With all our heart, soul and mind

With all our heart, soul and mind

Scripture:

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40

Observation:

The run of testing continues for the Lord. Pharisees and Sadduccess are likewise silenced and the awe of the people grows at the wisdom of the Lord. Just then, an expert in the law tests him a tough question “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”. The natural reaction of most people would be to name the first of the ten commandments, “You shall have no other gods before me”. However, the Lord instead quotes from Deuteronomy 6:5, that we are to love the Lord our God with all your heart and all our soul and all our mind.

What is love? There is the love between a man and a woman (Eros), a brotherly love (Phileo), and than unconditional love (Agape). It is Agape here that is applicable, a love so strong that it continues even in the face of every hardship, a love that persists even when not reciprocated. True Agape love can only originate in God. It is only when we receive God’s Agape love, that we are able to reciprocate to love Him and to love others.

Love is not merely an emotion, but also a mindset, a choice, a conscious decision to set ourselves to do and wish for the very best of the other person. To love God is to seek to do what pleases Him.

The way we love God is described in the Scripture here as “with all your heart”, “all your soul” and “all your mind”. What is the difference between heart, soul and mind?

The basic Hebrew Word used here actually means to love God with our all. However, in an effort to help the reader understand more completely, translators try to segregate it as heart, soul, and mind, or heart, soul, mind and strength.

The heart speaks of our emotion. The mind speaks of concentrating and thinking solely about God. The soul speaks of our innermost being, our spirit man. Strength speaks of our body. Basically, all that we have belongs to God, and we are to worship Him with all we have.

Humanly, it is impossible to obey this commandment perfectly all the time, every waking hour, every minute and second. In fact, based on this commandment alone, all fall short of the glory of God. We all need Jesus as Savior to save us. It is only after salvation, when empowered by the Spirit, that we can love God in this way.

“The second commandment is just like the first” Jesus says. And to love our neighbor as ourselves truly all the time is also not possible in our human effort. At all times, our internal selves call out to satisfy our own lusts and wants first. How hard it is to put others before ourselves. Yet in the Spirit, we are able to do so. However, it is a lifelong process to learn to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Application:

The Jews meditated on this verse daily, reminding themselves the important of loving God again and again. How often do we ask ourselves if we are loving God? Practice, even in a quiet moment, to just close our eyes and firstly think of His perfect Agape love for us. Then seek to love God with all our heart, letting the Spirit flow through us and love Him. Fill our mind’s eye with thoughts of seeking Jesus, clothed all in White, loving and gentle. Focus on loving the Lord from the deepest part of our being. Pray to the Lord regularly to teach us to love Him this way.

Remember the command to love our neighbors as ourselves. As we interact with others, constantly consider “if I were them, what would they like me to do?” When we encounter resistance from our own needs, pray to the Lord for strength to have that servanthood mindset according to His will.

Prayer:

We praise You and love You, Lord, for You first loved us. Shower us with Your love, loving Heavenly Father, that we may learn how to reciprocate and love You with Your perfect, agape love. Teach us to fill our minds with loving You, to love You with all our emotions, to love You from our innermost spirit.

Teach us too to love others O Lord, even as we love ourselves. Help us to have that servanthood mindset, that we may learn to treat others as better than ourselves, and to genuinely care for others and help them where we can.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

God of the living

God of the living

Scripture:

That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh.  Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching. Matthew 22:23-32

Observation:

First, there were the Pharisees and the Herodians who tried to catch Jesus on the question concerning the imperial tax. Then, that same day, came the Sadduccees who tried to press home their belief that there is no resurrection.

Smugly, they presented the hypothetical case of the woman with seven husbands, and the question of which husband she would belong to at the resurrection. To them, there was logically no resurrection since such a ludicrous situation could not be allowed to happen according to the wisdom of Mosaic law.

However, the Lord used the opportunity to press home some very important points about the afterlife. Firstly, at the resurrection, there will be no more marriages between people. Marriage is an earthly institution, divinely ordained for life on earth alone. Secondly, at the resurrection, people will be like the angels in heaven. Angels do not marry each other, but serve God wholeheartedly in their individual capacity.  Finally, the Lord then addresses the whole error of the Sadduccee concept of no resurrection by declaring how in Scripture, God declares “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”. God’s declaration is present tense, indicating that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are all very much alive, albeit in Heaven.

Application:

Close your eyes and meditate for a moment on the afterlife, on the resurrection of the dead. Our life on earth is fleeting, passing quickly like a breath of air. Some may say everything ends when we pass from this earth, drifting into nothingness. However, Jesus says that this is not so, and that there is a resurrection. He even describes how life at the resurrection will no longer involve marriage but that people will be like angels

Consider the Lord’s words to the Sadduccees “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God”. Do we know the Scriptures and the power of God? To know the Scriptures, we need to spend time reading it, meditating on it, reciting it even from memory. The Jewish concept of meditating on Scripture in the Bible is likened to the digestion of the cow, chewing it, swallowing it, regurgitating it to chew again and swallow. That’s how deeply we need to meditate on and think of Scripture.

Some are good in the Word but lack the power of God while some have high experiential knowledge in moving in the power of gifts of the Holy Spirit but are not grounded in the Word. We need both to be balanced and effective in the long term for the Lord. The power of God is something that comes from faith. It is in believing and calling upon God that we begin to see miracles, prayers answered, and God moving in divine ways in our lives. A lot of this stems from desire. How badly do we want to see God work miracles in our lives?

God is God of the living and not of the dead. We who walk after the Holy Spirit in Jesus name have life. We who walk after our own sinful desires are dead. If God is our God, and He is God of the living, we too must walk in life.

Prayer:

We praise You and thank You, Heavenly Father, for the time that we have here on earth. Forgive us, Lord, for our tendencies to fritter time away, to run after the pursuit of worthless things. Draw us and teach us, Lord, to use our time wisely, for the days are evil. Forgive our sin, and lead us to new paths and new callings. Help us O Lord, and reveal Your truth to us in Your Word. Breathe life into us O Lord, that we might experience Your power and presence in our daily lives. Help us love Your Word, teach us to learn from Your Word. Let it be so alive in our everyday walk, praise Your holy name. In Jesus name, Amen.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

What is Caesar’s, what is God’s

What is Caesar’s, what is God’s

Scripture:

Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. Matthew 22:15-22

Observation:

All the plans were set in place. The perfect trap question had been set. Deviously, carefully, cunningly, the Pharisees had devised the question that would implicate Jesus whichever way He answered. Was it right to pay the tax to Caesar or not? Say “Yes”, and become unpopular with the Jewish people and even the Zealots who resented the tax imposed on them. Say “No”, and get in trouble with the Roman authorities. It was a Catch-22 situation.

The disciples of the Pharisees were there. The Herodians were also there. With evil intentions they had come, and waited with glee to hear the Lord’s incriminating answer. Knowing their thoughts, Jesus lambasted them “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?” Then he asked them to show him a coin used to pay the tax. Puzzled, they brought him a denarius, and He questioned them back “Whose image is this? Whose inscription?” “Caesar’s”, they answered. And the Lord declared to their amazement “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”

The mindset of the Jews was that since they had to pay tax to Caesar, they were therefore prevented from paying their tithes and offerings to God. However, the Lord pointed out to them that in accepting and enjoying the benefits of Caesarian rule by staying in that place, symbolized by the usage of the Caesarian coin, they were obliged to pay tax to Caesar. Yet, this was no excuse not to give God one’s own tithes and offerings. Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s. This is also consistent with Paul’s teachings later where he advocated that all Christians should subject themselves to the government authorities which are placed by God.

Looking deeper into the meaning of “give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s”, we are reminded that the whole monetary system is in fact controlled by government. The value of each coin can be easily changed by limiting its supply or reproducing it substantially. Part of that monetary system involves the payment of taxes that is a fundamental cog in the provision of a suitable environment for the workings of the economic system. If we are to participate in the economic system and accept the Caesarian coinage, then of course we will have to accept the rules and conditions imposed upon us.

Using the same analogy, just as Caesar is given what bears his image, God must be given what bears His  image. What bears God’s image? Us! All humankind, man and woman, are created in God’s image, and we are meant to be given to God as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him. That is our ultimate purpose and calling.

Application:

What is our attitude towards government? We are quick to condemn the leadership for corruption, inefficiency and being biased. We resent the taxes that we pay and loathe the burdens placed upon us. However, looking at the big picture, we must realize that government is necessary and is ordained by God. Without government there is anarchy and an unstable environment where the people will not prosper or find peace.

Secondly, do we give to God what is God’s? This does not only refer to tithes and offerings. It is far more. We ourselves, created in God’s image, belong to God, and only in learning to surrender ourselves to God do we find true meaning and fulfillment in life. It is not an easy path to deny one’s self and submit one’s self to God. It takes a lifetime of learning but we begin to find that the more we give of ourselves, the more we have to give, and the easier it becomes to yield ourselves to Him who made us.

Prayer:

Dear Father, we praise You and thank You, Lord, for the government that You have set in place, that works to bring peace in the land, and seeks to manage the economic environment to bring prosperity to the country and its people. Help us be responsible citizens, Lord, who pay our taxes and respect our country’s laws.

We thank You, Lord, that we are made in Your image and we belong to You. Teach us Lord, to present ourselves as living sacrifices before You, holy and acceptable by the blood of Jesus! May Your name be praised forever, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Invitation to the wedding banquet

Invitation to the wedding banquet

Scripture:

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:1-14

Observation:

All preparations had been made. The wedding banquet was prepared and ready. The king beamed with pride for the big day of his son’s wedding was at hand. Quickly, he sent his servants out to invite the guests to come. The oxen and fattened calf had been butchered and everything was ready for the feast.

However, the guests did not respond. They paid no attention and went off – one to his field, another to his business. Some did even worse, mistreating and killing the king’s servants. Filled with rage, the king sent his army to destroy the murderers and burn down their city.

Thereafter, the king called his servants again and told them. “Since those who were invited did not deserve to come, go to the street corners and invite anyone you can find and gather them all for the feast. So the servants went out and gathered anyone they could find, whether good or bad, and the wedding hall was filled with new guests.

However, as the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man who was not wearing wedding clothes. The man was speechless, without answer, and because of his disrespect was thrown outside into the darkness.

The allegory of this parable is clear. The Jews, God’s chosen people were given the first opportunity to receive Jesus and find salvation in God. However, as a nation, they rejected Him and God’s servants, refusing to believe that He was God’s Messiah. Instead, they hung and crucified him.

His own did not receive Him, but God then extended the invitation of salvation to everyone and anyone on the street, whosoever who would respond. Even today, all are invited to the wedding banquet, anyone and everyone on earth. However, we need to bear in mind too that we must wear wedding clothes. Otherwise, we would disrespect the bridegroom and his family and be chased outside.

What are the wedding clothes? In Revelation, it is written how fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints. On our own, our works are like filthy rags before God. However, when we are clothed with our Lord Jesus Christ, His righteousness becomes our righteousness. In faith, we need to believe that we are righteous in the Lord. However, how do we know this faith is genuine? It must be expressed naturally in the works that God calls us to do, inspired and led by the Holy Spirit.

Application:-

Thank the Lord for His great generosity in extending the invitation to the wedding banquet to all of us. We are invited, whether we are good or bad, worthy or unworthy. It is purely by His grace that we are invited to share in His joy.

In spite of this, we need to remember that we need to come wearing the right wedding clothes. We need to bel ieve that in Christ, we are clothed with His righteousness. We should put no boasting or confidence in our flesh. Yet, we need to review our lives to see that our faith is expressed in works, powered not by our own human wisdom but naturally flowing from the power of the Holy Spirit as we walk closely with God.

We need to beware too that we are not too busy with the affairs of the world, that we lose track of our relationship with God and His service. Remember that they too perished in the city with the murderers when the king’s army came.

Prayer:-

We thank You and praise You, Father in Heaven, for Your loving generosity. You do not treat us as our sins deserve but give us strength and hope in salvation through Your Son whom you gave us. We praise You, Lord Jesus, that You are our righteousness. On our own, we have nothing but filthy rags, but in You, we have Your righteousness. Let Your righteousness and purpose continue to flow through us in You Spirit. Let us work out Your righteousness in serving others and being a blessing, even as You teach us. We praise You, and love You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen!

They will respect my son

They will respect my son

Scripture:-

“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

“The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’  So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:‘ The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone ;the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. Matthew 21:33-46

Observation:-

“They will respect my son” the landowner indignantly thought. Servant after servant had been beaten up. A few had even been killed, stoned to death mercilessly by the ungrateful and violent tenants. Still, the landowner was merciful, and decided to give them one more chance. They had to respect the son, the heir to the whole vineyard. What would they dare do to him?

But they had killed his son, his only son….. In their wickedness, they thought that if the landowner had no heir, the vineyard would be theirs in perpetuity. How badly mistaken they were, for they were not only wicked but extremely foolish. For the landowner proceeded to engage a whole army to come down upon them and destroy them utterly. And once they were gone, the landowner proceeded to look for new tenants, those who would dutifully give him his share of crop at harvest time….

In this parable, the Lord in one stroke exposed the sin of the Jewish people, for He had sent them prophet after prophet to turn them from their idolatry and wicked ways. But they would not listen. They even mistreated and even killed God’s true prophets. Finally, God sent His one and only Son to them, but again, in their wickedness, they were to commit the ultimate sin by condemning the Son of God to death on the cross.

But death could not hold on to God’s Son, for He rose again on the third day, and has become the Cornerstone. He was the stone the builders had rejected. He is the capstone on which the true Church of God is built. He is the foundation, and this foundation can never be shaken.

Note the words of Jesus: the kingdom will be given to those who produce fruit. Fruitfulness is the hallmark of a true believer. What then is fruit? It is not just works, but character, cultivated in humble service to the Lord, refined in God’s holy fire like silver.

What does it mean that “anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces”? Jesus Christ is our foundation. All of us who come to Him fall on Him in a sense. In the Beatitudes, Jesus said “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven and blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” Part of the deep Christian lives involves us being broken like the jar of perfume Mary Magdalene poured on Jesus’ feet. It is a necessary part of the process of molding us into the vessel that God wants us to be. It is only when we have that broken and contrite spirit in true and lasting repentance that the fruit of God’s work really begins to blossom in our lives.

Regarding the reference to the Cornerstone crushing those on whom it falls, this refers to complete and utter judgment when Jesus Christ returns again with His mighty angels. It is better to be broken than to be crushed….

Application:

Remember that the kingdom is given to those who will bear fruit. Pray to God that you may be fruitful. Seek His true fruit in our lives, not only in works, but in character. Meditate on the Fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Ask the Lord to inculcate these qualities more and more into our inner life, even as we interact with others in the workplace or at home.

Remember that being broken is an important part of the Christian life. Read the Psalms and consider the emotions of David who truly had a broken and contrite spirit before God. Where we are going through hard and difficult times, know that it is in this process of being broken that we grow in maturity and faith even as we depend on the Lord to help us through.

Praise the Lord, that He is coming again and will make all things new. Pray to the Lord for strength and wisdom and perseverance that we may be found worthy at His second coming.

Prayer:

We praise You and love You, Lord, for Your loving grace and mercy to us. We thank You Lord that You are slow to anger and abounding in love. Forgive our sins and lift us up that we might praise Your name! Grow that fruit deep within our spirits Lord. Let Your love, Your joy, Your peace, Your patience, Your kindness, Your faithfulness, Your gentleness, Your self-control become more and more evident and glorious in our inner character. Help us become more and more like You we pray! In Jesus name, Amen!

The parable of the two sons

The parable of the two sons

Scripture:

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’  “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. Matthew 21:28-32

Observation:

One son said he would go but changed his mind and went. The second son said he would go but did not go at all. What mattered at the end of the day to the father was who actually went and did the work, not who responded or didn’t respond at the first time of asking.

The imagery of a father and his two sons reminds us that God is our Father, and we are His children. He calls to each one of us the same, to come to Him, to love Him and obey Him. Some of us respond immediately, but end up slacking off like the second son. Another group of us are reluctant at first, probably giving excuses or complaining, but because of our conscience, eventually come round and do what pleases our Father. The moral of this parable is that it is better to be honest and ultimately responsible rather than be quick to say ‘yes’ but end up not keeping our word.

In terms of the people of that time, Jesus likened the tax collectors and prostitutes to the second son, people who perhaps due to greed, deliberately made wrong choices early in life. However, at the coming of John the Baptist, they responded to his call for repentance, and changed their lifestyles in seeking righteousness. In contrast, the Pharisees and Teachers of the law said all the right things but did not practice as they preached, and neglected the more important matters of the law such as justice, mercy, righteousness. Even when John the Baptist pointed this out to them, they hardened their hearts and refused to believe because of their pride.

What was the way of righteousness that John preached? To the tax collectors, he commissioned them not to collect more than what was right. To the soldiers, he told them to be content with their pay and not to intimidate anyone or accuse falsely.  To the masses, he preached that the one with two tunics should share with him who has none, and he who has extra food should share with those with none. He did not ask the soldiers to stop being soldiers or the tax collectors to give up their profession. He asked them to be righteous in that area where they were already in. John’s teaching on sharing was later reinforced by the Lord and was the basis by which the early Christians lived their lives in the book of Acts, sharing freely among each other so that no one was in need.

Application:

Let us reflect on ourselves, to see whether we are more like the first son or the second son. Do we easily promise but fail to deliver, or do we show reluctance at first, but eventually perform what is asked of us? Where we are weak, ask the Lord to grant us perseverance, to complete the work He has called of us.

Some of us may be in the position of the second son, where we have still not turned back yet. The call for us is to respond and repent, to come back to God and to His righteousness!

Remember the teachings of John the Baptist, to share with those in need, to perform our work in righteousness, to refrain from taking advantage of others. Simple and practical, ask the Lord for wisdom and strength to follow His teachings.

Prayer:-

We thank You, Lord, for this parable of the two sons. Help us be more like the first son, who chose to be responsible in the end and please his father, though he was reluctant at first. Help us choose that good and righteous path in following our Father in Heaven!

Lord, there are areas in our lives that we have held back, and have not responded to Your calling. Give us the strength and peace to let go, to trust You, that life completely in You is far better, in every facet, every phase.

Teach us, Lord to be generous as John taught, to be happy with what we have, to easily share with those in need. We praise You and worship You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

From heaven or human origin

From heaven or human origin

Scripture:

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?” Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. Matthew 21:23-27

Observation:

Sullenly the chief priests and elders looked at Jesus, all the people fixated on the Lord’s every word as He taught them. They were all still very angry over the episode where their friends, the moneychangers and dove merchants had been insulted and chased out of the temple. Then, they rudely began to interrupt the Lord. “By what authority are you doing these things?” one Pharisee challenged him. “And who gave you this authority?” an Elder bellowed. Calmly, the Lord looks away from the crowd and addresses His accusers. “I will also ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do this. John’s baptism – where did it come from? Was it from heaven or of human origin?”

The chief priests discussed the question among themselves and realized they were caught in a Catch-22 situation. If they said “From heaven”, the Lord would ask them “Then why didn’t you believe him?” and if they said “Of human origin”, the crowd would turn against them because they all held that John was a true prophet of God. Unable to answer, they simply said “we don’t know”, and the Lord, true to form, replied “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things”.

In this passage, we are first drawn to the subject of authority. The Lord, just as John did before him, came from God in Heaven. He spoke with all the authority God the Father had given Him. In fact, the Lord spoke or did nothing apart from the will of His Father. When we serve in church or ministry, or wherever we are put in positions of authority or influence, we must realize that this authority comes from our Lord who has given it to us according to His will. Like the Lord, we need to learn not to speak out of human wisdom or our own limited intellect, but rather avail ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit whom God has given us. Therein we will speak out of His authority, His power.

Secondly, we are reminded of John’s baptism and John’s ministry. He baptized the people as a sign of their repentance. In going under the water, they were stating their intention to do away with their old lives, and as they came out of the water, they set out to live new lives for God, starting everything again afresh. John also called them to look out for the Messiah who was coming, who would save them from their sins.  

Finally, this passage also reminds us of depending on the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in our dialogue with others, especially our enemies. The Lord promises us that we are to give no thought what to reply but rather receive what the Holy Spirit gives us to say. The wisdom of Jesus utterly confounded the Pharisees and Elders, who could say nothing. Sometimes, it is right to answer directly. Sometimes, we should answer a question with a question. And sometimes, we don’t need to answer at all. The occasion and timing of our answer are best left to the wisdom of our Holy Spirit, who is with us.

Application:

Remember that when we go out to serve as God’s people, we are His ambassadors, and we go forth in His authority, not our own. Therefore, we do not have to fear those who may go against us, or those who may try to despise and discourage us. Let us be true to our calling and lean on His authority, not ours. The policeman directing traffic raises his hand not on his own authority, but with the full authority of the government. Likewise, that should be our mindset even as we set out to serve the Lord!

Remember John’s call to repentance, that continues even for us today. We are human. We fall, we get distracted, we stumble along the way. However, the Spirit still calls us to come back to repentance, to come back to God and find the right ways,

In our encounters with others, where dialogues sometimes becomes heated, and we may even need to defend our faith, do not fear or worry but seek the answers from the Holy Spirit who is with us, who will teach us what to say. He is our precious Teacher.

Prayer

We praise You and thank You, Lord, for the great things You have done. You have given us authority in Your service, authority over every demon and principality and power, authority even over nature. Help us Lord always remember that it You who give us this authority. We have nothing on our own but only what you give us.

Help us we pray O Lord, draw us back to You again. Let our hearts continue in repentance, in turning to You as our Lord and God. Give us at the right time what we should say. Blessed be Your name O Lord. In Jesus name, Amen