commands of Christ

Judge Not

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37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” – Luke 6:37-42 ESV

Today’s passage contains some of the most misunderstood and misapplied verses in the Bible, and our failure to interpret them properly has produced damaging results. The first eight words of verse 37 form one of the most well-known and oft-quoted verses in all of Scripture: “Judge not, and you will not be judged.”

This verse is most commonly quoted by someone who has had some flaw or moral failure in their life exposed by a friend or acquaintance. These words from Jesus get used as a kind of get-out-of-jail-free card that allows the accused party to save face. Rather than acknowledge their fault, the accused simply point their finger back at their accuser and utter the words of Jesus against them. In a sense, they say, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” Or, in other words, “Who are you to judge?”

But as always, context is key to understanding and interpreting Scripture. This statement from Jesus is part of His sermon on the mount. It is contained within a much larger section of teaching that was aimed at Jesus’ newly appointed disciples. He is sharing with them some never-before-heard insights into life in the Kingdom of God. Much of what Jesus states in this message from the Mount runs completely counter to their preconceived concepts of the Kingdom and life in general. Jesus has told them that they must love their enemies. He has declared that the poor, the hungry, and those who weep are the truly blessed ones – those who have found favor with God. And, not only that, those who have a relationship with Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, will be blessed because they will be hated and despised. To the 12 disciples and everyone in the audience that day, these words from Jesus had to have sounded like complete madness. When the Messiah showed up and established His Kingdom on earth, it was supposed to be a time of great joy and abundance. The long-anticipated Son of David would rule and reign in power from His throne in Jerusalem, having conquered the Roman oppressors and ushered in the glorious Kingdom of God on earth.

So, all of Jesus’ talk of poverty, hunger, hatred, and love for enemies made no sense. It seemed out of place and illogical. But Jesus was speaking of a different kind of revolution that would come about. He had come to renovate hearts and lives, not to realign the chess pieces on the political playing board. Jesus’ mission was to conquer sin and death, not the Roman Empire. His message was meant to convey what life would look like in the spiritual Kingdom He would establish on earth.

As He would later tell the Roman governor, Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36 ESV). Jesus was not interested in setting up an earthly Kingdom that consisted of vast tracts of land, opulent palaces, a well-equipped army, and a population of happy and fully satisfied citizens. He was out to redeem those who were spiritually enslaved and condemned to a life of eternal separation from His Heavenly Father.

With Jesus’ arrival, the Kingdom of God had come to earth in the form of its King. But the physical Kingdom itself would not come until later. With His first advent, Jesus had come to recruit citizens for His future earthly Kingdom. But to live in that Kingdom, these people would have to be radically changed. Their old sinful natures would have to be eradicated and replaced. There would have to be a complete transformation in their character for them to live in the Kingdom to come. That is the message Paul delivered to the disciples living in Corinth:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV

So, as Jesus taught His disciples, He attempted to help them understand the new criteria for holiness and righteousness that would determine inclusion in His Kingdom. It was radically different than what they had always understood. When Jesus told them, “Judge not, and you will not be judged,” He was not suggesting that they refrain from all forms of judgment. He warned that they must use the right standard when judging one another. That’s why He went on to say, “Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 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 6:37-38 NLT). 

Jesus was letting His disciples know that if they chose to judge and condemn others by their own set of standards, God would turn around and use those same standards to judge them. If they chose to withhold forgiveness from others, they would find themselves unforgiven by God. And if they failed to be generous to others, God would withhold his blessings from them. That’s why Jesus said, “The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

This was all going to require heart change. The natural man was inherently judgmental, condemning, and unforgiving. His character was marked by selfishness and self-centeredness, and his standard to determine his relationship with others was usually weighted in his own favor. But Jesus was calling His disciples to a completely different way of life governed by a different set of standards.

To ensure that His disciples understood His meaning, Jesus gave them a series of illustrations in the form of a parable. He presented the comical image of a blind man leading another blind man. Because both men lack sight, they both end up in the ditch. One of the men must have his eyes opened to properly guide the other. Then Jesus applied this image to His disciples, encouraging them to take advantage of their relationship with Him as their teacher. He could see things they couldn’t see and had insights to which they were blind. They would have to have their eyes opened to the truth if they were going to be able to lead others in the future.

Jesus wanted these men to understand that they would have to grasp and apply these truths before teaching them to others. Their criteria for judgment were going to have to change. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” (Luke 6:41 NLT). Jesus would expose and extract the logs in His disciples’ eyes. They were weighed down by all kinds of spiritual baggage that prevented them from loving and living well. It distorted their perspective, so their understanding regarding the Kingdom, God, righteousness, forgiveness, holiness, and redemption would have to change. At this point, their eyes were effectively blind, and their spiritual sight was obscured by the logs of legalism and self-righteousness.

Jesus told them that they would have to do some serious soul-searching and spiritual heart surgery before they were ready to lead others.

“First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” – Luke 6:42 NLT

Rather than judge others, they would need to take a close look at their own hearts to determine the motives behind their actions. Jesus is issuing a warning against hypocrisy. He very bluntly warns: “How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:4 NLT). Self-examination is essential because it is far too easy to point out the faults in others while looking past the glaring sins in your own life.

Exposing the sins of others is almost cathartic because it makes us feel better about ourselves. But Jesus would have us focus our attention on our own transgressions, and make sure that we have dealt with those areas of our life that are out of step with God and His will for us. Yet, it would be false to conclude that Jesus is teaching a complete ban on any kind of judgment. To reach that conclusion would require a complete disregard for other passages in both the Old and New Testaments. Consider this interesting and often ignored passage found in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians:

When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.

It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” – 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 NLT

In this portion of his letter, Paul was dealing with a situation going on within the local church in Corinth that involved a sexual sin. It seems that a man had been having an immoral relationship with his stepmother. For Paul, the worst part of it was that the congregation knew of this affair and had done nothing about it. Paul scolded them, “You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship” (1 Corinthians 5:2 NLT). Their pride was based on what they believed to be their tolerance for this couple’s behavior. Paul was forced to remind them of his previous letter to them in which he had warned them not to associate with those who commit sexual sin.

But in this subsequent letter, he clarifies his meaning by stating, “I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin” (1 Corinthians 5:11 NLT). This was a clear-cut case of sin, and they were to deal with it forcefully. Paul emphasized that it made no sense to judge the lost world. In fact, he claimed no right to do so. They were under God’s judgment and He would deal with them in His time. But when it came to those who claimed to be brothers and sisters in Christ, Paul was emphatic: “It certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning” (1 Corinthians 5:12 NLT). The kind of judgment Paul has in mind has nothing to do with acting as their judge, jury, and executioner. It simply means that we are to expose their behavior and call it what it is: Sin. Then we are to deal with it in a godly manner where our ultimate goal is the restoration of our brother or sister in Christ.

Paul dealt with this very same topic in his letter to the Galatian believers:

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. – Galatians 6:1-3 NLT

Some behaviors are off-limits for the Christ-follower. We do not have carte blanche to do whatever we want to do, whenever we want to do it. As sons and daughters of God, we represent Him on this earth, and our behavior is to reflect our beliefs. We have been set apart by God as holy. We are to live distinctively different lives, in keeping with our status as His children. So, there will be times when we must judge one another’s actions and be willing to do the difficult thing: Call one another to repentance.

How easy it is to take the righteous requirements that God has placed on our lives as believers and demand that everyone live up to the same standard, especially those who are lost. Yet, the lost are slaves to sin, and we are not. They can’t do anything but sin because it is their nature. But we have been given the Spirit of God who makes it possible for us to say no to our sinful nature. Rather than judge the lost, we are to judge those within the family of God. We are to see to it that the faith community to which we are associated, lives in keeping with our calling as God’s children. The apostle Peter would have us remember:

For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? – 1 Peter 4:17 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.

Repent

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13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
    the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people dwelling in darkness
    have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
    on them a light has dawned.”

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:13-17 ESV

Every step Jesus took and every word He spoke was in fulfillment of prophecy. His actions were premeditated and always in keeping with the plan His Father had established for Him “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4 ESV). Jesus boldly stated that He had come to fulfill every statement made about the Messiah in the Old Testament Scriptures. This is what He meant when He said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17 ESV). After His resurrection, He gave two of His disciples a crash course in Old Testament Studies, revealing how He had fulfilled all that was written about Him in the Scriptures.

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. – Luke 24:25-27 ESV

Matthew 4 records that Jesus’ relocation from Nazareth to Zebulun and Naphtali was in fulfillment of the writings of the prophet Isaiah. This was not a knee-jerk reaction or spur-of-the-moment decision on His part; He was following the will of His Heavenly Father. Isaiah referred to this region as “Galilee of the Gentiles” and in Jesus’ day, the Gentile population in Zebulen and Napthali was significant. His move from Jerusalem to Nazareth and then to this region was meant to foreshadow His intentions to reach all people with His message of salvation, not just the Jews.

Isaiah states that the Messiah will appear to those “dwelling in darkness” who dwell “in the region and shadow of death.” The “light” will shine and illuminate the darkness of their lives with the truth of God’s offer of salvation. The apostle John spoke of Jesus’ illuminating presence as the light that gives life to the world.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:4-5 ESV

But John also states that Jesus “came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (John 1:11 ESV). Most of Jesus’ Jewish contemporaries failed to accept Him as their long-awaited Messiah. Initially, they were attracted to His miracles and message but, in time, they grew disenchanted and impatient when He failed to manifest the Messianic characteristics they were expecting. 

That is why Jesus’ call to repentance is so important. After His relocation to Capernaum, Jesus “began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 4:17 ESV).  This was the same message John the Baptist had proclaimed before Jesus appeared at the Jordan River to be baptized by John.

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 3:1-2 ESV

But what did Jesus and John mean when they called people to repentance? What were they expecting those dwelling in darkness in the region and the shadow of death to do? The common understanding of repentance is to show remorse or regret for sin. Some have described it as turning from sin to Christ. They view it as a willing rejection of a sinful lifestyle and embracing the new life that Jesus came to offer. While these views are not inaccurate, they are incomplete.

Jesus and John had something far more radical in mind when they called people to repent. When John the Baptist first appeared on the scene, he seemed to have come out of nowhere. He was the same age as his cousin, Jesus. But for 30 years, John remained silent until he suddenly appeared in the wilderness preaching a message of repentance and offering baptism as a sign of that repentance, Everything about John was strange, from his choice of attire and lifestyle to the content of his message. But he attracted a crowd. Matthew tells us:

Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. – Matthew 3:5-6 ESV

John was calling the people of Israel to repent and it is essential to understand the meaning behind his message. His call to repentance involved a change in mind, a radical realignment of their understanding of God and His ways. The Greek word is metanoeo and it means “to change one’s mind or purpose.” It is far more than sorrow or regret for sin. It involves a radical change of attitude towards God, involving one’s spiritual and moral perspective. John was calling the people of Israel to rethink their attitude about everything, including their relationship with God, the nature of their own sin, and the reality of their so-called status as God’s chosen people. The Jews had been living under the delusion that, as descendants of Abraham, they were somehow a protected class. They were far from perfect, but they believed themselves to have some kind of get-out-of-jail-free card that allowed them to sin and always receive forgiveness. After all, they had the sacrificial system that provided them with atonement for any and all sins.

Despite the literally hundreds of years their ancestors had spent in open rebellion against God and their suffering defeat and eventual exile at the hands of God, they had never fully returned to Him. Yet God had repeatedly rescued them and restored them to the land of their inheritance.

Even at the time John began his ministry, Israel was a place of spiritual darkness. The spiritual climate of Israel was dark and John came to call the people of God back to a right relationship with God. But they were going to have to change their minds about everything. Their long-awaited Messiah was coming and they were not ready for His arrival. Their hearts were full of sin, yet they continued to view themselves as the chosen people of God. They placed a high value on their status as Israelites and on the presence of the Temple because they believed it to house God’s holy presence. They were overly confident in the forgiveness made available through the sacrificial system. But John was letting them know that all that was about to change. This was a new day. There was going to be a new plan of salvation made available that was no longer tied to the law or was not dependent upon men attempting to live in perfect obedience to that law.

John’s words were attracting huge crowds made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life, including the religious leaders of his day. But when these Pharisees and Sadducees showed up, John confronted them, saying, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:7-8 ESV). These two groups of individuals, the Pharisees and Sadducees, represent the hypocritical religious leadership of John’s day. The Pharisees were the religious rule-keepers, the experts in the law who prided themselves on their knowledge of the law and adherence to it. The Sadducees were the liberals of their day, who denied the supernatural and rejected everything from the existence of angels to the future resurrection of the body. These two groups showing up to be baptized was nothing more than a public display meant to enhance their credibility and feed their sense of spiritual superiority.

They had no intention of changing their minds about anything. They were marked by arrogance and pride and John demanded that they bear fruit that demonstrated true repentance. In other words, he called them out for their unwillingness to see themselves for what they really were: Religious hypocrites.

Their status as descendants of Abraham would not be enough to save them from the wrath of God, and John the Baptist makes that point painfully clear.

“And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.” – Matthew 3:9 ESV

Their current relationship with God, which was based on obedience to the law, could not produce the kind of righteousness that was required. The apostle Paul, a former Pharisee, put it bluntly and succinctly.

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

But while this message carried a negative connotation, Paul also provided the good news.

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.  – Romans 3:21-22 NLT

So, when John the Baptist called the Jews to repent, he was informing their Jewish heritage was not going to keep them from suffering the consequences of God’s wrath against sin. God was looking for fruit in keeping with true repentance. No more hypocrisy and play-acting. No more lip service and false professions of sorrow over sin. God was about to introduce a new way for men to be justified, or made right with Him. Self-righteousness had never worked. Religious law-keeping had never earned anyone a right standing with God, because no one could keep the law perfectly.

With the coming of the Messiah, God changed all that. While John baptized with water all those willing to come with an attitude of true repentance, he made it clear that the baptism they would receive from Jesus would be radically different. His baptism would involve the Holy Spirit and fire. It would be supernatural in scope and cleansing in nature. It would be a baptism of purification and radical transformation. It would be far more than a ritualistic act meant to symbolize a change of attitude. No, the baptism of Jesus would be completely transformational in nature, leaving the one baptized radically changed forever.

But what does the call to repentance have to do with those who are already in Christ? Once someone has placed their faith in Christ as the sole means of being made right with God, do they need to continue “changing their mind?” The answer is found in Paul’s letter to the Romans.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:1-2 ESV

The Greek word for “transformed” is metamorphoō which means “to transform” or “to transfigure.” It is the source for the English word “metamorphosis.” Paul states that this transformation is accomplished by the renewal of the mind. The Greek word for “renewal” is anakainōsis and it refers to “a complete change for the better.” While the Holy Spirit is transforming the believer’s heart, He is also renewing or renovating the mind, calling for a constant change in how the believer views the world and His own life. Paul expressed his deep desire that the believers in Ephesus would have their minds constantly renewed by the Holy Spirit so that they might fully comprehend the glory of the gift they had received.

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. – Ephesians 1:15-18 NLT

Repentance involves a changing of the mind. It requires a readiness to rethink our old positions and perceptions about life and godliness. Repentance is a willingness to have our minds renewed and renovated by the Holy Spirit over time. It involves a submission to His will and a reliance upon His power.

The mind is the battleground of the enemy. He knows if he can distort our thinking, he can destroy our faith and damage our witness. He is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), who loves to wreak havoc with our minds by emphasizing our sinfulness and questioning God’s faithfulness. He wants to accentuate our faults and convince us that we are unworthy and undeserving of God’s grace. The apostle Paul would have us repent of such thoughts and rest in the promises of God. But to do so requires us to rely upon the Spirit to renew and control our minds – on a daily and ongoing basis.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. – Romans 8:5-9 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.

Lay Up Treasures In Heaven

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19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21 ESV

Just a few verses earlier, Matthew records Jesus saying, “Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” (Matthew 6:8 NLT). Later in this same sermon, Jesus states, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:31-33 NLT). 

But what was the real point behind these messages concerning earthly things and the Kingdom of God? What was Jesus trying to tell His unbelieving audience? They were attracted by His miracles and message. Some were intrigued by the rumors that He might be the long-awaited Messiah. But even that remote possibility conjured up images of a conquering king who would restore Israel’s fortunes and return the nation to prosperity. After centuries of occupation by foreign powers, the Israelites focused on prophetic passages that promised a conquering king who would be like David reincarnated.

“My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They and their children and their grandchildren after them will live there forever, generation after generation. And my servant David will be their prince forever. And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbers, and I will put my Temple among them forever. I will make my home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” – Ezekiel 37:24-27 NLT

“For the time is coming,”
    says the Lord,
“when I will raise up a righteous descendant
    from King David’s line.
He will be a King who rules with wisdom.
    He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
And this will be his name:
    ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’
In that day Judah will be saved,
    and Israel will live in safety.” – Jeremiah 23:5-6 NLT

For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen! – Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT

So, when John the Baptist appeared on the scene declaring, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2 ESV), the Jews had one thing in mind: The Messiah had finally arrived. That idea produced a variety of expectations among the impoverished and oppressed people of Israel. If Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecies, then He would right all wrongs by overthrowing the Romans and blessing God’s chosen people with peace, prosperity, and a permanent place in His earthly kingdom. 

But in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus surprised His audience by telling them to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20 ESV). If His arrival marked the coming of the Kingdom, why did He tell tell His listeners to “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT)?

Earlier in His sermon, He shocked the gathered crowd by telling them the Kingdom they sought belonged to the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3) and the persecuted (Matthew 6:10). None of this made sense. His words were confusing and contradictory. But as Jesus later told the Roman governor, Pilate, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom…my Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36 NLT).

What the Jews failed to understand was that Jesus was the fulfillment of all the prophetic passages concerning the Messiah. He was the King they had long dreamed about and He would establish His Kingdom on earth, but it would be according to God’s perfect plan and in keeping with His timeline. Jesus had come to bring about a revolution but not according to their expectations. He later revealed the nature of His revolution by quoting from the prophet Micah.

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

‘I have come to set a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
   Your enemies will be right in your own household!’

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” – Matthew 10:34-37 NLT

For Jesus, it was about priorities. It was about the temporal versus the eternal. That seems to be the primary focus of His teaching in this passage. The Kingdom He came to bring was a spiritual one that was not of this world. There would be no coronation, palatial royal residence, or golden crown to place on His head. The only indications of His Kingship would be a crown of thorns and a hastily crafted sign that read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37 ESV).

The entire Sermon on the Mount was intended to reorient the minds of His audience. When He began His earthly ministry, Jesus repeatedly echoed the words of John the Baptist, stating, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17 ESV). That word “repent” is metanoeō in Greek and it carries the idea of changing one’s mind. It has less to do with behavior modification than a drastically altered mindset. Jesus wanted the Jews to rethink everything they thought about God, the Messiah, salvation, righteousness, the coming Kingdom, and the blessings it would bring. That is why He repeatedly called them to take their minds off earthly things and focus on what really mattered.

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. – Luke 12:31-34 ESV

He has just warned His audience about the leaven of the Pharisees. These were men who placed a high priority on the here-and-now. They live for the immediate reward of men’s praise. Jesus compared them to hypokrisis – actors in a play whose sole job is to convince their audience that they are someone other than who they truly are. Jesus addressed this kind of lifestyle in His Sermon on the Mount.

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 6:1 NLT

Jesus went on to describe how these kinds of people were more obsessed with the praise of men than they were with pleasing God, and He warned His audience to avoid emulating their ways.

“When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.” – Matthew 6:2 NLT

The Pharisees had perfected their outward behavior to such a degree that they guaranteed themselves a heavy dose of reverence and respect from the common people. They were viewed as spiritual rock stars who displayed an unprecedented degree of religious zeal and discipline. But Jesus saw through their all their pretense and warned that their obsessive-compulsive desire for the temporal praise of men would eventually prevent them from experiencing the eternal reward of God. And Jesus continued to drive home the seriousness of this message.

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.” – Matthew 6:5 NLT

“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.” – Matthew 6:16 NLT

Temporal recognition in place of eternal rewards. That doesn’t sound like a particularly equitable exchange and yet, that is the danger we all face if we are not careful. That’s why Jesus repeatedly exhorted His listeners to seek the eternal reward that only God can give. He stressed the fact that men can thrill us with their words of praise or frighten us with their threats of death, but their power over us is limited.

“…don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.” – Luke 12:4 NLT

They are temporal creatures with a temporary capacity to either praise our life or take it from us. But Jesus warned, “Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell” (Luke 12:5 NLT). God not only has the power to reward, but He also possessed the authority to condemn – for eternity.

But all of Jesus’ words seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. Luke indicates that someone in the crowd called out, saying, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me” (Luke 12:13 NLT). It is immediately clear that this individual’s focus was on the here-and-now, not the hereafter. This person was thinking about the immediate gratification that an earthy inheritance would bring: Land, money, and temporal treasures that had once belonged to his earthly father. 

But Jesus responded in frustration, revealing that this man had brought his selfish request to the wrong judge. Jesus had not come to earth to settle disputes over earthly inheritances. He had come to provide sinful men and women with the eternal reward of justification before God Almighty. And He has just finished telling the crowd about a much greater reward that awaited them in eternity.

“…everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels.” – Luke 12:8 NLT

This man wanted Jesus to acknowledge the validity of his claim on the family inheritance. But Jesus was asking him to acknowledge His claim to be the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Yet this individual had his eyes focused on the wrong things. He saw Jesus as some kind of arbitrator who could help settle his petty dispute with his brother but failed to recognize Jesus as the mediator between God and man. And Jesus pointed out the flawed focus of this man’s thinking.

“Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” – Luke 12:15 NLT

This man was demanding that Jesus help him get what he believed to be rightfully his. But Jesus wanted him to know that nothing on this earth was worth having if it took precedence over Him. And this was not the first time that Jesus had warned about avoiding a fixation on present comforts over future rewards.

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:35-38 NLT

And this man’s request led Jesus to tell a short, but powerful parable about a rich man who allowed greed and an obsession with earthly rewards to blind him to the temporal nature of life and the reality of eternity. And Jesus summarized the sad state of the character in His parable by stating, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God” (Luke 12:21 NLT).

And Luke indicates that Jesus used this entire exchange as an opportunity to instruct His 12 disciples on the necessity of proper priorities. Unlike the man who wanted Jesus to help him get his hands on his inheritance, the disciples were to avoid wasting their time worrying about food and clothing. They had more important things to do, and they needed to understand that “life is more than food, and your body more than clothing” (Luke 12:23 NLT). In a world where success was measured by the outward trappings of materialism, the disciples were being instructed to focus on those things that matter for eternity.

The eternal was to take precedence over the temporal. Jesus wanted His disciples to understand that their focus needed to be on the Kingdom to come, not the kingdom they had hoped for. God was going to meet their greatest need; He would provide them with eternal life and unending fellowship with Him. It would be made possible through His Son’s sacrificial death on the cross. And if God was ready, willing, and able to secure their greatest need, why in the world would they waste time worrying about food and clothing? This is why Jesus told them, “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32 NLT).

The Kingdom was the goal,  and if the disciples learned to live with their eyes on the prize, the things of this world would play a far less significant role in their lives. That is why Jesus told them, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Luke 12:34 NLT).

This was the central focus of His gospel message. He was the King who had come to inaugurate the coming Kingdom. He was the eternal one who had entered into time and space, taking on human flesh and living among men so that He might offer Himself as the atonement for the sins of humanity. He didn’t come to offer men their best life now in the here-and-now, but abundant life in the hereafter. That’s why He strongly encouraged His followers to set their sights on things to come. They were to make the future reward of the Father their highest priority.

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:19-21 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.