Monday, June 25, 2018

Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

July 1, 2018 Background Scripture: Matthew 18:21 – 35 Lesson Passage: Matthew 18:21 – 35 In our next series of lessons, Jesus teaches about justice from God’s perspective. This is important at a time when many consider most moral and ethical decisions to be relative, or situational. God communicates in absolutes in the areas of morality and ethics. Some principles should be applied unaltered in spite of the situation or the person(s) involved. Today’s lesson examines Jesus’ parable about an unjust servant. Like all of Jesus’ parables, the set-up is simple yet powerful. It is not very difficult for an honest listener to find himself in the parable—even if it were at a different point in the person’s life or spiritual journey. The parable was prompted by a question that was raised by Peter concerning the frequency of forgiving a person who offends him. Jesus had just talked about the steps to be taken that could involve a local church in settling a disagreement or trespass among brethren. When it comes to being offended and having to forgive, the burden is on the one who has been offended. It really seems unfair and so it is difficult to wholeheartedly forgive someone who has offended you. But Jesus provided a method to use and it prompted Peter’s question about how many times should one put himself through this. In my estimation, Peter was being very liberal when he suggested that he forgive the person seven times for offending him. That is a lot when you consider that we are talking about the same person repeatedly behaving in a manner that harms us in some fashion. Our adage is: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” We even legalized it as the “Three Strikes and You’re Out” law. From a human perspective, two or three times should be sufficient. I thought those examples might be necessary for those who saw my comments about forgiving seven times as being liberal. We sometimes have a tendency to write people off fairly quickly. Forgiveness is not a virtue that develops naturally within us. Jesus’ parable reminds us of this. The parable also teaches that forgiveness should not be just a response to having been hurt—which feels impossible. But forgiveness should be a reaction because one has been forgiven by God. In that context, there is no limit to forgiveness if it is based on the forgiveness that I have received from God. At the time that I accepted Jesus’ death on Calvary’s cross as the just penalty for my sins, God forgave me for all my sins—even the ones I did not know I would commit. At that time, I received justification from God. This removed the penalty of eternal damnation. We still suffer consequences for sins we commit, but the eternal penalty has been erased which results in the assurance of eternal life. There is absolutely nothing I could ever do throughout eternity to repay God for such a gesture. However, the parable reminds me that I am expected to do something in this finite physical life as a token of appreciation and to acknowledge that I have received some of the vastness of God’s forgiveness. I am admonished to show compassion to others without exception and without limit. My finite actions are offered as an appreciation for God’s infinite forgiveness. I don’t want to be an unforgiving servant. Robert C. Hudson May 30, 2018

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Reaping God’s Justice

June 24, 2018 Background Scripture: Luke 16:19 – 31; John 5:24 – 30 Lesson Passage: Luke 16:19 – 31 In last week’s lesson, Jesus pointed out the unjust religious traditions of the Jews that were nullifying the word of God. Those religious traditions were also referred to as the traditions of the elders. Those religious rituals did not grow out of the holy rituals delivered to Israel through Moses. Rather, they were substituted in place of some of the holy rituals delivered to them. In today’s lesson, Jesus teaches about the end result of embracing religious traditions rather than the word of God. Jesus’ message was, without doubt, clear and succinct. God was graciously offering eternal life to anyone who put their trust in Him, and Him alone, through Jesus Christ and forsake attempting to please Him through personal acts of piety. Trusting God would lead the person to live a life of fulfillment of the Law of God not out of piety but out of a generous and loving heart. Such persons would care for their fellowman and execute justice and righteousness in their dealings with others. On the other hand, pious acts of unrighteousness would end in the eternal destruction of the person. Heaven and Hell are realities of the eternal destination of human souls. Jesus offered no other alternatives besides these two. All people are born in sin and destined for everlasting damnation because of the fallen nature of sin inherited from Adam. God’s offer of grace includes eternal life in His presence after the person’s physical death, or the disrobing of their flesh prior to the rapture of the church. Either God will save us because we accept His offer of grace, or we will be destined for eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire. In the gospel narrative in Luke, Jesus relates a story of two individuals whose paths crossed although they were destined for two different eternal states. It appears to be a parable, but if it is, it is unique among the parables of Jesus. Jesus reveals the name of one of the persons in the story. It is instructive that he only gives the name of the person who went to eternal rest and bliss in the bosom of Abraham. The person who was condemned to eternal torment and punishment in the Lake of Fire remains anonymous. Although the message of the story is not about wealth and poverty, it serves as a reminder that too often we allow our financial status to determine our actions and thoughts towards others. The rich man was described as living a life of luxury with the finest of accommodations. Lazarus was a poor beggar who lay at the gate of the rich man’s estate desiring crumbs falling from the rich man’s table. Both men died and ended up in their eternal abode. They were separated forever; the one from the other. In torment, the rich man begged Abraham to allow Lazarus to come and comfort him. It is worth noting that the rich man knew Lazarus by sight and by name. With all of his worldly goods, it appears that the rich man never bothered to assist Lazarus with even the bare necessities of life. Jesus’ message is clear, Judgment Day is coming. And when it comes, we shall reap God’s justice. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatever a person sows, that shall they also reap. Robert C. Hudson May 18, 2018

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Jesus Teaches about Justice

June 17, 2018 Background Scripture: Matthew 15:1 – 9; Mark 7:1 – 13 Lesson Passage: Matthew 15:1 – 9 Today’s lesson presents one of the many confrontations between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders recorded in the gospel accounts. As was often the case, the Pharisees and scribes attacked Jesus verbally for violating the traditions of Israel while they displayed little concern for the principles God had given their forefathers. The Jewish religious leaders’ rituals were steeped in the historical traditions of Israel. They took great pride in carrying on the traditions that were passed down through many generations in Israel. Of course, this was being done at the expense of ignoring what the word of God said concerning those traditions. Israel’s religious leaders used two sets of writings: the Torah and the Talmud. The Torah was the written word of God that was preserved by the elders—oftentimes referred to simply as the Law or the Law of Moses. The Talmud contained Jewish commentaries on the Law of Moses and other “learnings” that were likely once part of the oral traditions of the elders. It was their dependence on the Talmud more than the Torah that led the religious leaders astray from the word of God. Meanwhile, the word of God contained all of the principles required for holy living. They would have done well to focus all of their attention and effort on studying and praying about the Torah. This would have led them to seek God for directions. This is why the Apostle Paul called the Law a schoolmaster that was given to lead the people to God (Christ). Instead, they depended more on the traditions of their fathers and this led them away from the principles of God rather than to Him. Jesus pointed out this error to them and told them that they were fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. In that prophecy, God declared that worship by His people would become lip service because their hearts would be far removed from Him. No doubt, it is probably much easier to follow the teachings and ideas of another person—especially if that person is considered wise—than to admit that we do not understand what God is saying and we need to consult Him for clarity. This is not to be critical of the former religious leaders of Israel because we can easily stray today in the same manner; we can stray by depending on the commentary of people we believe to be smart rather than sincerely seeking God for understanding. Jesus did not just rebuke them in a general way because of their adherence to the traditions. He gave them specific traditions that were in violation of specific principles of God. God’s word told them to honor their parents, but through traditions they had developed ways to keep their wealth by dedicating it while at the same time maintaining control over and use of it. Perhaps, somebody thought they had come up with a smart way to avoid the financial burden of taking care of aging parents. However, this was a clear violation of the word of God and, as a result, Jesus said their tradition had made God’s word null and void. To despise one’s parents is the height of injustice. The religious leaders attempted to rebuke Jesus and his disciples but instead they received a lesson on justice. Robert C. Hudson May 14, 2018

Monday, June 4, 2018

Parables of God’s Just Kingdom

June 10, 2018 Background Scripture: Matthew 13:24 – 43 Lesson Passage: Matthew 13:24 – 33 One of Jesus’ teaching methods was the use of picture stories. Picture stories are great because they allow so many things to happen to listeners. For those who are visual learners, picture stories give the visuals that are needed for learning. Picture stories, or parables as they are better known as, also allow for the conveying of spiritual principles in everyday language that can be understood by the masses—even those without formal education. Parables make recalling the information easier. Remembering a story is easier than remembering a set of facts and figures and trying to recall how to apply the facts and figures. Parables can also allow a message to be hidden inside the story to escape the scrutiny of those who opposed the messenger. As in all things, Jesus was a master at using parables as a teaching tool. The synoptic gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) collectively record thirty parables that Jesus used during his three years of teaching. Jesus used parables to teach the crowds that gathered to hear him. Within those crowds, Jesus encountered all of the individuals previously named: the uneducated, those hungering and thirsting after righteousness, the critics who were looking for something they could use to bring an accusation against him later, and those who needed to learn the spiritual principles that would be the foundation of their faith. Jesus’ teaching concerning the kingdom of God went forward with the power of the Holy Spirit using the vehicle of parables. To many of Jesus’ listeners, the unfolding of these events was the good news foretold by the prophets of Israel hundreds of years prior. The kingdom of God was going to be established on earth—and was already being established through Jesus’ ministry. It was happening in the midst of the people through Jesus’ teaching and many did not know it because of the parables. Jesus’ disciples did not always understand the spiritual message in the parables he used. On some occasions after Jesus had finished teaching a crowd or instructing someone who did not accept his message, his disciples would come to him privately and ask for an explanation of the parable he used in his teaching. Jesus provided them with the spiritual message hidden in the parable, so they could learn to interpret other parables. The parable contained in the text of this lesson teaches a very important spiritual principle about the kingdom of God. Namely, there will be a mixture of God’s saved people and those who reject God. The caution is for the people of God to not attempt to separate the non-believers from the believers. According to the explanation of the parable given by Jesus, God has angels designated for the purpose of separating at the end of time. Christians are to abide with those who they may suspect are not saved. It is not the duty or work of the church to separate believers from non-believers. Nor will this work take place during the time of the Church Age. Christians can be confident of this not because of our intellect but because Jesus taught this principle in one of the parables of God’s just kingdom. Robert C. Hudson May 7, 2018