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Tag: Matthew

WE Have Been Here Before – the Son of Man in a Manger
Born the Son of Man

Oh, the humility and love of GOD to be born as a Son of Man!
Roger Harned – on the birth of the Messiah Jesus

Think of it – consider the concept of The Almighty LORD God, born as a human being through a woman. In this sense Jesus, the Christ, comes to man through a woman as a son of man born of mankind.

Christmas – Celebration of the ‘Mass of Christ’

Shouldn’t we see Christmas not so much as the all-too-familiar scene of ‘a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger,’ but rather a sign of God’s tender mercy for mankind?

Our common view of the Christ child is both incomplete and a mere introduction to God at best.

Therefore the humbleness of the Christ child, who was and is and will be the Lord God Almighty, Creator of the heavens and earth should bring us to our knees. Picture the LORD GOD more fully in the Person of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit!

We speak of the Messiah Jesus, Son of Man and Son of God. He was born by the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary, betrothed of Joseph of Nazareth, a son of David.

And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
Matthew 1:16 KJV

This seventeen verse genealogy from the Gospel of Matthew introduces a touching story of a child for children of God. Yet it is not the picture I ask you to see today.

Son of Man

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

What’s the point of this extensive genealogy from Abraham? The list through David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Jeconiah and through Jacob the father of Joseph (who was only engaged to Mary)? Of course we know few of these men and women (like Rahab & Tamar or Jeconiah).

Clearly Jesus is the son of Mary, a woman with child sometimes accused of being with another man. To call Jesus a son of man, that is, adam, refers only to Mary!

The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel of Matthew 1:18

God as Father

Jesus’ self-designated title, Son of Man, is at issue here. Who is the father of this Messiah of Israel? (And what role do Joseph and Mary play in God’s mysterious plan of redemption for mankind?)

If Joseph is not the father why follow his bloodline or ancestry at all?

(… for she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit}

Mary, a virgin, is not some young girl who pridefully claims a status as ‘single mom’ as some today will. She does not speak of an indiscretion with a young man other than Joseph who she will not name.

This is a truly unique instance of Divinity interacting with creation. God becomes the Father of Jesus, yet not a husband to Mary.

Matthew 1:19

So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.

The LORD God is Father to Jesus, Son, a man (child) born to ‘man‘ (adam) in the person of Mary.

He IS the Very Image of the invisible Father (LORD & Creator of the first Adam and the first woman created). The Son of Man IS fully the Father and yet the seed of adam through Mary.

God – the Holy Spirit

Mat 1:20 –

But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,

“Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

So scripture records clearly that Mary is the single mom of Jesus. Yet the overshadowing cloud of Life in the Holy Spirit is the Father of this Christ child.

Jesus the Christ IS the Son of God incarnate (in the flesh).

Mat 1:21

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Joseph, Step-father of God

Mat 1:24-25 – When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.

Here also Joseph demonstrates humility and righteousness as did Mary. He too obeys the angel of the Lord God; for this Son of David must lead a young Jesus to grow in wisdom and grace.

Son of Man – a babe in a manger

Joseph flees Bethlehem, near Jerusalem in Judea, over 300 miles to Egypt, later returning to Nazareth in Galilee several more miles to the north.

Matthew 2:

…an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying,

“Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.”

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled:

Out of Egypt I called my Son.

An angel of the Lord warns Joseph to flee to Egypt.

Also angels had appeared in person to shepherds in the hills where David had watched over flocks. Then later after Herod’s death [~4BC] an angel tells Joseph to return.

22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.

And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. 23 Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth

.. to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Follow the Lord Incarnate

As any wise men or women might observe, God did not come into this world to condemn the world. Christmas gifts represented by the wise men attract our focus, but should never substitute for our worship of the Lord. Jesus IS the Christ of Christmas.

We overlook an obedient step-father who saves them all from Herod the Great, murderer of the innocents of Bethlehem. Let’s not hold too high a chosen mother in this iconic manger scene. The Lord God our Father sent Salvation to mankind as a baby born for a Cross.

Follow the Son of Man

Later Matthew reveals to us the cost to the Father of the manger, which is the Cross of Christ. The Apostle also reveals the Gospel Good News.

Matthew later describes a scene where the Apostle Simon Peter asks the Lord the cost of discipleship. Jesus has just told them of the difficulty for men, even faithful men and women, to enter heaven. Peter wants to know our reward.

“Then who can be saved,” they ask?

The Lord then states:

“With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26b

The followers of the Son of Man were not certain if they could be saved.

Some remain uncertain how God could be born to a virgin or die on a Cross for our sin. You may wonder how Jesus rose from the grave.

How did the Lord raise Lazarus or how He will reward you at the end of it all?

Matthew 19:

27 Then Peter responded to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you. So what will there be for us?”

So Peter asks for all of us: doubters with limited faith.

²⁸Jesus said to them,

“Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Good for the Twelve, you think. What about us?

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or motheror children or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Following Christ from the Manger

Have you long ago left your gift at the manger or even forgotten Christ’s difficult journey?

The Son of Man came down to Creation humbly and lived a difficult life in the flesh for us. He lived it without sin so that He could bear ours.

From Bethlehem to Egypt to Nazareth to Capernaum to Jerusalem to Golgotha…

to Hell and back from the empty tomb, to the road to Emmaus…

to rising into the clouds at Pentecost, to appearance to Saul near Damascus, to Revelation to John on Patmos:

The Lord came to the Created – to you and to me, Jesus lived, died and rose that we might follow Him further than as a Babe in a manger in Bethlehem.

He has been here before. The Son of Man who was journeys from before Eden until beyond now.

Next we will explore some of the Lord’s previous appearances to mankind, God-willing.
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To Be Continued...
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December 1, 2019
You Scoffers Who Rule Jerusalem – a Bed too Short
Perhaps by now you know from introduction in my previous post that the complainant in this case is the LORD. His indictment of leaders is not my complaint for today, but that of the prophet of Judah in the eighth century BC. Therefore Isaiah approaches these leaders, scoffers who rule Jerusalem with warnings from the LORD.

Scoffers who rule …

Our application, of course, may call the question to our own nations:

Are our leaders also scoffers who rule with a bed too short?

Let’s return to excerpts from the LORD’s rebuke from where we began previously. (You may follow various translations, including Hebrew, on the link below.)

Scoffers who rule Israel

Isaiah 28:

14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers
who rule this people in Jerusalem.
15 For you said, “We have made a covenant with Death,
and we have an agreement with Sheol;
when the overwhelming catastrophe passes through,
it will not touch us,
because we have made falsehood our refuge
and have hidden behind treachery.”

Did the catastrophe pass over the Jewish leaders of Isaiah’s day?

Again, as I pointed previously in our chronology of Israel, it did not. The Jews were overrun by Assyria in that day, as Empires rise and fall even unto this day. So what does the Lord promise through Isaiah to a people about to be taken from their homes to a foreign land?

A Cornerstone in Zion

If you do not already know it, you will find it helpful here to understand some significance of Zion to Hebrew history.

צִיּוֹן

Zion (153x), Sion (1x). Zion = “parched place,” a “sunny mountain,” a fortress, the southern and higher hill (of the LORD) upon which Jerusalem is built. On it set Mount Moriah, where the Temple was built and the LORD worshiped. It is used for the holy “city of David” specifically and for all of Jerusalem in general, especially by the prophets: Isaiah 47x, Jeremiah 32x and six other prophets 30x.

16a [NASB] Therefore thus says the Lord God,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone,
A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed.

This from the LORD, of course, is prophecy. The question we must understand is not only when, but the identity of this symbolic cornerstone of the Temple.

Who IS this costly cornerstone of Israel’s future? And what makes this Savior of Israel so costly to the LORD?

The one who believes will remain anchored to the Cornerstone of the heavenly Temple, established with justice as it’s measuring line and righteousness as its level.

Yet if you do not hold to this cornerstone, a stumbling block to scoffers who rule without guidance from God — if you support godless scoffers who rule — then you will stumble as well on the cornerstone of righteousness. For like those you manipulate, you cannot hide on the day of your accounting before the LORD.

What does Isaiah predict?

Isn’t this the same prophet we hear quoted every year in this season leading up to remembering a birth of righteousness, the Cornerstone in Zion that rebuilds the Temple of the LORD for all time?

Yes, Isaiah prophesies not only the fall of Jerusalem in their near future, but the coming of the Messiah of Israel born some seven centuries later.

Consequence for Scoffers Who Rule

Have you leaders been hiding behind lies of convenience?

“Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies…

Can you really hide the truth of your sins forever?

“And the waters will overflow the secret place.

The LORD and others, even your enemies, will find you out.

“and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through
you will be beaten down by it.

19 [CSB] Every time it passes through,
it will carry you away;
it will pass through every morning—
every day and every night.
Only terror will cause you
to understand the message.

NO PLACE TO HIDE FROM THE LORD GOD!

Hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule any of God’s people anywhere.

Isaiah’s imagery shows the futility of trying to keep your sin from God, for it will be shown to others.

Perhaps you will take this warning as your one and only opportunity to repent of your sin. Maybe just one of our scoffers who rule will humbly return to fear of the Lord, our heavenly Father.

The Bed too short

Do you recall when you were a child how you thought that you could hide from your father under the bed or from fearful noises under the covers.

Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on,
and its cover too small to wrap up in.
Isaiah 28:20 CSB

Isaiah illustrates that leaders seeking rest from any but God as laughable at best, but futile in any instance. Judah was burdened with threats from and alliances with other leaders. They sought rest from war and peace with the world flowing through their porous defences.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 NLT

Once Isaiah mentions their frustration of trying to sleep on a bed too short (their alliances with other evil leaders) and of remaining of cover of their trust in others, he again proceeds to prophesy what must happen.

Parazim & Gibeon

21 [NASB] For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim,
He will be stirred up as in the valley of Gibeon,
To do His task, His unusual task,
And to work His work, His extraordinary work.

You scoffers who rule in other places must understand the significance of these places to which Isaiah refers.
```
So David came to Baal-perazim and defeated them there; 
and he said, 
“The LORD has broken through my enemies before me 
like the breakthrough of waters.” 
Therefore he named that place Baal-perazim.
They abandoned their idols there, 
so David and his men carried them away. 
- 2 Samuel 5:20-21
```
David, King of a once-united Israel, did not win the land and the people without the help of the LORD!

And there in his victory, David gave thanks to the Lord before the people of the land. Yet before David and following leadership of another revered man of God and giver of the Law [Torah], Joshua also credits the LORD who has taken this land from their enemies.

Joshua 10:10 And the LORD confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

Warning & Advice to Scoffers Who Rule

Isaiah speaks to scoffers of God. Yet are your ears this day so filled with twisted speech that you do not even understand the significance of his warning?

לוּץ

Scoffers translated from Hebrew luwts holds a pointed meaning. From Strong’s Concordance:

לוּץ lûwts, loots; a primitive root; properly, to make mouths at, i.e. to scoff; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to interpret, or (generally) intercede:—ambassador, have in derision, interpreter, make a mock, mocker, scorn(-er, -ful), teacher.

“(from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to interpret..” Sounds like #media, doesn’t it?

Do you think even in seven-hundred some years before Christ scoffers who rule were any different than those who rule this day in the year of our Lord 2019?

Of course not! These men and women of power: scorn, make mouths at, talk arrogantly; They boast, mock and deride.

Isaiah warns:

22 Now therefore, do not be mockers,
Lest your bonds be made strong…

Shall I mock Isaiah, scripture and the word of the Lord?

(What do you think? Do you, your leaders or even opponents fear your shackles of slavery to lies tightening?)

For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts
Of decisive destruction on all the earth.
Isaiah 28:22b NASB

Decisive destruction on all the earth. It is not the causes for which these ambassadors of hypocrisy which will destroy the earth, the Lord God at a time and place of His Own choosing.

Where’s a leader to hide?

Again, Isaiah’ illustration of the futility of it all.
- 24 Does the farmer plow continually to plant seed?
- Or does he continuously break up and cultivate the soil?
There’s a process here, a plan of the Lord; and you will be a part of it.
- 25 Does he not level its surface
- And sow dill
- scatter cummin
- And plant wheat in rows,
- Barley in its place
- and rye within its area?
God’s ordered ways

26 [CSB] His God teaches him order;
he instructs him.

27 Certainly black cumin is not threshed
with a threshing board,
and a cart wheel is not rolled over the cumin.
But black cumin is beaten out with a stick,
and cumin with a rod.
28 Bread grain is crushed,
but is not threshed endlessly.
Though the wheel of the farmer’s cart rumbles,
his horses do not crush it.

Even a king, prime minister or president in a palace will see the ridicule of the farmer using the wrong tool to accomplish his purpose. Perhaps even a scoffer in Congress, Parliament or leadership claiming the rule of Law will see their own error and return to the Lord.

Woe to the scoffers who rule the worldly cities.

We cannot nearly complete the prophesies of Isaiah today. For if I continue, like Isaiah’s critics you would surely complain:

“Law after law, law after law,
line after line, line after line,
a little here, a little there.”

Therefore in closing I’ll caution US.

Hear the Lord your God, for woe is akin to death. Isaiah uses it more than any other Prophet of the Lord.

Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him,
For what he deserves will be done to him. – Isaiah 3:11 NASB

Woe to those who enact evil statutes
And to those who constantly record unjust decisions,
So as to deprive the needy of justice
And rob the poor of My people of their rights…
Now what will you do in the day of punishment,
And in the devastation which will come from afar?
To whom will you flee for help?
And where will you leave your wealth?
excerpt: Isaiah 10:1-3 NASB

After these warnings to leaders of the nations and specifically Judah, Isaiah warns:

“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—
An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth!
Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’
Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
Isaiah 45:9 NASB

In a time yet to come — neither next Wednesday nor next year — Isaiah shows hope in a day to come and judgment against those who refuse the Way of the Lord, even those who yet deny the Truth Who IS and will judge from the Throne of Heaven, even those scoffers who rule in this life lacking regard for the Life that is to come — the life or the punishment after death.

The LORD Rises Up

Isaiah 33:

Woe, you destroyer never destroyed,
you traitor never betrayed!
When you have finished destroying,
you will be destroyed.
When you have finished betraying,
they will betray you.

2 O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for You.

Blessing or Woe?

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. – Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. – Matthew 5:7

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:10

But woe to you, blind guides… scoffers who rule…

“Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. –Luke 11:46

Woe to the city of blood, totally deceitful, full of plunder, never without prey. – Nahum 3:1

Your eyes will see the King in His beauty;
They will see the land that is very far off.
Isaiah 33:17 NKJV

The Scroll of Isaiah

Luke 4:

17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me
to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.”
The words of the Messiah Jesus from the Gospel of Luke 4:21

And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 19:16 NKJV
November 27, 2019
The Tongue is a Fire! – Speaking of Christians
If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.
James 1:26 CSB

Contents of 3-part series

We began this forum for freely speaking whatever is on your mind with the substance and consequences of speaking out in POLITICS. November in the U.S. is always a contentious time and the approaching year of Presidential politics will offer more intense variations on the themes of hypocrisy and hatred.

As the politically correct and often biased words of media might suggest, RELIGION has no say so in these arguments. The movie scene depicted in the photo for this series suggests a time when all of this correctness fails for all of us, including media.

Next and finally, today we will take a look at what the Bible has to say about such things. Examine your heart further along with me as our tongues speak up (sometimes inappropriately) for Jesus Christ.

Don’t be deceived

Paul preaches to the church in Ephesus:

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. Ephesians 5:6

James suggests early in his letter how easily we deceive ourselves.

James 1:19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God…

He offers a remedy to hypocrisy, of which we will quickly be accused. And James illustrates our self-examination in the mirror.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath!

It’s just not our nature (Christian or not).

Because we speak out so quickly, we show how easily we are deceived. It is the same deception of our own hearts mentioned in Genesis 3:13

And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, H5377 and I did eat.

Disobedience Brings God’s Judgment

This has always been the warning of the LORD’s true prophets to a people who claim religious favor while displaying hypocritical sin.

The Lord will judge and many have warned us throughout the millennia in scripture given by Almighty God.

In order that you may anticipate my outline from the Lord’s word, we will examine four of these chronologically:
1. Jeremiah ~687-520 B.C.
2. John the Baptist ~A.D. 30
3. Jesus Christ
4. James, brother of Jesus, leader of the church at Jerusalem ~A.D. 50
Jeremiah 9:

3 “They bend their tongue like their bow;
Lies and not truth prevail in the land;
For they proceed from evil to evil,
And they do not know Me,” declares the Lord.

The LORD, through the Prophet Jeremiah, condemns the tongue of the religious leaders of Judah.

5 “Everyone deceives his neighbor
And does not speak the truth,
They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
They weary themselves committing iniquity.
6 “Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit;
Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” declares the Lord.

The Tongue that Answers Hypocrisy

How is this any different than the hypocrisy of some who claim God today?

Though this condemnation is directed toward Jews around 627 Before Christ, the Lord could well convict so-called christians of this 21st century in the year of our Lord.

For what else can I do, because of the daughter of My people?
8 “Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
It speaks deceit;
With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor,
But inwardly he sets an ambush for him.
9 “Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the Lord.
“On a nation such as this
Shall I not avenge Myself?

The Lord does not condemn the nations for the fire of their accusations against God, but those who claim the Name of the Lord whose tongue deceives their neighbor and speaks deceit.

How are we not like those condemned here, where our tongues of fire shout against the evils of the world, “I’m mad and hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!”

John the Baptist

In a captive Israel (and Judah) after centuries of silence from the Lord, many recognized John as a Prophet of God. Jesus confirms it.

“And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.
The testimony of Jesus Christ about John the Baptist – Matthew 11:14

REPENT! you religious hypocrites

John never said this in so many words, but repentance of sins and hypocrisy of the tongue by religious leaders held center-stage in his ministry to the crowds in the wilderness.

Matthew 3:

4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

Although the son of a priest, John followed the Lord’s leading away from the Temple limelight into the wilderness. And his raiment reminded all of the great Prophet Elijah. John’s fiery calls for repentance he directed not to idolatrous followers of other religions, but to the Jews.

Our most enduring impression of John may be his public accusation of the leaders of religion who came to hear him in the wilderness.

What the crowds witnessed

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them,
“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Matthew 3:7-8 ESV

I could easily say more about John’s tongue of fire as it also applies to Christians, but I’ll save it for a more detailed look at John the Baptist, greatest of the prophets who the Lord sent before the Messiah Jesus.

Proverbs for the Tongue

There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Proverbs 12:18-19 KJV

Christ Jesus

As John and the Spirit testified, Jesus is more than a man who speaks truth. He IS the Perfect truth established before time for all time, the Son of God the Father!

Previously in this series I mentioned Jesus’ caution about the tongue of one saying “raca” or “you fool” being liable to hell. Although this ought to be caution enough for those claiming Christ, here I will add an additional insight from Jesus about hell.

Jews, Messianic Jews and Christians may differ on our views of hell; its punishments, certainly who is condemned and the nature of eternal life after death. Nevertheless, considering not the illustrative nature of the parable, but the truth of what the Messiah Jesus must witness by His very word, take just this one scene to heart.

Luke 16:

Jesus’ parable follows three more familiar parables about the lost followers of the LORD, Shepherd of Israel.

Most hearers compare Jesus’ two main characters, a rich earthly master and his poor servant by identifying Jesus’ parable as The Rich Man and Lazarus. For many this may confuse the issues of resurrection (identified with the name of this other Lazarus) and salvation for the wealthy (which Jesus seems to oppose on many occasions).

Neither wealth nor resurrection are at issue in this parable.

Prior to this parable, Jesus categorically states:

“Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.
Luke 16:16 NLT

Jesus on Social Injustice

J.B. Phillips focuses our attention more to the issue of how we act toward others during this mortal life, introducing this parable: Jesus shows the fearful consequence of social injustice.

It’s a tragic tale describing the inequities of this life, followed by a scene of the rich man gazing upon heaven from hell. The rich master and faithful servant have died, their fates having rewarded each justly.

And from among the dead he looked up and saw Abraham a long way away, and Lazarus in his arms.
‘Father Abraham!’ he cried out, ‘please pity me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.’
Luke 16 excerpt J.B. PHILLIPS

This follower of the LORD who had every blessing in life pleads to Abraham to intercede for him while he suffers the agony of hell! It would be like asking a saint of old or mother of our Lord to help you. Just cool my tongue from the agony in these flames.

Jesus has already separated the sheep from the goats. This is no intermittent place of punishment where relief through others may take place.

Dear brother or sister in Christ,

Therefore, watch your tongue and actions in this mortal life. For we must now be perfect in Him before a world hearing us as Christ, named ‘Christians.’

James

Earlier this year I addressed the turmoil of religion and politics which preceded the appearance of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. If you would like to read more follow this link to James and Jerusalem’s Controversy.

The applications of James to Christian contemporary thought may be helpful to each of us personally, particularly what I taught previously on this in James – Preaching to a Worldly Church.

Even though I recently covered the entire book of James, his application to Christians is worth repeating as a brief conclusion to this 3-part series: The Tongue is a Fire!

FOR CHRISTIANS ONLY:

DISCLAIMER: IF you do not believe in God, no need to read further. As Jeremiah aimed his tongue of rebuke to the Jews and as John the Baptist also called God’s chosen to repentance, this is not for those who refuse the Lord’s grace.

And so, you who claim Christ consider this:

Your contemporary issue of how God can use your tongue of fire to save the world may not agree with scripture.
Roger Harned – TalkofJesus.com

Which issue excites your tongue to cry out, “you brood of vipers?” Abortion? Equal rights for women? Helping poor migrants trying to come to America? Healthcare, food and shelter for the poor? Fair elections? Tolerance for other religions?

All of these causes may excite your witness to others, but the leaders of the church will warn you and me to watch our tongue and act like Jesus.

You cannot go wrong by keeping the love of Jesus on your lips and the fruit of love in the harvest of your relationships with others. But look more closely at nearly every New Testament writer and the sayings of Jesus:

Our words of refinement and love are for each other – brothers and sisters in Christ. If our actions match the love of Jesus, only then will the world take note of our words.

James 3:

2 For in many things we offend all. – KJV

Christians excel in this, but the world should not be offended by you. Rather, the world is offended by Christ Jesus and will not accept the grace of His love.

2-6 [PHILLIPS] We all make mistakes in all kinds of ways, but the man who can claim that he never says the wrong thing can consider himself perfect, for if he can control his tongue he can control every other part of his personality!

Think of it. If you control your tongue, you can be perfect; that is, Christ-like. Your actions will finally become perfect, because you mirror our Lord.

5b [NASB] See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

The Not So Good NEWS of Today

Can you think of some in the public eye whose tongues easily set social media on fire?

Sadly, Christians participate in the hot debates of those worldly things which have little or nothing to do with Christ. I admit it. My speech before others sparks debate. Yet is it for Christ?

Are you a disciple of your political party? Of your particular issue? Do you show religion as condemnation and faith as opposition to the value of others?

8 [NASB] But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.

Again, the hypocrisy of ‘christians’

As we pointed a finger toward ourselves in an earlier post in this series, this is hypocrisy. James tells us that it must not be. He asks the church to direct our teaching first to ourselves.

[PHILLIPS] … your lives will be an example of the humility that is born of true wisdom… —don’t deny the truth that you must recognise in your inmost heart… For wherever you find jealousy and rivalry you also find disharmony and all other kinds of evil.

TRUE. True in the world and true in the church. Jealousy and rivalry lead to disharmony and many kinds of evil. Don’t get caught up in it all.

Listen to this: James’ instruction to Christians in how to be perfect can be found in two verses of his letter. Consider them before your tongue turns your life off course in the next storm of public opinion.

Wisdom from Above

17-18 [PHILLIPS] The wisdom that comes from God is first utterly pure, then peace-loving, gentle, approachable, full of tolerant thoughts and kindly actions, with no breath of favouritism or hint of hypocrisy. And the wise are peace-makers who go on quietly sowing for a harvest of righteousness—in other people and in themselves.

Would a list help?

From the KJV, But the wisdom that is from above is:
- pure,
- peaceable,
- gentle,
- easy to be intreated,
- full of mercy
- good fruits,
- without partiality,
- without hypocrisy.
We cannot be pure while leavened by the hatred of the world. And the world’s peace looks much different than the peace of Jesus.

Can you imagine any more gentle example than our Lord Jesus Christ?

Easy to be intreated would be advice from more obedient times meaning compliant or easily obeying. Modern translations sweeten it a bit calling this trait, ‘reasonable.’ Are you reasonable or compliant in your conversation with others?

Full of mercy: there’s a trait we wish to encounter. Compassion, true compassion for others; not claims of a nice ‘christian’ to treat others with mercy, but Christ-like compassion for another.

Jesus said:

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
the words of Jesus to religious leaders – Matthew 9:13

Are you a Pharisee of this 21st century in the eyes of those you encounter? You with ears to hear, hold your tongue until your heart finds mercy.

We know many parables of Jesus about the fruit of righteousness. Do you show others how you, a sinner, have changed? Like John the Baptist scorned the Pharisees and Scribes coming for baptism:

“Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Matthew 3:8 NASB

Has Jesus changed you? Did your tongue receive Christ’s bridle of restraint of your words of witness to the world?

Is your witness for a cause OR for Christ Jesus? What do your words say?

Show no partiality or favoritism in your faith. Be unwavering for Jesus rather than swayed to the right or to the left by the crowds.

NO Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy is the mask of appearances, the make-up of our image. It is the false face of the world and their accusation of masked ‘christians.’

The fire of our tongue will betray our motives. And our fruit of hypocrisy is witness against Jesus.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. – Romans 12:9 NASB

It is the genuine love of Jesus Christ, sincere faith in our Lord. The world must see Jesus in your actions, but first the world will hear your words.

Are the words of your mouth witness that Jesus IS your LORD?

OR

Do you just have something more to say back to the world from your fiery tongue?

Remember the love and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear saint and fellow sinner. For you would not want to hear the Lord say,

“I never knew you.”
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May the grace, mercy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ help you to hold your tongue from evil and witness His love through the Holy Spirit.
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November 14, 2019