(February 2004 Edition)
At the Lord's Table - Lessons from the Sermon on the Mount
Quiz - "All Creatures Great and Small"
At the Lord's
Table
Lessons from the Sermon on the Mount
Jesus was not new to political and social situations in Jerusalem. Roman rule over the Jews was unpopular, demanding and, at times, oppressive. He could have called legions of angels to come and deliver the Jews out of the Roman rule and set up his kingdom in Jerusalem. This is what Israel wanted. But Jesus resisted this temptation and did what his Father wanted him to do even though he would be rejected and crucified by wicked hands in doing so.
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus taught his disciples and the multitude, including the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, to behave wisely, to worship God in spirit and truth, to do His will, to have faith. His teachings and lessons in the parables can be summed up in his first set of lessons in the sermon on the mount.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit” Matthew 5:3
Blessed – happy are those who realize they are sinners and need God. They
realize they need God in their daily lives and continually seek His
forgiveness. The opposite of these are the proud in spirit, as was King Saul
and the nation of Israel. They justified what they did and assumed God would
accept it.
The poor in spirit are those who are needy. They are not necessarily in need of material things. The poor in spirit feel a spiritual need and realize the only way to fill this need is by prayer and faith, relying upon the mercy of God. “I am poor and needy: yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer…” (Psa. 40:17).
A man can have all the riches of the world: the best job, health, a happy family. But if they only promote self-esteem in worldly things, he will not be happy. His self-esteem will drive him to want more and more.
“Blessed are they that mourn” Matthew 5:4
How can one be happy and mourning at the same time?
Jesus taught his listeners to accept their own sins and seek forgiveness and help from God through prayer. Generally, people’s instincts lead to rebellion when facing pain. They try to evade discomfort through work or pleasure. When most people sin, they find reasons to justify their sin. Others are content with an unexamined life. To them sin is a trivial affair. Jesus is asking that the mourner realize he is a sinner and must learn to depend on God.
In Psalm 51 David acknowledged his sin and prayed to God asking: 1) God to have mercy upon him, 2) to blot out his sin, 3) to wash and cleanse him.
Jesus tells us to mourn for others in our prayers, not for ourselves only. We can easily step aside when we see people in pain, sorrow, or experiencing persecution. We may say, “It is none of my business. I have my own problems and troubles to deal with.” Or we can pretend to care but not be genuine in our concern. Jesus condemned the leaders of Israel for not taking care of the poor and needy or others who sought their help. Instead of giving aid, the leaders took advantage of those in need.
Jesus asks us to mourn for those who sin and are in need of forgiveness and to mourn for those who are being persecuted for righteousness sake. He wants us to mourn and plead in our prayers for the kingdom to come when sin and wickedness will be no more.
“Blessed are the meek” Matthew 5:5
Many compare meekness to gentleness or confuse it with weakness. This is not
what Jesus is saying. Someone who is poor in spirit would understand what
meekness is. The meek person is one who recognizes God’s greatness and is
humbled by it. He counts life as unimportant and uses his abilities in
service to others, in obedience to God.
Meekness is found in one who is ‘poor in spirit.’ It is practicing active humility. Meekness is not being harsh, covetous, self-righteous, or trampling on others. The ungodly claim their rights; the meek go about their duties. The meek live in contentment and godliness. The meek are confident, knowing God, the Creator and Sustainer of all life on earth, will give them the kingdom as an inheritance.
Come…all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart… (Matt. 11:29).
“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst”
Matthew 5:6.
The meaning of this can best be
appreciated by one who has gone through physical thirst and hunger.
The Lord Jesus Christ experienced this when he was in the wilderness for
forty days. Today we live in a world where people hunger for riches
and the good material things of life. That appetite is never
satisfied; they will hunger for more and more as they are never filled.
But Jesus says a man who hungers and thirsts after righteousness shall be
filled with joy in godliness.
“Blessed are the merciful” Matthew 5:7
“They shall obtain mercy.” This is what God will do. He will show grace
toward sinners and by His mercy deliver them from their ultimate enemy --
death.
Jesus is saying a man who is merciful will reflect the character of God. A merciful person will extend the same undeserved forgiveness which he receives from God. People often criticize and show resentment toward others but Christ went to great lengths to teach us to be forgiving: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you.” This is what natural Israel failed to do. They were not merciful. They were so concerned about themselves and their own present welfare that they put their deliverer to death.
“Blessed are the pure in heart” Matthew 5:8
The fullness of God’s blessings for the pure in heart is in the future. But
even now, in a limited way, we can see God in His wonderful creation, in the
fulfillment of His promises in history, and in our daily lives when He helps
us when we reach out to Him.
With this in mind, Jesus is speaking to those who believe, who have faith in the promises of things to come and who have faith that they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers”
Matthew 5: 9
Peacemakers are what our world
lacks today. We see their absence in world leaders. The world lacks peace
between countries, families and individuals.
The peace Jesus is speaking of here is individual peace and being at peace with God: “The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace” (Num. 6:26). When we assemble to worship together, we share fellowship because we have peace with one another. In turn, we have fellowship with God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells us: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Blessed are they which are persecuted”
Matthew 5:10
Jesus is speaking of people who
endure persecution because of personal adherence to God’s truth, for
righteousness’ sake. This persecution may be avoided by people who “play
it safe” and compromise God’s truth, their beliefs and their faith.
We know God’s will. We know what He wants and expects of us. We all want to please God. The question is, are we remembering -- correctly, constantly, and completely -- what God wants? Are we making a genuine, concerted effort to do what we have been taught? May we have the will and the courage to do what we know is right.
Lennox Prashad, Guyana (currently Toronto, Canada)
Some thoughts were taken from Gospel News (Bro. Harry W.) and Seasons of Comfort (Bro. Robert R.)
Quiz
"All Creatures Great and Small"
Of which creatures does the Bible say:
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Hath no understanding?
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Maketh the deep to boil like a pot?
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Is chief of the ways of God?
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Was more subtil than any beast of the field?
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Prepares its meat in the summer?
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Turneth not away for any?
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Hath two daughters, crying, Give, give?
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Beareth her young on her wings?
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Covered the camp [in places three feet deep]?
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John the Baptist wore clothes of its hair?
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The Philistines made five golden images of it?
Choose from: ant, behemoth (elephant), camel, eagle, horseleech, leviathan (whale), lion, mouse, mule, quail, snake. REFERENCES: Psalm 32:9, Job 41:31, 40:19, Genesis 3:1, Proverbs 30:25, 30:30, 30:15, Deuteronomy 32:11, Numbers 11:31, Mark 1:6, I Samuel 6:4.
The parable of the sower, recorded in three of the gospels with minor variations, was clearly intended by the Lord Jesus to be a key and unforgettable feature of his message.
Like so much of the teaching of scripture, Jesus makes some details of the parable’s meaning perfectly clear while other features are left vague and ambiguous. The Lord’s teaching is given in this way so that we will be forced to think carefully and exercise spiritual discernment to work out the lessons (I Cor. 2:13-14).
Unanswered questions
Who is “the sower”? Is it God, Jesus, the believer preaching individually, a missionary organisation, the whole church – or all five acting as one?
Who or what is “the evil one,” “the devil,” and “satan” who “snatches away” the word from some people’s hearts, “so that they may not believe and be saved?” Is it the present evil world, those opposed to Jesus Christ, or hardness of heart on the part of the hearer – or all three? See the context of the parable in Matthew 13:14-15 for a clue.
What is “the crop” yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown? Does it represent multiplication of spiritual qualities in the hearts of individual believers, or multiplication of converts – or both?
The good soil
Another intriguing ambiguity is
“the good soil.”
Must a person have
“a noble and good heart”
before
receiving the word, so enabling it to germinate? It would seem so. How
does that fit in with the notion that no one is good and that we are all
equally sinful before conversion? Jesus seems to equate an honest and good
heart with an initial willingness to listen and give some serious attention
to his message, rather than dismiss it out of hand.
The two ‘missionary’ brothers who sowed the seed in my heart 50 years ago told me that sisters make the best preachers, and that seed is best sown by living a sanctified life each day in our homes, consistently dedicated to the truth. Jesus said, “The earth produces crops by itself” (Mark 4:28 NASB). Or, as Paul expressed it, “God makes it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (I Cor. 3:6-7).
The purpose of the parable
Perhaps one of the most interesting questions about this parable is its
general purpose and objective. Was the parable given to prompt personal
consideration about the type of soil we should be and what response we will
give when we hear the “word of the Kingdom”? Or is there skilful instruction
to the disciples from the Master’s lips for them to expect mixed reaction to
their preaching? Is he preparing them for possible disappointment when there
is not widespread acceptance of the message they proclaim? Clearly both
messages are embedded in the parable and provide followers of Jesus in every
generation a realistic expectation about the results of preaching. This
“simple” parable shows us the richness of the mind and word of God.
“Priscilla”
Some time ago, a few ladies met to study the scriptures. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse: “And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver” (Mal. 3:3).
One lady proposed to visit a silversmith and report to them on what the smith said about the subject. She went and, without telling the object of her errand, asked the silversmith to tell her about the process of refining silver. After he had fully described it to her, she asked, “But, sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on?”
“Oh, yes, madam” replied the smith. “I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured.”
The lady at once saw the beauty and comfort of the expression: “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” When God sees it needful to put His children into a time of trial, His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.
Before she left, the lady asked one final question, “When do you know the process is complete?” Why that is quite simple,” replied the silversmith. “When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished.”
Submitted by Cathleen Hand, St. John’s, Newfoundland
"Stepping Stones to
the Kingdom"
Walking in the Lord
The Apostle Paul gives clear and encouraging advice on how to live a godly life. Walking suggests movement, activity, direction, a destination. To walk successfully in the Lord, one must be guided by Godly principles and Christ’s example. Observe these passages from Ephesians,
4:1 “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called…”
4:17 “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind…”
5:2 “ …and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
5:8 “…or you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light …”
5:15 “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise…”
On his last missionary journey to the Caribbean, when quite frail, the late brother Will Watkins decided to visit a sick brother Blackwood. He asked me to accompany him. All he had was a post office address. He made enquiries there and was directed along a rocky track that climbed a hill. How far is the house? he asked. A few chains, came the reply [for the ignorant, a chain is 66 feet]. After a couple of miles, the track steepened to a precipitous trail up a mountainside. We met someone coming down, and again enquired the way. We were shown a tiny cottage perched on a crag several hundred feet above us, with clouds swirling around it, approached by a narrow zigzag pathway with a precipice on one side and a cliff on the other. Brother Blackwood was joyful, and asked his gasping visitor to read him a psalm. For sure, responded the gallant Welshman, Let’s read Psalm 78: “He led them on safely, so that they feared not, and he brought them to the border of His sanctuary, even to this mountain”.
A meaningful moment for me was when I was driving with a young sister to an ecclesia many miles distant for a Bible Class. About ten miles short of our destination, we passed a young lady who waved for a ride. In that area, because of the threat of terrorism, drivers do not pick up strangers, so we did not stop. Then the young sister said, Please go back and pick up that girl. She will come in the truth”. I did so. She was a stranger to us both. She climbed in, thanked us, came to the Bible Class and subsequently became a sister in the Lord.
On one occasion I went to the airport by arrangement to meet a friend. The flight arrived, but there was no sign of my passenger. After what I thought was a long wait, I returned home, puzzled and a bit annoyed. Then, to my astonishment, my friend arrived. He had been delayed because he had been helping another passenger with a luggage problem. He had simply been a Good Samaritan responding to a need.
Our late brother Bob Young once told me about one meaningful moment when he realized how very near God can be to any one of us. One dark night he was driving his bakery van, taking home some of his workers into a rebel-held area of the city. He always checked with a sentry before entering, but on this occasion there was no one to be seen on the unlit street. It was very late, and his workers were hungry and tired. So he advanced cautiously, but then had second thoughts. He got out of the van with his flashlight to look around. A mere three feet in front, and level with the windshield was a wire strung right across the road, highly electrified. They all decided to spend the night at the bakery.
As a nurse I helped with the baptism of a young sister Veronica Vickers. She was gravely ill in hospital. Doctors and matron tried to dissuade her, but she swept all caution aside. We filled a bath to the brim with warm water and four brethren gently lowered her tiny shrunken body in a blanket until just her face was above the water. She could not hold her breath, because she had no breath to hold. It took us forty minutes and many abortive attempts before her longing to be immersed into Christ was fulfilled. But the joy on her beautiful countenance as she was lifted out lives with me still after nearly fifty years.
A meaningful moment for me was during the sad memorial service for sister Karolyn Andrews. As the cortege approached the chapel, a tiny girl, not very well dressed like most of us, resolutely pushed her way through the crowd and threw one wild flower on the casket as it passed. She darted away, and I never saw her again. I have no idea who she was. But that expression of her love and grief meant more to me than the wreaths and tears of all my friends.