Torturous routine

Luke 21:37-38…

This was the routine during the week that Jesus was to be crucified. He would teach in the temple by day, retire to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus by night (Matthew 21:17), and return to teach the next day.

Jesus spoke to the people about being ready, making the most of their opportunities, and warning against withdrawing from preparation, productivity, or people. Ironically, the people didn’t as yet realize that these would be their last opportunities to hear Him teach. 

God has a way of presenting you with opportunities to glorify Him with your life. Sometimes that means having to keep on performing a duty that seems like death. But that is the purpose, to bring life to others as we die to self.    

We talk about “taking it to the cross” and think we will just, in one moment of heroic holiness, thrust ourselves upon the device of our self-destruction in an act of worship. Yet what we fail to realize is that there is a walk, a journey that brings us to the place of actually being like Jesus on the way. This means we have to help others while knowing that they might still turn on us.

We forget that the cross is where other people put us to death. We like going to the temple to teach, but we don’t want to reach the mountaintop just to die. It’s no wonder we so often shrink back at real opportunity. It’s also no wonder that when we find out who Jesus really is, it’s the most wonderful thing in the world. He didn’t miss the opportunity to save us from our sins, even when He had to endure the torture of knowing where He was going. 

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

Judgment Day

Matthew 25:31-46…

When Jesus returns, He will be revealed as King, and act as judge. When Jesus speaks of the nations, He is not saying that part of what people will be judged by is their culture. He is simply pointing out that all the people who are alive when He returns will be assembled.

He had spoken of those who are wise while waiting (Matthew 25:1-13), and then of those who are wise by working (Matthew 25:14-30). Now He speaks of those who are wise through well-doing. He is speaking of helping others, especially fellow believers (cf. Galatians 6:10).

To be this way is costly, risky, and unpopular, but it is also living the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12). It was how the early believers were supposed to go about it then (Hebrews 10:34), and how we are to look at it now (Hebrews 13:3), even though Jesus is speaking of the future.

Helping other Christians in need is doing right by Jesus. Avoiding Christians in need is doing wrong by Jesus (cf. James 2:14-17). Remember, we are the body of Christ, one with Jesus and one with each other (Romans 12:4-5 / 1 Corinthians 6:17, 12:12-27 / Ephesians 4:25).

Clearly this passage is about “social justice” in the sense that it is about caring for the needy. But the needy in view are fellow Christians. “The least of these” doesn’t mean that the Church’s responsibility is to meet the needs of all the poor. While we must not be indifferent to people who have real needs, this passage cannot be legitimately used as a general cover for anything and everything we want to promote under the banner of social justice.

The reaction of both the sheep and the goats to the Lord’s words is one of stunned surprise. In this we can see that for Christians, humility, holiness, and helping are linked. Conversely, as Jesus has been pointing out, you cannot withdraw from preparation, or productivity, or people, and think that is the Christian response. You will either have the inescapable evidence of salvation, or you will not escape the inevitable judgment. 

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

Don’t waste His wealth

Matthew 25:14-30…

Jesus had just spoken of those who are wise while waiting, and now He speaks of those who are wise by working. The talents being spoken of here are not aptitudes or abilities, but opportunities. A talent was a sum of money or goods, and these had been entrusted by the master to be used for his benefit. We apply this story to us by understanding that we should make the most of our opportunities for God (1 Corinthians 10:31).  

The notion that wealth should be dispensed “from each according to his ability” is contradicted by Jesus, who said wealth would be given “to each according to his ability.” It is okay to be blessed, and their charge was to make use of their opportunity, being responsible for what they had been given.

When the master returned, he sent for the servants to give an account. One did very well, doubling his five talents to ten. Another also did well, doubling his two talents to four. Both made full use of their opportunities and were rewarded for their faithfulness.

A third servant had no increase because there was no investment. He gained nothing because he risked nothing. He had a long time to use what he had been given, and so in a sense lost money that could have been earned. This third servant wanted to do things on his own terms. He did not want to deal with the responsibility given him. He saw this as a burden instead of a blessing.

How many people withdraw instead of engage and invest. They have been given much, but they risk little. They don’t want to deal with the responsibility they have been given. They want to live their own lives instead of using the opportunities God has given them. They think it a chance for worry instead of a chance for worship. It is all about themselves and their comfort.

We won’t always do as we should, but we can thank God for His mercy and grace. We don’t always make the most of things, but we must make an effort to engage. Things won’t always turn out the way we want when we get involved, but we have no right to simply withdraw. That’s not wise, that’s wicked. Those who withdraw are not entering into the joy of the Master. 

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©