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Redeem the Time (Part 1)

When panic is prevailing in the hearts of people all around us, what should the followers of Christ do? In Paul’s letter to the churches of Colossae and Ephesus twice he uses the expression – “redeem the time;” in fact these are the only two instances of the phrase in the entire New Testament.  One man suggested that in redeeming the time you and I are to take ownership of it and if we take ownership of it, if we treat it as the precious gift that it is – we will also make the most of it.  We all know what that means in simple human terms: life is short; cherish the moments; spend time with those you love – make the most out of today because tomorrow doesn’t always come; we know what it means in general terms – what does it mean for the follower of Jesus Christ?

Redeem the Time for the Lord’s Purposes…

 In his letter to the Ephesians Paul adds something to the expression “redeeming the time” in [v.17] taking it all together, [v.15-17] read like this:

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

If we are to understand how we as believers are to make the most of our time on earth we must first understand what God wants us to do with the time He has given us – what is His will? The simplest answer to the question of God’s will pertains to His primary purpose in sending His Son among us – His Son came to redeem us. Therefore we make the best use of our time as believers – we redeem time best when we use it to share the message of God’s redeeming love with those who have yet to trust in Jesus themselves.  It is in this context that we might best understand the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ as read in [Matt. 28:18-20]:

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

God’s will is also clearly expressed in [2 Peter 3:9]:

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

And in [1 Corinthians 5:9-10]:

“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.”

Clearly God’s will according to these verses alone is that as we live our lives we are to strive to lead as many people (regardless of their background as unbelievers) as each of us can to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

In light of the fact that the will of the Lord is redemptive in nature and that as the redeemed the use of our time must be redemptive as well, there are two other points that we should consider:

  1. The world is on a collision course with God’s wrath. (2 Peter 3:10-18)
  2. Life is short.

Redeem the Time for the Lost’s Sake…

Paul not only instructed believers to consider and understand what the will of the Lord was and is but also to “walk circumspectly.” That expression means to live in such a way as to consider the consequences before hand of what you might do or say. The writer of Proverbs wrote in [Prov. 12:18];

“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health.”

That’s a hard one; most of us are not that measured in our speech. For most of us, we say what comes to mind as soon as it does and we are nearly as spontaneous in our actions as well. If we’re wronged, for example, often our first response is to pay it back.  But Paul’s instruction leads us to understand that there are consequences to consider in terms of accomplishing God’s will which are dependent on what we say and do before the lost.  Will your actions and or deeds bring the unbeliever closer or push him or her further away from faith in Jesus Christ?

Paul instructed the Colossians (Col. 4:5) to “walk in wisdom toward those who are outside” (outside the faith). In other words, believers should be careful how they live before unbelievers, choosing to live holy lives on a daily basis (to practice what we preach), pursuing the will of God, and striving to do good at every opportunity rather than pursuing the evil that lurks in every day. Paul’s words in (Ephesians 5: 8–13), especially, (vs. 8) shed additional light on his instruction in (vs. 15) to conduct our lives wisely and carefully before a watching world – in (vs. 8) he said, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”   If we are followers of God, who is described metaphorically in the Bible as “light” (light being synonymous with God’s pure and holy character, and His integrity) we should ourselves conduct our lives as children of light – every moment of the day should be lived with God and His will as the driving force behind every choice we make and every word we say.

Listen, the gravest consequence of all is that unbelievers will face the full wrath of God in hell and I think that it is in light of this truth that we must double our efforts to make the most of our time with the people that we meet as we live our lives.  

How are you redeeming the time for the lost’s sake?

The call of the Christian is to rescue the perishing; the consequence of not heeding the call, the consequence of not casting the “gospel” net or reaching out to the lost is the unbelievers eternal doom.

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Help for A Rainy Day

It is easy to offer advice to people going through trying times, just say a few words and “bam” you feel that you’ve done your part and hope that they feel encouraged. Such an approach to the suffering of others reminds me of what the half-brother of Jesus said in (James 2:15-16):

“If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?”

Am I saying that we really can’t help others until “we’ve walked a mile in their shoes?” No, but the reality is that our words of empathy, understanding and compassion can lack a certain authenticity – it is often as the words of the bereaved state to the one who says “I know how you feel” – “no, you don’t.”

The Lord has been working on me regarding this subject lately and He used a well-known quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Rainy Day” to start it off:

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
INTO EACH LIFE SOME RAIN MUST FALL,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

Rain, as you may know, is sometimes a blessing and sometimes a curse. So as to not keep what I mean veiled behind the word, by rain I mean to point to the challenging moments in our lives that change our life’s trajectory either permanently or for a season and which, if allowed, cause us to lose track of our identity and purpose.

With regard to the rain, we don’t get to chose when it comes, whether it drops from the clouds or it takes the form of an unwelcome diagnosis or announcement; it comes as it pleases with the permission of the Lord and the best any of us (especially those who trust in the Lord) can do in advance of the rainy day or the storms of life is to remain focused on Jesus Christ and the promises found in His word.

Well, as I said, the Lord has been dealing with me on the subject of dealing with the rainy days of life by taking me through my own and reminding me that the rainy days of life DO NOT have the last word; He used the following Biblical passages to bring me back to the right perspective:

  • When you want to give in to hopelessness, “Be STRONG in the Lord, in the power of His might!” Ephesians 6:10 (emphasis mine)
  • LEARN “to be content in whatever state you are in…” (Philippians 4:11)
  • ACCEPT adversity from God: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10)
  • BELIEVE that: “God shall supply all your NEED according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
  • When you think you’re alone REMEMBER that “…He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
  • Because the Lord IS with you, keep the faith: “Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.” (Matthew 8:23–26)

The word of God contains multitudes more encouragement for those experiencing an extended season of difficulty. I offer these because it is easy to get caught in the rain (so to speak) and to become so overwhelmed and inwardly focused that we may fail to worship God for who He is; praise Him for what He is doing and serve Him in the work He has for us.

The rut of hopelessness and despair only gets deeper if we fail to recall to mind the Lord’s word and heed it when the rainy days come.

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Christian Body Armor

How did you dress this morning before you headed out the door to begin your day?

Chances are that no matter what you wore, you dressed for the circumstances and conditions you expected to face. If for an interview, you dressed well; if it was cold outside you probably wore a coat, if it was raining you probably wore a raincoat and carried an umbrella – whatever the circumstances or conditions you most likely dressed accordingly.

But wait! Did you dress for the guy that cut you off on your way to work? Did you dress for the bully who shoved you in the hall at school? Did you dress for the co-worker who is constantly harassing you? Did you know that as a follower of Christ, you’re supposed to dress for circumstances and conditions like those too?

Let me put it to you another way; a soldier puts on battle gear before heading onto the battlefield not once he gets there. Why? Because it will most likely be too late once his or her boots hit the ground and they will most likely suffer harm for being ill-prepared for the battle they were entering into.

Christian, do you know that every day, no matter the weather outside you are entering onto a battlefield? Take a look at the words which Paul shared to a group of believers in Ephesus:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10–13, NKJV)

Everyday, we enter onto a field of battle. Our enemy is not the one who just passed you on the road driving like a lunatic, it is not Shakira and J-Lo baring all to the world during the Super-Bowl, it is not the bully who shoved you or the parent who mocked you or the co-worker harassing you – your enemy and mine is the devil and ‘the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” His methods, his scheming – his “wiles” and his minions are working to get you off track with God, to ruin your testimony and to trip you up before the very ones you were put here to reach in Jesus’ name. Often the devil wins the daily skirmishes between he and us because we did not dress accordingly for the day ahead. We went out in our own strength rather then the strength of the Lord “and the power of HIS might” (v.1).

Like our enemy, our weapons are spiritual – we don’t fight the devil with guns, knives and so forth; the best Kevlar won’t protect you from Satan’s fiery darts; “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God…” (2 Corinthians 10:4, NKJV). I know that I go on about this a lot but its because the vast majority of Christians that I have met do not dress accordingly for the daily battle that awaits them (see Genesis 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8).

So, what are we to wear for this battle? Paul lists six items:

  • A belt (v.14a): “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth…” To the audience he was speaking to, such a belt would enable a person to gather up the garment they wore so that they could move about without restriction. For the Christian, this is integrity and faithfulness that equates with blamelessness in my mind. It is hard to stand for God and against the devil with hypocrisy and personal condemnation (see 1 John 3:20-21) in our hearts but remembering the promise of God and applying those promises to ourselves girds our waist with truth.
  • A breastplate (v.14b): “…having put on the breastplate of righteousness…” the (GK) word used here cannot mean justification in the sense of our salvation because we are not born again and again and again – believers are justified (set apart and delivered from the wrath of God) by faith (Romans 5:1) in the shed blood of Jesus (Romans 5:9) once and for all. For you and I, donning this breastplate is more about the daily consecration or setting of ourselves apart for God through sanctification or a personal commitment to doing the will of God.
  • A pair of cleats (v.15): “…and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” Roman soldiers wore cleated shoes or shoes with spikes on the bottom of them to give them a firmer footing in battle much like runners do on a cinder-track. To understand the point of the cleats Paul is referring to here take a look at (Philippians 4:6-7):

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

How many of us enter the day worried about this or that? Peace and worry DO NOT go together and in the above verse we find a way to plant our feet deeply in the gospel of peace. We cannot strive for souls or defeat the schemes of the devil against us if doubt or fear control us; to be sure footed for the day ahead we must stand in the peace we have with God (see Isaiah 26:3).

  • A shield (v.16): “…above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”  The (GK) word thurĕŏs translated as “shield” literally points to its size – it was a “door shaped,” body length shield. The phrase, “Above all” in this verse is not to imply that this shield was the most important aspect of our preparation but rather the one part that goes in front of all the other pieces. While it is true that it is impossible to please God apart from faith (Hebrews 11:6); it is also true and apparent here that only by faith in Christ who goes before us and in His words will we be able to quench (by the power of God) the darts of temptation flung at us by the wicked one, Such a faith puts God between you and whatever the devil may throw at you.
  • A helmet (v.17a): “And take the helmet of salvation…”  The last two items a Roman soldier would receive in preparation for some conflict would be his helmet and his sword. Just as wearing a helmet in baseball or football instills a certain level of confidence regarding head injury in the player on the field, the helmet of salvation instills a sense of confidence in the believer as he enters into another day.  Paul referred to this helmet in (1 Thessalonians 5:8) as “the hope of salvation,” literally the confident expectation of future glorification in and with the Lord (see Romans 8:30).
  • A Sword (v.17b): “…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…” Every other piece of equipment named in Paul’s list is defensive and meant to be the means by which you are protected and prepared for spiritual battle but the sword is an offensive weapon. Defined as the word of God, we know that this weapon is super sharp (Hebrews 4:12) and because it is “a discerner of the thought and intents of the heart” it cuts deep and gets to the heart of every matter. That it is “of the Spirit” of God implies spiritual power over the direct assaults of Satan but how is it to be carried? It is my belief that in order for the Spirit to use the word through a person, that person MUST be immersed in the word. The word of God is not merely to be carried beside us but is to be memorized and stored within us; then and only then upon the assault of Satan in our lives can the Spirit call to our memory and bring to utterance in and through us the words which will silence him or cause him to flee.

Finally, constant “prayer” and “watchfulness…for all the saints” (v.18) is called for by the apostle. On the battlefield, soldiers have each other’s backs, so to speak; they watch out for one another and are ready to defend one another along with their position – they would be worthless to one another if they were not fully equipped and prepared. When we pray, we speak to Him who knows all things, asking Him to watch over, guide and equip us as Paul has described for the various battles we will face every day. Praying not only to be strengthened and empowered (see Ephesians 3: 16) by the Holy Spirit but also so that we would recognize both when the enemy is about to attack as well as when God would have us to speak, what he would have us to say and for boldness to declare it (see v.19-20).

My Christian friend, what circumstances and conditions are you anticipating today? Be it rain, cold or scorching heat you will never be adequately prepared for the day if you have not also planned and prepared for the spiritual battle that is sure to come upon you today.

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Proper Attire Required (Conclusion)

The invitation has been sent!

“God gave His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16) and His Son having been “made a little lower than the angels” (Hebrews 2:9), “dwelt among us” (John 1:14), “died in our place” (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2) and three days later rose again (1 Corinthians. 15:4) “stands at the door (of your heart) and knocks” (Revelation 3:20). The followers of Christ have done out declaring the good news (Matt. 28:19-20): a way has been made (John 14:6) and the Way said, “Come unto me all you who labor (who try to save yourselves) and are heavy laden (burdened by guilt and shame) and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26) and then He asked:

“Do you believe this?”

There is one acceptable covering, one way, one hope of redemption – Jesus Christ! Only by faith in Jesus will anyone enter into the kingdom of Heaven – only by the blood of Jesus, the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8) will anyone be welcome there. God “made Him who knew no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21) “Many are called but few are chosen…” everyone is invited but it will only be by faith that anyone will be “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6), selected and approved by God for a place in the Kingdom of Heaven.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…”(Acts 16:31)

I need to say one more thing before I wrap this up. The invitation to come is a limited one – you cannot make the choice to accept Jesus’ invitation to come after you pass from this life. You cannot accept the robe of righteousness He provides, from the grave. We have been give one life on this earth; James the half-brother of Jesus said of this life: “It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14). The choice to believe in, follow and live for Jesus must be made during your limited time on this earth. “(I) We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:“In an acceptable time I have heard you,And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

If you feel the pull to believe in Him now – God is calling you!

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44)

Invite Him who is inviting you into your heart and life, believe in that Jesus died for you and in your place on the cross and you will be saved, covered, filled with the Spirit of God (see Romans 8:9) and thereby made ready for the kingdom of Heaven.

He has called you – will you receive from God the only way to enter in?

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Proper Attire Required (Pt. 2)

It may have come as nothing new to you to read that “the many” who Jesus was referring to in His parable (Matthew 22:1-14) is a reference to all people. But Jesus was not teaching so called Christian Universalism or the view that, regardless of belief every human being who has or will ever live will ultimately be saved and restored to a right relationship with God.

The Bible makes it clear, while everyone will give answer to God in Heaven for the things that they did in the flesh, not everyone will live there for eternity. Those who believed in the Lord Jesus will give answer at the “judgement seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10) they will be judged and rewarded on the basis of the works they did for Jesus AFTER they believed in Him (see Matthew 16:27, Revelation 2:23, 1 Peter 1:17). The rest of mankind, all who ever lived but never believed in Jesus Christ will appear before Him who sits on the “great white throne” (see Revelation 20:11-15); but they will not have a part in the kingdom of Heaven.

That being said, how DO the “many” who are called become “the few” who are “chosen” (literally ĕklĕktŏs – selected , chosen out from among, or approved) by God?

Look again at the parable we are discussing; the king’s servants, without discrimination or partiality and per his orders again went out and invited everyone they could find to the feast. Those invited came just as they were in terms of character, social status and even apparel and were supplied the necessary wedding apparel by the host – the King himself; this was customary during the days in which this parable was told. That this was the case in our parable becomes apparent in (vs. 11-12):

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.”

Clearly, everyone at the feast came without the proper attire for a wedding. Graciously, the host provided appropriate attire to all, but one guest did not feel it necessary to take put it on. That one, represents all people (including the religious leaders to whom Jesus directed this parable) who because of self-righteousness, tradition, religion or their good works think that they do not need the approved covering which the king supplied by which to enter into the kingdom of Heaven. The improperly attired guest had been invited like the rest and a way had been made for him to be acceptable to the host but he refused it and was (v.13) bound hand and foot, taken away from the feast and cast “into outer darkness, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

My friends, remember this parable concerns the kingdom of Heaven and specifically entrance into it; this man’s expulsion from the wedding feast illustrates a far more fearful outcome for the purpose of helping all people see the right and only way to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

 If you are a Christian today the process was NOT initiated by you. “He who began a good work in you” (see Phil. 1:6) – God the Father, by way of His Holy Spirit invited you into the kingdom of Heaven. The Spirit of God convicted you both of your own sinfulness and neediness (John 16:7-15) as well as of the love of God in Jesus Christ toward you (Romans 5:8-11) and when you believed, you were clothed in the righteousness of Christ (Colossians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 5:21).

The apostle Peter wrote in (1 Peter 1:18-19:

“…you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

That precious blood of Jesus, shed on Calvary’s cross cleanses us from all unrighteousness and by it, we are in essence clothed in garments of white (see Psalm 51:7, Isaiah 1:18-20; Revelation 7:9-14). To be clear, our covering is NOT external. While one day, in the kingdom of Heaven we will wear a garment of white, believers today have an internal covering: the blood of Jesus “cleans(es) our conscience(s) from dead works to (or, so that we can) serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14). By faith in the shed blood of Jesus, we “…were WASHED, but you were SANCTIFIED, but you were JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God;” (1 Corinthians 6:11) the blood of Jesus Christ having cleansed us from all sin (see 1 John 1:7).

The blood of Jesus and His righteousness exchanged for our sinfulness from His cross IS the covering by which we may be numbered among the accepted few….

Join me for the conclusion to this study tomorrow…

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Proper Attire Required (Pt. 1)

In our introduction to this study, we unpacked what a parable is and how important the context of a passage is in understanding and applying it. We also identified that the main point addressed by Jesus’ parable found in (Matthew 22:1-14) is the mandatory prerequisite for entrance into the (v.2) “kingdom of heaven.”

Key to the understanding the parable is what seems to be the summary of the parable found in (v.14):

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Before I unpack that pivotal and (in my mind) often misunderstood verse lets consider the parable in context.

In the parable which Jesus told, the King, representative of God sent his servants out (v.3) “to call those who were invited to the wedding;” twice he sent them “and they were not willing to come.” Instead those invited disregarded, literally they (v.5) “made light of” the kings summoning them to come, shamefully or “spitefully” (v.6) treating the servants the king sent and ultimately killing them. In response to their constant rejection the king (v.7), “sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.”

Jesus’ parable is not merely a story meant to illustrate a point, but biblical and historical allusions to God’s consistent effort to reach the Jewish people through the Old testament prophets as well as prophecy concerning His efforts to reach them through His Son Jesus Christ and the disciples He selected to reach out to those same people in the New Testament. All of them were sent by God to call people to God; both they and their message was rejected time and time again by a majority of the Jewish people and the messengers themselves, including the Lord Jesus Christ were killed only Jesus Christ to this day has risen again. God’s wrath on the nation for its disregard of His gracious invitation and the shameful treatment and murder of His messengers was poured out in AD 70 when the Romans razed Jerusalem and burned the temple to the ground. But neither the King of Christ’s parable nor the God of heaven and earth (whom the king of the story represents) was done.

The king sent his servants out one more time to invite (v.9) as many as they could find “to the wedding” and they (v.10) “gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.”

Who and of what sort of character were those invited guests labeled either “bad and good – were they unrighteous or righteous people?

Actually, the primary audience that Jesus was addressing consisted of self-righteous men – pharisees, chief priests and elders of Israel. The three parables found from (Matt.21:23-22:46) were spoken directly to these men – religious leaders who had rejected Jesus as Messiah and ignored the Holy Spirit concerning both their sins and their need of redemption. These, in my mind are numbered among the “bad” guests populating the wedding hall. But the fact is that by human standards some people are good – they are kind, giving, empathetic and compassionate towards others and some are bad – greedy, self-centered and self-serving; by God’s standards, no one is good. Jesus Himself, when one called Him a good teacher responded: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” (Matthew 19:17) In reality we all fall under the assessment of Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 64:6):

“But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

What you and I need to understand here is that the “bad and good” people who filled the hall for the feast is a reference to you, me and every other human being past, present and future. We read in (2 Peter 3:9) that “the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that ALL should come to repentance.”

Look again at (v.14) of our parable, “Many are called…” That word called is translated from the GK word klētŏs which means invited. Jesus came “to save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21); His people is an immediate reference to the children of Israel – the people of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob thus “the many” who are called is first a reference to the children of Israel. But they refused to come, the Apostle Paul said of them in (Romans 11:11-12):

“I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!”

Because of their rejection of the invitation, “the many” of (v.14) refers to all of us – every man, woman and child from every nation, race, tongue and tribe – both Jew and gentile; both the bad as well as the good – we have all been invited.

More on that next time….

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Proper Attire Required

The sign may not be as common as it once was, but there was a day when a sign hung in the doors of restaurants and stores which stated: “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service.” Once upon a time, fine dining establishments required both its wait-staff and its patrons to dress in formal attire and even today, there are a handful around the country which still require it. Of those that do require it, loaner coats are provided for men who come unaware of it. Today, there are many places (hospitals, schools, worksites) which, based on your apparel, credentials or personal appearance you may or may not be able to enter.

The parable which Jesus told in (Matthew 22:1-14) not only illustrates that the kingdom of Heaven enforces a dress code, declaring the eternal importance of being properly attired and the implications for those who chose not to comply; it also makes it clear, that like the few fine dining establishments left today which enforce a dress code, the required attire is also provided.

Before we jump into the passage, lets consider for a moment the purpose of a parable.

A parable (parabŏlē in the GK) is defined as a fictitious narrative of common life conveying a moral. Most of us are accustomed to interpreting what we read in the Bible according to life as it is today and while we may apply it to daily life today, we must first understand or interpret it based on both the authors original intent and the hearers understanding of it in the day it was given. Thus, key to applying scripture today is understanding the historical, geographical and cultural context in which it was first spoken and received. A failure to do that will result in a flawed application of how to live out those biblical truths today.

I know what you’re thinking! You are thinking, “I don’t have the time to study the Bible like that! Why should I anyway? Isn’t that what pastors and teachers like you are for Rich?!” Well if, as J.I. Packer once said, “A misinterpreted Bible is a misunderstood Bible, which will lead us out of God’s way rather than in it,” shouldn’t each of us want to understand it as best we can? There are many good commentaries available today which will help you in your study of the Bible; likewise there are many good Christian websites like preceptaustin.org which provide a ton of solid biblical scholarship. Prayerfully utilizing tools like these as well as the sound teaching of trusted pastors and teachers can aid you in “rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Regarding the text that we are about to study, it would serve us well to understand that while Jesus’ parable utilizes a wedding to illustrate the main point, the subject of Jesus’ parable here is NOT the “marriage supper of the Lamb” found in (Revelation 19:7-9) but the “the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 22:2); specifically, it addresses the basis upon which one is or is not welcome there. More on that next time…

Because this study is a little lengthy and in the hopes that you will continue to study it with me, we will unpack this important parable over the next week or so. I hope you’ll join me….

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Never Alone

” Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

Some of you may have seen the movie Overcomer, for those of you who have not, let me declare a spoiler alert here – but no worries; even after reading my comments on the movie in this post, I’m confident that when you see it for yourself you’ll be blessed.

The movie is about a girl named Hannah, a loner really who has no sense of who she is or if she even matters to anyone at all. The girl’s father left her and her mother right after she had been born and it was her understanding that he had since passed away.

Hannah did not know her father’s love for her until one day when the man, presumed dead re-entered her life. His life was a mess when she was born but in the 15 years that followed, he had come to believe in Jesus Christ and his prayer was to one day be reunited with his daughter.

Later, Hannah learned that her heavenly Father and Maker loved her too and that He demonstrated His love for her by sending His Son to redeem her. She also believed the gospel concerning Jesus and her connection with Him changed her completely.

Hannah was a cross country runner as her dad had been but because of an ongoing illness she struggled in every race. In the Overcomer allegory….the girls dad, bedridden and unable to be present with her for her final race led her to victory by coaching her through every mile of her race via a prerecorded message.

My friends as believers, we are all like Hannah. We are all in a race. We all struggle with things that hinder us in the race but our heavenly Father speaks tenderly to us. He has left us a “pre-recorded” message as well. Through those words, by His Spirit as well as other believers He encourages us, He informs us, He directs us and if we will listen and do what He says He will lead us to overcome every challenge and finish our race well!

Whatever you’re facing today and no matter what hurdles stand in your way, know that you are NEVER alone. God goes with you – trust Him for EVERY step!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

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Stay Sharp

“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save (sozo, deliver from bondage) both yourself and those who hear you.” (1 Timothy 4:16)

I recently heard an Irish folk tale that goes something like this: Two lumberjacks – one older and proven; the other, young and with something to prove were taking their lunch break one day when the younger stepped up to the older and challenged him to a contest. The younger proposed that they compete to see which of them could fell more trees in a single day. The older lumberjack accepted the challenge.

The next morning at the sound of a whistle the two began hacking away…the younger relentlessly going at tree after tree; the older lumberjack on the other hand took a fifteen minute break after every tree he felled. At the end of the day the trees were tallied and the older woodcutter won. The younger, astonished at his defeat turned to his opponent and asked, “How did you knock down more trees than I did? I know that you took a break between each tree and I did not.” The older and wiser woodcutter responded, “What you don’t know is that during each break I spent the time sharpening my axe.”

In Christian ministry as in other works where our focus and priority is on those around us it often happens that we neglect ourselves. The Christian minister is often so concerned with discipling others that he neglects to take the time to prepare himself. Just as a dull axe won’t cut wood well, a Christian minister, missionary or witness will have little impact in the lives of others if he fails to take time to work on or sharpen himself.

My friends, let us take the time, everyday to prepare ourselves BEFORE we set out to teach, preach or reach out to others in Jesus name.

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Putting Others First

Several months ago I read a book by Jared Wilson titled, “The story of Everything.” One of the things that stuck with me from the second chapter is that in essence all of us are narcissists at heart, meaning that everyone of us considers ourselves to be the most important person in our own lives.

What do you think? is that a fair and accurate statement?

As you ponder the question I’d like you to consider how you respond when someone arriving after you gets served before you at a restaurant, at an automotive service department, at the deli counter or at the doctors office. In addition, how do you respond when you’re cut off in traffic, at an exit, or in a parking lot or garage when someone takes the parking space you’ve been waiting for?

Now consider these words from (Philippians 2:3-4):

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Recently, I suffered a traumatic head injury and was in need of urgent treatment. Life Flight was grounded because of the weather and I ended up being transported by ambulance the 140 miles or so to University hospital in San Antonio where the trauma team there took great care of me and takes great care of EVERY patient brought to them – they put me on the road to recovery.

A few days ago I had to return again by ambulance for what I thought was nothing but what doctors thought might have been a stroke. Thankfully, it was not. But on that occasion I became angry and frustrated because I was still there and was no being so urgently tended to; to be honest I became inconvenienced. Then it dawned on me that the team, which weeks earlier had been doing everything to get me on the road to recovery was doing the same for others who were like I had been and worse and in urgent need of help.

They were helping others and I began to deeply regret my attitude.

In reality, that team of interns, doctors, surgeons and nurses were doing what every believer is called to do – they were esteeming others as greater or more important than themselves.

Jesus, our great Physician did that too!

In (Luke 5:31-32) we read that Jesus said: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Were the Pharisees – is anyone righteous? No, but some people in their sin and self righteousness don’t know how urgent their need is of our great Physician. I bring the passage up however because of the lengths that Jesus went to in order to make sin sick souls well: Jesus laid His life down for the sake of sinners and enemies of God – for our sake (see John 10:11) and in obedience to His Father’s will (see Luke 22:42, John 4:34). In a sense, Jesus esteemed us better than Himself (see Philippians 2:5-11); His Father was the most important person in Jesus’ life and fulfilling His Father’s mission was all that mattered to Him.

The most important mission for the EMT’s neurologists, neurosurgeons, doctors and nurses at University hospital is saving the lives of others. Likewise, the most important people in our lives ought to be those in urgent need of forgiveness, grace and abundant life made available to them through our great Physician Jesus Christ; and our greatest mission is to care enough about them to point them to Him, to love them like He loves us John 13:34, 15:12) and to esteem them – to put them before ourselves.

Who and what is most important to you? Will you join me in moving self out of the way for the sake of others?

Lord, help us move from being focused on ourselves, our lives and our to-do lists that we might become focused on the needs of those around us instead.

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