What Is Your Opinion? - 1 Thess 1:4-7

SCRIPTURE

1 Thess 1:4-7

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

COMMENT

Here we go again, so I will ask you, how do you understand the statement that God (he) has chosen you? If that is true, does it mean we have no role in the decision? Does God choose but we get to decide? If God chooses some to salvation, what about those not chosen by God? Are they without hope, or do they get to decide on their own. I know what I want to believe. I want to believe that all are capable of being saved. But what if I don't get what I want? Am I still willing to worship that God? These are tough questions, but questions that should be thought about if we are going to approach Scripture with the idea that maybe we are not the ultimate authority when it comes to how God should do things. So I pose questions without giving answers or opinions sometimes, because it is not what I think that matters, it is getting others to think.

It says that they received the word in much affliction. What??? No padded pews, pop music bands, funny preachers? How does that even work? (Heavy sarcastic tone should be noted.) In the midst of affliction, they were filled with joy. I wonder if that is why so many today seem so joyless? Perhaps where there is no affliction, the invitation to become a Christian is often not that Christ is the answer, it is that Christ will keep you from future affliction. Jesus is the vaccine shot that will keep you Corona free, and the cure for the common cold, and everything else for that matter. Maybe we need to read more Scripture.

40,000+ People Can't Be Wrong, Right? (Matthew 16:24-28)

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 16:24-28
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

LANGUAGE

Vs 24  come - accompany
Vs 24  after - follow
Vs 25  save - protect
Vs 25  lose - destroy
Vs 25  find - find, get, obtain, perceive, see

BACKGROUND

Jesus had just foretold His death to the disciples. Peter rebukes Him, because Peter is thinking the way a man thinks. But Jesus rebukes Peter for not setting his mind on the things of God.

COMMENT

Jesus is continuing His thoughts after rebuking Peter for telling Him that He should not have to die. I think Peter might have easily be taken in by someone like Joel Osteen and his "Your Best Life Now" philosophy. But now Jesus is speaking to everyone, and it is not about your best life now. In fact, it is just the opposite. This is a hard truth. But if we interpret this teaching in light of the idea that repentance is the change of life one experiences after really understanding and knowing Jesus, and not just a matter of wanting to get to heaven or avoid hell, then it makes perfect sense.

To save or protect your life is to destroy it. Again, in light of the Corona Virus, I cannot help but think of people who are putting their own survival (or just even comfort) in front of everyone else. I just watched a video from Germany where a woman was struggling to carry more toilet paper than she was probably able, while others in the background were also stock piling supplies. How are some of these people going to live with themselves when this is over? And in their effort to protect themselves, are they not already losing some of themselves in the process? But we do tend to live in the moment, don't we?

I keep thinking of Jesus's teaching about the narrow road. I also think about how many people think they are on that road. People who believe that God owes them something, that they can get on God's good side by flashing their sacrifice (which Isaiah calls "filthy rags) before Him. All that travel just to get to a road whose end is not their desired destination. Wake up, people.

In the Midst of the Storm (Matthew 14:22-33)

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 14:22-33
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

BACKGROUND

Jesus had just finished feeding the 5,000, a miracle that surely must have blown the disciples minds. I wonder how many of the crowd was even aware that a miracle had taken place. But the disciples saw it all, they knew they had not brought enough to feed 5,000 men plus the women and children. How quickly they forget, as they are caught in the midst of a storm while crossing the lake and encounter Jesus walking towards them on the water.


COMMENT

Jesus sent His disciples on ahead while He dismissed the crowds after feeding the 5,000. He then went into the mountains by Himself to pray. I would love to know what was said during those prayer times. The disciples, meanwhile, are struggling to get across the lake due to a storm. It must have been a bad one, because they were terrified, and many of these men were experienced sailors. And Jesus let them suffer the storm for a while, until He decides to meet up with them by walking across the lake in the storm. When they see him, their first thought is, it's a ghost! They even cry out loud in their panic and fear. But Jesus speaks to them, telling them who He is.

Peter responds with a test. If it is you, tell me to come out to you on the water. Jesus says "Come," and Peter WALKS ON THE WATER. But even this is not enough to overcome the fears that take place, perhaps because in getting out of the boat, Peter expected the storm to calm down. So he yells out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus takes hold of him. But according to the text, the storm did not die down until they got in the boat. Then they worshiped Him.

In today's climate of fear, let me make a few observations. 1) Jesus allowed the disciples to go on the boat and head into a storm. How much did He know about what would happen? Scripture does not say, but I believe Jesus knew they would face a storm. 2) Fear is not an unforgivable sin. As a matter of fact, fear is a God-given emotion. Fear keeps up safe at times. 3) On first sight, they did not see Jesus in the storm. In fact, they thought He was a ghost. But Jesus was there in the storm, and they were not out of His hands at any time. 4) When Jesus reveals Himself to them, His words are "Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid." So He reveals Himself to them in a personal way, and this helps them deal with the fear. 5) Peter tests Him. I do not think this is uncommon. We want real evidence. We want to know that Jesus can and will help. 6) Peter stepped out on faith, but again became overwhelmed when things did not go as he had hoped. 7) Peter calls out for help. A position of humility, perhaps a forced one, but he does not try to get back in the boat or ask for a rope. He looks to Jesus alone, and Jesus alone can save him. 8) Jesus takes hold of him. It does not say the storm is over yet, just that Jesus took hold of him. 9) Jesus confronts him. "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 10) Jesus saves them. Once in the boat, then the storm calms down. 11) They worship Him.

Is this a picture of the salvation process? I believe it is, at least for some. Look at each step. Jesus allows us in the storm, we fear, we are overwhelmed by what is going on around us, Jesus reveals Himself, we might test Him, He draws closer to us, saves us, the storm clams down. Trust in Him. Without that trust, we cannot know His peace.

Not Having It My Way (Matthew 14:1-12)

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 14:1-12 (ESV)
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

COMMENT

We live in an age of wanting everything to be our way. Burger King capitalized on this idea with their ad campaign, "Have it your way." But this is seen in so many other areas of life. Look at the following of Bernie Sanders. People are upset because some have more wealth than others, and they think that wealth should be shared. Forget about the skill it might have taken, or the effort, or the risk, it just isn't fair! Look at reaction to the Corona Virus. People stealing masks from hospitals, hoarding toilet paper and other items. At least if I get the infection, my hiney will be clean! So many other examples, but for times sake I will leave that up to you as I am sure you have experienced many examples of your own.

So what about John the Baptist? Jesus called him the great (Matt 11:11), yet he met his demise being beheaded at the hands of Herod. Where is your prosperity theology for him? John faced this death because he stood up to Herod for taking his brother's wife. A noble task. Yet that did not spare him an awful fate. Again, I heard of a church today that is continuing to meet during the Corona Virus quarantine. Their logic is that God will protect them if they are acting in faith. John acted in faith, and there was none greater. I am not advocating panic. But if it rains on the just and the unjust (Matt 5:45), will not the Corona Virus do the same?

What I am trying to say is, let the Bible says what it says without making it say what you want it to say.