A Faithful And True Message

 Micah 3:5-12

No one likes to be misquoted, or have someone tell others that you said something, but you had said nothing of the sort.  Sometimes one of your children may tell the others that you said something, but you never said anything.  Or maybe the boss gets misquoted by an employee.  People of honor want to have their words quoted correctly.  This is especially true with the Lord God.  Reading through the Bible, we often see where God got upset with false prophets and other religious leaders who spoke words in the name of God, words that He had never spoken.  In our Scripture passage for today, the prophet Micah brings God’s Word against such false prophets.

We should expect that our religious leaders bring us the truth about the Lord God.   God expected that from His servants, as well.  However, many of these prophets spoke words that they did not get from Yahweh.  Sometimes the message that He had for the people was a difficult one.  When the people failed to obey His laws, and when they turned instead to the worship of the false, pagan idols, God gave stern warnings, warnings that if they didn’t change their ways, His punishments would follow.  Naturally, no one wants to hear messages like that.  People do not like to hear bad, negative, or depressing news.  Instead, people like to hear good, positive words.  They like upbeat news, and to hear that they are good.  They like pats on the back and being told that their actions don’t matter to God.

This is what the false prophets and religious leaders throughout the Old Testament were doing.  Over the years God had sent His word through the true prophets that because of the people’s disobedience, dire consequences would happen, including war and captivity.  Naturally the people did not want to hear that.  Thus, in order to please their audience, the false prophets spoke only words of peace (vs. 5), contrary to what the true prophets of God spoke.  God warned, though, that He would put them to shame.  They would get no words from Him (vs. 6-7).

Though God would cut off the ministry of the false prophets, the true and faithful servants of His, like Micah, would have His power and wisdom.  God has given His servants His power (II Timothy 1:7; Acts 1:8).  The false prophets were leading the people astray.  Not all those who claim to have messages from God really do.  The false prophets spoke what would please certain people, who in turn, would pay them well.  The false prophets would prophecy peace or “good” messages when they received gifts from the people.  But when they weren’t paid well, they would not bring the messages that were popular to hear.  They were guilty before God of not giving them His Word, and instead were motivated by greed.

God’s Spirit gave Micah power (vs. 8).  Micah warned against the religious leaders accepting bribes for what they would say and preach (vs. 11).  Pastors today accept bribes when they allow those who contribute much to control the church.  Some pastors keep silent over matters that are wrong, or keep silent on certain issues for fear of losing money or members of their congregations.  These pastors are wrong, and the people who manipulate the religious leaders through their money and offerings are equally wrong.

God’s power will also enable us to be His witnesses, especially when we might need to speak against today’s false prophets.  We can’t witness effectively if we rely on our own strength.  Fear will keep us from speaking out for God.  However, like Micah and the others who spoke God’s Word truthfully, we need to trust Him, and expose these false messages.  The best way is to know God’s Word, and the truth contained therein.  That way, when someone comes with a message contrary to the Bible, we will recognize it and can fearlessly expose it as falsehood.

The Greatest Commandment

 Matthew 22:34-46

Which is the best?  We often take polls to find out which novel, which movie, or which restaurant in the neighborhood people think is the best.  People compose their favorite “top ten” lists of all sorts of things.  The top ten favorite dogs.  Top ten favorite television shows of the season.  The list could be endless.  In today’s Gospel passage we read of someone who came to Jesus, asking what He thought was the most important of all of the laws of the Jewish people.  Let’s take a look at His answer.

Throughout the last week of Jesus’s life before His crucifixion, the religious leaders from both the Pharisees and Sadducees had been trying to entrap Him with their trick questions.  They wanted to trick Jesus into giving an answer whereby they might accuse Him of heresy, blasphemy, or even treason so that they could turn Him over to the Roman authorities.  Today’s Scripture passage contains another attempt the Pharisees made.

A lawyer from their group came to Jesus with another trick question, asking which was the greatest commandment in the law (vs. 34-36).  This fellow was not a lawyer or attorney as we would know today, but instead an expert in the Old Testament Jewish laws, a scribe or a “doctor of theology”.  He was not honestly questioning Jesus, but wanted to trap Him with the Pharisees, and get Him into an argument with them.  The Pharisees and religious leaders had over 600 laws they expected people to keep, and even they couldn’t agree among themselves as to which they felt was the most important.  Various Pharisees and rabbis spent hours upon hours discussing, debating, and arguing between each other as to which was most important, which was next important, on down to the least important ones.

Jesus didn’t ignore his question, and gave an answer.  His answer was “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  And then He added, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (vs. 37-40).  Jesus quoted from both Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18.  The first four of the Ten Commandments relate to our love for God.  The last six relate to our love for others.  Love for God and love for others is the backbone of all God says in His Word.  Paul says that “love is the fulfillment of the Law.” (Romans 13:10).  By keeping the two laws that Jesus quoted to this lawyer, a person keeps all of the others.

The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians, and the scribes had all tried to trick Jesus into religious controversies in order to trap Him and then have the opportunity to arrest Him.  Now Jesus had a test for them (vs. 41-46).  Jesus asked them who they believed the Messiah was the son of.  They answered that they believed the Messiah was the “son of David”.  The term “son of David” was a popular term for the Messiah in Jesus’s day.  They believed in a human Messiah, not a divine one.  Their conviction was that the Messiah was no more than a man.

Jesus gave them a reply by quoting Psalm 110:1.  All of the Pharisees believed that Psalm 110, which was written by King David, was a Messianic prophecy.  Jesus then asked that if the Messiah was only human, and not divine, why would David call Him Lord?  David would not have addressed a mere human descendant as “Lord”.  Jesus was pointing out that the Messiah was not just a son or human descendant of David’s.  The Messiah was also the Son of God and divine.

Jesus was giving them the opportunity to acknowledge Him, and also showing His deity.  The Pharisees, and all the people there, had the opportunity to accept their Messiah, and the Son of God, but they rejected Him.  Today we all have the opportunity to accept Jesus as our Savior, as well.  Jesus is not just a good teacher who lived an exemplary life that we should try to copy.  He is the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity.  If you have not called upon Him as your Savior, accepting His substitutionary death on your behalf, please do so today.

Whose Approval Do We Seek After?

 I Thessalonians 2:1-8

Many people spend their whole lives seeking to get the approval of other people, or trying to please them.  It isn’t always bad to want the approval of others, or to try to please others.  We certainly want to have our boss’s approval.  It is also nice to please one’s parents or spouse, or to get their approval.  However, when seeking to please or get the approval of anyone means we change our actions or behavior from what we know is right to what we know is questionable or wrong, then their approval is certainly not worth it.  In our Scripture today the Apostle Paul shares with the church in Thessalonica about getting approval and pleasing people.

An account of the Apostle Paul’s ministry is recorded throughout the Book of Acts.  We read there of his various missionary journeys around the Mediterranean world.  Frequently he ran into conflict with the Jewish religious leaders, and often had to flee for his life.  This occurred right prior to his arrival to Thessalonica, when he left Philippi, and then again when he had to quickly flee Thessalonica, and then again in Berea.  Paul certainly hadn’t twisted his message to gain these opponents approval.   As he testifies in his Epistle here, he only cared about what one “Person” thought about him, and that was God (vs. 4).  Everything Paul did revolved around what the Father wanted, what He liked, valued, and asked him to to do.

Many preachers today, and throughout history, have twisted the Gospel message they preach in order to please their audience, and also in order to avoid conflict with anyone.  We also know many preachers who have tailored their messages in order to gain big offerings.  That wasn’t the case with Paul.  He was not looking to gain money, fame, or popularity by preaching the Gospel (vs. 3).  Rather, both Paul and his companion Silas had suffered persecution for preaching the Gospel.  His message was true, not false or full of errors.  His lifestyle was pure, not wicked.  His methods were authentic, not deceptive.

In order to avoid the harsh opposition and often life-threatening persecution he faced, Paul could have changed his message in order to gain his opponents approval.  By doing that he could have stayed in one place much longer.  He could have avoided many a beating, stoning, and imprisonment.  He may have gained many more people willing to follow him.  However, Paul was not going to change his message to make it more acceptable.  He did not seek the praise of anyone.  Paul was not some smooth-talking preacher, trying to make a favorable impression.  Nor did he try to get rich in the ministry or seek his own personal glory.  How many ministers today can we say that of?  All too many ministers, especially so many televangelists, are doing exactly that - tailoring their messages for the audience, promoting their own glory, and getting rich.

Do we find ourselves doing the same?  Do we water down the Gospel message in order to make it seemingly more palatable to some we might be talking to?  Are we changing the Gospel message in order to make sure that we do not offend anyone?  As the Apostle Paul said, the only one’s approval that matters is God.  To receive His approval, we need to turn from seeking the approval of others, and allow the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus.  The Lord Jesus did not water down His message.  He did not care whether what He said offended the Pharisees and other religious leaders of His day.  Nor did Jesus preach messages that would bring in big offerings so that He could live a comfortable life.  Rather, Jesus preached God’s message exactly as it was, whether that pleased others or not.  Paul followed that example, as well.

This did not mean that Paul was harsh with the people he ministered to.  On the contrary, Paul treated them with love and gentleness, just like a mother does to her little children (vs. 7-8).  Paul had a gracious spirit.  He was tender and had compassion.  People aren’t likely to believe our message if our lives do not show the love of Jesus.  Our life should reflect His.

If we are pleasing God and living for Him, we don’t have to worry about whether people like what we do or what we say.  Like Paul, let’s be sure that we are seeking God’s approval, and not that of others, when we tell others the truth from the Word of God.

Two Paths, Two Choices

 Psalm 1

Two very important things in life are, one, which path we choose to go on throughout our life, and two, who we go on that path with.  When we choose those wisely, our lives can be very blessed.  But if we make a bad choice with either, the results can be quite tragic.  In our psalm for today, the Word of God counsels us to be sure to make the right choice in both our path through life, and in whom we associate with.

Psalm 1 is a short, brief psalm, but it contains a lot of godly instruction and wisdom, and is one that every believer should heed throughout their life.  In life there are two roads we can choose from to follow.  We can choose to follow the way of the wicked or the way of the righteous.  God will provide, protect, and nourish those who choose to follow the way of the righteous.  Following God’s way has rewards that supersede the seeming benefits of the way of the wicked.

We also have the choice of who we associate with in life, and that choice is equally important to the believer (vs. 1).  The danger of making close friends with those who do not follow God, those who mock His ways, is the real chance of becoming indifferent to God and His will.  We need to have friends who build up our faith, not tear it down.  Friends should help us spiritually, not hinder us.  They should draw us closer to God.

Making close friends with the ungodly has just the opposite effect.  Walking with the ungodly erodes our spiritual life, leading to spiritual compromise.  From casually walking with them, before we know it, we will take an ungodly stand.  That will lead to sitting with the scornful, a permanent settling down, dwelling, and abiding with them.  It becomes a way of life.  The scorner and scoffer makes light of what is sacred.  They are a blasphemous crowd.  If we begin walking with the wicked, it is easier to slip into the habitation of the scoffer and scorner.  We must refuse to listen to ungodly advice, or the false philosophies so popular in the world.

The spiritually blessed person will instead, read, study, and meditate on God’s Word (vs. 2).  He is deeply rooted in Scripture and in prayer (vs. 3).  In order to follow God closely, we need to know what He says.  The blessed man is one who has accepted the righteousness of Jesus.  He avoids evil influences and delights in God’s Word.  He is, as Jesus says, one who abides in Him.  When we abide in Christ, we can’t help but bear good fruit (vs. 3).

If our life is filled with worthless things of the world, it bears bad fruit and is discarded (vs. 4).  The psalmist says that the ungodly are like chaff.  Chaff is often used in Scripture to represent the lost that will be blown away.  Good grain represents the saved, who have a fruitful life.  Chaff is without value.  It is only good to be thrown away.  The ungodly are like worthless chaff.  His destiny is God’s judgment.

When we apply God’s wisdom to our life, we will bear good fruit and we will receive God’s approval.  God judges us on the basis of our faith in Him and His revealed will.  Those who obey His will are blessed, like a healthy fruit-bearing tree (Jeremiah 17:5-8).  Those who don’t, have meaningless lives that blow away like dust in the wind.

As we see through studying this psalm, there are two paths in life.  There is God’s way of obedience, which leads to blessings and eternal life in heaven.  Then there is the path of rebellion which leads to destruction.  If we want God to protect us, provide for us, and nourish us, why pursue the way of the wicked and unsaved, which leads to God’s judgment?  Everyone has to choose one or the other path, so we need to choose carefully which path we take.  One leads to an eternity in heaven, the other to an eternity in hell.  The choice is ours to make.

Some Words Of Wisdom

Proverbs 25

Most of us could use more wisdom in our life.  God placed in His Word, the Bible, a book of wise and godly sayings that if we heed and follow will help keep our life on a good and wise course.  Many of these were compiled by King Solomon.  Let’s open the 25th chapter of the Book of Proverbs, and look at several verses, seeing what we can learn today.

In verse 2, we read that it is the glory of God to conceal a matter.  Throughout the Bible we see that God often reveals things to His children, often through the prophets, and then through His Son, Jesus Christ.  God reveals Himself through His Word, through nature, and through circumstances.  But sometimes He chooses to conceal Himself, too.  God did not reveal everything to His prophet Elisha when the Shunamite woman’s son had died (II Kings 4:27).  Moses knew that God sometimes keeps things hidden (Deuteronomy 29:29), as did the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 45:15).  There are times God intentionally hides His face from us.  He does this so we will learn to trust Him and to live by faith, instead of relying so often on our feelings.

We have a warning against pride in verses 6-7.  Jesus echoed these words when He ate at the house of a Pharisee, and saw how people tried to get the best seats at the table (Luke 14:7-11).  We should not think so highly of ourselves all the time, trumpeting our accomplishments.  Self-seeking and pride will only bring one down.  Don’t seek honor for ourselves.  Instead, quietly and faithfully accomplish the work that God gave us to do.   We should be more concerned with what God can accomplish in us, through us, and even despite us.  God promises to exalt the humble, but bring down the prideful (I Peter 5:5-6).

In verses 8 - 10 we read that the man with a contentious spirit is quick to go to court.  King Solomon tells us that instead, he would be better off to talk his problems over with the other person.   Otherwise by being quick to file a lawsuit, he exposes himself to public shame in court when everything comes to light.

Next in this chapter we read that “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (vs. 11).  Fitly spoken words are right words, precise words needed for the occasion.  They are not words spoken that stab us or crush us.  Rather, they are words that uplift us, fill us with hope and courage, and that make us feel loved.  There are words that can purify our thoughts, and bring us into God’s presence, and then words that tempt us into sin.  Fitly spoken words are the former, not the latter.  The right words will enter into our hearts and help us to bear fruit for God.

Have you ever made the mistake of putting your faith and trust in someone, only to have them let you down?  They proved very faithless, and probably never even cared about your need to begin with.  Solomon tells us here in verse 19 that faith is only as good as its object, and an unfaithful man is useless.  When we put our faith and trust in Jesus we will never be let down.

Generally it is uplifting to hear good, cheerful words from others, or to listen to a cheerful song.  However, there are some times when our hearts are just too heavy, and those words or songs are not really welcome.  Solomon compares it to pouring vinegar on baking soda.  Maybe you did science experiments as a child, making a home-made volcano by adding those two ingredients.  If you did, you know what happens then!  Solomon’s word of wisdom here is to be sensitive to others with untimely cheerfulness.

As the chapter closes, we have one more important word of wisdom in verse 28.  When we don’t bother with self-control, we leave ourselves wide open to our enemies, especially spiritual enemies, just as a city without a good strong wall was in times past.  Don’t let the walls of our character start to crack and the bricks to start to fall.  If we don’t keep a careful check of our temper and our character, before we know it, our life starts to crumble and fall apart.  With God’s help, we need to keep our spirit and character under His rule.  The best way to do that is to study and keep His Word in our heart, and a daily chapter from the Book of Proverbs is a good practice to follow.

An Enemy's Trick Question

Matthew 22:15-22 

How many of you like to pay taxes?  Let me see a show of hands.  I don’t see too many hands raised!  There is probably a universal dislike of paying any type of tax, whether it is income tax, real estate tax, a sales tax, or any other type.  No one likes having to pay it, and this dislike has been around for countless centuries.  In the Gospels we read of a particular abhorrence for the tax collector.  He was grouped in with some of the worst of sinners.  In today’s Gospel reading we read of a trick question some of Jesus’s enemies asked that has to do with the paying of taxes.  Let’s take a look, and see how Jesus responded.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus had been opposed by both of the religious groups of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  They both tried to entrap Jesus in His words with trick questions, whereby they might have grounds to arrest Him, and possibly execute Him.  As our passage opens, Jesus had finished telling several parables which the Pharisees felt were directed towards them, and they were definitely not happy.  In order to get some more support, the Pharisees decided to join forces with the Herodians (vs. 15-16).  The Herodians were a political party of the Jews who supported the Roman-backed Herodian dynasty.  The Pharisees did not like them because of their support of Rome.  The fact that both of these groups were working together to bring Jesus down showed just how much they hated and feared Him.

Representatives from both groups came up to the Lord Jesus, having decided on a question that they felt, no matter what way He answered, either group could ensnare Him.  They decided to ask Jesus a question about taxes.  Should the Jewish people have to pay taxes to Rome?  (vs. 17). As we all know, no one likes paying taxes, even if they support and like their government.  However, the Jewish people hated that they were under Roman rule, and paying taxes to Rome was even more odious to them.  The particular tax that they were referring to here was a poll tax, taken annually, where each person was to pay a denarius.  This money was then used to finance the occupying army, something the Jews hated as well.  If Jesus answered “no”, the Herodians would charge Him with treason.  If He answered “yes”, the Pharisees would accuse Him of disloyalty to the Jewish nation, and the people would look less favorably on Him, which they wanted to see happen.

These two groups could not out-smart the Lord Jesus.  Being the second Person of the Trinity, He knew what was going on in their hearts and minds.  He asked to see the coin that was used in payment.  The denarius was equal to a day’s wage for a Roman soldier, and it had the image of Tiberius Caesar on it (vs. 19-21).  Jesus answered that they were to give to Caesar what belongs to him, and to give to God what belongs to Him.

The Christian should give obedience to Caesar in Caesar’s realm.  The things that are God’s are things that do not belong to Caesar, and should be given only to God.  Jesus acknowledged Caesar’s right to assess and collect taxes, and Christians should pay them.   The Roman government did bring some benefits with it.  They built the best roads the world had ever known at that time.  The standard of living went up a degree in countries under their rule, and the people were protected from foreign invasion.

As Christians, we have two citizenships.  Our citizenship in the nation we live in requires that we pay money for the services and benefits we receive.  Our citizenship in the kingdom of heaven requires that we pledge to God our primary obedience and commitment.  We are to give the civil magistrates all that is due to them, as long as it does not interfere with the honor and obedience that is due to God.

The answer Jesus gave stumped both groups (vs. 22).  They would not be able to use this against Jesus to bring Him down.  It is also an answer for us, as we grumble about taxes and obedience to our own governments.  Give to Caesar what belongs to him, and give to God what belongs to Him.

Enthusiasm In The Midst Of Persecution

 I Thessalonians 1:1-10

When people take a new course of action in their life, and then start to receive a lot of negative feedback from others, those people will often turn back and stop what they had started doing.  They especially do if violence or persecution results. We don’t find too many who rejoice in that persecution, and jump wholeheartedly into this new course in their life. As we take a look today into the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, we will see how these new believers proclaimed their faith in Jesus, despite persecution, and were telling the whole world about Him.

The Apostle Paul, along with his companions Silas, Timothy, and others had come to the city of Thessalonica from the city of Philippi.  In Philippi they had been beaten and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, and then told quite plainly to leave town (Acts 16:11-40).  The missionary team headed down the road and came to Thessalonica, where they began again to tell people the Good News about Jesus.  Paul and Silas established a vibrant church in this city.  They stayed for only a few short weeks, at most a month or two, before they had to leave again because of strong persecution against them, fleeing for their lives (Acts 17:1-10).  It was not that long after this, in approximately 50 AD, that Paul wrote this Epistle to the believers there, to bring them encouragement.

These new Thessalonian believers who remained living in the city faced their share of persecution, both from the Jews and the Gentiles.  Paul encouraged them by reminding them of their faith, love, and their hope (vs. 3).  Despite persecution, the Thessalonians continued to serve God with gladness, their testimony spreading all over the Mediterranean world (vs. 6).  A life of faith in the Lord Jesus may bring adversity, but through it we gain a deeper relationship with Him.  If we, like them, remain firm in our faith, we can become a powerful witness to others, just as they did (vs. 7).  Everyone who heard of their testimony despite being persecuted were inspired, and they became an example to imitate.

These new believers had joy in the midst of suffering.  That is one evidence of the reality of their salvation.  Like seed sown into good ground, their faith grew and blossomed.  They were not like seed sown in the thorns, or seed sown in shallow soil, where their cares, worries, or troubles would choke them out, or they would wilt and die.  Instead, they were passionate about their love for Jesus, and told everyone about Him, regardless of the consequences (vs. 8).

Some of the Thessalonian believers came from a Jewish background.  Others came from a Gentile background, where they had previously worshipped many false gods and goddesses.  Only the work of the Holy Spirit could show the people that the Lord Jesus is not one deity among many in a pantheon, but that Jesus alone is the Savior of the world, and the only true God (vs. 9).

There are still some people around the world who bow to actual idols and worship them.  There are many more who have “modern idols” in their life, which can also be worshipped.  These can be hobbies, food, family, work, fitness, and sports.  Are we very passionate about any of these, but silent about Jesus?  Do we get anxious about these, but indifferent about lost souls?  Do we always make time for these interests, but not for Jesus?  The Thessalonians turned from their idols, whether literal or any other, and turned to serve God with enthusiasm.

As Paul closed this first chapter in his letter to these very passionate and enthusiastic group of new Christians, he reminded them of the imminent return of the Lord Jesus (vs. 10).  He told them, and us as well, to wait with expectation, looking ahead in faith to the fulfillment of His promise to return.  How faithful are we in eagerly waiting for Christ’s return? Does the thought of its approaching ever cross our mind?  Let’s be like the Thessalonians, enthusiastic about our faith, and also eagerly awaiting the Savior’s return.