Unexpected

Blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over Me.   Matthew 11:6

Been teaching the book of Matthew to the high school bunch at church.  The Sunday before Christmas, we did the chapter where Jesus sends his disciples out and tells them they are going to be treated badly and they are not going to be universally popular.  And this Sunday, Jesus receives messengers from his cousin, John the Baptist, who announced Jesus to the world, but is beginning to have his doubts as he sits in prison.  Jesus does nothing to change John’s situation, but praises him as the greatest man who has ever lived.  Shortly thereafter, John is beheaded.  One would have expected Jesus to do something more practical….like get John out of jail with the help of some angels or something.

Frankly, these just aren’t the  kind of passages we Christians really groove on….especially not at Christmas time.  (You should have seen the look on a couple of faces when I explained the circumstances of John’s beheading.)   I went ahead and taught it because: a) it IS in the Bible, b) Jesus was the one who said it, and c) we absolutely need to hear it.  Jesus just is not Santa Claus.  He’s not going to make everything all better for us and give us everything we want this side of eternity. 

The Kingdom of Heaven is near.  God loves us.  Jesus died so that we could have life.   But He’s not always going to bail us out of bad situations.  Jesus says we’re blessed if we don’t stumble over Him, if we don’t lose faith when He doesn’t do what we expect Him to do.

The Christ of Christmas

The angels famously announced this at Jesus’ birth:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  Luke 2:14

But there is more and some of the most challenging words come from Jesus himself.  As he sent his disciples out, he told them:

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.  Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”  Matthew 10:34-38

Baby Jesus in the manger is wonderful and an incredible story, but we dare not think that’s the whole story.   I’m teaching Matthew to a group of high school students at church and Matthew 10 happened to land the week before Christmas, which is a little awkward, frankly.  Cause Jesus grew up and turned the world upside down and said disturbing and challenging things that really bother us.  He’s not a baby anymore.  He is the central figure of all history and we all have to decide whether we worship him, or reject him, or temporarily avoid him (that IS temporary you know.)   In any case, we dare not treat him as a child.

Follow. Period.

Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”   But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”  Matthew 8:21-22

Maybe the guy’s dad had just passed away and the funeral was that afternoon, but I think more likely the guy’s dad was old and the son was expected to carry on the family business.  The fellow described above offered a perfectly reasonable negotiation position: he wanted Jesus to know he thought a lot of him, but that he felt an obligation that came first.  After he took care of this other thing, he’d catch back up with Jesus.  Jesus’ response was fairly ruthless and pointed.  He said, in effect, “Follow.  Now.  No excuses.”

Is there some area you’ve been negotiating with God?  I think his response is above.

Faith, Healing, and Cheerleaders

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”   When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”   ”Yes, Lord,” they replied.  Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.   Matthew 9:27-30a (NIV)

The idea that God heals people is one most people go for.  And the idea that somehow faith is important is also one people agree to.  Where it gets a bit sticky is understanding how faith influences God to heal.  The extremes range from: a)those that figure God is in charge and he’s gonna do what he’s gonna do , to b) those that claim if you muster up enough faith you can kinda get God to do what you want him to.

Matthew 8-9 contains lots of stories of Jesus healing leprosy, paralysis, fever, demon-posession, bleeding, blindness, inability to speak….even death.  People’s faith in Jesus was a key element in the stories.  I think that the appropriate shape of that faith was the belief that Jesus was sent from God and that he could heal them if he was willing.  Not that he necessarily WOULD, but that he absolutely COULD, so he was the person to ask.

I was teaching this part of Matthew to a group of teenagers at my church last week and was trying to make this point.  I challenged them to tell me how faith and healing interfaced, even if they had a different take on what these passages teach.  I pressed them on what this might look like, to explain it in their own words, so that I would know they were at least listening and wrestling with the idea.

One of the guys, a football player dating a cheerleader,  said, “We’re like cheerleaders saying ‘You can do this,  God.  C’mon, God. ’”  I don’t think I can improve much upon that.  Cheerleader theology is a sound, Biblical explantion of faith and healing.  I just love that……

Becoming Less

He must become greater; I must become less.   Matthew 3:30  (NIV)

John the Baptist was losing influence .  Jesus was taking over centerstage.  Above is John’s response. 

Am I willing to become less?  How much less?  Really?  That much?

Finesse

There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.   What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight.  What is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.  Matthew 10:26b-27

I spoke with a young man recently that was in a kinda difficult situation.  He was being pressured to do something that, it seemed to me, he really didn’t want to do.  His plan was to use finesse, to be diplomatic, and to choose his words and actions carefully.  

Want a recent example of this?  Our president tried to use finesse in announcing his plans for Afghanistan.  The “I’m sending 30K troups but we’ll begin bringing troups home in July 2011″ part was where the finesse comes in.  Obama’s words were meant to appeal to both those that believe the US needs a bigger presence in the region, and to those that believe we need to get out.

The challenge is that finessing a situation means walking a rasor-thin line.  One one side is compromising what you know to be true and on the other is deceiving people.  I don’t suggest insensitivity or rudeness or just plain stupidity, but it is very, vey important to guard our integrity and our hearts.  It’s hard to do that and conceal what we really think and hide what we really believe and stay emotionally and spiritually healthy….especially over any extended period of time.  Acting and speaking what we truly believe, “what is whispered in your ear,” is the better course. 

I sell for a living.  The company I works for makes some great stuff that works well and I can sell it with confidence.  But every now and then, we’ll get something to sell that maybe turns out to be not so great.   And I think, “nothing is hidden that will not be revealed.”   Guess what, the company still wants me to produce sales.  And they pay me.   Yet there are some things and some offers that I just don’t aggressively promote to my customers that trust and count on me.  It costs me sometimes, and it may even cost me my job someday…..like if my boss reads this blog today.

So anyway, I really believe the verse above is important, because Jesus said it and because in practice it’s the best way to live and to lead.  Be careful with too much finesse.

Thanksgiving

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.  Serve the LORD with gladness;  Come before Him with joyful singing.   Know that the LORD Himself is God;  It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;  We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.   Enter His gates with thanksgiving  And His courts with praise   Give thanks to Him, bless His name.   For the LORD is good;  His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.   Psalm 100

I’m constantly amazed at how prone I am to think the world revolves around me, even when I consider the THINGS I give thanks for.  I need to be reminded as I thank God for family and the other good things in my life on this Thanksgiving Day that the absolute best thing to be thankful for is God Himself.

Dinner Guests

We had a Thanksgiving Potluck  Dinner at church last night in a driving rainstorm.  I figured we’d have a pretty slim crowd.  Our pastor has made some changes this past year and not everyone has been enthusiastic and supportive.  So even when the sun’s shining and we aren’t asked to bring food, attendance has been spotty at times, at least by us “regulars.”  Our average attender has traditionally been: a) white, b) middle-class, 3) brought up in a Baptist church, and 4) has 2.5 children.    But along the way some new people have begun showing up.  And when we started a food pantry and gave away food, some more new people surfaced.  And some of them brought their friends and family.  So our Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner looked a little different this year.  We had some dinner guests that we wouldn’t have a while back.   Reminded me of this little interlude in Matthew (and please remember who wrote Matthew.)

Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.  But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”  When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do.”  Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’  For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”  Matthew 9:10-13 (NLT)

So I’m pretty enthusiastic about our rainy, messy dinner last night: where we barely had enough food, where some people had to bring extra for those that would bring little, where a few young people helped with much of the set-up and tear-down and clean-up, where some of our guests went back through to take food home for Monday.  I wish some more of our “regulars” had been there to join in.  I’m pretty sure Jesus really, really loves our dinner guests.

Slack

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Matthew 7:2 (NIV)

I know how I want to be judged: with a whole lot of slack,  a whole lot of understanding,  a whole lot of grace.  That should effect how I judge others.

Treasures in Heaven

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.   Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.   In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.  1 Tim 6:17-19 (NIV)

If  I’m living in America I fit the “rich” category.  Jesus warned about laying up treasure here, accumulating more stuff.  Instead he tells me to lay up treasure in heaven.  He never exactly explained how, but Paul helps out Timothy with insight.

He says, “Do Good.  Be rich in good deeds.  Be generous and willing to share.”

Aren’t Christians more likely to be taught, ”Avoid Evil.  Don’t sin.  Be careful with your money and take care of your own.”

That’s different, isn’t it?