The Pious Pretender - Matthew 21:31-32

"I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins."  (Matthew 21:31-32, NLT)

Jesus came to Jerusalem prior to his execution and taught in the Temple. The Jewish religious leaders rejected His teachings and plotted against Him.

Jesus told three parables in Matthew 21 and 22 to expose those who rejected Him and His teachings and these verses are the conclusion of the first of these three parables, the Parable of the Two Sons.

Threading Needles With Camels - Part 3 (Eliminating Competing Priorities) - Matthew 19

(This is the third in a series of three meditations on the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19.)

<<Part 1 - When Good Isn't Good Enough
<<Part 2 - Knowing What's Really Important

"Everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of my name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last and the last first" (Matthew 19:29-30, HCSB).

Matthew 19:13-30 recounts the familiar story of the rich young ruler and his meeting with Jesus.

After His meeting with the rich young ruler, Jesus explained to His disciples why he advised the man to sell all his possessions. Jesus explained by declaring the well-known and often misinterpreted maxim that it is hard (or impossible) for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, as difficult as trying to thread a needle with a camel (Matthew 19:23; Mark 10:23; Luke 18:24).

The rich young ruler had come to Jesus to ask what good things he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replied that only by obedience to God's commandments does one obtain eternal life.

The man replied that he had, in fact, kept all God's commandments. But this response revealed to Jesus that the man, though professing to keep God's commandments, had not even kept the first commandment to have no other gods other than God Almighty.

Threading Needles with Camels - Part 2 (Knowing What's Really Important) - Matthew 19

(This is the second in a series of three meditations on the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19.)

<<Part 1 - When Good Isn't Good Enough

"When the young man heard that command, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions" (Matthew 19:22, HCSB).

Matthew 19:13-30 relates the familiar story of the encounter of Jesus with a man traditionally identified as a rich young ruler. This passage describes the encounter between Jesus and the rich young ruler. In a debriefing with His disciples after the encounter, Jesus made the well-known camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle analogy, depicting the difficulty confounding rich people entering into God's Kingdom.

Now, the rich young ruler seemed to be a person who wanted to do the right thing.

He wanted to acknowledge God in his life and be faithful to Him so he could make it into heaven.

But, according to Jesus, there was something preventing him from finding completeness in God--his many possessions!

Threading Needles with Camels - Part 1 (When Good Isn't Good Enough) - Matthew 19

(This is the first in a series of three meditations on the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19.)

"If you want to be perfect, Jesus said to him, go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me" (Matthew 19:21, HCSB).

Matthew 19:13-30 relates the familiar story of the encounter of Jesus with a young man who is thought to be a person of some standing among the Jews. So, he is traditionally identified as a rich young ruler.

The passage in Matthew 19 first describes the encounter between Jesus and the rich young ruler, followed by a post-encounter discussion between Jesus and His disciples in which Jesus points out the spiritual disadvantages of affluence. His explanation to His disciples is highlighted by the ironic camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle analogy depicting the difficulty that confounds rich people in making it to heaven.

Who's Looking Out For You? - Psalms 4:6-8

"Many people say, Who will show us better times? Let your face smile on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe" (Psalms 4:6-8, NLT).

Psalm 4 is actually a lament that includes a plea for rescue, a rebuke of the ungodly, some good advice for godliness, and then concludes with these verses, which are an expression of confidence in God.

In this psalm of David he observed that in times of trouble, people prayed to God to send His blessings and make things better for them.

But David found fulfillment in God Himself, not just His blessings.

Two Camps - Genesis 32:1-2

"Jacob went on his way, and God’s angels met him. When he saw them, Jacob said, 'This is God’s camp.' So he called that place Mahanaim" (Genesis 32:1-2, HCSB).

After spending twenty years in Aramea, God commanded Jacob to return to his homeland. As Jacob entered the country God promised to Abraham and his father, Isaac, he was met by the angels of God.

Jacob called the place where he met the angels, Mahanaim, which means in Hebrew, two camps.

Santa Claus Theology - Matthew 18:21-22

"Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times? No, not seven times, Jesus replied, but seventy times seven!" (Matthew 18:21-22, NLT)

In a series of stories and parables Jesus explained how His followers should get along with one another.

So Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him.

Peter probably supposed with his suggestion of seven times he was being magnanimous. But Jesus's recommendation of seventy times seven was astounding!

It Just Makes Sense to Follow Jesus - Matthew 16:24-25

"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it"  (Matthew 16:24-25, NLT).

At first glance, Jesus's invitation in these verses may seem like a peculiar way of trying to attract a following.

Who wants to be Jesus's follower if it requires you to give up your own life, to turn from your selfish ways and take up your cross?

God's Merit Badges - Job 36:15

"God rescues the afflicted by their affliction; He instructs them by their torment" (Job 36:15, HCSB).

In the story of Job, Elihu was the fourth and last to speak from among Job's friends. Elihu was younger than the others and waited to speak, giving deference to the older men.

Though younger, Elihu believed he was speaking God's truth in confronting Job, but he claimed neither human superiority nor inferiority to Job.

In Sync - Romans 8:28

"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28, HCSB).

This familiar verse is probably one of the most often quoted, yet, often misunderstood verses in the Bible!

We generally quote the verse and its promise to someone who has suffered tragedy or misfortune or we claim its promise for ourselves when we personally encounter tragedy or misfortune.

Now, don't get me wrong, there is some very powerful theology embedded in this verse. It's just that we sometimes misapply or misappropriate it to our lives!

Filling Empty Pockets - Matthew 14:19-21

"Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers"  (Matthew 14:19-21, NLT).

We sometimes think the way God provides for His people is to give us what we don't have or more of what don't have enough of.

Our pockets are empty and we expect God to fill them.

For example, if we are experiencing financial difficulties, we pray for a miracle to increase our income; if our car is broken down, we pray for a new one.

Trading Up - Matthew 13:44-46

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!" (Matthew 13:44-46, NLT)

In order to obtain the treasure field and valuable pearl, the field worker and the merchant first had to liquidate everything they had to raise enough capital to purchase their respective treasures.

In following Jesus we must divest our lives of all self-interest with the same totality of purpose as the man finding the treasure in the field and the merchant finding the pearl of great value.

Growing Wheat in a Field of Weeds - Matthew 13:24-30

"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. The landowner’s slaves came to him and said, .... 'So, do you want us to go and gather them up?'... 'No,' he said. 'When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn'" (Matthew 13:24-30, HCSB)

In this parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a man who sowed wheat in a field but is sabotaged by his enemy who sows weeds among the wheat.

Now, that's not really the way we envision the Kingdom of God, is it? We sort of understand the wheat field, but the weeds don't really fit into our understanding of the Kingdom of God.

Kingdom Entrepreneurs - Matthew 13:23

"The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!" (Matthew 13:23, NLT).

The parable of the sower is the first recorded parable of Jesus in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In the parable of the sower, Jesus told about a farmer who was planting seed for crops:

• Some of the farmer's seed fell along the path and the birds came and ate it.
• Some seed fell on rocky places where the soil was shallow and the plants sprang up quickly but soon withered because they had no roots.   
• Some seed fell among thorns and the weeds didn't allow the plants to grow. 
• Some seed fell on good soil where a crop was produced that was many times greater than what was sown.

Jesus explained the parable of the sower to the disciples saying that the seed represented the message of the good news of the Kingdom of God—the gospel.

Examine the Fruit - Matthew 12:33,35

"A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad...A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart."  (Matthew 12:33,35, NLT).

Goodness is a quality that is only attributable to God.

And God's redemptive purpose is not to create good people, but to establish His goodness in the human heart.

So God's plan for you is not just to clean you up, but to shape and form the character of your being for eternity.

God wants to do an inside job on you!

Lavished With Grace - Ephesians 1:7-8

"We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding" (Ephesians 1:7-8, HCSB).

This year I started a new book project. It's a project that's been on my heart for sometime and one that I sensed that God wanted me to begin writing this year.

The subject of the book is Christian discipleship. It's about spiritual formation through the practice of spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, and Bible study.

Now, what's ironic about me writing this book is that I'm not a very disciplined disciple. And that's a concern I expressed to God.

Why would God want me, an undisciplined disciple, to write a book about discipleship?

The Righteousness Test - Job 23:10-12

"But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food" (Job 23:10-12, NLT).

Did you ever sit down to take a test in school and wonder where the questions came from?

The test questions didn't ask for any facts or information you read about in the text or discussed in class. Instead, the test questions expected you to analyze and apply the facts and information you had read or discussed.

And, you probably thought the test was unfair and maybe even complained to the teacher or at least to other students.

That is what happened to Job.

When Job's faith was tested by God, at first Job doubted that he could plead his case to God.

Getting Out of Sodom and Getting Sodom Out - Genesis 19:24-26

"Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt" (Genesis 19:24-26, NLT).

As the angels of the Lord that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah led Lot and his family to safety, they specifically told Lot and his family not to look back.

The Hebrew verb indicates that Lot's wife engaged in a prolonged, intense gaze toward the wicked world she loved. In other words, she didn't just cast a curious glance back, she looked longingly!

Lot’s wife was too attached to the ways of Sodom to follow God’s plan for her life, so she was included in the judgment on the cities and villages of the plain as she lingered on the valley slopes.

Jesus referenced the consequences of longing for Sodom by Lot's wife when He taught about His return (second coming) to judge the world: "Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it" (Luke 17:32-33, NLT).

Can It Be Ishmael? - Genesis 17:18

"So Abraham said to God, 'If only Ishmael were acceptable to You!'" (Genesis 17:18, HCSB).

Ishmael was Abraham's son by Hagar, his wife's servant. Ishmael's birth was planned by Sarah, Abraham's wife, as a way to have children in order to fulfill God's covenant with Abraham: "Now the word of the Lord come to him... 'One who comes from your own body will be your heir... Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.' Then He said to him, 'Your offspring will be that numerous'" (Genesis 15:4-5, HCSB).

Since Sarah was old and had not borne Abraham a child, she offered her Egyptian servant to Abraham so that they could have a child by her.

Abraham consented to a marital arrangement taking Hagar as his second wife when he was 85 years old. Customs of the time dictated that any child conceived by Hagar would belong to Sarah and Abraham.

When Ishmael was thirteen years old, God reaffirmed His covenant with Abraham and decreed that male circumcision would be the sign or seal of this covenant. Then God informed Abraham that his wife Sarah would give birth to a son, who he was instructed to name Isaac. God told Abraham that He would establish his covenant through Isaac.

Singled Out - Genesis 18:17-19

"Should I hide my plan from Abraham? the Lord asked. For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised" (Genesis 18:17-19, NLT).

One day God made a personal visit to Abraham.

Personal appearances by God to Earth are called "theophanies" or "Christophanies" if the appearance seems to represent the pre-incarnate Christ.

Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate in scripture between an angelic appearance or a theophany other than by the context. The context here seems to indicate an appearance of God accompanied by two angels, all appearing in human form (vs. 1-2, 13, 17, 22).

The purpose of the personal visit by God to Abraham was twofold: 1) to confirm God's covenant with Abraham (vs. 10) and 2) to render judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (vs. 21) and extend His mercy to Abraham's family.

Resurrection Theology For Dummies - Genesis 18:17-19

"But I know my living Redeemer, and He will stand on the dust at last. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet I will see God in my flesh. I will see Him myself; my eyes will look at Him, and not as a stranger." (Job 19:25-27, HCSB)

This verse is the ancient voice of Job telling us that his ultimate redemption is manifested in bodily resurrection.

Job proclaims that after his death he will see God in his flesh!

Job understood that without bodily resurrection there is really no redemption and that he, therefore, needed a Redeemer to expedite it.

The Apostle Paul described resurrection as "the redemption of our bodies" (Romans 8:23, HCSB).

Bodily resurrection means our temporal, physical bodies will be transmogrified into imperishable or immortal bodies: "We will all be changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality" (I Corinthians 15:51-52, HCSB).

A Tenth of Everything? - Genesis 14:19

"And Abram gave him a tenth of everything" (Genesis 14:19, HCSB).

When an alliance of kings from the north captured Lot and took him prisoner in a war with the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah where Lot lived, Abram (Abraham) and his 300 fighting men mounted a surprise attack and rescued Lot and his family and recovered all of Lot's possessions.

The king of Sodom and Melchizedek, the king of Jerusalem and a priest of God, celebrated Abram's triumph.

Although Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he owned, he refused to take anything from the king of Sodom. Abram did not want the king of Sodom to take any credit for his prosperity because Abram knew it was God that blessed him.

Abram recognized God was the enabler of his victory and the provider of his prosperity. Abram recognized that his blessedness was by the power and sovereign will of God.

Additional Instructions for Eternal Life - Matthew 7

In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, much of the focus for discussion is often on the first part of the Sermon containing the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 and the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6.

In fact, the last admonition of Jesus in Chapter 6: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (vs. 6:33, HCSB), somehow seems to conclude the Sermon.

But Jesus provided many instructions for His disciples in Matthew 7 as well! The Golden Rule that we all learned as children is vs. 12.

The behaviors Jesus identified in these additional instructions in Matthew 7 were taught in the context of eternal life.

In other words, these are instructions we should live by in our present life in preparation for eternal life.

How To Be Happy and Secure - Matthew 6:33

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need"  (Matthew 6:33, NLT).

Having security and achieving happiness are important priorities for most of us.

People often think that by accumulating material possessions they can make their life secure and happy.

In Matthew 6:19-34, a portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us the appropriate way to find happiness and security in life.

Don't Go To Hell - Matthew 5:27-30

"You have heard the commandment that says, You must not commit adultery. But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell" (Matthew 5:27-30, NLT)

The Greek word for hell, gehenna, originally referred to a valley outside Jerusalem where some of the kings of Judah worshiped idols and performed human sacrifice by fire (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; 32:35). The site was eventually destroyed by King Josiah (2 Kings 23:10).

In the New Testament, gehenna refers to the place of eternal punishment by God.

In this and other related verses Jesus uses hyperbole to reinforce the the potential consequences of sin. It's like Jesus is saying that the possibility of going to hell is of eternal significance, so do whatever it takes to avoid it--don't go to hell!

Compartmentalized Religion - Matthew 5:23-24

"So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24, HCSB).

In this verse from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus confronts His listeners with a really radical view about worshiping God.

In fact, His listeners probably asked themselves, what does the first have to do with the second? What does "offering your gift on the altar" have to do with "be reconciled with your brother?"

Destined for Greatness - Matthew 5:19

"But whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:19, HCSB).

Greatness is a status to which all of us aspire in some form or fashion:
     a great leader,
          a great teacher,
               a great parent,
                    a great athlete,
                         or even a great human being!

We want to climb mountains, ride the river rapids, fly high in the sky, or race fast on the ground!

We aspire for greatness; we endeavor to achieve great things!

Without Hesitation - Matthew 4:20,22

"Immediately they left their nets and followed Him...Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him" (Matthew 4:20,22, HCSB).

When Jesus called His first disciples--Peter, Andrew, James, and John--Matthew says they actually left what they were doing at the very moment when Jesus issued the invitation to follow Him.

They did it expeditiously!

They acted with urgency!

They left and followed without hesitation!

They didn't think about it, analyze it, make comparisons, or check references. They just seized the opportunity as if it were a once-in-a-lifetime offer (and it probably was).

A Proud Heavenly Father - Matthew 3:16-17

"After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy"  (Matthew 3:16-17, NLT).

Have you ever been so proud of your son or daughter that you just had to tell someone how wonderful they were and how proud you were?

That's the way I imagine this story of Jesus' baptism.

God the Father is so proud of His Son because He has been called to ministry and is fulfilling that calling. And so the Father just had to tell somebody how proud He was and express His delight to His Son.

Fragile: Handle With Care - Job 3:20

"Why is light given to one burdened with grief, and life to those whose existence is bitter?" (Job 3:20, HCSB)

In the well-known story of Job, adversity came upon him to the extent that he lost everything including his wealth, family, and health. When his three friends came to sympathize and comfort him, Job posed the question in this verse.

In Job's bout with depression he was unable to see any good or meaning to his past or future life.

And the grief counseling provided by his friends quickly degraded to faultfinding that seemed to drive Job to self-indulgent self-righteousness.

Like Job, for most of my life I had enjoyed the benefits of a "successful" lifestyle and had never really encountered significant personal tragedy. Until I experienced personal tragedy for myself, I never realized how fragile a person's psyche can be in confronting adversity.

The Regular Practice of Prayer - Job 1:5

"He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, 'Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.' This was Job’s regular practice" (Job 1:5, NLT)

Job was a was wealthy man who had seven sons and three daughters.

He was known in heaven and on earth as a man of great personal integrity and faithfulness to God.

Job's faith was more than a religious ritual; it inspired his behavior. So his "regular practice" was to rise early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of his children.