoy not only an earthly feast but a heavenly one? The kingdom is a banquet at which the expected are often absent and the unexpected are often longing to be present.[18] Am I so focused on what the unexpected currently look like covered in their current robes of sin, that I don’t think about what they couldlook like covered in robes of righteousness? To use a Prodigal Son analogy, am I so busy sneering at those lost in mud and finding their food in the garbage of the wages of sin that I forget our Heavenly Father longs to throw a party for the lost who have been found?

“The witness of the church should be characterized by the joy of inviting people to the banquet God has prepared, a banquet that is both present and future. Far too often the joy has been so muted that people are left with no pointers to the presence of the kingdom.   Do we not have the responsibility to offer the invitation with the announcement that all is ready? Should not the joy of the celebration of the kingdom be so evident that the invitation becomes compelling?   And should we not be alert enough to know that the invitation to those on the margins, whom we would not normally think of inviting, is essential?”  Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables Of Jesus, Klyne Snodgrass

 ____________________________________________________________________________

[1] This description echoes Isaiah 5, in the context of which Israel was the vineyard (Isa 5:7). The “tenants” are the chief priests and the elders.

[2] Which means the vineyard was bearing fruit. This parable is not going to condemn Judaism as fruitless; it’s going to condemn the Sadducees, the Jewish leaders in the Temple, reminiscent of the cursing of the fig tree i.e the Sadducees.

[3] Beat, killed, stoned is what the prophets experienced throughout OT history (1 Kings 18:4; Jer. 20:1–2).

[4] “Ancient hearers would have expected the landowner to seek to destroy the tenants before this point, and would regard the gesture of sending his son as naively gentle.” NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

[5] A quotation from Psalm 118:22-23.

[6] Check out Isaiah 61:1-6, which ends with. “Strangers will shepherd your flocks. Foreigners will work your fields and vineyards, and you will be called priests of the Lord.” In other words, a different people – Gentiles - will have the privilege of bringing in the harvest.

[7] The leaders have failed to carry out their obligations to God. Therefore their privileged role is being taken away and given to a people producing its fruits. The church will be a new “people” consisting of both Jews and Gentiles.

[8] Isaiah 8:13-15 “The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread. He will be a holy place; for both Israel and Judah he will be a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem…Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured.”

[9] On the stone as a messianic image, see Isa 28:16 and Dan 2:44-45.

[10] Snodgrass says, “Israel’s past is the lens through which the parable announces a warning of urgency and judgment on all those who oppose God.” Adam Clarke says, “Our Lord caused them to pass that sentence of destruction upon themselves which was literally executed about forty years after.”

[11] “The first group (v. 3) is interpreted to be Moses and those with him, while the second group (v. 4) is composed of the prophets…The third group (v. 9) represents the apostles sent to the Gentiles, those not initially invited, but now called.” Interesting perspective from the Orthodox Study Bible

[12] Proper clothing was often provided by the king (see Genesis 45 and Esther 6. Zephaniah 1:7-9 notes, “The Lord has prepared a sacrifice, he has invited his guests. And it shall come to pass, in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.”

[13] As Jennings put it, “All are called to enjoy the feast, but not all are willing to trust the Giver to provide the robe that fits for the feast.” Believers Bible Commentary

[14] “This might insinuate a person who wants to be a part of the celebration but not recognize God’s desire, design, or authority. He wants to be a part of God’s will, he just doesn’t want to do it God’s way.” (Marty Solomon)

[15] That’s the Bible Projects definition of the Kingdom of God/Heaven.

[16] “The Jewish marriages were performed in the night season, and the hall where the feast was made was superbly illuminated; the outer darkness means, therefore, the darkness on the outside of this festal hall; rendered still more gloomy to the person who was suddenly thrust out into it from such a profusion of light.” Adam Clarke

[17] Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide To The Parables Of Jesus, Klyne Snodgrass

[18] Matthew 7:21-23/Luke 13:25-27; Matthew 8:11-12/Luke 13:28-30; Matthew 11:25/Luke 10:21; Matthew 21:28-32, 43; 25:1-12, 31-46).

The Importance of Biblical Hospitality

(This message was given by Patrick Hill on September 1, 2024)

·

We are going to start with two parables in Matthew 13: 31-33

What is the point of these two parables? It would seem that Jesus is saying the Kingdom of God starts small but expands greatly. Mustard would have been a noxious plant in their fields and that yeast was almost always connected with negative things.  This would mean that the Kingdom of God is counterintuitive, it is not something the world seems to value or want. Lastly, we see that something is accomplished by that small thing:  birds of the air nest in the branches of the tree; all of the dough is leavened. 

And that is about as far as we can go with these passages thinking as westerners.  But there is more.  A Hebrew Rabbi would have taught on multiple levels and the original listeners would have been expecting that, especially with parables.

The first level is what we just talked about.  However, there are a few things that stick out at the surface level study.

• A mustard seed does not grow into a tree.  At best it grows into a low bush.  If it becomes a tree, one would assume birds would nest in the branches.  This detail seems redundant.

• Why do we need to know the exact amount of flour in the dough?  Wouldn’t it be enough to just say a lot? 

As westerners, we don’t like weird things and so we either ignore them or explain them away.  It is these odd things that a Hebrew would pick up on and explore because they know that there is something there.  What a Hebrew would ask themselves is: “Is there something in the text about this?”  And so we should ask the same thing, “Is there something related to this in the OT?”  This is the deeper level.

I would like us to focus on the parable of the yeast this morning but for context’s sake, let me tell you briefly about the first parable.

The parable of the mustard seed links up with a prophecy in Ezekiel 17 (starting in 22) where God is describing how He is going to bring them back from exile and plant them again in the promised land.  The reference to birds nesting is about how they will finally live out their mission to be a blessing to all nations.   We will come back to this.

Now what about the yeast?  The clue to the deeper level was the 3 measures or seahs of flour. So the question is, where in the OT is there a woman doing something with 3 seahs of flour?  There is only one place.  It is in the life of Abraham in Genesis 18. 

I’m not sure how much you know about the story of Abraham so let me give you some context.  Scripture calls him “the man of faith” as well as God’s friend. He followed God away from his family and clan and went to a land that God showed him, a land that would one day be Israel’s. God blesses him and says that He will be a father of many and be a blessing to all nations.  Abraham believes God. His faith isn’t perfect, but He trusts in God’s goodness, His provision, and His plan. 

It is in the middle of all this we drop into the story.  Abraham has just been renamed as Abraham.  God has promised Abraham that his wife Sarah will have a child even though she has been barren.  As a seal of all this, Abraham and all the males that work with and for him have been circumcised. 

Read Genesis 18:1-8.  Did you see the connection in there?  Let’s walk through this.

Abraham is sitting down, but when he sees 3 visitors, he immediately gets up and runs pell mell up to them and then what? He invites them to rest for a bit in the shade.  To get washed up.  To have a piece of bread.  Does Abraham know it is God?  We know that the Lord is visiting Abraham, but it is likely that he wouldn’t have known until later on.  The word lord is also just simply a term of respect and honor.  So that is his offer and they agree.  But then, what does he do? 

• 3 seahs of flour made into bread

• A whole calf prepared

• Curds and milk

§Now I want us to get the point of this.  For three visitors, three strangers, Abraham did a lot more than what he had offered.  Instead of a snack, he gave them a feast and not just a feast.  For 3 people, he prepared enough bread to make 192 Jimmy Johns Sandwiches.  He served about 330lbs of meat.  Plus however much curds and milk.  And then he doesn’t even eat! He stands like a waiter at the beck and call of the strangers. What the point here?  Abraham was paying attention and when the opportunity came, he showed radical hospitality to strangers. 

So let’s bring it back to the parables again. 

• The Kingdom of heaven is counterintuitive, it does not share the values of this world nor does the world value it.

• The Kingdom of heaven is something that starts small but grows and expands, accomplishing its mission to be a blessing to all people.

• The Kingdom of heaven grows and expands by means of faith expressing itself in hospitality toward others, especially those who have no claim on us. 

And Jesus said that the Kingdom of heaven was here now.  We, as the church, are part of it.  Having looked at what we just did, think about how it connects to the following scriptures:

Hebrews 13:1-3 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Matt 25:31-40, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Rev 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Hospitality is a big deal to God.  All over the scriptures, we see it commanded and lived out in the stories of the Old and New Testament and especially in the life and ministry of Jesus.  These passages we just studied and read show us pictures of what hospitality looks like.  That is what an easterner does with words.  But we are westerners, so let me give a working definition of hospitality:

Hospitality is using your resources to see, hear, and value other people, especially those you don’t know well.  It is doing whatever you can to make people feel welcome and at home. 

·How do you show Hospitality.?

• Notice people.  Think about how they might be doing, what their life might be like.  Be a student of people, paying attention to body language and behavior, in order to discern how you might be helpful to them.  I’m not suggesting that you need to engage with every person you see, but rather to make noticing people a part of your lifestyle, your posture.

• Listen to others.  I mean really listen, not distracted by other things including thinking about what you are going to say next.  Engage with others in such a way as to hear the cries of their heart. That usually looks like asking questions to go deeper or further.  Empathize - rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.  I have found that more than anything, people need to feel heard. 

• o Value people.  Noticing them and listening are certainly part of this, but it goes further.  It means being fully present with them and genuinely caring for them.  You are an image bearer of God and someone for whom Christ died.  And the fact is, so is every single person you will ever run across.    

• It also means serving others.  Making them feel at home.  Treating them as VIP’s and putting their needs ahead of yours.  

None of this has to be big.  It’s mostly about the small things we do on a regular basis that add up and even multiply into something that is big.  What would make you feel at home?  What makes you feel seen and heard and valued?  What is one thing you could do differently starting today in your home, at work or school, even here?  Might I make a couple suggestions for here?

• Put down roots here.  Claim this body as your home church, as your church family.  We already have a reputation for being friendly.  Way to go!  Let’s make it a place people want to stay once they’ve come

• Showing up at 10 to 10 on a Sunday morning:  It values those who put so much effort into making service happen.  More than that, it allows us to be present for everyone new that may come.  What kind of welcome is an empty auditorium at the start of service? 

• Everyone can take it upon themselves to notice people they haven’t met and engage with them.  As Anthony always says for potlucks, don’t let anyone sit alone. Speaking of potlucks, what if we each did our best to make sure there was enough good food for everyone to eat and be satisfied. 

• ·Learn how to check-in with others and practice it. As I said before, one of people’s greatest needs is to be seen and heard.  The Check-in Rhythm that we have talk about before is a great tool for that.

• If you aren’t already, strongly consider serving in one of the ministries of the church.  Every single area directly affects how hospitable we are to others:  from working with the kids, to communication, to greeting, and even helping Pete with maintenance. 

And again, I want to make sure I am clear.  There are a number of you who work hard to make CLG a hospitable place.  Thank you.  My invitation today, though is for each one of us to recognize and accept our part in this church family to make it as radically hospitable as Abraham so that others might find God, Find His Way, together with us. 

Passages/resources/sources:

·      Genesis 18-19, Luke 7:36-50, Ezekial 17

·      BEMA Podcast, episodes 11 & 111

·      https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/custom-beef-processing-expected-yields.html

Harmony #79: Fruit, Mold and Mountains (Matthew 21:10-22; John 12:17-19; Mark 11:11-24; Luke 19:45-46)

Let’s talk about figs and fig trees in the Bible.

·   “How miserable I am! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger. The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth. They are all murderers, setting traps even for their own brothers.” (Micah 7:1-2)

·  “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the ‘first ripe’ in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.” (Hosea 9:10)

·   “For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, the teeth of a great lion. He has laid my vine [Judah] waste, and barked my fig tree...” (Joel 1:6-7) 

·   “The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master/lord will be honored.” (Proverbs 27:18)

So, figs and fig trees are used throughout the Old Testament as a symbol for God’s people, and sometimes very specifically the leaders. In addition, sitting under one’s own fig tree became a common OT image of the Israelite enjoying freedom and prosperity in the land (2 Kings 18:31; Isaiah 36:16; Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10); meanwhile, its destruction was a symbol of the nation’s judgment (Jeremiah 5:17; Hosea 2:12; Joel 1:7, 12).

We are going to read an interesting incident in the life of Jesus today, one in which he performs his only recorded “miracle of destruction.” He is going to kill a fig tree. It feels a little jarring because it seems petty and a little mean, like Jesus had a really bad day and he just did not have time for this stupid fig tree!

However, this story wraps around a visit to the temple where the “fig tree” of the leaders of His people are defiling the temple. I am going to suggest that Jesus’ treatment of the fig tree tells his disciples something very important about the future of the Temple and the Sadducees. Let’s read the passage, then talk about what Jesus was doing with the fig tree.

As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.” So the crowd who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were continuing to testify about it.

Because they had heard that Jesus had performed this miraculous sign, the crowd went out to meet him. Thus the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you can do nothing. Look, the world has run off after him!” Then Jesus went to the temple. And after looking around at everything, he went out to Bethany with the twelve since it was already late.

Now early in the morning  the next day, as they went out from Bethany and returned to the city, Jesus was hungry.[1]After noticing in the distance by the road a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it.

When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again. Never again will there be fruit from you!” And his disciples heard it.

Apparently, fig trees put out leaves and fruit pretty close together. If it has leaves, it should have some kind of fruit. Even before it is “the season for figs,” there are these little early figs that let you know the harvest will happen (the ‘first ripe’ in Hosea 9). They are like a teaser trailer for the upcoming show. This seems to be what is happening. Not only is this tree lying about its fruitfulness, it’s not going to bear fruit when the season hits.

Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,[2] and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.[3]

Then Jesus began to teach them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!”[4] The blind and lame came to him in the temple courts, and he healed them.[5]

But when the chief priests and the experts in the law saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?”

Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?”[6] The chief priests and the experts in the law heard it and they considered how they could assassinate him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching.

When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there. In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered to the roots.” When the disciples saw it they were amazed, saying, “How did it wither so quickly?”[7]

Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and do not doubt in your heart but believe that what you say will happen, it will be done for you.[8] For this reason I tell you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”[9]

THE TEMPLE AND THE FIG TREES (SADDUCEES)

During Passover, hundreds of thousands of Jewish pilgrims would travel to Jerusalem. They would have to exchange their own currency for temple currency and purchase animals and other items for sacrifices. Guess who controlled this whole process? The Sadducees.

You may remember that ever since the Sadducees asked Herod to be the King of the Jews to appease Rome, the priesthood was a political system controlled by Herod. Instead of priests descending from Zadok (1 Chronicles 24), the empire selected the high priests. As you might expect, this led to bribes and corruption, with the chief priests, captains and treasurers of the temple becoming wealthy and influential families who formed a small, powerful group within society with their own little group of thugs #templeguard to make sure they got their way.[10]

They raised the sacrificial animals, sold them, changed the money (for profit), etc. It was a huge money grift. And they did it in a part of the temple where the Gentiles were supposed to be able to worship.

It seems that Jesus cleared the Temple courtyards twice: once at the beginning of his ministry and once at the end. In Levitical law, there was only one scenario for which God’s people need to do a cleansing twice: mold. If after the first cleansing the priests found no more mold, the house was cleansed again and then the family can move back in. However….

If the mold has spread on the walls, he is to order that the contaminated stones be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside the town. He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped and the material that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the town.[11] Then they are to take other stones to replace these and take new clay and plaster the house.

If the defiling mold reappears in the house after the stones have been torn out and the house scraped and plastered, the priest is to go and examine it and, if the mold has spread in the house, it is a persistent defiling mold; the house is unclean.  It must be torn down—its stones, timbers and all the plaster—and taken out of the town to an unclean place. (Leviticus 14: 39-45)[12]

Or, to use Jesus’ fig tree imagery, it must be withered to the root.

It turns out that Jesus’ triumphal entry took Jesus to the heart of first-century Judaism: the temple, where Sadducee and Temple trees had lots of leaves - and mold, and no fruit. There was nothing to feed and nourish God’s people. It was maybe even toxic and destructive. They were clearly not being the “light to the nations” that God intended of His people.[13]

I believe the destruction of the fig tree was a tangible rabbinic parable that his disciples understood as pointing to the coming destruction of the priesthood and Temple, “withered to the roots.”[14]

This would indicate two things.

• The rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem will no longer be a goal of redemptive history. The New Covenant Temple is the church in which all are priests (2 Corinthians 6; 1 Peter 2) and believers in whom the Holy Spirit dwells (1 Corinthians 3).

• What we now call Judaism will no longer be the primary carrier of the good news that the Kingdom of Heaven is here. It’s meant to be the church: the new temple, with a new priesthood.[15] This does not mean we don’t appreciate and learn from the beautiful foundation of the Old Covenant – they were God’s chosen people - but the mantle has been passed, like Elijah to Elisha, to the New Covenant people.

We must take this seriously. We are not immune from the dangers facing the followers of God in the time of Jesus. We are called to ‘be fruitful and multiply,’ to produce fruit of righteousness that draws the nations to Jesus with words and lives free of hypocrisy, greed, and the love of power.

It struck me yesterday that the Jewish people’s greatest threat had never been other nations in the Bible. It was always themselves. Babylon could take their bodies into exile, and Egypt could enslave them, and Rome could kill them, but the mold that withered them to the root came from within. Say what we will about the course of this country depending how elections go and what the future may look like for followers of Jesus, but nothing out there threatens the church as much as the mold of false and corrupted worship threatens the church.

We are called to not only be God’s temple but to keep His Temple, the church, holy: set apart, pure, full of truth and grace, characterized by generosity, humility, and the kind of love that is will to be broken and spilled out for others in honor of our Savior.

We may will need His cleansing power at times to drive out sin from our personal and corporate temples.  The mold has got to go. Pride. Greed. Unforgiveness. Immorality. Gossip. Slander. Division. Judgment. Untruth. Meanness. Pettiness.

Nothing should get between us and our mission: to glorify the goodness of God with the entirety of our lives, and to demonstrate in all that we do the compelling message of salvation, life and hope that is grounded in Jesus and experienced in His church. I like how Adam Clarke summarizes what Jesus was doing here.

“Having condemned the profane use of the temple, he now shows the proper use of it. It is a house of prayer, where God is to manifest his goodness and power in giving sight to the spiritually blind, and feet to the [spiritually] lame. The church in which the [spiritually] blind and the lame are not healed has no Christ in it, and is not worthy of attendance.” (Adam Clarke)

That’s not scripture, but I think it’s inspired in its own way. I know I’m convicted as I apply that to myself.

• When people are around me who are spiritually struggling or lost, are they healed as I show the presence of Christ in me – God’s truth, grace, love, hope, kindness – or are they hurt?

• Did they pick up some mold from being around me? Or do they leave with maybe a little mold gone, or at least some tools to get rid of it, because the Holy Spirit has worked in our time together?

• Am I just leafy – because I can put on a show if I need to – or is the fruit of the Holy Spirit evident such that my attitudes, words, thoughts, and actions nourish those in my presence with the goodness of God’s provision?

I urge you to consider this for yourself. With your family, you friends, at work, when you are here on Sundays and Wednesdays,

What is the fruit you demonstrate in your character or offer as a service to those around you – not as a show, but as a gift of nourishment in Christ?

What might be the mold clinging to you that Jesus needs to cleanse? What needs to be driven out lest you begin to wither?

If you think this sounds like a daunting task, it is. Good news: Jesus tells his disciples what to do right here in this passage. If the disciples demonstrate faith in God – if they live faithfully - they can remove the mountainous problem of fruitlessness and mold.

When rabbis told parables[16], they wanted a physical representation to make their point. Jesus is likely standing on the Mount of Olives with the Herodian and the Temple Mount in sight. He is probably pointing toward one of these. I lean toward the Herodian, but it’s not a hill I will die on J Why? Because “faith” almost always means “faithfulness” – trust in action – and the Herodian gives a prime example of what seemingly insurmountable hurdles can in fact be conquered when we put one foot in front of the other over and over in the service of a cause.

The Herodian was a mountain fortress overlooking the town of Bethlehem built on a mountain Herod had commanded be literally moved from one location to the place he wanted it to be. One shovelful at a time. If you think of faithfulness as “steadfast commitment,” that’s what it took to literally move a mountain.

Jesus once told his disciples that faith as small as a mustard seed could move mountains. He wanted his followers to know that our lived out faith can accomplish far more than the most amazing earthly feats. You’re impressed that Herod, a ruler of the Empire, moved a mountain? Wait until you see what can be moved with the authority and power of the ruler of the universe behind the faithful witness of your life.

You know what’s more amazing than moving a mountain of stone?

• Being freed from addiction.

• Learning how to control your words.

• Having pride replaced with humility.

• Learning how to really, truly love that person.

• Becoming patient when you have been characterized by impatience for so long.

• Learning to see people as imago dei instead of objects of lust.

• Being moved from greed to generosity.

• Replacing a reputation for being caustic and rude with a reputation for being kind.

• Seeing the fruit of the Spirit[17] – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – replace the mold of sin.

To go back to today’s text, what about that mountain of fruitlessness, mold, and hypocrisy? Is it even possible to move that mountain? Yes, and the disciples will show that in the book of Acts. They will faithfully go into all the world and preach the Gospel. Historians believe the Christian population grew by 40 percent a decade: probably about 1,000 Christians in AD 40 to 33 million in AD 350.

Mountains are moved when Jesus works within our lived out faith. I like the old joke, “How do you eat an elephant? One spoonful at a time.” How do we move mountains? One faithful shovel at a time, one righteous moment after another, whether it’s in our individual lives, our church life, or our concern for our nation.

And may God, who is a Good Father, be so good as to cleanse His Temple for our good, the good of the world, and God’s glory.

________________________________________________________________________________

[1] “Recalls God’s statement that his bringing Israel out of Egypt was like the joy of finding early figs and his later complaint that Israel’s idolatry and injustice rendered the nation barren and without justice (Hos 9:7–17; Mic 6:1—7:6)…In spite of God’s gift of his law and the land, and his presence now in Jesus, Israel and its leaders have failed to produce the justice and mercy God desires…Jesus, as Israel’s Lord, enacts that image in fulfillment of Malachi’s threatened curse upon the land (Mal 4:6) and hence his following announcement of the destruction of the temple.” (NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible)

[2] The cleansing of the temple by Jesus is reminiscent of how kings like Hezekiah (2 Chr 29–31) and Josiah (2 Chr 34–35) repaired the temple prior to the celebration of Passover. (NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible)

[3] This is the second time Jesus has cleansed the Temple courtyard, reminiscent of Jeremiah twice cursing the temple (Jeremiah 7 and 26). There are soooo many Old Testament hyperlinks in the life and teaching of Jesus.

[4] “Perhaps ‘robbers’ should be translated ‘nationalist rebel’ (as in Jeremiah 7:11). The temple was meant to be a house of prayer, but… had become, like the first temple, the premier symbol of a superstitious belief that God would protect and rally his people irrespective of their conformity to his will.” (Expositors Bible Commentary)

[5] “Most Jewish authorities forbade any person lame, blind, deaf, or mute from offering a sacrifice or appearing before the Lord in his temple. But Jesus heals them, thus showing that "one greater than the temple is here" (12:6).

[6] Jesus here quotes the Greek of Psalm 8:2; Hebrew reads “strength” instead of “praise.”

[7] When they say, “How did you do it so quickly?” I tend to think they knew what Jesus was doing and are wondering how the Sadducees will be dealt with so quickly. They will be in AD 70, when the Temple and the Sadducees are destroyed.

[8] The Eastern Orthodox tradition is all in on the literalness of this. “While it is not recorded that an apostle literally moved a mountain, the Fathers are clear that they had this authority if the need had arisen (certain saints did make crevices appear in mountains). Furthermore, not everything the apostles accomplished was written down.” Orthodox Study Bible) I love the “not everything was written down.” This would suggest they might have moved mountains, but it never made it into the historical record, as if moving the mountain was never the point. I don’t prefer a literalist reading of this teaching, but I appreciate their bold and confident perspective.

[9] NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible

[10] HT NIV Women’s Study Bible

[11] I suspect the ‘unclean place’ in Jesus time was the Valley of Hinnom, Gehenna, which Jesus references multiple times as a place of punishment and destruction.

[12] Side note: Jesus is about to tell some parables that include this kind of cleansing in which people are cast out to places of judgment, very similar to this scenario.

[13] “The tree is fully leafed, and in such a state one would normally expect to find fruit. This symbolizes the hypocrisy and sham of the nation of Israel. The “withered” fig tree likely stands for the nation’s coming destruction.” (NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible)

“The tree with its leaves had the marks of fruitfulness, but it bore no fruit. Israel was likewise practicing hypocrisy (Mk 7:6)…Jesus might also have been illustrating religious hypocrites like the ones he had thrown out of the temple.” (NIV Women’s Study Bible)

“There were leaves, which speak of profession, but no fruit for God. Jesus was hungry for fruit from the nation.” (Believers Bible Commentary)

[14] HT NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible

[15] ESV Reformation Study Bible

[16]  “Many of the rabbins are termed rooters up of mountains, because they were dexterous in removing difficulties, solving cases of conscience, etc. In this sense our Lord's words are to be understood. He that has faith will get through every difficulty and perplexity. Mountains shall become molehills or plains before him. The saying is neither to be taken in its literal sense, nor is it hyperbolical: it is a proverbial form of speech.” (Adam Clarke)

 [17] Galatians 5

What Does a Healthy Spirit-Filled, Spirit-Empowered Church Look Like?

(This message was given by Julie Eickenroth. Thatnks,Julie!)

Key scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12, 13 & 14 

Other scriptures: Ephesians 4:16, 1 Peter 4:10, Luke 11:11, Matt. 7:9-11 

🖉

Good morning, dear family! Thank you, Anthony, for offering me the honor of  sharing with you guys today. So let’s jump right in ... Let’s talk today about what a healthy Spirit-filled, Spirit-empowered church  looks like. 

I grew up in this church when it was the leading “Charismatic” worshiping  church in the area - cutting edge, contemporary worship (my husband Dave was  a forerunner in worship).  The baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit were emphasized and  practiced.  Some of you were here then. Some of you are new to our history.  

We were all young and on fire and passionate about the Holy Spirit and  the gifts and worship. It was wonderful.  We were also young and immature.  Truthfully, at times we kinda sucked at relationships. ☺ Sometimes we were pretty hard on each other.  

You’d think that “healthy” and “Spirit-filled/ Spirit-empowered” are automatically  synonymous, right? My experience has been “not necessarily”.  We just didn’t know much yet about healthy spiritual community and healthy  relationships. And babies make messes. ☺ We -- leaders, everybody -- all did what we were taught and what had been  modeled for us. Probably most churches are like that.  Sometimes you just don’t know what you don’t know. You know?  

We have grown SO much since then.  A lot of that growth has been through painful experience ... painful mistakes - and we made a lot of them ...  But over time, thank God, we grew from those painful mistakes.  I am super proud of our leadership here - not all of whom were here back then  - but who took the lead in helping us grow up - because they personally committed  to it - they humbled themselves and have worked hard at it.

And gradually what they were learning and teaching us and modeling for us  began to permeate the atmosphere and culture of our community. It’s a much healthier place now, where authenticity, vulnerability and  commitment to growth and to each other are a real priority.  We are truly becoming a beautiful spiritual FAMILY.  

So lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what would it really look like for a  community of believers to function in the Spirit’s power and gifts ~ AND ~  be relationally healthy - a safe place full of kindness and love. Reflecting the heart of Jesus in all we do together and in our community.  

Our Christian faith is at its core a deeply relational faith.  Because GOD is a relational God.  Therefore His Book is relational book.  The core doctrine of Christianity IS relationship.  LOVE. Healthy love in all its forms.  I believe God wants to bring correction and balance to our perspective on the  Holy Spirit and His gifts in the context of healthy spiritual community life - as it always should have been.  

Today we’re going to ground our discussion in 1 Corinthians 12, 13 &14,  as well as a few other scripture passages. 🖉 These three chapters in 1 Corinthians will give us a broad & brief overview or  framework, then we’ll home in on several specific passages that will address what a  healthy, Spirit-filled, Spirit-empowered church can look like.  

There are two main purposes for the gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in  Scripture:  

1. To empower the preaching of the Gospel and endorse it with signs and  wonders. (REF: Matt 28:16-20, Luke 24:44-53, Acts 2:1-13)  In Jesus’ own ministry, miracles, signs and wonders followed His  preaching the Gospel. He actually functioned in ALL the gifts. Everything  He did in His life and ministry on earth, He modeled for US. I love that. ☺ 

2. To empower the church to help each other heal and grow up into mature love.   (REF: 1 Cor. 12, Ephesians 4:16, 1 Peter 4:10)

Today we’re going to focus on the second, but definitely not lesser purpose of the  gifts - the body building itself up in love. ... but more importantly, to put the gifts and the Holy Spirit’s work among us  in the proper context of our community life together.  

First, a disclaimer ... I am aware there is a lot of controversy over whether the gifts  of the Spirit are for today - a doctrine or belief known as cessationism. There is a  good deal of fear, ignorance, and unbelief surrounding the gifts, not to mention  abuse and misuse. However, establishing the context like that will take too long to get to my main  theme today so I have put some comments about this into an addendum at the end  of the notes. Perhaps we can have more conversation on these things in MessagePlus or  maybe even have a future class on this topic.  

Because it’s definitely a conversation worth having, to revive our proper  understanding of the Holy Spirit’s gifts in the life of the church, and in the  Great Commission.  Now - back to the overview of our texts in 1 Corinthians. Let’s look at the themes of chapter 12, 13, & 14 ... we’ll go back and forth  between them a bit in our discussion.

Picture the three chapters as a group, like a HINGE ...  

• 1 Cor 12: A list of the Holy Spirit’s gifts and a picture of the beautiful body  of Christ, and how we are to regard and treat one another in community. These themes are very tightly linked by Paul in this chapter. 

• 1 Cor 14: This chapter outlines the proper, orderly and responsible  function of the gifts in the context of corporate worship.  (We won’t spend any time in ch. 14 today other than to note it, because it’s more  important to establish the main points I want to focus on.) 

• 1 Cor. 13: the famous “love chapter”, I call this the “hinge” chapter - -- the critical chapter upon which chapter 12 and 14 turn.  

We’ll come back to ch. 13 in a minute.

CHAPTER 12 

Paul starts ch. 12 with: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want  you to be uninformed.” (be ignorant, misunderstand, be unaware)  

V. 4-6 says there are “varieties of gifts, service, and activities” that are given and empowered by the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God.  

V. 7 - then clearly links “the manifestation of the Spirit” in the various gifts to  serving one another, saying they are for “the common good” of the body. 

Then he lists the various kinds of gifts (NOT an exhaustive list of the gifts here): 

• the word of wisdom  

• the word of knowledge 

• faith 

• healing 

• working of miracles 

• various kinds of tongues (there are several) 

• interpretation of tongues  

... and says these are all empowered by one and the same Spirit, Who gives  these gifts AS He wills, to WHOM He wills. 

Next is Paul’s description of how critically important each person in the body  is to the whole body, to our family life together. 🖉[SLIDE] (1 Cor. 12: 12-21)✂ 

2 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For  we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we  were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part, but of many. 

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to  the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in  the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need  you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 

• we are all baptized by one Spirit 

• we were all given one Spirit to drink 

• we cannot reject/dismiss ourselves - “I don’t belong to the body!” • we cannot reject/dismiss others with contempt - “I don’t need you!” 

Now before we look at the next passage, vs. 22-26 ... I’m going to pause here and go back to 1 Cor. 13 for a minute.After discussing the Holy Spirit and His gifts to the Body of Christ, Paul then  points us to what he calls “the more excellent way”,with LOVE being the “more excellent way”.  

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 was written some 2000 years ago, yet this list actually represents  many of the doctrinal emphases we see in the body of Christ today.  

• speaking with tongues 

• prophecy 

• spiritual knowledge of mysteries 

• other kinds of knowledge 

• faith – we see a lot about the word of faith movement these days • serving the poor 

• sacrificial martyrdom 

These could be characterized as “open hand” issues ... things about which we  personally can feel passionate and convinced, but are not central to the core of our  faith (“closed hand” issues). Paul says of all these things - they are nothing without LOVE.  Even faith, serving the poor, and martyrdom are nothing WITHOUT LOVE! 

The rest of Ch. 13 then tells us how each of us should look as we grow up and  begin to bear the fruit of mature love over time. 

Faith, hope and love ... and the greatest of these is LOVE. 

Because you can have faith - and not have love.  

And you can have hope - and not have love. 

But when hope and faith falter or fail, God’s love is what will carry us. 

And now we’ll circle back to my favorite passage and the other main point today.  

Paul talks about how we are to treat each other ... specifically, “the weak among  us”. 

1 Corinthians 12:22-26:  

22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary [indispensable]. 23 And the parts we regard as less  honorable [immodest] are those we clothe with the greatest care [modesty].  So we carefully protect [cover] those parts that should not be seen, 24while the  more honorable [presentable] parts do not require this special care.  

So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to  those parts that have less dignity [honor]. 25 This makes for harmony among the  members, so that all the members care for each other [have the same concern]. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the  parts are glad. 

“Weak” here doesn’t mean weak morally ... it simply means infirm, feeble, more  easily fatigued or injured, more easily affected with disease, etc.  God does not have contempt for weakness, so neither should we. (And honestly, sometimes our greatest strengths can become our greatest weakness  ... so there’s that. ☺) 

I love this passage ... the idea of adding honor to those who aren’t typically  honored, but instead marginalized, while those who are more gifted, talented,  attractive, charismatic, etc., need no special honor added to them. So what does that love look like? Now we come to the main point: 

Who might be “the weak among us”? Just a partial list, I’m sure you could think of more ... 

• The elderly - treasures stored up in their hearts that they could still be offering  to the body of Christ with just a little support  

• People who struggle with mental illness, depression, personality disorders • Women / children - certain interpretations of doctrine have marginalized and  degraded women ... and we all know what Jesus had to say about causing  little ones to stumble 

• The poor 

• The abused, traumatized, people with PTSD  

• The orphaned, abandoned, and lonely 

• Single parents 

• Women who’ve had abortions or are being pressured to have an abortion • Unmarried for whatever reason (single, widowed, circumstances, wounding) • Folks who live with chronic illness or disability  

🖉What do you do when a person’s illness or disability doesn’t yield to  our strongest, most faith-filled prayers? Too often I have seen people discarded marginalized or treated with contempt or distain and accused of   not having enough faith. I experienced this myself when I was diagnosed with breast cancer years ago.

Obviously we are to treat EVERYONE with kindness and honor.  But for the gifted, the strong, the attractive, etc. = “No extra honor is needed” Instead, we can add honor to “the weak among us”  So how can we add honor to “the weak among us”? A few suggestions: (There could be a LOT more -- MessagePlus?): 

• Ask the Holy Spirit to examine our own heart for judgments that would  cause our heart to grow cold/distant, to move away from people we don’t agree  with, or may have hidden pockets of fear or contempt for. 

The Holy Spirit will happily point out these areas if you ask Him.  Sometimes He’ll point them out even if you don’t ask Him. ☺

• Sit with people. Ask them, “What’s your life like? What’s it like to be you?”  Then listen -- and listen some more. Don’t preach, don’t scold, don’t cheerlead  -- sometimes even our most enthusiastic encouragement and cheerleading isn’t  what’s needed so much as LISTENING.  

To loosely quote from Dr. Dan Allender: “You don’t need five letters after your name to sit with people and hear their stories.” 

You guys know me. I love to teach, to exhort, build people up, to cheerlead. But sometimes my “coach” or “teacher-y vibe” isn’t what’s needed.  A dear friend taught me that some years ago. She shared her deepest heart  and pain ... I started teaching her about judgments ... and watched her deflate  and crumple in on herself. “Too many words, too many words”, she whispered.  In that moment, when she was being triggered in her pain, WORDS wre not  what she needed. She needed me to LISTEN.  

I could have been offended, but the Holy Spirit caught my heart in that  moment. Was this about her pain and her need in the moment - or my ego? So I asked her to teach me how to listen to her.  Since then she has honestly, courageously, and faithfully taught me how to  listen, to attune to what she needs. In return, she has been a great friend to me  as well. 

• Educate yourself. Read up on trauma and its long term effects on people.  Study up on autism. Go to an AA or NA meeting with a friend in recovery.  Volunteer at Thrive. You get the idea.  

• Then walk along with them. Go to them, don’t wait for them to call you.  Include them. Invite them. Invite yourself.  

It’s not always easy to sit with or walk along over the long-term with people  who have been abused, traumatized, marginalized, judged and dismissed for  various reasons. Sometimes we don’t know what to do or say. We don’t know  how to relieve or heal their pain and loss. Press in, anyway.  This stretches our love. But without exposing our hearts to opportunities to  grow with each other, our love remains thin and weak. All relationships require  RISK.  

Ultimately, the true measure of the Holy Spirit’s gifts and work among us is  defined best by our love and service to the weakest among us. 

1 Peter 4:10: "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve  others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."

Ephesians 4:16: “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part  does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow so that the whole body is  healthy, growing, and full of love.” (NLT) 

The Lord gave me a word years ago.  “I WILL pour my Spirit out on this church again,  but I’m teaching them to love first.”  That’s happening now. There is a powerful move of the Spirit at work in our  midst RIGHT NOW. The Holy Spirit is moving -- lives are quietly, but powerfully  being transformed RIGHT NOW. Is it happening on the platform or at the altar  every Sunday? Not so much as it’s taking place in our check-in groups ... I’m  seeing people being transformed in these groups right before my very eyes.  

The mighty Holy Spirit doesn’t need platforms ... He needs PEOPLE. 

Addendum Notes 

1. The gifts are for today.  

I am aware there is a discussion in the church whether the Holy Spirit’s gifts are for  today or whether they ceased with the establishment of the early church. This belief  is called “cessationism”. If you’re not familiar with it, you can read up on the  controversy, there’s lots of info online about this controversy.  

Personally, I see much evidence in Scripture that the endowment of the Spirit’s gifts  on the church are for today.  

Here are just a few Scriptures that point to that fact:  

• Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever . • 1 Cor. 12:11 says “the Holy Spirit gives His gifts as He wills, to whom He  wills”, as we saw in our text today.  

• 1 Cor. 12:7 states the gifts are given “for the common good” .  • If the Spirit’s gifts are given for “the common good” of the body of Christ, then  why could that have ceased with the early church? If anything, we need His  gifts now more than ever. 

• Romans 11:29 says “His gifts and callings are without repentance  [irrevocable]”, which means He hasn’t revoked the giving of His gifts after  the founding of the early church.  

• The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, Comforter, Counselor, and Helper.  He will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and the coming judgment. He  will teach us everything He hears from Jesus and lead us into all truth (John  16.7–15). 

2. We need not be afraid of the Holy Spirit’s gifts.  

Matthew 7:9-11 - For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and  to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him  for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how  much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask  him! 

Luke 11:9-13:9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will  find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and  the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What  father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, 

know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly  Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” 

The Holy Spirit is "the good gift" the Father has given us! 

Therefore the Holy Spirit is the “Good Gift” Who gives good gifts! 

~ bread vs. stone: God will give us something to nurture and feed us,  not something cold, hard, and dead 

~ fish vs. snake: He will not give us anything that will lead us into deception. ~ egg vs. scorpion: He will not give us anything stinging or deadly. 

The gifts of the Spirit are just that: GIFTS. They are not to be dishonored, ignored,  shamed, marginalized. Many are ignorant or fearful of the gifts due to misuse or  abuse. Some is simply due to immaturity and lack of training and experience.  

I love what Graham Cooke says: 

“The answer to abuse or misuse of the gifts 

is not NON-use, but PROPER use.” 

We are to grow in the gifts just like we grow in anything else - in our faith, our  knowledge of the Word, in love - WITH PRACTICE.  

Wrong use of the gifts:  

• to promote people and give them a platform 

• to monetize ministry and enrich them 

• to control and abuse others (God forbid!)  

The Holy Spirit and His gifts are not meant to be merely displays of the Spirit's  power to impress others (each other and the world), or to puff ourselves up, or to  monetize their use to enrich ourselves (like in many platform ministries). 

Again, GOD FORBID. 👓 

The Holy Spirit’s beautiful, mighty gifts were given to serve God’s people, to help  us grow up into mature love, and to help us bring the lost to Jesus Christ.  

With our natural gifts and talents, the Holy Spirit’s gifts are meant to help us serve  one another so we all grow in love and wisdom as the living, breathing expression  of God's love in the world.  

All power - whether the immense power given to us by God in the form of free will,  or whether His mighty supernatural power, must be rooted and grounded in love or  it will inevitably be misused or abused.  

Then the Holy Spirit adds His empowerment to our lives to help us do what we  cannot do in our own strength. But always, always, always, ALL power must be  rooted and grounded in love.

Harmony #78: Mary, Martha, and Jesus (John 11:55-12:11; Matthew 26:6-16; Mark 14:3-11; Luke 10: 38-42)

Have you heard the phrase, “Can’t see the forest for all of the trees?” Today’s passage has a lot of trees. We will look at them first, because those trees have something to offer, and then the forest, because the Big Picture matters.

Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually. Thus they were looking for Jesus, and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts,“What do you think? That he won’t come to the feast?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should report it, so that they could arrest him.

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom he had raised from the dead. While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, they prepared a dinner for him there. Lazarus was among those present at the table with him. Martha was serving, distracted with all the preparations she had to make, while her sister Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. Martha came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.”

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her.”

This incident apparently happens after Lazarus was raised from the dead. Martha is doing what anyone would do who had a distinguished guest: seeking to honor him by taking care of him. I mean, HE RAISED HER BROTHER FROM THE DEAD.

This was crucial. When Jesus talks with her, his approach suggests he is not mad or scolding. He may even be saying, “I see how much you are worried about honoring me well.” Mary “chose the best part,” as if what Martha chose was good, but not the highest good in that moment.[1]

Today, we might reference a personality test or a love language test to explain their different responses to Jesus. “Oh, Martha is acts of service. Mary is quality time.” Jesus, who knows how to love well, speaks their love language.  What did Jesus give Mary? Quality time. What did and will Jesus give Mary in raising Lazarus and dying on the cross? Acts of service. So I don’t think this is a blanket criticism of Martha. There’s something about the moment, the timing, the opportunity right in front of her.

I wonder if this has something to tell us about “be with” Jesus contrasted with “do for” Jesus. Both are good, but neither is a template for every moment. In that moment, it was better to “be with.”

We must remember that there is a place for “be with” and “do for” as we follow Jesus. Both honor Jesus. Both have an important place. We want to be with Jesus and live for Jesus, right? He’s going to give all the disciples marching orders when he leaves; he’s already sent them out on short missions. “Do for” is a good thing, but it’s not the only thing, and it can’t be isolated from “be with.”

It’s hard not to judge when we see others leaning into one approach when we really like the other. Martha thinks Mary should be “doing for” Jesus just like her, but that wasn’t true. Mary was in the right place. It’s easy to think the focus we choose (doing or being) is THE RIGHT WAY FOR EVERYBODY, but…we don’t know that to be true.

Sometimes, I need to do things for my wife: the dishes, put away my laundry, fix that sink, make smoked wings for the Ohio State game, give her my receipts from Menards so we can get that 11% back. Sometimes, I need to just be with her: watching The Great British Bake-off together, going on a date, collecting rocks at Point Betsie, going to the fair, watching Florida State football so she has a shoulder to cry on.

Both matter.

“Be with” and “do for” are intertwined when you love somebody. So, I think Mary and Martha show us two legitimate responses to Jesus. I wish I knew where to land this plane, but I don’t. Maybe this is a good topic to pursue during lunch today.

Then Mary came with an alabaster jar[2] of three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard.[3]After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head[4] and anointed his feet, as Jesus was at the table. She then wiped his feet dry with her hair. (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.)

The Jewish people put nard on those who died to mask the smell, because there was a process of interring the body that lasted long enough to make you want to use nard. In the next paragraph, Jesus will affirm that she was, indeed, preparing him for his burial.[5]

Worth noting: nard in an alabaster jar like this was shipped in from a place that harvested (?) the nard before bottling it and sealing it. This bottle cost a year’s average wages. This bottle represented a plan for someone in the family of Mary. I wonder if it was what they had planned to use for Lazarus, but then didn’t need to. Or… Jesus will say shortly of Mary, “She did what she could.” I wonder if this was set aside for her?

And wiping his feet with her hair? It was unheard of for a Jewish woman to let her hair down in public, let alone wash the feet of a man not her husband, let alone with her hair. There is something going on here, but I am still working on this. This is the second time a woman has dried Jesus’ feet with her hair. (Luke 7)[6]

Whatever the case, Mary communicated something important: she believed Jesus when he said he was going to die. I doubt she anticipated crucifixion, as Jesus was not a Zealot, but she may have been connecting the dots and concluding that she wouldn’t be able to do this later. As Jesus points out, she was honoring him while she could.

Out of love, honor and the knowledge that “the end” was near for Jesus, she offered the lock of her hair with willing abandon to the one who is about to die in order to win the battle on behalf of a world that God loves. Bless the Lord.

But some who were present indignantly said to one another, “Why this waste of expensive ointment? It could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor!” So they spoke angrily to her. Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was going to betray him) said, “Why wasn’t this oil sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?” (Now Judas said this not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box, he used to steal what was put into it.)

When Jesus learned of this, he said to them, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a good service for me. For you will always have the poor with you,[7] and you can do good for them whenever you want. You will not always have me! She did what she could. When she poured this oil on my body, she did it to anoint my body beforehand and prepare me for the day of my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

In Matthew’s account of this story, Jesus had just taught them about reward and punishment related to caring for the needy (25:31–46). He concluded with, “Whatever you do to the least of these you do to me.” So it makes sense this was in the front of the disciple’s minds.

Jesus’ response pointed them back to the Torah. They were commanded to take care of the poor; Deuteronomy 15 uses the exact phrase Jesus used. This would probably remind them of not just all the teaching in Deuteronomy 15, but of all the times God told his people to care for the poor. It was baked into the rhythm of their lives. In fact, if they did everything the Old Testament commanded, it would be difficult for someone to remain poor in Israel.

• debts were forgiven every 7 years (Deuteronomy 15)

• land was returned every 50 years (Leviticus 25)

• food was shared (Proverbs 22:9)

• indebted servants were set free with provision after 7 years (Deuteronomy 15)

• the edges of their fields were left for the poor to harvest (Leviticus 23:22)

• fields were unplanted every 7 years so the poor could harvest volunteer plants (Leviticus 25)

• they were to “open their hand wide” to the poor (Deuteronomy 15:11)

• they were to practice generous giving (Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 14:21)

Bottom line: the disciples were not wrong in principle,[8] but in this moment they were wrong in practice. If Mary was preparing him for burial, she should not be criticized any more than we would criticize someone for purchasing a coffin for a loved one, even though there are poor that could be fed with that money.

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

This is when Judas snaps. Different people have offered different reasons since the text leaves space to fill in the blanks.

• I noted last week that I suspect Judas was looking to spark an insurrection. Jesus has apparently resigned himself to die. Dead men can’t be kings. Let’s get this king on the throne before he dies!  Time to start the fight!

• Or….Judas knows Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Huge crowds were there because the word had gotten out. Maybe Judas thought there was nothing to worry about. Get the fight started; Jesus will be fine!

• Or… Judas betrayed Jesus because he had stopped believing in him. Something about what happened here convinced him not to back Jesus anymore.

 Whatever the reason, it’s interesting that this is incident that is the last straw for Judas. Meanwhile, the 30 pieces of silver he received has precedence.

• Exodus 21 demands this as payment if a slave is gored to death by a bull. So, perhaps we could think of this as the Sadducees giving Judas recompense for the person they are about to kill.

• 30 pieces of silver was also the wage paid to the reliable shepherd of God’s people in Zechariah 11,[9] a passage that also talks about throwing the money to a potter. Hmmm. 

These Old Testament connections are, in fact, both true.  Jesus is a duolos, a servant or slave depending on the translation you use. 

[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant/slave (duolos), being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross! (Philippians 2) 

And, Jesus is a shepherd. 

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14-15) 

Alright, let’s step back from the trees and look at the forest. There is this nagging voice in my head that insists there is a contrast going on, not of a good and bad thing but of a good and better thing. I’m not quite sure how to put words to it.

• The place for the practical (Martha) and the prophetic (Mary)

• The practice of stewardship by fasting (taking care of the poor) and feasting (honoring and celebrating)

• The ‘do for’ (Martha) and the ‘be with’ (Mary)

• Prudence (provision budgeted for charity) and extravagance (provision budgeted for honoring)

I wonder if we are supposed to be reminded that in the midst of a discipleship that is often characterized by prudence and the stewardship of fasting that includes setting up a budget from which we give generously from our resources to those in need, there is always going to be a place in the Kingdom of God for extravagant honor.[10] 

In this case, we see it bestowed on Jesus, and rightfully so. In Mary’s case, it’s an act of worship for Jesus. The King will be honored as a King. Bless the Lord with the best that you have. We can’t honor the physical Jesus like Mary did, but surely this challenges us to ask ourselves if Jesus is honored by the worshipful sacrifices that we do give.

I wonder if we are supposed to be thinking about how to honor the children of the King, too. We can become so caught up in fixing what’s broken in the world that we forget to celebrate what’s right in the world. Like Mary and Martha, this is not either/or. It’s both/and.  

God wants his people to learn how to honor what is good through celebration. God wants his people to know how to throw a righteous party that reminds people that they are precious, valuable and loved, not only by God but by God’s people.

• When I turned 50, friends threw me a party that was wonderfully extravagant. I still think about it. I have posters on my wall from it.

• I have helped friends with projects this summer, and they paid me wages that made me consider that I had undervalued myself.

• I have friends who bless us from their abundance by letting us stay for free in a wonderful Air B and B that brings us rest.

Helping those who are financial impoverish matters. Generous charity should be baked into the rhythm of our lives. But at times, extravagant celebration can be huge for those who are emotionally and mentally impoverished, struggling with all kinds of inner battles, desperately needing provision and rest of a different kind.

It’s the one to whom Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The Holy Spirit ministers in ways we never could; sometimes, gifts that cost time and money remind people that they matter not just in God’s eyes but in the eyes of God’s people. And some days, that’s a game changer, maybe even a life saver.

During our potluck, let’s feast together today in a way that shows the depth and breadth of God’s provision. Let the abundance of food remind us that we all need to experience an abundance of honor, or friendship, of community that reminds us constantly of the value of the imago dei, the image of God in us all.

_________________________________________________________________

[1] “Chosen the good part—not in the general sense of Moses' choice (Heb 11:25), and Joshua's (Jos 24:15), and David's (Ps 119:30); that is, of good in opposition to bad; but, of two good ways of serving and pleasing the Lord, choosing the better.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

[2] “The vessel is likely a long-necked flask made of translucent, finely carved stone standing some five to ten inches high. The perfume is pure nard (see Mark 14:3; John 12:3), an oil extracted from the root of the nard plant grown in India. This is not a typical household oil for anointing, but an expensive perfume oil used for a solemn and special act of devotion. By breaking the flask Mary…is performing the highest act of consecration to Jesus, even to the anointing of his feet (cf. John 12:3).” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[3] An average year’s wages.

[4] “Such long-necked containers have been found in tombs from this period near Jerusalem; people apparently lavished the ointment on deceased loved ones. This expensive perfume may have been planned for a funeral, either a future one or one canceled because of Jesus’ healing ministry. Providing a guest with oil to anoint his head could be simple courtesy, but one could also anoint a king in this way (2Ki 9:6).” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

[5] “The anointing…"prepares" him for his burial after dying the death of a criminal, for only in that circumstance would the customary anointing of the body be omitted.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary) 

[6] Because so much of Jesus’ life and teaching refers back to the Old Testament, here’s a thought. Judges records that after a woman named Jael killed the Canaanite general who was attacking Israel, the Israelites defeated Canaan. The judge at the time, Deborah, and her general, Barak, wrote this song: “When the locks of the women are long in Israel, when the people offer themselves with willing abandon - bless the LORD!  –Judges 4:18–5:2”  Read more at “Extravagant Worship: Mary Washing Jesus’ Feet.” Fruitfullywomen.com

[7] “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.” (Deuteronomy 15:11)

[8] This is how one of the early Church Fathers thought of this scenario. “If anyone had asked Christ before the woman did this, He would not have approved it. But after she had done it, He looks only to the gift itself. For after the fragrant oil had been poured, what good was a rebuke? Likewise, if you should see anyone providing a sacred vessel or ornament for the walls of the church, do not spoil his zeal. But if beforehand he asks about it, command him to give instead to the poor.” (John Chrysostom, quoted in the Orthodox Study Bible)

[9] I told them “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.” (Zechariah 11: 12-13)

[10] I’m thinking now of Ecclesiastes: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born, to die, to plant, to uproot, to kill, to heal, to tear down, to build, to weep, to laugh, to mourn, to dance, to scatter stones, to gather them, to embrace, to refrain from embracing, to search, to give up, to keep, to throw away, to tear, to mend, to be silent, to speak, to love, to hate, for war and for peace.”

Harmony #77: Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-28)

While the people were listening to these things (“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”), Jesus proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

Note that he told a parable because a) he was near Jerusalem and b) the people had some thoughts about the Kingdom of God appearing. We will come back to that.

Therefore he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. And he summoned ten of his slaves, gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’

When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading. So the first one came before him and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And the king said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’

Then the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’  So the king said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Then another slave came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina that I put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’

The king said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow? Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?’ And he said to his attendants, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.’

But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!” He replied, ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!’ “ After Jesus had said this, he continued on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

This parable just sits there between the calling of Nicodemus and the entrance to Jerusalem starting the final week of Jesus’ life. It feels awkward and disjointed. But, since Luke committed to writing “an orderly account,” there must be something here that’s an important part of an ongoing bigger story.

On the one hand, there’s a practical reading that looks at stewardship: If God gives you provision and talents, use them to multiply the kingdom. That’s a common teaching taken from this parable. I agree with the principle of that teaching, though I’’m not sure I would take it from this parable.

First, though it’s popular to see Jesus as the king figure in this parable, it is hard for me to conceive that Jesus would be the ruler who has left and then returns. His character and nature are not like the third servant describes (“a severe man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow).

Second, if that ruler is Jesus, the parable suggests that when God gives the gifts of the Kingdom to his children, if they don't double what he gives them, God gets so angry that he destroys them. If Jesus is God in the flesh – so, God is like Jesus - that doesn't track with anything we have seen about Jesus so far.  We just read Jesus saying to Zacchaeus, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost,” not punish the fearful. 

Third, I'm not sure what to think about the teaching of those having much getting more and those having little losing what they have. Didn’t we just hear about the lost sheep, and lost coin, and the two lost sons, and God pursues and loves them? If the ruler is Jesus, this is joltingly the opposite. He has kept calling his disciples “you of little faith,” and he didn’t throw them away. He discipled them.

The best explanation I have found involves a historical event that happened around the time of Jesus. When Herod the Great died (this is the Herod the Sadducees convinced to be the “King of the Jews” and who controlled the Temple priests), he willed his kingdom to his three sons. The three sons sailed to Rome on three different ships to bring gifts to Caesar and ask him to honor their father’s will. The Jewish Pharisees sent a delegation on a fourth ship to plead with Caesar not to make Antipas king. 

As a result, Caesar decided to name Anitpas a “tetrarch” (just lower than a king).  Antipas blamed the Jews for the decision; when he got back, he made an example of the Jews who were left at home and slaughtered them by the thousands. When Jesus stands in front of Herod in the final week of his life, he is standing in front of (drumroll) Herod Antipas.

I am leaning heavily toward the notion that Jesus is challenging how those who “thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately” expected the kingdom of God to appear. I think they wanted him to take it like a Herod would take it, and Jesus is having none of it.

Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem for Passover. He has a huge crowd of disciples, and they lead the adoring crowds in welcoming him into Jerusalem as a king. All the kingly symbols are there:

• the cloaks on the ground (what the people did for Jehu in 2 Kings 9:13–14)

• palm branches (1 Maccabees 13:51 records the use of palm branches in a celebration of Judas the Hammer, a Zealot who led the Maccabean Revolt)

• crying Hosanna (“Help us!”)

• saying, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (also what they said of Jehu)

• Jesus riding donkey (Zechariah 9:9)

They thought they might finally be getting a King, a deliverer who would set up an earthy kingdom by copying Rome’s pax romana (“peace by the sword”). They didn’t like Rome, but they had no problem with THEIR guy using the tools and method of Rome to bring about THEIR own kingdom. But…this is the thing about Rome.

• Rome destroyed those would not help them expand their empire and the Hellenism of the Greeks. #parablereference

• Rome was violent and merciless to those who betrayed them. #parablereference

• Rome was all about the winners getting more winny and the losers getting more losery. #parablereference

When Jesus sees his people welcome him with a not so subtle reference to take out Rome with Rome’s methods, here is how he responds:

Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and surround you and close in on you from every side. They will demolish you—you and your children within your walls—and they will not leave within you one stone on top of another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” (Luke 19:41-44)

Why is this going to happen? They have the wrong idea about what will bring peace because “they did not recognize the time of their visitation from God.” The visitation of God is Jesus; Jesus is telling them what will bring peace, and they are not picking up what he is laying down.

History had shown that, at the end of the day, the Jewish people kept defaulting to the path of the Zealots. When Jesus read from Isaiah in his hometown and declared the year of the Lord’s favor but left off the line about God’s vengeance,[1] his hometown tried to kill him because they knew what he was saying. God’s favor was going to become available to all, and they were not okay with that. God was going to bring peace by reconciling everyone first to Himself and then to each other, and that meant nobody was going to pay for the crimes done against them. 

For many of them (the Zealots for sure), the kingdom of God would arrive by taking the sword to those who hurt them. And that's what a Caesar or a Nero would do. That’s what happened in Jesus’ parable. That’s what Antipas did to those who displeased him. And this is the approach the Jewish people kept revisiting over and over. Even the non-Zealots seemed to keep rallying around the sword to solve their problems and usher in the Kingdom of God.

We've got good biblical reason to believe that this Zealot thread kept running through Jesus’ disciples no matter how often he taught and lived differently.

I’ve noted before that that Judas and Simon were both zealots. Judas had a nickname “Iscariot,” a nickname that seems to place him among the sicarii, one of the "dagger-men" of the Zealots who had committed to killing Roman soldiers whenever he could with his dagger that shared his nickname. I'm leaning more and more toward the idea that when we get to the last week in the life of Jesus, Judas was intending to be the spark that started the revolution.

Judas knew that if he went to the high priests, they would come for Jesus. Remember, the high priests are the Sadducees. They love Rome, and they have been trying to kill Jesus because Jesus is putting their status with Rome in jeopardy. At one point Caiaphas tells the Sanhedrin that it’s better to kill one person, Jesus, than to have them all killed.[2] Judas knows that the Sadducees’ private army of bodyguards will have no problem pulling a sword on Jesus. They had a reputation for doing that kind of thing to those who crossed the Sadducees.

It’s an odd collaboration. The Zealots hated the Sadducees because they were such compromisers. Clearly, Judas is just using them. The text doesn't say this, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were Zealots hiding nearby, waiting for the fight to begin. What a shock it must have been when Peter - who brought a sword to a garden prayer time? - starts the fight and Jesus promptly stops it.

Let's fast forward to the trial where Herod does what Herod always did at Passover, which was to offer a released prisoner to the Jewish people. He gives them the option of Jesus the Christ or Jesus Barabbas. The crowd chooses Barabbas, who had been arrested because he had already engaged in violent insurrection.  They want their Zealot who knows how to fight on their terms.

I suspect part of the reason Jesus wept was because he knew what would happen when God’s people try to bring about the Kingdom of God at the edge of a sword. He warned Peter: “You live by it, you die by it.” Why are the Jewish people slaughtered and the Temple destroyed in AD 70? The Zealots keep pushing and pushing and pushing until Rome snapped.

So, full circle back to the parable. I think Jesus knew what was in their hearts, and he reminded them of what Herod was like, and how empires work. He will never be that kind of King, and his kingdom should never be that kind of Kingdom.

* * * * *

I've been thinking a lot this week about what principles we take away from this. If you recall, the Jewish people wrestled with three responses to the question, “What do we do with Rome?”

• Compromise, embrace it, learn to love it (Sadducees and Herodians)

• Retreated and just focus on being holy (Essenes and Pharisees)

• Fight Rome with the weapons of Rome (Zealots)

Jesus has challenged all of these approaches throughout the course of his ministry. He doesn't retreat from the culture around him; instead he goes to the Gentiles (Samaritans and Romans). He doesn't embrace the culture; he embraces the people in the culture as individuals and calls them to follow him. He doesn't pick up a sword – unless it’s the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, which he seem him wielding in Revelation. Let’s go back to what characterized Rome and Herod Antipas.

• Rome destroyed those would not help them expand their empire and the Hellenism of the Greeks.

• Rome was violent and merciless to those who betrayed them.

• Rome was all about the winners getting more winny and the losers getting more losery.

  How is Jesus a different kind of King?

·Those outside the kingdom were not destroyed in the process of expanding the kingdom. They were literally still alive to have access to the Kingdom. Jesus just kept inviting himself to the home of the sinner, the Samaritan, the tax collector. He kept inviting people. The banquet table has enough seats for everybody.

On the cross, he asks God to forgive those who crucified him rather than asking him to smite them. He will restore Peter, who might have betrayed him more than Judas when he called down curses and said, “I don’t know my own rabbi.” Okay, important trivia (?) When Jesus rose, the women at the grave were told to take the news “to the disciples and Peter.”[3] It’s only been three days. Why isn’t Peter just assumed to still be a disciple? Because he denied and cursed his rabbi. He was done. There was no coming back from that. When Jesus sees him again, where is he? Back to fishing. He was done. AND JESUS RESTORES HIM. This is not an earthly kingdom; this is a heavenly kingdom.

Jesus was not about rewarding the competent and punishing the incompetent #peteronceagain. Remember the Parable of the Two Brothers (Prodigal Son). Remember the Parable of Workers working all day vs. one hour. Jesus is excited about giving everyone the spiritual spoils of the Kingdom, whether they are crushing it or floundering or lost like that sheep. Everybody sits at the banquet table. Surely there is reward in walking in the Path of Life as we harvest what we have planted, but God is not a stingy and petty God, turning his nose up at the Samaritan and tax collector and prodigal. He came to seek and to save the lost, after all. That’s what he loves to do.

Let's see if we can make this practical for our situation today.

We are not living in a nation that brings a sword against followers of Jesus like Herod Antipas. We do, however, live in a culture that will at times challenge us on aspects of what we believe or how we believe we should live our faith. How do we respond to living in spiritually occupied territory of Babylon/Rome (to use Revelation’s imagery)?

I'm hearing rumbles in some circles that we might be looking at a time that is ripe for a second Civil War. It's often accompanied with the stated desire to get America back to Judeo/Christian roots even if it requires violence, as if we can spread or solidify the Kingdom of God at the point of a sword. That just doesn't sound like Jesus. That sounds like Judas.

But there's also a level to this that stops short of violence physical violence. I'm thinking now of emotional, verbal and maybe even spiritual violence. When we talk about the culture wars, we can mean one of two things.

• We can mean that there is a clash anytime Christians live in spaces with non-Christians simply because we are going to value different things for different reasons,  and we are going to offer our worship and allegiance to different gods or idols. In that sense, yeah, there's going to be a war in the sense that there is conflict and tension. Legit. This has always been true.

• We can also use Culture Wars to mean it is time for us to get out there and fight fight fight – but…. it's not usually accompanied with language asking what it looks to fight like Jesus. It's usually much more pragmatic Zealotry, with a physical or symbolic peace by the sword in that the ends will justify the means if we aren’t careful. A public figure who aligns with Christians noted recently, in reference to the aforementioned culture wars, “We’ve turned the other cheek, and I understand, sort of, the biblical reference — I understand the mentality — but it’s gotten us nothing. Okay? It’s gotten us nothing…”

But here's the reality. The means determine who we are in the end. If we fight like Rome to further the Kingdom of God, the society we usher in will just be Rome by another name. And if this is our hope, we will constantly be searching for peace and not finding peace because we didn't fight like Jesus as we pointed toward Jesus. The apostle Paul – who knew a thing or two about fighting battles in the wrong way - reminded us how to fight like Jesus, for Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. Put on the full armor of God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone.   No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places. And this is why you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground. Yes, stand—truth banded around your waist, righteousness as your chest plate, and feet protected in preparation to proclaim the good news of peace. Don’t forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one. Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray always. Pray in the Spirit. Pray about everything in every way you know how! And keeping all this in mind, prayon behalf of God’s people. Keep on praying feverishly, and be on the lookout until evil has been stayed.  (Ephesians 6:10-18)

 ____________________________________________________________________

[1] Luke 4

[2] John 11:45-57

[3] Mark 16:7

Harmony #77: Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-28)

While the people were listening to these things (“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”), Jesus proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

Note that he told a parable because a) he was near Jerusalem and b) the people had some thoughts about the Kingdom of God appearing. We will come back to that.

Therefore he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. And he summoned ten of his slaves, gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’

When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading. So the first one came before him and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And the king said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’

Then the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’  So the king said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Then another slave came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina that I put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’

The king said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow? Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?’ And he said to his attendants, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.’

But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!” He replied, ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!’ “ After Jesus had said this, he continued on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

This parable just sits there between the calling of Nicodemus and the entrance to Jerusalem starting the final week of Jesus’ life. It feels awkward and disjointed. But, since Luke committed to writing “an orderly account,” there must be something here that’s an important part of an ongoing bigger story.

First, though it’s popular to see Jesus as the king figure in this parable, it is hard for me to conceive that Jesus would be the ruler who has left and then returns. I recognize that I am in the minority view here. But H=his character and nature are not like the third servant describes (“a severe man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow).

Second, if that ruler is Jesus, the parable suggests that when God gives the gifts of the Kingdom to his children, if they don't double what he gives them, God gets so angry that he destroys them. If Jesus is God in the flesh – so, God is like Jesus - that doesn't track with anything we have seen about Jesus so far.  We just read Jesus saying to Zacchaeus, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost,” not punish the fearful.

Third, I'm not sure what to think about the teaching of those having much getting more and those having little losing what they have. Didn’t we just hear about the lost sheep, and lost coin, and the two lost sons, and God pursues and loves them? If the ruler is Jesus, this is joltingly the opposite. He has kept calling his disciples “you of little faith,” and he didn’t throw them away. He discipled them.

The best explanation I have found involves a historical event that happened around the time of Jesus. When Herod the Great died (this is the Herod the Sadducees convinced to be the “King of the Jews” and who controlled the Temple priests), he willed his kingdom to his three sons. The three sons sailed to Rome on three different ships to bring gifts to Caesar and ask him to honor their father’s will. The Jewish Pharisees sent a delegation on a fourth ship to plead with Caesar not to make Antipas king. 

As a result, Caesar decided to name Anitpas a “tetrarch” (just lower than a king).  Antipas blamed the Jews for the decision; when he got back, he made an example of the Jews who were left at home and slaughtered them by the thousands. When Jesus stands in front of Herod in the final week of his life, he is standing in front of (drumroll) Herod Antipas. 

I am leaning heavily toward the notion that Jesus is challenging how those who “thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately” expected the kingdom of God to appear. I think they wanted him to take it like a Herod would take it, and Jesus is having none of it.

Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem for Passover. He has a huge crowd of disciples, and they lead the adoring crowds in welcoming him into Jerusalem as a king. All the kingly symbols are there:

• the cloaks on the ground (what the people did for Jehu in 2 Kings 9:13–14)

• palm branches (1 Maccabees 13:51 records the use of palm branches in a celebration of Judas the Hammer, a Zealot who led the Maccabean Revolt)

• crying Hosanna (“Help us!”)

• ·saying, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (also what they said of Jehu)

• ·Jesus riding donkey (Zechariah 9:9)

They thought they might finally be getting a King, a deliverer who would set up an earthy kingdom by copying Rome’s pax romana (“peace by the sword”). They didn’t like Rome, but they had no problem with THEIR guy using the tools and method of Rome to bring about THEIR own kingdom. But…this is the thing about Rome.

• ·Rome destroyed those would not help them expand their empire and the Hellenism of the Greeks. #parablereference

• ·Rome was violent and merciless to those who betrayed them. #parablereference

• ·Rome was all about the winners getting more winny and the losers getting more losery. #parablereference

When Jesus sees his people welcome him with a not so subtle reference to take out Rome with Rome’s methods, here is how he responds:

Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and surround you and close in on you from every side. They will demolish you—you and your children within your walls—and they will not leave within you one stone on top of another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” (Luke 19:41-44)

Why is this going to happen? They have the wrong idea about what will bring peace because “they did not recognize the time of their visitation from God.” The visitation of God is Jesus; Jesus is telling them what will bring peace, and they are not picking up what he is laying down.

History had shown that, at the end of the day, the Jewish people kept defaulting to the path of the Zealots. When Jesus read from Isaiah in his hometown and declared the year of the Lord’s favor but left off the line about God’s vengeance,[1] his hometown tried to kill him because they knew what he was saying. God’s favor was going to become available to all, and they were not okay with that. God was going to bring peace by reconciling everyone first to Himself and then to each other, and that meant nobody was going to pay for the crimes done against them.

For many of them (the Zealots for sure), the kingdom of God would arrive by taking the sword to those who hurt them. And that's what a Caesar or a Nero would do. That’s what happened in Jesus’ parable. That’s what Antipas did to those who displeased him. And this is the approach the Jewish people kept revisiting over and over. Even the non-Zealots seemed to keep rallying around the sword to solve their problems and usher in the Kingdom of God.

We've got good biblical reason to believe that this Zealot thread kept running through Jesus’ disciples no matter how often he taught and lived differently.

I’ve noted before that that Judas and Simon were both zealots. Judas had a nickname “Iscariot,” a nickname that seems to place him among the sicarii, one of the "dagger-men" of the Zealots who had committed to killing Roman soldiers whenever he could with his dagger that shared his nickname. I'm leaning more and more toward the idea that when we get to the last week in the life of Jesus, Judas was intending to be the spark that started the revolution.

Judas knew that if he went to the high priests, they would come for Jesus. Remember, the high priests are the Sadducees. They love Rome, and they have been trying to kill Jesus because Jesus is putting their status with Rome in jeopardy. At one point Caiaphas tells the Sanhedrin that it’s better to kill one person, Jesus, than to have them all killed.[2] Judas knows that the Sadducees’ private army of bodyguards will have no problem pulling a sword on Jesus. They had a reputation for doing that kind of thing to those who crossed the Sadducees.

It’s an odd collaboration. The Zealots hated the Sadducees because they were such compromisers. Clearly, Judas is just using them. The text doesn't say this, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were Zealots hiding nearby, waiting for the fight to begin. What a shock it must have been when Peter - who brought a sword to a garden prayer time? - starts the fight and Jesus promptly stops it.

Let's fast forward to the trial where Herod does what Herod always did at Passover, which was to offer a released prisoner to the Jewish people. He gives them the option of Jesus the Christ or Jesus Barabbas. The crowd chooses Barabbas, who had been arrested because he had already engaged in violent insurrection.  They want their Zealot who knows how to fight on their terms.

I suspect part of the reason Jesus wept was because he knew what would happen when God’s people try to bring about the Kingdom of God at the edge of a sword. He warned Peter: “You live by it, you die by it.” Why are the Jewish people slaughtered and the Temple destroyed in AD 70? The Zealots keep pushing and pushing and pushing until Rome snapped.

So, full circle back to the parable. I think Jesus knew what was in their hearts, and he reminded them of what Herod was like, and how empires work. He will never be that kind of King, and his kingdom should never be that kind of Kingdom.

* * * * *

I've been thinking a lot this week about what principles we take away from this. If you recall, the Jewish people wrestled with three responses to the question, “What do we do with Rome?

• Compromise, embrace it, learn to love it (Sadducees and Herodians)

• ·Retreated and just focus on being holy (Essenes and Pharisees)

• ·Fight Rome with the weapons of Rome.  

Jesus has challenged all of these approaches throughout the course of his ministry.

• ·He doesn't retreat from the culture around him; instead he goes to the Gentiles (Samaritans and Romans).

• ·He doesn't embrace the culture; he embraces the people in the culture as individuals and calls them to follow him.

• ·He doesn't pick up a sword – unless it’s the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, which he seem him wielding in Revelation.

 Let’s go back to what characterized Rome and Herod Antipas.

• ·Rome destroyed those would not help them expand their empire and the Hellenism of the Greeks.

• ·Rome was violent and merciless to those who betrayed them.

• · Rome was all about the winners getting more winny and the losers getting more losery. 

 How is Jesus a different kind of King?

·Those outside the kingdom were not destroyed in the process of expanding the kingdom. They were literally still alive to have access to the Kingdom. Jesus just kept inviting himself to the home of the sinner, the Samaritan, the tax collector. He kept inviting people. The banquet table has enough seats for everybody.

• ·On the cross, he asks God to forgive those who crucified him rather than asking him to smite them. He will restore Peter, who might have betrayed him more than Judas when he called down curses and said, “I don’t know my own rabbi.” Okay, important trivia (?) When Jesus rose, the women at the grave were told to take the news “to the disciples and Peter.”[3] It’s only been three days. Why isn’t Peter just assumed to still be a disciple? Because he denied and cursed his rabbi. He was done. There was no coming back from that. When Jesus sees him again, where is he? Back to fishing. He was done. AND JESUS RESTORES HIM. This is not an earthly kingdom; this is a heavenly kingdom.

• ·Jesus was not about rewarding the competent and punishing the incompetent #peteronceagain. Remember the Parable of the Two Brothers (Prodigal Son). Remember the Parable of Workers working all day vs. one hour. Jesus is excited about giving everyone the spiritual spoils of the Kingdom, whether they are crushing it or floundering or lost like that sheep. Everybody sits at the banquet table. Surely there is reward in walking in the Path of Life as we harvest what we have planted, but God is not a stingy and petty God, turning his nose up at the Samaritan and tax collector and prodigal. He came to seek and to save the lost, after all. That’s what he loves to do.

 Let's see if we can make this practical for our situation today.

We are not living in a nation that brings a sword against followers of Jesus like Herod Antipas. We do, however, live in a culture that will at times challenge us on aspects of what we believe or how we believe we should live our faith. How do we respond to living in spiritually occupied territory of Babylon/Rome (to use Revelation’s imagery)?

I'm hearing rumbles in some circles that we might be looking at a time that is ripe for a second Civil War. It's often accompanied with the stated desire to get America back to Judeo/Christian roots even if it requires violence. That just doesn't sound like Jesus. That sounds like Judas.

But there's also a level to this that stops short of violence physical violence. I'm thinking now of emotional, verbal and maybe even spiritual violence. When we talk about the culture wars, we can mean one of two things.

•  We can mean that there is a clash anytime Christians live in spaces with non-Christians simply because we are going to value different things for different reasons,  and we are going to offer our worship and allegiance to different gods or idols. In that sense, yeah, there's going to be a war in the sense that there is conflict and tension. Legit. This has always been true.

• We can also use Culture Wars to mean it is time for us to get out there and fight fight fight – but…. it's not usually accompanied with language asking what it looks to fight like Jesus. It's usually much more pragmatic Zealotry, with a physical or symbolic peace by the sword in that the ends will justify the means if we aren’t careful. A public figure who aligns with Christians noted recently, in reference to the aforementioned culture wars, “We’ve turned the other cheek, and I understand, sort of, the biblical reference — I understand the mentality — but it’s gotten us nothing. Okay? It’s gotten us nothing…”

 But here's the reality. The means determine who we are in the end. If we fight like Rome and get our way, we'll just be Rome by another name. And if this is our hope, we will constantly be searching for peace and not finding peace because we didn't fight like Jesus as we pointed toward Jesus. The apostle Paul – who knew a thing or two about fighting battles in the wrong way - reminded us how to fight like Jesus, for Jesus.

 Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. Put on the full armor of God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places.

 And this is why you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground. Yes, stand—truth banded around your waist, righteousness as your chest plate, and feet protected in preparation to proclaim the good news of peace.  Don’t forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one. Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Pray always. Pray in the Spirit. Pray about everything in every way you know how! And keeping all this in mind, prayon behalf of God’s people. Keep on praying feverishly, and be on the lookout until evil has been stayed.  (Ephesians 6:10-18)

 ________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Luke 4

[2] John 11:45-57

[3] Mark 16:7