He Spoke with Authority

 

Why Did Jesus Talk This Way?

Matthew 7:28-29 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:  (29) For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 

Jesus is often referred to as the Master Teacher.  One of the reasons is due to his use of Parables and illustrations.  He also was very innovative and unconventional in the messages and truths he proclaimed.  Today we are going to focus on the characteristic that is mentioned in our passage today.

Matthew tells us that there was something VERY distinctive…. One might even say troubling about his teachings.  So much so that it caused those present to be Astonished!  The audience was amazed, taken back, almost to say in disbelief.  What was it that caused so much uproar when he spoke?  

He taught as one that Had AUTHORITY!  

When comparing Jesus to any other “expert” or “authority”, he stands worlds above all others.  Some people are called authorities because of the schooling that they underwent.  Some because of the accomplishments.  Jesus’ resume for being an authority speaks for itself.

1.  He Spoke With Authority...The World into Existence. 

Genesis 1:1-3 and John 1:1-3 both speak to Jesus’ integral participation in the creation of the world.  The magnitude of his Power and Authority is evident everywhere we look.  It amazes me every time I think about it that Jesus created each day’s creation by SPEAKING it into existence.

2.  He Spoke With Authority...Evil Spirits Expelled

Luke 4:33-36  I think sometimes it is easy to loose perspective as to the strength of Satan.  We watch movies and such and can get the understanding that Satan is virtually uncontrollable.  But this passage tells us otherwise.  Even though Satan had power to possess man during this time.  Satan nor his demons were any match to the supremacy of Jesus.  Notice the manner in which this unclean spirit cowers to the shear power of Jesus.  And with the simple strength of the Authority of his words of Jesus…The demon obeys the word of Jesus!

3.  He Spoke With Authority...Storms Stilled

Mark 4:36-41   Jesus was able to control the worst of storms with the power of his voice.  The Disciples were literally afraid for their lives.  They even asked Jesus”  “Do you not care that we perish”.  They thought the storm would kill them.  But Jesus SPOKE with AUTHORITY and the storm ceased and the ocean stilled.  Notice too the ease with which he was able to control the storm.  He didn’t have to give it a long speech.  He didn’t have to yell over and over for it to pay attention.  He didn’t have to plead with the storm to go away.  He simply said “Peace be Still”

4.  He Spoke With Authority...Diseases Healed

Luke 7:1-10  Most of Jesus’ healings, he was present to the sick person and made some sort of physical gesture to heal them.  Here we have a unique situation. Without being present...without Jesus laying his hands on the sick person…Or doing any other miraculous ACT…He requested that Jesus heal his friend with the command of his voice.  This man truly understood that Jesus Spoke with Authority.  He realized that Jesus had the authority to speak but a word and his friend could be completely disease free.  

With the same power that Jesus Spoke the World into Existence, Spoke Sins Forgiven, Spoke Evil Spirits Expelled, Spoke Storms Stilled, and Spoke Diseases Healed…Jesus speaks to us the will of God!   So...what’s the point to mention that Jesus Spoke with Authority?  When I read this phrase,  It reminds me of the old TV Commercial for E.F. Hutton, the stock brokerage company.  The tag line for everyone of their commercials is:  “When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen”.  Likewise, because Jesus speaks with such authority, We OUGHT listen to him.  Not just casually hear...But REALLY Listen.  Will we Heed to the authority of the word of Jesus?

Reflecting the SON, 

Dennis Hogan

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Wise or Foolish

Are You Ready for a Storm?

Matthew 7:24-27  Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  (25) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  (26) And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  (27) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

Now that spring has arrived, we are solidly in severe weather season.  That means the threat of  thunderstorms, lightening, hail, strong winds, and even potential tornadoes are possible with every weather front that passes through.  When the time arrives, and storm alerts sound, one of the first precautions that the authorities advise is to “Take Shelter Immediately”.

In our passage today, Jesus warns that the Storms of Life are coming.  It is not a matter of IF but rather WHEN.  These storms can take many forms:  The death of a close family member, the loss of a job, problems within the family, personal illness, loneliness, depression….the list is virtually endless.  Like a weather storm, when the Storms of Life hit,  we will naturally head for shelter.  Our life’s choices determine the soundness of the refuge that we have when we are in need.  Jesus says that there are only two types:

1.  The Shelter built upon a Rock

Jesus says that the Wise Man is able to ride out the storm with All hope of coming out of the danger unscathed.  He is Wise because he knew of the impending danger and made preparations.  Those preparations require sacrifices.  So what is the Key?  

The Wise Man Hears the Words of Jesus and Does them.  

The youngest of children learn in Bible class about the “Wise man built his house upon the Rock”.  But this is not a childish teaching.  It is a principle that many people… even so-called followers miss.  Jesus doesn’t teach us a different way of living from the rest of the world because he is an “evil puppet master” that gets his kicks from watching us dance.  He teaches us to go the opposite direction from the rest of the world because it is a better way of life.  He teaches us to behave completely different from the rest of the world because he knows that by doing so we will avoid many self-made storms.  Jesus tells us to think differently than everyone else because when we are truly followers of, not only the concept of Jesus but also the actions, behaviors and lifestyles of Jesus, we will be helped, protected and strengthened by God himself.  Then when the rains begin to fall, the flood waters rise, and the winds begin to storm through…We will have Refuge in Jesus Himself!

2.  The Shelter built upon sand

Building one’s house on the sand is obviously ridiculous!  If you have ever walked along a sandy beach near the water’s edge, you know the instability of sand in the presence of water.  But Jesus says that living one’s life without following the teachings of Jesus is equally unstable.  A house sitting directly on the sand will come crashing down.

How many people’s lives are one pail of water shy of crashing down because they have built their lives on the sandy lifestyles of drugs, alcohol, sexual immorality, lying, cheating, and generally just living ungodly lives?  How many have built their lives on the sandy lifestyle of beneficial things like a career, and then a storm comes and the job is gone and “Great Was the Fall” of their lives.  How many people have built their lives around family and then storm comes out of nowhere then “Great Was the Fall” of their lives because their sandy foundation failed them?

Jesus is the only foundation that we can depend on.  But to be able to put our faith in Jesus, we must hear his words and Do them.  Only then will we be prepared for the Storms of Life.

Reflecting the SON, 

Dennis Hogan

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Who's Going to Heaven

 Who is Going to Heaven?

Matthew 7:21-23  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In a poll from 2013, 62% of all Americans believe there is a place called Heaven.  Furthermore, that same 62% believe that they would be going there.  That is a fascinating statistic.  It is amazing that so few people in America believe in Heaven.  It is even more amazing that for everyone that believes in Heaven, they think they are going.

In previous verses in this chapter (verses 13-14), Jesus says that “Many” are on the “way” that leads to destruction (not Heaven) and only a few will enter the gate that leads to Life (Heaven).  Without trying to assign specific values to Jesus’ qualifiers of many and few, logic can conclude that at a bare minimum, greater than 50% of the world’s population will be lost and less than 50% of the world’s population will go to heaven.  The best case scenario, according to the numbers, at least 12% of those polled are misguided about their eternal fate. According to Jesus, there are quite a few people that are misinformed about their eternal future.

The news gets even worse.  In our passage today, Jesus narrows the field even more.  Jesus say that “Not everyone that says Lord Lord with enter the Kingdom of Heaven”.  So let’s identify who Jesus is talking about.   Who would say to Jesus “Lord Lord”?  Would atheists?  Absolutely not.  They would NEVER claim loyalty to a being they believe never existed.  How about agnostics?  Would they call Jesus Lord?  Again, if you do not believe in someone, you would not claim them as your master.  This can only include one group of people:  Those that CLAIM Jesus as their Lord…Believers, Followers, maybe even christians.  Now what does Jesus say about them?  Not All “believers”, “followers” and “christians” will enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Who Does Jesus say will Go to Heaven?  Those that do the will of the Father in Heaven.  Therefore, it demands that we Learn God’s Will.  It demands that we Apply God’s Will.  And it demands that we Do God’s will.  This passage is contrary to many doctrines that are taught throughout Christiandom.  Christianity is not just a mindset that we prefer Jesus over all other alternatives.  Jesus demands that we are both Loyal and demonstrating our Love for him by doing what he says.  It is not good enough that we just have our names on the roles.  Jesus wants us to be ambassadors and representatives of and for his cause.

Jesus continues in verses 22-23 showing that many people that will be lost but think they were right with him will make an argument for themselves that they have done good works and should be able to enter.  Jesus will say unto them “I Never Knew You”.  It is sad that there could be a significant number of people that truly believe they have a relationship with God, but God does not “know” them.

This passage is quite consistent with the rest of the New Testament.  When we become Christians, Jesus expects us to Deny ourselves and Follow him.  As a christian and a follower of Jesus, we must always and continually strive to Know the will of God and have the courage to do it, regardless of the cost.

Reflecting the SON, 

Dennis Hogan

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

FruitInspecting

Be a Fruit Inspector!

Matthew 7:16-20  You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  (17) So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  (18) A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.  (19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  (20) Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

This may frustrate many non-believers but… Christianity is a Thinking Religion.  Certainly there are elements of emotion that belong in this cause, but Christianity is not defined, driven, or dependent upon emotion for its success.  Instead, the Bible teaches that our minds must be engaged in order to be pleasing to God.

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Luke 14:28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not ^sfirst sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Our passage today, from the Sermon on the Mount, relies SOLEY on logic.  In fact, it is elementary level logic.  There are 3 steps to this passage

1.  Principle 1 - Fruit Identification:

Jesus uses this as the foundational, logical principle for what he is trying to teach us.  If you see an orange(s) hanging on a tree…We can and must conclude that the tree is an Orange Tree!  If you see an apple hanging on a tree… It must is an apple tree.  Or as Jesus states it, you don’t find grapes growing from thorn bushes.  As humans, at times we simply have to draw logical conclusions.

2.  Principle 2 - Good Fruit Verses Bad Fruit

He builds on the first step of logic to help us to the next level.  We do not have to be college trained and professional Botonists to ascertain the difference between good fruit and bad fruit.  Small, mis-shaped , discolored and blemished fruit is not as desirable as plump, ripe and healthy fruit.  That is an observation that a 5 year old can make.  Again Jesus concludes that healthy trees produce healthy fruit and undesirable fruit comes from sickly trees.

3.  Application - Know Them By Their Fruit

Let’s be real, Jesus doesn’t really care about fruit.  He did not leave the glory of Heaven to live on this earth for a strawberry.  He did not die on the cross for a watermelon.  He did not sacrifice for a peach.  Jesus did what he did for mankind.  Therefore, there is an application that he wants us to know.  We are to use our God-Given common sense, logic and reasoning abilities to make conclusions about people.  If someone openly professes that they are living in a particular lifestyle that the Bible declares unequivocally as being sinful, we can conclude that this person is living In sin.  We recognize their sinful fruit and know them for that fruit.  Let's be clear.  Jesus does not say this for the purpose of making us feel superior.  He does not say this so that we can degrade them.  This information should NEVER be used as a weapon against any one because we all have some rotten fruit in our past.

In the immediate context, Jesus says this in regards to warning us about false teachers.  We can know a false teacher…If we want to, but they fruits of their overall life.  But this same logic and reasoning applies across the spectrum.

Why might this be helpful?  Evangelism.  We can see the obvious sin in a person’s life and KNOW that we need to teach them about Jesus.  We can know that they have sins they need to repent of and go to them in love and teach them about the love, grace and forgiveness of Jesus.

Reflecting the SON, 

Dennis Hogan

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

BEWARE!

BEWARE!

Matthew 7:15  Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

What a way for Jesus to start a passage.  BEWARE!  The word “Beware” is always a warning for impending danger.  The warning is intended to give an opportunity for you to be able to stop, think, and consider the new found information so that you will change your mind and go back the way you came.  The Key Word here is AVOIDANCE!  Avoid danger at all costs!  That is the smart thing to do.

Every year people die from NOT heeding the warning signs of Danger.  A good example of this is what happens during a heavy rain.  The warning is:  If a road is flooded and you are not sure of how deep it is, Do NOT try to attempt to cross.  Every year people disregard that warning.  Every year people go where they should not go.  And every year needless deaths happen because they do not heed the warning.  In 2019, 56 people died in the United States from ignoring the Warnings and they drowned in their car because it was over-come with water.

So what is Jesus warning us about?  False Prophets or Teachers.  Preceding this verse, Jesus tells us to Enter the Straight Gate!  Then informs us of the two ways that leads through life:  One leading to Eternal Life, the other leading to our eternal destruction.  Immediately after, he warns of the danger of False Teachers.

What we need to Truly understand is that Teachers have a HUGE influence on which path we ultimately choose and travel.  Therefore we MUST choose our teachers WISELY!

Why a Warning?  Why not an asterisk?  Why not a friendly reminder?  Because YOUR soul is in Jeopardy!  If we follow a False Teacher it will lead us to the path that leads to our destruction.  Just look at the allegory that Jesus uses.  He says that these false teachers are ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’.  Jesus chose his words and examples carefully.  Jesus did not describe the false teachers as poodles, or kitties, or bunny rabbits.  He was trying to paint a picture in your mind.  He didn’t even just say a wolf.  He described them as “Ravenous Wolves”.  “Ravenous” is defined as:  Extremely hungry; voracious; desperate.  A wolf in this state will not spare you for any reason.  He is designed to kill efficiently, then rip you to pieces for his consumption.  False teachings are NOT just alternative theories, or an alternate way of viewing God and his will.  They are tools of Satan himself to confuse and lead you down the broad way… AWAY from God!

What’s more?  Jesus adds the feature of these ravenous wolves as coming in sheep’s clothing.  In this illustration, we are sheep.  The false teacher appears harmless!  They appear as one of us.  They are impersonating someone that wants to help!  That is what makes them so dangerous!  If we know that we are entering a dangerous situation, we can bring along tools to defend against the danger.  If we go into the woods where it is known to contain wolves, we can take a gun, and several people and large dogs to both keep them away and to help take out the wolves if they approach.  But the danger of false teachers is disguised as a peaceful, helpful, and/or caring individual, so we will let our guards down; setting up the ideal environment for an ambush.  

BEWARE!  Do not ignore this warning!

Reflecting the SON, 

Dennis Hogan

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

WhichWay

Go With the Crowd or Go Alone?

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  (14) For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Life is a series of choices.  Everyday we make hundreds of decisions based on 2 or more options.  Most decisions that we make in a day are inconsequential.  Do I want cereal or eggs for breakfast?  Do I take the scenic route to work or the faster route?  Do I stop and get gas before work or after?  Do I stay up and watch the movie or go to bed on time?  Everything is a choice.  Most are made with our brains on autopilot. Our brains process many of them so quickly and efficiently that we may never really consider them as choices.

In Life, there are a handful of times that we have decisions to make that change the direction and trajectory of our lives:  things like education, marriage, having children, and our career path.  In our passage today, Jesus is informing us about one such decision that most of the world has never even thought about.  It is the most important decision of our lives!  Jesus says that there are two roads, paths or Ways through this life.  Those two ways are leading in the exact opposite directions.  The consequences of this choice are ETERNAL in nature.  We MUST choose wisely!

Option 1:  The Broad Way

Matthew 7:13-14  Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy¹ that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

The good news…with this choice, you’ll have LOTS of company!  Jesus tells us that MANY will be going this way.  Clearly, this is the direction of the Mass Majority!  You’ll fit right in with all of the thieves, murderers, rapists, child molesters and the rest of the evil people that are flooding this direction.

Why not?  It’s easy.  It’s fun.   It Requires nothing from you.  There are no rules to follow.  Anything goes!  In fact sometimes, you will be celebrated by the rest of society for being brave enough to make the choice of following your own whims and desires.  That really is the key to this choice… If you want to do it…Go for it!  If you want to try it…Give it a whirl.  If you can imagine it …give it a shot!  If you think that it will make you feel good…even for a short period of time, then why on earth would you want to deny yourself of a little pleasure?  In fact, due to the large number of people in this crowd, there won’t be any problem with trying to out do one another.  Be outrageous!  It will be encouraged.  This choice reminds me of some commercials that I have heard for buying a new car…. “You won’t be turned down for any reason” on this road.  There are no credit checks.  No discrimination.  This is the place to “Do You”!

What’s more?  If you are one of the people that really doesn’t like making tough decisions, this is the path for you!  This is the default path!  If you have never thought about religion,  Hate religion, Mad at God…then you will find lots of of like-minded people to keep you company. Maybe you have thought about religion, but you just want to wait for a “Better” time in your life to get serious about God.  Again, this is your path.  Non-decision, non-commitment, Non-dedicated people will do great going down this path.  Don’t worry about anything…at least until you reach the destination!

As a small bit of legalese… we do need to mention one teeny tiny drawback to this option in life.  Jesus says that it leads to your destruction.  That destruction will last for ETERNITY!  Here is the way Jesus describes it:

Matthew 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

There is definitely a better way!

Option 2:  The Straight Way

Matthew 7:13-14  Enter by the narrow gate….(14) For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

To start with, this is the option that Jesus recommends.  In the first statement of verse 13, Jesus says Enter the Straight Gate!  This is the way through life that you want.  Back when I was growing up, it seems that every tooth paste ad would claim that 4 out of 5 dentists recommend this toothpaste.  Jesus, endorses this Way through life.  He is no dentist, but he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith.  Jesus is the REAL expert.  This is Jesus’ recommendation!

Even with the recommendation, Jesus prepares us for the negatives that we can expect.  First, it will be lonely.  While the rest of society believes they are having the time of their lives going the opposite direction, Jesus says few there will be to find this destination.  Why is it that so few people will go down this path and make it to the end?  Because the Gate is narrow and the way is hard.  The other Way in life boasts no rules, there are prescribed rules and lifestyles that we Must commit to.  It is not always going to be easy..But it will be worth it!

So what makes this choice better?  The destination!  The payoff!  The reward!  It comes down to this simple choice:  We must sacrifice present pleasure for Future Glory.  Or we live for today to gain as much Gusto as we can in this life, and suffer the consequences for all of eternity.  Pay me now or Pay me later!  

Furthermore, In reality, while the Broad road SEEMS to be the best life, Jesus is offering us the superior life on this planet.  Jesus’ way is more rewarding and by following his guidance, we will avoid a LOT of suffering that Sin brings.

Listen to the Expert.  Avoid the allusions and deceits that the broad path offers.  Enter the ONLY gate that leads to eternal life!  Eternal Reward verses eternal destruction. It is worth the small sacrifices that we must endure.  And on this path, Jesus will be with us all of the way!

Choose Jesus!

Reflecting the SON, 

Dennis Hogan

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

The Golden Rule!

The Golden Rule!

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Or more commonly phrased

Do Unto Others as You Would Have Others Do Unto You!

I have a grand daughter that is at the age that that her favorite things are rainbow and unicorns.  At her age, she is very idealistic.  And so is Jesus!

Matthew 18:1-3  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  (2) And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,  (3) And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Our passage today is a bit idealistic….but then again so is Christianity.  God, through inspired writers, tells us to aim for righteousness, holiness, and perfection even though none of those characteristics are unobtainable on our own.  But just because we cannot be perfect on our own, does not mean that we should not strive for it!  Jesus tells us, his followers, that we should strive to ALWAYS Do unto others has we would have them do unto us!  To more completely apply the Golden Rule to our lives, let’s break it down.

1.  “DO”

This is a simple 2-Letter Word.  “Do” has an Importance that should not be overlooked!  “DO” is not a passive word. “Do” is an action verb.  It not only implies a restraint of evil for evil, But also a Conscious effort of Good.  The Golden Rule is NOT just a philosophy.  It is not just a school of thought.  It Must Be applied!  It must be done to have ANY value!  As Americans we tend to be slipping away from an idea of “Doing”.  For instance, In politics, we like to complain about what happens, but we vote at a staggeringly LOW rate.  Passiveness is a dangerous mindset if we want to Please God.  Remember Jesus’ rebuke of the one talent man.  (Matthew 25:24-30).

We too often are misguided in thinking that only as small handful of EVIL people will go to Hell.  But Jesus himself called this man wicked.  You might say:  “Why is this man wicked”?  He didn’t DO anything.  EXACTLY....That is precisely Jesus’ point.  That is because we are REQUIRED to do Something!  Not only should we “DO” something.  We also Must be profitable too.  (John 15:1-5).  In order to adequately, perform the Golden Rule, we must be proactive in service for others not just refusing to retaliate against them if they are unkind towards us!

2.  “Unto Others”

This may be the most difficult part.  Our society programs us to look out for #1.  Is there any surprise that there are so many abortions? Is it any surprise that 50% of marriages end in divorce?  Is it any surprise the Crime rate is out of control?  What do all of things things have in common?  We do in this country what pleases ME.  And in many ways we do not care who it hurts.  It is just plain selfishness.  Selfishness is ruining our country, our homes and even the church!

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Jesus says here, to be a follower of his, We MUST DENY ourselves.  We must quit being selfish!We must quit putting me first!  The focus of our lives should NO longer be on ourselves.  When I was a mere child, I learned that the definition of  JOY was:

1.  Jesus First

2.  Others Second

3.  Yourselves Last

Our society needs to put that philosophy into action.  But we cannot expect all of society to do this if Jesus’ followers are not willing!

2.  “As You Would Have Them Do Unto You”

Matthew 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? (37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Love and Compassion is the crux of this teaching.  We need to develop a genuine compassion for all men.  “Others” that look like us and those that don’t.  “Others” that think like us and those that don’t.  “Others” that behave like us and those that don’t.  “Others” that have lifestyles like us, and those that don’t.  Love and compassion is NOT synonymous with approving of their lifestyles and life choices.  But Love is wanting the BEST for them.  Jesus Did NOT automatically reject those that were sinners.  He worked harder for them!  He spent more time with them!  In the same vain...We must do the same.

Philippians 2:1-5  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, (2) Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (3) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

Paul talks about the attitude that we should have BECAUSE of the the love that Christ displayed to us. Paul says that we should esteem others BETTER than ourselves.  That is precisely the attitude that Jesus referred to in the Golden Rule.  We must ALWAYS look at others before we look to our own needs and desires.  We must ALWAYS ask in ANY situation....How Would I want to be treated?  We Want to Be respected!  We want to be treated like we mattered!  We would want to be treated like we are made in the image of God!  We would want what was Best for us even if we did not Realize it

The problem is that too often we have a built in defense mechanism that causes us act differently.  When it comes down to it...We are being asked to Treat People Better than we may perceive they deserve.  As Christians, we should understand the principle of acting Better towards others even when they don’t deserve it… Because that is exactly how God treats us!

Reflecting the SON, 

Dennis Hogan

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com

AskSeekandKnock

Ask, Seek, and Knock!

Matthew 7:7-11  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  (8) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  (9) Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?  (10) Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?  (11) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

We live in a society that demands prompt, speedy results.  Instead of waiting for a complete meal to be prepared for us, we need to eat faster so we go through the drive through where we can order and pick it up in just a few minutes.  If we are not careful, we can begin expecting the same results from God.  When we have that mindset, we attempt to eliminate our own participation in matters and just push a button and wait 30 seconds.

In our text today we have 2 very different but related lessons to learn:

1.  We have a responsibility in our receiving blessings from God (Vrs 7)

2.  Our God is a Benevolent Father (Vrs 8-11)

Let’s begin with the second one first.

Our God is a Benevolent Father (Vrs 8-11)

It is mind boggling to think about the extent of God’s Grace, Mercy, Compassion, and Benevolence that he extends to us.  When you examine ancient ‘religions’ and the gods that early man imagined ‘worshippers’ spent a great amount of time attempting to appease these angry gods.  So much so that many small children were sacrificed at an alter to calm the anger of a god.  Children were sacrificed to bring about a good harvest or to have a successful hunt.  Ancient man lived in fear of a god (that did not exist) that they perceived would constantly punish or terrorize them.

On the other hand, Our God is just the opposite.  Our God doesn’t ask that we burn our child alive to appease him.  Instead, he offered his Only Son to die that we might live.  What a Contrast!  That one event of offering his only son would be far beyond what we deserve, but that is not the extent of God’s gifts.  The point of our passage today is that God seeks to benefit his children.  While this set of verses do not explicitly state this realization, these promises are not open to the world as a whole, but rather reserved for his children or followers.

1 John 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 

1 Peter 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 

Once we obtain the identity of being a child of God by being washed in his blood, the additional blessings, protections, and promises are beyond comprehension.  Jesus explains this in verses 9-11.  We as humans know how to give, sacrifice for, and protect our own children.  Then Jesus using that as a foundation, states that we being evil, How much more does God know how to give us what we need.

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 

Our minds simply cannot comprehend God’s ability to help us.

We have a responsibility in our receiving blessings from God (Vrs 7)

Make no mistake about it, the first part of this post was spent discussing the generosity of God.  Therefore, we are not suggesting that blessings from God are earned or achieved.  With that said, we cannot overlook the fact that Jesus tells us about three verbs between us and our blessings:  Ask, Seek, and Knock.  All three are verbs of action.

Ask:  There have been times in my life that, I might realize that someone was at the refrigerator and would yell:  “Hey, bring me a snack”.  For one reason or another, they were unable to and told me:  “If you want it, get up and get it yourself”.  I have been known to reconsider my request and choose not to get up and get that snack because it was too much trouble.  How bad did I really want it if I was unwilling to do the minimal amount of work for it?  God is not going to read everyone’s mind and grant every passing wish that pop’s into our heads.  To do that, human nature teaches, we would become both lazy and ungrateful.  Jesus is teaching us that if it is important enough, we can ask for it.  Upon asking, God will give us what we need…according to his will.  Will God grant a request if it were harmful in any number of ways?  Never.  We must ALWAYS ask according to God’s will!

Seek:  There have been new skills that I have learned over the years that simple instruction was not the best means for obtaining and utilizing them over the long term.  The best method for retention was simply a hands-on approach.  Sometimes, we need to do more than ask.  Sometimes it will be more meaningful if we seek our the answer for ourselves.  When we do, God promises that we will find…again according to his will.

Knock:  With these three verbs, there seems to be both an increased level of desire and an intensity of effort.  Having to knock implies that asking and seeking have led to the specific door on which we are knocking.  Once again, Jesus gives the assurance that if we have utilized the energy to go this far and knock on this door, God will open the door to and for you.

By the time that we have become New Testament Christians, God has invested his greatest asset in us:  The Blood of his SON.  In doing so, God wants us to be successful by being faithful to the end.  In doing so, God has promised that he will give us the tools, resources, help, assistance, and protection that we need to win in the end.  In giving us this help, he also wants us to part participate in the process . We just need to Ask, Seek, and Knock.

I am so thankful I serve such a Gracious, Merciful, Compassionate God that wants me to succeed in finding my way to Heaven some day!

Reflecting the SON, 

Dennis Hogan

dennis.hogan@icloud.com

Questions, comments or  further explanation?  Contact me at:  dennis.hogan@icloud.com