Matthew 6:9-13
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
What really struck me in this passage ("The Lord's Prayer", Jesus' example of how we should pray) was the part about food (yes, I am a huge fan of both Jesus and food so I was pretty excited to find them both in Matthew 6).
If you re-read the passage, paying extra attention to food part, you see that when Jesus teaches us to pray, he does so in the future tense. So often, for many of us, the only consistent time we pray is when there is food in front of us or even after we've already eaten, but Jesus example was about, before anything happened and before we even thought about where our next meal was coming from, recognizing that it is God who sustains us and provides for us. I think for many of us we ignore God all day long, sit down to dinner and, in our hearts, pray "God, this food looks great and I worked my butt off earning the money to buy it and/or cook it. Oh, PS, thanks for anything you might have had to do with it. Amen."
Maybe it's time for a change.
Showing posts with label Matthew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matthew. Show all posts
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Admiring the Vision
Matthew 6:1
Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Not long ago, I visited an unfamiliar church. I was seated in one of their pews and decided to entertain myself by rifling through the many cards and pamphlets that were available. Among others, I found one card that said in big, bold letters: "I give electronically". It had a spot to write your name and date and included fine print that read: "If you donate online or by bank draft you may use this card to participate in the offering during worship services." I felt an immediate unsettling in my spirit: this is not right.
What should a gift to God look like? Well, my friends at Merriam-Webster define a gift as "something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation" and I see nothing in that definition that conflicts with Scripture. So, both Jesus and M-W tell us that when we give a gift, we should give it without expectation of compensation, whether that looks like the choice piece of Communion bread (don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about), a stroked ego, or even the praise and admiration of our peers.
So why then would a church use a card like this? Well, since the people using it "donate online or by bank draft", both the congregant and the church would already have a record of the transaction, so that's not it. The card states that its purpose is to allow the user to "participate in the offering", but if you donate online or by bank draft, haven't you already participated in the offering? You are left with no choice but to believe that this card is a modern-day example of exactly what Jesus was speaking out against in Matthew 6: sinners' need to be admired by others and their willingness to trade that admiration for the reward that God has for them.
Do I think the leadership of this particular church have no regard for the vision that God has for their church? Not at all. My guess is that they have let the wants a few misguided congregants (who also happen to give electronically) interfere with that vision. I think one of the strongest signs of the spiritual health of a church (or almost any organization or individual) is the willingness of the leadership to discern the vision that God has for them and then to pursue that vision despite all of the distractions that the masses have to offer. Isn't that something that we have all experienced?
Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Not long ago, I visited an unfamiliar church. I was seated in one of their pews and decided to entertain myself by rifling through the many cards and pamphlets that were available. Among others, I found one card that said in big, bold letters: "I give electronically". It had a spot to write your name and date and included fine print that read: "If you donate online or by bank draft you may use this card to participate in the offering during worship services." I felt an immediate unsettling in my spirit: this is not right.
What should a gift to God look like? Well, my friends at Merriam-Webster define a gift as "something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation" and I see nothing in that definition that conflicts with Scripture. So, both Jesus and M-W tell us that when we give a gift, we should give it without expectation of compensation, whether that looks like the choice piece of Communion bread (don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about), a stroked ego, or even the praise and admiration of our peers.
So why then would a church use a card like this? Well, since the people using it "donate online or by bank draft", both the congregant and the church would already have a record of the transaction, so that's not it. The card states that its purpose is to allow the user to "participate in the offering", but if you donate online or by bank draft, haven't you already participated in the offering? You are left with no choice but to believe that this card is a modern-day example of exactly what Jesus was speaking out against in Matthew 6: sinners' need to be admired by others and their willingness to trade that admiration for the reward that God has for them.
Do I think the leadership of this particular church have no regard for the vision that God has for their church? Not at all. My guess is that they have let the wants a few misguided congregants (who also happen to give electronically) interfere with that vision. I think one of the strongest signs of the spiritual health of a church (or almost any organization or individual) is the willingness of the leadership to discern the vision that God has for them and then to pursue that vision despite all of the distractions that the masses have to offer. Isn't that something that we have all experienced?
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Spirit of the Law
Matthew 12:9-14
He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"— so that they might accuse him. He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
I read this passage today, and it really struck a chord with me; not because I had tons of deep, theological thoughts on it, but because I think this passage shows us a little nugget of Jesus' character that I can really appreciate: he's pretty crafty.
As a crime/legal drama junkie (Law & Order of all persuasions, Boston Legal, CSI in any location, Outlaw, you name it), there was another part of this passage that stuck out to me: Jesus sought to carry out the spirit of the law rather than the letter.
Reminiscent of one of my favorite Law & Order characters (ADA Jack McCoy), Jesus does not allow the letter of the law to prevent him from using any means necessary to carry out the spirit of the law. I think that may be my little take-home nugget today: don't get so hung up on doing things the right way that you don't do the right thing.
He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"— so that they might accuse him. He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
I read this passage today, and it really struck a chord with me; not because I had tons of deep, theological thoughts on it, but because I think this passage shows us a little nugget of Jesus' character that I can really appreciate: he's pretty crafty.
As a crime/legal drama junkie (Law & Order of all persuasions, Boston Legal, CSI in any location, Outlaw, you name it), there was another part of this passage that stuck out to me: Jesus sought to carry out the spirit of the law rather than the letter.
Reminiscent of one of my favorite Law & Order characters (ADA Jack McCoy), Jesus does not allow the letter of the law to prevent him from using any means necessary to carry out the spirit of the law. I think that may be my little take-home nugget today: don't get so hung up on doing things the right way that you don't do the right thing.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Family Ties
Matthew 10:37-39
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
This piece of scripture has always been a wake-up call for me, which I guess is a good thing, sort of. You see, I've always had a great family, and have always really loved my family. I count my wife, parents, brother, in-laws, and extended families not only as relatives, but as friends. I tell and show my wife that I love her every chance I get, I try to talk to my parents and spend time with them as often as I can, I regularly have meals and hang with my brother; you get the idea. But with all of the ways that my love for my family is evident in my life, it leaves me wondering: "Is my love for my Savior that evident?"
I think that's something that I'll continue to ponder and strive for for a long time.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
This piece of scripture has always been a wake-up call for me, which I guess is a good thing, sort of. You see, I've always had a great family, and have always really loved my family. I count my wife, parents, brother, in-laws, and extended families not only as relatives, but as friends. I tell and show my wife that I love her every chance I get, I try to talk to my parents and spend time with them as often as I can, I regularly have meals and hang with my brother; you get the idea. But with all of the ways that my love for my family is evident in my life, it leaves me wondering: "Is my love for my Savior that evident?"
I think that's something that I'll continue to ponder and strive for for a long time.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Hurt at Home
Matthew 5:44-45
Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.
Recently, our small groups have been talking about persecution. Persecution is something that we usually associate with foreign countries, so I want to look at it a little closer to home.
When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that he was persecuted in His own country and by His own people. As Christians, we are called to act as Christ did; to literally be 'little Christs'. So, to me, if we're doing our job and acting as Christ acted, we should probably expect the same treatment Christ received.
If we take a look at recent headlines, we see Church burnings, shootings, and illustrations of the growing prejudice against Christians in our country. Whether the methods involve intimidation or violence, the intent is to prevent Christianity from spreading.
Persecution is a daily occurrence in this country, and although it is not always as severe as some of the stories that we hear from around the world, the frequency and severity seem to be increasing.
More and more we are told where we can display scriptures and religious symbols, prayer is often frowned upon or even prohibited in public, and the word 'Christmas' is increasingly replaced by 'holiday'.
With all that said, you may be surprised to learn that I think a good deal of this is our fault. You see, by standing around and watching these events occur, we tell the world that our freedom of religious expression is not important to us. Every time shop at a 'holiday' sale, we're telling retailers that we don’t care whether they call it Christmas or not. And, every time we are too weak or scarred to start a prayer group or Bible study in our school or office, we're saying "You might as well ban Bible studies, because none of us care enough to start one anyway."
The good news about this struggle is this: The outcome is clear; God wins and no one can stop him. In the mean time, we have two choices: we can let the persecution, name calling, and nasty looks bother us, we can quit praying when we go out to eat, we can keep our Christianity a secret and just slide by, or we can hold our heads high, stand firm, and use persecution as a means to share our faith and grow the Kingdom.
It's really your choice. Either way, we’re going to be persecuted. But, for us, I don't think it should be not about the persecution that we endure, but about how we use that persecution as a means to love people into a relationship with Christ.
Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.
Recently, our small groups have been talking about persecution. Persecution is something that we usually associate with foreign countries, so I want to look at it a little closer to home.
When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that he was persecuted in His own country and by His own people. As Christians, we are called to act as Christ did; to literally be 'little Christs'. So, to me, if we're doing our job and acting as Christ acted, we should probably expect the same treatment Christ received.
If we take a look at recent headlines, we see Church burnings, shootings, and illustrations of the growing prejudice against Christians in our country. Whether the methods involve intimidation or violence, the intent is to prevent Christianity from spreading.
Persecution is a daily occurrence in this country, and although it is not always as severe as some of the stories that we hear from around the world, the frequency and severity seem to be increasing.
More and more we are told where we can display scriptures and religious symbols, prayer is often frowned upon or even prohibited in public, and the word 'Christmas' is increasingly replaced by 'holiday'.
With all that said, you may be surprised to learn that I think a good deal of this is our fault. You see, by standing around and watching these events occur, we tell the world that our freedom of religious expression is not important to us. Every time shop at a 'holiday' sale, we're telling retailers that we don’t care whether they call it Christmas or not. And, every time we are too weak or scarred to start a prayer group or Bible study in our school or office, we're saying "You might as well ban Bible studies, because none of us care enough to start one anyway."
The good news about this struggle is this: The outcome is clear; God wins and no one can stop him. In the mean time, we have two choices: we can let the persecution, name calling, and nasty looks bother us, we can quit praying when we go out to eat, we can keep our Christianity a secret and just slide by, or we can hold our heads high, stand firm, and use persecution as a means to share our faith and grow the Kingdom.
It's really your choice. Either way, we’re going to be persecuted. But, for us, I don't think it should be not about the persecution that we endure, but about how we use that persecution as a means to love people into a relationship with Christ.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Prepare the Way
Matthew 3:3
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'"
As I was reading about John the Baptist today, I was challenged, so I'll pass that challenge on to you:
Do our words, actions, and attitudes prepare the way for Christ in others' lives? What about in your own life?
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'"
As I was reading about John the Baptist today, I was challenged, so I'll pass that challenge on to you:
Do our words, actions, and attitudes prepare the way for Christ in others' lives? What about in your own life?
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Dead Men Walking
Matthew 27:50-53
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.
It's 'funny' how you can read the same passage of Scripture sixty times and get something different out of it every time.
I read this today and its imagery really struck me: you're standing in Jerusalem on the day of Jesus' death and not only does the temple curtain tear, the earth shake, and the sky go dark, but just to make sure you notice that something huge just happened, the bodies of Godly people who died years ago are wandering through the streets.
It's hard to halfheartedly believe something that crazy. The scripture isn't a metaphor; it's not a simile; it doesn't use 'like' or 'as'; it happened. Either you believe that real dead bodies hopped up out of their real graves and walked into real Jerusalem, or your Jesus is not the one described in the Bible. How's that for an acid test? Pretty crazy.
What are your thoughts? Leave them as comments.
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.
It's 'funny' how you can read the same passage of Scripture sixty times and get something different out of it every time.
I read this today and its imagery really struck me: you're standing in Jerusalem on the day of Jesus' death and not only does the temple curtain tear, the earth shake, and the sky go dark, but just to make sure you notice that something huge just happened, the bodies of Godly people who died years ago are wandering through the streets.
It's hard to halfheartedly believe something that crazy. The scripture isn't a metaphor; it's not a simile; it doesn't use 'like' or 'as'; it happened. Either you believe that real dead bodies hopped up out of their real graves and walked into real Jerusalem, or your Jesus is not the one described in the Bible. How's that for an acid test? Pretty crazy.
What are your thoughts? Leave them as comments.
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