AUGUST 16, 2009 SUNDAY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 20
TEXT http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Mat&chapter=20
MESSAGE
“The Vineyard Reversal”
Jesus tells his disciples a story illustrating how the first will be last and the last will be first in the Kingdom of Heaven. In the story, in the morning a landowner hires workers for his vineyard and they are sent off to work after agreeing to work for the standard daily wage. Throughout the day the owner goes into the marketplace and finds others without work and sends them into his vineyard telling them he will pay them fairly at the end of the day. He continues to do this right up to the hour before the work day is done. Then when the day is over he tells his manager to call the workers in starting with those who were hired last and that no matter when they began working to pay them the standard daily wage. When the workers hired at the start of the day came in they thought they would receive more but received the same as all the other workers and began complaining to the landowner about how much more work they did than those who were hired later in the day but were made equal in by being paid the same amount. The landowner told the complaining workers that he wasn’t treating them unfairly, that he had paid them what they had agreed to work for, that they seemed to be jealous because he was being generous with his money. Jesus concludes the story with the statement it was illustrating about the Kingdom of Heaven: So the last will be first, and the first last.
“Crucifixion”
Following this, Jesus tells His disciples for the third time what is going to happen to Him in Jerusalem. They are told He will be betrayed and handed over to the chief priests who will condemn him to death after which they will get the Roman soldiers involved who will ridicule, severely flog and then crucify him. Despite this he will be raised from the dead three days later.
“Authority”
Despite Jesus having just told a story that illustrated the meaning of the last being first, and the first last in the Kingdom of Heaven, the mother of James and John asks Jesus that her sons be allowed to sit at His right and left sides in His Kingdom. He tells them they don’t know what they are asking for and then asks them if they can be a part of what he has just told them for the third time is going to happen to him. James and John tell Jesus they can to which Jesus acknowledges that they will but that the positions they are asking Him for in the Kingdom of Heaven aren’t His to give, instead His Father’s.
When the other disciples found out that the mother of James and John had tried to obtain a privileged position for them in the Kingdom of Heaven they were upset with the brothers. Jesus intervened by telling them how the Roman rulers and others in high positions hang their authority over the heads of those beneath them and that they must never use their authority in this way. In contrast to this Jesus tells them that whoever wants to be great must be a servant and whoever wants to be first must be a slave to others. He told them that even as Messiah, he didn’t come to be served by others but to serve them and to give his life as a ransom to pay for the sins of many people.
“Mercy”
Leaving Jericho on the way to Jerusalem with a large crowd at hand, there were two blind men sitting along the road who when they heard Jesus was going by shouted out, calling Him the Son of David, for mercy. Discounting them, the people in the crowd told them to be quiet but they persisted in shouting even louder for mercy which caught Jesus’ attention causing Him to stop and take notice. After calling them over he asked them what they wanted Him to do for them and they told Him they wanted to see again. This moved Jesus to compassion as he touched their eyes resulting in their immediately regaining their sight after which they followed Him.
TEACHING
Jesus’ story written about by Matthew at the beginning of Chapter 20 illustrates the concept that he started at the end of Chapter 19 about some that are first in this world that will be last in the Kingdom of Heaven and some that are last in this world will be first in the Kingdom of Heaven. This story about hiring workers at different times throughout the workday and then paying them the same wage, being generous to those who were hired last but being fair and keeping his word to those hired first illustrates that entrance into the Kingdom is not earned, but received by the grace of God. And, those who were hanging around the marketplace at the end of the day because no one found them acceptable to work represent those who are last in this world, the poor and the outcasts, who become first in the Kingdom of Heaven.
After teaching his disciples about God’s grace through this story, He told His disciples for the third time what was going to happen to Him when they reached Jerusalem, how he would be betrayed into the hands of the religious establishment, how they would turn Him over to the Romans to be crucified and how after this three days later he would rise from the dead.
In spite of the story illustrating God’s grace Jesus had just told His disciples, they didn’t understand the difficult path he was telling them he was following was God’s plan for grace - a plan in which He must suffer and die on the Cross as a ransom for the Sin of many – a plan in which He was going to pay the price for the Sin of many so that they would be set free from and be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He also told them He did not come into the world to use His authority like the Romans do, hanging it over the heads of those they rule, demanding that others serve their every whim, but instead to serve others to the point of giving up His life for them.
And, He defined greatness for His disciples this way – by serving them, by becoming their slave - not by jockeying for privileged positions in the Kingdom of Heaven like James and John had naively done without understanding what this required for them to follow Him down the path He must go. Having previously told them they would hold positions of authority in the Kingdom of Heaven to sit in judgment of the twelve tribes of Israel for not believing He was the Son of God, He told them that beyond being able to tell them this, the call on who would be closest to Him in the Kingdom was not His, but His Father’s.
Leaving Jericho, two blind men stop the excitement of Jesus’ presence in the crowd traveling the road to Jerusalem for to celebrate the Passover by their persistent cries for mercy. Jesus’ compassionate filled question asking what they want was immediately fulfilled when they asked to see again, after which they follow Him.
HEALING
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name because of Grace in the Name of Your Son who You sent into this world not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for our Sin.
Hallowed be Your Name because of Grace in the Name of Your Son who paid the price for our Sin so that we could be set free from death and live eternally in the Kingdom of Heaven with You.
Hallowed be Your Name because of Grace in the Name of Your Son who suffered betrayal, torture, and the merciless death of crucifixion at our hands even though it was for our sake.
Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven so that those who today are outcasts will one day be accepted by the world.
Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven so that we will serve as Your Son served on earth, as servants, giving our lives to others.
Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven so that we will take time, stop what we’re doing, hear the cries of others for mercy, ask them what they want, and help to provide them it in the Name of Your Son.
Give us today our daily bread like the workers wages from the vineyard Owner.
Give us today our daily bread like the disciple’s teachings from following Jesus.
Give us today our daily bread like the blind men’s healings from asking Jesus.
Forgive us our trespasses, like the first hired vineyard workers when we think You aren’t being fair - as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Forgive us our trespasses, like when we seek positions of privilege like James and John - as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Forgive us our trespasses, like the crowd outside of Jericho when we discount the weak of the world - as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, thinking we’re great when we’re not.
And lead us not into temptation, thinking we’re first when we’re not.
And lead us not into temptation, thinking we’re privileged when we’re not.
For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, Forever and Ever,
In Jesus Name, Amen
SONG 'Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) (See ...' by Chris Tomlin @imeem http://x.imeem.com/hdVbU_tpl1
Showing posts with label FIRST. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FIRST. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
YOUR HEART
AUGUST 15, 2009 SATURDAY SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 19
TEXT http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Mat&chapter=19#n23
MESSAGE
“Divorce”
After addressing Peter’s questions about forgiveness, Jesus went across the Jordan River to Judea where he healed many in the large crowds who followed Him there before some Pharisees came to test him by asking Him whether it was lawful for man to divorce his wife for any reason – something they said Moses permitted. Jesus responded by quoting from the Creation Story about a man being united to his wife with the two becoming one flesh – adding that what God has joined together, no one should separate. He told them that Moses allowed them to divorce only because they were heartless, and he told them if they divorce their wife for any reason other than for sexual sin, they will be committing adultery if they remarry. Jesus’ response to the Pharisees resulted in his disciples stating that if what he was saying about divorce is true it would be better not to get married. Jesus told them that there are certain men whose lives aren’t given to marriage including those who are eunuchs from birth, those who are made eunuchs through castration, and those who are in effect eunuchs because they remain celibate or sexually fast as a spiritual sacrifice to the LORD.
“Children”
When little children were brought by their parents to Jesus to lay his hands on and pray for them, the disciples began scolding the parents even though Jesus had already told them who the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven were the importance of treating them properly, e.g. not looking down on them and the Heavenly ramifications for doing so. Jesus told the disciples to stop what they were doing and the children came to Him. After placing His hands on them He moved on.
“The Rich”
After this a man approached Jesus and asked Him what good thing he needed to do to earn eternal life. Jesus told him there is only one who is good-God, that no one can do enough good to earn eternal life. However, Jesus told him if he wanted to have eternal life he needed to keep the commandments to which he responded, which ones? Listing several commandments, the man said he had obeyed them all but wondered what he still needed to do. At this point Jesus addressed the man's issue of coveting by telling him if he wanted to perfect at obeying all the commandments he needed to sell all his possessions and give his money to the poor at which point his treasure would be in Heaven. After doing this, Jesus said to come and follow Him. Not expecting to hear this, the man left very sad because he was very rich and wasn’t able to do what Jesus told to do because he loved his money more than God.
After the man left Jesus told his disciples how difficult it is for someone who is rich to receive eternal life emphasizing what he said by stating the impossible - that there is a greater possibility of a camel going through the eye of a needle than a rich person receiving eternal life. Since the disciples associated riches with God’s blessing, they were totally confused and asked Jesus if the rich couldn’t be saved then who could be? Jesus responded by telling them that eternal life is impossible for humans to attain whether they are rich or poor but that nothing is impossible for God. This led to Peter asking Jesus what was in store for the disciples in light of the sacrifices they have made in following Him. Jesus told Peter that when all things are renewed and when He was His Heavenly throne, the disciples would sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. In addition, He told Peter whoever has left there house, family, and/or work to follow Him will receive a hundred times more and eternal life. Jesus went on to add that many who have been first in this life will be last in eternal life and many who have been last in this life will be first in eternal life.
TEACHING
Traveling towards Jerusalem, once inside Judea Jesus heals many people in the large crowds following Him giving further evidence that he is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. However, once in Judea, he is soon tested by the Pharisees with a question about whether a man is permitted to divorce his wife for any reason. The permitted reasons for divorce in Jewish society was a conflict even amongst the Jews and therefore they likely raised this question Jesus with the intent of trying to trap Him on this issue in the Herod’s district where John the Baptist lost his life over confronting Herod about remarrying his brother’s wife. The question was also a reflection of the Pharisees’ hard hearts – something Jesus pointed out as the reason Moses had permitted liberal divorce in the first place. Jesus answered their question by referring back to Genesis which based marriage in the creation thereby defining divorce as unnatural and rebellion against God. He discussed divorce as permittible only under the condition of sexual sin since this broke the “one flesh” basis of marriage in the story of creation. Ignoring what he said about the creation, his disciples questioned whether it was therefore better not to marry and he told them that some are called to live unmarried, although he didn't say say this option was preferable.
In fact, immediately after this encounter with the Pharisees, little children were brought by their parents to have Jesus place his hands on and pray for them indicating one of the glorious results of marriage – children, who although had recently been highlighted as the greatest in the kingdom of heaven due to their humility and faith, were kept from coming to Him by the disciples who reprimanded the parents for bothering Jesus with them. Jesus intervened with his disciples, the children came to Him, he placed his hands on them and when He was finished they moved on.
After this, Jesus is approached by a child who has grown up to become a very wealthy man who has everything and who asks Jesus what good thing he must do in order to have, to earn like he has obtained everything else he owns, eternal life. Jesus immediately corrects him that there is only one who is good-God-and that he can not earn the goodness of God by anything he does in life. However, despite telling him this he goes on to show him the impossibility of earning eternal life by telling him that if he wants to attain it he needs to keep the commandments to which the man ask him which commandments he needs to keep. Jesus responds by listing the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 5th commandments of Exodus 20 as well as that he must love his neighbor as himself to with the man stated that he has obeyed all of them. Still lacking assurance, he asks Jesus what else he needs to do at which point Jesus tells him that to perfectly follow the commandments he needs to follow Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, above anything else and that in order to do this he needs to first need sell all of his possessions and give away all of his money to the poor. At this, the man went home sad because he was rich and was aware that his riches were competing for first place in his heart for God.
Afterwards, Jesus discussed with his disciples the impossibility of the rich entering eternal life because of how their money and possessions compete for first place in their heart with God like with the man who had just left them. He used the analogy of the impossibility of a camel going through the eye of a needle to illustrate just how impossible it is for the rich to receive eternal life. The disciples were confused by this because the understanding during their day was that those who were wealthy had been blessed by God and if they had been blessed by God they were on the road to eternal life. Their understanding of who receives eternal life was turned upside down until Jesus told them that eternal life is impossible for anyone, rich or poor to earn, but what is impossible for people to do, is possible for God to do. This led to Peter raising a concern of the disciples that with all they had sacrificed in following Jesus what their reward would be. Jesus told him that they would receive eternal life and be greatly reward in the Kingdom of Heaven including being given the position of sitting in judgment of the twelve tribes of Israel who failed to believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus also reminded the disciples that many who have been privileged in this life with positions of power and wealth will be last in the Kingdom of Heaven and many in this life who have been in need and have lived powerless and in poverty will be first in the Kingdom of Heaven.
HEALING
Our Father in Heaven, we give You praise for all the people Your Son healed when he entered Judea on his journey towards Jerusalem and we give You praise for all the people who have been Healed – Saved by Your Son’s sacrifice since his death and resurrection because they have confessed Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. We also give You praise for all who are healed physically, emotionally, and spiritually today because of the power of Your Holy Spirit whether Your Spirit works supernaturally or naturally through Your gifts of medicine and therapy.
Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for Your creation basis of marriage and ask that Your Spirit protect the basis of all marriages from harm so that divorce can occur less and less in this world because it goes against Your plan and in this way is unnatural. We acknowledge the great pain and suffering associated with the broken relationships of divorce within a family and the children who are the most vulnerability to this pain and suffering when divorce occurs. We ask for Your Son’s healing touch and prayer for these children whether they are young or whether have grown up in the way he touched and prayed for the children whose parents brought them to Him In Judea. We also thank You for the vital relationships in life for those in the Kingdom who are not given to marriage. We pray that You sustain them through these relationships modeled on the amongst You as Father, Your Son and Your Holy Spirit.
Our Father in Heaven, help us to escape the behavioral way in which we are raised in which we learn at an early age we get something by doing something. Lord, this is so deeply ingrained in us at such an early age that it is difficult to break free of this way of thinking. It makes us feel unworthy unless we do something to earn our value. Lord it makes it hard to receive something of value unconditionally – especially the love of another and especially the Gift of eternal life which is impossible for us to attain on our own, for us to earn because of good works, although it is not impossible for You to give us as You have-through the death and resurrection of Your Son who died on the Cross with the weight of all Sin for all time placed upon Him. Lord help us to received and be assured of our eternal life by creating in us the humble faith of a child in what You Son has done for us so that our heart is not divided between the things of this world and You, so that there is no doubt in our minds that You take first place, and so that we do not walk away like the rich man suffering and sad because of our awareness of our inability to place You ahead of our money and possession and part with whatever You ask us to in this world in order to follow Your Son.
Our Father in Heaven, humble us so that we are among the last in this world.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
SONG 'Rich Young Ruler' by Derek Webb @imeem http://x.imeem.com/E3zIydKGhL
TEXT http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Mat&chapter=19#n23
MESSAGE
“Divorce”
After addressing Peter’s questions about forgiveness, Jesus went across the Jordan River to Judea where he healed many in the large crowds who followed Him there before some Pharisees came to test him by asking Him whether it was lawful for man to divorce his wife for any reason – something they said Moses permitted. Jesus responded by quoting from the Creation Story about a man being united to his wife with the two becoming one flesh – adding that what God has joined together, no one should separate. He told them that Moses allowed them to divorce only because they were heartless, and he told them if they divorce their wife for any reason other than for sexual sin, they will be committing adultery if they remarry. Jesus’ response to the Pharisees resulted in his disciples stating that if what he was saying about divorce is true it would be better not to get married. Jesus told them that there are certain men whose lives aren’t given to marriage including those who are eunuchs from birth, those who are made eunuchs through castration, and those who are in effect eunuchs because they remain celibate or sexually fast as a spiritual sacrifice to the LORD.
“Children”
When little children were brought by their parents to Jesus to lay his hands on and pray for them, the disciples began scolding the parents even though Jesus had already told them who the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven were the importance of treating them properly, e.g. not looking down on them and the Heavenly ramifications for doing so. Jesus told the disciples to stop what they were doing and the children came to Him. After placing His hands on them He moved on.
“The Rich”
After this a man approached Jesus and asked Him what good thing he needed to do to earn eternal life. Jesus told him there is only one who is good-God, that no one can do enough good to earn eternal life. However, Jesus told him if he wanted to have eternal life he needed to keep the commandments to which he responded, which ones? Listing several commandments, the man said he had obeyed them all but wondered what he still needed to do. At this point Jesus addressed the man's issue of coveting by telling him if he wanted to perfect at obeying all the commandments he needed to sell all his possessions and give his money to the poor at which point his treasure would be in Heaven. After doing this, Jesus said to come and follow Him. Not expecting to hear this, the man left very sad because he was very rich and wasn’t able to do what Jesus told to do because he loved his money more than God.
After the man left Jesus told his disciples how difficult it is for someone who is rich to receive eternal life emphasizing what he said by stating the impossible - that there is a greater possibility of a camel going through the eye of a needle than a rich person receiving eternal life. Since the disciples associated riches with God’s blessing, they were totally confused and asked Jesus if the rich couldn’t be saved then who could be? Jesus responded by telling them that eternal life is impossible for humans to attain whether they are rich or poor but that nothing is impossible for God. This led to Peter asking Jesus what was in store for the disciples in light of the sacrifices they have made in following Him. Jesus told Peter that when all things are renewed and when He was His Heavenly throne, the disciples would sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. In addition, He told Peter whoever has left there house, family, and/or work to follow Him will receive a hundred times more and eternal life. Jesus went on to add that many who have been first in this life will be last in eternal life and many who have been last in this life will be first in eternal life.
TEACHING
Traveling towards Jerusalem, once inside Judea Jesus heals many people in the large crowds following Him giving further evidence that he is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. However, once in Judea, he is soon tested by the Pharisees with a question about whether a man is permitted to divorce his wife for any reason. The permitted reasons for divorce in Jewish society was a conflict even amongst the Jews and therefore they likely raised this question Jesus with the intent of trying to trap Him on this issue in the Herod’s district where John the Baptist lost his life over confronting Herod about remarrying his brother’s wife. The question was also a reflection of the Pharisees’ hard hearts – something Jesus pointed out as the reason Moses had permitted liberal divorce in the first place. Jesus answered their question by referring back to Genesis which based marriage in the creation thereby defining divorce as unnatural and rebellion against God. He discussed divorce as permittible only under the condition of sexual sin since this broke the “one flesh” basis of marriage in the story of creation. Ignoring what he said about the creation, his disciples questioned whether it was therefore better not to marry and he told them that some are called to live unmarried, although he didn't say say this option was preferable.
In fact, immediately after this encounter with the Pharisees, little children were brought by their parents to have Jesus place his hands on and pray for them indicating one of the glorious results of marriage – children, who although had recently been highlighted as the greatest in the kingdom of heaven due to their humility and faith, were kept from coming to Him by the disciples who reprimanded the parents for bothering Jesus with them. Jesus intervened with his disciples, the children came to Him, he placed his hands on them and when He was finished they moved on.
After this, Jesus is approached by a child who has grown up to become a very wealthy man who has everything and who asks Jesus what good thing he must do in order to have, to earn like he has obtained everything else he owns, eternal life. Jesus immediately corrects him that there is only one who is good-God-and that he can not earn the goodness of God by anything he does in life. However, despite telling him this he goes on to show him the impossibility of earning eternal life by telling him that if he wants to attain it he needs to keep the commandments to which the man ask him which commandments he needs to keep. Jesus responds by listing the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 5th commandments of Exodus 20 as well as that he must love his neighbor as himself to with the man stated that he has obeyed all of them. Still lacking assurance, he asks Jesus what else he needs to do at which point Jesus tells him that to perfectly follow the commandments he needs to follow Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, above anything else and that in order to do this he needs to first need sell all of his possessions and give away all of his money to the poor. At this, the man went home sad because he was rich and was aware that his riches were competing for first place in his heart for God.
Afterwards, Jesus discussed with his disciples the impossibility of the rich entering eternal life because of how their money and possessions compete for first place in their heart with God like with the man who had just left them. He used the analogy of the impossibility of a camel going through the eye of a needle to illustrate just how impossible it is for the rich to receive eternal life. The disciples were confused by this because the understanding during their day was that those who were wealthy had been blessed by God and if they had been blessed by God they were on the road to eternal life. Their understanding of who receives eternal life was turned upside down until Jesus told them that eternal life is impossible for anyone, rich or poor to earn, but what is impossible for people to do, is possible for God to do. This led to Peter raising a concern of the disciples that with all they had sacrificed in following Jesus what their reward would be. Jesus told him that they would receive eternal life and be greatly reward in the Kingdom of Heaven including being given the position of sitting in judgment of the twelve tribes of Israel who failed to believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus also reminded the disciples that many who have been privileged in this life with positions of power and wealth will be last in the Kingdom of Heaven and many in this life who have been in need and have lived powerless and in poverty will be first in the Kingdom of Heaven.
HEALING
Our Father in Heaven, we give You praise for all the people Your Son healed when he entered Judea on his journey towards Jerusalem and we give You praise for all the people who have been Healed – Saved by Your Son’s sacrifice since his death and resurrection because they have confessed Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. We also give You praise for all who are healed physically, emotionally, and spiritually today because of the power of Your Holy Spirit whether Your Spirit works supernaturally or naturally through Your gifts of medicine and therapy.
Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for Your creation basis of marriage and ask that Your Spirit protect the basis of all marriages from harm so that divorce can occur less and less in this world because it goes against Your plan and in this way is unnatural. We acknowledge the great pain and suffering associated with the broken relationships of divorce within a family and the children who are the most vulnerability to this pain and suffering when divorce occurs. We ask for Your Son’s healing touch and prayer for these children whether they are young or whether have grown up in the way he touched and prayed for the children whose parents brought them to Him In Judea. We also thank You for the vital relationships in life for those in the Kingdom who are not given to marriage. We pray that You sustain them through these relationships modeled on the amongst You as Father, Your Son and Your Holy Spirit.
Our Father in Heaven, help us to escape the behavioral way in which we are raised in which we learn at an early age we get something by doing something. Lord, this is so deeply ingrained in us at such an early age that it is difficult to break free of this way of thinking. It makes us feel unworthy unless we do something to earn our value. Lord it makes it hard to receive something of value unconditionally – especially the love of another and especially the Gift of eternal life which is impossible for us to attain on our own, for us to earn because of good works, although it is not impossible for You to give us as You have-through the death and resurrection of Your Son who died on the Cross with the weight of all Sin for all time placed upon Him. Lord help us to received and be assured of our eternal life by creating in us the humble faith of a child in what You Son has done for us so that our heart is not divided between the things of this world and You, so that there is no doubt in our minds that You take first place, and so that we do not walk away like the rich man suffering and sad because of our awareness of our inability to place You ahead of our money and possession and part with whatever You ask us to in this world in order to follow Your Son.
Our Father in Heaven, humble us so that we are among the last in this world.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
SONG 'Rich Young Ruler' by Derek Webb @imeem http://x.imeem.com/E3zIydKGhL
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