April 7, 2012: The Fortieth Day of Lent

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen.]” ~ Matthew 6.13 ~

Christ closes out his example prayer by including a request to not be led into temptation and to be delivered from evil. The first request may strike the audience as odd; would God be the one to lead a person into a situation where one might be tempted? Christ does not mean to imply that God stands as the cosmic puppet-master, driving his own followers to sin. Rather, the language seems to fall in line more with an idea of God testing one’s faith. The audience on the mountain that day would have heard this phrase and thought of times when God had tested those faithful to him in various ways. Examples of this would include Abraham being commanded to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22) and the Israelites in the wilderness being forced to rely on manna for their daily food (Exodus 16).

Shelton points out that disciples pray to be spared from temptation not because they do not trust God or believe in his power; rather, in keeping with the spirit of the Beatitudes, they recognize that “apart from God they have pitiful resources to resist evil.” (LitSNTC, pg. 168) Accordingly, the disciples beg for deliverance.

The bracketed section of the prayer above does not appear in the earliest and best Biblical manuscripts. However, it does appear in the Didache, an early church document written specifically to address doctrine and practice. It may have been a responsive section that the community of faith placed into their gatherings. (LitSNTC, pg. 168) However it was used, it does affirm the important points of prayer:

1. To God belongs the Kingdom. This heavenly kingdom stands in opposition to earthly and spiritual forces that would attempt to assert their authority over God the Father and the Kingdom of Heaven. Part of being Christ’s disciple means that those who follow the Savior must drop their allegiances to other powers and work to further the Kingdom of God.
2. To God belongs the Power. What power do we, frail creatures as we are, have in and of ourselves? This phrase recognizes that all power comes from God. Those who find themselves in positions of strength must remember God’s hand at work in their lives, and those who find themselves in places of weakness must look to God for the strength they cannot find anywhere else.
3. To God belongs the Glory. In the Kingdom of Heaven, all glory should be directed to God alone. Vain ambition and selfish motives need not apply. The ambassadors of the Kingdom live to make God famous and lift him up in the eyes of others.
4. Forever. This is not a temporary state of affairs; this is the enduring reality of the Kingdom of Heaven.

As followers of Christ, Lent leads us to this place: to be able to affirm, deeply in every corner of our heart, that we lay our petty plans, our self-conceit, and our selfish ambition at the foot of the Cross. Lent leads us to a place of crucifixion: that along with Christ, all the ways that we oppose the Kingdom of Heaven are executed. Lent also leads us to resurrection: that along with Christ, we experience the reawakening and renewing of God’s Holy Spirit within us so that we may be faithful ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven, sharing the realities of the Beatitudes with others.

Lord Christ, let me experience the death of that which opposes you in my life. Transform me into a faithful servant for your glory. Amen. 

*This blog has “gone dark” during the time between Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday, in recognition of the time Christ spent in the tomb.

Quote taken from Dr. James B. Shelton’s contribution on the Gospel of Matthew to The Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary. Edited by French L. Arrington and Roger Stronstad. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.

March 14, 2012: The Twenty-First Day of Lent

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ~ Matthew 5.19, 20 ~

Having explained his relationship to the Law, Jesus now “ups the ante” again before getting into specifics. Since he has come as the fulfillment of the Law, to accomplish what the Law could not do in establishing proper relationship, he encourages his audience not to abolish the law themselves. Christ did not come to abolish the Law; why should those who hear his message abolish it? Rather, Christ has come to fulfill the Law, and his disciples participate in that fulfillment. If people do not live according to the fulfillment of the Law –  they do not live in righteousness, proper relationship between God and creation as brought about by Christ – then they have missed the point. They have missed the Kingdom of Heaven.

But the audience would have been confused here. At this time, who teaches the Law and follows it faithfully? The scribes and the Pharisees do – but how can one be more righteous than them? If the scribes and Pharisees have no share in God’s Kingdom, how could anyone?

As he does at other points in his ministry, Jesus calls out the scribes and Pharisees here for missing the point. They still operate by the unfulfilled Law, valuing its regulations above its goal of reuniting God and creation. Time and again, Christ will take issue with the religious elite on this point. Shelton says this: “The issue was the quality and end of the law, not its quantity.” (LinSNTC, pg. 158)

Earlier in the chapter, Christ told us who the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to  – the poor in spirit, the persecuted ones. Those who have embraced the truths and the realities that we saw in the Beatitudes. This is the fulfilled law – the Law as Christ intended it to be. The religious elite, for all their discussion, study, and teaching, have missed the point.

In the next section, Christ will begin practical demonstrations of this by again “taking things to the next level.” He will do this to demonstrate the heart of the Law so that his audience can look past the technicalities of it. But for today, we might do well to consider the idea of righteousness. If we believe that life as a Christian is living by a set of proper behaviors, beliefs, and feelings, then we have missed the point – just like the scribes and Pharisees. We have replaced their ancient law with our own updated version, but we are guilty of the same mistake.

Rather, righteousness is found in the realities of the Kingdom of Heaven as Christ taught in the Beatitudes. Blessed are those who live by these teachings, for they are living the Law as Christ intended.

Lord Christ, please continue to write your Law upon my heart. Help me to get past the understandings of, “Christians do this, Christians don’t do that.” Let my guiding star be my relationship with you. Amen. 

Quote taken from Dr. James B. Shelton’s contribution on the Gospel of Matthew to The Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary. Edited by French L. Arrington and Roger Stronstad. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.

March 12, 2012: The Nineteenth Day of Lent

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”

~ Matthew 5.17 ~

In this section of teaching, Jesus changes gears somewhat. Having spoken about the realities of the Kingdom of Heaven in the Beatitudes and also the role of his disciples in the world, he now turns his attention to the Hebrew Law. In the Gospels, we can see that Jesus’ opponents among the religious elite often criticize him for not following the Law or for not interpreting it “correctly.” Christ is going to take advantage of this opportunity to describe his relation to the Law in the verses that follow.

Also, a perspective on Matthew’s aims as the writer of this Gospel can help us here as well. Matthew wrote his Gospel for a Jewish audience; he’s going to tell the story of Christ and his ministry in such a way that Jews will not only understand it, but so that they will also be compelled to belief by it. The question of Jesus’ relation to the Law of Moses would be a central question in the Jewish mindset. Matthew addresses this topic early in his Gospel; the Sermon on the Mount is the first large block of teaching within the book.

So what is Jesus saying? We must remember that Christ himself was a Jew, and faithfully lived as one. The Hebrew Scriptures and the Law of Moses were the scriptures he read and the Law he kept. He did not come to erase it. He did not come to make it null and void. Rather, he came to build upon it, to take it to the next level.

James Shelton says this: “Here Jesus makes it clear that he is not out to destroy the law but to fulfill it and even intensify it. He sets higher standards. His major concern is why a law exists; he insists that keeping of law begins with the attitude of the heart. By this principle Jesus simultaneously affirms the value of the people and the law. In this respect he fulfills the law as anticipated by Jeremiah: ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ (Jer. 31:33b)” (LitSNTC, pg. 158)

Many of the upcoming verses will illustrate how Christ intensifies the Law. However, it helps to remember the Beatitudes here; these are the foundation. In the upcoming verses, we will see the Law of the Kingdom illustrated. Christ has no interest in rules for rules’ sake. Rather, he cares about proper relationship; between God and creation, between one person and another. Following a code of law is not the desired endpoint; instead, Christ desires proper relationships.

How do you see your faith? Do you make decisions based upon your understanding of what a Christian should and shouldn’t do? We can easily wind up here if we make our faith into a list of attributes or behaviors that “all good Christians” have and do. But Christ calls us to something different: he calls us to leave our checklists and preconceptions behind, and let our lives be guided and energized by the overflow of our relationship with him. There is simply no substitute for time spent in God’s presence, for it is in those moments that he writes his law upon your heart.

Lord Christ, I would rather have your fulfilled law than my misunderstandings. I confess that I have not spent the time with you that our relationship needs. Remind me of the importance of this, Lord. Please bring about renewed relationships; show me what’s really important when I interact with you and others. Amen. 

Quote taken from Dr. James B. Shelton’s contribution on the Gospel of Matthew to The Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary. Edited by French L. Arrington and Roger Stronstad. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.

March 6, 2012: The Fourteenth Day of Lent

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

~ Matthew 5.10 ~

Jesus wraps up the poetry portion of the Beatitudes with this teaching. Interestingly enough, when we look back at verse 3, we see there that the Kingdom of Heaven also belongs to those who are poor in spirit. The first and last sayings of this poetic progression speak of those who are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. This insight should help us understand the teachings in the middle. As we have been observing, all of the Beatitudes speak of the life of the believer within the Kingdom of Heaven in various ways; the “bookends” of this section confirm this for us.

Christ continues to speak in ways that may not make sense at first glance. Persecution and discrimination against Hebrews by the Roman occupying forces would not have been uncommon. How are persecuted people blessed in any way? We must remember that the rules are different in the Kingdom. Christ mentions that the blessed ones are persecuted because of their righteousness; clearly, the persecuting ones do not align themselves with the Kingdom. Until the day comes when Christ returns in power, there will be people attempting to establish authority over one another. These temporal kingdoms of earth will try to overcome the beginnings of the Kingdom of Heaven by making life difficult for those who represent the Kingdom of Heaven.

However, the persecuted ones live in a state of blessedness. Why? Because they do not belong to a power that will inevitably be swept away. Rather, their allegiance lies with the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. All other earthly powers are mere blips on the radar in comparison.

Yet, because of the “already-not yet” nature of the present, persecution exists. Here in the United States, we do not suffer persecution for our faith; oftentimes, our efforts to live properly with God and others are accepted even by those who do not share our faith. Occasionally, there may be some pushback or disagreement from those who have differing views; however, this does not rise to the level of persecution present in other parts of the world. In places such as Egypt and China, we see other faiths and political structures attempting to rid their nations of the Gospel. Blessed are those who suffer estrangement, loss of property, beatings, and even martyrdom, for they belong to a Kingdom which will not pass away with time.

Like it or not, Christ puts persecution on his path of discipleship; when we follow Christ, and experience the accompanying spiritual growth, the enemy will not stand idly by. We can expect some level of opposition. Even though in the US we are not faced with the threat of death or imprisonment for our beliefs, the enemy of our souls will fight against our growth in Christ somehow. Jesus challenges us to persevere in our own lives and pray for our fellow persecuted believers. Are you experiencing opposition to your spiritual formation? What form does this take for you? Also, do not let us forget our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in danger. Let us surrender ourselves, and them, to the Lord.

Lord Christ, thank you for this encouraging truth. Please be with me; do not let me be overcome by evil. Help me to withstand temptation and opposition. Lord, I also lift up my fellow believers who are suffering greatly for their faith. Comfort and aid them. Strengthen all of us to run the race that you have set before us. Amen. 

March 1, 2012: The Ninth Day of Lent

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” ~ Matthew 5.6 ~

The poetic progression of the Beatitudes continues. As we become aware of our own spiritual bankruptcy and repent of our sins, God brings about a desire in us for things to be made right. We see our own deficiencies in our relationships with God and others that we live with, and we begin to desire that these relationships be strengthened and that the wounds we carry be healed. Christ describes this desire in terms of physical necessity. One does not survive without food and water, and so this craving for things to be made right should not be seen as a want but a need.

But what is righteousness? We may have heard at some point that “righteousness” means, “right-standing with God.” Jesus’ audience would have heard the word and thought of living according to the Law of Moses. But, as we will see later, Jesus does not define “righteousness” by the Law of Moses alone; and, indeed, if you choose to be righteous by that measure, you have a difficult road ahead. The Hebrew understanding of righteousness involved proper behavior and conduct, both with God and others. However, Jesus ups the ante by placing this Beatitude within his teaching progression. Our righteousness, our way of living, must be governed by gentleness. Proper behavior, conduct, and relationship with God and others are governed by gentleness, grace, and forgiveness in God’s Kingdom.

Don’t we yearn for this? A reality where we lay aside selfish ambition and old grudges; where we can trust others and be freely trusted. A kingdom where both God and his creation are given their proper place. This is the Kingdom of Heaven; Christ says that those who hunger and thirst for this will be satisfied. When we look around, we can easily see that righteousness is not the norm. However, we can also see the Kingdom of Heaven breaking into places, much like rays of sunlight reaching through clouds to shine on the earth below. You might recognize here part of the “already-not yet” idea we talked about. Christ does not promise immediate satisfaction here; but he does promise that our deep yearning, our need for righteousness will be satisfied in his Kingdom, when the Kingdom comes fully.

In the meantime, as ambassadors of Christ’s Kingdom, we should be aware of what Christ stirs in us. In what ways do we long for righteousness? Is there a particular relationship that God is placing on your heart that needs healing? Perhaps it is your relationship with God himself. Or maybe there is an aspect of the world you live in that saddens your heart; God is drawing your attention to it. God desires to fix the broken places in our lives and in our world as much as we need to have them fixed. Today, listen to these desires of your spirit; and listen to what Christ would say to you about them.

Lord Christ, I see my brokenness and the brokenness of the world around me, and I desire for things to be made right. Things can’t be fixed fast enough! Help me to place myself in your hands, to treat others with your love and grace, and be your ambassador in a world that desperately needs you. Speak to me on how to do these things. Amen.