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:) My Jesus

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

The disciples were always jockeying for position. They all wanted to be the first, the best, the closest to Jesus with a high position in the Kingdom. So we can imagine their surprise at the answer Jesus gave to the question in Matthew 18:1, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Jesus answered:

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. ⁶“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. ⁷Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!

Jesus, Matthew 18:1-7, New International Version, accessed from BibleGateway.com

Children are a blessing from God and parenting is a sacred trust and a great responsibility. Jesus welcomed children.

We have seen throughout our study of the life and teachings of Jesus so far that it is not the rich and powerful who will be first in the Kingdom of God. It will be the meek, lowly, humble, peace-loving and childlike who have overcome the temptations of this world to become hardened, angry, greedy and violent who will lead the way into the kingdom of God.

Dig a Little Deeper:

What have you learned about the Kingdom from watching children”

What Did Jesus Really Teach?

Please take the time to watch this 5 minute video from Richard Rohr author of The Cosmic Christ.

For more information on Richard Rohr please visit the website for the Center for Action and Contemplation.

And Who is My Neighbor?

Jesus often taught by asking questions. He also told a good story as a teaching tool (the parables). I chose the Parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of both. This is also a message we need to hear today. It is clear, plain and needs no interpretation. All we need to do is live it.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” —Luke 10:25-37, New International Version, Accessed from Bible Gateway.com

Dig a Little Deeper:

Who is your neighbor?

Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” — Teaching of Jesus from the Bible, Matthew 6: 25-28 NIV, accessed through Biblegateway.com

This should be so easy, but it is so difficult, isn’t it? From an early age we are taught we must provide for ourselves. And society tells us we are a “failure” if we do not provide not only the basic needs, but are also not wealthy in the eyes of the world.

How often do we say “I need that” when we really don’t? Wanting something because of what it represents in terms of power or prestige is not the same as needing it. When you look at our country, the United States, how much suffering do we create in other parts of the world by our greed?

Trusting that “God will provide” is not easy. This is something I know about. I have worried and fretted over not having enough and wondering how we would just survive. I have tried and tried to find ways to bring in more money, but those attempts only made matters worse. But I have also seen provision in the form of needs being met in the most unlikely of ways. When I lost enough weight that my clothes no longer fit I worried about being able to afford new clothes. Then friends started showing up with bags full of clothes. Let me tell you, God does have a sense of humor.

We have been notified by a state we haven’t lived in for 20 years about “lost money” the Treasurer’s office had been holding for us. When the grocery budget has been tight sales and discounts have been plentiful. A doctor waved his fee with no mention being made of financial hardship. I’m sure you have stories like these. These are all ways God provides, but how many times do we overlook them?

Worry is hard on the body and the mind. It makes us sick. So, isn’t it time to heed the words of Jesus, “do not worry about your life?”

Dig a Little Deeper:

How has God provided for you?

The Christian Life

“The Christian life is a life that consists of following Jesus.” ~ A.W. Pink

To learn more about A.W. Pink see:

https://www.theopedia.com/arthur-w-pink

Dig a Little Deeper:

What does following Jesus look like in your life? Is your life the reflection of the Christ of God Jesus portrayed in the Scriptures, or do you simply follow the man, Jesus, while controlling your own life?

A Den of Thieves?

Today we are looking at the account of Jesus driving the money changers out of the Temple. I chose the version of this story from John 2:13-17, New International Version, accessed from Bible Gateway.com.

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[c]

John 2:13-17, New International Version, accessed from BibleGateway.com

I chose the story of this incident from the book of John because it clearly shows that Jesus was angry, to put it mildly. How does this apply today? Have we turned our churches into markets? Or as accounts from other Gospels say “a den of thieves?”

Are you saddened when you see churches being run as big businesses? Do you know of churches where the Senior pastor has the title of CEO or functions as one? Have you ever attended a church that charged for everything from Sunday School literature, to classes, to church dinners, to children’s Vacation Bible School? Doesn’t this exclude certain people? Does your church operate a bookstore where books and other religious merchandise are sold? Do you know that some churches charge for prayer or spiritual guidance?

Dig a Little Deeper:

What do you think Jesus would think about our big buildings with even bigger budgets? Would Jesus come into our churches today and start turning things upside down?

Going the Extra Mile

³⁸“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’^[h] ³⁹But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” –

— Jesus. Matthew 5:39-51, NIV, Accessed from Biblegateway.com

This is one of those difficult teachings of Jesus that we would like to cut out of our Bible’s isn’t it? It definitely goes against our Western sensibilities.

Dig a Little Deeper:

What are some ways you can go that extra mile with someone in your own life?