The Lord’s commission for us

The Lord’s commission for us

SCRIPTURE:

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

OBSERVATION:

Different aspects of the Lord’s commission are interestingly given in each of Matthew, Mark and Acts. Matthew’s account begins with the basis of the commission, gives four explicit instructions and ends with a beautiful promise.

The basis first of all is the Lord’s authority that has been given to us who are His disciples. The Greek Word for authority here actually means authority manifested in power. Therefore, the basis of our ministry is the Lord’s power. In Luke’s account of the commission, the disciples were asked to wait for “power from on high” referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit which happened at Pentecost. Therefore in obeying Christ, we do so in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit whom Christ has given us. We are not to go forth in our own human intellect or power but in reliance on the Holy Spirit.

Henceforth, we have four explicitly tasks. Firstly, is to go. It is an active word, meaning that we are to be proactive, to actively go to do what Jesus asks. True Christianity is never passive, but always on the go, always searching and praying for ways to spread the gospel to the nations. Secondly, we are to make disciples of all nations. No human being is to be precluded from the chance to hear the gospel regardless of race or religion or social status. We are to seek to bring the salvation to as many as we can.

Thirdly, we are to baptize them in water, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, our magnificent triune God. There should be no delay but baptism should be an urgent event for every new Christian.

Finally, ongoing training in the ways of Jesus Christ, is fundamental. New Christians need to be quickly brought under training so that they will learn the basics, and grow strong in the Lord.

And in conclusion, in all that we do for the Lord, our great comfort and joy is that Jesus Christ is with us always, to the end of the age.

APPLICATION:

Every Christian believer has the authority and power of Jesus Christ given to us. The call then is for us to use what we have. If we have it but do not use it, it is useless to us, but if we apply the authority and power that the Lord has given, we become effective for Him. The manifestation of this authority and power is by faith. We cannot see it physically, but if we trust in God and move out in faith, we will begin to see miracles in our lives.

In this world, there are many distractions that draw us from our calling. We need to pray to God to be passionate and active to do His will, to empower us and give us wisdom in ways to reach out to others. At the same time, we also need to do what we can to teach and encourage those we can to grow in the Lord. Also, needless be said, those of us who have yet to be baptized need to do so soonest!

PRAYER:

You gave us Your power and authority, Lord,

You called us to go, to be active and seek the lost,

To bring as many to the kingdom, and to teach them Your ways,

Ignite that deep passion to serve You, Lord,

And lead us to touch many for Your sake!

In Jesus name, Amen.

Some worshiped but doubted

Some worshiped but doubted

SCRIPTURE:

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 

Matthew 28:16-17

OBSERVATION:

Up the mountain the eleven disciples went, hearts beating with excitement in anticipation.  And then they saw Him, their resurrected Master and Lord, they instinctively fell in worship. Strangely, Matthew records at this point that some doubted, an irony that has intrigued many Christians through the ages.

How could anyone possibly doubt when they saw with their own eyes before them the risen Lord? After seeing so many miracles done by the Lord as they journeyed with Him, why would they doubt that He could raise from the dead? The Lord had commanded the storm to be still. He has walked on water. He had raised Lazarus from the dead? Why would they doubt that it was the Lord before them? What was it that they were actually doubting?

One possibility could be that the Lord looked somewhat different in His resurrected body. The Apostle Paul describes the resurrected body as a spiritual body, an imperishable body. The disciples on the Road of Emmaus did not recognize Jesus, and Mary Magdalene in the garden also thought Jesus was the gardener until He called her. Perhaps they saw the difference and were afraid.

No matter what, the fact that some of the disciples doubted shows their humanity and the proneness of our human faith to waver. Even in worship, we may be tempted to doubt. Even with the Lord Himself standing before us, there still may be flickers of doubt in our minds. The Bible is completely honest, recording not only the successes but also the failures and weaknesses of even God’s choicest servants.

APPLICATION:

The fact is, each of us have different faith levels, and most of us may fall into doubt at some point or other in our Christian walk. However, the call for us here, is to press on in spite of our doubt, to continue to worship the Lord, to continue to follow Him. In the Psalms, quite often, the Psalmist starts in a downcast mood, but as he perseveres in worshiping and seeking the Lord, his faith grows and he always finishes by praising God!

A lot had happened to the disciples in those last few days. They had seen their hopes dashed in great sorrow when Jesus had been crucified. They had been filled with fear that they would also meet the same fate as their master. Perhaps they still had not understood fully why Jesus had to die, and were afraid to be disappointed again. Abraham wavered in his faith when he lied about Sarah, and when he took the path of Hagar to get an heir. The important thing is that he did not give up. His faith was not perfect but he pressed on, he continued to believe, and the Lord.

PRAYER:

Blessed Lord Jesus, Resurrected, raised to life, victorious!

You conquered death, Yes, You ascended so glorious!

Strengthen my faith, my heart, precious, holy, Lord!

Let my doubts fade, let me grow strong,

Even as I behold Your presence, Your love, marvelous Lord!

In Jesus name, Amen.

The lie of the chief priests

The lie of the chief priests

SCRIPTURE:

¹¹ While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. ¹² And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers ¹³ and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day. Matthew 28:11-15

OBSERVATION:

How hard were the hearts of the chief priests and the elders…. Here was incredible evidence before them that Jesus Christ had supernaturally risen from the dead. Instead of humbling themselves and seeking the Lord for forgiveness for their tragic error, they quickly plotted to cover up the event. They bribed the guards, and promised to protect them from the governor if they would lie.

It is interesting to note how Matthew added the fact that this story had been spread among the Jews up to the time of his writing. This shows us that the Jews were aware that the body of Jesus had disappeared, and that there had been guards at the tomb. Logically though, this was a terribly weak lie, as a Roman guard faced possible death and torture for allowing such a thing to happen, and how could it be possible for the disciples to quietly move such a large stone without waking up the superbly trained Roman guards? The chief priests would obviously have arranged for elite guards to stand guard given their strong concern not to allow any potential indication of the Resurrection to happen.

Moreover, if the disciples really have stolen the body, how could they have possibly be willing to die for a faith they knew to be a lie?  

APPLICATION:

The chief priests and elders were so concerned with saving face, they missed the vitally crucial point of the Resurrection, that Jesus was really the Son of God. Also from the start, they were unwilling to lose their privileges and position among men. And so, they refused to believe the truth, taking their pride and sin to the grave with them. The lesson for us is serious. What good is it if we gain the whole world yet lose our soul? The disciples in contrast, held on to the truth with such fervency they willingly gave up their lives in serving the Lord. Living a lie can be comfortable, and the price of following the truth may seem too high, but ultimately, it is only the truth that can set us free and give us true life, though it cost us everything.

PRAYER:

All truth comes from You, precious Lord. You came, and You died that we might have life. Your enemies tried to cover up the truth, but Your servants painted the truth of Your resurrection with their blood. What good is a life of lies, though it bring temporary comfort and riches? Help us always seek the truth precious Lord! Help us stay true to You no matter what! We praise You and love You, Lord Jesus! In Jesus name, Amen.

He is not here, for He has risen

He is not here, for He has risen

SCRIPTURE:

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ⁴ And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. ⁵ But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” ⁸ So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10

OBSERVATION:

The garden is quiet as the two grieving women walk towards the tomb. They know it is futile as they had seen the tomb blocked by a large stone. Still, they go anyway, drawn to the body of their Lord who had been so precious to them in life. They bring spices with them for the Lord’s body, hoping that by some miracle, there may be a way to roll the stone away.  But suddenly they stop, astonished and afraid. Shockingly, the stone has been rolled aside but their attention now is not on the stone!  Rather, it is on the incredible figure sitting on the stone. His appearance is like lightning and his clothing white as snow. Before them certainly sits a holy one, an angel of God Himself. The guards nearby are ashen-faced like dead men out of sheer fear for they had felt the earthquake and saw the angelic being powerfully roll back the stone.

Gently, the powerful figure reassures them not to be afraid, but asks them to come and see the place where Jesus’s body had been laid, so that they can see with their own eyes that Jesus has risen. Then, the powerful angel bids them quickly return to tell the disciples the great news! And so they return!

A little later, Jesus meets them personally and the overjoyed women worship at His feet. The Lord bids them not to fear but to tell His disciples to go to Galilee, where He will meet them.

APPLICATION:

What can we learn from this passage? Firstly, it is an account of the Resurrection, which is together with the most Crucifixion, the important thing in our Christian faith. Because Jesus died for our sins, we have forgiveness from our sins. Because Jesus was raised back to life, we too will rise from the dead to eternal life.

Secondly, we see that the women were there first, before any of the men disciples, which shows us the depth of their devotion and passion for the Lord. In the church, we would do well to learn from the godly women who had such devotion and passion for the Lord. 

  

Thirdly, it was important for the women to see the burial place with their own eyes and verify that the body of Jesus was indeed no longer there. We must understand that the resurrection is a concrete fact of history and not a myth. The early disciples were so convinced of this that they willingly died for their faith. They knew for a fact that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, and they had seen Him with their own eyes.

Fourth, we must never forget that God can deliver supernaturally at any time. With human eyes, a situation may seem impossible. Humanly, a tomb under guard covered by a large stone could never be opened by a bunch of discouraged disciples. However, God can easily send an earthquake and an angel. We need never be discouraged for God is able to deliver us from any situation. We need only to trust Him and not lose faith.

Finally, consider how the women worshipped at the feet of the resurrected Lord. This is a most appropriate way of worship for us, imagining ourselves worshipping at Jesus’ feet, for indeed our resurrected Lord deserves all the worship, all the honor, all the glory!

PRAYER:

We thank You and praise You, Lord Jesus, for You rose from the dead, firstborn of all who will inherit eternal life! The grave could not hold You! Death had no power over You, because of Your righteousness and holiness and power! Indeed, Father God, we praise You that Your have all power, and can do all things. Let us never be discouraged, let us always trust, for You created the whole earth, and hold all things by Your grace and power and wisdom. Teach us Lord to worship You, to be passionate and devoted to You, for indeed You deserve all praise and honor and glory! We worship at Your feet, Lord Jesus! In Jesus name, Amen.

His body, His blood

His body, His blood

Scripture:

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Matthew 26:26-30

Observation:

As they were eating, the Lord suddenly takes the opportunity to establish the solemn ceremony of the Holy Communion. He first takes the bread, gives thanks, breaks it and gives is to His disciples, telling them “take and eat, this is my body”. Likewise, he takes the cup, gives thanks and gives it to His disciples, asking all of them to drink from it. He further explains that this wine is the blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. He then further prophesies how He will not drink wine again until the day He drinks it anew with them in God the Father’s kingdom.

Application:

Consider the Lord’s body and the symbolism of bread. In the time of temptation in the desert, the Lord said that Man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. In John 1, as it is written “in the beginning was the Word…“, Jesus is described as the Word. What does it mean to partake of the bread, of the Word of God, of Jesus’ body? The late T.L Osborn taught that when we take the bread, there is the Lord’s healing power, as based on Isaiah 53, by his stripes, we are healed. It was the Lord’s body that was wounded as He went to the cross, and it is by His wounded body that we are healed if we believe it! Therefore, when we partake of the bread, we remember that Jesus was wounded that we might be healed and be healthy and thank God for it.

In the same way, when we partake of the wine, the blood of Christ, we remember that we are forgiven and made righteous because of His death on the cross. While the bread has to do with the body, the flesh, the blood has to do with the spiritual.

When we remember Jesus, we are reminded that we have divine health in Him and divine forgiveness through Him. Both our physical and spiritual bodies are restored and regenerated in the Lord. And even as we remember the Lord’s death, we are also reminded of our own death in Him, death to our sinful desires but life to the Spirit. Even as we take of His body and His blood, so too His life becomes more and more real in us.

Therefore, let us encourage each other to take the Holy Communion often, not just in church, but even in our homes.

Prayer:

We praise You and thank You, Lord Jesus for Your great sacrifice for us. We thank You Lord, that You suffered in Your body for us, that we might be healed. We thank You Lord, that You gave Your life and blood that we might be forgiven. We thank You, Lord, that in You, our body, soul and spirit is renewed and regenerated in You. Help us remember, even as we partake, that we belong to You, that we have been saved so that we can die to sin, and live for righteousness. Let Your precious life become more and more real in us we pray. Let Your Holy Spirit stir greatly within our hearts, lead us Lord in the way everlasting. 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!

Not to be served but to serve

Not to be served but to serve

Scripture:

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:17-27

Observation:

Darkness hovers over the mood in the camp as Jesus and His disciples prepare to go up to Jerusalem. The Lord knows that His death awaits Him there, and He reminds His disciples yet again of His impending crucifixion and resurrection. The disciples still can’t really comprehend all this, and in what seems a particularly ill-timed supplication, James and John come with their mother to request Jesus to let them sit on His right and his left of His throne in His kingdom. The Lord was about to go through an incredibly painful death and here they were, thinking about their own selfish ambitions.

The Lord looks at them incredulously, saying “You don’t know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” Here, Jesus was referring particularly to the cup of suffering, the cup of death that awaited Him. Confidently, James and John apply in the affirmative. The Lord then explains to them that they will indeed drink from the same cup of suffering. Nevertheless, the choice of who would be given these places belonged to God the Father.

Later, when the 10 heard about what James and John had done, they were incensed with them. Out of jealousy and pride, each one of them also desired to be honored above the others, a typically human reaction. However, the Lord took the opportunity to call them together and teach them a very important truth. While the world’s way is for those in power and authority to be arrogant and proud and lord themselves over those beneath them, the way of Jesus is totally the opposite. The one who is great is the one who serves best, who is willing to humble himself like a servant, and work selflessly for the benefit of others. The Lord Himself showed His disciples the way of the servant by His way of life, culminating in the washing of His disciples’ feet. Indeed, He came not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.

Application:

Let us meditate on the Lord’s call for us to have a servant mindset. How would having such a mindset affect the way we treat our colleagues, our subordinates, our family members and friends? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the pride of our hearts, the desire to be superior to others, to lord it over them. Ask the Lord to give us a new heart, focused on serving Him, focused on serving others. A true leader has a servant’s heart. This does not mean he goes around having to wipe everyone’s shoes or making coffee for all his followers, which is servanthood only on a superficial level. Rather, it is an inbuilt desire of the servant leader to want the very best for those he leads. A very good example of a servant leader in practice is Abraham’s servant Eliezer, who is a type of Holy Spirit seen in the Old Testament. He was the greatest of Abraham’s servants, so much so that in the absence of an heir, Abraham would have chosen him to inherit all his wealth. Nevertheless, in Eliezer’s mindset, he was never jealous of Isaac, but sought the very best for his master, even praying earnestly to God to show him the right woman whom he should approach to be Isaac’s wife.

In Potiphar’s household, Joseph also showed this excellent servant’s mindset, taking care of all Potiphar’s affairs to his best ability, and maintaining his righteousness by refusing to commit adultery with his master’s wife. Even in prison, Joseph still continued serving his fellow prisoners diligently, and later when raised to Prime Minister of Egypt, he continued to serve Pharaoh and the people, bringing much prosperity to Egypt while ensuring the people also were dealt with fairly and taken care of during the famine. It was never about personal gain but about what was best for the people he served.

Prayer:

We praise thee O Lord, for the great example You showed us even as You walked the earth, coming not to be served, but to serve and give your life as an example for many. Create in us that servant’s heart O Lord, that thinks not about our own personal gain, but seeks to serve others to the best of our ability. Help us, Lord to seek greatness not in power or fame or riches but rather in humble servanthood which is of great value in Your eyes. May Your name be praised forever. In Jesus name, Amen.

The workers of the vineyard

The workers of the vineyard

Scripture:-

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:1-16

Observation:

In yet another amazing parable, the Lord gives us a picture of the landowner of a vineyard hiring workers at a denarius for the day. The workers are hired at different times, but each are promised the same pay and receive the same at the end of the day. Those who came first grumbled that the landowner had made them equal to those who worked only the last hour. However, the landowner reasoned with them that they had agreed to work for a denarius. Ultimately, it was the prerogative of the landowner to pay each worker whatever he wanted. It was his money, his call, nothing to do with them how he wished to use it.

Studying this parable, we can easily deduce that God is the landowner of the vineyard and the workers are those that He calls for His work. What is the meaning of the work and the pay? At first, there seems to be an allusion to working for salvation, which is contrary to the clear Scripture that salvation is only by grace, through faith, not by works, so that no one can boast. However, as James pointed out, faith without works is dead, so true faith will naturally result in good works.  

In a sense, comparing the Jews to the Gentile believers, the Jews are in a way like the workers who started work earlier since they had known God for so long while the Gentile believers are those who only just knew God. However, their reward is the same as the Jews. Both Jew and Gentile are given salvation purely on the same basis, which is through faith in Jesus Christ. A Jews should not be jealous of a Gentile who receives the same gift of salvation. It is God’s prerogative, based on His grace and mercy and generosity. In the same way, a Christian of many years should not despise another who received Christ at his deathbed. Each one should be content with whatever the Lord gives us. At times, new Christians may grow quickly and become more prominent than Christians of many years. Even then, we are not to cast an “evil eye” and be covetous of their success. Each one should look towards himself and serve God faithfully according to His calling and accept humbly whatever reward the Lord gives, which may not be according to what we may expect from a human way of thinking.

Application:-

Thank God for His call to us, that we may come and join Him in His work. Praise God for His amazing grace that extends salvation to all, regardless of when they receive Him. Pray to God that we may be content with what He gives us, not casting evil eyes on those appearing more successful than us. Ask the Lord for mercy and grace to be faithful and fulfill the calling He has given us.

Prayer:-

We praise You, Lord, for Your perfect grace, and Your generosity to all men. We thank You, Lord, that Your ways are higher than our ways, and Your thoughts than our thoughts. Forgive us Lord for the times we have been ungrateful, or looked with jealousy at the success of others. Let us be content with all You give us, and give us the grace to be faithful, and stedfast in fulfilling the calling You give us. In Jesus name, Amen.

Sell your possessions and give to the poor

Sell your possessions and give to the poor

Scripture:

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Matthew 18:16-22

Observation:

“Sell all your possessions and give to the poor! Then come, follow Me” The young man was stunned, shocked that the Lord could suggest such a thing. Then slowly, he hung his head and walked slowly away

“Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” the young man had asked earnestly. Smiling, the Lord had replied, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” Confidently, the young man asked back “which ones?”, thinking he has got them all covered. The Lord listed down 5 of the 10 commandments for him – you shall not murder, commit adultery, steal or give false testimony, and you shall honor your father and mother and also adds in the second greatest command – you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The 10 commandments consist of 4 commands relating to our relationship with God and 6 commands relating to our fellow men. Interestingly, the Lord named 5 of the 6 man-related laws, purposely leaving out the last one – “You shall not covet”.  

The young man happily replied “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” It is then only that the Lord challenges him to sell his possessions and give to the poor and then come and follow Him. When he heard this, the young man was saddened and went away, unable to follow the Lord’s words because of his great wealth. The Lord’s words exposed the sin of covetousness within the man, for even in spite of his great wealth, he still desired to become more and more wealthy. Mammon (Money) had become his god, and it was impossible for him to sell his possessions and give to the poor. In fact, the Lord actually showed him, that giving to the poor was even greater as an investment, for then one would reap treasures in heaven, that rust and most cannot destroy, and where there are no thieves who steal.

Application:

Is this command for every Christian? To sell all our possessions and live like poor hermits? No! There is no record of anyone actually selling all they had. Even during His ministry, the Lord did not give all their money away, and even had a treasurer look into proper accounting of the funds, However, more importantly, it is our generous spirit and wisdom in regard to wealth that must be certain. In the early church, many of those with wealth sold pieces of land and brought money to the apostles. The Lord knows that we need funds for our daily living and expenses. He only advocated the giving of 10% as a tithe, knowing that most of us need the balance 90%.

Nevertheless, for those that the Lord has blessed with abundant wealth, even 10% of their income may be more than sufficient for their daily living. For such as these, they must not seek to build up great hoards of wealth but rather actively aim to channel their wealth to worthy causes such as helping the poor and the marginalized of society, supporting evangelism in third world countries or building hospitals and schools to help the less able communities.

Many of us in the middle class are far from super rich but also have more than enough. As the Lord enables, we too should look to give generously, not just sticking rigidly to 10% as an obligation. We should also review our lifestyles to ensure it is not unnecessarily lavish in materialism, but instead simple and focused on serving the Lord and doing good. 

To sum up, no matter how wealth or status in society, we should have a generous heart, seeking to give cheerfully as the Lord enables us and we should also beware lest we make money our God. Money is only a tool that enables us to do good, and is useless for vast hoarding when no good is done with it at all. 

Prayer:

We praise You and thank You, Lord, that all wealth and the ability to make wealth comes from You. You hold all things in Your hands, precious Father, and You give to each of us as You see fit. Teach us, Lord, to use the wealth we have been entrusted with for good, to bless others, to extend the kingdom, to help those in genuine need. Let us never become ensnared by the love of money, which is the root of all evil. Give us the wisdom to know that the wealth on this earth is only temporary, and it is far better to do good and gain treasures in Heaven that last forever. We thank You and praise You, Lord. Let Bless us that we may be a blessing! In Jesus name, Amen.