Personal Reflections

Well, to say the least, things here have not been very good. In fact, I've been running from this Bible study--putting it off and procrastinating reading and blogging. I've been reflecting on why I haven't wanted to read the Bible or blog about it, and, after thinking about it for a while, I think I'm still depressed. I do not like having to write or admit that fact here on my blog. I feel embarrassed and disappointed in myself. I should be over this by now. What's wrong with me? I also know that I'm opening myself up to judgment and that people form perceptions of me when I make such admissions. But if you are going to know why I haven't posted lately, then that is why. I just have been wondering lately about the point of it all. And I recognize that this attitude is that comes from depression.

It's interesting to me that when people are suffering we have the tendency to turn away from God. For me, I haven't wanted to do what would draw me closer to God, even though I'm aware that going to him could help me feel better. It's just so ironic that when we need God the most, we don't seek him out. So that's where I'm at. Hopefully, I'll post again soon.

Matthew's Account of the Beginning of the End

Day 229: Matthew 26

A lot is going on in Matthew 26. This chapter marks a major shift from an emphasis on Jesus's teachings to the events leading up to the end of his life. By the end of this chapter, Jesus has been betrayed by Judas, arrested, sentenced to death, and denied by Peter. Matthew spends much more time in his book about Jesus's life and teachings; the end of his life only takes up three chapters. Other gospel authors take longer.

This chapter makes me sad. Poor Judas made a bad decision to betray Jesus, and Jesus condemns him for it. Peter betrays Jesus. The Council sentences Jesus to death. Things do not appear to be going the way of the Kingdom. And this is how this chapter ends, so, for today, I'll leave it here today.

Helping "The Least of These"

Day 228: Matthew 25

Whenever I see a person on the street corner holding a sign asking for money or for a job, I admit, I do not know how to respond. On the one hand, I feel pity for this person and want to help them in some way. Then again, I'm selfish and want to keep my money for myself. Other times I think that there could surely be better ways for this person to spend their time and cast judgment on them. Even when I do give them money, the thought is in the back of my head about how they will spend it.

I guess what it boils down, too, is that I don't want to be taken advantage of. I feel like I am always giving to something, and when I meet a person I don't know asking me for money, I wonder if I should give it to them. I want to do so, but I also don't. It's a weird feeling, but I do think that scripture is clear about what we should do in these situations. We should give. And keep giving--no matter what this person does with this money and no matter how often we have to give it.

In Matthew 25, Jesus reminds us that any time we do something "for the least of these," we are doing it for him. When we take care of sick people, give food or money to people begging on the side of the freeway, meet someone's physical needs, invite someone into our homes, or visit people in prisons, we are following the will of the Father.

But knowing the right thing to do and doing it are two different matters entirely. They do not always work together (as we all know). Regardless, we should consider Jesus' words here. Whenever we are helping the weak, we are doing it for Jesus. The focus is not on ourselves but rather on Jesus. It's a way to say "thank you."

Perhaps we are motivated to help others out of fear of disobedience, for Jesus says that when we refuse to help the weakest members of our society, we are refusing to help him. Or maybe we will actually respond to people because it's the right thing to do, the moral thing to do. Maybe we are compassionate people and do so out of the overflow of our hearts. Regardless of what motivates us to help others, Jesus shows us how and why it's important to take care of people--not just people we associate with on a daily basis but also people we don't. Thinking of people the way that Jesus did will also change our own hearts and minds. May we all be more conscious of ways we can help "the least of these."

Left Behind?

Day 227: Matthew 24

I'm sure many of you are familiar with The Left Behind series of books, which is based on the notion of the rapture. My church denomination does not preach about the rapture because they don't think it will occur. And I don't really either, but I can see where they might get this notion from. Right here in Matthew 24. In this chapter, Jesus is talking about the end time when he, the "Son of Man," will return to earth. 

Matthew 24:36-41:
“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.

“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. 

Right there in the last two sentences--one will be taken; the other left behind. I'm not sure what to make of this discovery.

Practicing What We Preach

Day 226: Matthew 23

Wow. Matthew 23 was very eye-opening for me. I mentioned in a previous post that Jesus really gets on to the religious leaders because of their hypocritical ways, but in this chapter, wow, he is harsh. He tells the people and his disciples that they should follow the teachings of the religious leaders and the Pharisees but that they shouldn't follow their example because they don't practice what they preach. They are hypocritical--appearing to follow the laws but in reality being hateful and despicable. Jesus argues that the Pharisees and the religious leaders are clean and pretty on the outside, but their hearts are filthy and dirty.

And what will their punishment be? According to Jesus, sorrow awaits them. He says this phrase over and over again. He even says that these religious people will be held responsible for the deaths of all godly people OF ALL TIME (v. 35), including Abel who was killed by Cain. Wow. Jesus is serious about one thing: he wants us to practice what we preach.

Of course it's easy to think, "Those Pharisees. Those hypocrites." and not to see ourselves in them at all. But it is the religious people Jesus is addressing here and it would do people who consider themselves religious to consider how we might be like these people Jesus condemns. Are we hypocritical? Do we want others to see our good deeds, even though our hearts are evil and hateful inside? Do we have unpure motives? How are we like the Pharisees? What might Jesus be saying to us?

For me, he's reminding me that purity begins in the heart. Outward deeds that are good do not mean that they come from a pure heart, and a pure, clean heart is really what God wants from us. He doesn't expect perfection by any means, but he does expect us to practice what we preach--not to deceive and be hypocritical. This lesson is one we've heard over and over in our lives, but it's obviously a very important one to implement. The kingdom is at stake when we don't practice what we preach, and for unbelieving people, hypocrites are what they simply find unbelievable.

God's Will

Day 225: Matthew 22

So often we ask ourselves, "What is God's will for our lives?" "What does he want me to do with my life?" "What is his will?"

It is important to ponder and reflect on the answers to these questions. But it strikes me that somehow these questions have already been answered. We know what God's will is. Jesus says in Matthew 22: “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Jesus has already answered these questions for us. He wants us to love the Lord with everything we have in us--to give our all to love and honor him; he also wants us to love others, those who we consider our neighbors and those who we don't. Love God and love people. That sums up what God's will for our lives is. When we are considering and contemplating what specific career we will have, we should think first about how we can have a profession where we can love God and love people. In order to live a fully integrated life where our faith isn't separate from our work, we should choose careers that allow us to first love God and love people. Our wills and desires should come after God's will and should still align to these two commands.

Protection

Day 224: Matthew 21

I love Jesus's personality. He is humble, yet stick-it-in-your-face, but not to the people you might think. We tend to want Jesus to get on to "sinners," prostitutes, drunks, adulterers, and others like this. But no, Jesus's world is topsy turvy; it's backwards. He gets on to the religious people--those who think they know what they are doing, but who just don't get it, who are doing it all wrong. Jesus even tells them that it's going to be worse off for them. Wow. And this angers them so much. Jesus protects and defends the sinners, but he doesn't seem to protect and defend the religious leaders and the teachers of the law. He's come to teach us all, and one group is getting it while the other--the ones who should--don't. Which group are you a part of? Are you getting it, or are you judging Jesus and others who defend the sinners?

The Last Shall Be First

Day 223: Matthew 20

It's interesting that this passage about the parable of the vineyards where the first shall be last and the last shall be first came today. Tonight, we went to a memorial service for a man who went to our church for a little over a year, and Shane read this exact same passage at his funeral. This man was in his early 80s and had spent decades of his life in jail. I don't know what he did to get there, but it had to be something big since he had spent so much of his life there. His family didn't have much to do with him, and they really didn't care if we had a memorial service for him or not. I can understand that. For most of his life, he was a bad man, not just in the moral sense but also in the legal sense.

During his time in jail, he must have become a Christian because the moment he got out, he wound up at our church. And he was a faithful Christian for this past year. He even helped another young man, also an ex-con, who started coming to our church. He was a changed man.

But his family didn't want to forgive him. His daughter didn't come to the funeral. They didn't want to show him grace; he didn't deserve it. But in God's eyes, he has just as much of a place in the kingdom of heaven as anyone else does--those who come early in their life and who don't commit felonies, and those who come later on. God is holding a spot for this man, too. He's holding a spot for all of us. In his eyes, we're all the same--no matter when we respond to the call. Those of us who have been faithful Christians as long as we remember may not see this practice as just. But we know that God is a just God, and this form of justice is one that we should implement as well. Loving people and forgiving their past is God's way of justice. He did it for all of us, and extending this same grace to others--no matter when they might come to believe--indicates that we are living out God's form of justice.

Being Perfect

Day 222: Matthew 17-19

It's time for another confession: I'm a perfectionist. I like to have everything perfect in my life. I expect to be perfect. I expect Shane to be perfect. I expect my kids to be perfect. I expect my house to be in perfect order. I expect to have the perfect home, the perfect yard, the perfect [fill in the blank]. I expect my life to be perfect. I have very high expectations of myself and also of those close to me. I don't like this trait about myself, and maybe it can change one day. Who knows? But right now, I am a perfectionist.

I don't know when I first started being this way, but I have always tried to be perfect--the best, the favorite, #1. There was no room for second place, and everything but first wasn't good enough. I wanted to be the best child of my parents. I wanted to make the best grades of anyone else in school. I wanted to be the best basketball player on the court. I wanted to be people's "favorite," admired by all. I don't know where I got these ideas. Maybe it was from the strict rules I had as a child. Maybe it was because of the notion of heaven and hell that I was taught, which I thought at the time meant "perfect" or "not perfect." Maybe it was from my own expectations and desires. Who knows? But pretty soon, I came to think of myself and my own self-worth in this manner, too. That when I wasn't "perfect," then I was a failure. A loser. And that nobody would love me. I have a great fear of being unloved because of who I am. Even though I know in my heart that a lot of people love me, I still define myself by how "good" I am.

What's crazy about this association with being perfect and being loved is that I can never measure up to this status. I am daily under a lot of stress (we all are!). It's especially hard learning how to balance so many different commitments I have in my life--husband, children, job, church, God, friends, family, rest, and anything else that fills my time. It's not easy, and too often I feel like I give and give and give to all these areas, and it's never enough. Soon, I view myself as failing in every area, which then leads to a feeling of worthlessness.

These feelings can only be overcome through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus tells his disciples, "Nothing is impossible with God," and even though right now these feelings of failure and worthlessness are ever present in my life, I know that God can do anything. He can make the impossible possible. He can teach me to have a new way to see myself and to measure my success. He wants me to love him and love people. That's really all he asks. He doesn't ask us to be perfect, and I shouldn't try to be either. He doesn't even ask us to "try our best," as is often quoted to children in school. No, Jesus wants us to love God and love people. When we do that, God can take our feelings of insecurity, self-doubt, and self-loathing away and bring us happiness, joy, and contentment. Reading the New Testament right now couldn't have come at a better time.

Jesus's Teaching on What It Means to Follow Him

Day 221: Matthew 15-16

Today, I bring you these words (16:24-28, NLT):

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

May you find comfort and encouragement from the mouth of our Savior.

Coping with Stressful Days

Day 220: Matthew 14

Matthew 14 presents a stressful day in the life of Jesus, and I think we can learn a lot about how Jesus reacts in relation to these events. Jesus learns that John the Baptist has been killed by Herod. His disciples come and tell him the news of his horrific death at the head of Herod's daughter. When Jesus learns of John's death, he goes off in a boat, hoping to be alone. But the people follow him, so Jesus has compassion and heals them. Then, they get hungry, and next is the story of Jesus feeding all of them. After they are all satisfied, Jesus goes away by himself to pray. The disciples meanwhile are in a boat and a storm comes. Jesus walks out to them on the water, and Peter gets out of the boat and attempts to walk to Jesus. He has faith to get out of the boat, but he starts sinking because he doubts. Jesus then gets into the boat with them and the storm grows calm. They go to the other side of lake and there news of him spreads.

What can we learn from Jesus in the midst of stress in our own lives?

1. Jesus shows us that even in the midst of terrible trials in our own lives, sometimes we must deal with the immediate concerns of those around us. Although Jesus wanted to be alone and reflect on the day, people were demanding his attention, and he has compassion and heals them. He responds to the need, regardless of what he personally was going through at the time. Daily, we are dealing with our own struggles. Some days we face things that we need time to process and deal with, but our families or friends or parents or children or churches or house--or whatever--demands our immediate attention. And it's OK to give it to them. To put our needs aside for a bit and to do what needs to be done.

2. Yet, when Jesus finds some time to be alone, he immediately goes away by himself to pray. After a sad and stressful day, Jesus goes to God and prays. We don't know what was said, but we do know that the next time we see him he is walking on the water to meet his disciples. Jesus was mourning the death of a friend--and doing much more than that, too, I'm sure--and so he went to the source of his strength. So often, I go to other people to talk about my problems before I go to God. But Jesus doesn't. He finds time to go by himself and pray. It wasn't that it was necessarily there--he could have filled up that time with other "more pressing" matters, but he carves out the time. He views it as that important, and so should we.

Jesus knows what it's like to be busy. And yet...he still takes the time to do important things like reconnecting to the Father. God can take care of all our problems--even if it's just being too busy--and he can help us. After we go to God, who knows, maybe we can even walk on water.

A Teaching Tip

Day 219: Matthew 13

A lot of the research I do for my job has to do with the notion of narrative. Narrative theory looks at how we use stories to construct meaning and make sense of our lives. Since the beginning of time, humans have used stories in such a way. And Jesus is no different. This chapter in Matthew details many of the parables Jesus uses in his teaching. In fact, this chapter even says that Jesus solely spoke to the people through parables. At no time did he teach them without using stories.

Today (and then, too), Jesus is considered the master teacher--the model for all to follow. And if we are to follow his lead, then we should understand that good teaching involves the telling of stories. As humans, we process and arrange our lives through stories, and when we listen to or read stories, the point (argument/claim/thesis) of the piece is more clear to us. Plus, we can then apply what we've learned about the example(s) used in the story to our own lives. This method of teaching by telling stories is so different than the way our education system focuses on memorizing "facts" and practicing methods. Stories aren't often used in formal instruction (at least from my perspective) to actually instruct; rather, they are primarily used to learn the facts of them. For instance, when we read _Romeo and Juliet_, we are tested over the details of the story. And when teachers lecture, they don't often use stories--at least mine didn't. When I teach, I know the importance of telling stories, but it's often more difficult to find and use stories than just to tell students something. And yet Jesus shows us the importance of using stories as a teaching tool--and not just something to memorize. Our education system, as well as individual teachers like me,  can learn from Jesus how to become a better teacher. 

Think on Good Things

Sickness has once again plagued the Alexander family. We've been dealing with it now for four days, which is why I'm a bit behind in posting. I'll get caught up soon, though. Thanks for your patience!

Day 218: Matthew 12
When I was growing up, my parents instilled in me many values. They taught me about God and the Bible. They taught me about good sportsmanship--to congratulate others when you lost and to have a good attitude about it. They wanted me to see the importance of education and reading and writing and arithmetic (that arithmetic never did amount to many skills for me, though--even though I wish it had). They also taught me the value of having good friends, watching "wholesome" movies, and not being around people who did things that were against my morals.

I knew then that my parents were right, and so, basically, I was a prude. I didn't go far with guys. I didn't go to parties, bars, or clubs. I didn't curse or swear. I didn't do drugs, have sex, or drink. I still had my own flaws, of course, just not these behaviors. And I'm glad I didn't do these things. I had a lot of friends doing them, and I saw how harmful this behavior could be on them. They were too close to guys who wouldn't be there the next week. They were ruining their brain cells, their intelligence. They became depressed and lonely. I felt sorry for them. But I didn't engage in these behaviors.

Don't get me wrong. There were some things that I really wanted to do and experience. But for some reason, I just didn't do them (I guess I thank the Lord for this). I was often seen as a prude (which was a negative concept) or a fuddy duddy or an old fogey. But I also had a great group of friends who weren't engaging in these behaviors either. So I felt all right.

Like I said earlier, I still had my own battles to fight. I sinned daily. I lied and stole and cheated on numerous occasions. And I learned something from my friends who battled these more visible behaviors. Although everyone knew that (s)he was a drug addict or that (s)he slept around with everyone, these people had something that I didn't have: they were honest. They didn't lie about who they were; rather, they were honest about it and let the whole world see who they were--warts and all. And either people liked them or they didn't. These friends of mine taught me many valuable lessons, and this was one of them.

But what we all had in common was that we were far from perfect. Jesus says in Matthew 12 that the mouth speaks what is already in the heart, so it's important to ponder and think about good things. Peace, love, faith, forgiveness, hope, repentance, salvation, redemption, grace. Thinking on the things that matter help identify who we are. I once heard a preacher say, "What comes out of the mouth is produced in the factory." I like that metaphor, and each day, I try to live life meditating and thinking on good things. Yes, evil and sin and depression and loneliness and all these other bad things exist. It's not that we shouldn't think about these things--we should try to help people who are struggling. But for ourselves, when we are trying to regroup and get refreshed and find rest, we should look to Jesus. He is the ultimate good thing, and he will allow our hearts to become more and more pure--no matter what we've done in the past.

Thank you, God, for good things.

More about Jesus

Day 217: Matthew 11

Jesus is a true teacher: he gives instructions to his "pupils" (apostles) and then he goes out to teach and preach. He instructs and directs and then he goes back to his business of teaching and preaching to the masses. Jesus views both parts as important--teaching his apostles and preaching and teaching to the whole group. Food for thought.
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The following passage  is a winner in my book (11:28-20, NLT):

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Jesus wants to give us rest. He wants to take all our burdens away from us and bring peace, rest, and contentment to our lives. His words provide evidence of what an amazing man Jesus was/is. Even though his yoke wasn't going to be easy, he still is unselfishly concerned about others. He is here for us, ready to provide our souls with rest. How comforting is that!

Read the Instructions

Day 216: Matthew 10

The calling of the twelve apostles is such a fascinating story. In Matthew, we aren't given much detail about how any of the apostles but Matthew are called. However, Matthew writes down the name of each apostle and even includes the instructions that Jesus gave them when he sent them out.

1. They were not to go to the Gentiles or Samaritans--only the Jews.

2. They were to announce that the kingdom of God is near.

3. They were to perform acts on people: heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons, to give as freely as they have received.

4. They were not to take any money with them or a suitcase. They were to accept hospitality from people because "they deserve to be fed."

5. When they enter a place, they were to search for a worthy person and stay there until they left the town. They were to bless the home. If the home turns out to be worthy, then the blessing stands; if, however, it does not, they were to take back the blessing. For those households or towns that doesn't welcome them or listen to their message, they were to shake its dust from their feet as they leave.

Jesus was preparing his apostles for the journey. The mission was not an easy one, and the journey would be long, tiring, and hard. These men were going to be like "sheep among wolves (v. 16), and Jesus wanted to warn them what they were getting themselves into--floggings, whippings, hatred, persecution, loneliness. These are not easy things, but Jesus also offers them hope when he tells them:

"But everyone who endures to the end will be saved."
 
"But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!" 
 
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 

This journey was not going to be easy, but they believed in Jesus, his teaching, his mission. And they followed him. In spite of all the hardship they would suffer--and they all suffered for their faith--they still obeyed and left their old lives behind. It was all for the sake of Christ. What amazing trust and faith they had in Jesus.

Why don't we act like these apostles did. We don't--at least in America--suffer like these people suffered. We are selfish and individualistic. We may try to be an example and to tell others about Jesus, but our fear of rejection usually reminds us that we're too weak, too insignificant. But through Jesus, we can. When we trust ourselves, we have these feelings of insecurity and inferiority, but God can deliver us from these feelings. He just wants us to trust him. To give our lives to him. It's a lot to ask, and the journey won't be easy, but the reward, oh the reward, will be great.

Matthew: A Writer Who Gets It

Day 215: Matthew 9

I figured that now would be a good time to to talk about the author of the first gospel of the New Testament: Matthew. Matthew is called by Jesus in this chapter, and the call of Matthew is such an amazing, inspiring story. Jesus was walking along and sees Matthew sitting at a tax collector's booth. He tells Matthew to follow him and be his disciple. Matthew immediately got up and followed him. In the next paragraph, we learn that Matthew invites Jesus, Jesus' disciples, tax collectors and sinners to his home for dinner.

Let's unpack this story a little more.

1. First, Matthew immediately gets up when he's called. He follows Jesus and becomes a disciple.

2. Second, Matthew invites over followers of Jesus to sit down for a meal with his friends--other tax collectors--and so-called "sinners." Matthew gets it. He gets what Jesus is all about, and he plows in headfirst. He doesn't wait around to be told what to do; rather, he starts implementing the teachings of Jesus immediately.

3. And, finally, we can see that God uses Matthew's talents. Before being called, Matthew is a tax collector. Tax collectors were not well-liked at the time and were often thought of as being crooked and unfair. Matthew must sacrifice a lot to follow Jesus, more than some of the other disciples, I would argue. Peter, James, and John--they were fisherman. They didn't give this up when they became disciples. Luke was a doctor, and most likely he didn't have to quit this job either. But Matthew, he was a tax collector, and following Jesus meant that he couldn't collect taxes anymore. But God didn't let the talents and skills Matthew learned and practiced as a tax collector go to waste. No, God calls Matthew to write down and record all that he witnesses in the life of Jesus. Matthew's attention to detail is used for the glory of God.

How amazing is it that we have a disciple such as Matthew be the one to pass on what he has witnessed to all the generations after him.

A Day in the Life

Day 214: Matthew 8

I'm amazed at what a day in the life of Jesus entails. He heals people. He asks people to follow him and give up their homes and possessions. He rebukes a storm and it stops. He talks about how there is a cost to following him. And this is only one chapter's worth of anecdotes! Jesus is busy. But he's not busy with the typical things that I busy myself with--work, household chores, family time, watching TV, playing on the computer, reading, exercising, and on and on. His day isn't full of time to himself or "me time" (although he does rest and pray on occasion, but even that, one could argue, is still focusing on others). He doesn't do selfish things during his day or spend time worrying and fretting, wondering how he can get it all done (like I do). No, he busies himself with people. He reaches out to people. He meets them where they're out. He shows compassion. He touches lives. He impacts people. He's out of his house--walking around town meeting people and doing things for them. Instead of staying away or spending time with his family, he's healing the sick and loving the sinners. Jesus spends his time on things that matter. His day is so much different than mine, but his example shows me what is truly important. So many of our concerns are really things that this world tells us is important--money, TV, working hard, success, education, etc. I'm not saying that it doesn't matter or that it's good to be ignorant, but I am saying that we should spend our time thinking and pondering how Jesus spent his day so that we can reflect more on how we are spending ours.

May you have some days in your life similar to the ones Jesus had in his.

The Credibility and Purpose of Jesus

Day 213: Matthew 7

There are no greater words than those of Jesus. His teachings are profound and inspiring, yet straightforward. When he finishes speaking in Matthew 7, the author writes, "When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law." The people were amazed because Jesus taught with authority. He knew what he was talking about and spoke with command and authority, with a credibility--an ethos--that the teachers of religious law did not have.

What's Done in Secret...

Day 212: Matthew 6

Over the past several years, I have become more and more interested in spiritual disciplines and how they form people to be more Christlike. We are all familiar--at least in name--with the disciplines of fasting, praying, and Bible study. But there are others that are less familiar. One spiritual discipline that fascinates me is that of secrecy. Secrecy as a spiritual discipline isn't about keeping someone's secret. Rather, it has to do with doing good deeds in secret--without telling anyone about them. So often, we are motivated to do good by our own selfish desires. We give to the needy--publicly--so that people will see it and know what we've done. We make announcements or we are honored by organizations for our giving. We give--and we are recognized for it.

But this spiritual discipline of secrecy isn't about being recognized; it's about doing things for others without anyone knowing about it--even the person for whom you've done it. This spiritual discipline can be considered one because it takes discipline not to share with others good things you have done. If you mow your neighbor's lawn because it needs to be done, you want your spouse to know. Or if you provide food for families in need, you may do so out of desires that are not so pure. Sure, we try to have good intentions--we are helping people. But when we practice the discipline of secrecy, we can see how so many of our intentions--especially good ones--are actually based on selfish motivations.

In Matthew 6, Jesus addresses this discipline of secrecy when he talks about giving to the poor and when teaching on how we should pray. I challenge all of us to practice doing things for others for their sake rather than ours. This discipline is one way to learn this lesson.

Jesus: The Preacher and Teacher

Day 211: Matthew 5

Matthew 5 contains the first recorded "sermon" of Jesus, and probably his most famous one--the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes are recorded here, and so are teachings on anger, adultery, vows, revenge, and love for enemies. This sermon is striking on so many levels, but mostly because Jesus takes the Book of Law that all the people to which he's speaking about knows and understands and abolishes it. But he doesn't just abolish it and say, "Never mind all that stuff." Rather, he takes the laws that these these people know and believe and obey and extends them. He takes them further. He doesn't just talk about the action; he gets to the heart of the matter, literally, by showing us how our actions are really borne out of our heart, and it is our heart that we need to get right and then our actions will follow.

What amazing, inspiring, and radical things to say. Here is Jesus--his first sermon ever--and here he is already making radical claims that would upset and rile up an audience. But he speaks the truth. He teaches. He takes what these people know about the law--abolishes it--and then rebuilds it on a new foundation--a heart foundation. It really is all about our hearts and minds--what we think and feel. Jesus is already an amazing, provocative teacher. I'm glad he continues to teach us all these years later.

Jesus' Example: Baptism and Temptation

Once again my internet was down all weekend. We are hoping to have it fixed soon, but until then, I appreciate your patience as I come to work the next day and post there. Grrr.

Day 210: Matthew 3-4
I love the story of Jesus being baptized. What beautiful imagery! Jesus rises out of the water after he was baptized, heaven opens, and the Spirit of God descends like a dove on him. And at that moment, a voice from heaven says, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." What's interesting to me here is how the baptism of Jesus is recorded in the passive voice. The passage does not say. "Jesus baptized himself," which implies that Jesus is the one doing the action. Rather, the passage says, "As soon as Jesus was baptized..." (3:16), where the one doing the action is not Jesus. This writing style indicates that baptism is not something we as individuals do; instead, baptism is an act completed on us by someone else. The Spirit is the one doing the action. God is the one doing the action. We are merely the receptacle, the tool, on which this action is completed. Metaphorically, then, this indicates that we cannot save ourselves. Someone else is doing the saving, even though we are the one completing the action.

Immediately after Jesus is baptized--at least it's the next story as recorded in the Bible--Jesus is led into the desert. Here, he faces three temptations, none of which he gives in to. Each time the devil tempts him, Jesus answers by referring to words of law, to words that have been written down and that someone knowledgeable about Scripture would know and understand. Jesus shows us that he is well-read, and he also shows us that we can say "no" to temptation. Just because temptation greets us doesn't mean that we have to give in to it. But to say "no" to temptation requires more than relying on our own strength and willpower. Here, we see that Jesus brought up past ancestors and the words of law, the words of God, to help him say no. We don't have to fight temptation on our own; we can look back to history and rely on God alone to help us, just like Jesus did.

After he was baptized and tempted, Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (4:17).

Connections between Old and New

Day 209: Matthew 1-2

I think it's interesting that the New Testament begins with the genealogy of Jesus. The book of Matthew gives us an account of Jesus' ancestry, going all the way back to Abraham. Many of the names are familiar to us because we've just read about them in the OT. Five women are mentioned--Tamar, Rahab, Bathsheba (or the "wife of Uriah") and Mary. These women have their own unique stories. Francine Rivers has even written fascinating reads over the lives of each of these women, which I recommend reading.

This genealogy serves an interesting purpose, I think--to connect the Old to the New. This strategy on the part of the compilers of the Bible--and on Matthew whose book it is that does this--reminds us that this story that's about to unfold of Jesus and the church connects to all those other stories before it. It doesn't come from nowhere but is inherently connected to all that's come before it. To the stories of the Israelites. To the lives of the non-Jews. To the stories of all people on earth. Here we have the greatest story ever told about to unfold. And Matthew connects this story to the Israelite history. What this does for us is show us that the story of Jesus has a context. It didn't just appear out of nowhere but rather was prophesied about beforehand. Jesus's ancestors are God's people, and God sends Jesus to save the world. Welcome to the world, Jesus. What an entry you had.

Reflection: From Old to New

I finished the Old Testament!!! Yea!! What a journey it's been so far. And now I can't wait to be continuing the journey with the New Testament. The NT presents a different writing style, different topics, and different stories, and we finally get to the meet the man prophesied about and hoped for over and over again in in the Old Testament. I can't wait for the next several months of reading through these books of the New Testament. I hope you will continue with me on this journey.

As a celebration of the fact that I've finished the Old Testament and am now moving on to the New, I'm going to spend one day looking back over my journey through the Old Testament and reflecting on some of observations I've made so far. Along the way--every 40th day--I've reflected at specific moments in time, but today, I'm going to ponder some of what I've learned and what I've been thinking about regarding this spiritual discipline.

First, I continue to be amazed at the God I serve. He is just and forgiving. He loves the less fortunate, the oppressed, the poor. He asks us to be faithful to him, and when we are, he protects us. He is, in a word, amazing. As a child--and even in some Bible classes in college--I always heard that the Old Testament presents a different God than the New Testament--the God of the Old Testament is mean and hateful and then he gets baptized in the New Testament and becomes loving. I always heard that God in the OT seeks vengeance, destroys people, hates, and is jealous. In sum, we are to fear him out of our own fear of being destroyed, put to death, condemned to hell. However, my reading has not showed me this God at all. Yes, I recognize that God can punish and can destroy. He can be jealous, and he wants us to obey him. But the thing that is so often overlooked in these portrayals of God is that God, first and foremost, loves us. He isn't jealous for jealousy's sake. He doesn't call us to faithfulness just because he wants to be in control of us. He doesn't rule with an iron fist and make laws arbitrarily because he can. Rather, God loves us. He wants to protect us. He loves us. He loves us.

The best representation of this relationship, I think, is that of a parent to a child. As a parent, I want to discipline my children to teach them right from wrong and good from bad, but I don't like punishing them. In fact, I hate it. I dread it. But I love them. And God doesn't like to punish us either, as some would have us believe. It hurts him to do so. And through my reading and writing about the OT, I see God as a God of love. He doesn't want to hurt us. He wants to show us his love. And in the New Testament, he will do so in a way that will shock and surprise us all.

I've also really enjoyed reading about God's people. From well-known people like Joseph, Jonah, and Job to lesser known people like the prophets and the deaconnesses and the women who aren't often mentioned, I like to hear their stories. I am connected to these people. God chose Israel to be his people, and his relationship with them gives us a concrete representation of how he deals with his people. This nation is one he loves, and he expects things of them. He expects them to obey his laws, to love the weak, and to take care of the poor. He wants powerful people to help those less powerful. And I think this can be related to today as well and what he expects of us as individuals and our churches--and perhaps our government, too.

I've also re-discovered how the Bible basically has three different functions in terms of the structure: you have the narrative stories, the poetry and prayers of people, and then the prophecies in which God speaks to his people. The Bible itself, for the most part, is structured in this way, not chronological like seems logical to me. I think this structure is intentional, though, and we are given three different accounts, basically, of the same stories. These approaches allow us to see the Bible, hear the stories, and learn about the life of the Israelites from three different perspectives, which allows people to relate differently to all of them. What a wonderful study of rhetoric, literacy, and narrative. Maybe one day I'll pursue this approach. :)

Lastly, reading the Bible every day for 208 days has been quite the challenge. But then finding something to say and writing about it has been doubly hard. Life happens. Kids get sick. I get sick. The internet goes down. We travel, and I forget to take a Bible with me, and the place we're at doesn't have the internet. I just can't find the time. Other commitments come up. I work a full-time job, and this process typically takes me one hour from beginning to end. I also commute 2 hours a day, so at the end of the day when I get home from work, I may not have an hour to dedicate to this. Spiritual disciplines are hard. And I find this one to be extremely hard, too. But you know what? That's all right. God understands. He is sympathetic and forgiving and gracious when things don't go as planned (much more than humans are, I think). God just wants us to try--he wants us to get out of the boat like Peter and trust him that when we get out of our comfort zone and do something difficult, he will be there to catch us when we fall, to take our hand and pull us up out of the water. But, we must get out of the boat if we are going to walk on water. If we are going to see things anew.

So, I can't predict where the next part of this journey will go, but I appreciate you listening and interacting with me along the way. I appreciate you, readers, in more ways than you know. Whoever you are and wherever you live, thanks for reading.  Some days, you are the only one who motivates me to complete this goal.

Guard Your Heart

Day 208: Malachi 1-4

I find it interesting that here at the end of the Old Testament, God talks about divorce. This topic is not a common one in the OT, and bringing it up here at the end of the OT is much like bringing up a new topic in the conclusion of an essay--you shouldn't do it. I'm sure the placement of this narrative is probably more interspersed in the life of Israel than it appears to be something at the end of the journey before the New Testament begins, but I do find it interesting.

The book of Malachi is where the Lord says, "I hate divorce," and "To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty" (2:16, 17). These statements indicate that God does not like divorce. What's interesting here is that God wants us to be proactive in our marriages so that divorce never even comes up. God tells us, "Guard your heart; do not be unfaithful." He doesn't say here, "Guard your body," even though it is the body that is inherently involved in sex outside of marriage. Instead, he reminds us to guard our hearts. If we guard our hearts and protect them from getting emotionally attached to someone other than our spouse, God seems to say that we will be protected from divorce. Guarding our heart is a way to protect ourselves within the confines of marriage. If we never put ourselves in situations where we might become emotionally attached to someone else, then we won't be tempted to be in relationships that we shouldn't be.

I think that this concept of guarding our heart can actually be applied to our relationship with the Lord, too. When we let our hearts have other gods, we have not guarded our hearts as God as asked us to do. As we go out today, let's all protect our hearts so that they are reserved for God and for our spouse alone. 

The Lord Is Our God!

Day 207: Zechariah 9-14

Whenever Jesus is prophesied about in the Old Testament, I find myself becoming giddy. I'm excited that I am almost finished with my OT reading and that I will be moving on to the New Testament soon. But I also get excited because of the way that these people who lived in a time before Jesus waited in anticipation of their coming Messiah. Jesus was coming soon, and these prophets were preparing the minds of the Israelites for this to happen. Zechariah describes Jesus as righteous and victorious, yet humble, someone who rides on a donkey. And the Lord God is contrasted somewhat with Jesus. The accounts aren't contradictory, but they merely show that one of the dominant characterizations of Jesus is humility and that of God is power. And our God becomes powerful through humility.

Zechariah 13:9 says:
"I will bring that group through the fire
      and make them pure.
   I will refine them like silver
      and purify them like gold.
   They will call on my name,
      and I will answer them.
   I will say, ‘These are my people,’
      and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”

God is good, and He is sending Jesus soon to save these people and to save us. The Lord is our God!

Oppression Revisited

Day 206: Zechariah 5-8

This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.               ---Zechariah 7:9

This message keeps popping up again and again and again in the prophetic books. It's not just any message; it's the message that got the Israelites in major trouble with God because they did not follow it. May we not be like Israel and abide by this command. The world would be a much better place if we all applied this in our own lives--to the people around us in our local communities.

A New Hope

Day 206: Zechariah 1-4

I could go into detail about the various visions the prophet Zechariah has, but I won't. I'm just going to sum up Zechariah's message to the people here: Jesus is coming soon, so get yourselves right with the Lord. 

Haggai

Day 205: Haggai 1-2

I'm not too sure why the book of Haggai is in the Bible, mainly because I don't understand it and think that most of this information was given elsewhere. But then again, this is a prophecy, not a narrative story and not prayers and songs, like the other books that mention the rebuilding of the temple. Haggai's message was to build the temple and give the people a place to worship the Lord. The people get to work immediately building the temple.

The Day of the Lord

Day 204: Zephaniah 1-3

Zephaniah, the prophet, writes about the Day of the Lord, a day when the Lord will judge and destroy Israel and Judah for all their wrongdoing, their sin. The faithful will be delivered, and the unfaithful will be destroyed.

I'm not sure exactly what the Day of the Lord is, whether it's come or whether it hasn't. Or whether the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus actually means this Day of the Lord will never happen.

But it seems that God is serious about us being faithful to him. He is in control of our lives, and he wants us to be faithful to him. He made us, and we are his. He wants us to seek him, to seek righteousness. Seek humility. We could all use to work on becoming more righteous and more humble. I don't know what's to come, but God wants it from us, and we should thus give it to him.

The LORD your God is with you,
       the Mighty Warrior who saves.
       He will take great delight in you;
       in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
       but will rejoice over you with singing.