Month: February 2025

Take My Yoke

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28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

These three verses are highly familiar to most of us. But do we know the context in which they were spoken? As is always the case when studying Scripture, context plays a huge role in helping us understand and apply what the Word is trying to communicate to us. Here in Matthew, Jesus addresses a question from John the Baptist regarding His Messiahship.

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” – Matthew 11:2-3 ESV

John the Baptist had decided to confront King Herod for marrying the ex-wife of his brother, Philip. This bold decision to confront the Roman-appointed king of Israel resulted in his confinement in prison. While there, John had time to consider whether his cousin Jesus was truly the long-expected Messiah. John had been proclaiming the arrival of the kingdom of heaven and had declared Jesus to be the Son of God.

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.…And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” – John 1:29-31, 34 ESV

But now he was having second thoughts. Like any faithful Jew, John the Baptist had been raised to believe in God’s promise of a Messiah. The prophets had declared that a future descendant of David would one day appear on the scene and rule as the rightful King of Israel. Even Jesus’ 12 disciples followed Him because they believed Him to be the fulfillment of that promise. So, when Jesus received word that His own cousin was expressing doubts about His Messianic identity, He responded in a surprising way, launching into a stinging attack against the cities of Capernaum, Korazin and Bethsaida. These three small cities sat on the north side of the Sea of Galilee and would have been regular stops for Jesus during His earthly ministry. Capernaum had become His adopted hometown and base of ministry while He was in the region of Galilee. So the people living in these cities would have had regular glimpses of Jesus and heard His messages repeatedly. Yet Jesus condemns them for their unbelief. Despite all the miracles He had done right before their eyes, they remained non-repentent and unbelieving. Jesus shocks His disciples by comparing these Jewish cities to the infamous cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom. These three cities had a well-known reputation for wickedness and godlessness. Yet, Jesus indicates that if He had done miracles in these cities, they would have been convicted of their sins, repented, and believed in Him. But the hearts of the people living in Galilee were hardened, stubborn, and representative of the rest of the nation of Israel. They had witnessed Jesus, the Son of God, perform miracles and call them to repent and return to God, but they had refused. They continued to disbelieve despite the evidence proving His Messiahship.

In the middle of His stinging discourse, Jesus offers up a seemingly out-of-context prayer.

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” – Matthew 11:25-26 ESV

He abruptly turned to His Father and thanked Him for hiding the truth of His message from the wise and clever but for making it plain to the childlike. Jesus recognized that the doubt expressed by John the Baptist’s question was part of God’s plan. Regardless of how many miracles Jesus performed, those who relied on their own wisdom and knowledge would fail to see Him for who He was. The Pharisees and religious leadership of Jesus’ day were perfect examples of this kind of arrogant ignorance. They were self-righteous and unwilling to recognize their own sinfulness and repent of it. They saw no need for a Savior for their sins; they simply wanted a Messiah to set them free from Roman rule. But Jesus knew that God reveals His truth to the childlike, those who are innocent, humble, and trusting. God chooses to reveal His Son to those whose lives are marred by sin, sorrow, and a recognition of their own helplessness and hopelessness. They are drawn to Jesus and have no trouble believing in Him. The blind, the lame, the diseased, the outcasts, and the chronic sinners are the ones who see and believe.

Jesus follows His prayer with an invitation with two parts. First, He addressed all those who were weary and weighed down to come to Him. His offer was to all who were burdened by sin and weighed down by the requirements of trying to live up to the requirements of the Mosaic Law.  They were worn out by trying to carry the heavy yoke of obedience to God’s exacting commands. They failed to recognize that the law was never meant to save them but to reveal their sinfulness and incapacity to satisfy the holy demands of a righteous God.

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. – Romans 3:20 NLT

To all those who respond to His invitation, Jesus offers rest. But this offer of rest comes with a command to take up His yoke. They must exchange the yoke they are carrying for the one He offers. He describes His yoke as easy because they will find themselves partnered with Him. The yoke he described was a typical farm implement in which two oxen were harnessed for plowing purposes. Jesus offers to come alongside them to teach, train, and assist them. They will still have to work but they will find their burden lightened because of His presence. Unlike the arrogant and demanding religious leadership of the day, Jesus describes Himself as humble, gentle, caring, and compassionate. His yoke is easy to bear, and the burden He gives is light. Yes, there is work to do, and effort is required, but rather than weariness and heartache, Jesus offers rest, peace, and joy.

It seems that those who come to Jesus are the ones who are weary and worn out from trying to live life in their own power. They are beaten down by their own sinfulness and inability to do anything about it. Like a blind man, they know they have a problem but cannot fix it. Like a man who has a demon and is powerless to get rid of it, they must run to Jesus and beg Him for help. Jesus invites the weary to find rest in Him. But He also invites those same people to get in the yoke with Him, to begin focusing their efforts on accomplishing His will and living for His kingdom causes. He offers to replace their self-effort with His own power. He invited them to exchange their heavy burden for His light one. But it all begins with childlike, innocent, trusting faith in Him.

When Jesus’ disciples heard Him say, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,” His words must have brought to mind their oppressed status under Roman rule. His offer of rest conjured up images of rest from oppression, freedom from Roman rule, and a change in their current status as enslaved people. Like John the Baptist, the disciples were wondering if Jesus truly was the Messiah. They were waiting for Him to reveal Himself and set up His earthly kingdom but little did they know that their Messiah was to die. Their hope for relief from Roman oppression could end on a cruel Roman cross. The one for whom they had long waited would be crucified right before their eyes. The Son was going to be sacrificed.

Jesus had told them that He would die and He had warned them that His death was a necessary part of God’s plan for their future redemption. His death would secure their eternal life by satisfying God’s just punishment for their sins. Their promised Messiah would have to die so that their faith would be in God, the ultimate fulfiller of all promises. Their faith had become ill-placed. They had made a god out of their concept of the Messiah. They were looking for Jesus to be their political Savior and earthly king who would rule from a physical throne in Jerusalem. They wanted to be set free from physical oppression but God had more in store for them. He wanted them to trust His plan for them, not their perverted version of it. Their dreams would have to die. The promise they held to so tightly would have to be wrenched from their hands.

Jesus came to offer them a different kind of rest that provided release from a different kind of burden. But they would have to trust God. And the same is true for us today. We can still twist the promises of God and try to make them about our comfort, pleasure, and fulfillment in this life. We can make our walk with Him all about our happiness instead of our holiness. So, we must continually place our version of the promise on the altar and worship the one who made the promise in the first place. We must trust God and worship Him because His plan and timing are perfect.

Father, I find that the degree to which I find rest in Jesus is directly related to my willingness to recognize just how weary I am from trying to live the Christian life in my own strength. I can get too wise and clever for my own good, and begin to believe that I can somehow pull this off in my own strength. But it is when I run out of steam that I tend to run to Him. Keep me childlike and dependent. Don’t allow me to become arrogant and self-righteous. Keep me in the yoke with Christ, living in dependence on Him and resting in His love, strength and grace. Amen.

 

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Give!

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38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” – Matthew 5:38-42 ESV

In this passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He shifts His focus to what was known as the “law of retaliation” or lex talionis in Latin. This was a very common legal concept in the ancient Near East that dictated retribution in kind – an eye for an eye or a hand for a hand. The Mosaic law even made provision for it. Exodus 21:23-25 reads: “But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” The book of Leviticus provides further insight into how this law was to be applied:

“Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. Whoever takes an animal’s life shall make it good, life for life. If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the Lord your God.” – Leviticus 24:17-22 ESV

This was a civil law to be applied and overseen by the ruling authorities. It was not to be administered by individuals against an offending party. But the Jews had lifted this law out of its context and extended its intended meaning. They had turned it into an excuse for personal retribution, with no jurisdiction by any legal authority. The problem with that interpretation was that it had no end. It would lead to an escalating form of violence as each offended party attempted to outdo the other in terms of payback. Yet, this law had actually been intended to legislate and, therefore, limit vengeance. It was prescriptive and restrictive and was meant to defend against vigilante-style justice. The last thing any society needs is its citizens taking matters into their own hands when administering retribution for harm done.

However, the Jews had a distorted understanding of this law. They were actually using it as justification for enacting revenge on those who did them harm. In their minds, lex talionis made payback a viable option in any and all cases. In other words, they believed it taught that retribution was permitted by God and, therefore, was justifiable. But Jesus was out to confront their flawed perception with the truth of God’s will.  Much to their surprise, Jesus taught that God preferred them to pay back evil with good. They were to seek reconciliation, not retribution. Jesus provides them with a list of requirements that directly contradicted their understanding of lex talionis.

“Do not resist the one who is evil”
“Turn the other cheek”
“Give your cloak as well”
“Go the extra mile”
“Give to the one who begs”
“Don’t refuse the one who would borrow from you”

What is Jesus saying? He is refuting their distorted, self-focused view and teaching against a spirit of retaliation and retribution. He is NOT denying the right to self-defense. He is NOT promoting pacifism. He is teaching a change of heart that allows us to respond in love, not anger. It was the very life that Jesus lived and modeled while He was on this earth. The prophet Isaiah had predicted that when the Messiah came, He would suffer oppression and harsh treatment. But He would not retaliate.

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. – Isaiah 53:7-8 ESV

On the night that Jesus was betrayed and arrested, He assured His disciples that this was all part of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Him. He could have retaliated, but He chose not to.

Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.

“Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” – Matthew 26:50-54 NLT

When Jesus was brought before the high priest after His arrest, He didn’t lash out; instead, He fulfilled the words of Isaiah.

Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” But Jesus was silent and made no reply. – Mark 14:60-61 NLT

Jesus provides His listeners with five practical illustrations of what this life of self-sacrifice might look like.

Turn the other cheek – be willing to suffer shame for the sake of the Kingdom and the salvation of the lost

Let him have your cloak as well – be willing to suffer loss for the sake of the Kingdom and the salvation of the lost

Go with him two miles – be willing suffer inconvenience for the sake of the Kingdom and the salvation of the lost

Give to the one who begs from you – be willing to suffer being taken advantage of for the sake of the Kingdom and the salvation of the lost

Do not refuse the one who would borrow from you – be willing to suffer financial loss for the sake of the Kingdom and the salvation of the lost

In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul sums up what Jesus is saying:

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. – Romans 12:17-21 NLT

Do you see how radical and revolutionary this would have been to Jesus’ listeners? Jesus was contrasting the law of retaliation with the law of love. He called people to a life of self-sacrifice and a ministry of reconciliation, not revenge. He told them that the blessed (those who are approved by God) are the ones who understand their calling to give their lives away, rather than getting even. Once again, Jesus was not teaching something new but was clarifying what the Scriptures had always taught. The Book of Proverbs contains numerous admonitions concerning the life of loving patience and reconciliation.

Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs. – Proverbs 19:11 NLT

If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you. – Proverbs 25:21-22 NLT

Revenge simply perpetuates the problem. Retribution, rather than solving anything, only results in further retaliation and escalating tension. That’s why Paul would encourage the believers in Corinth by telling them “Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them” (Romans 12:14 NLT).

Paul lived out what he taught and held himself to the same exacting standard.

We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment. – 1 Corinthians 4:12-13 NLT

The apostle Peter also encouraged his readers to follow Jesus’ teachings and the example He set with His own life.

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it. For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” – 1 Peter 3:9-12 NLT

Peter quotes Psalm 34, a psalm of David, and he uses the words of David to remind his audience that God rewards or blesses those who live according to His laws and standards. But the ability to live in accordance with God’s laws is impossible apart from the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit is only available to those who place their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Paul, Peter, and Jesus were teaching that this new life of self-sacrifice was impossible apart from the grace of God revealed in Christ alone and made available through faith alone. Jesus knew that what He was teaching was beyond the capacity of His audience to carry out. They were incapable of living, loving, sacrificing, and responding in the way Jesus was commanding. They might be able to pull off their distorted understanding of the law of retaliation, but when it came to the law of love, they would need help. They would require a righteousness they didn’t have and a power they did not possess.

When Jesus returned to His Father’s side in heaven, He gave His followers the gift of the indwelling Spirit of God, so they could give rather than get even. The Spirit equipped them with the power they needed to give their lives away selflessly and sacrificially. When Jesus sent out His disciples on their first missionary journey, He told them, “Give as freely as you have received!” (Matthew 10:8 NLT). On another occasion, He told His disciples, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38 NLT). What makes this statement so powerful is its context. Jesus was speaking about judgment, condemnation, and failure to forgive. He said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37 NLT). Then He followed these commands with the word, “Give.” He wanted His disciples to give grace, love, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion – even to their enemies.

Jesus modeled this radical kind of giving as the Roman soldiers gambled over His clothing as He hung on the cross. In His agony and pain, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34 NLT). Rather than retaliate, He gave the gift of forgiveness and love, and moments later, He gave His life. The apostle Paul writes, “There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time. ” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 BSB).

Jesus calls His disciples to a life marked by giving rather than getting even. He wants them to give rather than get and to seek reconciliation rather than revenge. For the believer, giving is not a means to an end. It’s not a way to earn accolades for our generosity. Our giving is not intended to gain God’s favor or merit His blessings. It is a lifestyle of generosity, selflessness, love, and sacrifice that reflects our identity as sons of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. And the motivation behind our giving is simple: “Give as freely as you have received!” (Matthew 10:8 NLT).

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Be Perfect!

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43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – Matthew 5:43-48 ESV

In all that Jesus has said in His Sermon on the Mount up to this point, the final line in this passage jumps out like no other, and He makes it at the tail end of a discussion on love. Jesus has let them know that the kind of love God expects from those who are blessed and approved by Him is a non-discriminatory love. It isn’t a love that has to be earned or deserved in some way. There is no expectation or demand for love in return. In other words, it’s not reciprocal in nature. Human love says, “I’ll love you, as long as you love me back,” but that’s a self-centered kind of love. Jesus said, “If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that” (Matthew 4:47-48 NLT).

Our model for love is to be God, not man. This led Jesus to say, “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:49 NLT). If we’re honest, the first thought that goes through our minds when we hear that statement is, “You’ve got to be kidding!” Is Jesus serious? Is He really asking us to live up to some kind of godly form of perfection? Is He calling His listeners to do the impossible? YES!

What Jesus is demanding is righteousness – God’s brand of righteousness. Mankind is adept at producing flesh-based, sin-infused righteousness. That is what Jesus has been addressing during this opening section of His message. He knew that His audience measured their righteousness based on adherence to external rules or standards. Here’s how they approached righteousness:

“As long as I don’t commit adultery, I’m doing okay with God.”

“If I don’t kill anyone, I am obeying God’s law and keeping Him happy with me.”

“If I happen to divorce my wife I’ll still be okay with God, as long as I do it as prescribed in His law.”

“I thank God for oaths that allow me to break my word, but in a way that God will accept, even if my friends don’t.”

“God even approves of me when I harm others, as long as I’m doing it to get even.”

“I can keep God loving me as long as I love my neighbor and hate my enemies.”

But all of those thoughts are based on a human understanding of righteousness, a merit-based concept that connects righteousness to behavior. But Jesus is presenting a radically different view that teaches that God’s ultimate expectation of men is nothing short of sinless perfection. In fact, the Greek word Jesus uses that is translated as “perfect” is teleios and it means “whole” or “complete.” It was used to refer to consummate human integrity and virtue. Jesus wasn’t calling for a better, slightly improved version of human righteousness; He demanded sinless perfection. And there wasn’t a single person in His audience that day who could pull it off, including His 12 disciples. We are all totally incapable of doing what Jesus is commanding – without His help.

What Jesus is demanding is simply a reiteration of what His Father had demanded of the Israelites centuries earlier.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” – Leviticus 19:1-2 ESV

The Hebrew word translated as “holy” is the word qadowsh. It means “pure, clean; free from defilement of crimes, idolatry, and other unclean and profane things” (“H6918 – qadowsh – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). It was also used when referring to someone or something having been “set apart” by God for His use.

“You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” – Leviticus 20:26 ESV

It was a call to separation and distinctiveness. The people of Israel were to be holy, set apart by God for His use. But their holiness was not to be simply a positional reality. It was to have practical ramifications. God had expectations regarding their behavior, but also regarding the condition of their hearts. They were expected to “love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV). And they were expected to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18 ESV).

The apostle Peter would echo the words of Jesus in his first letter.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” – 1 Peter 1:14-16 ESV

Be holy – in all your conduct. Be perfect – just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Those are some staggering concepts to get your mind around. They come across as so far-fetched and impossible that we end up treating them as some form of hyperbole or over-exaggeration on Jesus’ part. Surely, He can’t expect us to be holy like God is holy, or perfect in the same way God is perfect. But Jesus is simply revealing the standard God demands. He doesn’t grade on a curve. He doesn’t dumb down the test because of the spiritual acumen of the students in His classroom. One of the issues Jesus is exposing in His message is that the Jews were guilty of lowering God’s holy and righteous standards so they could measure up. That’s why Jesus said, “If you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:19 NLT). He topped that off with the bombshell: “Unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:20 NLT).

God has always expected and demanded perfection. He has always required that His people be holy, just as He is holy. There is no lower standard. God doesn’t look at mankind, recognize their inability to live up to His expectations and lower the bar so more people can qualify. Later in this sermon, Jesus elaborates on the exacting nature of God’s standard for righteousness.

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” – Matthew 7:13-14 NLT

God’s way is not easy. The kind of righteousness He demands and expects is not easily achieved. In fact, it’s impossible. The standard of holiness He requires of those who would be His children is measured by His own holiness. It is a holiness and righteousness far superior to anything the Pharisees or teachers of religious law could ever hope to produce.

Holiness and godly perfection are high standards, and they are impossible to produce in the flesh. You can’t manufacture what God is demanding. You can’t be like God without the help of God. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth and reminded them:

Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:

“I will live in them
    and walk among them.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
    and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
    and I will welcome you.
And I will be your Father,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
    says the Lord Almighty.” – 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NLT

Then, he follows this up with a logical conclusion or application.

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. – 2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT

You see, there is an expectation of separation. We are to live differently and distinctively from those around us. Part of how our holiness should manifest itself is in the alternative way of living that we model. As God’s children, we have the capacity to live set-apart lives that cause us to stand out from the rest of humanity. We can live truly righteous lives because we have received the righteousness of Christ. We have the Spirit of God living within us and empowering us to live as Christ did. Our standard is Jesus Christ Himself. He is the model of righteousness we are to emulate – not scribes, Pharisees, Rabbis, pastors, teachers, evangelists, parents, or friends – unless they are modeling their lives after Christ. Paul actually challenged his disciples to imitate him but added an important caveat: “…just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT).

So, when Jesus said to the crowd seated on the hillside that day, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” He wasn’t presenting anything new.  He was simply reminding them that God’s standard had not changed. The bar had not been lowered. Human alterations and amendments to God’s laws might make them easier to live up to, but they can’t produce the kind of righteousness God demands. That’s why, as Paul reminds us, God did for us what the law could never have done.

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. – Romans 8:3-4 NLT

Holiness and perfection are only impossible if we try to produce them in our own strength. But God never expected His chosen people to live up to His exacting standards. Yes, He demanded obedience, but He knew that sinful men would never be able to keep His righteous law perfectly. The law presented God’s divine criteria for holiness and made painfully clear what He demanded in the way of behavior from mankind. But in the end, it was intended to reveal man’s sin and need for outside help. This is what Martin Luther referred to as an “alien righteousness” – a righteousness outside of ourselves. The apostle Paul reminds us that it is the righteousness of Christ that makes us right with God, not a righteousness we produce on our own.

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 NLT

Jesus introduced the concept of godly perfection and prepared His listeners for the day when He would offer Himself as the payment for mankind’s sins and the means by which they would be made right with a holy God. Godly perfection would be made available to men through the death of the Son of God and the indwelling power of the Spirit of God. This is what led Paul to state, “I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” (Philippians 3:9 NLT).

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Be Ready!

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32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Matthew 24:32-51 ESV

Jesus is attempting to open the eyes of His disciples and help them develop a long-term perspective regarding His Kingdom. They were focused on the here-and-now, and having trouble understanding that the talk of His coming death in Jerusalem was anything but bad news or something to be avoided at all costs. This entire chapter contains Jesus’ surprising and difficult-to-comprehend words that reveal the bigger picture regarding God’s plan of redemption. Jesus’ death on the cross would be just the beginning of a much larger and comprehensive plan of God that would include His resurrection and His return to His Father’s side. But, even more importantly, it would require His eventual return to earth as the conquering King.

While Jesus knew that there would be a long delay before His return, He wanted His disciples to live with a sense of eager anticipation. If they expected it to happen, kept their eyes open, and looked for the signs of its approach, they would be able to endure the struggles that were coming their way.

Jesus used the visual lesson of a fig tree to help the disciples understand that there would be visible, recognizable signs associated with His coming. The budding of a fig tree is a natural indication that summer is near. It is an unmistakable and irrefutable sign. Jesus wanted His disciples to know that the signs of His return would be just as clear and undeniable. He even assured them that “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34 ESV).

But what does that mean? Was He saying that the events associated with the end times would take place during the lifetimes of His disciples? The answer would seem to be no. But while they were alive, they would begin to see the early signs of His return. The budding of a fig tree provides a premonition or portent of something to come. The buds do not mean summer has arrived but that it is coming. In the same way, the disciples would live long enough to see signs that would point to Jesus’ coming. They would not be alive when He returned, but they would be given clear indications that it would happen.

Each generation of believers has been given signs that His coming is imminent and inevitable. These signs act as assurances of God’s faithfulness and are meant to encourage Christ-followers to continue to wait eagerly and hopefully.

The earth will continue to endure all kinds of struggles, including earthquakes, famines, floods, disasters, and even wars. Jesus even states that the world would eventually “pass away” (Matthew 24:35 ESV). The apostle Paul broke the same news to the believers in Corinth.

Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away. – 1 Corinthians 7:31 NLT).

The apostle John wrote, “This world is fading away, along with everything that people crave” (1 John 2:17 NLT). Earlier, in this very same discourse, Jesus warned His disciples of future signs that would foretell the end of the age and the nearness of His return.

“…you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.” – Matthew 24:6-8 NLT

While there will be clear signs along the way, the actual day and date of the Lord’s return will remain a mystery. Christ’s followers will be given assurances of its coming but will not know the exact time of His return. Jesus indicated that even He did not know the day or the hour. God the Father alone has access to that information.

The second coming of Jesus will be a surprise, catching most of the earth’s inhabitants completely off-guard and unprepared. Jesus used the days of Noah as an apt point of comparison. In a way, Noah’s building of the ark was a clear sign that something was coming. Peter indicates that Noah warned his neighbors of God’s coming judgment and the availability of salvation made possible by the ark.

[God] did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness… – 2 Peter 2:5 ESV

The New Living Translation reads: “Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment.” But the people in Noah’s day ignored the signs and refused the message of Noah. Instead, they busied themselves, “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark” (Matthew 24:38 ESV).

They continued with their lives, oblivious to the warning signs and ignorant of what was about to happen, until “the flood came and swept them all away” (Matthew 24:39 ESV). Jesus clarified to His disciples that the same thing would happen when He finally returned, catching the world unprepared and completely off-guard.

The next few verses have created much controversy over the ages. Some have attempted to use them as proof of the eventual rapture of the church. But it is important to keep these verses within their context. Jesus has been talking about His second coming, not the rapture, so the context is judgment, not salvation. When Christ returns the second time, He will come as a righteous judge to deal with sinful mankind once and for all. His coming will take place at the end of the Great Tribulation, a time in which many will come to faith in Christ and endure intense persecution at the hands of the Antichrist. But when Christ returns, He will defeat the Antichrist and his ungodly followers, casting Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet into the lake of fire or hell.

Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. – Revelation 20:10 NLT

And all those who are living on the earth at that time will be judged as well, with their ultimate fate being consignment to hell.

Based on the context of the second coming, those whom Jesus describes as being “taken” are the unbelievers who remain. They will be judged and condemned, then sent to the destination God has prepared for them. Any who are “left” are meant to symbolize those who came to faith in Christ during the Great Tribulation.

Jesus appears to stress the need to remain prepared and fully expectant. This is why He said, “Stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42 ESV). He added, “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44 ESV).

Disciples of Christ are to live with a sense of eager expectation and conduct themselves as if His return could occur at any moment. Waiting is difficult. The delay can easily cause us to lose hope and take our eyes off the prize. Jesus gave His disciples a warning in the form of yet another parable.

A faithful and wise servant stays vigilant and diligent while his master is away, conducting himself as if the master could walk in the door at any minute. But the wicked servant used the delay as an excuse to sow his wild oats. His sin-prone, self-centered nature manifested itself.  And Jesus warns that the servant’s master, like the Messiah, will return when the servants least expect it. When he does, he will bring just judgment on the wicked servant.

Again, Jesus was trying to get His disciples to understand that there was much more to the Kingdom than they ever imagined. His first coming was just the beginning, and His eventual departure would not be the end. He would come again. He had promised to do so, and they needed to live their lives as if it could and would happen – at any moment. They were to stay diligent and vigilant. They were to remain faithful and wise. Unlike the wicked, followers of Christ are to stay alert and awake, fully prepared for His return.

“Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” – Revelation 22:11-13 NLT

So, be ready.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Be Wise As Serpents and Innocent As Doves

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16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” – Matthew 10:16-23 ESV

Try to put yourself in the sandals of the disciples. It was still early in their relationship with Jesus, and He had just told them that He was going to send them out on their own with the responsibility of sharing the news of His Kingdom with their fellow Jews. Not only that, He has informed them that they will be able to perform the same incredible miracles He has done. All of this must have sounded strange but also a bit exciting. They were being commissioned by the Messiah and given a level of responsibility that must have seemed way above their pay grade. After all, they were simple fishermen, laborers, and tax collectors. Yet, Jesus had chosen to send them, and this assignment must have left them with a sense of pride. However, Jesus was about to tap the brakes on their enthusiasm.

He could probably tell from the looks in their eyes that they were thrilled with the prospect of being able to perform miracles. They couldn’t hide their excitement at being able to pronounce blessings and curses on those to whom they spoke. That kind of power and authority would make anyone’s head swim. So, He threw a bit of cold water on their enthusiasm by telling them, “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matthew 10:16 ESV). He had just described the people of Israel as “lost sheep” (Matthew 10:6). Now, He compares the disciples to sheep, a reference they would have well understood. Sheep are innocent and highly vulnerable animals. They are virtually defenseless, lacking the capacity to protect themselves from harm. Which made Jesus’ next warning even more distressing. These men would be as vulnerable as innocent, unprotected sheep grazing among wolves. – not exactly an encouraging picture. Then He followed this up with a warning that borrows from two other creatures of the animal kingdom. 

“…be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” – Matthew 10:16 ESV

The Greek word translated as “wise” implies prudence or shrewdness. This kind of street savvy would allow them to survive in a very difficult environment. The phrase, “Be wise as serpents,” was likely a common proverbial statement familiar to the disciples that needed no explanation. They understood that snakes avoided danger at all costs. They were well-adapted creatures adept at concealment and the avoidance of confrontation. But to prevent them from becoming jaded and ruthless in their behavior, Jesus warned them to maintain a sense of innocence. They were not to mimic the defensive posture of a cornered snake, lashing out at those who threatened or opposed them. They were also to avoid the temptation of mirroring the behavior of wolves. Jesus didn’t want His disciples to become predatory or ruthless in the face of cancer. Rather, they were to be aware of the enemy’s wiles without emulating his ways.

Earlier, Jesus warned His disciples about false prophets “who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves” (Matthew 7:15 NLT). This thinly veiled reference to the religious leaders of the day was intended to expose their hypocrisy and duplicity. Jesus said, “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act” (Matthew 7:16 NLT). The disciples would need shrewdness to discern the actions of the Jewish religious leaders who would oppose them in their efforts to share the good news.

The prophet Ezekiel recorded God’s indictment of such men.

“What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty. So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal. They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.” – Ezekiel 34:2-6 NLT

The disciples were called to minister in that environment. What they didn’t realize at the time was that Jesus was preparing them for the days after His death, resurrection, and ascension. He knew that when He returned to His Father’s side in heaven, the focus of the religious leaders’ wrath would fall on His disciples. But even when confronted by the hatred of the Pharisees, the disciples were to remain innocent as doves. This was a call to remain pure and guileless in the face of persecution. Jesus talked about this very thing in His Sermon on the Mount.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5;11-12 ESV

Jesus’ command to be innocent as doves was not a call to gullibility or weakness. It was a reminder that purity and holiness must mark the life of a true disciple. That is why Jesus told them to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them. Vengeance and retribution have no place in the life of a Christ follower. Innocence is also not a call to ignorance. He wanted His disciples to be fully informed of the dangers they faced. That’s why He refused to withhold the sinister nature of their future ministry.

Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. – Matthew 10:17-18 ESV

What the disciples didn’t know was that Jesus was talking about the future. He was addressing events that would take place after His death, resurrection and ascension. At this point in their relationship with Jesus, they had no way of knowing that His earthly ministry would end in His violent death by crucifixion. He had yet to break that news to them. They were oblivious to the fact that, upon His return to heaven, they would find themselves serving as His ambassadors and earthly representatives, tasked with the responsibility of taking the good news of His sacrificial death on the cross to the world. They would be His witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV). And they would find themselves facing stiff resistance in the form of persecution and even death.

This disconcerting news must have left the disciples slack-jawed and dumbfounded. All this talk of courts, floggings, and death must have left them shaking their heads in confusion. Their eager enthusiasm would have turned to abject fear and revulsion at the thought of enduring such things. But Jesus gave them some good news, informing them that the Spirit of God would be with them, so they had no reason to be anxious. The Holy Spirit would give them the words they needed to defend themselves when standing before the courts. And even if their own families turned against them and they found themselves facing the hatred of those who once claimed to love them, they could rest in knowing that God would be with them. They would be saved. This doesn’t mean they would escape death, but that they would ultimately be delivered to eternal life.

None of this would have sounded like good news to the disciples. They must have been staring at one another in disbelief and confusion, trying to comprehend all that Jesus told them. It’s important to remember that they believed Jesus to be the Messiah, but their understanding was that He had come to set up His Kingdom on earth NOW. They were looking for a new day to dawn for the people of Israel. They had joined up with Jesus because they thought He would restore Israel to its place of power and prominence, and they hoped to get in on the ground floor of His new administration.

But now, Jesus had clouded their vision of the future. In essence, Jesus was revealing that God’s agenda was far different than their own. There was a divine plan in place that would include not only Jesus’ first coming, but a second one that would finalize God’s plan for the redemption of mankind and the recreation of the world. But in the meantime, some important events would have to take place, including Jesus’ death on the cross, His return to heaven, the Rapture of the church, and His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation.

The disciples lived with a here-and-now mentality that focused all their attention on the time in which they lived. They weren’t thinking about the distant future and were unconcerned about things that might happen after they were gone. But Jesus was trying to expand their understanding and open their eyes to the reality that His mission was far greater than they imagined. The redemptive plan of God went beyond the physical restoration of the nation of Israel as a political force on earth.

The Son of Man had come, but He would have to come again. And it would be at His second coming that Jesus would accomplish many of the things the disciples were expecting. They would be long gone by that time, but they were the first of many who would spread the good news about Jesus to the world. They would start with the Jews, but after Jesus’ death, they would be told to take the gospel to the nations. After the disciples were gone, the offer of salvation through Christ would be carried around the world by future disciples who would face persecution, rejection, and even death. But one day Jesus will return to complete the mission He has been given by God.

In the meantime, we are called to be like our Teacher. We are to serve as He served, love as He loved, share as He shared. As a result, we will suffer as He has suffered. We will be falsely accused and maligned just as He was. But we have the knowledge and reassurance that one day He is coming back. We also rest in the fact that our destiny is secure and our eternal state guaranteed by His death and resurrection. We have nothing to fear and everything to look forward to. In the meantime, we must be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Receive the Kingdom of God Like a Child

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13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. – Mark 10:13-16 ESV

There are times when it appears as if the 12 disciples of Jesus are a few bricks short of a full load, and this is one of them. After reading this passage, it’s difficult not to draw one of two conclusions: Either the disciples are stubborn or simply stupid. They just don’t seem to get it. No matter how often Jesus addresses an issue with them, the disciples fail to grasp His meaning. Even all His after-class, one-on-twelve tutoring sessions don’t seem to help.

Before looking at the scene recorded in today’s passage, it’s important to visit a few earlier exchanges between Jesus and His disciples that are closely related. First, while they were back in Galilee, Jesus had overheard the disciples arguing over which of them was the greatest. This debate came fast on the heels of Jesus’ announcement that He would soon be delivered into the hands of men and be killed (Mark 9:31). So, immediately after hearing Jesus announce that He was going to lay down His life, they had gotten into a heated argument over which of them was the greatest. This led Jesus to give them an object lesson.

And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” – Mark 9:36-37 ESV

Jesus used this small, seemingly insignificant child to make an important point. With the pride-filled disciples gathered around Him, Jesus stood in the midst of them holding this unidentified child in His arms. He placed the one with the least significance in the place of greatest prominence. The child had done nothing to earn this special favor extended to Him by Jesus. He was not powerful, impressive, gifted, or even capable of repaying Jesus for His kindness. But the child was trusting and willing to place his full confidence in Jesus.

Yet, immediately after witnessing this living object lesson, John had chosen to bring up what he believed to be a more pressing matter. He reported that there was an unnamed individual who had been casting out demons in Jesus’ name. The discovery of this unidentified competitor had bothered the disciples enough that they had repeatedly tried to issue him cease-and-desist orders. But their efforts had failed. And much to John’s dismay, rather than seeking to reprimand this rogue exorcist, Jesus rebuked His own disciples.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” – Mark 9:42 ESV

The Greek word Mark used is mikros, which means “small” or “least.” Jesus seems to be referring to this unknown exorcist as one of His children. This man, while not one of the 12 disciples, was casting out demons in the name of Jesus. He performed the same good deed that Jesus had commissioned His disciples to do. That’s why Jesus told John, “Don’t stop him!…No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:39 NLT). This man was on their side. 

Yet Jesus refers to him as one of the “least.” He was so insignificant that the disciples didn’t even know his name. Yet, he was important to Jesus. 

This brings us back to the scene taking place in chapter 10. Jesus and His disciples are back in the region of Perea, just east of Judea on the other side of the Jordan River. Mark opened this chapter by indicating that Jesus’ arrival in the region had attracted the usual large crowds. While many hoped to see Jesus perform a miracle, others had come out of curiosity because He was a 1st-Century celebrity. But Mark indicates that some “were bringing children to him that he might touch them” (Mark 10:13 ESV). Evidently, parents were bringing their young children to Jesus so that He might bless them. But Mark states that “the disciples rebuked them” (Mark 9:13 ESV). These men took it upon themselves to restrict access to Jesus. They wrongly assumed that they had the authority to determine who was worthy to come into Jesus’ presence. This whole scene makes even more sense when you consider Luke’s account. He provides some essential details that make the disciples’ actions even more egregious.

Luke records a parable that Jesus told “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9 ESV). In this parable, “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector” (Luke 18:10 ESV). The Pharisee stood before God and, in a blatant display of self-promotion, bragged about his superior righteousness, as evidenced by his unparalleled fasting and tithing. But the other man stood before God, eyes lowered, declaring his abject state of sinfulness and desperate need for mercy. Commenting on His own parable, Jesus said, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14 ESV).

Superiority and inferiority. Pride and humility. Greatness and weakness. This parable set up the arrival of the parents and their children. It explains why Jesus became so indignant with His disciples and demanded, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14 ESV). These little ones were being brought to Jesus by their parents. Too young to come on their own, they were completely at the mercy of others and displayed complete dependency and trust. There was not an ounce of self-righteousness or moral superiority within them. But the disciples had decided that they were unworthy to come into Jesus’ presence. Had these men so quickly forgotten the scene of Jesus holding the young boy in His arms? Had the words Jesus had spoken to them simply gone in one ear and out the other?

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” – Mark9:37 ESV

Yet here was Jesus having to rebuke His disciples for their arrogant display of moral superiority. They didn’t get it. They were still harboring their own false conceptions about status in the Kingdom. In their eyes, these children were non-contributors. They had nothing to offer. They were takers, not givers. But Jesus had a completely different perspective. To the shock and dismay of the disciples, Jesus “took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them” (Mark 10:16 NLT).

The disciples had been right. These “little ones” had nothing to offer Jesus. But Jesus had something to give them: His divine blessing. They came before Jesus as helpless and hopeless children, most likely carried in the arms of their parents. Some were probably too young to walk or talk. But each one, regardless of their age, intellect, family background, or future prospects of success, received the same undeserved gift from the hand of Jesus. Each was touched and blessed by the Son of God.

The Kingdom of God will not be comprised of the successful, gifted, morally exceptional, intellectually superior, or socially acceptable. In fact, Paul reminds every Christ-follower that their adoption into the family of God had nothing to do with them. They brought nothing to the table. They had done nothing to deserve the grace and mercy shown to them by God.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NLT

Jesus repeatedly showed His disciples that He had come to minister to the weak, helpless, and hopeless. He went out of His way to heal the sick and to minister to outcasts and the socially unacceptable. He exposed the hypocrisy of the self-righteous religious leaders of Israel. He willingly associated with tax collectors and prostitutes. And yet, His disciples still struggled with thoughts of their own superiority and harbored hopes of earning a place of honor and distinction in His coming Kingdom. But the lessons would continue, right up until the end. Even in the upper room on the night Jesus was betrayed, He gave them yet another illustration of humility and service by washing their feet. And ultimately, Jesus performed the greatest act of humility by offering His life as a ransom for many. The greatest of all would become the least of all so that the foolish, powerless, despised, and unimportant might become children of God.

The disciples struggled with pride and prejudice. They saw these children as nothing more than unnecessary distractions. From their perspective, Jesus had better things to do than bless children. But Jesus wanted them to know that He was never too busy to reach out to those who came to Him in humility. As Jesus would later teach them, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 ESV). Each of the disciples was dominated by a self-serving attitude. They were in it for themselves. They had chosen to follow Jesus because they expected to get something out of it. And blessing children was not high on their list of personal priorities. But Jesus was teaching them that life in His kingdom was going to be different. Leaders would be servants. The first would be last. The meek would inherit the earth. The humble would be recognized. The hopeless would find hope.

Matthew records that immediately after this encounter with the children, a young man approached Jesus, asking Him, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:15 ESV). Matthew opens this scene with the word, “behold.” In essence, he is telling the reader to look carefully at what is about to happen. These two scenarios are closely linked together for a reason.

Notice the wording of the young man’s question. He asks, “What good deed must I do…?” The emphasis is on himself and his own self-effort. He exhibits the antithesis of childlike, humble faith. His goal was eternal life, but he wanted to know what steps he needed to take to earn it. He was looking for a to-do list to follow, a set of rules to keep.

Rather than assigning the man a task to perform, Jesus focused on his use of the word “good.”  He asked him, “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Like every other Jew, this man knew God’s revealed will. He was familiar with God’s law and its non-negotiable requirements concerning obedience. But he was looking for the magic ticket—the one thing he could do that would guarantee eternal life. 

But Jesus turned the young man’s attention to the source of all that is good: God Himself. He reminded the young man, “There is only one who is good” (Matthew 19:17 ESV). And that good God had given His good, holy, and righteous law. If the young man wanted to have eternal life, he would need to keep each and every one of the commandments. God had already given His standard for righteousness or goodness.

But the young man, looking for specifics, asked, “Which ones?” This man’s question reflects a common perception held by even the religious leaders. There was constant debate among them over which of the commandments of God was the most important and, therefore, more binding.

For the young man, it was a matter of priority. He wanted to know which commandment he needed to focus on to receive the reward he sought. Accommodating the young man’s request, Jesus provided him with a shortlist of commandments. Notice that the list Jesus provided comprises laws concerning human relationships. They are horizontal in nature, dealing with how to relate to others. Jesus lists the prohibitions against murder, adultery, stealing, and bearing false witness. But He also lists the laws requiring the honoring of parents and displaying love for others. Without batting an eye, the young man boldly and pridefully declared that he had kept them all. So, he wanted to know what was missing. What other law did he need to keep to guarantee himself eternal life?

Then, Jesus dropped a bombshell. He simply stated, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21 ESV).

The Greek word translated, “perfect” is teleios, and it refers to completeness or wholeness. The man was asking Jesus what it was that he lacked. He felt incomplete. He knew that something was missing from his life and wrestled with the fear of not measuring up. He had no assurance that his efforts would earn him the eternal reward he longed for. So, Jesus informed him that he would need to give up everything he owned in this life and follow Him. Jesus was not telling this man that his salvation could be earned through some kind of philanthropic act of selfless sacrifice. He was revealing that this man’s heart was focused on the things of this world. Matthew reveals that the young man was very wealthy and the thought of giving away all his possessions caused him to walk away. It was a sacrifice he was unwilling to make.

Selling all his possessions and following Jesus would have required great faith and humility. He was what he owned, and his reputation was tied up in his possessions. He was respected because of his great wealth. He enjoyed the comfort and conveniences that money can buy, and the thought of leaving all that behind was more than he could bear. Sacrificing present comfort for future reward was too much for him.

What a marked difference between this self-made man and the little children whom Jesus had just blessed. They brought nothing to the equation other than their innocence. They could not brag about their good deeds. They had kept no laws. And yet, Jesus had blessed them.

This whole exchange is not about what we need to do to earn eternal life. It is about the one to whom we need to come. The children were brought to Jesus and were blessed. Jesus told the young man that in order to have eternal life, he would need to follow Him. It wasn’t about doing, it was about faith in Jesus.

This is all reminiscent of another exchange that Jesus had with a crowd that had followed him after He had miraculously fed them. They were looking for another free meal. So, He told them, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you” (John 6:27 ESV). And they responded, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” (John 6:28 ESV). Then, look closely at what Jesus said to them.

“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” – John 6:29 ESV

Faith in Jesus was the point. Jesus was calling this man to release his grip on his earthly possessions and position and place his hope in Him. Faith in Jesus requires that we place our full dependence upon Him and what He alone can do. Like the rich young man, we are incapable of doing anything good that might earn us favor with God. But if we will simply follow Jesus in childlike, humble faith, we will receive eternal life.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Believe!

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” – John 14:1-14 ESV

The immediate context of these verses is the upper room in Jerusalem, where Jesus had just celebrated His last Passover Feast with His disciples. During the meal, Jesus shocked the disciples by washing their feet, a task reserved for household servants. In a display of mock humility, Peter tried to prevent Jesus from washing his feet, but Jesus informed Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (John 13:8 ESV). This prompted Peter to demand that Jesus wash his head and hands as well.

This strange exchange was followed by Jesus’ announcement that one of them would betray Him and that Peter would deny Him three times before the morning dawned. All of this troubling news was accompanied by Jesus’ confusing and disturbing pronouncement, “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’” (John 13:33 ESV). Yet, the very next words out of His mouth seem out of place and contradictory.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” – John 14:1 ESV

Everyone in the room that night was troubled, including Jesus (John 13:21). Jesus’ mind was filled with knowledge about all that would occur in the hours ahead. He had been aware of Judas’ betrayal. He knew that Peter, one of the members of His inner circle, would end up denying any knowledge of Him. He knew His disciples would all desert Him in His hour of greatest need. The crowds that had eagerly flocked to watch Him perform signs and wonders would abandon Him. And He was fully aware that the hours ahead would be filled with humiliation, insufferable pain, and the agony of the cross.

But what about the disciples? They were unaware of most of these details, but they were still reeling from all that Jesus had just told them. They were disturbed by the news that one of them would betray Him. But even when Judas left the upper room, they remained unsure as to what he was about to do. Yet their hearts were troubled because they knew something ominous was about to happen. They just couldn’t put their finger on what it was.

When Jesus announced His imminent departure, He added the disconcerting news that they would not be joining Him. After three years of constant companionship with them, He would abandon them. Yet He told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled.”

Peter must have taken this statement particularly hard. He had just been outed as the one who would deny Jesus. How was he supposed to be untroubled by this news? And was Jesus’ statement about belief aimed at him? Was Jesus insinuating that Peter lacked faith?

In His compassionate and caring way, Jesus attempted to encourage His dismayed and discouraged disciples. He knew they were struggling and, as the Good Shepherd, He cared deeply about their physical and spiritual well-being. His love for them was a primary factor behind His pending death for them.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” – John 10:11 NLT

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13 NLT

But in their greatest moment of confusion and consternation, Jesus encouraged them to believe. The darkness was closing in, but He remained the light of the world. While everything around them looked bleak and foreboding, He remained the same. He was still “the Christ, the Son of the living God” just as Peter had confessed Him to be (Matthew 16:16). He was still “the Messiah,” just as Andrew had announced to Peter three years earlier (John 1:43). And He was still “the Son of God” and “the King of Israel” as Nathanael had proclaimed (John 1:49).

But now, they were beginning to get a glimpse into His true mission. He had not come to set them free from Roman rule. His advent as the Son of God was not to set up His Kingdom on earth. He had come to offer His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28), and the time had come for Him to fulfill His God-ordained mission.

There was so much they didn’t know or understand. But it is not as if Jesus had kept them in the dark about His future. In fact, Matthew records that immediately after Peter made His public confession that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 NLT), Jesus “began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead” (Matthew 16:21 NLT).

And yet, the very same man who had boldly confessed Jesus to be the Messiah pulled Him aside and rebuked Him.

“Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” – Matthew 16:22 NLT

Jesus’ plain words concerning His death left Peter stunned and appalled. It was not what he expected or wanted. It didn’t fit into his concept of the Messiah, so he simply rejected it. This was not the last time Jesus shared news of what would happen. Even as they had made their way to Jerusalem before His triumphal entry into the city, Jesus reiterated to His disciples all that was about to happen.

“Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” – Matthew 20:18-19 NLT

He couldn’t have made it clearer. But they refused to accept what He had to say because His words were not what they wanted to hear. It is interesting to note that, immediately after Jesus made this announcement to His disciples, John’s own mother approached Jesus with a rather presumptuous request on behalf of John and his brother, James.

“In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” – Matthew 20:21 NLT

She obviously expected Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom and was hoping to convince Him to award her two sons with places of prominence in His administration. But Jesus informed her and her two sons who were standing right beside her, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” (Matthew 20:22 NLT). 

They had the timeline all wrong. They had been expecting a Messiah who would come as a conquering King. But Jesus had come to play the part of the suffering servant. Once again, Jesus made this aspect of His earthly ministry quite clear.

When the other 10 disciples had gotten wind of what the mother of James and John had done, they were furious. They all shared an expectation that they would play major roles in Jesus’ coming kingdom. But Jesus had news for them.

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:25-28 NLT

Jesus had come to earth so that He could hang on a cross, not sit on a throne. He had taken on human flesh so that He might bear a crown of thorns, not one made of gold and precious stones. His incarnation had been so that He might suffer the humiliation of crucifixion, not the joy of His own inauguration as king. That time would come, but it would not be now.

Jesus wanted His disciples to know that they could still trust Him. Despite all that was happening around them, they could take Him at His word as the Son of God. And while much of what they had heard Him say had been less-than-encouraging, He wanted them to know there was good news. This dark cloud had a silver lining.

“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” – John 14:2-3 ESV

Yes, Jesus would be leaving them, but for a very good reason. He would return to His Father’s side where He would begin preparations for the day when they would each join Him. When the time was right, He would return for His own.

Like so many of Jesus’ other statements, this one flew right over the heads of His disciples. It would only be after Jesus had died, resurrected, and returned to heaven, that the disciples would put all the pieces together and understand the significance of His words. With the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, John and the other 10 disciples received a divine capacity to comprehend all that Jesus had said and done in their three years with Him. For the first time, it all began to make sense.

But on that night in the upper room, when Jesus insinuated that they knew where He was going, Thomas confessed, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5 ESV). He was confused and concerned. How would they find Jesus if they didn’t know where He was going?

Then Jesus dropped the bombshell that destroyed all their preconceived notions concerning righteousness, salvation, forgiveness, and justification before God.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6 ESV

He boldly and unequivocally proclaimed Himself to be the one and only source of access to God. And the pathway to the Father would pass through the shadow of the cross. Jesus assured His disciples that it was their ongoing belief in Him that would provide them with a permanent relationship with God. Verse seven might better be translated, “If you have known me, you will know my Father too” (John 14:7 NET). Since they have known Jesus, they most certainly have known and seen God. It was their belief in Jesus as the Son of God that made possible their access to and relationship with God. So, when Thomas had said they didn’t know the way, Jesus assured them He was wrong. They knew Him, and that was all they needed to know.

Continuing to believe in Jesus when they could no longer see Him would be essential to their ongoing faith journey. Once Jesus returned to the Father, their world would look markedly different. Their Rabbi, mentor, and friend would be gone, and their long-awaited Messiah would no longer be there to instruct and encourage them. The Kingdom they had expected would be spiritual rather than physical. There would be no victory over Rome. Instead, they would witness the unveiling of Jesus’ victory over sin and death as they spread the good news to the four corners of the earth.

After His resurrection, Jesus made many appearances to His disciples, but Thomas was never around when these events took place. So, he remained doubtful and even said, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25 ESV). Despite the testimonies of his friends, Thomas remained doubtful about Jesus’ resurrection. So, when Thomas was given the privilege of seeing Jesus alive and well for the first time, he was shocked by what he saw. But he was equally stunned by what Jesus said.

“Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” – John 20:27 ESV

Blown away by this experience, Thomas could only say, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28 ESV). He believed and expressed that belief by declaring Jesus’ divinity. Suddenly, all that Jesus had said about Himself made sense to Thomas. Seeing his dead friend alive and well produced a renewed sense of belief and a revitalized faith in the future. Yet, Jesus responded to Thomas’ declaration with a gentle rebuke.

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” – John 20:29 ESV

Once Jesus returned to His Father’s side in heaven, there would be no more happy reunions and physical displays of His presence. That is why Jesus said, “Where I am going you cannot come” (John 13:33 ESV). But He added the promise of His return and the restoration of their relationship with Him.

“When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” – John 14:3 NLT

Belief in His promised return is vital to living faithfully in His absence. That is why the apostle Peter stressed the need to focus on the future and to fix our eyes on the day when Jesus will return, and we will see Him face to face.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. – 1 Peter 1:6-9 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Pray and Do Not Lose Heart

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1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” – Luke 18:1-8 ESV

Jesus was consistent in demanding that His disciples pray. He told them to ask, seek, and knock (John 16:19-24). When they prayed, they were to do so in private (Matthew 6:6) and without a lot of pious-sounding rhetoric (Matthew 6:7). Jesus even demanded that they pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44). In this passage from the pen of Luke, Jesus tells His disciples a parable designed to encourage persistence in their prayer lives.

As chapter 18 opens, the topic at hand is the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus has just answered a rather tongue-in-cheek question posed by the Pharisees requesting a date for His coming Kingdom. But Jesus saw through their little charade and knew they demanded a supernatural sign to prove His claims to be the Messiah. So, He responded by telling them, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you” (Luke 17:19-20 NLT).

They were looking for a physical kingdom brought about by a physical revolution. The Messiah they longed for would be a conquering king, much like David had been, who would use military power to restore Israel to independence and prominence. But Jesus had come to restore the rule and reign of God to earth through the Spirit-empowered transformation of sinful men and women. He had come to bring about a spiritual revolution, not a military one. But even the disciples were having a difficult time grasping that concept. They, too, longed for Jesus to march into Jerusalem and bring about a dramatic change in the status quo. They wanted the Romans eliminated, and the nation of Israel elevated back to its former glory. In a sense, they were hoping for a transformation of the social and political status of their nation.

But while Jesus cared deeply for the Jewish people, He had come to redeem the world, not just a single people group. God was not abandoning the Jewish race; instead, He was using them to accomplish His grand redemptive plan for the entire world. Through Jesus, He would fulfill His original mandate that the descendants of Abraham would be a blessing and a light to the nations.

Jesus continued to help His disciples understand the nature of God’s plan. He told them that there would be a second advent when He would come to earth and conquer all the enemies of God. What they were hoping for would actually happen, but not in their lifetimes or according to their timeline. So, what were they to do in the meantime? If His first advent would not result in an earthly kingdom, how were they supposed to survive while the Romans continued to keep the entire nation under its iron fist? Luke answers these questions with his opening line of chapter 18:

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” – Luke 18:1 ESV

Jesus patiently and lovingly enlightened His confused disciples by sharing additional details regarding His current mission and further insights into God’s future plans for the world. Jesus had already warned the disciples that the day was coming when He would leave them. He was to suffer and die at the hands of the Romans but would rise from the dead and return to His Father’s side in heaven. Even after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the disciples would find themselves living in difficult days and longing for His return.

“The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns, but you won’t see it. People will tell you, ‘Look, there is the Son of Man,’ or ‘Here he is,’ but don’t go out and follow them.” – Luke 17:22-23 NLT

Jesus wanted them to know that, after He left them, life would go on as it always has. He compared it to the days before the flood.

“In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.” – Luke 17:27 NLT

It would be like in the days of Lot when the people of Sodom “went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building” (Luke 17:28 NLT). And Jesus clarifies that “it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:30 NLT).

Mankind was going to continue down the very same path it had taken right after the Fall. Nothing would change. Yet, the world would be radically different because it would contain millions of men and women whose lives had been transformed by the gospel. By placing their faith in Jesus Christ, these people would become citizens of the Kingdom of God, living as exiles and strangers on earth while they waited for their King’s second coming. This community of like-minded individuals would bring the rule and reign of God to earth. Through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, they would live in obedience to the Father’s will and function as the King’s ambassadors on earth. Like Adam and Eve, they would be tasked with serving as His vice-regents, bearing His image, and serving on His behalf until He returns.

That is why Jesus told His disciples that persistent prayer would need to be a part of their survival strategy as they awaited His return. To drive this point home, He told a parable about a poor widow who was in an ongoing dispute with another party. It seems likely that this woman was being taken advantage of by this other individual because of her widowhood. In 1st-Century Israel, widows had few, if any, rights and were often the victims of unfair treatment.  Unable to remedy the problem, the widow was forced to make an appeal to the court, but Jesus describes the presiding judge as a man “who neither feared God nor cared about people” (Luke 18:2 NLT). In other words, he was godless and unrighteous.

But the woman, desperate for someone to come to her aid, repeatedly brought her case before the court. At first, the judge simply ignored her pleas, but the woman was persistent and insistent. She demanded that the judge rule in her favor, and Jesus reveals that the woman’s stubborn refusal to give up paid off.

“…finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” – Luke 18:4-5 NLT

She wore him down. Driven by her pressing need for justice, the woman would not give up until she received it, and her persistence proved successful. But what is interesting is that Jesus makes the judge the point of the story.

“Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.” – Luke 18:6 NLT

Jesus does not focus the disciples’ attention on the persistent pleas of the woman, but instead, He tells them to learn a lesson from the godless and unjust judge.

“Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly!” – Luke 18:7-8 NLT

Jesus points out that the woman cried out day and night for justice. She simply wanted someone to ensure that the right thing would be done. He ties her pleas to those of God’s chosen people who also long for justice, and He states, “He will grant justice to them quickly.”

In the parable, the judge finally gave in and did the right thing, not because he wanted to, but because he was tired of being badgered by the unrelenting demands of the widow. This fictional story was intended to encourage the disciples to keep their eyes focused on their just and righteous God. They were going to face difficulties in the days ahead. After Jesus was crucified, resurrected, and ascended, the disciples would find themselves in a vulnerable position. There would be many who would attempt to take advantage of them. The religious leaders would come after them once Jesus was gone. That is why He wanted them to know that, in His absence, they could appeal to God. But, like the widow, they would need to be persistent in their pleas.

Jesus does not promise His disciples that God will remediate all their trials and conflicts immediately. When Jesus says, “He will grant justice to them quickly,” He is not suggesting that God will solve all their problems on the spot. He is simply stating that they can always know that they will receive justice from God. He will never ignore them.

History records that most, if not all, of the disciples, died martyr’s deaths. During their lifetimes they suffered greatly. Many were arrested, tried, imprisoned, and beaten. But God never turned His back on them. Just a few chapters later, Luke records another discussion Jesus had with His disciples, where He warned them about the dark days ahead.

“But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.” – Luke 21:12-13 NLT

This same scenario plays out in the Book of Revelation. The apostle John is given a glimpse into heaven during the Great Tribulation. He sees the throne room of God, where a large gathering of individuals calls out to God for justice. They are those who were martyred by the Antichrist during the Tribulation.

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them. – Revelation 6:9-11 NLT

They plead with God to do something, and He responds by encouraging them to “rest a little longer.” There are more who must be martyred before the end comes. But when it does come, it will be in the form of the Son of God returning to earth to bring judgment and mete out justice.

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. – Luke 19:11 NLT

From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. – Revelation 19:15-16 NLT

But while God will not fail to answer every plea for justice, it may not come at the time or in the form expected. The woman in the parable persistently pleaded and the disciples would need to do the same. In their desire to see the justice of God poured out, they must pray and not lose heart. They were going to find themselves living in an unjust and unrighteous world where godliness was under constant assault and living as a disciple of Jesus was difficult and dangerous. But they were not to give up. They were to trust that God would accomplish His divine plan by sending His Son back to earth a second time.

Jesus uses this parable to encourage His disciples not to lose faith.

“But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” – Luke 18:8 NLT

In a sense, Jesus is reminding them that God is faithful. The question is whether they will remain so. Will they stop pleading and praying? Will they cease believing the promise of the Son’s eventual return? God will vindicate. God will mete out judgment and justice, but it will not occur until the end. How long are we willing to wait and how faithful will we remain as we do so?

As disciples living in a fallen world, it is easy to lose hope. The pressures to conform and compromise our faith are immense. The longer we wait for Christ’s return, the more difficult it becomes to believe in its reality. We long for justice but fail to remember that it will not happen until the Lord returns. As Christ-followers, we know that His second coming will bring about the renewal and restoration of God’s creation. All wrongs will be righted. All injustices will be mitigated. Sin and death will be destroyed, and righteousness will reign over all the earth. But we must pray and wait for that day to come. When Jesus told His disciples not to lose heart, He was encouraging faith in the faithfulness of God. He was promoting confidence in His promised return. But when He does return, “how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” (Luke 18:8 NLT).

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.