No Defense

And when He had come into the temple, the Chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”  Matthew 21:23 (NASB)

When we’re challenged it’s easy to get off the subject as we try to defend ourselves.  At that moment many of us focus on protecting our honor and character instead of bringing the focus back to the problem.   Defense and justification have a way of quickly turning into the blame game.   

Jesus never defended or justified Himself to anyone. Then by what authority did He do the things He did?  He did not quote scholarly rabbis, as was the custom but said, “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” The Jews recognized in Him speaking as He did there was some authority for it.  The authority of Jesus did not threaten or try to impress with self-importance. To be sure, there were times when His temper flared righteously as when He called the religious leaders ‘sons of the devil (John 8:44)’ and when he angrily drove the money changers out of the Temple (Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15). But He didn’t do it with hatred or pride.  What He said was steeped in love and later He even wept over the lost souls of Israel (Luke 13:34).

The life and words of Jesus Christ were always truth and revelation.  Even though He was often critically questioned by the Scribes and Pharisees He remained unquestionable in whom He claimed to be.  He held those He interacted with accountable while modeling decorum and healthy relations-even with those who disliked Him. The witness of who He was was qualified by His Heavenly Father.  God spoke from heaven on two occasions confirming that Jesus was His Beloved Son (Matthew 3:17, Luke 9:35). His Heavenly Father alone qualified Him with the authority to do what He did.  There was no justification needed, for God alone speaks perfect truth.

Ken

www.devotiontoday.blogspot.com

Envious Eyes

“But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a Denarius?  Take what is yours and go your way, but I wish to give to this last man the same as you.  Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own?  Or is your eye envious because I am generous?”  Matthew 20:13-15 (New American Standard Bible)

In my youthful naiveté I was once asked by an inquisitive co-worker at a new job what my starting pay was.  With little experience in workplace matters I told the guy. As soon as I did the co-worker’s face went dark and he angrily turned on his heel and hot-footed it to the boss’s office.  He faced our boss and angrily demanded to know why he was paying me the same as him when I was new to the job and he had worked there longer.  I’m always reminded of this incident when I read this parable. 

At the outset this parable told by Jesus does seem unfair.  The men who worked the least were paid the same as those who had worked the longest.  The story illustrates the chasm between God’s grace and man’s corrupted nature.  Instead of seeing the blessing the owner bestowed upon the late comers and applauding his benevolence those who had started working that morning found fault with his generosity.

Jesus was teaching that any matter of award is under God’s Sovereign control.  God is the one before whom all accounts will be settled.  What will God do with the person who in their final hour accepts Christ?  There were only brief minutes for that person to enjoy His saving grace.  What kind of reward will He give to the person who had no time to live the Christian life over those who were Christians all their lives?  It’s an unanswerable question but I do know He will offer the ideal reward to them and when He does we will say “Isn’t that the perfect and just reward for that person?”  In the final accounting it will be the Lord’s will and insight that will carry the greatest weight.  His reward comes through grace and not merit.  He is indeed generous and gives many gifts to us.  What He gives to us is perfect and instead of running to the boss with complaints we can bow and be thankful for His wise and loving beneficence. 

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

A Friend of Us All

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.   And he hurried and came down, and received Him gladly.  And when they [the Jews] saw it, they all began to grumble saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”  Luke 19:5-7 (New American Standard Bible)

If you pay taxes you can have an idea how much the Jews disliked the Publicans, or tax collectors of their time.  These men were hired by Rome to wring revenue from the people under their rule.  The average tax collector was not paid a salary by the Roman Government.  Rome assigned these people a certain amount to be collected.  As long as Rome got their portion it didn’t care how much ‘payment for services’ the Publicans took so most of them took more than Rome demanded.  They were just not relentless extortionist they were ruthless.

So the Jews were offended that Jesus was not only going to the house of a tax collector but was going to dine with him.  In today’s terms think of the most notorious figure you know.  Now picture Billy Graham going to his or her home, maybe sitting poolside with them and acting like they were his good friend.  In voicing their displeasure at Jesus’ action the Jews were saying Zacchaeus was only worthy of God’s punishment.

Think of how many times we have the same feelings toward someone.  I just wonder that if this example of Jesus’ grace and love had been modeled in the childhoods of the John Dillinger’s, Al Capone’s, Josef Stalin’s and Adolf Hitler’s of history how their stories would read today?

Jesus had a heart for people, just like the ones around us every day that are outside of the redemption of Christ.  There is some hesitancy to sit down with these “sinners” and just be their friend. How will those who hunger and thirst after righteousness taste it unless we bring the Bread of Life to their table?  Those who taste of the Lord will see He is good.  He will become a refuge and blessing to all who dine with Him.  Jesus has always been a friend of those who could demonstrate ruthless qualities.  Jesus has been a friend to us all.

Ken

www.devtionstoday.blogspot.com

Because He's Worthy

“You shall not  worship them [other gods]  or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:5 (New American Standard Bible)

I heard a famous talk show host tell why she turned her back on the Judeo-Christian God when her pastor mentioned in a sermon that God was a ‘jealous’ God.   She wrongly concluded that jealous meant He was vindictive, selfish and angry without further investigating what the phrase meant.  She rejected the God of Scripture and instead embraced a philosophical god of her own choosing.  Now when she speaks of God she is not speaking of the God of the Bible but one of her own preference.

Isn’t it wrong to be jealous? It usually ends in discord.  Not concerning God for in this case He is saying He does not want our fullest devotion given to another.  There is no one else in the universe that can make the claim to ultimate power and glory except God alone and He demands worship only be ascribed to Him.  Some would say it’s audacious of God to demand worship and they’re right it is audacious but along with that He is the ultimate supremacy in space and time and therefore mighty enough to warrant it.  But the other side of the coin is even though He demands we worship Him He doesn’t force us to do it.  A jealous lover will interfere, threaten, rage and sometimes use physical force to keep the other person within their sphere of influence.  God gives everyone free rein to choose Him or to give their allegiance to another as they please. 

The jealousy of God reveals a whole different definition of the idea.  It is the definition of supreme worth because of the holy and pure perfection it represents.  God deserves to be venerated and He wants no other to usurp His place.  It isn’t ego but Who He is that makes Him praiseworthy in the most holy sense.  He is never influenced by the Green-Eyed Monster.  He is the only one who is worthy of worship and because of who He is He is the only One who rightly deserves it.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Light of Hope

Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him.  John 9:3 (NASB)

One day Jesus and His disciples passed a man born blind.  The disciples, ever curious, asked, “Who sinned that this man was born blind, him or his parents?”  It would be interesting to know what the blind fellow thought about his situation having never seen the light of day.  I wonder if in his darkness he was angry at where God had allowed him to be and felt alone and confused.  It was at this unexpected moment that Jesus chose to heal his vision.

A little later after his healing Jesus found him and asked him if he believed in the Son of Man.  The newly sighted fellow asked, “And who is He Lord?”  This is one of the few times Jesus admitted publicly that He was the Messiah. When the man heard Jesus say He was the Christ he confessed his belief in Him and worshipped Him. I’m sure through all those years the man expected to die blind yet he kept a spiritual vision that sustained him.  Even if his hope in healing was not set, his faith in God was.  And in his blindness God was very aware of where this child was and what he suffered. 

Circumstances aside, he knew whether God healed him or not that He was still true and worthy of his fullest trust.  When he met Jesus face-to-face he already knew Him.  In his blindness he had seen Him illuminated in the light of hope.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

There Really is Something Free

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:23 (NASB)

We all know that pleased feeling when we get our paycheck.  Even if it isn’t as much as we need to make all our ends meet there’s still a satisfaction in having it placed in our hand.  We’ve earned it.  Many make their life’s work to receive wages that are at odds with God.  Some work harder than others at that job but when it comes to payday all that reject the Son rejects the Father who sent Him (Luke 10:16).  It’s interesting that Paul talks about wages for it connotes labor and loyalty to something or someone.  The thing about the final wages of sin is that even if we did nothing we still have earned it because we were born alienated from God through Adam’s sin. 

Satan’s wages are separation from God and eternal death.  His workshop at first can seem beautiful and exciting until the harshness of the job catches up to us through the evil that comes from the tools of the trade.  There’s not enough room here to list the terrible things we can learn to do to ourselves and others.  Satan is not only a harsh taskmaster he absolutely hates his employees.  Murder is in his heart for there is no truth in him (John 8:44).

Notice Paul doesn’t say the ‘wages of eternal life’ for eternal life is a gift.  God says if we trust in His way of salvation, that is the Perfect Sacrifice of His Son Jesus, then we won’t receive wages for that choice-we’ll receive a present (a present is always free) in the gift of righteous eternal life.  There is no labor needed to gain it.  It’s the gift that keeps on arriving; a lifeline of peace and spiritual sustenance.  How much easier is it to receive a gift rather than a paycheck?  That’s not too simple; that’s the gift of grace.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com©

Building Fires

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.  Acts 28:3 (NASB)

When the apostle Paul came to a saving faith in his Messiah he was told what great things he would suffer for the name of Christ (Acts 9:16).  It seemed an understatement.  During his ministry he received 195 lashes from the Jews (39x5) not counting the 3 additional beatings he took with the rod.  He was stoned once and left for dead, shipwrecked 3 times, bitten by a poisonous snake, in danger of rivers, robbers, his own countrymen, Gentiles, the seas, false brethren, hunger, thirst, cold and exposure.  Paul seemed like the first century poster boy for pain.

The thing that has astounded me about this account is when Paul landed here on Malta he continued unwavering in his faith.  He could have as easily walked up the beach and found a warm and cozy inn but instead he remained on that inhospitable beach to help build a fire.  This act of servanthood to the rest of the group far outweighs anything else that was witnessed that day, including suffering no ill effects after being bitten by a viper.  At this moment being shipwrecked on a cold and windy beach Paul found Christ trustworthy. 

There are times of adversity we feel like throwing our hands up and pursuing another avenue of our own choosing. Stopping to build a fire instead of cutting and running looks beyond the battle to the prize of our high calling in Jesus Christ.  It isn’t a physical fire like Paul’s but one made with the matches of patience and trust.  Christ is with us in every way and knows where we stand for He is familiar with every grain of sand on our cold and windy beach.       

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com©