Green Pastures and Still Waters
- Details
Some people seem to have a real knack for "pushing our buttons." You probably have someone in mind even as you read these first few sentences. Of course we're not talking about our "happy buttons" we're talking about the buttons of controversy, strife and maybe even anger. Jesus had some button pushers, they were called Pharisees. They were not religious, they used religion. They were not teachers, they were false teachers. They talked about God but they did not know Him. Their actions betrayed their real motives, they were known by their fruit. One of the ways they sought to push Jesus' buttons was by asking Him questions on controversial subjects. They asked Him about Sabbath matters, about interpretative hot buttons and, as we'll see this week, about marriage and divorce, (Matthew 19). Here we are, two millennia later and things still get heated over the following subjects. What is marriage? Is divorce ever permissible? Can a person marry someone else after they have been divorced? Is it better to remain single? Do children really matter? Wonderfully, Jesus didn't take sides with the contemporaries of His day. He simply went back to God's intention. Apparently, the rabbis had a rule, "The more original, the weightier." Jesus used their rule and said, "Have you not read...?" I smile almost every time I read that line. He was asking the so called teachers of the law if they ever remember reading the early sentences of Genesis! God's definition of marriage and His intent is relatively simple and quite clear. God made male and female. They should become one flesh. What God puts together, people should not take apart. Of course, if you reject the goodness of God, the inspiration of the Word and the brilliance of Jesus, it "makes no sense" to hold on to a 4,000 year old writing from the Prophet Moses! But, for those of us who claim to be Jesus' followers, we, of all people, should not be so vain to think we can say Jesus meant something other than what He said. If we believe Jesus is the Son of God; the express image of God's person, then we really need to take Him at His Word. Don't let anyone "push your buttons" on this. There is no need to fight, argue, hurl insults or demonstrate contempt. Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly. His teachings on marriage are God's good intentions. Our Lord came full of "grace and truth," let's walk in His steps and graciously hold the truth while inviting others to His good life.
- Details
Between the influence of movies filled with intrigue and some of my relatives, I always wonder if there is something more going on than we know. Of course that is true because we are finite beings and we cannot possibly stay current on all the things happening in our world. But I wonder about things like Kennedy’s assassination, Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance, the Benghazi mess and missing airliners. I’m not really into Aliens or Bigfoot theories but I do think there is a fair amount of “covering” that goes on in the world “under the sun.” Thankfully, nothing is covered to God. He knows the story behind all these things and no one will ever “get away” with anything. Because He has this stuff covered, I don’t really have to worry about knowing it or figuring it out. But our propensity to this makes me think. Maybe we’re wired to be suspicious about things “as they are” because there really is more going on than we currently see on the surface. Maybe there are more things going on in the world than what is reported in the evening news. Maybe the newspaper people really do make a concerted effort to ignore certain realities. Maybe there is movement just under the surface of what we see. Maybe a Kingdom like we have never seen before is growing like a plant into something fantastic and beautiful. Maybe people are being drawn to this because they know deep down there “has to be more than this.” Could our Creator be at work? Maybe all these people reading about the events of Passion Week, praying, going to Good Friday services and Easter Celebrations are on to something. Maybe this death, burial and resurrection story is more than a metaphor for Spring time faith and optimism. If all that is true, it seems a bit subversive to me. I’m sure some would ask, “Why is something else necessary? What’s wrong with the established system, with democracy, free enterprise and the United Nations…we’re doing just fine, right?” Wrong. And there are no “maybes” about it, God is up to something. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand…but it will take a new viewpoint to see it and become a part of it. Join the Subversion, see you Sunday ☺.