matthew 24... anyone get that?

so there's not space to take this chapter verse by verse and explain it.  i guess the best thing to say is that we can't know the exact time but we can see signs.  some people try to figure out the time.  and some have even "predicted" the time and been wrong.

i guess most importantly, we should just stay faithful.  some times this can seem easier said then done.  especially when you read the things that will take place.  things like that, and worse are taking place every day for christians around the world.

are you able to love God and the world when it seems like the whole world is against God and hates you?

matthew 23... did keanu reeves write this chapter?

what a powerful chapter.  i've always found it amazing that Jesus says

vs2-3 ...The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.

amazing that Jesus slams them all the time... but it has nothing to do with what they taught.  maybe i'm paranoid, or a "worry" too much or i just think too much... but i've wondered what history would say about the church right now... what history will say about me... what Jesus would say if he were here right now.

no generation of the church has ever set out to go against Jesus.  and the pharisees thought they were living for God.  they were highly respected and gave themselves to God.  yet Jesus said that their converts are twice the sons of hell than they were to start with.

we can look back on the crusades, the puritians, our home churches... with all sorts of judgment.  what is the next generation going to say about us.  what are people around us saying now.  but most importantly, what is God saying now.  is he looking down on his church and saying...

vs37 {Oh Church, Church}, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

matthew 22... Jesus on taxes

they just keep comin'.  all of them wanting to trip him up.  in a way i'm glad they did.  cause we get some great answers as a result.  we get a small answer of what heaven will be like.  and we get 4 of the most amazing verses.

vs37-40 And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'  This is the great and foremost commandment.  And the second is like [homo - the same] it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'  On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

we also get a really great video that all will be able to enjoy if youtube will ever upload it.

matthew 21... stinks for the tree

some might look at Jesus' issue with the fig tree as a bit of impatience.  i see it as an object lesson - and very consistent.  Jesus seems to point over and over again to the fact that God does not tolerate luke warm "followers" who have the "look" but don't have the fruit.  there is no place for trees that don't produce fruit.

matthew 20... jeffrey dahmer

i love the story of the workers and how everyone gets the same pay.  it is a little unsettling though.  it's cool because even though i'm a screw up, i get heaven just as much as paul.  but it's unsettling that jeffery dahmer gets heaven just as much as me.

Jeff confessed to me his great remorse for his crimes. He wished he could do something for the families of his victims to make it right, but there was nothing he could do. He turned to God because there was no one else to turn to, but he showed great courage in his daring to ask the question, ‘Is heaven for me too?’ I think many people are resentful of him for asking that question. But he dared to ask, and he dared to believe the answer.''

vs17-19 As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priest and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.”

so did they actually listen to him or just pretend to be listening?  i wonder what i would have been like in that situation.  i guess i don’t always think the best under stress.  i can see how maybe they “forgot” these words.  or maybe they just didn’t really believe Jesus when he said it.

matthew 19... i need a medic

what do you say about chapter 19?  almost feels like matthew is in a boxing match and throwing us a few consecutive punches.

let’s start with divorse…  two very unpopular teachings… both then and now.

vs9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.

dang.  so you mean this is for life?  and this is the only way divorce is acceptable to God?  not a popular message – or even one that is taught very much.

vs10-12 The disciples said to Him, "If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry."

But He said to them, "Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given.

… there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it."

oddly enough, i don’t really hear people asking others… “so, have you decided to be celibate for the Lord?”  i generally hear things like, “have you found a girl yet?” or “so when are you two getting married?”  why do we not teach that marriage (although a wonderful blessing) is hard?  why do we not teach people that an option is to be married to the Lord?  why do we think someone just hasn’t found “the one” if they are still single?

side note: when i read this verse a few years ago it struck me… vs6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate. …man and woman become one flesh at marriage but we really become one flesh when we come together and make one flesh.  just a thought.

vs14 But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

ahh, the blessed little children.  i’m still working on being childish in the right ways.  it’s pretty cool having kids and looking at the things they do and think of all the ways that God wants me to become like a little child.

vs21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

was Jesus for real?  most sermons/lessons i’ve heard on this topic seems to say that he was being serious with the RYR but it’s only meant to be figurative to us today.  really?!?  it seems to fit us pretty well.  we are the richest people in the history of the world.  we have comforts that generations before us would have never thought were possible… and most of the world is only able to dream of.

i wonder, how many would turn away sad if when they came forward to give their life to the Lord we said, “great, now go sell all that you own and give it to the poor.”  i wonder how fast churches would grow with that strategy?  i wonder if I’ve done it?

vs29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.

matthew 18... really!?

it's a cool story about how we need to forgive.  i mean, the world works better when we forgive people.  and i get that God has forgiven us more than someone can wrong us.  all is good until the last verse of the chapter.

vs35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.

seriously?

maybe he is, cause it's not the first time he's said it.  hmmm.