JESUS SPEAKING

Now there was a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves” (Luke 22: 24-26.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

The disciples believed that Jesus was about to be crowned king and that he would place someone in authority over the rest of them (a sort of ‘right hand man.’)  So they were arguing among themselves about who this might be.  (They misunderstood the kingdom, and what type of crown Jesus was about to receive; instead of Gold, his crown would be made of thorns.)  Jesus implied that the disciples were behaving as the gentiles (a gentile was anyone not born of Jewish descent.  The majority of Christians today are gentiles; although believers should not behave as gentiles.)  The Greek/Roman culture was dominant in the 1^st century and they surrounded Israel.  The Greeks and Romans enjoyed working out naked, and bisexuality and homosexuality were rampant; they enjoyed watching men kill each other in the coliseums, and prostitution was incorporated into their religious practices.  What truly set them apart from the Jews however, was their social structure.  There were elite aristocrats, military leaders, and government officials near the top; they dominated and abused the people who were lower than they were.  Slavery was massive (in many places the majority of people were slaves), and men and women were bought, sold, and used just like items you might find at the grocery store (the culture was so class oriented, that there were even class systems within the community of slaves; 1^st class slaves, and 2^nd class; 1st class slaves had some rights.)  From birth, the Greeks/Romans measured success based upon social ladder climbing; the further up the chain one would go, the more valuable they were.  The Jewish culture on the other hand was vastly different; most Jews saw themselves as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father; equal in the eyes of God; yet the social influences of the world had made their way in to the hearts of the disciples, whom Jesus corrected promptly.  He instructed them that greatness to God meant service to others.  They were to desire to be lower than others, rather than superior to them.

The United States today is a gentile nation.  Many people are driven by the desire to move up, and to gain advantage over others.  A gated community is better than an apartment complex; it is better to be the boss than it is to be the employee.  Most government offices are filled with people who enjoy power, and wealth, and influence.  There is a class system in the United States just as in the days of the Greek/Romans.  But it shouldn’t be that way for those who call themselves disciples, believers, or followers of Jesus Christ.

Jesus asks his followers to turn away from striving for power and influence and instead to strive for lowliness.  He wants believers to stop climbing the social ladder, and begin climbing the spiritual ladder.  The spiritual ladder leads to places of humility not prestige.  Is it more appealing to you to be a master or a servant?  Do you see other people as tools to gain advantage in life, or as opportunities for service?  Stop striving for worldly greatness, and make an effort to serve others, to love others, and to attain greatness in the eyes of God.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we come before You and we ask and pray that You make us servants.  Take out of our hearts the desires for worldly greatness and give us strong desires for spiritual greatness.  We desire humility rather than riches, and love rather than silver and gold.  Give us opportunities to serve You, and to serve others.  We love You Lord, we thank You, and we praise You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.

 

JESUS SPEAKING

Then he also said to him who invited him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14: 12-14.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Communal eating was a central part of the Jewish culture.  They ate from the same bowls, from the same cups, and from the same loaf of bread.  They guarded themselves against eating with sinners, because it was believed that by sharing food, one man’s sin could pass to another man; as a result the sinners, the destitute, the poor, the sick and the lame became untouchables. Those who were most in need of food and shelter were the first to be denied access to such things.  The well-off made certain to invite only people they considered to be morally righteous enough to share a meal with.  A simple dinner invite in the Jewish culture became more of an award ceremony, where the guests were honored.  It was customary to return the honor by inviting the inviter to a meal (they received a reward for their love.)  The ultimate form of love is the kind that demands nothing in return.  True Godly love is about giving and not receiving.  God rewards selfless love; this world rewards every other kind of love.  How many people do you know today, who, if you began to treat them poorly, would return kindness for your evil?  Not many; their love is conditioned upon your love; their good treatment and kindness is a repayment for yours.  The world is filled with this kind of conditional love, but Jesus has commanded his followers to step outside the boundaries of worldly love, and step in to the unconditional love of God.  He has commanded every believer to show kindness to the outcasts, and love to those who have been overlooked.

There are many wealthy people that live in Southern California.  Many coastal mountainsides are decorated with giant exotic homes owned by the social elite; Doctors, lawyers, movie stars, surgeons, etc.  The only thing that exceeds the beauty of the outside of such a home, is its inside (a place most of us will never see.)  Many collect fine art; paintings worth more than a year’s wages are hung on the walls, and sculptures from centuries long since passed, rest on marble pedestals in pristine places.  There are closets filled with custom tailored clothing that never touches the inside of a washer and dryer.  The carpets aren’t just carpets, but works of art made out of thread.  These people, like most people, surround themselves with valuable things; things that make them feel more extraordinary.  People often use other people, just like possessions.  They enjoy surrounding themselves with those who are valuable and give them worth.  They want to be friends with the good looking, the well-to-do, the young, and the popular.  They show kindness and love, but only for those they deem worthy.  They have the world in them, and even though they might consider handing 5 dollars to a beggar, the idea of taking them home for dinner is just too much; the thought of surrounding themselves with those who carry no worldly value gives them a bad feeling, because there is no profit in it for them.

Who sits at your dinner table?  Who do you share your meals with?  Have you opened your home and your life up to the destitute, to the lame, to the poor?  Have you been surrounding yourself with only those who make you feel good, or have you decided to show the unconditional love of God?  All around you are people who have never seen the kind of love you as a believer can give; the kind of love that asks for nothing in return, and comes from a giving heart.  Take a beggar out to lunch and make friends with an outcast.  Be kind to those who cannot return your kindness, and God who is watching will be pleased.  Love with God’s heart and in the eternal kingdom that is yet to come, your reward will be immeasurable.

“Lord heavenly Father, we come before You and we ask that You give us opportunities to love the outcasts, and to give to those who have nothing.  Help us to rejoice in surrounding ourselves with the needy, and with those the world has overlooked and stepped on.  Give us Your heart, and use us to love unconditionally, that the world may take notice of our actions and see something special.  Use us to make Your presence known in a world full of darkness and selfishness.  We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.

JESUS SPEAKING

                Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”  (Mathew 13: 52.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                The bible consists of two parts; the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The old testament consisted of prophecies, inspired writings, and recorded historical information  dating from 4004 B.C. to approximately 440 B.C.; God then remained silent for 450 years until around 15-30 A.D. when John the Baptist began preaching in the wilderness about the near arrival of Jesus Christ.  Jesus arrived on the scene to complete God’s message and lay the foundations for the New Testament.  Jesus often quoted the Old Testament and added to it.  Any scribe that understood the message would combine both the Old Testament and Christ’s words in to one complete revelation from God.

                At the swap meet one day, I made an interesting observation.  They sell expensive antiques, which are highly valued because they are old.  But, many sell things that are completely new, and it is there newness that gives them their value.  Many retailers, like the householder Jesus was speaking about in this parable, get the most money for what they sell because they sell both new and old items.  God’s truth is not complete unless both the new and the Old Testament are combined as one.  The Holy bible cannot be divided, it cannot be substituted, and it cannot be added too; it is complete.

                The bible is filled with valuable treasures; gems of truth, nuggets of pure wisdom.  Jesus did not come to throw out the old, but to combine the old and the new in to a single masterpiece of communication between God and man.  The world is full of books that have been written by men and inspired by their own desires, but there is only one book that God himself has written.  The bible is a treasure chest that just needs to be opened; inside you will find every answer you have ever desired to know.  Open it, and know the fullness of the one true God.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, as we read Your Word, please give us a desire to dig deeply for insights and truths, and knowledge.  Guide us as we read, and speak to our hearts, and make your plan clearer in our minds and in our hearts.  We want to know the full, complete goodness of Your book, and in turn, Your compete goodness toward us.  We love You Lord, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.”  God bless all of you.