Matthew 26-28: Watch and Pray

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.....
..... Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” - Matt. 26: 27-41 NIV

Who can blame the poor disciples.  They have just had a huge meal and what Jesus said was the last wine they would ever drink with him.  It has gotten late, and now he has dragged them out of the city into a garden.  It's dark and the heady events of the past week have exhausted them.  There's no harm in getting some rest while Jesus does his thing, is there? 

For all of us, those who profess loudly and those who silently follow, there comes a time when we have to push on.  We're tired, perhaps we've had our fill of religiosity and hero worship.  We wouldn't mind some time alone with the Lord, but it has to be energetic or we are going to go to sleep.  Sometimes, I think not even the spirit is willing, but God has called us to keep watch; to watch and pray, to watch and pray so we will not fall into temptation.  That is the only way to get through the exhausting times, to watch and pray.

2010 Post - Matthew 26-28:  Dark Before the Dawn

Matthew 23-25: Judged by our Deeds

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 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, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ - Matt. 25:31-40 NIV

It is our deeds that we will be judged by, but many of us have the wrong idea of what that means; living a blameless, sinless, life.  That would be great if it was within our power to do so, but it is not.  For that, we have to fall on God's grace and accept the redemptive blood of his Son.  So, if we are not capable of saving ourselves, we will be judged righteous by the one thing that we are capable of doing:  giving food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, shelter to the homeless, clothing to those without, comfort to those who are sick and companionship to those in prison.  Look around, there's much to be done and it is being done by only a few. I see a lot of Christians who want to serve God to the sound of fanfare.  Most of the time, the ones who are doing the things God requires are those who want and receive little notice.  They quietly serve God as he positions himself in their midst.  Whatever they do for the least, they are doing for God.  We can be blessed here or blessed in heaven.  Are we doing the right things?

2010 Post - Matthew 23-25:  The End of Time

Matthew 21-22: Do You Believe?

Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” - Matt. 21:18-22 NIV

Jesus had an answer for every question; for those who would question his authority, for those who had little faith, for those trying to trap him into disobeying the law.  All of his answers revolved around one central question.  Do you believe?  Do you believe he is who he says he is.  Do you believe in his authority?  Do you believe in his power?  Do you believe his promise? 

2010 Post - Matthew 21-22:  Triumphal Entry

Matthew 18-20: Who is the Greatest?

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”   As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. - Matt. 20:25-34 NIV

Reading these chapters it becomes obvious that our definition of greatness diverges considerably from that of the gospel.  To be like a child, to be last, to be a servant, that is Jesus' definition of greatness.  Nothing has changed.  The cry is still the same as in Jesus' time.  "Lord, we want our sight."

2010 Post - Matthew 18-20:  Not to be Served, But to Save

Matthew 16-17: Dangerous Knowledge

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. 
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” - Matt. 16:16-23 NIV

This is dangerous knowledge, that Jesus was the Christ.  It was then and still is today, both in the results and in the requirements.  One minute Jesus is telling Peter that he will be the 'rock on which the church is built and the gates of hell will not prevail against it', and the next minute he is telling him, 'Get behind me, Satan!'  And there you have it.  How are we to live being both the foundation and a stumbling block.  How can the good news be so contradictory? 

I take consolation in this one thing.  God knew his creation.  He has always known his creation, our strengths and our weaknesses, and loves us in spite of them all.  Just like Peter, I often do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.  Is it possible, that even with all of my failures, I can still bind things on earth that will be loosed in heaven?  I think so.

2010 Post - Matthew 16-17:  Demand for a Sign

Matthew 13-15: Taking Inventory

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” - Matt. 13:18-23 NIV

It's impossible for me to read the Parable of the Sower without using it as a measuring stick for my own life and in doing so, I often come up short.  I understood the message of the kingdom and that message cannot be snatched away.  The message took root and has stood with me throughout my life.  The blessing however, the blessing that comes to those who understand and receive the message of the kingdom of God, that blessing has overwhelmed me.  When I contrast my life with that before I was truly committed to the Lord, I cannot measure the richness with which God has blessed me, but I have to confess at the same time, that I, like the parable, often let the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth, choke me.  It chokes that seed that was planted with such promise.  Prosperity, the prosperity that came only from God, causes me to sometimes think I have done it all on my own.  It causes me to sometimes think that I have to protect that prosperity rather than protecting my heart.  It causes me to be wrapped up in worries of preservation of the status quo rather than pushing through that status quo to where the real treasure lies.  Most of all, it keeps me from producing that crop that could be if only.  That means that right now, there may be someone who will never accept the gospel, who will never become one in the kingdom of God, because I have become consumed by my own life and not the kingdom.

2010 Post - Matthew 13-15:  Parables and Miracles

Matthew 10-12: Where is the Love?

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
    “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
    “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” - Matt. 11:25-30 NIV

Contrary to what you would hear on many sides today, Jesus' gospel was not an argumentative gospel.  It was primarily a gospel of peace.  As he told his disciples "As you enter the home, give it your greeting.  If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. (Matt: 10:12-13 NIV)   I fear, we've forgotten how to let our peace rest on others and as a result, it leaves us as well.  Lightly, lightly, is how we were to go about our lives.  Lightly.  If someone wants something from us, give it to them.  Everything is only temporary, but we all have a tendency to get wrapped up in this life, in this body and we lose something in the process.  Don't worry about those who can kill the body, but worry about those who can kill the soul.  Where does that put a lot of Christians?  Are we soul-killers?  Most of the time, our actions are because we believe we are doing right  We're fighting for the cause, we're protecting the truth, God's truth.  In the end, all we become is weary and heavy laden.  That's not what Christ called us to do or be.  He called us to lay it all down:  all of our burdens, all of our efforts, all of our arguments.  Lay it all down and take his yoke.  His yoke of gentleness and humility and we will find rest.  Why is it so hard to take up a yoke that is so easy, a burden that is so light?

2010 Post - Matthew 10-12:  The Kingdom of Heaven is Near