Week of 15 Pentecost - C - 09/01 - 07/2013

Week of 15 Pentecost - C

This is a Three-Year Lectionary based on the Lutheran Book of Worship 3-year Lectionary (for public worship), "Prayers of the Day..." (Propers), p. 13-41, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978. It is based, with only minor variations, on the Revised Common Lectionary, used by many denominations, including the Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches:

http://www.commontexts.org/

and:

http://www.commontexts.org/rcl/usage.html

The daily readings are the Propers (Lections) for the following Sunday, so that the daily devotions can prepare us for worship. Additional Lections are from Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church, "Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers," United Lutheran Church of America, General Rubrics VIII. Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers, p. 299 - 304, Philadelphia, 1918.

The previous 2- year Bible Study based on the Lutheran Book of Worship, Daily Lectionary for personal devotions p.179-192, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978, is available at:

http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/ (Please bookmark this link).

This 'blog is mirrored at:

http://shepboy.multiply.com/

http://shepherdboy-mydailywalk.blogspot.com/ 

Shepherdboysmydailywalk’s Blog

.mp3 Podcasts via Linux Festival text-to-speech and Panopreter Basic text-to-speech are available at:

http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/dw_bible2/a_year/Wklx_a.html

http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/dw_bible2/b_year/wklx_b.html

http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/dw_bible2/c_year/wklx_c.html

Please Note:

This ‘blog is now available in mobile-optimized format:

http://winksite.mobi/shepherdboy/MyDailyWalk

To get the most from these studies, it is suggested that you first read the scripture texts for the entry, and then the paraphrase and commentary. It is also recommended that you look up the scripture references, unless you recognize and recall them from memory.

I will post weekly by Saturday, noon, (God willing), Pacific time (UTC-8:00) for the week of the Church Season which begins on Sunday. Please scroll down for the desired day, or save the week to your desktop/hard drive.

Podcast Download: Week of 15 Pentecost - C 
Sunday 15 Pentecost - C 
First posted September 5, 2010;
Podcast: Sunday 15 Pentecost - C 


Proverbs 25:6-7 – Humility;
Psalm 112 – Reward of Righteousness;
Hebrews 13:1-8 – Christian Lifestyle;
Luke 14:1, 7-14 – On Humility;

Proverbs Paraphrase:

One should not exalt oneself in the presence of the king, or stand in the place of those who are great. It is better to be invited to come up to a position of higher honor than to be put lower in the presence of the prince.

Psalm Paraphrase:

Let us praise the Lord! The person who fears (has appropriate awe and respect for the power and authority of) the Lord, and delights in the Lord's commandments, will be blessed! His descendants will be great in the land. The upright will be blessed in their generation. They will have wealth and riches, and their righteousness will be everlasting. “Light rises in the darkness for the upright; the Lord is gracious, merciful and righteous” (Psalm 112:4).

Things will go well for a person who is generous and lends, and is just in all his dealings. The righteous will not be shaken, but will be remembered forever. He whose heart is firm, trusting in the Lord, will not fear evil tidings. He will be unafraid, with a steady heart, until his desires are fulfilled upon his adversaries. Those who share freely and give to the poor will be exalted and their righteousness will endure forever. The wicked hate to see the deeds of the righteous. They gnash their teeth, but they pass away, and their desires amount to nothing.

Hebrews Paraphrase:

Let us continue to love one another with brotherly affection. Let us not fail to show hospitality to strangers, for some have unknowingly had angels as their guests. Let us remember prisoners as though in prison ourselves. Let us not forget those who are ill-treated, since we are also vulnerable to ill-treatment. Let marriage be upheld and undefiled by all, for the immoral and adulterous will be liable to God's judgment. Let us avoid the love of money, and be content with what we possess, because the Lord has promised never to fail or forsake us (Joshua 1:5c).

We need not fear, since the Lord is our helper; what then can people do to us (that the Lord cannot handle; Psalm 118:6)? Let us remember our spiritual leaders who taught us the Word of God, and follow the example of their lives and faith. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

Luke Paraphrase:

Jesus was invited to dinner at the home of a Jewish leader who was a Pharisee (a member of a strict legalistic sect of Judaism). When Jesus noticed how the invited guests chose their places of honor, he told a parable: When invited to a wedding feast, one should choose the place of least honor, instead of the highest place. Otherwise a more eminent guest may come, and both host and oneself be embarrassed to have to give place to the more eminent guest. Instead, by choosing the lowest place, both host and oneself will be honored in front of all by being invited to move up to a higher position. So everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Commentary:

The Lord's ways are different than worldly ways. In the world everyone seems to try to build himself up and make himself important. But even worldly people realize that it isn't wise to exalt oneself above a great and powerful ruler who has the ability to humiliate them and make them suffer.

In our human nature, we want to be our own “lord.” We want to be the one to make the rules. Many people deny the existence, power and authority of God for that very reason. To acknowledge God's Lordship means that we must surrender our own will in order to do God's will.

The trouble with being our own “lord” is that we aren't all-wise, all-knowing, and all-powerful. There will always be someone bigger, stronger, and smarter than we are. Sooner or later we will come to the end of our own resources.

God has created this world with enough resources for everyone. The problem with worldly ways is that we build ourselves up at the expense of others. We accumulate possessions at the expense of others' needs.

We really don't know what we need or want. What we think we want turns out not to be what we need, and does not satisfy. How many people are pursuing worldly status and possessions which will all pass away, and missing the true meaning and purpose of life in this world?

What is the real meaning and purpose of life? I believe that it is the opportunity to seek, find and have fellowship with God our Creator (Acts 17:26-27). I believe that it is the opportunity to be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to true, eternal life. These are only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ.

This lifetime is our opportunity to learn to trust and obey God, by trial-and-error. This world has been designed by God to allow us the freedom to choose whether to trust and obey God or not, but Creation, and we ourselves, are limited by time, because God is not willing to tolerate rebellion and disobedience forever, or at all in his eternal kingdom.

God knew that by giving us the freedom to choose for ourselves whether to trust and obey God, we would all choose our own will rather than obedience to him. Disobedience of God's will is the definition of sin.

We have all sinned and fall short of God's standard of righteousness (doing what is right, good and true according to God's Word; Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8-10). The penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is God's one and only provision for our forgiveness and salvation from eternal condemnation, designed into Creation from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, right, home).

We are all born physically into this Creation, but we are spiritually unborn. What is physical will pass away. Only what is spiritual is eternal. Only through faith in Jesus can we be spiritually reborn to spiritual, eternal life, because only Jesus gives (“baptizes with”) the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit is a personally discernible, ongoing, daily experience (Acts 19:2). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Monday 15 Pentecost - C 
First posted September 6, 2010;
Podcast: Monday 15 Pentecost - C 

Psalm 10:12-15, 17-19 – Deliverance from the Wicked;

Paraphrase:

O Lord, arise and lift your hand; don't forget those who are afflicted. The wicked reject God and think to themselves that God will not hold them accountable.

You see and make note of trouble and aggravation, so as to deal with it. The unfortunate should commit themselves to hope in the Lord, because he is the helper of the fatherless.

Break the hold of the wicked and evildoer. Root out his evil until there is none left.

The Lord listens to the requests of the meek. He gives them encouragement. He will hear and give justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that worldly people may no longer cause terror.

Commentary:

The wicked and evildoers seem to thrive and succeed for a time, and they continue their evil and wickedness because they think they will not be held accountable. But there is a Day of Judgment coming for everyone who has ever lived. The Lord knows each one of us and everything we do. We cannot conceal and deny what we have done in this lifetime.

The way of the world is for the rich and powerful to dominate the poor and powerless. God's way is to not fight back but to submit, humbly trusting in the Lord for help and ultimate justice.

Jesus is the perfect example of God's way. He was God in human form; he is the King of the Universe. He did nothing evil or wicked, ever, and yet worldly people afflicted and killed him. But he trusted in God's Word and humbled himself, even unto physical death. And God gave him help and ultimate justice: God raised him from physical death and made him the eternal King above all kings.

Jesus and the Word of God promise that Jesus is going to return to judge the earth at the end of the age. The judge and the standard of judgment will be Jesus Christ. Those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord (“boss”) and have trusted and obeyed Jesus will have been spiritually reborn (John 3:3, 5-8) during this lifetime, and will enter God's eternal kingdom in heaven. Those who have rejected Jesus and have refused or failed to trust and obey him will be condemned to eternal destruction in Hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

No one knows when Christ will return but it could be at any moment. Whether or not we are still living when Christ returns, we will all be accountable to him for what we have done in this lifetime. No one knows whether we will be alive tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation, our only sure chance to turn to Jesus and be saved from eternal condemnation.

We have been given God's Word in the Bible and in Jesus Christ, the “living Word,” fulfilled, embodied and exemplified in human flesh (John 1:1-5, 14). We have been given the freedom to choose whether to believe God's Word or not.

God's Word contains both great promises and terrible warnings. We will either receive the promises by obedient trust in Jesus Christ, or we will receive the penalties the warnings were intended to help us avoid.

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Tuesday 15 Pentecost - C 
First posted September 7, 2010;
Podcast: Tuesday 15 Pentecost - C 

Proverbs 9:8-12 – Scoffers and Wise Men;

Paraphrase:

A scoffer will hate you for correcting him, but a wise man will appreciate correction. Teach a wise man and he will be even wiser. Teach a righteous man and he will learn even more. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). By the Lord your days and the years of your life will be lengthened. A wise person receives the benefit of his wisdom; but the scoffer receives the penalty of his unbelief.

Commentary:

Mark Twain is reputed to have said that ignorance is not so much not knowing, as knowing so much that isn't so. An ignorant person remains ignorant by refusing to be taught. A wise person becomes wise by being willing to learn from others.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Proverbs 9:10. No matter how much a person knows, he doesn't know anything worthwhile if he doesn't fear (have appropriate awe and respect for the power and authority of) God. No matter how much one knows “about” God; it doesn't matter unless he knows God personally (Job 42:5-6).

I believe that the meaning and purpose of life is to seek, find and have fellowship with God, our Creator (Acts 17:26-27). This is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (John 14:6), only by the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).

One is spiritually “reborn” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a personally discernible, ongoing, daily, experience (Acts 19:2). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

The indwelling Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God within us (Romans 8:9; John 14:21, 23). It is only by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we can have a personal daily fellowship with Jesus and God the Father (and note the doctrine of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; Matthew 28:19).

God's Word promises that the way to lengthen the days and years of your life is by faith in Jesus. By faith in Jesus, our lives will not end at physical death but will continue in paradise in God's eternal kingdom for eternity. We can begin to know this with certainty for ourselves now, by the baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The only people who don't know for sure where they will be after physical death are the “lost” who are eternally perishing, because they have not been spiritually “born-again” by faith in Jesus Christ.

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Wednesday 15 Pentecost - C 
First posted September 8, 2010;
Podcast: Wednesday 15 Pentecost - C 

Philemon 1 (2-9) 10-21 – Paul's Plea on behalf of Onesimus;

Background:

Earlier, Paul had converted Philemon on a missionary journey to Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). Later while under house arrest in Rome, Paul had been helped by Onesimus (meaning “useful”), a slave of Philemon, and Onesimus had been converted to Christianity. Philemon had legal rights over the run-away slave, but Paul was appealing to Philemon's charity for a fellow Christian. In the first century, the Church met in private homes.

Text Paraphrase:

Paul wrote to Philemon and Apphia (assumed by some to be Philemon's wife), and Archippus, a “fellow soldier” of Paul (perhaps a minister in the house church). Grace and peace were conventional Greek and Hebrew greetings, respectively, but are only truly possible through Jesus Christ.

Paul always gave thanks to God in prayer for Philemon, and for his love of all the believers, and he prayed that Philemon's testimony would increase the knowledge of the blessings that are ours in Christ. Paul felt blessed and comforted by Philemon's love because Philemon had encouraged other believers.

As an Apostle (a messenger of the Gospel; commissioned by Christ), Paul had the authority to command Philemon, but Paul chose to appeal to him (in Christian charity) on behalf of Onesimus (the name means “useful”), who is Paul's spiritual child, as a Christian convert, who had become truly useful to Paul, and to Philemon, now that he was a convert.

Paul was sending Onesimus (the run-away slave), whom Paul loved, back to his owner. Paul would have been glad to have kept Onesimus with him to serve him on Philemon's behalf, during Paul's imprisonment, but Paul preferred to leave it to Philemon's free choice.

Paul suggested that perhaps it was for the best that Onesimus had run away, so that ultimately he might return to Philemon, no longer a slave but a brother (by faith in Christ) of both Paul and Philemon. So Paul asked Philemon to welcome Onesimus as he would welcome Paul. If Philemon thought Onesimus owed Philemon anything, Paul promised to repay, reminding Philemon that Philemon owed Paul his own soul. Paul asked Philemon, as his brother, to refresh Paul's heart in the Lord.

Commentary:

Slavery was legal in the first century A.D.. Philemon had a legal right to own and punish Onesimus as Philemon chose. But because both were now Christians, they were brothers, and also brothers of Paul.

This is the fulfillment of the Word of God that in Christ there is no distinction between slave (bond) and free (1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 6:8; Colossians 3:11).

Paul was an apostle, and had the authority to command Philemon, but Paul chose to appeal to Philemon's Christian love for Christian brethren. Onesimus was no longer a run-away slave but a Christian brother. Now he was really useful both to Paul and to Philemon in the house church in Colossae (the Church of the Colossians).

This is an example of how Christians are to no longer live according to worldly standards, but according to God's Word. I personally testify that I have experienced a brotherhood with other believers out in the world. In the nominal Church it is sometimes less likely to experience that brotherhood, because church members choose to live according to worldly standards rather than Christian standards.

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Thursday 15 Pentecost - C 
First posted September 9, 2010;
Podcast: Thursday 15 Pentecost - C 

Luke 14:25-33 – Cost of Discipleship;

Paraphrase:

Large crowds were following Jesus, and he told them that anyone who didn't “hate” father, mother, brothers, sisters, wife, children, and even his own life, couldn't be Jesus' disciple. Jesus said that his disciples must be willing to pick up and carry their own crosses in order to follow Jesus.

Jesus told several parables (stories of common earthly experiences to illustrate spiritual truth): A person who wants to build a tower must first calculate the cost to see whether he can afford to finish it; otherwise he will be ridiculed for having started something he could not finish.

Similarly, an earthly king considering war with another king should first determine whether he can win against more numerous forces of the enemy. If not, then the king should send an emissary seeking peace while the enemy is still far away. So a person cannot be Jesus' disciple unless he renounces all that he has.

Commentary:

Jesus was attracting large crowds, but many were coming to Jesus for what he could do for them physically: for physical healing and feeding. Jesus' miracles of healing and feeding were intended to show that he can also, and more importantly, heal and feed spiritually. Physical healing only lasts until the next illness; physical feeding only lasts until the next mealtime. Spiritual healing and feeding are eternally valuable.

A Christian is by definition a disciple, a “follower” of Jesus (Acts 11:26c), who learns and does what Jesus teaches. A disciple who does so will be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8; 14:15-17).

But there is a cost of discipleship. One must be willing to give up one's own will in order to do the Lord's will. Doing the Lord's will is going to sometimes be uncomfortable. The world doesn't treat Jesus' disciples any better than they treated Jesus. Many who followed Jesus at first, fell away when the going got rough (John 6:66-69).

There are lots of “fair-weather” (nominal) Christians who go to Church when it suits them, when the Church offers programs they're interested in. Theirs is a form of “religion,” an attempt to manipulate God to do their will, rather than a discipling relationship with Jesus as their Master, learning to know and do the Lord's will.

Some people are offended when the Church talks about sin, eternal death and Hell. They only want to hear messages that make them feel good. Paul warned Timothy that the time was coming when people would not tolerate sound teaching, but would choose teachers who taught what the people wanted to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4). That time has long since come. There are many false teachers and “peddlers”  of God's Word (“corrupters;” 2 Corinthians 2:17) in the world and in the nominal Church today (see false teachings, sidebar, top right, home).

Unless we realize that we are all sinners who fall short of God's standard of righteousness in his Word (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), we can't repent and receive the forgiveness we need, to avoid eternal damnation, which is the penalty for sin (Romans 6:23). And faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our forgiveness and salvation (see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

Jesus didn't mean that we must actually hate other members of our families or ourselves; only that we must love Jesus so much more in comparison. Some actually will have to die physically for Christ and the Gospel, but not many of us have had to shed our own blood (Hebrews 12:4).

This lifetime is spiritual warfare. If we are going to be disciples of Jesus Christ we face a spiritual battle with supernaturally powerful forces of evil. We cannot accomplish anything in our own physical strength (Zechariah 4:6). We must be equipped with the spiritual armor of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God (2 Corinthians 6:7; Ephesians 6:11-17).

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Friday 15 Pentecost - C 
First posted September 10, 2010;
Podcast: Friday 15 Pentecost - C 

Galatians 5:25-6:10 – Life in the Spirit;

Paraphrase:

Since “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) Christians have (eternal) life in the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16), we should live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us not be conceited; let us not envy or provoke one another.

If anyone is overcome by temptation, his spiritual brethren should help to restore him with gentleness. Let us be careful that we are not also tempted. Let us help one another in our trials, for that is the fulfillment of the commandment of Christ to love one another. Let us not deceive ourselves by thinking of ourselves more highly than we should. Instead let each of us honestly evaluate our own deeds, instead of boasting of ourselves based on comparisons with others, because each of us will be accountable for our own acts.

Everyone who is taught the Word should share good things with his teacher.

Don't be deceived: One will be repaid according to what one has done. God is not going to be mocked. Those who live according to their fleshly desires will receive physical decay, but those who live according to the Spirit will receive eternal life by the Spirit. Let's not get tired of doing what is right, because we will ultimately receive a reward, if we don't give up. So then, every time we have a chance, let us do what is good to all people, but most especially to our brethren in faith.

Commentary:

One cannot become spiritually “born-again” except by a personal commitment to trust and obey Jesus' teachings (John 14:15-17). We are given the indwelling Holy Spirit so that we can fulfill God's Word by living according to the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, out of love for what God has done for us in Jesus Christ, rather than out of fear of punishment (Romans 8:1-11). So then, we should no longer live according to our human nature and worldly ways.

If someone is overcome by temptation, instead of criticizing, judging and condemning him (or her), we should gently help him be restored by leading him to repent (turn away from sin) confess, and receive forgiveness through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus. If we truly love others we will care about their spiritual condition and their eternal destiny.

We should remember that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), and if not for the grace (undeserved favor) of God (Ephesians 2:8-9), we would all be condemned. We should also remember that we are all also subject to temptation, and that we all fall short of God's standard of righteousness, in God's Word and in Jesus Christ, the “living Word, fulfilled, embodied and exemplified (John 1:1-5, 14).

Instead of comparing ourselves to others, particularly those who we regard as “worse” sinners, we should honestly evaluate our own actions in comparison to Jesus Christ and God's Word. Let us remember that each of us will be accountable to the Lord for what we have done individually in this lifetime.

I have received the Gospel freely, without being charged, and it is my great pleasure to make it freely available to others.

We have all been born physically alive into this Creation, but spiritually unborn. This Creation and we ourselves are limited by time. This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life in God's heavenly kingdom. We can choose to live in our physical bodies in this physical world and ultimately die, physically and eternally, or we can choose to trust and obey Jesus and be spiritually reborn, so that we we can live eternally in a New Creation with him.

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Saturday 15 Pentecost - C 
First posted September 11, 2010;
Podcast: Saturday 15 Pentecost - C

Matthew 6:24-34 – God or Mammon?

Paraphrase:

Jesus said that no one can serve both God and Mammon (Aramaic; the language of Jesus; for “wealth”). One will either love and serve one or the other but not both. So, then, don't worry about your physical life and needs. After all, this lifetime is about more than that. Notice that birds don't labor for their necessities; God provides for them, and you are more precious than birds.

Who can add a single moment to his lifetime by worrying? Why worry about clothing; doesn't God provide for the lilies of the field without their effort to provide clothes for themselves. Even Solomon, the King of Israel whom God gave wisdom, wealth, honor, and long life (1 Kings 3:9-14), was not more well-clothed. So if God can provide for the most ephemeral plants, can't he also provide for us? Don't doubt it!

So don't worry about what you will have to eat, drink or wear. Unbelievers seek these things, and God your Father knows that you need all of them, but first seek his kingdom and righteousness, and then you will also have these other things as well. So don't worry about tomorrow; tomorrow can worry about itself. Just let today's troubles be enough to worry about.

Commentary:

This text is a portion of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:29) which is a collection of the teachings of Jesus.

Physical life is short, no matter what we do to prolong it. What is more important is spiritual life. We are all born physically into this time-limited Creation, but are spiritually unborn. Spiritual life is not limited by time; it's eternal. This lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually reborn to eternal life.

Only Jesus is able to give us spiritual rebirth (John 3:3, 5-8) by the “baptism” of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).  The baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit is a personally discernible, ongoing, daily, experience (Acts 19:2). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

Worldly wisdom teaches us to secure physical food, clothing and shelter before anything else. But if we try to do so, we will never get around to anything else, because we will never have physical security; it will always require “just a little more” than we have. Instead, if we seek spiritual food, clothing, and shelter first, God will also supply all that we need physically in abundance as well.

I personally testify that I have experienced his providence. At a time in my life when everything worldly within me screamed that I needed a job, and physical food, clothing and shelter, the Lord showed me that he is able to supply my physical needs in abundance, as I sought spiritual needs first. For over thirty years he has provided for my my physical needs beyond expectation, as I applied his Word in my daily life.

I had to learn to live one day at a time in faith in the Lord. Worldly wisdom tells us to plan ahead. It is hard to surrender our future to the Lord and just live one day at a time, but we will discover that we have no actual control of the future. Nothing is more secure than giving our future to the Lord.

The only way to secure our eternal destiny is to accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord and trust and obey him. There is no certainty that we can postpone our decision until later; today is the only day we can be sure of; today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?