Ni90: Matthew 25-27, Proverbs 16

There is a ton of content in these three chapters and so much I COULD say…but I will try to restrict myself to a couple of observations that stuck out to me today.

First relates to the opening parables. A contrast is drawn between the wise and foolish virgins. Half were prepared for the Bridegroom’s arrival and half were unprepared. The unprepared ones ultimately missed the Kingdom.

Now I think the preparation is intimately connected to the parable of the talents (25:14-30) relating to the exercise of stewardship of the ministry entrusted to us. The application is both individual/personal and corporate/communal. As individuals we must be personally accountable for what we do with the ministry entrusted to us. However…it is important not to discount the communal accountability. Christianity is not merely a personal faith. As a faith community we have a responsibility to be good “stewards/ managers” of what God has entrusted to us. To join the two parables together in PRINCIPLE…is to say that the prepared ones are those who exercise stewardship over ministry; whereas the unprepared ones fail to exercise any stewardship over their ministry. They sat by while ministry was to be done…without doing it. [Notice the judgment section that rounds out the chapter.]

My second observation relates to the commitments we make (well-meaning and well-intended) that we do not fulfill because of the weakness of our flesh (26:33-35; 26:41). [NOTE: We should not feel as though we are victims of our flesh in this; rather, we should master our own flesh. We should bring it under discipline, with the grace and help of God…but we are accountable to bring it under submission.

CH 27 is a painful chapter as I consider Judas. His account displays the difference between remorse (which he had) and repentance. He acted with evil, betrayed Jesus with a kiss, sought his own agenda rather than the agenda of God, and tried to manipulate a situation. Once he saw the consequences of his actions, he felt badly, tried to make restoration, but never sought forgiveness through repentance (27:3-5).

Judas’ failure illustrates the activity, motive, and method of the enemy…Judas though he was doing well (on his own) and thought his actions would be good; however, they resulted in deep regret. Sin works this way. What is most sad…is that he never sought forgiveness from the Lord. He tried to fix his own sin. He felt bad. He never sought forgiveness. [I know many people who live a Judas life. They want to fix their wrongs as if that were possible…and they fail…often times blaming God for not forgiving them…even though they never sought His forgiveness and trusted in it. They trusted in themselves. They are self-deceived and thus, self-condemned.

It is our inability to “fix ourselves” that lead to the statement in 27:46. [Allow me to illustrate the language with my own translation based on the grammar: “Father demonstrate to all of them why you have delivered me over to this hour.” Jesus then yielded up His spirit and the graves were opened, the veil separating God and man was torn in two making access possible, and the earth shook as if to punctuate God’s statement! What we could not do with remorse and restitution, God did through SUBSTITUTION and showed us in a way that no one could reasonably argue against it! HALLELUAH!

Proverbs 16:3 is the takeaway today. “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.”

Ni90: Matthew 22-24, Proverbs 15

I hope you are being encouraged and blessed as you have finished 2 weeks of the New in 90 challenge. As we enter day 15, let me encourage you to stand firm. It is worth it!!

As I read this morning, a couple of things caught my attention.

In 22:1-14 we find a parable of the Kingdom. Ultimately, there was an invitation extended to be part of the Kingdom…to both evil and good men (22:10). In v.11, the King observed a man who came into the wedding banquet but had not prepared by wearing the appropriate attire. He was cast into hell.

OBSERVATION: Remember that parables do not explain EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING…but are analogies to help us understand particular points or principles that are being addressed. In this case, many were invited to come into the kingdom, but only those who came in appropriately were accepted. The other was not accepted simply because of his proximity. He was rejected…even though he was inside…because he had not prepared himself to be in the king’s presence in the kingdom.

Salvation is freely offered, completely accomplished apart from man’s effort, and is more glorious than we can even imagine. You cannot “fake it” however, and you cannot slip into Salvation by standing quietly in the back of the room…waiting on the crowd to move. If you don’t do as is expected by the One who calls, you will not be saved. It is His Salvation and He alone is King. ALONE!

Ch 23 addresses phariseeism (legalism) and a couple of features struck home… probably because of some interactions I had this past week. 23:3 is powerful…Do what the Pharisees tell you (because it is the Law of God), but don’t act like the Pharisees act…since they are hypocrites and find loopholes to promote their own self-righteousness.

[WOW! Jesus just affirmed that the Law is not the problem. He tells the hearers to obey the Law of God! Do not Kill, Do not Steal, Have no other gods before God...all these still apply!!??!!]

POINT: The grace of God does not negate God’s standard…it fulfills it. God fulfilling the standard does not translate to a “license” for us to live as we choose, but a devotion to live as He chooses for us. After all, He paid our debt, signed our pardon, released us from chains, (you add whatever picture you like). The Pharisees tried to master the Law so that they could judge themselves righteous. Jesus said, they successfully designed a system that strained a gnat out of their drink (a direct reference to one of their processes to insure holiness) while swallowing a camel. [ANd, just in case you thought Jesus wore sandals, ate granola, and listened to 60s music…this is not some sweet hippie statement. He is poking “the man” in the chest in a very MANLY way. He is emotionally charged at what the Pharisees have turned God’s economy into. They have made a mockery of God’s intent!

Ch 24 speaks of the second coming of Christ. He answers a question His disciples asked Him directly. To summarize…Christ will come back suddenly, without warning…but after we see some of these signs take place (because we personally may not see all of them. They may have occurred apart from our personal knowledge.) One clue though…is in 24:8. As we see them coming to pass…we should be quickened in our spirit. They will increase in frequency and intensity until Jesus returns.

So, in light of this…how does it go for those who faithfully follow Jesus? They will endure increasingly intense persecution and some will die. (Not exactly the material that sells books about how to have our best life by Friday.) But…He does return and everything changes. Then, those who have been persecuted, suffered, or whatever…those that have prepared to meet Him…will be gathered to Him and will be forever with Him. No more persecution, suffering, or separation. It is a game-changer. (For the one prepared to meet Him).

Proverbs 15:6 is the takeaway today. “Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, but trouble is in the income of the wicked.”

Ni90: Matthew 19-21, Proverbs 14

There are a number of features in these three chapters that speak to me. I want to share those…along with a few observations.

Ch 19 speaks on the subject of divorce. Especially in our culture today…I hear a lot about divorce and whether Christians can divorce…or “does God allow divorce.” Sometimes these questions are speculative…at other times, people simply want to know…”can I be forgiven.” Some are looking to justify their own self-righteousness which is bolstered when they can bring someone else “lower.” Well…citing Jesus is all I have…and I want to do so using a phrase I heard Andy Stanley use…”You cannot UN-ONE one.” (19:5). Once something ceases to be two and becomes one, you cannot un-one one. If you try to divide what is now only one…you kill both. You don’t end up with two any longer, but two parts. The divided parties are incomplete without the other.

POINT Being…God’s design is such that anything else is unsatisfying and less than “abundant life.” Don’t buy into the LIE that it is better to do it your own way rather than God’s way. His way always involves forgiveness, repentance, change, growth, new beginnings, etc. Never “un-ONE One.”

I have heard people speculate that pure worship can have no overtones of desire for personal benefit (a philosophical position). These same people would even argue that if a man desires to “get” something out of a relationship with Jesus…or service to Jesus…then He is less spiritual than others. The problem is that this doesn’t “square” with Jesus’ own words. Notice in 19:27-30…He doesn’t rebuke Peter (speaking for the disciples) for asking about rewards in heaven…He promises them.

At the same time…Jesus states that in the Kingdom, it is not desired that one seek to gain authority, influence, and power; rather, if one is to pursue anything, then he is to pursue serving others above all. (20:26-28). This is not some lofty ideal…but is a directly applied answer to a specific request by James and John (through their mom…which I think is hilarious) to grant them power and position in the Kingdom. Jesus said that greatness in the Kingdom comes from service to the King (which is manifested often as serving others in the King’s Name).

This challenge to the cultural view of authority really smacked the Pharisees and other religious rulers. They had amassed authority…and as such, hated the idea that Jesus would say that they were wrong (which is the implied message as we progress. I say implied because Jesus rebukes a desire for authority, or trust in authority, or self-righteousness by authority…but He doesn’t rebuke authority itself. In fact, He claimed all authority was given to Him (MT 28:18). ). [Authority is not bad in God's economy. Only in America where we celebrate protests of authority can we justify a view that authority itself is bad. It is not. Abused authority is bad. Authority is, in itself, amoral and...it is a tool through which God displays His grace.]

FInal observation: When confronted with this truth, the Pharisees had a choice to make…embrace it as Jesus presented it…or resist it, deny it, and run their own course. They chose the latter and thus…excluded themselves from the grace of God (21:23-27). [Jesus loved the Pharisees as much as any sinner. He even asked God to be merciful to them. He did not cut them off from the grace fo the Kingdom...they chose to reject it by refusing to embrace God's plan.]

One of the saddest things I ever experience as a pastor is when I present biblical truth that is in conflict with a person’s “idealism” or previously held views about God…and they refuse to even consider it. Some can’t get past certain things (usually a form of legalism) and as such, they feel self-assured in their beliefs. When biblical trust is presented that challenges these beliefs…they often refuse to believe. In doing so…they walk away from abundance in life! Honestly…it breaks my heart…and I am certain it broke Christ’s heart. [Because He loves Pharisees too.]

Proverbs 14:5 is the takeaway today. “A trustworthy witness will not lie, but a false witness utters lies.”

Ni90: Matthew 16-18, Proverbs 13

A couple of things stood out in my reading today. First…the influence of teaching (16:6-12). It is presented in the negative here…but teaching works the same way in the positive. Like leaven (yeast), it is unclear exactly HOW it influences…but over a sustained time period it permeates every part of the dough. Such is also true of teaching. You don’t “microwave” faith or faithfulness. You simmer it. You teach and apply and teach and apply. You test and believe…teach more and apply. Real disciples are not instantaneous. Real disciples are convinced over a period of time on the journey. [So, some don't ever get there...because the discipler gives up too soon, or because the disciple stops exposing himself to the teaching. Information is not the goal...transformation is the goal; however, information leads to transformation.]

Peter went from hero to zero in a few verses (16:17; 23). From blessed to the stumbling block of Satan. The difference: embracing the will of God…no matter how difficult.

Same idea is stated in the next chapter as size of faith (17:19-21). The disciples were unable to overcome the power fo the enemy…not because the power (Holy Spirit working through them) was inept; rather, it was because they were restricted in their yieldedness to Him. Jesus calls them an “unbelieving and perverted generation” (17:17) because of the littleness of their faith. [NOTE: They tried to pray for this boy's healing. They did their best...but they did not believe God for His best...His power. Had they looked to see what God was doing and trusted Him to simply do what He does...they would have delivered this boy from demonic power.]

OBSERVED: How often do we leave “power” on the table and “bodies” in the ditch because we don’t believe God enough to join Him in His work? Personally, I am ok suffering myself…but the thought that there are people suffering and perishing because of my disobedience and my little faith…is sobering to put it mildly.

When we believe God…we get thee opportunity to see Him do stuff that cannot be explained in any way other than supernaturally (17:24-27). [BTW: The point is not the poll tax but the ability of God to do anything and Peter's opportunity to see God do it when He obeyed.

Our lack of faith becomes a STUMBLING BLOCK to others (18:7-11). When we don't trust God, we present a small picture of Him and thus cause others to limit their trust of God. Notice the strong language here... we think of these stumbling blocks as "sin" or "temptation" and they certainly can be; however, they can also be "rationalization/ reason/lack of faith." [There are times when "some" will say to me..."yes we should have faith but God also gives us 'wisdom,' ' (which sounds so spiritual at first...as if faith and wisdom were somehow the yin and yang of the universe.) POPPYCOCK! The wisest thing we can ever do is to be absolutely obedient to Jesus' commands...with requires, by nature, absolute faith.] DON’T let some spiritual sounding word like wisdom cause you to stumble. Often times…it is just a mask that disobedience and lack of faith wears to justify sinful, controlling, passions for comfort, power, and recognition.

How merciful is God? 18:21-35. A debt is owed and we were forgiven. When we asked for mercy…we were forgiven. We are required to be forgiving in the same gracious way. If we are not…God is not/will not be merciful toward us. [HEAR ME: Some would argue that God doesn’t take back forgiveness and that if they are forgiven, God never reverses His decision. (At the same time they are convinced that they must be forgiven). Well…I AGREE. Once God forgives, it is never undone; however, once He forgives…we also forgive. So…how do you know if someone is “forgiven/saved/made righteous?” By their actions…not by a picture and a prayer from childhood. Jesus said you will know a tree by what is produced in its life (7:20), not by some self-aggrandizing statement about a distant prayer that never produced a thing.

Is there a change in you? Can other see it? Is it evident to you, to God, and to others? If not…there has been no change…but there can be. Beg for mercy and know the CHANGE that God graciously gives!

Proverbs 13:14 is the takeaway today. “The teaching fo the wise is a fountain of life, to turn aside from the snares of death.”

Ni90: Matthew 13-15, Proverbs 12

The section opens with Jesus teaching in parables. Depending on your personality type…you either love the parables…or hate them. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly truth/principle/meaning. These parables are about the Kingdom of heaven (God) and how we can understand it. None of these pictures fully explain everything about the Kingdom, but if you take them in concert and apply the principles, you can get a good picture of the Kingdom. A couple of observations…in bullet form:

• 13:10-17. Some people think God has held back information toward some people…so that they cannot fully grasp the Kingdom. Preposterous. The dullness of man’s heart makes the Kingdom imperceptible to him…so that he will not hear, see, or understand (13:18-23). Others will understand and will bear great fruit. They are heroes of the Kingdom.
• 13:24-30, 36-43. God Sovereignly allows (for the time being and for His own purpose) both the presence of His people and the sons of the enemy. One day though…there will be a reckoning/judgment.
• The Kingdom spreads mysteriously, like the working of yeast/leaven in dough(13:33).
• Judgment and division is a necessary reality in the Kingdom economy. Everyone is not accepted. Only those who yield to the Lordship of the King.
• 13:53-58. Sometimes we can be too familiar with a person or a principle…and can miss it because fo the condition of our hearts. It is not the preacher’s problem…it is ours.
• 14:1-12. Herod never fully got over the guilt over his murder of John the Baptizer. Sin hangs on mercilessly. Only forgiveness from God can release us from the bondage of sin and sin-guilt.

Jesus demonstrates (as if to punctuate His teaching) the power fo the Kingdom. He walked on water, fed the multitudes, and healed the sick…both physically and spiritually. He did so in response to faith and a willingness to trust Him. He was able to do these things even for the unbelieving…but did so in response to faith. It is His economy…His actions are always just even if Oprah or Barry Lynn would disagree.

OBSERVATION: When God sovereignly judges and separates the tares from the wheat or the bad fish from the good…and He does so based on our faith (according to His definition of faith and not our own)…where will you be?

Now some say, “Pastor…don’t cause people to doubt their salvation.” I say we ought to always examine our faith since it has eternal consequences and our hearts can deceive us into thinking we have something that we don’t. At the same time…I don’t think I can cause (nor is it my intention to cause) someone to doubt their salvation. If you doubt, then there is distance between you and God. Either temporal (caused by unconfessed sin) or eternal (due to unforgiven sin). So…CLOSE THE GAP and see which is the case.

Proverbs 12:3 is the takeaway today. “A man will not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will not be moved.”

Ni90: Matthew 8-10, Proverbs 10

If two words could be used as the “hooks” that hold this section together, they would be “authority” and “faith.” In fact, I might recommend that one go back and circle each occurrence in the passage.

V.9 is the first attestation in the section of Jesus’ authority. A soldier, a commander of 100 men says to Jesus that “he also is a man under authority…” In the same way that the soldier/centurion can and does command men to come and go, do and not do…he recognizes the authority of Jesus. Based on the authority of Jesus, this man asks Jesus to heal his servant. This man’s response to the authority of Jesus is called FAITH by Jesus and He marveled at it (v.10). [Note: If Jesus marvelled at something, we ought to pay close attention.]

Jesus demonstrated authority throughout this section. Authority over illness, demons, the physical world…nothing is presented as beyond His authority. He demonstrated authority as part of the proclamation…”the Kingdom of God is at hand.” NOTE: There is a clear connection/relationship between authority and the Kingdom. To say Jesus is King…is to declare His authority. To respond and live as if Jesus is King…is to demonstrate faith.

Notice the contrast (8:10 and 8:26). The centurion had great faith but the faith of the disciples was little. Why is it that those who knew the most and walked the closest in proximity had difficulty believing the fullness of His authority? (Is that still true today? Does the lost world attribute more to the authority of God than do those who are inside the church?)

9:35…notice that healing (or better…demonstrating authority of the Kingdom) is only part of the equation. 2/3 of the verse speaks of Christ’s teaching and preaching. [Amazingly, we as believers get really comfortable with one or the other but we struggle with both. We will gladly proclaim but deny our responsibility to minister physically. Or, we will minister physically but refuse to give a verbal witness and explanation of our beliefs. Jesus demonstrates both...and we must also if we are to be faithful and effective.]

Jesus demonstrates authority (Ch 8-9) and then confers authority to His followers to do likewise (Ch 10). The model that Jesus expresses here is that we, as His followers, are to be engaged in exercising the authority to preach, teach, and heal. This calling will not be easy. It will draw great criticism. However, if no one is being critical…you’re not doing much of consequence. Beware when all men speak well of you….

The response to the message is clear and it defines the prospects of a person’s future. Jesus did not come to negotiate for our souls. He came to PROCLAIM the truth and bring us to decision (10:32-39). Whether we refuse to respond or reject Him…the outcome is the same. There are only two choices…yield to Him…recognizing His authority and demonstrate faith in Him and it…or NOT.

APPLIED: This is a passionate burden on my heart. Years ago, God called me to leave my family in SC and move away so that others may have the same opportunity to hear and choose. In many places in the world (including across our country) there are people who do not have enough information to choose Jesus. They know they are damaged goods, but they do not know how to fix it. So…they are susceptible to wrong religious claims, secular wisdom, and the schemes of the tempter. My passionate pursuit…proclaim the Kingdom in such a way that they can make an informed decision about Christ while at the same time…”compelling” them to choose Christ. What they do is between them and Jesus…but my passion is that they would exercise the same faith that the Centurion did…knowing that Jesus has all authority committed to Him. He fixes what is damaged.

Proverbs 10:27 is the takeaway today. “The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.”

Ni90: Matthew 5-7, Proverbs 9

These three chapters comprise the Sermon on the Mount…what many scholars call Jesus longest and most famous sermon. I could probably write a dozen posts on the things in this section, but I want to reflect on what jumped out to me today.

5:16…”LET your light so shine before men…” We are not called to shine our light…or to make light…but to let it shine. The power and presence of God in us shines on its own. We are told to not prevent it. If we are diligent to not allow the “baskets” of our choices to shield the light, the light will shine. What are these baskets? A few come to mind…PRIDE, Lack of Focus, Fear, Sin…just to name a few.

6:3…when you give to the poor, do it in secret so that your Father in heaven will see. This is not a statement about secrecy in giving…but is part of a larger teaching on motives. 6:1 tells us to practice our righteousness to please the Father, not to gain the approval or attention of men. Part of the righteousness that is without dispute is caring for the poor. [NOTE: Can you imagine trying to argue that one could be righteous without caring for the poor? Even the unrighteous man recognizes that caring for the poor is an act of righteousness.]

In Baptist circles…my particular religious tradition…somewhere back in time someone said that all giving to the church should be in secret and they used this passage of Scripture. The same someone (or his cousin) even went as far as to say that it would be WRONG for anyone (especially the pastor) to know what a person “gave”…except of course the person who is responsible for creating the tax receipt.

[Let me say, as a pastor, I don't really care about what or how much a person gives as much as I care about a person's righteousness before God. What I have found in my life...is that traditions of secrecy are usually just a cover for sin. In general...whenever you remove accountability (real or perceived) from a situation you create significant opportunity for temptation to sin. When I find someone who "crows" about the Bible teaching secrecy in giving...two things come to mind: First, they do not understand the Scripture...and Second, they probably don't give as God has instructed. Are there other reasons...sure...but not very often.]

6:14-15…”Forgiveness is non-negotiable if you desire to be forgiven.” You cannot hope in forgiveness from God while you harbor unforgiveness toward others. Forgiveness, biblically defined, is required if you wish to be forgiven. No exceptions.

7:15-20, “You can tell about a man’s heart by looking at his pattern of life over time.” Sure…a single sin doesn’t tell the whole story…but if a man produces no fruit over time or produces bad fruit over time…it is ridiculous to assert or even think that he is a “good” tree. Further, it is a foolish argument to think that God doesn’t want us to discern this about ourselves (look at our own fruit) and about others (look at other people’s fruit). The man who said, “don’t judge me”…probably also crowed about the giving in secret.

7:28-29, Jesus impressed the crowds with his boldness and assertion of authority. In our day, Jesus would have been called “arrogant.” There was a socially accepted and acceptable custom and Jesus spoke against it…on his own authority. Jesus called motives into question, challenged all traditional assertions and did not do it by calling a committee meeting and taking a census.

“Yea…but He was/is God” you might say. Certainly. He spoke prophetically…as a preacher…giving a monologue about who God is, what God expects, and how people were to respond appropriately to God. In the same way many were offended at Jesus in His day…I find that many are offended at contemporary prophets/preachers today. When a pastor speaks boldly…sometimes they call him arrogant because he doesn’t communicate in the way “people” like…or what “people” think is true. My question is…since when did that become a standard of measure in God’s economy.

What is the standard of measure in God’s economy is not popularity, response, attendance, or anything else of the sort…it is faithfulness. Fidelity to the Word of God is the foremost consideration. So…when you evaluate a prophetic voice of a preacher…do you look for someone who agrees with what you already believe…or someone who demonstrates fidelity to God and His Word?

Proverbs 9:10 is the takeaway today. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Ni90: Matthew 1-4, Proverbs 8

The first four chapters of the Gospel of Matthew introduce for a Jewish audience the identity and purpose of, as well as the prescribed response to the Messiah. The genealogies trace the lineage from Creation through the line of David to the Messiah. The purpose establishes the consistency of the prophesy and promises of God. The advent demonstrates the sinless nature of Christ and the grace and Sovereignty of God in protecting the Messiah.

The third chapter introduces us to the preaching of John the Baptizer and the Lord Jesus. Both professed the same message…and it outlined the required response to the proclaimed message of God…Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand (in our midst). One cannot place hope in the promises of the kingdom without first turning from our own lordship to the Lordship of Christ.

My focus this AM though is on the resolve, example, and demonstration of the Lord Jesus regarding the Kingdom life. Jesus was offered all of the benefits of the Kingdom without the cross and He denied it. He denied it because it did not save. It did not reconcile the lost to God. He denied it because the Father did not instruct it and Jesus demonstrates that the will of the Father is the preeminent pursuit of all.

Some relegate the life and ministry of Jesus to some ultimate example…as if that were His sole purpose for coming…to give us an example/good template to live our lives by. Others focus only on His Salvation work and find nothing about His life to be compelling or instructive for our living. Jesus does give us an example and Jesus did/does save…but either is incomplete without the other. How He lived His life, in submission to the will of the Father, is instructive and exemplary. We are to live as He lived (in submission to God’s perfect and expressed will for our lives every moment of every day.) We are to care about what He cared about…fulfilling the will of the Father and ministering in the Kingdom of God…demonstrating God’s love toward and in the world. We are to challenge the world. Jesus did not just hand out water bottles and paint schools…He called people to repent…to do a 180…to stop rebelling against God by living as if they were god…and live daily seeking the will of God in their lives. This is not just an ideal…it is the expressed will and example of Christ for us today as well. God is God…He is Sovereign…it is His Kingdom…we are His subjects…we do not choose between commands…we either repent and obey or resist and rebel. [By the way...this decision is more moment by moment than a one time prayer prayed at a moment in time.]

Proverbs 8:10-11 is the takeaway. [Wisdom personified is speaking], “Take my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather that choicest gold. For wisdom is better than jewels; and all desirable things compare with her.”

Take Two: Matthew 28, Proverbs 21

A couple of observations on this powerful chapter in Matthew’s gospel are in order. First, an angel descended to roll away the stone. The stone was rolled away from the tomb…not so Jesus could get out, but so that the witnesses could see in. Remember that Jesus was and is no longer restricted by the physical laws of this Universe. Walking out of a closed tomb is no more difficult than walking on water or raising the dead. He is not LIMITED by the same rules that govern this world.

In the same way, He still works in our lives today. We function under His authority (v.18) and, as such, are not restricted in resources to accomplish the task He has assigned us (vv.19-20). When we are pursuing the mission of God, we are only limited by that which limits God. (That is NOTHING).

I also note that the guards were fearful. The presence of God (or His angels) evokes fear. The soldiers could not explain what had happened. This inexplicable circumstance can not be neatly categorized. When an angel steps into your world, you must respond. These soldiers did. They went to their commissioning agents (the chief priests, v. 11) and bore witness.

The chief priests responded too. They required the soldiers to lie about the resurrection and appealed to the soldier’s humanity. They offered to smooth things over with the ir military command if these men would claim that Jesus’ disciples stole His body.

NOTE: My mind is drawn back to the taunting they gave Jesus on the cross (MT 27:42). Where is the belief? Here is a takeaway: Jesus knows what we need and what we will believe or not better than we do. COme down from the cross and we will believe. On the third day…He did…and they dismissed it and covered it up. BUT…you cannot dismiss Jesus or hide the light.

The final words should be a sober challenge to you and I today. If you believe in the resurrection… If you have seen the risen Lord… If you have believed in your heart on God…If you are under His authority…then as you are going, “make disciples” by converting others from their false beliefs (and there are many from secular to idolatry) and teach them to obey Jesus (vv.18-20). Live in the comfort of the promised presence of God…knowing He is good and is with you forever.

Proverbs 21:23 is the takeaway today. “He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from trouble.”

Take Two: Matthew 27, Proverbs 20

Let me say it is GOOD to be back on the blog. I am working from the assumption that everyone has continued reading in my absence, so I will pick up where I think we ought to be…even though my brain is a bit “wacked” due to the time changes.

Matthew 27 details the crucifixion of Jesus. It opens though with a theme that I taught on this past week at one of the pastor trainings I did in South Asia…the issue of remorse and repentance.

Judas, seeing the results of his betrayal, felt remorse and approached the religious leaders and attempted to reverse his actions. He sought to return the money he had taken to betray Jesus (restitution) but it was refused. Doubtless…he felt badly about his choices and grieved about the consequences of his sin. Ultimately, he chose to commit suicide rather than to repent.

NOTE: Repentance is essential for the man who desires to be forgiven by God and holy before God. It is more than and different from remorse. Remorse is sorrow over actions or consequences…but repentance is “godly sorrow” leading to a change of mind and culminating in a change of actions.

Judas is in hell today under the perpetual wrath of God…because he simply was remorseful. He felt badly, but rather than repent…he stopped at remorse.

APPLIED: I know many who feel bad for their sin. A man is a drunkard and he feels badly for being one. He knows he is hurting himself and others and does not wish to do so…but he stops there. Another man knows that he is a poor steward of God’s resources (money and possessions) and feels bad for his choices, but does not change. These men may even try to compensate for their sorrow by serving in a religious capacity with fervor…but they never find relief because there is no repentance before God.

This past week, I saw 3 pastors repent before God and receive His forgiveness for sin. They were “believers” in Jesus…in much the same way that Pilate believed. They knew of Him and even acknowledged His status as a unique man. In fact, they stopped following other gods and began to confess Him as the Messiah; however, they never changed their mind nor sought forgiveness for their sins against God. Truthfully, unless one forsakes his old life and accepts his new life, he cannot be saved. No one forsakes the old apart from true repentance.

This view does leave room for meditation on the actions of Joseph though (v.57). Joseph was a ruling leader in Israel and a religious icon. He was a disciple of Jesus…but he did not stop being a ruler in Israel. So, one might ask…can a man continue his connections with his culture after repentance…even when those connections are inextricably linked with an incomplete or errant understanding of Christ? (I think yes…in some cases…but I want you to consider and meditate on it…to come to your own conclusions. Would love to hear your thoughts as you consider it…so please share a comment or 2!)

Proverbs 20:3 is the takeaway today. “Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel.”