When Religion Becomes Toxic (Matthew 12 - P 29)

Our reading today is Matthew 12: 1 - 14.  Remember that the opposition to Jesus is intensifying.  He is still extremely popular with the crowds ... but the religious leaders are no longer just observing ... they are beginning to openly confront.  After you read these verses ... join me again.

Religion is not a dirty word.  It can be beautiful.  It can be affirming.  It can be faith-building.  It can be supportive.  It can help focus.  It can be calming.  It can challenge ... encourage ... teach ... correct ... train.  It can be so good.  But then, it can also turn toxic.  Our passage today gives us two vivid illustrations when exactly that happened.

One example of religion turning toxic is when religion becomes more important than God.  We see that in verses 1 - 8.  For these Pharisees, the rules of the religion were more important than the presence of God.  And nothing, absolutely nothing, was more important than the form of the religion.  Do rules and rituals matter?  I think so.  Are they preeminent over everything?  No.  Jesus reminded these leaders of that when he quoted from the Hebrew prophets - quotes these religious leaders should have known well.  Jesus reminded them of words from both Hosea and Micah.

Hosea 6:6  "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings."

Micah 6: 6 - 8  "With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God?  Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?  Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

He applied those ancient words from their own revered prophets to the current situation.  Matthew does not record the reaction of these particular Pharisees ... but we can imagine the resentment, the anger ... we can imagine because of what we learn in verse 14.

The second circumstance of toxic religion is in verses 9 - 14.  In this example, religion had become more important to these Pharisees than people.  Religion for them had lost its purpose.   Rather than being an aid to help man touch God, it had become an entity in itself ... existing outside purpose.  Jesus steps in to spotlight the disparity.  In essence Jesus tells them that they bend the 'rules' when economics are concerned, when their livestock are concerned ... but not for a fellow human being?  And then he proceeded to ignore their 'rule' and heal anyway.

So how do we apply these illustrations to our day ... to us?  An extreme reaction would be to decry all religion ... to walk away from it because of the potential for damage and toxicity.  Many in our time are doing just that.  They observe abuse ... they observe misuse of authority and position ... they observe rules taking precedence over people ... they observe lack of purpose ... and they walk away.  I understand that reaction.  But I disagree with that conclusion.

God established religion ... and it was established for a purpose and for good.  Jesus established the church ... and it was established for a purpose and for good.  Its purpose is beautiful and good.  I know things are far from perfect in our day.  I know there has been and still are abuses and self-righteousness and self-serving.  In fact, there still exists the same struggles that we see in our passage today.  Today - religion, or denomination, or form, or tradition can become more important than God.  And that is toxic!  Today - religion, or denomination, or form, or tradition can become more important than people.  And that is toxic!

So - walk away?  No way!  Jesus did not quit going to the Synagogue and Temple.  He did not compromise on who He was or what He knew was His Father's will ... but He did not blast the Temple, or the Sabbath.  He blasted those who would abuse them.  We can learn much from His example.

If you are part of a church body, how can you help it keep its focus and purpose?  How can you help strengthen it?  What part can you play in ensuring that it does indeed encourage and challenge and teach and train?  If you are not part of a church body, why not?  Jesus was.  Is it time to step back into that world - not expecting perfection - you won't find it - but expecting to play a role in being a purpose-driven part of the body of Christ?

May God give us wisdom ...

Privilege (Matthew 11 - P 28)

Read Matthew 11: 20 - 30, making your own observations.  What does God say to you in these ten verses?  After you have listened to Him through His word ... come back and I will share a few of my own observations with you.

Jesus' words are turning hard.  I think He knows His time is growing short.  I think He may be using "it's now or never" kind of language.  Did you wonder what in the world those towns in Galilee that Jesus calls out in these verses could possibly have done that put them in a WORSE place of judgment than Sodom - Tyre - Sidon?  Those very names conjure up images of evil, immorality, wickedness, and deserved destruction.  Can you imagine how His audience reacted when they heard Jesus put them UNDER Sodom - worse than SODOM?  What did these Galilean towns do?  Perhaps ...

From what Jesus says - there had been no repentance and Jesus Himself had been in their presence.  He walked there, talked there, taught there, performed miracles there ... and ........ nothing.  Jesus Himself ............. and nothing.  Have you ever had the thought, "If I just could have been there.  If I could have actually heard Jesus ... then I could believe."  Well, it seems that is no guarantee.  These were privileged towns.  Privilege has a peculiar way of blinding us.  It leads to

• pride
• self-righteousness
• arrogance

Privilege ... to pride ... to arrogance.  THAT, my friends, is a deadly path!  

Then Jesus blasts the wisdom of the world ... worldly intelligence ... and says that God has hidden things from them and handed that wisdom to infants!   Can you see the upper echelon of his audience recoiling?  After all, THEY are the ones with the degrees.  THEY are the ones the peons in the crowd admire and revere.  THEY are the important ones.  THEY wear the robes.  And that can be yet another path to pride.  I truly believe that education at all levels is a great privilege.  Aahh ... there's that word, privilege.  

Privilege ... to pride ... to self-importance ... to arrogance.  

Jesus then closes this discourse with some of the most beloved words in all of scripture.  I am intrigued this time to really notice the context in which they are said.  After the hard words of verses 20 - 27,  He calls out to the searching, honest, struggling hearts that are listening.  He calls out to those who may be wondering, "If those guys can't make it ... if those folks aren't 'doing it right' ... what chance do I have?"  

And He says ... just come to Me.  Tuck yourself under my arm.  It's not hard.  Trust me.  And that is where the path turns.  

Privilege ... to repentance ... to gratitude ... to thanksgiving ... to God.  

Which road are you on?  

Doubts (Matthew 11 - P 27)

Read Matthew 11: 1 - 19

John the Baptist ... the one who was the forerunner for the Christ ... the one who "leaped in his mother's womb" when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, came to see John's mother, Elizabeth.  (Luke 1:41) ... the one who baptized Jesus and saw the dove from heaven alight upon him and heard the voice from heaven announce, 'This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.' (Matthew 3:13 - 17) ... the one who announced to the crowds "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"  (John 1: 29).  This same John is the one who sent disciples to Jesus in our passage today to ask if he really was the one that John had thought he was.  What has happened?  Was John the one who began to doubt that Jesus was the Messiah - or was it his disciples who had begun to doubt?  And what was the source of the doubting?

It is not difficult to understand what has happened.  We read in verse 2 that John was in prison.  Read Matthew 14: 3 - 5 to learn why John was in prison.  So John's life is not working out very well.  He knew the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah coming to "set the captives free". - but he was not being set free.  Do you think perhaps he began to wonder, "But what about me?"

It is such a natural response and one that we all know well.  We pray for the healing of one we love ... and the loved one dies.  We cry out to God for a circumstance to be changed ... and it is not.  We read of the miracles, the wonder of Jesus in scripture ... we read the promises connected with prayer ... and we begin to question, "But what about me?"

So even John (or his disciples) began to doubt when life became so difficult - when there seemed to be no relief or resolution in sight - when he just couldn't understand what was happening to him - and he asks, "Are you really the one?"

Jesus' response was gentle and affirming.

What can we learn?  First, it is not only OK, it is best, to take our doubts to the Lord Himself.  And it is OK to voice them - the questions, the misunderstandings, the confusions.  That is the absolute best place to voice them ... out loud when necessary.  Speak them to the Lord.

Secondly, we learn that following Christ is no guarantee of an easy life on this earth.  It is the best life ... but not the easiest life.  John was faithful ... John did what God had prepared for him to do ... John was righteous ... and John was in prison and we learn in Matthew 14 that he is executed.

Why do we expect ease when we follow Christ?  Why do we think we deserve an easy life if we accept Christ?  We must continually remember that "this world is not our home".  We are in enemy territory.  Some days and seasons will be easy ... and some will be terribly difficult.  The bottom line is faithfulness.  John was.  Will I be?  Will you?

Jesus says of John, "I tell you the truth:  Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist."  That is high commendation from the Lord himself.  John's life was a success ... in all the ways that matter.

The bottom line is faithfulness.  Are you in a hard place right now?  Are circumstances not as you wish they were?   Take your concerns and hurts and confusions to the Lord.  And stay faithful ...

Lord, I want to walk faithfully after you as did John.   I want my life to matter in the important ways.  Forgive me for whining about hard circumstances.  Today I pray that I will stop any whining ... and walk through them with grace and dignity because I know Your Presence is walking with me.  And I thank you ...

The Called - Part 3 (Matthew 10 - P26)

(continued)

We are observing Matthew 9: 35 - 10:42.  This is the third in the series of observations about Jesus' instructions to his disciples as he sent them out for ministry and work.  Let's continue ...

Observation #4

I am completely moved by Matthew 10:25:

It is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher ...

Do you ever wonder what is "enough"?  I'm not speaking about material things and money.  Those "enough" questions follow us all our days also.  I am referring to our walk of faith.  What is enough?  When have you and I done enough?  As women, we often struggle with this sense of "enough".  And we seem to always come up short.

• not thin enough
• not smart enough
• not tall enough
• too tall
• not talented enough
• not pretty enough
• not sexy enough
• not a good enough mom
• not a good enough wife
• not a good enough church member

And on and on and on.  Then right here in Matthew 10, Jesus tells us!  Do you want to be 'enough'?  OK.  Here's what you do ... be like the teacher.  Be like Jesus.  That's enough.  Before you respond with, "How in the world does that help!?  Now I can not be enough like Jesus, too!", think through it.  

It is enough for the student to imitate the teacher.  It is enough.  So what was Jesus' work?  What did he do?  We have a beautiful summation in Matthew 9: 35 - 36.  The copy here is from the New Revised Standard Version:

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom , and curing every disease and every sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

So - to be like Jesus - to be like our teacher in our world today - as you go about your days, teach when you can in your own environment ... in your family, among your circles, with those you know.  And never forget that teaching is very seldom done in a classroom in front of a silent group of students.  You teach with everything you say and everything you do.  Teach when you can.  And secondly, have compassion on those around you ... whether you understand them or not ... whether you agree with them or not ... whether or not they look or act or think like you.  Jesus had compassion on the crowds ... not just the ones who believed in him.  Our work is to exercise compassion, not judgment.  Thirdly, do what you can.  Help where you can.  You can't do it all.  Actually Jesus didn't either.  And lastly, train those who are following you.  

And that, my friends, is enough.  It is enough for the student to be like the teacher.

Observation #5

After outlining some rather dire predictions about what the disciples could expect from the world,  I love the way Jesus closes this section of instruction.  He wants his disciples to be absolutely sure of a few things ... in spite of rejection and harsh treatment by this world ... they can KNOW:

• They have value in the eyes of God.  Even the very hairs on their heads are numbered - and that discloses incredibly personal and detailed knowledge.  
• Can you hear it?  YOU have great value in the eyes of God.
• As those disciples acknowledge the person of Jesus before those they come in contact with, Jesus, Himself, acknowledges them before Jehovah God.
• Can you hear it?  Jesus speaks to God about the fact that YOU belong to him as we speak on this earth about Jesus and belonging to him.
• He reminded them - if it looked as if they were losing in this life - take heart, you are not.  He reminded them that they would find life, eternal, in his name.
•  Can you hear it?  Regardless of how things look in this world, life comes from God and for those of us who choose to loose ourselves in Him ... there is life!
• Finally, the tasks need not always be daunting!  Even a cup of cold water given in Jesus' name will received reward.
• Can you hear it?  If God calls you to be a missionary in a far off, dangerous, and/or remote place ... go.  But often God calls us to give a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul.  Most likely, a soul you know.  And that is service.  And that is discipleship.  And that receives its reward.  

Thank you, Lord, for these instructions.  Thank you for reminding us that being your disciple is the most thrilling, rewarding thing in life.  Thank you for disclosing to us that it will not be the easy road ... but it will be the road to life.  Help us remember ...