Author Archives: Steve

Additional Instructions for Eternal Life – Matthew 7

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In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, much of the focus for discussion is often on the first part of the Sermon containing the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 and the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6.

In fact, the last admonition of Jesus in Chapter 6: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (vs. 6:33, HCSB), somehow seems to conclude the Sermon.

But Jesus provided many instructions for His disciples in Matthew 7 as well! The Golden Rule that we all learned as children is vs. 12.

The behaviors Jesus identified in these additional instructions in Matthew 7 were taught in the context of eternal life.

In other words, these are instructions we should live by in our present life in preparation for eternal life.

When Jesus said to treat others the way you want to be treated (the Golden Rule), He meant the criteria you apply when making judgments about other people could be the criteria God applies in determining your place in eternity.

So here’s some additional instructions from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7 that will help us live a life focused on God’s Kingdom and eternity:

  • Pardon and forgiveness (Matthew 7:1-5). While these verses seem to be saying do not be judgmental or critical toward others, the real message is to be abounding in pardon and forgiveness toward others as God is toward you. If God is exceedingly merciful toward you, then you should certainly be the same toward others.

  • Discretion (Matthew 7:6). While admission to God’s Kingdom is available to all human beings, it cannot be and should not be forced either directly or indirectly on anyone. While this admonition is certainly not meant as a condemnation of any class, race, educational level, or socio-economic class of any human beings, Jesus’s disciples should direct their efforts at proclaiming the Kingdom of God to those people—individually or collectively—with whom their efforts can be productive and not argumentative.

  • Mutual loving relationship with God (Matthew 7:7-11). The basis for establishing a personal and intimate relationship with God is based on the interaction of giving and receiving. Jesus is saying that the Heavenly Father wants to give you all aspects of abundant and eternal life if you are willing to receive it. We know this is not hyperbole because Jesus says that even people who do not know God love their children and love to give them gifts. In Luke’s version of these verses the “good gifts” are the gift of the Holy Spirit—the Heavenly Father gives His Own Spirit to dwell in the His children.

  • Respect for humanity (Matthew 7:12). Known as the Golden Rule, this verse sets the universal standard for getting along with others. You have to start with a basic respect for human beings.

  • Convictions/principles (Matthew 7:13-14). Know what you believe and stand up for your beliefs because it is always easier to follow the way of evil (through the wide gate) than it is to follow God’s way (through the narrow gate).

  • Discernment (Matthew 7:15-20). Following the instructions of Jesus will sharpen your senses so that you can better recognize what proceeds from good and what proceeds from evil. A good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit (or no fruit). It is the same way with people, so determine what kind of fruit a person is bearing and you will know what kind of person he or she is.

  • Obedience (Matthew 7:21-27). By obeying the instructions of Jesus you will fulfill God’s will for your life. When the challenges of life confront you, you won’t fall apart because your faith is built on the absolutes of God’s will and God’s truth and reality.

How To Be Happy and Secure – Matthew 6:33

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“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need”  (Matthew 6:33, NLT).

Having security and achieving happiness are important priorities for most of us.

People often think that by accumulating material possessions they can make their life secure and happy.

In Matthew 6:19-34, a portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us the appropriate way to find happiness and security in life.

Jesus said that you find happiness by investing your life in what God is doing: “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal” (vs. 20).

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Don’t Go To Hell – Matthew 5:27-30

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“You have heard the commandment that says, You must not commit adultery. But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:27-30, NLT)

The Greek word for hell, gehenna, originally referred to a valley outside Jerusalem where some of the kings of Judah worshiped idols and performed human sacrifice by fire (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; 32:35). The site was eventually destroyed by King Josiah (2 Kings 23:10).

In the New Testament, gehenna refers to the place of eternal punishment by God.

In this and other related verses Jesus uses hyperbole to reinforce the the potential consequences of sin. It’s like Jesus is saying that the possibility of going to hell is of eternal significance, so do whatever it takes to avoid it–don’t go to hell!

The graphic images described by Jesus–gouging out your eye or cutting off your arm–call for radical separation from sin.

But what makes one sin more egregious than another, however, is really just a matter of degree, because all forms of sin and misbehavior are a result of the condition of the heart. Murder is the result of uncontrolled anger; adultery results from unrestrained lust.

So it is not murder but anger, not adultery but lust that violates God’s righteous standard.

It’s what is on the inside of a person that is integral to one’s spiritual formation and one’s eternal destination.

Our eternal lives are a matter of the heart and so the real issue with Jesus is not what kind of person you are, but what kind of person you are becoming.

And, according to Jesus, the condition of your heart has eternal consequences. Jesus doesn’t want you to go to hell!

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.” (Matthew 7:13, NLT)

Compartmentalized Religion – Matthew 5:23-24

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“So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24, HCSB).

In this verse from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus confronts His listeners with a really radical view about worshiping God.

In fact, His listeners probably asked themselves, what does the first have to do with the second? What does “offering your gift on the altar” have to do with “be reconciled with your brother?”

We know, of course, that in God’s Kingdom the latter has everything to do with the former. You can’t truly worship God when you’re carrying around a grudge for another person.

Loving God is all about loving people.

But even with the Sermon on the Mount to guide us, we sometimes still compartmentalize our religion.

We tend to want to practice our religion at church but not necessarily at home, at work, and certainly not in our relationships with other people–especially when they don’t like us or we don’t like them!

But Jesus said that our religion is a heart thing; therefore, we can’t put it away somewhere on Sunday evening and then take it back out the next Sunday morning.

When God’s Spirit indwells you, it’s comprehensive! The totality of your behavior in every aspect of your life should be considered an act of worshiping God.

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1, HCSB)

[Written in memory of my good friend and mentor, Dr. Otey Johnson]

Destined for Greatness – Matthew 5:19

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“But whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19, HCSB).

Greatness is a status to which all of us aspire in some form or fashion:
     a great leader,
          a great teacher,
               a great parent,
                    a great athlete,
                         or even a great human being!

We want to climb mountains, ride the river rapids, fly high in the sky, or race fast on the ground!

We aspire for greatness; we endeavor to achieve great things!

What’s more, God wants us to be great, but He wants us to be great in His Kingdom!

But greatness in God’s Kingdom is not measured by how many souls we’ve won, how many good deeds we’ve performed, how many times we’ve read the Bible, how many scripture verses we can quote, or even how many church services we’ve attended.

One’s stature in God’s Kingdom is determined by simply practicing and teaching the commands that God gave and were fulfilled in Jesus.

In other words, God’s great ones walk what they talk and practice what they preach! God’s great ones are obedient to the commands of God’s Word and the leading of His Spirit.

And what’s great about greatness in God’s Kingdom is that all God’s people can be great!

Greatness in God’s Kingdom is not reserved for just a select few with big accomplishments. Actually, greatness should be the identifying characteristic of every citizen in God’s Kingdom.

If you are a disciple of Jesus, you are destined for greatness in eternity by obedience to God’s commands in this present life!

“I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength” (Ephesians 1:18-19, HCSB).

Without Hesitation – Matthew 4:20,22

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“Immediately they left their nets and followed Him…Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him” (Matthew 4:20,22, HCSB).

When Jesus called His first disciples–Peter, Andrew, James, and John–Matthew says they actually left what they were doing at the very moment when Jesus issued the invitation to follow Him.

They did it expeditiously!

They acted with urgency!

They left and followed without hesitation!

They didn’t think about it, analyze it, make comparisons, or check references. They just seized the opportunity as if it were a once-in-a-lifetime offer (and it probably was).

Before the occasion of their calling, it’s possible they knew about Jesus or even personally knew Him. After all, Jesus had moved from the obscure village of Nazareth to the bustling fishing town of Capernaum to launch His ministry. (vs. 13,17).

These men may have heard Jesus preach and teach and seen Him heal the sick on several occasions.

So, when Jesus summoned them to become His disciples, they jumped at the chance.

They all immediately left what they were doing and joined Him.

When Jesus beckons, what great possibilities await!

But don’t suppose that His requests are subject to our internal review or personal schedule.

As His disciples let us respond with immediacy to His behests.

Let’s go, without hesitation!

“Tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near you'” (Luke 10:9, HCSB)

A Proud Heavenly Father – Matthew 3:16-17

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“After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy”  (Matthew 3:16-17, NLT).

Have you ever been so proud of your son or daughter that you just had to tell someone how wonderful they were and how proud you were?

That’s the way I imagine this story of Jesus’ baptism.

God the Father is so proud of His Son because He has been called to ministry and is fulfilling that calling. And so the Father just had to tell somebody how proud He was and express His delight to His Son.

It’s as if God the Father is saying, “Son, I  am so proud of you. You make me very happy. I love you.”

God the Father has that same feeling about you.

You are the Heavenly Father’s dearly loved son or daughter and you bring Him great joy.

When you accomplish His plans and purposes for your life, it pleases Him and He is so proud of you!

“This is real love–not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:10, NLT).

Fragile: Handle With Care – Job 3:20

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“Why is light given to one burdened with grief, and life to those whose existence is bitter?” (Job 3:20, HCSB)

In the well-known story of Job, adversity came upon him to the extent that he lost everything including his wealth, family, and health. When his three friends came to sympathize and comfort him, Job posed the question in this verse.

In Job’s bout with depression he was unable to see any good or meaning to his past or future life.

And the grief counseling provided by his friends quickly degraded to faultfinding that seemed to drive Job to self-indulgent self-righteousness.

Like Job, for most of my life I had enjoyed the benefits of a “successful” lifestyle and had never really encountered significant personal tragedy. Until I experienced personal tragedy for myself, I never realized how fragile a person’s psyche can be in confronting adversity.

I always supposed myself to have a high level of mental and emotional toughness that made me invulnerable to the despondency caused by the misfortunes of life.

So I never dreamed I would be able to relate to Job!

When adversity came upon me, I often found myself falling into despair over some insignificant event of the day or by recalling some previously forgotten memory. Sometimes, I even imagined how things might have been had the tragedy not occurred or had God intervened according to my specifications.

So maybe I’m more psychologically fragile and not as well-adjusted as I had supposed I was! I had to throw myself on God’s mercy!

But, in searching for my own mental and emotional stability in adversity, I discovered an answer to Job’s question:

Faith grows and develops somewhere in the tension between vulnerability and invulnerability. When we are most vulnerable is when we can best receive God’s light and life.

But there is a dark side to vulnerability, because it also makes us susceptible to other voices that may include our own despair or the well-intentioned but maladroit advice of others like Job received from his friends.

That’s why it’s not a place we can stay for long.

Yet, neither should we be impervious to the overwhelming emotions that the tragic realities of life can stir up.

Faith is the spiritual interplay between these opposing psychological forces and faith is how we find resolution to our distress.

Through your vulnerability you receive God’s grace, and then God can develop your faith into an invulnerable faithfulness that helps you endure life’s difficulties.

Furthermore, God grows your faith so it can be shared with others.

Experiencing the pathos of personal tragedy elicits God’s overwhelming lovingkindness to sustain you past your anguish. And in so doing, you will then be empowered to share God’s grace with other suffering ones.

“The poor in spirit are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Those who mourn are blessed, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:3-4, HCSB).

The Regular Practice of Prayer – Job 1:5

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“He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.’ This was Job’s regular practice” (Job 1:5, NLT)

Job was a was wealthy man who had seven sons and three daughters.

He was known in heaven and on earth as a man of great personal integrity and faithfulness to God.

Job’s faith was more than a religious ritual; it inspired his behavior. So his “regular practice” was to rise early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of his children.

Job loved God and he loved his family and he was concerned about the spiritual well-being of his children.

The Hebrew word barak used here for “cursed” literally means “blessed” but is used as a euphemism for cursing. Job was concerned about his children’s behavior and their relationship with God. He wanted to intercede for any sinful behavior they may have committed.

Job’s example would indeed be a worthy New Year’s resolution!

So start the new year by making it your regular practice to get up early in the morning and offer the sacrifice of prayer and intercession for your family.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)

Comings – Revelation 22:17

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“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” There are two comings requested in this verse and they seem to be inclusive of one another. The first request is for Christ, the bridegroom, to come and is made by the bride, the Church, who is inhabited or indwelt by the Holy Spirit. But the invitation to come is also to those who have not yet come to faith in Christ and His salvation. And we can assume that the Spirit and the bride make this second request as well. Throughout the centuries, God’s people have waited for, prayed for, hoped for, and watched for Christ’s return. This intercession for Christ’s soon return is clearly demonstrated in the closing words of John’s revelation: “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (vs. 20). But this blessed hope is an entirely evangelistic proposition because it’s a shared hope! You can’t want the Lord to come without wanting people to come to the Lord. Thus, the coming of the Lord is inclusive of the coming to the Lord. And when others come to believe in Christ, then they join in the matrimonial chorus of intercession for His soon return. With the coming of the new year let our prayer be “Come quickly, Lord Jesus” and let us put our prayers into action by inviting others to come to the Lord Jesus.