July 30 - The Widow's Offering

I've grown up hearing the inspiring story of the widow that gave her last two pennies. It's a story we use to inspire ourselves and others to give generously.

"And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

So when I've read Jesus' words spoken about her, I would hear his amazement - his holding her up as an example to us all.

About this time last year, I heard an interesting sermon from a Dallas pastor I respect a lot (Matt Chandler). He opened my eyes to see this passage in a different light.

Look where this story sits.

The passage just before it has Jesus teaching - saying beware of the scribes. The scribes, as he described, "like to walk around in long robes, and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

And the passage just after the widow's offering has Jesus coming out of the temple, with one of his disciples admiring how wonderful the temple was, with its stones and buildings. Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

There are countless verses about giving generously in the bible, but I wonder (thanks to Matt) if the widow's offering is really one of them?

Jesus is talking about the scribes that like to devour widow's houses. Then Jesus looks at the widow that is giving all she has to a temple that Jesus says is about to be demolished. Hear Jesus words spoken, but instead of admiration for her, try to imagine him shaking his head, as though to be shaming the scribes strutting around in their long robes while this poor lady is giving all.

“Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."

If it helps, try to imagaine Jesus' words to a poor person that picked up the phone and gave every dime she had to a cheesy televangelist. She, out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on." Those words suddenly sound sympathetic.

Application:
In interepreting the passage this way, it's certainly not an excuse to avoid giving generously. The bible is far too full of encouragement to give. I think it can be a word of caution to church leaders - to be careful with how they spend their resources - and a reminder that Jesus is sympathetic to the faithful poor while the rich church leaders strut around in their long robes.

July 18 - Changed by the Resurrection

Over the past 3 days, I've read about Peter's betrayal - claiming not to know Christ at His trial, to being beaten for speaking boldly. These are stories of Peter's action before and after Christ's resurrection.

Before Jesus' Death
Matthew 26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

After Jesus' Resurrection
12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed
17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

July 16 - Heavenly Meal

On the night of Jesus' betrayal, he was having a passover meal with his disciples. The following passage is famous - heard in many churches every Sunday.

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”

I don't know that I've ever read that passage and locked in on the heavenly feast. Jesus says, "I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

Some might suggest he's not being literal. Seems to me he is, especially in light of so many verses suggesting Jesus will (does) have a physical body - the resurrected body lifted into the clouds in Acts 1. The body that will come again "in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11). It's exciting to think about. A few more passages that talk about the banquet:

Matthew 8:11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

Revelation 19:9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

“If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven” C.S. Lewis

July 15 - Sheep and Goat Behavior

Jesus talks to His Sheep and Goats at the Final Judgement Matthew 25:31-46

What Jesus will say to His sheep: For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.

What Jesus will say to the goats: I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.

Sheep: Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?

King: Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

Goats: Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?

King: Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

July 13 - Humility

During my reading this year, I've noticed that topics sort of run in stretches. Lately, I can't avoid the idea of humility. It has jumped off the page. It was also the topic of discussion last Sunday at church. From today's reading alone:

Psalms 149:4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.

Jeremiah 9:23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

Matthew 23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

I feel repetitive talking about a proper stance toward God - one of humility - one of going to him humbly seeking mercy. But then again, you just can't get far in your reading without coming across it. Maybe there's a message in there God's trying to communicate....

July 10 - Through His Eyes

Today's reading included Matthew 20 and Psalm 145. Psalm 145 is a psalm of praise. Matthew 20 tells of two blind me that cried out for mercy from Christ as he passed by. "They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him."

Read Psalm 145 and imagine being one of them - formerly blind, now full of sight. You make your way over to the temple. You don't want to hear someone read it to you. You want to read it for yourself. As you're reading it, you keep looking over at Jesus who had pity and touched your eyes.

Great Is the Lord
A Song of Praise. Of David.
145:1 I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.

10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to the children of man your [6] mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

[The Lord is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.] [7]
14 The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

July 4 - Not the Other Way Around

Psalm 130: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

Verse 4 is interesting. In fact, it seems counterintuitive to say we fear because there is forgiveness.

Another translation (NLT) says "you offer forgiveness that we might learn to fear you". Ye olde King James version says "there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared".

In going to my study notes, I read: The consequence of God forgiving should be that His forgiven people fear Him. Fearing God, a term that in the Old Testament virtually means trusting God, shows itself in obedience and worship. "If you take seriously the guilt of sin, you will take seriously the grace of forgiveness."

So it could be said like this: God's provision of grace to people that don't deserve it, once received, should be life-changing. Forgiveness leads to obedience and worship - not the other way around.

July 2 - Jesus, An Offense

Jesus, as perfect and loving as he was, was an offense to many around him.

This morning, I wondered, what if those that find Jesus offensive today had the opportunity to sit in a boat with him, while the sea raged, and were to witness him waking up from a nap to command the storm to be quiet. What if they could walk off the boat and then see him spend a day raising someone from the dead, giving sight to the blind and words to the mute? What if after all that, Jesus turned to them and said he's divine, and the only way, that no one goes to the Father except through him? Would they fall down in fear, realizing they he's the only source of ultimate mercy?

Of course they would, right? Maybe. Maybe not. Many believed because of his works. Many didn't. A few examples from Matthew:

Matthew 11:20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”

Matthew 12:22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”

Matthew 8:28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. 31 And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” 32 And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. 33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.