10/9/2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will truly disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.  Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5.18-19)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

The transition statement between “…so let your light so shine within the world that your works may glorify our Father in Heaven” and “…the Law and the Prophets are in full effect until the day when Heaven and earth shall disappear” is the verse numbered 17. In that verse Jesus declares “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Even in Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets does not signify the time has come for Heaven and earth to disapper. Quite the contrary, what it signifies is “The Age of the Church.” Here in the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, according to the Matthew’s gospel account, we are given the precursor of what will be the reign of the community of righteousness for at least a millenia. Jesus reiterates this season of witness and testimony by word and deed before He ascends into Heaven. In that moment, Matthew 28.20 and following, Jesus commissions those who are His disciples (and not just the “twelve”) to “Go therefore into all the world (the human communities) beginning in Jerusalem (which happens at Pentecost), then into Judea and Samaria (meaning both Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, male and female, rich and poor, outcast and outcasters), and ultimately to the broad reaches of the globe (the far corners of the world) to make disciples in and of every nation.” For a band of believers who barely travelled north and south a distance of one hundred miles and east and west a distance of maybe fifty miles, this was a daunting task. It was one thing to leave behind families, friends, work, possessions and whatever sense of stability they may have enjoyed during those three years of ministry internship. It was a very different experience to consider the entire world. In their day that would have reached to the British Isles, Spain, Morocco, Ethiopia, India, Russian and the Arabian Peninsula. There was no internet, nor jetliners or travel agents to book hotels and other accomodations. It was going to be a challenge and Jesus knew it as He knew all things.

So, He left them with a promise. In Luke’s “Gospel of Jesus as the Christ” and “The Gospel of Church via the Apostles,” we are privileged to His promise of the on-dwelling and indwelling of the Holy Spirit as never before. We hear of Jesus sending them out previously “two by two” with the blessing of the Holy Spirit. But, He was still with them in the flesh. They would go out and come back and find Jesus was there right where He had sent them from. But, at Pentecost, Jesus had already ascended so that the full experience of the Holy Spirit was theirs. It would teach them, instruct them, test them, prove them, empower them, engage them and encourage them in words that existed beyond their earthly existence before that time. In Matthew, Jesus offers this promise “All, remember, you can count on this, I AM with you always to the close of the Age.” “This Age” was introduced in the Sermon on the Mount. It was the step beyond the teaching of John the Baptizer who shouted in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord, repent and be baptized. His Kingdom is coming!” We know “His” kingdom was not of this world. The world could not manufacture the kingdom of God because the world systems were sin-fected. So, it had to come from somewhere else. It would come from Heaven. First in the Holy Spirit as was promised. Then, at the Second Coming, when Christ would return to claim His Bride, the Church at the close of the Age. The Age of readiness to receive the Groom and dwell with Him forever and ever in the New Heaven and New Earth. It was that coming Jesus was speaking to in the Parable of the Foolish and Wise Virgin Bridesmaids.

We are in that age, mighty ones of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are in the Age of the Church manifesting among all people the reality of the call to righteousness. Some today find it easy to be “righteous” when they interpret “doing good to others” as being separate from “obeying God’s plan, structure and call to life.” I have heard it expressed as “swinging a bat or a golf club only to the point of contact with the ball.” Coaches will tell you that you must “swing through the ball” and not merely make contact. From experience, I can tell you that merely making contact is the equivalent of a checked swing, an “oops, didn’t mean to.” Sometimes, we may be fortunate to get on base or in the fairway but generally that will never be the case. Swinging through the ball doesn’t guarantee that either but the chances are increased with a full swing and follow-through. The same is true for living out one’s discipleship and call to dwell according to the guides of righteousness. You will never consistently do so unless we do the righteous works for the glory of God. So, one may live a “good” life in the world and do good things but that is no guarantee that one will exist in Heaven for eternity. Sad, but true. The clarification comes when the John asks Jesus, “We saw a man casting out demons in Your name. Shouldn’t we stop him?” Jesus replied, “Do not stop him! For no one who perform a miracle in My name can turn around and speak evil of Me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.” (Mark 9) Recognize the distinction which Jesus makes. John, and the other disciples, were just in a conversation about “who is the greatest.” It was not merely about who among the disciples, twelve or 120 or more, but the primacy of disciples of Jesus as members of His community being recruited by Him for service. Jesus was saying, this isn’t a club or theo-civic group with membership and dues, cards and secret signs. It was about bearing the “name of Jesus” as their purpose, intention and goal. It wasn’t about self-promoting but promoting the Kingdom of God. Thus, we can understand John the Baptizer’s words, “I must decrease so He can increase.” John was pointing out that he was not accepting any more followers. He was a recruiter and pointing them in the direction of the Messiah, the Lamb of God, whose purpose was to bring in the new community of faith as the Kingdom of God on earth as it was in Heaven. Who better than the source of all life and living? Outside of that community of Jesus proclaimers, Jesus adherents and Jesus followers, there are good things to be done but they do not glorify God. Mighty ones, this must be our intention, our objective, our goal and our identity. It will be with us throughout the Age of the Church and then, only then, in the Kingdom of Heaven fully manifested in the renewal of all things upon Jesus’ return.

PRAYER IN LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD:

Father, You have revealed to us best in Jesus the Christ. By Him and Him alone shall we gain the eternal life and our place in eternal rest, living for You always. Show us more and by Your Holy Spirit instruct us in the way we should go, the truth we should reveal and the life we shall live with you forever. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.