The Teachings of Jesus

The more I study the life and ministry of Jesus, the more I appreciate how revolutionary and provocative His teachings were.  If He physically walked among us today, chances are good He would make us very uncomfortable with teachings that pulled away the "figs" with which we covered our spiritual selves while exposing us for who and what we really are.  Every time the religious crowd in His day thought they had it all together, His teachings would strip them of the self-righteousness and pious ways they boasted about and held up for all to see.  As one author puts it, "In their close scrutiny of the Law and in their best human efforts to keep the minutest details of the Law, they became blind even to the clearest revelation of the living Word of God." In other words, their outward and diligent observance of the Law could not mask their inner spiritual barrenness.

It is no wonder then that in addressing them, as recorded in Matthew 23, Jesus did not mince words.  He called them self-righteous and hypocrites on multiple occasions (e.g. vv. 13, 15), spiritually blind (v. 16, 19, 24), fools and blind men (v. 17). He referred to them as whitewashed tombs (v. 27), serpents and spawn of vipers (v. 33).  All in an effort to provoke them to repentance and reconciliation with God: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling" (v. 37, AMP).

The last four words of the preceding verse provoke our attention.  In the verse we see God desiring to gather His children around Him and the people's response, "and you were unwilling."  As Matthew Henry observes, "How emphatically is their obstinacy opposed to Christ’s mercy! I would, and ye would not. He was willing to save them, but they were not willing to be saved by Him. Note, It is wholly owing to the wicked wills of sinners, that they are not gathered under the wings of the Lord Jesus. They did not like the terms upon which Christ proposed to gather them; they loved their sins, and yet trusted to their righteousness; they would not submit either to the grace of Christ or to His government, and so the bargain broke off."

Jesus does not physically walk among us today, but His words live on in the pages of Holy Scripture.  These words, which are "quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12, KJV), continue to challenge and provoke some of us.  There is no area of our lives that Jesus' words do not speak to.  In them we find what He wants to do in and through us - to transform us spiritually and shape our lives so we become just like Him.  Our part is to recognize that on our best day our self-righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) and do not count for anything; that the best we can do is to empty ourselves of ourselves as we "exchange" our self-righteousness for His own while submitting to His grace and His government in and over our lives.  The religious leaders were not willing to do that. Are you? 

Reconciliation and Worship - Part 2

When Jesus affirmed the link between reconciliation and worship (Matthew 5:23-24), it is important to note the order in which reconciliation is to take place.  He did not say "If you have something against your brother," but rather  "if your brother has something against you."  That places the responsibility squarely on each of us as individuals.  We cannot wait for the person to come to us nor can we stand in self-righteousness that we did not do anything wrong. Once there is a breach in the relationship, we are instructed to take the initiative and go to them.  Yes, it is not quite fair but we don't get a vote.
  
Matthew Henry observes, "The case supposed is, 'That thy brother have somewhat against thee,' that thou has injured and offended him, either really or in his apprehension; if thou are the party offended, there needs not this delay; if thou have aught [anything] against thy brother, make short work of it; no more is to be done but to forgive him (Mark 11:25), and forgive the injury; but if the quarrel began on thy side, and the fault was either at first or afterwards thine, so that thy brother has a controversy with thee, go and be reconciled to him before thou offer thy gift at the altar, before thou approach solemnly to God in the gospel-services of prayer and praise, hearing the word or the sacraments."

The direct link between reconciliation and worship also affirms that our relationship with God is partly contingent on how we treat others.  According to the IPV New Testament Commentary Series in its commentary on the text,  "Jesus indicates that when we damage our relationships with others, we damage our relationship with God, leading to eternal punishment.  A man who beats his wife, a woman who continually ridicules her husband, and a thousand other concrete examples could illustrate the principle. We must profess our faith with our lives as well as with our lips."  In other words, our being reconciled to God is not complete and cannot be complete without our reconciling with those we have offended or who may have offended us.

Pope Paul VI was right when he said, "Reconciliation is not weakness or cowardice. It demands courage, mobility, generosity, sometimes heroism, an overcoming of oneself rather than of one's adversary." It is not always an easy thing to humble oneself to take that first step, but we are left with no choice if we desire a right relationship with God and for our worship to be acceptable to Him. "So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and while there you remember that your brother has something [such as a grievance or legitimate complaint] against you, leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering" (AMP).  Your move.

Reconciliation and Worship - Part 1

"I am sorry. Please forgive me."  Six words in any language that are very difficult for some people to say.  Some would rather drink poison; a slight exaggeration but you get the idea.  Some Christians struggle with saying these words too.  For all our religiosity, many of us struggle with the more practical side of our calling.  Have you ever noticed people, Christians included, would rather stop speaking to you instead of apologizing when they are wrong? 

These thoughts came to mind as I reflected on the words of Jesus in His sermon on the mount: "If you bring your gift [offering, sacrifice] to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" Matthew 5:23-24, NKJV). In these two verses, Jesus affirmed the link between reconciliation and worship.  As Matthew Henry observes, "Religious exercises are not acceptable to God, if they are performed when we are in wrath; envy, malice, and uncharitableness, are sins so displeasing to God, that nothing pleases Him which comes from a heart wherein they are predominant." In other words, to attempt to worship in an unreconciled state is to offer up worship that is unacceptable.  Read that sentence again, slowly.  Paul reaffirmed this in his call to prayer when he instructed believers "in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and disputing or quarreling or doubt [in their mind]" (1 Timothy 2:8, AMP). In Romans 12:1 he encourages believers to ensure our sacrifice of worship was "acceptable unto God."  The implication here is that it is possible to be offering something to God that He will not accept.

On the link between reconciliation and worship, Henry stressed a very important point when he said, "Love or charity is so much better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifice, that God will have reconciliation made with an offended brother before the gift be offered; He is content to stay for the gift, rather than have it offered while we are under guilt and engaged in a quarrel." That's powerful stuff!  Jesus' instructions were quite clear and because we cannot deceive the Holy Spirit, He knows when we are trying to offer up our sacrifice without meeting the pre-requirement.  Though we may try to pull "a fast one" on God, He cannot be fooled.  We cannot rationalize our way out of saying those difficult words, "I am sorry. Please forgive me." Not if we desire for God to find our worship acceptable.

As we make our way through the first month of 2017, maybe one resolution for some of us was to have a closer walk / better relationship with God. It is important to realize that such a walk / relationship demands something of us. It is God who sets the standards for worship and He has determined that true worship involves reconciliation. Those of us who choose to take that walk with Him must do so on those terms. "If you bring your gift [offering, sacrifice] to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."  How are you doing in that regard?