Author Archives: jmcconnell

The Temptation of Jesus Christ
Matthew 4:1-11

The 19th century author and humorist Mark Twain has two famous quotes on the topic of temptation. The first is: “I never struggle with temptation; I just yield to it.” And the second is: “There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice. These two statements highlight the attitudes that many people have about temptation. On one hand, you could just have a flippant attitude toward sin and just give in to temptation, or on the other hand, you could hide from anything that even looks like sin and live your life in a box. As Christians, we know that neither one of these extremes is a viable option for dealing with temptation.

There are many places in the New Testament where we could go to learn about the best way to deal with temptation. James 1 is pretty good: “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” I Corinthians 10 is also helpful when Paul says: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Or you could also glean insights from the Old Testament stories of Samson and Delilah, David and Bathsheba, and King Solomon and his 300 wives; where all of their lives were ruined by giving into temptation. And certainly, we must remember the very first temptation story where Adam and Eve yielded to the temptation of eating the forbidden fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This is what got us into this whole mess of sin in the first place.

But among all of the places in the Bible that teach us about temptation, there is one that stands out from all of the rest. The story of the temptation of Jesus Christ not only provides us with incredible look into the way the devil uses temptation to destroy people, but it also provides us with a model for how we can overcome the temptations that we face as we go through life. Let’s take a look at how our Lord tackled temptation!

 

The Context of Temptation (1-3)

Matthew tells us that after Jesus was baptized by his cousin John in the Jordan River and received divine approval from his Father, he retreated to the wilderness to complete his preparation for his public ministry. The Holy Spirit personally led him up to the wilderness to fast and to be tempted by the devil. If Jesus could not rule over his own body and soul, how could he lead anybody else? This significant event took place to prove that Jesus was ready to begin his earthly ministry and fulfill his divine destiny.

In a rather ironic understatement, Matthew tells us that after fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, Jesus was hungry. It makes me want to say to Matthew, “No, really?” It is certainly possible to go 40 days without food, but it is extremely difficult. For most of us, 40 hours without food would be difficult. Let’s be really honest—most of us start getting a little grumpy after about 4 hours without food. The longest I have ever fasted has been three days, and I felt like I was going to die. I cannot imagine going without food for 40 days.

Notice how Satan shows up at during Jesus’ 40 day fast, when he was tired, hungry, alone, and weak. There was no food, no shelter from the desert sun, and no other human beings around to hold him accountable to his mission. Satan attacked Jesus at the time when and place where he was most vulnerable.

Have you ever noticed that Satan employs the same tactic with us? He is clever and crafty. He doesn’t tempt us in times or areas where we are strong; he waits to attack us at the times and in the places where we are most vulnerable. He knows our individual weaknesses and waits for opportune times to capitalize on them.

A number of years ago now, Satan tempted a good friend of mine when and where he was most vulnerable. My friend loved his wife deeply and he was always faithful to her, but one day she confessed to him that she had been cheating on him with another man and now she wanted a divorce so that she could be with him. He was devastated! She moved out and he started going to bars to drink away the pain. One night when he was sitting at the bar, feeling particularly weak and vulnerable, a woman approached and propositioned him. Even though he knew that this woman had a promiscuous reputation, in a moment of weakness he succumbed to temptation and hooked up with her for the night. He justified his actions as a way of getting back at his wife.

A few weeks later when he began to notice some changes in his body, he knew that he had contracted a sexually transmitted disease. He was too embarrassed and stubborn to see a doctor and get treated. He kept his secret hidden for the next eight years until one morning when he simply hunched over and dropped dead at work. He was only 47 years old.

Do you have certain times and places when you are most vulnerable? Do you know your weaknesses? That is where Satan is most likely to attack us! We need to be prepared for Satan’s temptations in the times and areas where we are most vulnerable!

 

The First Temptation- Relying on God’s Provision (3-4)

Satan knew that Jesus was the true Son of God, but in this first temptation he tries to derail him from doing God’s will by tempting him to rely on his own self-sufficiency rather than on the provisions of God. To do this, he challenged Jesus to turn the desert stones into loaves of bread, which is something that I am sure would have delighted Jesus in that moment. There was nothing inherently wrong or sinful about turning stones into bread to satisfy a hungry stomach, but this would have been a departure from God’s will. If Jesus had done this, he would have misused his power and have exercised improper independence from God.

This is really the same trick that Satan used with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It worked with the first Adam but not the second Adam. Jesus outwitted him by quoting scripture, a verse from Deuteronomy 8:3 which asserts that man should not live by bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God. God had fed the Israelites with manna from heaven when they were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. Their hunger had been intended to show them that hearing and obeying God’s word was the most important thing in life. Jesus had already learned this lesson. He knew the importance of relying on God rather than relying on his own power and abilities.

How many of us face the temptation to rely on ourselves rather than God? Sometimes it appears so much easier to do things ourselves, rather than to wait for God. But that is exactly what Satan wants us to do! He wants us to act independently from God.

It is just like little kids who want to do everything by themselves, rather than waiting for their parent’s instructions. Little Miss Independent thinks she can figure it out all by herself. Little Mr. Independent thinks he knows what he is doing. Grown-ups do the same thing with God all the time!

Do you rely on your strength, abilities, intelligence, and experience, or do you rely on God? Are you ever been tempted to misuse your power to get what you want? Think about all of the people in our world who abuse their power to wrongly satisfy their desires! Do you really believe that hearing and obeying God’s Word is the most important thing in life? When you do, then you will be able to resist temptation!

 

The Second Temptation- Trusting God’s Protection (5-7)

In the second temptation, Satan tries to trick Jesus by twisting God’s word. The devil takes Jesus to the top of the holy temple in Jerusalem which was about 450 feet high and challenges him to jump off so that God would send his loving angels to rescue him. Like the first temptation, Satan approaches Jesus with the words, “If you are the Son of God,” but this time he uses (or rather misuses) Psalm 91:11-12, where the Psalmist asserts God’s protection for the faithful in Israel. Satan twists this passage to trick Jesus into forcing God into a supernatural demonstration of his protection.

Jesus’ hesitation came, not from wondering whether his Father could or would rescue him if he jumped, but because Scripture forbids putting God to the test (Deuteronomy 6:16). For both Israel and Jesus, demanding miraculous proof of God’s protection is wrong; the appropriate attitude is trust and obedience.

Does Satan ever tempt you to put God to the test? Do you ever hear a little voice in your head saying, “If God really loved me, he would—if God really cared about me, he would—if God was really there, he would…” Do you ever demand miraculous signs and wonders? Do you ever try to bribe or manipulate God into doing what you want him to do? Again, this is exactly what Satan wants us to do! God simply wants us to trust him!

 

The Third Temptation- Following God’s Plan (8-10)

The third temptation may have been the most appealing of the three, not because of the anticipation of the glory of ruling all the kingdoms of the earth—that was already part of God’s plan—but because Satan’s offer would allow Jesus to rule the earth without enduring the suffering and shame of the cross. God the Father already had a plan for Jesus to be the king of the world, but now Satan offers Jesus an even more appealing plan—a kingdom and all of its glory, minus the suffering. Satan promises Jesus that he can offer a better plan and way than God could. Had Jesus taken the easy way instead of the right way, he would not have gone to the cross and we would have no hope of salvation today.

Again, Jesus reaches into Scripture, interprets it accurately, and sends Satan on his way. Jesus goes back to Deuteronomy 6 and preaches a sermon to Satan about worshipping and serving God alone. Those words in particular must have stung Satan because this is exactly what Satan did not do when he rebelled against God. Satan must not have liked Jesus’ sermon because he immediately got up and left.

Satan does this same thing to us all the time. He offers an easy way as an alternative to God’s way. There is no doubt about it—God’s way is hard! God’s way is always marked with suffering and sacrifice! Satan offers us a bunch of empty shortcuts to glory and happiness, but they are all lies in the end. He tells us “go ahead and cheat on your income taxes; you deserve that money.” He says “if you divorce your spouse you will be much happier.” He says “it doesn’t matter who you hurt; all that matters is that you are number one.” He promises more money, power, popularity, success, and happiness if we take his easy way. But the only way to true happiness is through worshiping and serving the Lord!
And if there was any doubt about God’s love or compassion, look at how the story ends! Angels came and ministered to him. God was completely sufficient! He provided everything that Jesus needed! And he does the same for us today.

Like Jesus, if we if we rely on God’s provision…trust in God’s protection…if follow God’s plan…we will be able to resist the devil’s temptations too!

 

The Baptism of Jesus Christ
Matthew 3:1-17

How many of you remember when you were baptized? Those of you who were baptized when you were babies probably don’t remember it (unless you have the greatest memory in the world). Those of you who were baptized as adolescents, teenagers, or adults probably remember not only when, but also where, how, and by whom you were baptized. Some of you have been baptized three or four times, so you have a lot of memories—that is, if you can keep them all straight. Baptism is a significant life event that we should always remember.

I remember my baptism well. I was 21 years old and was in my second year of Bible College. I had been a Christian for a few years, but for some reason I had never gotten baptized at my home church. When I was going to become a member of the church I was attending in college, the pastor asked me when I was baptized. When I told him that I had never been baptized, a strange look came over his face. It may seem a little backward that I had been studying for the ministry for two years before I was baptized, but most things throughout my life have been a little backward—so why should my baptism be any different? Therefore, I was baptized at a Presbyterian church in Chicago in preparation for a life in ministry.

Likewise, when Jesus was 30 years old, he went to the Jordan River and was baptized by his cousin John the Baptist in preparation for his public ministry. Matthew fast-forwards from Jesus as a 12 year old boy in chapter 2 to Jesus undergoing the waters of baptism as a full grown man in chapter 3. We don’t know anything about Jesus’ teenage or young adult life, but this 18 year gap of silence is ended with the significant event of Jesus’ baptism.

 

John the Baptist Prepares the Way (1-12)

When Jesus showed up on the banks of the Jordan, John the Baptist had already been engaged in the ministry of preaching and baptizing for some time. Even though John conducted his ministry in the remote wilderness regions of Judea, he had gained considerable popularity. The nation of Israel hadn’t had a bona fide prophet in their midst for 400 years, and John raised curiosity because he lived and spoke like a true prophet from God. With the peculiar garments of camel’s hair and an all natural organic diet of locusts and wild honey, he reminded people of the prophet Elijah from Old Testament times. (It is a good thing that PETA didn’t exist in John’s time, or they would have taken him to task for his camel’s hair clothing.)

John’s message was simple and straightforward: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repentance means sorrow for and a turning away from sin. John’s baptism was a symbolic gesture of repentance in preparation for the coming Messiah. After people confessed their sins, he immersed them in the river as a symbol of their souls being cleansed.

John’s message of repentance is important for us to consider today. For some reason, the necessity of repentance has gotten lost in the modern theological shuffle. Some people have said, “All you have to do is believe to be saved.” Is repentance necessary for salvation? Do I have to repent to go to heaven? The answer is unequivocally “Yes!” Here is why: if someone does not take their sin seriously, they completely miss the point of Jesus’ death on the cross. If we are not genuinely sorrowful for the things we have said and done that have broken our relationship with God, then Jesus died in vain. If we are unwilling to confess and turn away from our sin, we do not understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

How about you? Have you repented from your sin? Do you feel sorrowful for your sinful thoughts, words, and deeds? Have you made a decision to turn the other way? Only then will you be ready to receive God’s forgiveness through Jesus’ death and the promise of eternal life through his resurrection! Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand!

John was an intriguing figure and his ministry became so popular that even the religious leaders (the Pharisees and Sadducees) came to the wilderness to hear his preaching and to the Jordan to see his baptism. But when they showed up, they were not greeted with terms of endearment; he lambastes them for their hypocrisy. In an instance of divine and sarcastic name calling, John accuses them of being a “brood of vipers”—a slew of spineless serpents who took pride in their spiritual heritage rather than a personal commitment to God. John tells them that if they don’t take their spiritual lives seriously that their souls are in jeopardy of judgment. Jesus will chop them down and burn the trees that don’t bear spiritual fruit. He will use his winnowing fork to separate the spiritual wheat from the spiritual chaff, and the chaff will burn in hell.

There are many people today who make the same mistake as these religious leaders. They base their spiritual security on their religious heritage rather than their own relationship with God. People say things like, “Well, my grandfather helped build that church! My grandmother attended church her whole life! My father gave a lot of money to that church! My mother reads the Bible all the time! I used to go to church when I was a kid! My family is Catholic—or Methodist, or Baptist, or some other denomination.”

Do you know what John the Baptist would say to any of these things? He would say a big sarcastic “Whipp-di-dooo!” He would say that God is not impressed by any of these things! He would say that none of these things matter! He would ask, “What about you? How is your relationship with God? How is your spiritual life? Have you taken Jesus Christ seriously?” Your salvation does not depend on your spiritual heritage or going through religious motions; it depends upon what you do with Jesus Christ!

Before we move on, I would like to notice one more thing about John: his humility. He never let his own abilities or popularity go to his head. He was comfortable with his call to be the forerunner to the Messiah. He knew that he was just a voice calling in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord. He knew that the one coming after him was mightier than him and he wasn’t even worthy to carry his sandals. He knew that his baptism was only a physical baptism for repentance but that the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit. He knew that he should be baptized by Jesus; not the other way around. He understood his position under Christ.

This is a good reminder for us today. American’s especially need to be reminded that we are not the Messiah. We need to be reminded of our humble position before God. God doesn’t owe us anything! The world does not revolve around us! We need to be reminded that life is not about our dreams, our desires, our goals, our aspirations, our preferences, or our possessions—our lives are about God’s call and plan. John understood that; do you?

 

Jesus’ Baptism (13-17)

Well, Jesus eventually came to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John immediately recognized Jesus for who he was; that is why he was reluctant to baptize him. But Jesus must have been a big disappointment for the people standing there. Matthew makes a point to say that Jesus “came from Galilee.” Galilee was the insignificant rural northern area of Israel. Judeans looked down upon Galileans as being backwoods, uneducated, and unsophisticated. To be from Galilee was to be from the wrong side of the tracks. Jesus, as an average sized Galilean who wanted to be baptized by John like everyone else, would not have met the people’s Messianic expectations. They wanted a strong, powerful, outspoken, take the bull by the horns type leader who would overthrow the Romans and reestablish Jewish glory. At first glance, Jesus didn’t fit the bill. He was royal disappointment (pun intended).

Have you ever been disappointed with Jesus? If we are truly honest, I suspect most of us have. There has probably been a time in your life when you wanted Jesus to be something that he is not? You have probably had the experience where you wanted him to answer one of your prayers in a certain way and he didn’t? Maybe things didn’t turn out the way you thought they were going to, and you doubted God? This is exactly what the people by the Jordon were feeling, but let’s see what happens!

In spite of John’s reluctance, Jesus insists upon being baptized for the purpose of “fulfilling all righteousness.” Jesus did not need a baptism of repentance because he never committed a sin, but he wanted to be baptized to fulfill God’s saving activity that had been prophesied in the Old Testament. Instead of being the one standing up with John and calling on sinners to repent, he wanted to be down in the water, making himself one with the very sinners he came to save. Jesus’ baptism affirmed his humanity and inaugurated his ministry of salvation.

As Jesus walked into the water and John immersed his body, his baptism was complete. When he came up from the water two miracles took place. God opened the heavens and the Holy Spirit takes on the appearance of a dove and lighting and descends upon Jesus. A dove was a common symbol of peace and lightning was a symbol of judgment. Here stood the one who was destined to bring both peace and judgment to the world. Then everyone heard God’s voice from heaven say, “This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” These words confirmed Jesus’ divine identity as the Son of God and the promised Messiah as was prophesied in Isaiah 42:1. The crowd that witnessed this vision and heard these words from heaven must have been dumbfounded. Jesus did not meet their expectations, but this little family reunion between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit left no doubt about Jesus’ identity.

Likewise, Jesus did not come to meet our little religious expectations; he did not come to advance our political agendas; he certainly did not come to affirm our self-esteem. He is God’s divine Son, the promised Messiah who came to fulfill his Father’s will of bringing salvation to lost sinners like you and me. His ministry was inaugurated at his baptism, it was accomplished through his death and resurrection, and it will be consummated at his second coming. Have you repented from your sins? Have you put your faith in God’s son? Have you received his gift of salvation? Are you ready for his return?

 

A Divine Destiny
Luke 2:21-40

Just like it does every year, Christmas has come and gone. By this time many of our Christmas trees have begun to wilt, pine needles are all over the floor, toys have been played with and some of them are already broken. The leftover cookies on our counters are dried up and our refrigerators look empty again. The department stores have stopped playing Christmas music and the holiday clearance sales are being replaced with new merchandise. (Next week we will start to see Valentine’s Day candy on display.)

Now that we have celebrated Christmas, responsibility is staring us in the face again. For most of us this week means back to waking up early, going to work and school, and fulfilling all of the obligations that make our lives what they are. We go through this same dreadful cycle every year. If you are feeling depressed about the reality of responsibility after Christmas, you may be encouraged to know that Mary and Joseph went through this same cycle.

 

Joseph and Mary’s Responsibility (21-24)

After the angels had disappeared and went back into heaven and the shepherds returned to their flocks and after all of the excitement of Christmas settled down, Joseph and Mary had some responsibilities to fulfill. First, they had the responsibility of circumcising their baby boy on eight days after he was born to comply with Jewish custom. When the boy was circumcised he was also given his formal name. Mary and Joseph obeyed the angel and gave their boy the name Jesus. This name means “savior” and was a foreshadowing of his divine destiny to become the savior of the world.

Second, Mary and Joseph had the responsibility of taking Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to dedicate him to the Lord. But before they could do this they had to wait 33 days for Mary’s purification to be completed. Once the appropriate time had lapsed, they took Jesus to the temple and consecrated him. It appears that Mary and Joseph were quite poor; for they gave the poor man’s offering of two doves or pigeons, because they could not afford the usual offering of one lamb and a dove or pigeon.

When we read these verses, we catch a deeper glimpse into Joseph and Mary’s character. They were people who fulfilled their obligations to God and to the law. (Just like today, it cost money to have a baby in ancient Palestine.) Despite their difficult financial situation, they fulfilled their responsibilities. They whine or complain about their circumstances. They didn’t make excuses. They simply did what they were supposed to do!

How about you? Do you do what you are supposed to do? Are you fulfilling your responsibilities to God, to your family, at work, at school, etc? Do you take care of your financial obligations? Are you the type that whines and complains about your circumstances, or do you humbly do what you are supposed to do like Joseph and Mary?

 

Dying in Peace (25-33)

As Joseph and Mary entered the temple to fulfill their responsibility, they met up with a most interesting character. Simeon is usually thought to be a very old man, although there is nothing in the text that explicitly suggests this. Regardless of Simeon’s age, we know that he lived a righteous life and he was deeply committed to the Lord. It was certainly not coincidental that he entered the temple at the exact time that Joseph and Mary were there. For Simeon had been led to that precise place at that exact time by the Holy Spirit.

Why did the Holy Spirit lead Simeon to Joseph and Mary? The Holy Spirit had promised Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. In this one moment Simeon accomplished his life’s purpose of seeing the promised Messiah and pronouncing a prophecy over his life. And now that he had seen and embraced God’s salvation for all people—both Gentile and Jew alike—he was now ready to die in peace.

Now I am quite sure that none of us will ever get an opportunity to hold the baby Jesus like Simeon did, but we all have the chance to embrace God’s promise of salvation. This divine child would one day grow up and die on the cross for our sins and rise from the grave on the third day to give us the hope of eternal life. Regardless of whether you are young or old, you are not ready to die until you have embraced God’s salvation by giving your life to his son! You can only die in peace when you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven! You can only die in peace when you know that you are heaven bound!

None of us knows when we are going to die, but we can know if we will die in peace! Have you embraced Jesus Christ? Have you put your faith in God’s plan of salvation? Have you given your heart to the only one who can save you?

 

Our Divine Destiny (34-40)

As Mary and Joseph marveled at Simeon’s words, Simeon blessed them and spoke directly to Mary a prophecy about the child’s future. For God had already destined this child to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign spoken against, to reveal the hearts of many. Don’t miss the irony in this verse: Simeon’s divine destiny was to prophesy the destiny of the divine!

We ought to stop and think about that word “destined.” This is a clear statement of God’s sovereignty. God had already planned Jesus’ life before he was even born. He had a divine destiny to bring salvation to the world through his suffering and death.

At some point, all of us who call ourselves Christians have to reckon with this idea of destiny. The Bible often uses the term predestination. Now some people don’t like the idea that God has already planned our lives for us—they get frustrated because they think it interferes with our free will. But consider this: Would you with your finite knowledge, limited power, and propensity for making mistakes, like to go through life making every decision for yourself? Or would you rather trust the plan that the Creator of the universe has laid out for your life?

The Bible teaches us that God has a specific purpose and plan for each one of our lives. He doesn’t usually reveal all of it to us at one time, but as we live by faith every day, we begin to see how the “coincidences” of our lives were not coincidences at all, but they were planned by God from the very beginning. Do you know what God’s divine destiny is for your life?

 

Jesus’ Divine Destiny (34)

Now let us take a deeper look at Jesus’ divine destiny in verse 34.

1.) Jesus’ divine destiny is to cause many to fall (34).

This is the sad truth for some who encounter Christ! It is hard to imagine that the little baby lying in Simeon’s arms would someday be the reason for the fall of so many. It’s not so much that Jesus is the cause of stumbling as he is the stumbling stone. For man would not be judged by what he does, but by what he does with Jesus. Throughout the New Testament we repeatedly see this prophecy fulfilled. Many of Jesus’ disciples deserted him when he was on earth. They followed him when he was popular and comfortable, but they left him as soon as things got tough. Judas Iscariot sold him to the religious leaders for a few pieces of silver.

It is very much the same today. There are so many who reject Jesus today.

2.) Jesus’ divine destiny is to cause many to rise (34).

Jesus would be the cause of people rising to new life. This little baby Simeon held in his arms was the long-awaited Messiah. He was not the political leader or the military conqueror that many of the Jews were expecting, but he was the fulfillment of all of God’s promises to Israel. This little baby would be the one to deliver Israel from sin. He would not only deliver Israel from sin, but all humanity (32).

This is the reason why Jesus Christ stepped out of eternity and into time. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. The whole earth was lost in a sinful state, but this little baby would one day grow into a man and die for us on a cross. Through his death and resurrection, he would forgive sin and raise to new life those who believe.

Scripture constantly testifies to how this prophecy was fulfilled, and it is still being fulfilled today. Even two-thousand years after Jesus lived on earth there are still thousands of people putting their faith in him every year. They are finding forgiveness of sin and new life in Christ. Jesus’ divine destiny of causing people to rise is still happening today.

3.) It is Jesus’ divine destiny to face much opposition (34).

William Barclay comments, “Toward Jesus there is no neutrality. We either surrender to him or we are at war with him. The tragedy is that so many are at war with him.” This aspect of Simeon’s prophecy was also fulfilled in the pages of Scripture.

Jesus faced opposition his whole life. Even when he was a baby King Herod tried to kill him. Later, he was opposed by the Pharisees, Sadducees, Romans, and many others. Some lied about him and others called him a mad man. He was spit on, beaten, whipped, pierced with a spear, and nailed to a cross. He faced more opposition than any human being in history.

Just as Jesus’ divine destiny was to face opposition, so his followers share in that same destiny. Every true Christian will face opposition for what they believe. Maybe a family member or friend will give you a hard time for going to church on Sunday. They might say things like, “Why do you want to waste your time going to church?” You may face opposition from classmates at school when you stand up for Christ. This opposition is part of the Christian’s divine destiny!
This little baby who laid in Simeon’s arms would someday grow into a man and go to the cross to die for the sins of the world. This baby is still causing many to rise and fall. This baby is still facing much opposition. Which side are you on? What will you do with this baby? As you consider the destiny of Christ, I hope that you will consider your own destiny! I tell you this morning: Embrace the Christ Child! I promise that you will never be the same, and you will never regret it! Amen!

 

Carols of Joy
Isaiah 9:3

The Tradition of Christmas Carols and Caroling

The dictionary defines the word “carol” as a song of praise or joy, especially for Christmas. Most of you love Christmas carols, and I would be willing to bet that most of you have a favorite. What is your favorite Christmas carol?

Have you ever wondered what the very first Christmas carol was? “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer?” No, it was written in 1979. “Silent Night?” No, it was written by Father Joseph Mohr in 1818. “Hark the Herald Angels Sing?” No, it was written by Charles Wesley in 1739. “Joy to the World?” The great hymn writer Isaac Watts composed this masterpiece twenty years earlier in 1719. The chant-like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” was composed in the 12th century.

St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, wrote a number of Christmas carols just a few years after Pope Julius I designated December 25 to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in A.D. 353. His carol “Come Thou Redeemer of the Earth” which we sang in our service today was among them. Church history reveals that an unnamed Roman Bishop asked that a carol called “Angel’s Hymn” be sung at a Christmas service in Rome in the year A.D. 129. Unfortunately, the words of this hymn have been lost through the ages. But even this was not the first Christmas carol.

The first two Christmas carols were sung on the very night that Christ was born. The gospel of Luke tells us that there was a group of shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and said, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)

Over the years, there has been some controversy over whether these words were actually sung or simply spoken. Some people have concluded that the words were just spoken because of the verb “saying.” The problem with this interpretation is that they neglect the verb “praising” which throughout the Bible, almost always refers to singing. Why did Luke use both verbs to describe the angel’s proclamation? I believe it is because the verb “praising” indicated the manner of the message and the verb “saying” reveals content of the message. Therefore, this short phrase “glory to God in the highest” in English, “Gloria in excelsis deo” in Latin, or “doza en ufistois theo” in Greek was the first Christmas carol ever composed and sung.

The second Christmas carol is also mentioned in Luke’s version of the nativity story. He says that as soon as the angels finished their song, the shepherds left their flocks and went to Bethlehem to see this thing that has happened. The shepherds found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger, just as the angel had said. After this, Luke tells us that the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that that they had seen and heard. Now we don’t know the words of the songs, but we do know that the joy of Christmas was expressed through their carols as they returned to their flocks. The angel’s and shepherd’s carols that were first sung on the night that Jesus was born began a tradition that has been carried for the last 2000 years and is still going strong today.

The tradition of Christmas carols and caroling has certainly changed a lot over the past 2000 years, but one thing has always remained the same: we sing to express the joy of Christmas. Just as the angels and shepherds sang their carols of joyful praise on that first Christmas night, so every year we continue to sing carols of praise to express the joy of Christmas.

An Expression of Joy (Isaiah 9:3)

The birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was certainly a joyful event. When the angel Gabriel told the virgin Mary that she was going to bear the Son of God, she responded by singing a lullaby of joy. When the host angel’s burst onto the scene to announce Jesus’ birth, they uttered a ballad of joy. When the shepherds beheld the beautiful baby lying in the manger, they returned to their fields with a refrain of joy. But as with hope and peace, joy was linked with Christmas long before Christmas ever happened.

700 hundred years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the prophet Isaiah spoke about the joy of Christmas. In Isaiah 9:3, he prophecies that the nation will be enlarged and that the people’s joy will be increased. Their joy will be like that of the farmer at harvest time and the soldier when the war is over and the plunder is divided. But when and how would the people experience this joy? Like many Old Testament prophecies, this one has at least three fulfillments. Let me explain.

In Isaiah 8, the prophet predicts that the Assyrian army was going to conquer the northern kingdom of Israel and the people would be forced into exile. History tells us that this is exactly what happened in 722 B.C. The Assyrians burned their homes, desecrated their land, and deported the Israelites to other parts of their empire. The Israelites who escaped were forced to live in caves and could barely scrounge enough food to survive.

The first fulfillment of this prophecy occurred when the Assyrian empire collapsed in 607 B.C. Israel would rejoice because they regained much of the land that they had lost. The exiles who were scattered returned to their homeland and they could begin their lives again. This first fulfillment was physical, for God would indeed enlarge their nation and increase their joy.

As you consider the fulfillment of this prophecy from 2700 years ago, think about what it reveals about God’s character. Unlike most of us, God always keeps his word. He never makes a promise that he doesn’t keep. Also, he deals with us the same way he dealt with his people Israel. When we act out against him, he disciplines us, but even in his discipline he shows love and compassion. There is always the promise of forgiveness and restoration when we humble ourselves before him.

The second fulfillment came at the birth of Christ. This is where Isaiah 9:3 and 9:6 meets. God would enlarge their nation and increase their joy spiritually through the birth of his son into the world. This child who was born—this son that was given, would liberate his people from sin and bring restoration from spiritual exile. His birth, death, and resurrection would bring salvation for everyone who would put their faith in him. This would be a spiritual “enlarging of the nation” through the gospel message being taken to the world—both Jews and Gentiles. And everyone who would follow the son would experience the joy of knowing that their sins are forgiven and that the kingdom of God has been opened to them.

Have you experienced the second fulfillment of this prophecy? Have you put your faith in this child who was born? Have you made a decision to follow this son that was given? Have you experienced the joy of knowing that your sins are forgiven and that you will spend eternity in the kingdom of God?

The third fulfillment of this prophecy hasn’t happened yet, but it will. It will be fulfilled for the last time when Jesus returns to take his people home. It is when God will ultimately enlarge his nation and increase the people’s joy. This final fulfillment is both spiritual and physical. As the farmer rejoices at the bountiful harvest and the soldier rejoices when dividing the plunder, those who have embraced Jesus Christ will return be restored to their rightful home—a place where there is no more death, disease, or destruction—no more sin, sickness, or sadness—no more spiritual exile, emotional pain, or psychological scars—no more guilt from the past or fear of the future. It will be a place of absolute perfection where we will sing carols of joy forever!

Are you looking forward to Christ’s Second Advent? Are you looking forward to the consummation of his kingdom? Are you ready to experience eternal joy?

If there is anyone here this morning that has not yet put their faith in Jesus Christ, I urge you to do it this morning. I plead with you to humble yourself before God, repent from your sins, and make a decision to follow him before you leave church today! Embrace the child that was born for you! Take hold of the son that was given for you. I guarantee that you will experience joy like you never have before!

For those of you who have already embraced Christ, I say to you: Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice that God sent his son! Rejoice that Christ was born in Bethlehem for you! Rejoice that he was laid in a manger for you! Rejoice with the angels and shepherds who were there on that first night! Rejoice that he died on the cross for your sins! Rejoice that he is with you now! Rejoice that he helps us through the difficulties of life right now! Rejoice that death has no power over you! Rejoice that he is coming again! Rejoice that you will be delivered from the pain of this world and you will spend eternity in heaven!

Rejoice! Rejoice! I say it again, rejoice! Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let us receive our king!

 

Poinsettias of Peace
Isaiah 9:4-5

Have you ever thought much about poinsettias? I don’t mean just noticing them in a store window or a church sanctuary, but have you ever paused to really look at them and think about them? Poinsettias are beautiful—their deep green leaves and bright red blooms make them the perfect Christmas decoration. For most of us, it seems that Poinsettias have always been associated with Christmas, but that is not the case. Have you ever wondered where poinsettias originally came from or how they became associated with Christmas?

The Legend of the Poinsettia

The ancient Aztecs of Mexico were probably the first to observe the beauty of the poinsettia. They so admired this wonderful plant that they all but worshipped it for its beauty and majesty. Religious leaders often handled the plant to make medicines and dyes, but it was considered so sacred that the common people were not allowed to touch it.

These native Mexicans believed that the bright red color symbolized the blood of men, women, and children who had been sacrificed to appease the gods. When the plants thrived, it meant that the gods were pleased with their sacrifices. During the sacrifice ritual, poinsettia plants were brought to the temple for the pagan ceremony. They told their children that each red petal represented a person who had been sacrificed and that as long as the Aztec people continued to appease their gods, they would flourish.

In the early days of Spanish colonization, the Aztec Empire came to an abrupt and violent end. European conquistadors like Hernando Cortez had little interest in the Aztec people or culture: they were only interested in the riches of the land. While gold and other precious metals were shipped back to Spain, the conquered Aztec’s fell into slavery and poverty. The only good thing that came from this European domination was the missionary work that followed the soldiers. Compassionate Catholic priests ministered to the native people who had been trampled by those looking for wealth. The priests’ Christian work was one of the only bright spots of this period. With Spanish rule and the hard times it brought, the significance of the poinsettia in Mexican history and culture was all but forgotten.

It is amazing to think that the plant that was once used in human sacrifices was destined to become an important Christmas symbol in Mexico. Franciscan friars evangelizing the area of Taxco decided to teach the local people the Christmas story by constructing a nativity scene. After carefully arranging the manger site, they held mass on Christmas Eve. A poor Mexican girl named Pepita walked forward to visit the altar and view the babe in the manger. She cried as she took in the scene because she did not have a gift to offer Jesus on his birthday. As Pepita walked to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness. “I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes,” said Pedro consolingly.

Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, and fashioned them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.

As she approached the altar, she remembered Pedro’s kind words: “Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.” She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene. Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes. From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season, and the tale of the poinsettia spread throughout Latin America.

The beauty and story of the Poinsettia was unknown in the United States until 1824, when Joel Poinsett, America’s first Ambassador to Mexico, discovered the flower that would eventually bear his name, when he attended a Christmas Eve mass at a small Catholic church in Santa Prisca. Being deeply affected by the plant’s presence, after the service, he inquired about its origin. The priest told him the story of Pepita’s gift and gave the ambassador some seeds. He eventually planted the seeds, and presented the flowers as gifts to local churches in his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina.

By the time of the civil war, the plant, known by its new name, poinsettia, had spread all over the United States and had become a common symbol of the Christmas season. During the last years of his life, Poinsett made a small fortune as a result of introducing the poinsettia flower to America, and eventually the rest of the world.

Today it is hard to imagine Christmas without poinsettias. When we consider the flower’s history, we see the story of God’s redemption. The red leaves used to be a symbol of violent human sacrifices to the false gods of the Aztecs, but now they have become a symbol of Christmas, where we celebrate the birth of God’s son who would one day become a sacrifice for us. The red petals represent the blood that was shed on the cross and the green leaves symbolize the promise of eternal life offered to us through that sacrifice. Every time we see a poinsettia, it should remind us Jesus came to restore peace! It should remind us of Isaiah’s prophecy that the Messiah would be the Prince of Peace.

The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:4-6)

In this passage, Isaiah prophecies that the coming Messiah will not only bring hope, but he will also bring peace. Verses 4-5 recall how God restored peace to Israel in the days following Midian’s defeat. The story is told back in back in Judges 6: Because the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, for seven years the Lord gave them into the hands of the Midianites, who were so oppressive that the Israelites were forced to hide in mountain clefts and caves. The Midianties killed their camels, slaughtered their sheep, and destroyed their donkeys. Every time the Isrealites planted crops, the Midianites raided their fields like a swarm of locusts. (Judges 6:1-6)

When the Israelites finally cried out to God and asked for deliverance, he raised up an unlikely hero to save them. God called a cowardly man named Gideon to deliver his people. When Gideon protested the call, the Lord calmed him by saying, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” Then Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace. (Judges 6:23-24)

Gideon conquered the whole Midianite army with a lowly arsenal of 300 men and some trumpets and clay jars. When the men blew their trumpets and smashed their jars, the Midianite camp was thrown into such confusion that their men began to turn their swords on each other. It was truly amazing that the powerful Midianite army was defeated by a cowardly general, an undersized army, and some trumpets and torches. Peace was secured for the people of Israel without even a single sword being drawn.

Isaiah is making the same point here. Just as God restored peace in such an unlikely manner in the days of Midian, he would restore peace again through another unlikely form: the birth of a baby boy. Through the birth of this child, God would shatter the yoke that burdened them, break the bar across their shoulders, and remove the rod of their oppressor. The warrior’s boots and blood-stained garments would be destined for burning, fuel for the fire. This child was destined to become the Prince of Peace, which is one of the titles Isaiah gives him in verse 6.

Isaiah was obviously not only talking about the restoration of physical peace to the land, but he was talking about the restoration of spiritual peace to the heart and soul. Just like the Gideon, this baby born in Bethlehem would become an unlikely hero. He would one lead an undersized army of fearful disciples, and he would lead a great revolution in history without even drawing a sword. The only weapons he would hold were the nails in his hands and the spear in his side. His blood-stained garments would keep us from becoming fuel for the fires of hell. Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection has purchased peace for those who dare to put their faith in him.

This prophecy of peace will be completely fulfilled when Jesus comes again at his second advent. When he returns, he will destroy Satan, sin, and evil once and for all, and he will establish his kingdom of ultimate spiritual and physical peace—it will be a place where there is no more conflict, fighting, pain, suffering, or fear. Can you imagine what it will be like to live in a place of perfect peace? All of this is possible because Jesus was born in a cattle stall 2000 years ago!

I don’t know what kind of fears, conflicts, or trials you are facing today, but I do know that the poinsettia’s red petals represent the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross to restore peace to our relationship with God and others here and now. I know that the poinsettia’s green leaves represent eternal life in heaven where we will experience perfect peace. Whenever you look at a poinsettia, I hope that you will remember that Jesus is the Prince of Peace! He was born, was sacrificed, and was resurrected so that we might have peace now and forever!

 

Lights of Hope
Isaiah 9:1-2; John 1:1-14

Have you have started putting up Christmas lights yet? Every year about this time, you see people on ladders hanging up Christmas lights around the exterior of their homes. People begin carrying boxes and bins of Christmas lights in from the garage or attic to decorate the interior of their house. And if you haven’t already, most of you will soon be participating in the beloved tradition of stringing hundreds of lights around your Christmas tree. But have you ever wondered how this tradition began?

The Tradition of Christmas Lights

The tradition of putting up Christmas lights began about 500 years ago. One cold December night, Martin Luther went for a walk through the German woods, and when he looked up at the sky, he was enthralled with the way the starlight filtered through the branches of the evergreen trees. At that moment, he felt as if the hand of God had touched his soul and had allowed him to see the world in a different way. Stopping on a snow-covered knoll, he studied the scene for some time. Its tranquil beauty and the soft light gave him a sense of hope.

Determined to duplicate the atmosphere of that outdoor scene inside his own home, Luther attached candle holders to the tree’s limbs and mesmerized his family and friends with the first lit Christmas tree. From this humble beginning, the custom of putting candles on Christmas Trees swept across Germany. Craftsman began to produce ornate candleholders that were specially designed for tree limbs and the use of multicolored candles soon followed. By the mid-1800’s, a beautiful fir tree, trimmed with ornaments and lit by scores of candles, became a staple Christmas symbol. It was pictured over and over again by illustrations in magazines, books, newspapers, and Christmas cards.

But as you can imagine, live burning candles on an evergreen tree was a dangerous fire hazard. Countless trees were set ablaze, thousands of homes were burned to the ground annually, and hundreds of people died every year when the flames ignited the tree limbs. Yet the beautiful glow of candlelight, even if it was a major fire risk, meant so much to people that the concerned firemen could not convince even their own families to give up using these fiery decorations. It would take both time and technology to blow out the Christmas-tree candles.

In 1879 Thomas Edison changed the way America illuminated houses, with his invention of the light bulb. Three years later, one of his employees, Edward Johnson, decided to apply this new invention to the Christmas tree.

As had become their family custom, the Johnson’s had purchased an evergreen and put it in the parlor of the family’s New York home. As they decorated the newly cut tree, Johnson was stuck by an idea. Using the process of the Edison laboratories, Johnson produced a string of eight small and brightly colored electric light bulbs. Much brighter than the light of a similar number of candles, the bulbs gave off a constant and compelling glow. Johnson took them home and strung them around his Christmas tree. As the lights lit up the room and shone through the large picture window, neighbors began to walk by the house and marvel at what they saw. As most people did not have electricity in those days, the sight of a green tree illumined by light bulbs seemed almost magical. Yet even more incredible was that Johnson’s lights didn’t just glow; they flashed off and on.

Even in a city the size of New York City, the Edison employee’s inventive decorations created a great stir. A parade of people walked by Johnson’s home, and scores of people knocked on the door, asking to see the tree up close. Newspapers from around the country began calling Johnson’s home to report on these new electric Christmas lights.

Even though the lights made news across the land, Edison did not jump on the bandwagon and create Christmas lights for commercial sale. That would have been putting the cart before the horse, as most Americans did not have electric power in their homes for years. As time went on and electricity expanded even to the rural part of the country, several companies investigated mass producing Christmas lights, but the stumbling block was always the expense. A sting of bulbs like Johnson had created for his tree cost over $100 in materials alone. Many Americans didn’t make that much money in a year.

Also, as screw-in sockets had yet to be invented, each bulb had to be wired individually. When the bulbs burned out or were broken, an electrician would have to be called to replace them. But even in the face of these problems, Edison and others convinced at least the wealthy that Christmas lights were the best way to illuminate their homes for the Christmas season.

Within five years, many members of the social elite in New York had spent as much as $3000 per tree to compete with their neighbor’s evergreen. Then, in 1910, General Electric introduced a string of eight lights that cost $12. The price was still beyond the reach of most consumers, so the lights were mostly used in store windows. Finally, in 1924, GE and Westinghouse introduced a new set of Christmas lights that would become the industry standard for the next fifty years. These multicolored long-lasting bulbs were inexpensive enough that almost anyone could afford them.

Almost five centuries ago, Martin Luther taught his children that the candles that burned on the Christmas tree stood for the light that Jesus brought into the world. As electricity changed and expanded the use of lights at Christmas, the simple meaning that Luther first observed in the starlit woods was obscured and replaced by the often blinding glow of millions of light bulbs that turns the night into day. Yet the glow that drew people to Martin Luther’s and Edward Johnson’s trees still beckons people of all ages today. (Adapted from Ace Collins Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas p. 118-124)

Jesus, the Light of the World (Isaiah 9:1-2)

Light has been associated with Christmas long before Martin Luther put candles on his Christmas tree. Light has been linked with Christmas even before Christmas ever happened. Actually, light has been connected with Christmas for 700 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. You ask, “How can that be?” The prophet Isaiah spoke of the light of Christmas when he prophesied about the birth of the Messiah in the seventh century before Christ. In Isaiah 9:1-2, he says:

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan—The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

This prophecy of hope emerges from a dark period in Israel’s history. The northern kingdom of Israel, which encompassed the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, had turned its back on God. The people had rejected God’s word and the prophets who preached it. Instead, they were engaging in the pagan practices of witchcraft and were seeking counsel from mediums and spiritists. As a result of their decision to walk in spiritual darkness, God was going to judge them. He was going to raise up the Assyrian Empire to conquer and enslave Israel. As God always does, when people stray from him, he sends adversity to humble them and bring them back. Spiritual darkness is always followed by physical darkness, and Israel would experience both.

But following this judgment, which will bring gloom and anguish to the land, there will be glory. Isaiah even pinpoints the region where the Light will dawn. It would not be in Jerusalem, where one might expect, but rather far to the north, in a region called Galilee. The lands of Zebulun and Naphtali would eventually become the land of Galilee, where Jesus spent most of his life and began his public ministry.

The idea of Jesus as the Light shining forth in the darkness is an appropriate description of the Savior and His gospel. The apostle John tells us that the Light is Jesus; that He is the True Light which comes into the world (John 1:9-13) but that many loved the darkness rather than the light (John 3:19-21) and thus reject God’s light, the new spiritual birth into God’s family, and eternal life.

Indeed, God would one day deliver Israel from spiritual and physical darkness. Jesus would be the light that dawns on the land of the shadow of death. Jesus is the light who would bring hope to Israel. He is the light who endured the darkness of the cross to bring light to the world today.

Two thousand years ago, Christ was born into a dark world that would be dramatically changed by his life and death. When he rose from the dead and ascended back into heaven, he left the earth a much brighter place.

In a very real sense, the glow of billions of electric Christmas lights reinforces just how deeply the babe in the manger has changed and is still changing the world. Martin Luther would have liked that! Every time you look at a Christmas light, it ought to remind you that Jesus is the true light who brings hope to the world!

 

The Priorities of Life
Matthew 6:25-34

“We didn’t start the fire, it was always burning since the world’s been turning!” In the spirit of Billy Joel, I composed a little poem for you this week. I call it “Anxiety.”

Missing persons, troubled teens, many conflicts in between
Daddy’s drunk, kids are tense, mommies taking self-defense
Restraining orders, parent rights, leads to more family fights.
Aging parents, children gone, how have I done it so long?

Chest pains, short breath, reminds me of the coming death.
Spot on skin, lump in breast, we’ll all hope for the best.
Chemo makes you lose your hair, what about Obamacare?
Diagnosis makes me cry, I wonder why I even try!

Hypertension, blood-cell count, you should eat more sauerkraut!
No more Medicare, how about town meeting prayer?
Over-stressed, overworked, my boss is such a jerk!
Popping pills to kill the pain, it all feels so insane

Wiki-leaks makes me blink, I don’t know what to think
CIA had some fun, gridlock down in Washington,
FBI on the trail, company too big to fail
Politicians, despise, no one wants to compromise

16 trillion, national debt, go ahead and place a bet!
Stocks are down, time to shift, dancing on the fiscal cliff
Jobs are shipping overseas, can’t you feel Sandy’s breeze?
Dollar’s weak, blame is strong, what have we been doing wrong?

Civil War in Syria, Libyan hysteria, United Nations forms a plan, fighting in Afghanistan
Kim Jong Ill asserts his will, while we rack up another bill.
Uranium in Iran, don’t forget the Taliban.
Terrorism give us fright, how can we sleep at night?

Grain is high, milk is low, farmers take another blow
Gas pump, Donald Trump, Red Sox in another slump
Wild fires, no one hires, will I ever get to retire?
I wish that I was worry free, but I have so much anxiety!

 

This poem is a collection of things that cause anxiety. Do you feel more anxious now? Do you ever find yourself worrying about your parents, or your kids, or your health? Do you worry about money and the economy? Do you worry about national security or world affairs? If so, Matthew 6:25-34 is for you!

The Worries of Life (25-32)

Jesus begins this section of his Sermon on the Mount with the simple and straightforward command: “Do not worry about your life!” He tells his followers not to worry about physical necessities like food, drink, and clothing. He reminds us that God is the one who has given us our lives and our bodies; he will certainly provide what we need to take care of them.

He gives two examples from nature to support this: the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. Have you ever noticed that birds are not farmers? They have no means of producing food for themselves: they don’t sow seeds or reap crops. They have no mechanism for storing food away: no barns, no silos, no bunkers, no cupboards, no pantries, no refrigerators or freezers; yet God provides food for them every day.

Now don’t misunderstand what Jesus is saying. He is not saying that we don’t have to work or that it is OK to be lazy. Birds don’t simply wait for God to drop food into their beaks, they have to go out and gather the food that God has provided. We cannot be lazy and then complain that God doesn’t provide!

Worrying doesn’t add any time to a person’s life, but it does take time away from it. If people used the time doing something productive instead of worrying, they would actually have less things to worry about!

Like the bird of the air, Jesus points to the flowers of the field as evidence of God’s care for his creation. Just as God provides beautiful wildflowers to clothe the grass, he will provide clothing for the people in his kingdom. Not even King Solomon, who was the wealthiest king in Israel’s history, was clothed as luxuriously as the grass. If God clothes the grass, which is of little worth, won’t he take care of his people who are worth a lot?

He ends this point with the gentle rebuke “you of little faith” and compares them to the pagans who don’t believe in the one true God. Worrying shows a lack of faith in God. When Christians worry, they act as if God doesn’t exist.

Dr. E. Stanley Jones, in his book Transformed by Thorns says:

I am inwardly fashioned for faith, not for fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so made that worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. I live better by faith and confidence than by fear, doubt, and anxiety. In anxiety and worry, my being is gasping for breath–these are not my native air. But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely–these are my native air. A John Hopkins University doctor says, “We do not know why it is that worriers die sooner than the non- worriers, but that is a fact.” But I, who am simple of mind, think I know; We are inwardly constructed in nerve and tissue, brain cell and soul, for faith and not for fear. God made us that way. To live by worry is to live against reality.

Do you live against reality? Are you more inclined toward fear or faith? If we really trusted God to take care of all of our daily needs, we would never worry. I don’t know what you are worrying about today, but I do know that if God takes care of the birds of the air and the grass of the field, he will take care of you. Stop wasting your time worrying! Spend you time worshipping!

The Priorities of Life (33-34)

After Jesus expounds upon the futility of worrying, he tells his followers that they need to rearrange their priorities according to God’s kingdom. Instead of focusing on the trivial and temporal things of life, Jesus’ disciples are to seek first his kingdom and righteousness. A contemporary translation of this verse may go something like this: “Put God first in everything, and he will give you what you need! Make God your life’s top priority and he will take care of everything.”

George Muller Massena, one of Napoleon’s generals, suddenly appeared with 18,000 soldiers before an Austrian town which had no means of defending itself. The town council met, certain that surrender was the only answer. But the old pastor of the church reminded the council that it was Easter, and begged them to hold services as usual and to leave the trouble in God’s hands. They followed his advice. The pastor went to the church and rang the bells to announce the service. When the French soldiers heard the church bells, they concluded that the Austrian army had come to rescue the town. They broke camp, and before the bells had ceased ringing, vanished.

It really is true, if we always put God first in our lives, he will take care of us! If we make him our top priority, he will give us everything we need! What is your top priority in your life?

I would like to share with you what my high school football coach taught me about priorities. He always preached to us that our priorities should go like this: faith, family, school, football, and last, girls. For a high school kid, that is pretty good. For an adult, I would slightly change it and suggest: faith, family, vocation (work), health, and then hobbies and recreation. If these priorities get misplaced, your life gets out of whack. For instance, if you put your family before your faith, you are guilty of the sin of idolatry and you will not be the kind of father or mother God wants to be. If you put your job before your family, you will lose your family. If your hobbies or having fun come before your job, you are irresponsible and probably won’t get very far in life.

It all starts with God though. If your relationship with God is right and strong, everything else in your life will fall into place. If your relationship with God is not right, it is only a matter of time until your life begins to fall apart. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be given to you as well.

Jesus concludes his teaching about worrying with a proverb: Worry over tomorrow’s misfortunes is nonsensical, because they may never come to pass. Today has enough problems already.

Remember God’s sovereignty! Pursue him above all else! Take care of today’s problems! And tomorrow will be fine!

 

 

The Value of Extravagance
Mark 14:1-11

My grandmother loves perfume, but my grandfather would never buy it for her because he considers it an unnecessary and wasteful extravagance. I can remember when I was a kid, every time we went into a department store with her, she would stop by the perfume counter, smell the various fragrances, and spray a dab on her wrists from one of the tester bottles.

One year when I was about twelve years old, my sister and I wanted to get her a bottle of perfume for Christmas. But we didn’t want to get her just any old perfume; we wanted to get her favorite, White Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor. So, a few weeks before Christmas, my sister and I scraped our money together and snuck away to the perfume counter.

When I asked the clerk how much for a bottle of White Diamonds, she replied, “Fifty dollars.” My eyes almost popped out of my head! I wanted to ask her if there were real diamonds in the bottle, but instead, I just asked if she had a smaller bottle. She said, “I’m sorry but this is the smallest bottle I have.” Fifty dollars was all we had, but in a moment of surprising sibling agreement, we decided to buy it.

When Christmas morning arrived, we were just as excited for her to open her gift as we were to open our own gifts. As she tore open the wrapping paper, a look of amazement came over her face and tears of gratitude flooded her eyes.

I will never forget that look on my grandmother’s face. I will never forget the scent of White Diamonds! That Christmas, not only did I learn something about the cost of perfume, I learned something about the value of extravagance.

An Extravagant Anointing (1-3)

Well, it was a couple of days before the Passover and Jesus and his disciples had gathered for a meal at the home of Simon the Leper in the village of Bethany, three miles outside Jerusalem. Neither the identity of Simon the Leper nor the purpose of this meal is given. Simon was probably one of the lepers that Jesus had healed and the meal was perhaps given as an expression of thanksgiving.

After the meal was finished, everyone was relaxing around the table, a woman anoints Jesus with a bottle of perfume. Mark does share the woman’s identity, but we know from John’s gospel that it was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who were also from the village of Bethany. We don’t know how Mary acquired this white alabaster jar of pure nard, but we know that it was imported from India and was very expensive.

Mary takes what was likely her most precious earthly possession, breaks the jar, and anoints Jesus by pouring a year’s worth of wages over his head. The beautiful aroma filled the room. This anointing was an act of extravagance; an extraordinary expression of love, adoration, and sacrifice for Jesus.

When we see Mary’s extravagant act, it forces us to think about how we show our love and adoration for Jesus. What is your most precious earthly possession? Would you be willing to sacrifice it for the Lord?

Wasteful Spending (4-5)

Well, not everyone was impressed with this act of extravagance. Mark does not name those who reacted negatively to the “waste” of perfume, but Matthew tells us that it was the disciples and John tells us that Judas Iscariot led the charge. They protested by asking, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” His indignant objection seemed pious, but he didn’t really care about the poor; he was the treasurer of the Twelve and had a habit of dipping into the money bag for his own selfish purposes.

It is also interesting that these disciples railed on Mary for her wastefulness when they were often the beneficiaries of her hospitality. I guess they never learned the proverb: “don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”

People always like to complain about other people’s wasteful spending. For instance, how many of you have family members or neighbors who waste money? How many of you believe that our government wastes money? Accusations of wasteful spending are always comes down to differences in values. What you think is a waste, someone else thinks is important; what you think is important; someone else thinks is a waste. Our spending always shows what we value!

What do you think? Was Mary’s act of extravagance a waste? Mary certainly didn’t think so! Did Mary not value the poor? I’m sure she did; but she valued Jesus more. What do you value?

The Beautiful Rebuke (6-9)

What did Jesus think about this act of extravagance? We would expect him to react the same way as the disciples, but he doesn’t. He immediately comes to Mary’s defense. Instead of condemning her, they should have commended her. Her action of anointing Jesus was a beautiful expression of her love and gratitude toward him, and she should not be berated for it.

In addition to being an expression of love and devotion, Jesus interpreted Mary’s act as an anointing of his body beforehand in preparation for his burial (This is somewhat like making funeral prearrangements). Typically, bodies were anointed with perfume after death, not before. Time for such an expression of love and devotion while Jesus was with them was running out. On the contrary, opportunities for helping the poor would continue. And indeed, Jesus’ prophecy is still being fulfilled: we are still talking about Mary’s act of devotion 2000 years later.

Does Jesus’ rebuke show a lack of concern for the poor? Absolutely not! Jesus constantly showed his compassion for “the least of these” throughout his ministry, but he was not going to take this expression of love away from Mary.

Some people have posed the questions—how, as Christians, are we able to feast or celebrate in a world with so much poverty and suffering? How do we reconcile our lavish Thanksgiving celebrations with all the need that exist in our world? Are we ever justified in giving Christmas gifts to one another? Is there ever a place for extravagance in the Christian life?

Here is the way I believe Jesus would answer these questions: balance! If we constantly neglect the poor to support extravagant living, we are guilty of selfishness. On the other hand, occasional extravagance can be a beautiful thing and have a profound and lasting impact. So, enjoy your Thanksgiving feast next week; just don’t do it every day!

A Costly Betrayal (10-11)

Immediately, after the anointing, we learn of Judas’ duplicity as he offers to betray Jesus to the chief priests. Mary’s extravagant act of devotion stands in stark contrast to Judas’ act of betrayal. Isn’t it ironic that right after Judas complains about Mary’s extravagant waste, we find him betraying Jesus to the chief priests for a few silver coins? He is willing to sacrifice Jesus to obtain material gain for himself; on the other hand, Mary sacrifices her most precious material possession for Jesus. Mary will always be remembered for her act of devotion; Judas will always be remembered for his act of betrayal.

These verses ought to make us ask the question: How will you be remembered when you are gone? Will you be remembered for your greed or your generosity? Will you be remembered for your duplicity or your devotion? Will you be remembered for your selfishness or your sacrifice? Will you be remembered for your betrayal or your faithfulness to Jesus?

Some of you may have seen the Danish film “Babette’s Feast” which won the Academy Award for “Best Foreign Film” in 1987. It is my second favorite movie of all time and I watch it every year around Thanksgiving time. It is the perfect illustration of the value of extravagance.

The story is set in 19th century Denmark and centers around two sisters who live in an isolated village with their father, who is the honored pastor of a small Protestant church. Although they each are presented with a real opportunity to leave the village, the sisters choose to stay serve their father and their church. They always ate a meager meal of bland fish soup so that they could use their modest resources to help people in need.

After some years, Babette, a refugee from the French Civil War, arrives at their door, begs them to take her in, and commits herself to work for them as maid/housekeeper/cook. Sometime after their father dies, the sisters decide to hold a dinner to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth. Meanwhile, Babette unexpectedly wins the lottery and implores the sisters to allow her to prepare the meal. Although they are secretly concerned about what Babette, a Catholic and a foreigner, might do, the sisters allow her to go ahead, but the church members all agree in advance not to enjoy the meal.

Babette purchases the finest china, crystal, and linen with which to set the table and imports the most luxurious ingredients from France. Then she prepares the feast of a lifetime, with the perfect wine to complement each of the six courses. The church members simply cannot resist enjoying the meal and the whole experience transforms their lives—old conflicts are healed, old prejudices pass away, old memories are celebrated, and new relationships begin. After the feast they discover that Babette was the famous former Chef of the Café Anglais the most prestigious restaurant in France. They also discovered that the meal cost 10,000 francs, the full amount of her lottery winnings. Babette sacrificed everything she to show her love and devotion to her friends. She, like Mary of long ago, knew the value of extravagance!

Do you know the value of extravagance?

 

The Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:5-15

Since I did not grow up going to church, the term “prayer meeting” was not a part of my vocabulary. Now I had heard of prayer before, but the idea intimidated me. I was pretty sure I knew what a meeting was, but generally, I was opposed to them. But when I was seventeen years old and a brand new Christian, I saw an announcement in the bulletin for a prayer meeting at the little country church that I was attending, and I felt like God wanted me to go to it!

I will never forget my first prayer meeting! It felt a little strange going to church on a Wednesday night, and as I reluctantly entered the sanctuary, I asked myself, “What am I getting myself into?” I was rather relieved to see only five or six people there. They were all sitting in the front pew discussing prayer requests while one man was recording them in a notebook.

I just sat there and listened as they talked about their concerns for health, family, community, and country. After a while, they asked me if I had any prayer requests. The question caught me off guard a bit and I struggled to come up with a good prayer request. Everyone in my family was healthy; my grades (at that time) were decent; and I already had a girlfriend. I wasn’t sure what else to pray for, so I said, “You could pray that my football team wins our game on Friday night.” Their somewhat perplexed and slightly irritated faces told me that this prayer request was unacceptable, but no one said anything.

After this, they all knelt down at the altar and began praying out loud one at a time. The man on the far end started and they went right down the line, praying between five and ten minutes apiece. I was next to last in line and was getting more nervous with every prayer. When it was finally my turn, I was frozen with fear. I didn’t know what to say. Thankfully, the person at the end of the line realized the situation, and he finished the prayer meeting.

My first prayer meeting taught me that I didn’t really know how to pray. Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever wanted to pray, but you just weren’t sure what to say or how to do it? Do you want to know how to pray or pray better?

Well, when the prayer meeting was over, the group encouraged me and thanked me for coming. Even though I felt ashamed that I didn’t know how to pray out loud, I began to attend the prayer meeting regularly. At one point, I asked one of the men how he learned how to pray so well. He opened up his Bible to Matthew 6 and showed me what Jesus taught his disciples about prayer. He told me that the Lord’s Prayer isn’t just a prayer to recite; rather, it is a model for how we should pray all the time. He said, “When you understand the Lord’s Prayer, then you will know how to pray well.”

This morning, I would like to do for you what that man did for me. I want to show you what Jesus taught his disciples about prayer. In verses 5-8, he shows us the wrong way to pray and in verses 9-15 he shows us the right way to pray. As we heed Jesus’ warnings and follow his model for prayer, I hope that it will increase your knowledge of prayer, improve your practice of prayer, and boost your confidence in prayer. Let’s see what Jesus teaches us about prayer!

The Wrong Ways to Pray (5-8)

Hypocritical Prayer (5-6)

Jesus warns his disciples not to pray like the hypocrites, who loved to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Neither the posture nor the place of prayer was the problem. Throughout the Bible there are many examples of people praying while standing up, sitting, kneeling, or laying prostrate on the ground. Likewise, there are examples of people praying in the temple, the synagogue, on the streets, and in the countryside. The problem is their motivation for prayer: “to be seen by men.” They position themselves where they can be most noticed. When Jesus says that they have received their reward, he means that if their goal was to get the praise of men, they have received it.

On the contrary, Jesus tells his disciples to go into their room, close the door, and pray to the Father. Then, the Father, who is unseen, will see what is done in secret, and reward them accordingly. Jesus is not forbidding all public prayer; he prayed publically throughout his own ministry and corporate prayer was a high priority in the early church. But the person who prays more in public than in private is more interested in human approval than divine approval.

As with most of the topics Jesus covers in the Sermon on the Mount, he moves beyond outward behavior and gets to the heart of the issue. Here, the real issue is not whether we pray in public or private or whether we pray standing up, sitting down, or kneeling at an altar; the issue is our motivation for prayer. And if the motivation of your prayer is to impress other people, it is hypocritical and you will not be rewarded by God.

Offering public prayer requests can be a way of seeking human praise or approval. If the same person has a prayer request every week or they go overboard in explaining the request, they may be attempting to say, “Hey! Look at me! See how spiritual minded I am!” Another way that people try to impress others in prayer is by using big words or flowery language. I know some people, who when they speak, they use normal modern English, but when they pray, they use some heightened seventeenth century Shakespearian English, as if God only hears prayers that sound like the King James Bible. We would all do well to check our motivation for prayer!

Pagan Prayer (7-8)

Jesus also warns his disciples not to pray like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many babbling words. His point is that his disciples should avoid meaningless, repetitive prayers that are offered under the misconception that they will be answered on the basis of their length. In the ancient world, the pagan gods allegedly thrived on incantation and repetition. But again, he is getting to the real heart of the issue: trying to manipulate God. The real God, to whom Christians pray, does not need information about our needs; he already knows them.

If we think, “If I just use the right words or if I repeat my prayer enough times, God will give me what I want,” we are sadly mistaken and we are guilty of praying like unbelievers. God cannot and will not be manipulated in prayer. He is our heavenly Father, and he wants us to simply come before him in confidence and trust.

Jesus is not condemning long prayers, liturgical form prayers, or spontaneous prayers; for he himself did all of these things. Some people accuse liturgical form as being pagan while others accuse spontaneous prayers as being pagan. The reality is that either one of these can be pagan if they become thoughtless babble!

The Right Way to Pray (9-13)

Once Jesus shows his disciples some wrong ways to pray, he then focuses on teaching them the right way to pray. Notice how he introduces what now call “The Lord’s Prayer.” He says this then is “how” you should pray. If he just wanted his disciples recite the prayer, he would have said this then is “what” you should pray. Jesus presents this short prayer as a model or pattern for all prayers. Therefore, let us consider the five components of this model prayer.

First, the invocation “Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name” recognizes and praises God for whom he is. “Our Father” refers to his personhood and authority and his fatherly care and concern for his children. “In heaven” refers to his transcendence and sovereignty. “Hallowed” literally means “holy” or “set apart.” It simply refers to God’s holiness.

So, the first thing that we should do when we pray is to reflect upon and praise God for his character. It doesn’t have to be limited to just the aspects of his character mentioned here, but our prayers can also include praise for his creation and creativity, his justice and mercy, his protection and faithfulness, and the list could go on and on. If we really gave God the praise that he deserves, our prayers may go on for quite a while!

Second, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is a petition asking God to finish the work he started. Jesus inaugurated God’s kingdom on earth when he was here in human flesh, but the kingdom has not been consummated yet. This request is asking for the all the future events that are recorded in the Book of Revelation to take place: Christ’s return, the overturning of the present evil order, and the restoration of earth to its heavenly state.

Don’t you long for a place where evil doesn’t exist? Don’t you want to live in a place where there is no more disease, destruction, or death? Well, how often do you pray “thy kingdom come?”

Third, after focusing on the future kingdom, Jesus tells his disciples to pray for their daily needs on earth to be met. “Give us this day our daily bread” acknowledges God as the provider of every physical need, as the Israelites learned when God provided daily manna for forty years. They were always one day away from starvation, and yet they always had enough for that day.

This is the part of the Lord’s Prayer in which we are most familiar—asking God for things. God wants us to ask him because he wants us rely on him instead of ourselves. If we humbly lay our needs and desires before him, we will have plenty to pray about.

Fourth, asking for forgiveness and forgiving others should be a regular part of our prayer life. Jesus uses the words “debts” and “debtors” because all sins place us in debt to God. The point is made in verses 14-15 that someone who refuses to forgive others neither understands nor has received Christ’s forgiveness.

Again, if we think about all the sinful deeds we do, the sinful words we say, and the sinful attitudes we harbor in our hearts, we will have plenty to pray about. Likewise, if we think about all of the people who sin against us, it ought to drive us to prayer so that we might forgive.

Fifth, if the preceding request for forgiveness is curative spiritual medicine, “and leads us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” is preventive medicine. Satan and his demonic minions are constantly trying to tempt people to commit acts of sin and evil, so Jesus tells his disciples to constantly pray for deliverance from the evil one.

If we stop and think about all of the ways that we are tempted to sin, we realize our deep need for deliverance. This reality ought to drive us to prayer all of the time!

Finally, although the doxology “for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen” is found in a few ancient manuscripts of the Lord’s Prayer, the overwhelming majority do not contain it. It was probably not a part of the original prayer that Jesus gave, and that is why it is not included in the text.

So, why do we include the doxology when we say the Lord’s Prayer together in church? There are two primary reasons: first, it is theologically true and profound; the kingdom, the power, and the glory do indeed belong to God forever, and it is good to remember this. Second, the doxology was added for liturgical purposes very early in the church’s history. It is an appropriate way to end the prayer, especially when recited together corporately. It is rather ironic that most Protestant churches include it for tradition’s sake, while most Roman Catholic churches do not include it.

Well, now that you know the wrong way to pray and the right way to pray, I hope you will pray! I hope that you will not just recite the Lord’s Prayer on Sunday mornings; but use it as a model for your prayer life every day! And as I mentioned at the beginning of this sermon, I hope that it will increase your knowledge of prayer, improve your practice of prayer, and boost your confidence in prayer!

 

The Anatomy of a Murder
Matthew 5:21-26

After church was finished last Sunday, all I wanted to do was go home, eat lunch, and enjoy a peaceful afternoon watching the New England Patriots beat up on the New York Jets. And that was exactly what happened; until I turned on my computer to check the status of my fantasy team. When my computer turns on, it automatically goes to my homepage, where I can read the day’s news headlines. I wasn’t planning on reading any non-related sports news, but when I saw the breaking story about a massacre at a day spa outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I immediately thought to myself, “Not another shooting spree!” but I felt compelled to read on. As I pondered and prayed for the victims and their families, my peaceful afternoon was ruined.

Murder has become epidemic in America! We saw it last Sunday at a salon in Wisconsin. We saw it a few months ago at a movie theater in Colorado. And it was only last March when St. Johnsbury Academy teacher Melissa Jenkins was brutally murdered right here in Vermont.

When we hear stories like these, I think that most of us ask the question “why.” It is hard for us to understand why anyone would do something like this. What would possess someone to kill another person? What goes on in the mind and heart of a murderer?

Some of you have seen the 1959 Jimmy Stewart film Anatomy of a Murder, which critics have called one of the best courtroom dramas of all time. In the film, a United States Army Lieutenant is arrested for the murder of an innkeeper. As the defense attorney tries to get his client off the hook with a temporary insanity plea, the audience is forced to examine its merits and make a judgment on the motive of the murder—thus, viewing the anatomy of a murder.

This morning’s Bible reading is similar to that old Jimmy Stewart film. As Jesus was teaching his disciples about the ethical demands of God’s kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount, he deals decisively with the issue of murder. But he doesn’t just reaffirm the Sixth Commandment, when it simply says, “Thou shalt not murder.” Jesus gets to the real heart of the issue. Let’s take a look at Jesus’ lesson on the anatomy of a murder!

Anger: The Heart of Murder (21-22)

Jesus begins this section with the first of his “You have heard that it was said…but I say to you” statements. Each of these refers back to a section of the law and the rabbinical tradition that came along with it. Unfortunately, over the generations, the rabbis limited their interpretation of the law to its most literal meaning; that is, they emphasized the letter of the law and completely missed the spirit and purpose of the law.

This is exactly what had happened to the Sixth Commandment—“Thou shalt not murder.” The tradition emphasized the mere prohibition of wrongly taking human life and the judgment that would result from such a crime (the Old Testament law called for murderers to receive the death penalty). But Jesus exposes the heart of the original law—the root of murder is anger, and anger is murderous in principle. A person has not obeyed God’s law by simply refraining from homicide, but the angry person is guilty of murder of the heart and will be subject to judgment too. For Jesus, the outward action and the inward attitude are both important.

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her class of five and six-year-olds. After explaining the commandment to honor thy father and thy mother, she asked, “Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?” Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, “Thou shall not kill.”

Most people are proud of the fact that they have never killed anyone. If you ask someone if they are a good person, most people say, “Yes, I am a good person.” Then if you ask, “What makes you a good person?” their first response is, “Well, I’ve never killed anyone.” So, for those of you who have never killed anyone, I would just like to say, “Good job! Way to go! You have technically kept the Sixth Commandment!”

But I would also like to ask you: “Have you ever been angry with someone? Are you angry with someone right now? Do you harbor any bitterness in your heart? Are you holding on to a grudge against anyone? If so, you have the heart of a murderer and you are in danger of the same judgment!

Insults and Name-Calling are Forms of Murder (22b)

Jesus goes on to give a couple of examples of the ways people outwardly express the anger that is in their hearts. When he says, “anyone who says to his brother ‘Raca’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin”, he is asserting that insults are a form of murder—a murder of the spirit rather than the body. “Raca” is an Aramaic term of contempt which literally means “empty-handed.” The term’s modern equivalent would be calling someone a blockhead, an idiot, or accusing someone of “not having much upstairs.” Insults and abusive words were considered much worse in Ancient Jewish culture than they are today. Name calling was a big deal because of the cultural importance placed on public shaming. Verbal offenses could be punished by the Sanhedrin, the local Jewish court.

But Jesus points to a much more serious punishment using abusive words. When he says “anyone who says ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell” he is saying that anyone who lashes out in anger by resorting to name calling is not only in danger of human judgment, but they are also in danger of divine judgment. The Greek word translated here as “You fool” is “moros” from which we get our English word “moron.” Saying “Raca” or calling someone a fool was essentially the same thing. All of Jesus’ listeners knew that murder was wrong and they also knew that they could be judged by the local court for insulting someone, but they did not know that anger was a form of murder or that verbal insults and abuse would put them in danger of the fires of hell.

This ought to make all of us stop and think about the words we use and the way we use them. Verbal abuse is so common in American culture that we don’t even realize it. We have become desensitized to it. It is bad enough that it happens in our schools, workplaces, and sports fields, but it is even worse when it happens in our living rooms and bedrooms.

Insults, threats, and name-calling all stem from the anger within us and they murder other people’s souls. So, before you call someone the F-word, the A-word, the B-word, the C-word, the N-word, the R-word, or the X, Y, or Z-word, realize that you are putting yourself in danger of the fires of hell. Before you unleash your anger on someone, think about what you are doing!

Quick Reconciliation: The Cure for Anger (24-26)

Now that we have seen the seriousness of anger, what should we do about it? In verses 24-26, Jesus presents two illustrations which answer this question. The first is in the context of worship and the second is in a judicial setting. The first concerns a brother and the second an adversary.

Remarkably, neither illustration deals with “your” anger but with “your” offense that has prompted your brother’s or adversary’s anger. Why would Jesus do this? We are more likely to remember when we have something against others than when we have done something to offend others. And if we are truly concerned about our anger and hate, we will be no less concerned when we hurt others. This shows a reciprocal principle. Whether it is your anger or someone else’s anger, the cure is quick reconciliation.

First, Jesus says “if you are offering your gift at the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” So important is the issue of anger toward another member of the Christian community and so urgent is the need for reconciliation that the act of worship should be interrupted until the relationship is reconciled. Our relationships with other people affect our relationship with God. Only then is formal worship acceptable to God.

Second, Jesus urges his disciples to be quickly reconciled to their adversaries. He says, “Settle matters quickly with you adversary who is taking you to court.” It is better to reconcile before it gets to the court because you can’t trust how the court is going to decide. If it goes to the court, it may turn out badly.

Jesus is telling us that the cure for anger is quick reconciliation. Whether you are angry with someone or if you know that someone is angry with you, it is your responsibility to seek reconciliation. For most of us, seeking reconciliation is difficult. Most of us would rather ignore it, brush over it, or just say, “Well, that’s their problem! Let them deal with it!” Some of us would rather pout and play head games saying, “Well, they should be the one to take the first step, not me!” According to Jesus, this is not true. Regardless of who is at fault, it is always our responsibility to seek reconciliation, and to do it quickly before it festers and grows worse!

Are you angry with someone? Is someone angry with you about something? Are you in the midst of a conflict with someone right now? If so, I urge you to stop what you are doing, even if that means leaving church early today, and go be reconciled to your brother or sister, your father or mother, your co-worker or classmate, or whoever it is! Do it as quickly as possible before it gets worse! Then your worship will be acceptable!

During the days of the “desert fathers” (a 4th century Christian movement that tried to renew the church), a young man came to his spiritual mentor and father-figure named Sisoes. The young man blurted out, “I was hurt by my brother in Christ, and now I’m angry and I want to avenge myself.” The older man tried to comfort him, but he also gave him a gentle warning: “Don’t do that, my child. Rather, leave vengeance to God.” But the young Christian refused to listen to Sisoes. Instead, he became even angrier and loudly said, “I will not quit until I get even.”

When Sisoes saw that reason alone wouldn’t change the young man’s heart, he quietly said, “Let us pray, brother.” After a pause, Sisoes offered the following prayer: “O God, apparently we no longer need you to take care of us since we can now avenge ourselves. From now on we can manage our own lives without your help.” When the young man heard this prayer, he immediately repented. Falling at Sisoes feet, he cried out, “Have mercy on me. I am not going to fight my brother anymore.”

Jesus died on the cross to reconcile our broken relationship with God! He also died to reconcile our broken relationships with one another! Now that we have seen the anatomy of a murder, let us let go of our anger! Let us stop murdering each other! Let us fall before the feet of Jesus and say, “Have mercy on me. I am not going to fight my brother anymore!”