Daily Devonational

The Topic is Not Treasures but Trust

By Bob Young

 

Text: Matthew 6:19-24

 

The Content of the Sermon on the Mount: Wisdom Literature

We come today to one of the great and familiar texts of the NT. Because it is part of the

Sermon on the Mount, we meet an interesting genre question. The Sermon is set in the larger

context of the Gospels, and is frequently identified as wisdom literature. Blenkinsopp suggests

that wisdom and law are two great rivers which eventually flow together in Christian theology.

He also suggests that Matthew in his Gospel intended to place the teaching of Jesus within the

ongoing tradition of Israelite and Jewish wisdom. Matthew seems interested in presenting Jesus

as the wise teacher. Thus Matthew organizes Jesus' teachings into five discourses, perhaps

modeled on the Pentateuch. Wisdom literature is a broad genre. There is no doubt that the OT

wisdom tradition continues in NT, as wisdom is used in the NT with a variety of nuances. It

seems that Jesus recognized two types of wisdom—the one accepted and the other rejected.

 

"There is in the Sermon on the Mount the clearest and fullest approach to the wisdom method to be

found in the teachings of Jesus. The love of life and learning of large lessons with spiritual import from

nature, both of which characterize the sages of the OT, are evidenced in Jesus' longest sermon of record.

Even the short, pithy, sometimes antithetical method of the wisdom writers seems to have been

employed by Jesus."

 

The Context of the Sermon on the Mount

The structure of the Sermon on the Mount is complex, and there are many excellent treatments

of the subject, but to survey those is beyond the scope of this little essay. Consider this

overview of the Sermon. First, the Beatitudes are followed by several admonitions and

summary. Second, six contrasts (You have heard it said…but I say to you….) are summarized in

Jesus’ concern for righteousness. Chapter 6 treats three areas where righteousness can go

astray and follows with three negative admonitions. The sermon concludes with several

contrasts—this time representing kingdom choices. The kingdom contrast community will be

established on different principles, different practices, and different priorities.

 

The Choices of the Sermon on the Mount

Sermonic themes such as blessing and righteousness are typical of wisdom literature, as is the

rhythm of the Sermon—principles, practices and priorities; contrasts, new constructs, choices.

What is the focus of life? What shall we run after? What do we seek? What can we trust?

 

I think of three illustrations. First, John Updike, in "The Bulgarian's Poetess," writes, "Actuality

is a running impoverishment of possibility." On too many days, the minister's life resembles

"Let's Make a Deal." Which door will I choose? What shall I do? By what power will I accomplish

it? Whom do I trust? Solomon, allowed by God to choose one thing, chose wisdom.

Second, consider Billy Crystal and the movie "City Slickers." What do you do, where do

you go, how do you respond when life is boring, routine, and meaningless, and you are caught

up in sameness? Crystal's character in the movie leaves the corporate world to be part of a cattle drive. There he meets Curly, played by Jack Valance. One memorable scene from the

movie has Curly saying that all of life is summed up in finding that "one thing." That life is about

finding "one thing" speaks to our priorities.

Finally, Paul in Philippians 3 says, "I am focused on one thing, one thing I do. I forget the

past, I forge on to the future, because there is a prize there worth more than anything else." In

the teachings of Jesus, the same truth is present in the parables of the hidden treasure and the

pearl of great price (Matthew 13).

 

The Content of Matthew 6:19-24

In preaching and in life, few tasks are more difficult than discerning what matters, what

is important, and to what we are called. We are surrounded by the siren songs of multiplied

missions, opportunities, numberless challenges, and pressing needs. What shall we do? Where

shall we spend our time? The trivia of the urgent often finds actuality impoverishing possibility.

To turn from the trivia of the urgent to the priority of the essential is a first step toward

wisdom. In life, there are plenty of opportunities to spend our money, cut an ethical corner,

and do our own thing.

 

Trust and treasures—where we spend our resources

Wisdom literature sharpens our focus and defines our priorities. In ministry, I must ask

myself, where is my focus--on Jesus or on self? What shall I think about? tomorrow? next

Sunday's sermon? For ministers, this is a special problem, for our tomorrow is often intimately

wrapped up in "kingdom things." My very life is "kingdom things"--at least I can rationalize it so.

Can I really be focused on kingdom things if I am not focused on Jesus Christ, the king? Can I

really be focused on kingdom things if I am relying upon my own abilities to get my tasks done?

Everyday life presents the same challenge for every one of us. Dependence and trust

lets go and lets God. We can only store treasure in heaven when we see the temporary nature

of this world and decide that storing up things here is ultimately foolish.

 

Trust and tactics—law and ethics

How will I get it all done? Ministry is always a place for dependence and a time for trust.

Where can I find refuge, focus, direction, priority? Jesus says such are kingdom issues (Mt. 6:33-

34). In ministry as in life, our answers are in the kingdom matters, not in the material world.

Merely quoting the verses provides no panacea. The passage demands interpretation,

because Jesus responds to our questions with the same words, "Seek first kingdom things." Can

following Jesus really be that demanding? Are priorities really that important? What price are

we willing to pay—even to compromising our own ethics? If law and wisdom merge in Jesus’

sermon, we must see that the ethics of the law have not been removed—they have been

exalted to a higher place where they are no longer an exterior concern but an interior reality.

 

Trust and tasks—doing whose thing?

My task is not to identify your kingdom things. My task is to remind you that all of life is

in finding your one thing--"your kingdom things"--and pursuing it. Pursue it according to your

talents, abilities, inclinations, personality, preferences, and opportunities. But pursue it trusting

in God's power, not your own. Find your kingdom role; seek God's power to fulfill that role. To

say, "don't worry about what you cannot do--do what you can do" raises the wrong issue. Today I will seek God's will and God's way by God's power, for today. Tomorrow will take care

of itself. That is trust. ---From the Bob Young resource page; http://www.bobyoungresources.com/articles.php#text

With permission to used as stated on the webpage

Daily Devonational

Today's Daily Devonation comes from the Gospel Minutes newsletter entitled;" Lessons from Two Dead Men" From the June 19th 2009 edition

The article is based on the story out of luke 16: 19-31 parable of the begger and the rich man

An excerpt from the article" The above story of the rich man and Lazarus
is a familiar passage of Scripture to most of us. It
is often used as a scriptural reference, and quite
often is completely misapplied. There have been
long arguments as to whether this was a parable
or an actual event" of history which Jesus relates."

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.wfcoc.org/WFCoC/Minutes_2009_files/gm061909.pdf
This is a PFD format file

Daily Devonational

The Apocrypha and the Canon of the Bible

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The apocrypha is a group of books found in the Old Testament in Catholic Bibles, but non-Catholics do not accept them as inspired. Some seven books and about that many portions of other books are included.

While I believe the apocrypha do not belong in the Bible, I also sincerely believe that the doctrinal differences between Catholics and non-Catholics are not fundamentally caused by the differences between their Bibles. That is, I believe I can use the Catholic Bible, complete with apocrypha, to demonstrate the truth about every major point of difference I have with Catholicism. Hence, I conclude that the apocrypha is not the major difference between Catholics and non-Catholics. Nevertheless, we do need to know, of course, whether or not these books belong in the Bible.

If you go to our Gospel Way site at www.gospelway.com/instruct/, you can find there an article about the preservation of the Bible. This article deals in general with the question of whether we today have the Bible as God's complete and perfect revelation, or whether parts have been lost or changed over the years, etc. The apocrypha is just one aspect of that study (see specifically the last section of that article).

The main point to remember (as discussed in our article about the preservation of the Bible) is that the books of the Bible which we have, and which we all agree are from God, promise that God intended for the Bible to completely reveal His will for man. Therefore He promised to preserve it by His power so it would always be available for man's instruction. Our faith in the Bible, as we have it, is not fundamentally based on specific evidence regarding every particular book, but on our faith that God promised He would preserve the Bible. Men have carefully studied the issue of what books belong in the canon, but such men are simply tools God has used to fulfill His promise to preserve His word. Our faith is in God's promise, not in the men.

The preservation of the Old Testament demonstrates that God has fulfilled His promise to preserve His word. We can be sure that the Old Testament was properly preserved, because Jesus and His disciples used the Old Testament exactly as the Jews of Palestine in that day accepted it; they never once criticized the Jews choice of what books to include. This is proof positive that God kept His promise and did preserve His word. Since the New Testament was preserved in exactly the same way as the Old Testament, I conclude it too is accurately preserved today, just like the Old Testament.

Specifically regarding what books belong in the Old Testament, it is a known fact that the Jews of Palestine in Jesus' day did not accept the apocryphal books as being inspired. They knew which books they believed to be canonical, and those books are the ones now found in non-Catholic Bibles. Even the Catholic Bible admits that the Jews did not accept books such as 1 Maccabees, etc. (this is often openly admitted in the introduction to such books in Catholic Bibles). If the Jews erred there, would not Jesus and His apostles have said so?

Another argument against the apocrypha is that they were not quoted in the New Testament. But that is less important to us than what books were known to be accepted by the Jews. If the Jews had been wrong about this, Jesus would surely have said so. Instead He just took their Scriptures and cited them as Divine Authority.

It is true that the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament includes the apocrypha, but that does not prove they were considered to be inspired. My copy of the Septuagint sets the apocrypha apart from the other Old Testament books, as though they are an appendix. Other translations (including, I believe, the Vulgate) included the apocrypha, even though the men who made them did not think those books were inspired. Again, the Jews of Jesus' day knew that these books were included in the Septuagint, but they still did not consider these books inspired, and Jesus never disagreed with them about what books they accepted. That is the issue.

It is also not really an issue as to when the Jews made an official, formal statement expressing their rejection of the apocrypha. The point is that the Jews in Jesus' day did know what they considered to be Scripture, and they did not accept the apocrypha. Yet Jesus and the apostles used those Scriptures without ever disputing with the Jews about their view of what books are canonical. If there was doubt about this, Jesus and His apostles would have dealt with the issue. The Jews did eventually make an official list of accepted Scripture, and that list agrees with what Palestinian Jews in the first century believed, and it did not include the apocrypha.

Finally, remember that the apocryphal books are all in the Old Testament, which no longer applies to us as Divine law today. (See our articles about this at www.gospelway.com/instruct/.) We all agree on what books belong in the New Testament, which is the portion of Scripture that includes God's laws for us today.

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(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2/5/2005

With permission to use as stated on the gospel gate way site.

ref article: The Preservation of the Bible:
The Transmission, Ancestry, and Canon of Scripture

http://www.gospelway.com/bible/bible_preservation.php

Daily Devonational

A Divine Demonstration

G. E. Watkins ---Preacherfiles.com

In John chapter 18 we find Jesus in the garden with His betrayer approaching with a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests. Jesus is accompanied by the remaining disciples. Judas, His betrayer, knew where to find Him, he had been there many times himself. As they were approaching, Jesus asked a simple question of them. He said "Whom seek ye (v. 4)?" The answer came, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus did not run and hide or fight like a common criminal (there was nothing common about Him). Instead, He identified Himself as the one they were seeking. He said, "I am he (v. 5)." When Jesus uttered these words there was a reaction that, in my mind, has no explanation but the miraculous. The text reads:

When therefore he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground (John 18:6, ASV).

The Word of God spoken by Jesus caused a reaction. The soldiers and officers did something that they had no intention of doing. They "went backward and fell to the ground." He demonstrated three things in that garden (1) that the word He had spoken was true, (2) that He had a choice (3) that He was the master of the situation.

Jesus Demonstrated that His Word Was True

Jesus actually assisted the soldiers and officers in making a positive identification of Him there in the garden. These men knew that Jesus was "a man approved of God … by mighty works and wonders and signs (Acts 2:22). Even though many did not acknowledge Jesus as Messiah the multitudes recognized it. They said, "When the Christ shall come, will he do more signs than those which this man hath done (John 7:31)?" So when the men fell backward at Jesus’ answer they knew they had found the right man. Jesus confirmed His word just as He did when He went with the apostles (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4).

Jesus Demonstrated His Choice

For most cases in which a man is arrested the subject is rushed by the officers and subdued by force. Such was not the case here. Jesus subdued the soldiers and then submitted to them. He had said:

Therefore doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment received I from my Father (John 10:17-18).

The scene in the garden demonstrated that Jesus did have control of His own life. No one took it from Him, He laid it down; he gave it (Titus 2:14; Hebrews 12:1-2) in an act of obedience (Philippians 2:6-8; Hebrews 5:8-9). His love for us is seen vividly in this selfless act.

Jesus Demonstrated His Mastery

Throughout His ministry Jesus had shown that He was the master, that He controlled the very elements. He turned water to wine (John 2:7-10), cast out demons (Mark 5:1-20), cleansed lepers (Luke 17:11-19) and even raised the dead (Luke 7:11-17; John 11:17-44). But at no time were the disciples more impressed with His mastery than when he was with them during a severe storm on the Sea of Galilee. Note the record:

And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save, Lord; we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? (Matthew 8:23-27)

To the very last of His free moments Jesus demonstrates His mastery by the effect of the words, "I am He." The onrushing soldiers and officers were stopped in their tracks and they fell backward. One cannot help but think that for at least some of those arrestors there was a new sense of awe like the officers who had been sent earlier to arrest Jesus and came back said, "Never man so spake (John 7:46)."

Conclusion

You have a Savior whose words are confirmed by Heaven itself with mighty works, wonders and signs. The truth of His message has been confirmed and can be trusted. You have a Savior that chose to die for you. He was not some revolutionary in hiding who was finally caught. No greater love can be shown for you (John 15:13). You have a Savior who is the master of the very elements. If He says He can and will save, if He says that there is a place prepared for you, if He says He’s coming again, then, every word is true. What a friend we have in Jesus.

With permission to use as stated on the preacherfiles.com webpage.

Daily Devonational

Today's Devonational is from the Truth for the World webpage on showing compassion to others as
Christ done.

An excerpt from the article: "LORD, TEACH US COMPASSION

Is our world today characterized, generally, by compassion? If we answer no, and I think tragically we'd have to, the reason is we have not learned compassion from the compassionate Christ. It may be far too many people have become callous rather than compassionate. It may be we've lost sight of the compassion of Christ and the teaching He left us on compassion, as well as other things that are important and impact upon our eternal lives. If we are to learn to be compassionate, we could go to no greater, more perfect source than the compassionate Christ."--TFTW

You can read the rest of the article here: http://www.tftw2.org/Articles/compassion.htm

It is my hope that these devonationals will encourage and inspire further reading and study of God's insprired word.

On the road Thursday & Friday
I will be able to post a daily devonational here on Thursday, but not on Friday because I'll be on the road to the Tacoma Wa area for a meeting with GCDE The Governors Committee on Disability Issues and employment. I always seem to get involved with these things, when things are going through some though times, cut backs on the state budget in regards to the state paying for traveling and lodging are being frozened until July of 2011, that means this meeting I'll be attending will be proibably the last one I'll be attending. Because I was on a three year term and my tern on this board ends in October of this year, and I haven't decided whether or not to renew my membership on this particular board.
I think being on this state board gave me the opportunity to represent my county I live in regarding disability issues, and gave me the opportunity to meet great people from around the state of Washington dealing with these issues in their own communities.
It also provided me the opportunity to share my faith in Christ with those who are willing to receive it.
I hope these articles Im sharing with you on here and every where else Im posting them on will encourage, challenge, and inspire you to read and study God's inspired word.
Peter Ripley

Daily Devonational

Today's Daily Devonational comes from the Gospel Minutes

Excerpt: "Maybe Your Past?
Some people put off Christ because they
think their sins are just too ugly for them to
come to God. They know the sinful, even hateful
things they have said and done, and are
convinced that this prevents them from ever
changing or doing better. They think they are too
far gone for the Lord.
But, look at Saul. He says he put Christians
in prison, pursuing them to death. He beat them
and tried to compel them to give up their faith.
.Yet, God saw in Saul something worth saving.
He may have persecuted the church, but he could
be different, he could be a great source of good
and redemption for many peoples. And, that is
what he became when he stopped putting off
becoming a Christian.
God may look at you the same way. In spite
of your past, in spite of your sins, God can and
will forgive you for whatever you have done. You
can come to Him and receive the same grace and
mercy Saul did. Don't let your past stop you."---Gospel Minutes (Why do you delay? June 12, 2009 editon)

* read the rest of the article here: http://www.wfcoc.org/WFCoC/Minutes_2009_files/gm061209.pdf
This is a PDF format file
 

Daily Devonational

My 62nd

Mother’s Day

May 4, 2010

By Bob Young

 

As I sit to write another Mother’s Day article, I have to admit something. I am not an expert on

mothering—I am an expert on being mothered. I am an observer of mothers, but I will not be

so bold as to write about how to be a good mother. My expertise comes from receiving my

mother’s love, attention, discipline, and support. I want to reflect upon my mother and those

experiences. As I honor my mother, I seek to honor mothers in general. I hope you will think

about and appreciate your mother.

 

My mother has been gone 16 ½ years. I was only 45 when she died prematurely in an auto

accident. That experience, which now seems long ago, taught me that one must decide before

the fact whether God is God and whether God is good. When the difficult days and faith

challenges come, it is too late to try to decide what one thinks about God. I know now that I

drew that conclusion from the faith I saw in my mother—a faith that continues to sustain me as

it did her.

 

My mother had had a stroke about two years before the accident. From that point onward, I

never again went home as a care-receiver, I always went as a care-giver. There were always

things to be done—yard work, house repairs, and special projects. I never again woke up to the

smell of bacon cooking. Life was different; but my mother’s love was the same.

 

My mother’s death was ultimately a liberating event. Jan and I would probably have never felt

free to move half way across the country to work in higher education at a small Christian

college had we still had the responsibilities of caring for my mother. God works in mysterious

ways.

 

My mother was a pioneer—not only because her family moved from Missouri to New Mexico in

a covered wagon while she was still an infant, but because of the way she experienced and

endured and overcame life as a single-parent in the middle years of the 20th

century. It seemed

to me then (and still does) that my mother was fearless in a time when there was much to fear.

 

My mother is my greatest heroine—and greatest hero. She is the standard of excellence for my

life. There were lots of things I did not do as a youngster because I knew it would break my

mother’s heart if she ever found out. She is still my guiding star and great moral compass.

 

My mother was my greatest fan. She saved everything I wrote—as though it were priceless.

Now I know that it was—at least to her. She was my greatest supporter in preaching. She

would be amazed to know where God has led her boy and his bride since her death—literally

around the world for the Kingdom. She would be proud. Her memory yet compels me.

I cannot tell her "thank you" today, but I can say "thank you" to God for mothers, and for my

mother. May God bless all mothers, and the memories we cherish of the mothers who blessed

and continue to bless our lives.

"Copyright © date, Robert J. Young, from www.bobyoungresources.com. All rights reserved. This material may be freely reprinted so long as no charge is made to the reader and this copyright notice is included."

Daily Devonational
Life Beyond the Grave
The salient doctrine of Christianity is the
teaching of Jesus Christ about life after death.
Most religions have some kind of "hope"about life after death,
but only Christianity offers real evidence of that hope and also
carefully defines it.---Gospel Minutes
Read the full article: http://www.wfcoc.org/WFCoC/Minutes_2009_files/gm060509.pdf
(Its in pdf format)

Daily Devonational

Back to the Bible
By Johnny Ramsey--theBibleNET.com
 

Jesus tells us in John 8:32 and 17:17 of the necessity and glory of Truth in the divine realm. We must know the Word of God if we would truly be free. One of the besetting sins of modern society is a lack of knowledge in the Bible's contents. It really is no marvel that so much ungodliness runs rampant in our streets because a lack of Scriptural emphasis will always bring chaos into our lives. Men have forgotten Christ and the bulwark of righteousness He provides. In Proverbs 14:34 the inspired penman boldly affirmed: "Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any People."

American desperately need to get back to the Bible in our homes. Last year this nation alone contributed 1,200,000 divorces to an already degraded world scene. In both Malachi and Matthew we learn that "God hates putting away" and let not man put asunder what God hath joined together!

We need to get back to Bible teaching regarding proper respect for authority. Holy Scripture informs us to pay taxes, obey the rulers and to pray for those in authority (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:1; I Tim. 2). This is the only way to stop the rioting, protesting and anarchy in our cities today. The Bible alone has the answer to our dilemma. Let us have the courage to return to its sacred teachings.

There is a genuine need for each one of us to go back to the Bible for God's plan of redemption. In Acts 22:16 and Galatians 3:27 we clearly see the necessity of being baptized into Christ for the remission of sins. Bible baptism is immersion in water "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 3:16 and 28:19).

May we all get back to the Bible--starting today!
from thebiblenet.com webpage.