Todays scripture...

There are times in each of our lives that rain falls, hard times come and it helps to reach out to our friends and to our God for a little support. This is the place to express those needs, concerns and situations so others in the AAPK family can keep you in their prayers.
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WillyCamaro
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The Wedding Feast

Matthew 22:1–10 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who…sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come” (vv. 2–3).

Our Savior tells a third parable to the Israelite leaders of Jerusalem in today’s passage, repeating some of the themes of the parable of the tenants (Matt. 21:33–46). According to God’s plan (13:10–17), impenitent sinners harden their hearts further as they listen to the story about the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1–10 (v. 15), but those who have open ears hear again the grace revealed in Christ’s teaching about the expansion of God’s kingdom.

This parable is structurally similar to the one immediately preceding it. Like the parable of the tenants, the parable of the wedding feast describes an authority figure who sends emissaries to certain people (21:33–34, 36; 22:1–3). And in the same way, these representatives are rejected, mistreated, and even killed (21:35–39; 22:5–6). Finally, judgment falls upon both the tenant and the one who rejects the invitation, indeed, upon all those who are unprepared for the kingdom (depicted in their lack of fruit and improper dress, 21:43–44; 22:11–14).

These similarities mean that the parables also have nearly identical interpretations. God, the king in today’s passage, sends His servants the prophets to call His people to come to a feast for His Son (vv. 2–3). Actually, the servants go first to those who once told the king they would be at the party. Two invitations customarily went forth for parties in the ancient Near East. The first one did not list the time and place of the event, it only demanded a response of “Yes, I am coming” or “I cannot make it.” A second invitation then finalized the day and hour. At Sinai, the Almighty invited the Israelites to His banquet (the first invite), and they accepted without knowing when it would be (Ex. 24:1–11). Yet when God sent prophets to announce the day of the Lord and the messianic feast (the second invitation), many Israelites turned down the party (Luke 19:41–44).

As with the parable of the tenants, it is those who should be ready for the kingdom that find themselves ill-prepared (Matt. 22:4–8). So the Lord calls on those who have received no invitation — those outside God’s covenant with Israel (vv. 9–10). These foreigners accept the invitation gladly and join those Israelites who are true to Yahweh at the Lamb’s marriage feast (Rev. 19:6–10)..

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Jesus tells us in Luke 12:48 that “everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” The more we have been blessed with, the worse off we will be for rejecting our God’s gracious invitation. Are you squandering the gifts the Lord has given you and rejecting His feast through a refusal to put your time and talents to work for the kingdom?
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Meridian_Mike
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by Meridian_Mike »

Thanks for posting Willy.

::tu::
"Life is tough.... but it's tougher if you're stupid."....John Wayne
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WillyCamaro
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Giving Caesar His Due

Matthew 22:15–22 “‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away” (vv. 21–22).

Pompey, a famous general during the last years of the Roman republic, brought the territory of Palestine under Rome’s control in 63 b.c. when his support allowed one side in a Jewish civil war to gain victory. From that point on, Israel ceased to be an independent kingdom and was ruled by client kings — like Herod the Great — who were loyal to the caesar. In 6 a.d., Rome began to rule directly that part of Palestine known as Judea through governors, or procurators. With this rule came also a yearly poll tax of one denarius, the normal daily wage, which was levied on every adult from puberty to age sixty-five. Most Jews loathed the poll tax because it symbolized Rome’s control of Judea.

This background sets the stage for the test Jesus faces in today’s passage. The Herodians and disciples of the Pharisees come to our Lord “to entangle him,” inviting Him to answer their inquiry about the poll tax by flattering Him insincerely (Matt. 22:15–17). Most of the time, these two groups could not agree on anything because the Herodians accommodated themselves to Roman rule while these Pharisees represented those who wanted independence. Yet their common enemy is Jesus, and so they unite to test Him regarding the poll tax.

As in past episodes (21:23–27), Jesus is in a no-win situation. The Jewish populace will hate Him if He affirms the propriety of the poll tax. Yet if He declares it unlawful, He can be charged with treason. Jesus, of course, sees through the ruse. He asks for the coin used to pay the tax, which for pious Jews should be a special copper coin minted with Rome’s approval, not the silver denarius, which is seen as idolatrous because it depicts the caesar’s image and his title divus et pontifex maximus, Latin for “divine and high priest.” Jesus’ enemies are revealed as hypocrites when they produce the denarius (22:18–21). Those who hate idolatrous coinage are carrying unclean money themselves.

Because the coin has the caesar’s image, it is his and should be given back to him. What belongs to God, however, must also be returned to Him (vv. 21–22). This silences the critics of Jesus and shows that His community respects the secular authorities and does not promote rebellion.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Our Lord’s teaching is a useful principle for understanding when it is lawful to obey the state. As long as it does not claim for itself the rights that appropriately belong to God, Christians must obey the ruling authorities. This means we obey even when we do not agree with their tax rates, speed limits, or regulation of other parts of our lives. Do you obey the government when no biblical principle is violated even if you do not like the laws of the land?
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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Legal Force

Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over…every living thing that moves on the earth’” (v. 28).

Our Savior’s command that the caesar be given his due (Matt. 22:21) indicates that a state’s citizens have obligations to their government. This principle is expanded upon throughout Scripture, enabling the church to develop a theology of the state. This theology of the state and the church’s relationship to human government will occupy our study this week as we pause our study of Matthew and work through Dr. R.C. Sproul’s teaching series Church and State.

The right relationship of church and state is the subject of much political debate in our own day, but it must be noted that the covenant community has dealt with this issue from its very beginning. Old covenant Israel knew nothing of the separation of church and state as the people of God were constituted as a theocracy ruled over by a divinely-appointed king (Deut. 17:14–20). The new covenant community, however, is not a theocracy but a deliberately separate people that exists within a civil society governed by some kind of civil magistrate.

Defining the state will help clarify its responsibilities and inform the way in which the church is to relate to human rulers. Simply put, government is legal force. It may justifiably make us do certain things and prevent us from doing others. Furthermore, government does not originate in humanity’s devices — it comes from God Almighty Himself. The universe has always operated under a governing authority, for the Creator, because He made the universe, has the right and power to reign over it. As David says, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Ps. 24:1). Human governments only exist because the One who is sovereign over all chooses to delegate some authority to human beings. This has been true since Eden when God first gave Adam and Eve authority to rule over the earth (Gen. 1:28).

After the fall, Augustine has said, government is needed to restrain evil (City of God, 19.15–17). Human wickedness has designed all manner of ways to defraud other people of life and liberty, and the civil magistrate exists (ideally) to help prevent this from happening (Rom. 13:1–7). Government performs its divinely ordained task when it punishes evil.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

All human governments are corrupt to one degree or another because they are all made up of corrupt human beings. Yet this does not mean we are permitted to be anarchists or to have nothing to do with the government. In fact, without human authorities, many of the freedoms we have would be impossible. Therefore, we should be grateful that God has given rulers to watch over us, and we should pray daily that they would make wise decisions.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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Civil Obedience

Romans 13:1–2 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (v. 12).

Any attempt to summarize the biblical theology of the state must include a study of Romans 13:1–7, one of the most important passages on the relationship of the Christian to the civil government. Paul’s reasoned presentation of the nature and function of the “governing authorities” (v. 1) helps us understand that obeying the civil magistrate is part and parcel of obeying God Himself.

We noted yesterday that all human authority is grounded in the Creator’s authority, and this is the basis for our submission to earthly rulers. When we consider how God has established the governance of creation, we see that ultimate authority belongs to our triune Creator and is exercised first by God the Father (John 8:28). Following Jesus’ resurrection, the Father entrusted Christ, the God-man, with all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18–20). Christ subsequently appointed authorities under Him — husbands, rulers, teachers, parents, and so on (Rom. 13:1; 1 Cor. 11:3; Col. 2:9–10).

If all authorities are ultimately answerable to Jesus and operate on the basis of His mediated authority, we obey our Savior when we obey human rulers. This is the basis for Paul’s admonition to us in Romans 13:1–2, which warns us to submit to the civil government lest we incur divine judgment. Note that Paul does not tell us to obey only those rulers who favor us. In fact, the Roman government to which he orders the Roman believers to submit is the same government that later put the apostle to death! Christians are to be model citizens even when they do not occupy a privileged place in society, blamelessly obedient to all laws, wise or foolish, that do not command what God forbids or forbid what God commands. We may not agree with everything the government requires of us, but we must submit graciously if doing so will not make us violate God’s Word (1 Peter 2:18).

Certainly, the Almighty does not endorse the unjust actions of human rulers, and His call for us to obey even corrupt governors does not mean that evil officials are pleasing to Him. But the book of Habakkuk indicates that it is the Lord’s prerogative to repay their corruption, not ours. We must submit even to ungodly men until that day they call us to disobey our Redeemer.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Some of the laws and regulations in your country today may seem unnecessary. Nevertheless, in obedience to Scripture we must obey even these unless they lead us to sin. We should not be known as those who try to find ways around the laws of the land; rather, our scrupulous obedience should be a model for the unbelievers around us. We must never give the ruling authorities just cause to view us as a lawless people.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Todays scripture...

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2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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The Sword and the Keys

Romans 13:3–7 “He is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he…carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (v. 4).

We would probably resolve many of the controversies surrounding the state’s relation to the church if both church and state remembered their distinctive functions according to God’s Word. The Lord gives the church and the state specific roles, and trouble arises when the church tries to do the work of the state or the state assumes the church’s authority.

Continuing our study of Romans 13, we find in today’s passage the primary vocation to which the Lord has called the state. Human government, Paul tells us, “does not bear the sword in vain.” In other words, the state is given the right to use force for a specific end — to inflict God’s wrath upon wrongdoers (v. 4). Basically, the ruling authorities are to use the sword to promote righteousness and punish evil. They may wage defensive wars to protect their citizens and establish a police force to keep people safe from harm. This right to use the sword does not belong to the church. The covenant community, therefore, has ceased following its Lord if it embraces force as a means to evangelize. Note too that the state is never given the right to use force to promote unrighteousness.

On the other hand, the apostles and their successors, the leaders of the church, hold the power of the keys (Matt. 16:13–20; 18:15–20). The church conducts the ministry of Word and sacrament, disciplining its members when their conduct casts doubt on their profession of faith. Government errs when it interferes with the work of the church, and the church errs when it looks to the state to settle its disputes. The apostles would be appalled to see denominational authorities in our day, while professing love for Christ, sue congregations who wish to leave the denomination and take their property with them (1 Cor. 6:1–8).

When the church and state meddle in each other’s affairs, they usurp the authority God has delegated to each body. The church must be allowed the freedom to conduct its ministry in peace and speak prophetically to the government. The state must be able to punish evil and preserve the liberty of its citizens with respect to the practice of their faith. Disaster usually follows when these principles are not held dear in a given culture.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Chapter 23 of the Westminster Confession of Faith is an excellent summary of the biblical teaching on the relationship between the church and the state. According to the confession, Christians may lawfully engage the government and serve in its various offices. Yet we must do such things with wisdom lest we come to expect the state to manifest God’s kingdom. The sword cannot call lost sinners to God, only the Gospel can.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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The God of the Living

Matthew 22:31–33 “Have you not read…‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (vv. 31–32).

The Sadducees denied the reality of angels, and Jesus probably intended to address this point as well in His answer to their question (Matt. 22:23–30). He affirmed the existence of angels, who do not marry, when He said we will be like them — functionally — when resurrected (Matt. 22:23–30). The idea here is that marriage itself, as a God-ordained institution to be fruitful and multiply, will be rendered irrelevant in a renewed world without death. Remember that the Sadducees’ question was not about affection and companionship in the resurrection but about fulfilling the mandate to keep the family line going (Deut. 25:6).

Jesus then gives the theology of resurrection that underlies His comments thus far. He bases this doctrine in the Pentateuch, specifically Exodus 3:6, to refute the Sadducees who believe the five books of Moses teach nothing about the resurrection. Our Lord’s argument in Matthew 22:31–32 seems to be based partly on the use of the present tense; God said, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” not “I was the God of Abraham Isaac, and Jacob.” When Yahweh appeared to Moses hundreds of years after the patriarchs died, He remained their God, implying that after death they lived on to worship Him and, most importantly, will be bodily raised in the future. As an aside, this appeal to the tense of one word is important for our doctrine of biblical inspiration, for we see in it that the entire Bible is God-breathed. Not even one word is expendable.

Our spirits do live on in our Creator’s presence between our death and judgment day (2 Cor. 5:8), but only when our bodies are resurrected from the dead will we, like Jesus who reigns on high today, enjoy our complete, glorified state as all that God has created us to be. Yet though the fullness of new life does not come until the final resurrection, those who die in Christ live on today. The God who first revealed Himself to Israel is the eternal Lord of the covenant who loves His people forever. Not even death can end this relationship; therefore, “God of the dead” is not a fitting title for Him (Ps. 16:10–11). The church father Jerome writes, “To say that God is the God of the dead is to consign the life of God to those who have no life” (Commentary on Matthew, 3.22.32).

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Luke 20:38 records some additional words Jesus spoke on this occasion: “All live to him [God].” This is a precious and comforting truth indeed. Death is not the end of life for God’s people; we will dwell with Him forever and enjoy the blessings of eternal life. Our Creator is the Lord of the living, not the dead, and He can remain the God of the living only if His people will be raised forever. Have you grasped the profound blessing of eternal life in Christ Jesus?
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Todays scripture...

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The Greatest Commandments

Matthew 22:34–40 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. … You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (vv. 37–39).

After the Sadducees fail to confound Jesus (Matt. 22:23–33), the Pharisees gather together to try and trap Him again, sending one of their own to test Jesus on their behalf (vv. 34–35). A lawyer, this man’s training in the Mosaic law goes beyond even that of most Pharisees, legal experts in their own right. The question he asks our Savior is likely an attempt to get Jesus to deny one or more laws in the Torah (Genesis–Deuteronomy) and find proof of heresy.

Rabbis hotly debated the lawyer’s question during the lifetime of Jesus. One count lists 613 individual stipulations in the Torah, and Jewish teachers wanted a unifying principle to aid the Law’s application. Christ’s answer to His examiner (vv. 36–39) is not wholly original; others combined the concepts of loving God and neighbor as the greatest duty in the Law. Yet Jesus is the first to combine the two specific texts in today’s passage to prove the point. He quotes from Deuteronomy 6:5, which is part of the Shema that pious Jews still recite daily (Deut. 6:4–9). The injunction to love one’s neighbor is found in Leviticus 19:18.

Despite attempts to interpret passages like Matthew 5:17 otherwise, today’s passage indicates that Jesus does not abrogate the Law when He fulfills it. He would not single out passages from the Law as God’s greatest commandments if He wanted to eliminate all principles found in the Mosaic code. Also, Jesus’ answer reveals that love is primarily an action, not a feeling. The commandment to love is an order to do something; thus, we are to love others, serving them even if we do not feel like it. Furthermore, if love for God and neighbor are the commandments upon which the Law and Prophets hang, we cannot somehow separate love from these stipulations and define love in a way that ignores God’s law. Any act the Bible forbids is not love; rather, the Law shows us how to express true love. Paul can say, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:10) and also expect Christians to live out the basic ethical code of the Old Testament (v. 9). Above all, John Calvin comments, Jesus says that “love is the first and great thing that God demands from us, and therefore the first and great thing that we should devote to him.”

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

“We learn from this, that God does not rest satisfied with the outward appearance of works, but chiefly demands the inward feelings, that from a good root good fruits may grow” (John Calvin). Love is not primarily a feeling, but Jesus certainly wants feeling and action to agree. We must act in a loving way even if the feeling is not present, but to feel love while acting is even better. Pray that your actions would always be a result of the love you possess.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Todays scripture...

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Pharisaic Hypocrisy

Matthew 23:1–4 “The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you — but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice” (vv. 2–3).

Since most Jews esteem the Pharisees, Jesus knows that the crowds face spiritual peril if they follow these teachers in their actions. He therefore continues to confront the Pharisees after poking holes in their understanding of Psalm 110 (Matt. 22:41–45). Seeing that the people are hanging upon His every word (v. 46), Jesus begins warning them to steer clear of Pharisaic hypocrisy.

Christ actually had more in common with the Pharisees than any other first-century Jews, and He does not condemn all they hold dear in Matthew 23. Like Jesus, the Pharisees affirmed the existence of angels, the resurrection, and they taught from the full Old Testament canon. Furthermore, Matthew 23 does not rebuke all Pharisees. Our Savior may have had good rapport with some of them (for example, John 18:38–40), and one or more Pharisees likely became disciples (Matt. 8:18–20; most scribes were also Pharisees).

Yet Jesus did not endorse the man-made rules many Pharisees added to God’s law (15:1–9), not to mention the pride that often attended Pharisaic separatism. Thus, Christ is not approving every aspect of Pharisaic teaching in 23:1–3. These verses are difficult to interpret. John Calvin says that Jesus is exhorting “the people to obey the scribes, only so far as they adhere to the pure and simple exposition of the Law.” This meaning fits well with “sit in Moses’ seat,” as to sit in someone’s seat is to hold his authority (Ps. 132:11–12), and Mosaic authority is rooted in the right interpretation of the Law. Or, Jesus’ words are dripping with irony in Matthew 23:2, which can be translated “the scribes and Pharisees have sat themselves in Moses’ seat.” If so, Jesus would be implying that even the words of the Pharisees carried little weight since they stole Moses’ authority.

Either way, Christ, in the rest of Matthew 23, plainly condemns the Pharisees for not practicing the laws that they preach. As legal experts, they should know to help their fellow Jews (Lev. 19:18), but many Pharisees are more concerned with appearances and will not aid those who fail in trying to keep the Pharisaic traditions (Matt. 23:4). Why would they help people get back on the straight and narrow if others’ failures made the Pharisees look better in comparison?

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

As we have seen, many Pharisees had an inflated view of their own goodness and were unaware of their own need for mercy (Luke 18:9–14). Yet the truly pious, “being conscious of their own weakness…kindly forgive the weak,” as John Calvin comments. One way our Christian profession is validated is in our willingness to help others find forgiveness and salvation in the Gospel. Can fallen people count on you to help them follow Jesus completely?
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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Increasing Another’s Guilt

Matthew 23:13–15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you…make a single proselyte…twice as much a child of hell as yourselves” (v. 15).

Many, though not all, of the scribes and Pharisees were among Jesus’ major antagonists during His earthly ministry, largely because of their differences with His biblical interpretations. Our Lord emphasized the inability of people to obey the Law perfectly (Matt. 5–7), a position His opponents found unacceptable because they prized adherence to the letter of the Law (12:1–14). Christ’s rejection of the oral law as the definitive exposition of Scripture and His willingness to minister to Gentiles were also scandalous to His foes (15:1–16:4). Moreover, the insight of Jesus rarely won over the scribes and the Pharisees; they were too proud to admit His superiority (22:15–23:12).

Having warned the people to watch out lest they become like the scribes and the Pharisees, Jesus begins in today’s passage to declare several woes upon these teachers. A woe, James Boice writes, is “a lament or wail concerning the final end for evil people” (The Gospel According to Matthew, vol. 2, p. 492). Woes are an important part of the Old Testament prophetic books; in many places the prophets declared oracles of woe from God that promised judgment for Israel’s sins (for example, Isa. 5:8–23; Amos 6:1–7). With His oracles of woe, Jesus stands as the judge of men, warning the impenitent of the fate that awaits them.

Our Savior’s first woe condemns the Pharisees and scribes for shutting the door of heaven to themselves and others (Matt. 23:13). The reference here is to the failure of most in these groups to trust Jesus as well as their actions to prevent others from believing in Him. At several points during His ministry, the scribes and Pharisees have worked actively to hide the truth about Jesus from others (9:32–34; 12:22–24), manifesting clearly the depth of their corruption.

The second woe faults the Pharisees’ missionary outreach (23:15). Making converts per se is not condemned, the problem is the “truth” to which they convert people. Pharisaic teaching tends to produce zealous advocates of legalism and proponents of humanity’s ability to earn God’s favor, not messengers of grace. Since man cannot earn his own righteousness (Rom. 3:23), most converts to Pharisaism become children of hell, preachers of a false gospel.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

As we preach the Gospel to our friends and neighbors we must always stress grace, otherwise we can convert people to a Christianized form of moralism that implies it is possible for us to get right with God through our own works. The Gospel does demand a change of life, but this change of life is empowered by grace and occurs subsequent to conversion. If we are not stressing the priority of grace, we are no better than the first-century Pharisees.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Meridian_Mike
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by Meridian_Mike »

Thanks Willy!
These are very good devotionals.
"Life is tough.... but it's tougher if you're stupid."....John Wayne
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WillyCamaro
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Post by WillyCamaro »

My pleasure Mike, I do enjoy sharing what I'm studying at the moment. R.C. is excellent, isn't He. I need to get back into Spurgeon more. There are some gems to be found out there, one just needs to know where to look.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Weightier Matters of the Law

Matthew 23:23–24 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees…you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness” (v. 23).

The Social Gospel movement, which arose in America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries under the inspiration of theological liberalism, downplayed sin and reduced Christianity to feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and other acts of social justice. There was a justifiable backlash against this movement in the churches and an exodus of people who affirmed the essential truths of the Christian faith. Unfortunately, some theological conservatives were so afraid of falling prey to the Social Gospel that works of charity ranked at the bottom of their priority list, if they were done at all.

Those who neglected acts of social welfare for fear of looking like liberals were guilty of throwing out the baby with the bath water. Though the parallels between this historical example and today’s passage are inexact, Matthew 23:23–24 warns us that it is possible to become focused on one set of God’s demands at the expense of another. The scribes and Pharisees tried to obey God’s law scrupulously; they tithed their herbs even though the Torah did not specifically require the giving of such (Deut. 14:22–23). However, their obedience did not include the weightier, and more difficult, matters of the Law. It is easy to count out a tenth of one’s cumin seeds, but it is much harder to help needy people in a substantial way. Sacrifice of time and leisure might be required to show mercy to the one who is downtrodden. Faithfulness may mean the loss of one’s job or reputation as the result of bearing witness to Christ.

The scribes and Pharisees were not wrong to tithe their smallest things; in fact, they rightly gave God a portion of all they had (Matt. 23:23–24). They erred in following the Law superficially, concerned with its letter, not its spirit, and mistakenly focused on minutiae at the expense of the duties to which tithing, and every other commandment, pointed: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Bishop Hilary of Poitiers, a fourth-century defender of Trinitarian orthodoxy, warns us: “God laughs at the superficial diligence of those who measure cucumbers” (On Matthew 24.7).

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

John Calvin writes, “The Law is kept only when men are just, and kind, and true, towards each other; for thus they testify that they love and fear God, and give proper and sufficient evidence of sincere piety.” Commitment to justice, mercy, and faithfulness demonstrates commitment to Christ (James 2:14–26). Thus, our care for the poor and oppressed must be as evident as our concern for doctrine. What sacrifices are you making to help the poor and marginalized?
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Todays scripture...

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Dead Men Walking

Matthew 23:27–28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones” (v. 27).

Hypocrisy is a dangerous sin because few hypocrites consciously say one thing while doing another. In most cases we ignore the contrast between our words and deeds, keeping ourselves blissfully unaware of how we live inconsistently with our professed beliefs. When this happens we overlook our sins, falling into habitual transgression without even knowing it. Sometimes we are so blind to our misdeeds that we need confrontation in order to see our sin.

This has certainly been true of many scribes and Pharisees, whom Jesus calls out near the end of His earthly ministry. Today’s passage gives us the sixth woe our Savior pronounces upon these leaders for their hypocrisy (Matt. 23:27–28). This time Christ compares the scribes and Pharisees to whitewashed tombs full of “dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” The offensiveness of this statement to Jesus’ opponents is hard to underestimate. Touching a dead body is among the most defiling acts recorded in the Mosaic law (Num. 19:11–22); thus, Jesus is declaring that the most rigorous scribes and Pharisees are some of the most defiled people in Israel.

Few scribes or Pharisees can accept this, of course. Nearly all of the outward signs contradict Jesus; after all, these men are greatly respected for their piety and attention to the smallest details of the Law. They are clean-looking, just like any whitewashed surface. Look closer, however, and you will see that Jesus is right after all; the whitewashed surface in this case is a tomb, which conceals the death and darkness within (Matt. 23:27–28). Many scribes and Pharisees want to appear law-abiding, when in fact they are lawless, each hypocrite having only “a soul deadened by sins” (John Chrysostom, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, first series, vol. 10, p. 442).

John Calvin’s commentary on Matthew 23 says that “the children of God ought to desire to be pure rather than to appear so.” The problem with these leaders is that they are more concerned with what others think is scrupulous than with true obedience to the Law — attitudes and deeds of justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Micah 6:8; Matt. 23:1–28). May we never repeat this error.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Truth be told, there is a bit of hypocrisy in all of us. We often try hard to impress other people with our piety, trying to get the pastor and other people to notice our willingness to pray and serve. But are we just as willing to lend a hand to those in need when no one is around to see us? Do we do good even if no one but ourselves and the Lord will know about it? Let us be able to answer both of these questions in the affirmative.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by Reverand »

Amen!
Jesus is life.
Everything else is just a hobby.

~Reverand
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Todays scripture...

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Persecutors of the Prophets

Matthew 23:29–36 “On you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah” (v. 35).

Christ’s reference to the scribes and Pharisees being like whitewashed tombs (Matt. 23:27–28) allows for an easy transition to His final woe. Though the religious leaders think they are honoring the prophets when they build and embellish tombs and monuments, they are actually acknowledging themselves as being in league with those who killed the holy men (vv. 29–31).

In Jesus’ day, a period known as Second Temple Judaism, there was a boom in monument construction. These structures were intended to pay tribute to the prophets. They were also supposed to point out the piety of the builders, who in building meant to show that they would have obeyed the prophets their forefathers condemned. Yet in rejecting Jesus, the prophet par excellence, these men allied themselves with their wicked ancestors; in fact, they were worse than their forefathers because in Christ they saw truth more clearly (12:1–6; John 1:17–18). Jesus’ woe tells us that the scribes and Pharisees would have happily buried the prophets just as they gleefully sought to bury Jesus.

Since they are plainly evil, these enemies might as well get on with it and fill the cup of transgression to overflowing (Matt. 23:32), a metaphor for making oneself fit for judgment beyond the shadow of a doubt (Gen. 15:12–16). Basically, Jesus is telling the Pharisees: “God’s wrath is coming on you anyway, why not hurry it along?” Our Savior knows there is more evil for them to do before they are judged. He is going to send them prophets, wise men, and teachers who will also be rejected, as if rejecting Christ is not enough (Matt. 23:33–34). Apostles, evangelists, prophets, and teachers will come to this evil generation and offer one more opportunity for repentance, but just like the Master, the bearers of good news will also be killed (Luke 21:17; Acts 12:1–2).

Jesus’ foes will not miss a chance to spurn God’s grace; thus, on them will fall the blood of all the saints from Abel to Zechariah (Matt. 23:35–36). Abel is the first martyr (Gen. 4:1–8) in Old Testament history; Zechariah is the last (2 Chron. 24:20–21). Those who kill the Messiah and His apostles will feel the anger the Creator has stored up against all those who have hated His own.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Matthew Henry says it is easy for us to assume that we would be unlike the scribes and Pharisees and follow Jesus willingly. Yet even centuries later, he writes, “Christ in his Spirit, in his word, in his ministers, is still no better treated.” Are we quick to follow the Lord as He presents Himself today through the preaching of the Word? We have no right to think ourselves better than Pharisees if we are not quick to obey His Word this day.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Re: Todays scripture...

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The Book that Grieved Josiah

2 Kings 22:1–23:32 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found” (22:13a).

Deuteronomy is one of the four most-frequently quoted Old Testament books in the New Testament and is prominent in the teachings of Jesus. Certainly, this reveals Deuteronomy’s importance in our Savior’s ministry and the overall pattern of His teaching. Regarding the pattern of His teaching, for example, the structure of the woes that Jesus pronounces upon the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:1–36 is remarkably similar to the covenant curses recorded in Deuteronomy 28:15–68. As with these curses, Jesus’ woes condemn the Pharisees in an escalating fashion, reaching a climax in the destruction of unrepentant sinners. Our study of Matthew’s gospel will greatly benefit from a closer look at Deuteronomy, and so we will use Dr. R.C. Sproul’s teaching series Themes from Deuteronomy to guide our biblical exposition over the next few days.

Even though Deuteronomy holds such an important place in Scripture, God’s people have not always given this book its rightful due. There was even a time in ancient Israel when Deuteronomy was not read at all. Following the death of Solomon, the kingdom in Israel was divided in two, with Jeroboam ruling over ten tribes in the north and Rehoboam ruling over two tribes in the south (1 Kings 12:16–24). The sordid history of these two kingdoms is given to us in the books of Kings and Chronicles; a simple summary of it would say that most of the people in both kingdoms followed the example of their kings, worshiping other gods and descending into gross iniquity. Yet there were brief periods in the south when righteous men sat on the throne. One of these men was Josiah.

After Josiah ascended the throne, “the Book of the Law” was found in the temple (2 Kings 22:8), and scholars universally agree Deuteronomy was this book that had not been read in many years. Because Josiah was a righteous king, he tore his clothes in repentance upon hearing the lost book read aloud (v. 11) because he realized how his fathers had not led the people in the keeping of the Law as Deuteronomy 17:14–20 commands. Thus began a period of reform that lasted until the death of Josiah (2 Kings 22:12–23:32). Such reform always occurs when the leaders of God’s people take His Word seriously.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Josiah’s response to the reading of Deuteronomy illustrates how we should respond when we hear or read God’s Word. The Scriptures should regularly call into question our assumptions and deeds, provoking us to repent for our faithlessness and to go forward in obedience. If we are never moved to change when reading the Bible, then let us ask ourselves if we have understood it, for God’s Word must always bring reformation when it is rightly comprehended.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by WillyCamaro »

Beware of Idolatry

Deuteronomy 4:15–31 “Beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them” (v. 19).

Our English term Deuteronomy is derived from the Greek words deuteros, which means “second,” and nomos, which means “law.” Deuteronomy means “second law” and is the name of the fifth book of Moses because it repeats many of the same stipulations given in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. It is a second giving of the Law, necessary because the nation of Israel failed to follow the Law upon its first revelation. On the edge of Canaan God repeated His covenant demands so that the people might not engage in the sins of their fathers.

Idolatry was the main reason why it was necessary for the Creator to remind His people of His law before sending them into the Promised Land. Episodes like the worship of the golden calf (Ex. 32) demonstrate just how easy it was for the Israelites to substitute non-ordained worship of the only true God. Even if the people thought they were worshiping Yahweh when they built the golden calf, they were building an image of the One who forbade images of His divine person (20:4–6). Hence, any visible representation of the divine nature was (and is) bound to be misleading and, therefore, the image of an altogether different god. In any case, we can distinguish between two different kinds of idolatry:

1. Crass Idolatry is that kind of idolatry wherein someone carves a figure of a deity out of a block of wood, piece of stone, or other type of physical material. One of the hardest things to do is to trust the God who is invisible to our five senses; thus, fallen men often create such statues and figures in order to have something they can touch and see. The problem with this, we have noted, is that visual depictions of the divine nature are absolutely prohibited. By and large, Westerners today would probably not be guilty of this kind of idolatry.

2. Refined Idolatry, on the other hand, is rampant in even the most technologically advanced nations on the planet. Idolatry of the refined sort includes the pursuit of anything other than the glory of God as one’s central purpose for being. But refined idolatry also occurs in a more subtle manner. Anytime we deny an attribute of the Lord revealed in Scripture or allow our own preferences to determine His character, we are guilty of refined idolatry.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Their denial of biblical authority makes it easy to accuse liberals of committing refined idolatry. The evangelical church in our day, however, can also build refined idols. Those who believe in a “God of love” without acknowledging His just wrath are guilty of refined idolatry. Any attempt to make God less sovereign than He really is makes us refined idolaters. Where is your belief about the Lord not in line with what He has revealed about Himself in Scripture?
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by WillyCamaro »

Take out every stain!

"Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!" Psalm 51:2

Sin is spiritual filthiness.

Sin . . .
defiles the conscience,
corrupts the imagination,
depraves the heart,
perverts the will,
pollutes the mind,
sets the tongue on fire by hell,
stains the life, and
renders the man totally and eternally unfit for Heaven!

It is God's work to cleanse a sinner. No one else can. The sinner cannot cleanse himself, he is without the means, the will, or the power! But God in mercy does, and He does it . . .
by His Son, atoning;
by His Spirit, renewing;
by His Providence, working;
and by His Truth, purifying.

The passage contains the believer's prayer:
"Wash me."
"Wash me thoroughly."
It is from "my iniquity, my sin."

Wash me, for . . .
I have discovered my filthiness;
I loathe myself on account of it;
and I long to be delivered from it!

Wash me thoroughly:
take out every stain,
erase every impression,
make me whiter than snow!

Sin always pollutes and defiles. A believer cannot rest in pollution, and therefore prays, "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!"

James Smith ("Daily Bible Readings for the Lord's Household")
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by Meridian_Mike »

Excellent words!
Thanks Willy
"Life is tough.... but it's tougher if you're stupid."....John Wayne
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by WillyCamaro »

Yes Mike, they are.

Glad to be back after that hiatus. God bless!
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by WillyCamaro »

Philippians 1:9-10
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by WillyCamaro »

He will guide us to the end of the journey!

"He will be our guide, even unto death!" Psalm 48:14

What a precious assurance is this!

Our God is our guide! He . . .
led us out of the world at first,
directed us to the cross, and
conducted us into the path of holiness.

He has led us through all our past difficulties and trials. He leads us by the hand at present, and He will never give up His charge, for He will be our guide even unto death. He will . . .
choose our way;
lead us in the paths of righteousness;
kindly converse with us along the road;
point out the snares and dangers in our path;
keep us by His power through faith unto salvation,
and will patiently bear with us unto the end!

He may . . .
hide His face,
refuse communion,
withhold comforts,
smite us for our follies, and
teach us our dependence on Himself by painful experience;
but He will never forsake us, or give us up!

He will guide us to the end of the journey, and will go with us through the last dark valley!

He will not only lead us to the heavenly kingdom, but put us in possession of it!
This He has promised, and He will faithfully perform it.

Beloved, it is our Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom!
He will guide us now, and by and by receive us to glory!

James Smith ("Daily Bible Readings for the Lord's Household")
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Matthew 6:34
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Meridian_Mike
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Re: Todays scripture...

Post by Meridian_Mike »

WillyCamaro wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 3:50 am Yes Mike, they are.

Glad to be back after that hiatus. God bless!
There are times we all need a little hiatus.
Glad you are back and posting God's word !!

God bless you my brother!
"Life is tough.... but it's tougher if you're stupid."....John Wayne
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