2009-12-04
Good Morning Cherished of God,
I’m led to continue with the analysis of the law and love from MT 7: 12 [The Golden Rule], MT 22: 34-40 [The Great Commandment], and RO 13: 1-8 [Duties toward state authorities and others]. Using this many passages allows us to see how applicable and consistent Christ’s Sermon on the Mount teaching really is. If a human-crafted law needs either tweaking or to be eliminated altogether, we should work within the system to change it in an orderly manner. Violent demonstrations, like the one in which a doctor was killed for doing abortions, isn’t the way to make a lasting change. During the ‘60’s, I was on the faculty of San Francisco State University when the president of that school, S.I. Hayakawa, left the administration building to ride in a golf cart, bedecked with a tamoshanter on his head and megaphone in hand, to attempt to get the strikers to give back control over the “Commons”-the school cafeteria- at the time. While he was doing this, other strikers set off a fire bomb which destroyed a part of the administration building and injured people working in it. Ours wasn’t the only campus with such problems, because it was the sixties and there was Kent State too. Thankfully, I saw the whole thing from a distance. Later we found out that a group of non-students who were apparently professional rabble-rousers had come in from off-campus to involve the students in the matter. While only 6 % of school’s population were involved, it took quite awhile to get the demonstrators to give back control over the two buildings and for them to be arrested. The main demand of the demonstrators was the establishment of a black studies department on campus. How sad that people feel this is the way to change the status quo!
When Christ came upon the tables of the moneychangers [MT 21: 12-13; MK 11: 15-19; LK 19: 45-48; JN 2: 13-22], He had enough anger to dump them over. After all this was His Father’s house, the temple. The disciples remembered that the Scripture [PS 69: 9] said, ‘My devotion to Your house, O God, burns in Me like a fire. The insults which are hurled at you fall on Me.’” When the Jewish authorities saw what had happened, they asked, “What miracle can You perform to show us that You have the right to do this?” Jesus answered, “Tear down this temple and in three days I will build it again [JN 2: 19]” It took 46 years for this temple to be built. In characteristic fashion, the authorities completely missed the point of this revelation of the future. It was a perfect case of Christ extending His grace to people who didn’t deserve it. As JN 2: 21-22 goes on, we are made to understand that “Christ was speaking about His body. So when He was raised from death, His disciples remembered that He has said this, and they believed the Scripture [MT 26: 61] and in what Jesus had just said.” I am reminded also of PS 52: 8, which expresses an ideal attitude for a true believer to have. “But I am like an olive tree growing in God’s house, and I can count on His love forever and ever.” We are left with the difference between taking pride over a building that took 46 years to erect, or having humble love for the place where you believe you can come closest to God. As for the Lord Jesus, what happened with the moneychangers would be like a thief breaking into one’s own home and trashing it. He felt violated physically, and spiritually. Is it any wonder that He acted emotionally, albeit righteously?
Let me give one further example that happens all too often in our own congregations. A lady shows up for church [not WLC], her first visit. She is lonely and wants to learn more about this particular church and congregation. So, she visits her first meeting of the lady’s Bible study group. She is made to feel welcome at first, but then soon discovers that she is being instantly judged for her mode of dress, her make-up or lack thereof, and her willingness to listen to their opinions. Not a single lady asks the Christ-like questions: What can I do for you? How can I make you feel welcome? I’ve been that lady, and emotionally and spiritually, it cut to me to the quick. God has brought me to this congregation at a time in my life when He was calling me to faith in Jesus Christ. I was without much money to live on, alone, and looking for a place to belong. God knew I had a long road to travel, and it’s a great shame that this group of women didn’t remember 2 COR 5: 20, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” It’s high time that we realize that our snap judgments have a way of separating us from God. It’s why Christ spends so much time in His Sermon on the Mount discussing topics about judgment, and why the Holy Spirit is commanding me to do the same in this series of devotions. We need to think twice before we jump to conclusions, if for no other reason than the one stated in RO 6: 23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
PRAYER: O Lord, we must come to understand that Your teaching is clear in the matter of judgments. If we take the time to study Your word every day, You reveal to us, not only Yourself, but also how we should make sound decisions. It’s well known that You have taught us to treat others well, to concern ourselves with their needs. Yet, how many of us really do this? It’s not just a matter of giving them material things, although that can righteously be part of it, but it is also to give them our time, our help, and our genuinely caring heart. If we are to be the recipients of such help, then we must receive the help graciously, planning at some time to help others when we are back on our feet. These are hard times we are in, with homes not selling, businesses struggling, and some going under. And yet, You never abandon Your people. PS 9: 9-10, “The Lord is a Refuge for the oppressed, a Place of safety in times of trouble. Those who know You, Lord, will trust You; You do not abandon anyone who comes to You.” I have a picture in my mind of two people from the Bible who exemplify the truth of these statements, Joseph and Daniel. Joseph was cast into Egyptian slavery by his brothers. He went through being unjustly accused of making a pass at Mrs. Potiphar, the wife of the Egyptian official who had put Joseph in charge of his home. Joseph was put in jail for this [GN 39: 1-20]. GN 39: 21-22, “But the Lord was with Joseph and blessed him, so that the jailer was pleased with Him. He put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and made him responsible for everything that was done in the prison. The jailer did not have to look after anything for which Joseph was responsible, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him succeed in everything he did.” Daniel was abducted with his friends at the time King Nebuchadnezzar took over Jerusalem and brought back to the royal palace to work there. God gave Daniel extraordinary wisdom and persuasiveness. He made up his mind not to let himself become ritually unclean by eating the food and drinking the wine of the royal court, so he asked Ashpenaz [the official in charge of the newcomers] to let him and his friends to eat their normal diet and then compare how the two groups thrived [DN 1: 8-13]. God gave the four young men knowledge and skill in literature and philosophy. In addition, He gave Daniel skill in interpreting visions and dreams [DN 1: 17]. We all know that both Joseph and Daniel rose to positions of great responsibility, trusted by their captors. These responsibilities carried out made a big difference for You, Dear Father, and You used them to teach us valuable lessons. We thank and praise You for Your marvelous intervention and love in our lives. In Christ’s mighty and holy name, we pray. Amen.
Next week, I’m a led to write about walking rightly with God by the way we treat others and obey the law. This week, Peter and I happened to watch our favorite TV program, Extreme Makeover, Home Edition. The family chosen to be honored with a new home and other badly needed gifts had watched their father run over by a car when they were acting as first responders in another accident. The father had almost died, but miraculously rallied to live. But he was left with a knee that doesn’t work well and a horrific head injury that robbed him of his memories of their past together and with migraine headaches. The mother’s work was their only source of income, and they were living in a trailer which was falling apart. This program is good for us, and, if I may say so, good for anyone who views it. Never once did this family give up or stop serving its community. In return, God was with them in inspiring ABC to select them to be awarded a vacation cruise, a new home minus a mortgage, money to pay $25,000 in bills, and a new car. Every bit of this and more was well-deserved. Consider that Christ gives us the way to salvation with us not deserving a bit of it! He does this by His Atonement and our faith in Him [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25]. How can we not be impressed to know that some of those legions of people who built this new home were themselves recipients of help. From my own experience, I know that we can make God a permanent Resident of our homes, and we will be richly blessed. He is with us! Praise and thanks be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn