Daily Bread&Praying Like Jesus: Matthew 6 Cont'd

Prayer, who can adequately describe it?

Prayer definitely changes things, and we do get things out of it, but that should not be our primary focus. It is our communication with the Great Creator. It is a great mystery. It can be as complex as a dissertation and as simple as tear. The position of the heart is what makes prayer sincere. God does not need our eloquence.

Jesus asks that we would treat prayer like something meaningful, not taint it with our insecurities and idolatry of people. We operate well horizontally (with our neighbors), when we stay in clear vertical relationship (with God). 

The Lord's prayer is what our prayers should be, completely enveloped by the context of Heaven and the Glorious Throne of God. It calls everyone to take their eyes off all the other junk of life and look with amazement at the Creator.

The word “God”, especially when we've known of Him for years, can become pretty drab, impotent. It mixes with the other religious slosh we're accustom to hearing: worship, surrender, and the like. Matthew shakes us up here, out of our stupor.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

God's glory is our ultimate purpose and He deserves our reverence.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

God, choose the best way for us and the world around us. Even when it clashes with what we want.

“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”

God please give us what we need to make it through each day. Forgive us our inconsiderate behavior and help us forgive those who are inconsiderate toward us.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”

God please save us from ourselves. We are utterly incapable of keeping commandments without your power.

Questions:

1. How can we take the focus off of people when we pray in public?
2. What keeps us from prayer in our lives?
3. Prayer does not require many words, or words at all. Recount the most simple prayer you've prayed. Did it seem to have impact? Why or Why not?
   
   
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What is Prayer?

What is Prayer?

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast:
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward gleaming of an eye,
When none but God is near
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high:
Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,
His watch-word at the gates of death,
He enters heaven by prayer
Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice,
And say, Behold he prays!
The saints in prayer appear as one,
In word, in deed, in mind,
When with the Father and the Son
Their fellowship they find
Nor prayer is made on earth alone:
The Holy Spirit pleads;
And Jesus, on th' eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes
"O Thou, by whom we come to God!
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer thyself hast trod,
Lord, teach us how to pray!"
-Montgomery

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Don't Be Greedy: Matthew 6

 Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

Have you ever been on a date? There is overwhelming need to impress the other person, to prove that you are worth a couple hours of their time and interest. This is not what the gospel is about. We are not dating God. Our objective should neither be to impress God or people, but to love people through the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Giving in public is not the issue, but the motive for doing it is. We are not always given the choice of the selection people present in a given circumstance; we just don't make them our audience when we give.

At the start of chapter six, Jesus shows us what charity is supposed to be, an overflow of the heart, a physical expression of the work being done on our hearts. It is the ministry that Christ works through us, as willing channels.

Real giving is not exhausting or burdensome, it is a delight for the one giving and the one receiving. Its the kind God rewards.

Questions:

1. Think of the best gift you've ever received, and then the worst. What made the one worse or better than the other?
2. What does honest giving look like?
3. What in your life keep you from giving more?
4. Share a way that you would like to give (time, money, etc.).

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Bent on Retaliation:Matthew 5 Cont'd

Oaths

Followers of Christ are to be people with clear speech, not that weighed down by exuberant promises or flattery. It should be clear to others what we are and are not down with, as though we only said “yes” or “no.” We are to be individuals of clean speech.

Retaliation

Christ calls us here to have His heart for people, to show kindness when it doesn't make sense. Our response when attacked is to be love. This can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit, this much is obvious. Our natural response to injustice and unfair treatment is retribution, to get back at the perpetrator.

God calls us to demonstrate grace and trust Him for ultimate justice.

Love Your Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

-Matthew 5:43-45

What Jesus does is repetitively call us to be His image-bearers like He originally did when the world began(Genesis 1:27) and before sin entered into His creation. God is Love(1 John 4:16), when we show love we imitate God.

God does not have any enemies by His own fault, people choose to be enemies of God. We do not seek to make enemies, but if people choose to stand in consistent hostility against our cause, we will still love them and seek to be at peace to them, as much as it is in our power to do.

Anyone can pat someone on the back that's patted theirs, but God asks us to pat the back of those that would sooner stab us in ours. Only by God's grace and power.

Questions:

1. How can we keep from purposely seeking enemies?
2. Envision one of your enemies. How can you practically demonstrate God's love to this person?
3. Think of a time you felt justified in getting back at someone. Do you feel your retaliation solved the problem?
   
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Burning with Anger&Lust:Matthew 5 Cont'd

Anger

There you have it, anger is not an external behavior but a position of the heart, as Jesus said. The most frustrating thing can be to deal with or counsel a person that sees anger as the stereotypical yelling match or slammed door. According to the way Jesus compares it with murder, sinful anger is an internal desire to see your neighbor hurt. This is not as extreme as some might think. 

Hanging up on people, gossiping, refusing to let other drivers merge into our lane of traffic are momentary acts of hostility toward another human being.. What are we thinking in these moments? One could guess that the well being of that person is the last thing on our minds. We want them out of our faces, not caring where they end up. Murder in the mind is still murder.

Lust

Likewise, as with anger, Jesus takes the commandment much further than how the religious leaders had taught it. People began to realize that God demanded more of them than to grit their teeth and bear it, God actually wanted them to reject sin in their hearts as well as their bodies, for they were both created to glorify God. 

 

The danger of refusing to treat sin at the heart level is to risk falling into a growing pile of sin. Its no different from a child is told to clean their room, the room may appear spotless and without clutter, but open the closet...and out tumbles a mountain of clothing and filth onto the floor. The only real solution for our hearts is a thorough cleaning and organizing, which is what only Christ can accomplish in us. To top it off, our hands are thoroughly muddied.

This is why pornography a sin like all others, the man that watches a woman with lust in his heart, has in a sense, already engaged in an affair with her. The one that looks upon a woman with thoughts of using her for their satisfaction has already defiled them.

Questions:

1. How can we better guard our hearts against sinful anger and lust?
2. How do these present themselves as temptations in your life?
3. How should we react when we are the victims of another's anger? Lust?
   
   
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Building Upon the Law: Matthew 5 Cont'd

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

Jesus said that he did not come to abolish the Old Testament Law or the Prophets, this seems to be a statement some forget. But we are not keeping all the special feasts or strange rules, are we? So how does this work?

The God of the New Testament is the same God as the Old. The best way to think of it is to compare kindergarten and college. In kindergarten, there were rules put up for all to see, and there were a lot of them: “Keep your hands to yourself,” “Raise your hand to talk.” This was like God's self-revelation to the Hebrew people, God had to introduce Himself as holy.

Now think of college.

Take a look around the typical college classroom and not a rule in sight, though students are still expected to behave. 

You see, the rules were never the point, “raise your hand” was your teacher's attempt to say: “let's speak in an orderly fashion and give each person a chance to add to the conversation,” they obviously couldn't have told you that at the time because you weren't ready for it. That's the kindness of God: He knows what we can handle and when.

It is only after hundreds of years of allowing people to know Him, does Jesus(God) show people the intent of the Law and the Prophets: to effect real heart change. These are the commandments of His Kingdom.

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Distinctly Deviant: Salt&Light:Matthew 5 Cont'd

Salt and Light

Salt has a definitive taste, when there too much in a meal, its evident, when there isn't enough, there's no mistaking what's missing. Jesus calls his followers to be distinct. True followers of Christ are never to dissolve into the backwash of society at large, their presence is noticeable.

In the region where Jesus taught, salt was not some chemical compound like it is for us, their salt came from the earth. When exposed to the elements unprotected, it lost its flavor. At that point the flavorless material was thrown upon paths to be used as a sort of gravel for folks to walk on. Any morsels with flavor stayed close to the rocky source. Christians are the same way.

Salt was used as a restorative agent for food, though salt without saltiness could not do the job. One can imagine, seeing wasted spices must have been similar to seeing wasted food, a bit sad, but not sadder than seeing a wasted life. That is what Jesus seems to be saying here: its waste to be a Christian in name only, an indistinct mesh of everything others want you to be. The person that wishes to follow Christ should not separate from Him if they wish to be different and make a difference.

Christians are lights that illuminate the lives of others: through their speech, attitude and good works. Most relationships will fall into two categories: demanding and refreshing. Demanding relationships are ones marked by a predisposition of taking, while the other is marked by the opposite, a giving heart.

May those of us following in the footsteps of Jesus be people that restore and refresh the lives of all we come in contact with.

Questions:

1. What makes Christians distinct from other people?
2. Can you think of a demanding and refreshing relationship in your life? Describe them.
3. What gifts do you possess that make you a good refresher? 
   
   
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Check Out My Specs! Fancy Artwork Inside!

Hey y'all,

So I was recently asked by my church's creative team to develop some artwork based upon our current series in the book of James. I sat down and began working on some funky background images for the work I would display when it hit me: the background was the artwork!

What stumbled out of the experience is a work-in-progress project I like to call
Dreams of Perfection. I hope you enjoy it.

JM
Follow to Dreams of Perfection

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Light in Dark Places: Beatitudes Part 8: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

“Truth without love is too hard; love without truth is too soft”

-John Stott

This is what separates the Christian from the blindness of optimism or pessimism. We are not a people with the luxury of a pre-fabricated response to everything, God asks us to use the mind and the Spirit He's given us to discern.

You may have heard the phrase “Hope for the best and plan for the worst;”Jesus calls His followers to seek first the things of God (Matthew 6:33), though never forget this regularly conflicts with the world's “common sense” and can lead to our peril.

At the writing and reading of these words, there are individuals all over the world, caged in cells, awaiting certain death, their crime: loving Jesus and sharing His teachings with others. We must not forget our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in our prayers. They are the ones who many times pay the ultimate price for following Jesus to the cross. 

Jesus explains here, to His disciples, that He is not providing them a five step plan on How to Quickly Rise in Popularity and Offend the Least People Possible. He is offering them God's Truth, that remains true regardless of what others think. What Jesus is not asking us to do is be belligerent and purposely offensive.

Let's clear up another misconception: Christians are not to seek controversy and contempt with society at large. Anyone with a significant amount of time in the faith can likely relate a story in which followers of Christ have chosen to demonize a specific class of people or specific action (“Those [fill in the blank] are taking over, [fill in the blank] is the top problem of this country”). What results is monsters in our mind that were once people, the delineation is important, because monsters can't be reasoned with.

No, there are no monsters on earth, just sinners, none of us worse than the other. We don't need to make up enemies to fight, for our war is not with flesh and blood but against the powers of spiritual darkness(Ephesians 6:12). We hate and can be completely disgusted by what people do, but our quarrel is not with them, but the darkness driving them. This is why the light we carry as believers is so important, as we will soon see later on in Matthew 5.

Questions:

1. How can the follower of Christ best keep themselves from demonizing others?
2. Earlier, Christ tells us to be peacemakers,yet follows up with telling us persecution is a likelihood in our lives. How do you reconcile that?
   
3. How can followers of Christ dialogue responsibly and yet truthfully with those they disagree?
4. Is there an example in your life that illustrates this?
   
   
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Peace In Pain & Conflict: Beatitudes Part 7: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God”

“ It takes a much greater warrior to wage peace than it does to wage war. The end goal of the gospel is peace. Our goal...is to bring peace...so that the world will crave the one who is peace.”

-Pastor Chan Kilgore

We are to be followers of Christ first, not a party, a culture or a social cause. Christ is always to be our cause.

The word for church in the Greek is ekklésia, or people called out. The church was meant to be an assembly of people called out for the purpose of God. Sometimes the bride of Christ(the church) does not seem called out, in fact it can seem called in: to political agendas and fights about dumb stuff. It can be easy to get distracted from making Jesus the center of our lives, however, when we become too mired in the opinions of people, we lack the ability to be peacemakers.

We are not in competition on this earth because our God is not in competition. He is the only God, we are to be His representatives in this world. We are to be referees, with the ability to call foul when necessary, as people war with each other. We have no need to win arguments to feel better, we have Jesus.

Questions:

1. How can causes and opinions separate believers from each other and the world around them?
2. How can we be peacemakers in the face of these conflicts?
3. A proverb developed much after Jesus says, “blessed are the peacemakers, for both sides shall shoot at them.” Have you found this true in your own life? 
   
   
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Stop Praying, Jesus is the Answer

There I was, Sunday, floored by a message I'd heard for the second time that day. It was only on the repeat I received it:

1. Jesus is enough
2. Jesus is more than enough
3. Rest

In the darkness of the sanctuary I poured out my prayers. My knees smacked the thin ribbed carpet. I gave my concern to the only Father that cared, as I'd yelled at the earthly version last night for his callousness. I looked like a complete fool.

All my unmet wants and desires, boiled up inside of me, spilling out as breathy steam into the air.

I kept on at it, praying for God to relieve me of the weight and pain of my circumstances...until I realized Jesus was the answer to my prayers.

I already had the answer to everything I wanted.

What are you praying for? What eats at your soul? I will bet its something that threatens your sense of self and security, but if we find ourselves in things, they become idols. We serve them so they might benefit us.

I've been told and I believe that so often we pray for God to protect our idols, just so we can run on back to them. We imitate the Old Testament people of Israel: running to Yahweh in emergencies (“speak into this situation Lord” Have your way Lord”) but essentially tell Him to shut up for the rest of our lives. He's our in-case-of-emergency kit.

If I was God, I could surely argue for never letting things get better for folks, if they were just going to worship the blessing over me. But thank God I'm not. Thank He loves us all more than we can imagine.

Thank God He loves us enough to not give us everything WE want.

May HIS will be done in our lives.

“We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”

-2 Corinthians 6:3-10

In Him,

Jean-Marc

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Don't Try, Get Pure: Beatitudes Part 6: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”

In the day of Jesus, as in our day, there was great importance placed upon how people looked and conducted themselves, religious people did all sorts of things. Regular ceremonial washing, fasting and generous gifts to the needy were signs of people 'close to God.' Jesus turns this idea on its head, even though several of us continue to chase this lie of impressing God.

This idea of attempting to impress our Creator can be understood as an extension of our confusion in regards to sin. The majority believe enjoyment is best found in the morally compromising and vice of this world. Believers accepting the lie as truth, exaggerate self-righteousness, hoping that a far enough from the “fun,” would keep them from folly. This makes the Christian life what it was never meant to be: an ineffective chore.

Behavioral modification does not work for real life. When one busies themselves with not cursing, they curse all the more, but just feel worse after it occurs.

Imagine: a male co-worker of yours pacing the floor of his office up and down, repeating to himself: “I will not cheat on my wife, I will not cheat on my wife.” Would you congratulate this gentleman for his steadfastness or perseverance? No because he looks foolish. Anyone could point out his energy might be better spent on loving his wife. Once the heart changes, the actions follow.

Our relationship with God should work from the inside-out. Good deeds are important, but if they are not backed up by a heart changed by Jesus' love, they amount to nothing. The Apostle Paul referred to these heart-less acts as clanging cymbals (1 Corinthians 13:1).

When we allow God to clean up the mess in our hearts, we are promised that we will see Him. We will spend eternity with him, experiencing His good pleasures for us.

May we each continue to seek sincere heart change.

Questions:

1. How do you feel when you feel forced to do things for others?
2. What does being pure in heart mean to you? What picture (if any) do you get?
3. What might it look like if believers were more concerned about the heart than the appearance of a person?

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An Imitation of Christ: Beatitudes Part 5: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are the merciful for they shall be shown mercy”

First, what mercy is not: it is not allowing people the pleasure of kicking you when you're down. This is a spreading misconception in believing circles, that followers of Christ are not to stand up for themselves, that somehow pretending to not feel pain is keeping in line with turning the other cheek. This is not mercy, this is cowardice and masochism.

To better understand mercy, take a look at Deuteronomy 4:25-31. Mercy does not stand in the way of discipline. Mercy does not tell us to let abusers run rampant in our lives, it reminds us to show compassion to the repentant.

Mercy implies a position of power. A teacher can show mercy to their students by making the next test a bit easier, a police officer can show mercy to a speed demon by choosing to give a warning over a ticket, these instances occur less often than they should because compassion is not our default.

Mercy implies an awareness of our strength and power over people. We each have abilities accessible at the slightest whim that others do not. We should be cautious not to use these abilities to the disadvantage of others.

The one with a quick tongue should show compassion to those with impeded speech, the athletically gifted should be kind to the awkward in movement.

There is no action that better reflects the personality of God than honest mercy. God shows his kindness for humanity though He could crush us with a word. We could never put up an adequate fight against the Lord of Hosts, but mercy is his chosen expression toward us.

Questions:

1. Describe a time in your life in which you were shown mercy?
2. What are your two greatest strengths? In light of that, how can you show mercy when expressing them?
3. Is there anyone specifically you may need to show mercy this week?

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Hungering for What?:Beatitudes Part 4: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”

If you wish to meet an angry set of individuals, surround yourself with the hungry and thirsty. Their irritability is a sign of restlessness due to unmet priorities.

The thing is, everyone is spiritual poor and hungry, the problem comes when we mistake the pangs for something other than more Jesus.

Hungering after money will serve to make us evil and stingy, thirsting after sex will lead us to perversion, obsessing over security creates a paranoia in us. Ultimate joy is not found in these pursuits.

How much does righteousness, or being holy matter to us? Jesus tells us it should be a need that consumes us. Citizens of Heaven are to be starving refugees upon this earth, for they would sooner die than not look like Jesus.

The Hebrew people's receipt of manna in the Exodus is to be the story of our lives: our sustenance is to be totally dependent upon the grace of God in Heaven.

Questions:

1. How important is it for you to be in control of your life?
2. How can we develop a hunger and thirst for the things of God?
3. Imagine your favorite meal. What are practical ways you can learn want God more than that?

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Weak Little People Preferred!: Beatitudes Part 3: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth”

Doesn't seem to work in our day to day, does it?

Everything in adulthood seems to scream “Take Control of Me.” When something goes awry in the office or home, the first job is to assign blame, the same goes with life. No one wants to be blamed for allowing things to get out of hand.We carry the huge temptation to be lord over our own lives but Jesus wants to rule.

Someone will sit on the throne of our hearts, needing to be in control all the time, says its you.

Jesus will assuredly do a better job seeing to your affairs.

Meekness, is not something you put on your resume, it is patience in the face of insults. Barnes' Notes on the Bible puts it this way:

“Meekness produces peace. It is proof of true greatness of soul. It comes from a heart too great to be moved by little insults.” These are individuals that hold to the truth of the entire Bible, they believe in Romans 8:28. They have faith that God will do what He promises.

-Jean-Marc

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Dear Christians: Drink Up, On Me

I didn't ever really believe I was a legalist. I just thought I wrote about them.

I sat there, surrounded by ministry leaders, being stared at, for what I decided to share:

I didn't drink around unbelievers.

“Why?” The first pastor asked with a bewilderment akin to if I'd told him I impersonated dalmatians on Tuesdays.

“Well, I just...(crap, I need an answer)...I wouldn't want it to effect my witness.” Pleased for a millisecond, I inched backward, hoping to recline once more in the comfort of my black leather seat.

“But, why would that ruin your witness?”

Damnit.

Oops. Fiddlesticks.

“Well...I...”

My eyes searched frantically for something, anything to ground my mind, so it'd run to the answer. I mean, there had to be an answer, like, I'm one of the most calculated and logical people I know, there had to be an answer.

Crap.

“....wow, I guess...I don't know”

I hated the vulnerability of being unsure, this is not the Jean-Marc I had hoped to present. I wanted to speak in tweet-able phrases, I wanted to be remembered as a theological rock of wisdom. I didn't want to be the kid that needed to get his act together.

So...I was...and I wasn't.

The room lit up with story telling and thought provocation. Our understanding of Scripture was tested both extrinsically and introspectively: us and ourselves. Discussion was good, but in all frankness, I am still licking my imaginary wounds.

Oh how I need to be right in the eyes of man, how I thirst for their validation. That is why I kept my Sabbaths, to be seen as good before men.

I am a brother to Pharisees, my religion killed Jesus, and it still does.

I still don't understand grace, I admit this with shame. I do not understand how actions do not make me better in God's eyes. Surely, He was keeping score all this time. Right?

Were they right, is it hypocrisy to say that wine with dinner at home is OK but drinking in public was different?

I won't even touch that bomb.

Let's just continue to do what we do to the glory of God.

Oh God, quell this judgmental spirit within me.

Show me how much you love me.

Save me from choking myself.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.”

-Psalm 51:10

In Him,

Jean-Marc 

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Why You Only Smile In Photographs

 

I saw your picture the other day, you posted it online.

The whole thing is pretty dumb, if you ask me. Just because we're “friends” the computer thinks I want to know your every activity, but I'd rather not.

It was good to see you smiling, I was unaware you were still capable, or perhaps that's just with me. Maybe I just upset your stomach, I seem to have that power lately.

What I will say is that I hope you're doing fine. What I won't say is that I will make it my concern. You are in God's hands now.

I can not stop you from putting yourself in danger's way, I am not your Savior. I am a beggar, telling another beggar where the food it is. I'm not hosting the feast, its God.

Do you get that He loves you? DON'T NODD YOUR HEAD LIKE YOU KNOW THAT ALREADY! He actually invested His life into yours, and He's asking you to stop making yourself a plaything when you are His child. You don't have to eat left overs, there's a feast waiting for you, with delicacies you've yet to try.

I was praying for you once, I'm going to start up again. I have faith our relationship can be rebuilt, that you can be rebuilt. You are not junk, you are jewelry.

Turn back to Jesus.

I long to welcome you Home.

"Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together."
-2 Corinthians 7:2-3

In Him,

Jean-Marc

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Comfort For Those Mourning Loss: Beatitudes Part 2: Matthew 5 Cont'd

Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”

Mourning is a part of life, as all things must eventually end. The kind of mourning being referred to here is godly sorrow that brings repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). This is regularly occurs in the life of a believer. What usually happens is that a person thinks they have everything together God-wise but discover a habit that separates them from Him. This process of being perfected by the Holy Spirit is called sanctification, and its not all happy, as we've grown up to understand happy. We're letting go of things we've allowed to define us: relationships, attitudes, even things we thought were godly like “sanctified gossip.” This sorrow is not hurtful but relieving, a necessary surgery for the soul. With the loss comes a release of pressure, we only just became aware of. Tears may come, but they are the tears of life, for mourners shall be comforted.

The word for comfort here means to come close to or to summon. Our Comforter and his associate comforters are summoned to our side when things get difficult, and even before.

We are comforted by the very presence of God and His grace. The fact that God corrects and pulls us out of our mistakes, demonstrates His knowledge: that we will soon be perfect. We are also comforted by those empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so, as was Paul, by Titus in 2 Corinthians 7. In community we find the presence and comfort of God.

Christians are people that laugh and love deeply because they cry deeply. Christian community is to be a place in which this is an acceptable practice. So empty, will be our good moments on this earth, if that is all we seek. In order to be a stern-faced Stoic, one must obsess over the details of reality, to be a hedonist, one must divorce them completely, the follower of Christ does neither.

There should be no need to fake emotions in the company of believers.

Questions:

1. Do you see emotional authenticity among the community of believers?
2. How can we be better brothers and sisters to those in a season of mourning?
3. Have you experienced godly sorrow? How did God comfort you (through His presence or other believers)?
    
   
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Poverty is the Goal: Beatitudes Part 1 (Matthew 5)

Matthew 5

The Beatitudes

A crowd eagerly fills the hillside hoping to hear this new teacher--but there's something different about him—he has the power to heal, starting with their hearts. The mass mood turns ecstatic as the word gets around: he might address the crowd. His figure rises to a high place carved into the hill. He takes his seat like a rabbi about to teach, with all the authority of a king declaring a change of law. He is the king of an invisible kingdom soon coming, and if these people are to bear his royal crest upon their hearts they must follow His statutes.

The Beatitudes are not lovely sayings to read when the inclination strikes, they are the statutes of Christ's Kingdom, what every Christian is (impossibly) to supposed to be. When read in this context, the believer understands why they must rely heavily upon the Holy Spirit, in this life especially.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

First off, the word “blessed,” as it is used here, refers to an internal satisfaction, not necessarily a physical gift or provision: free cars, boats, planes, jewels, coffee but the sense of a “free” Heaven. This is our major frustration with faith and religion at large isn't it: how the physical and spiritual intersect? How our relationship with God effects life as we live it?

Jesus shows us how we except the truth of the Gospel, His work done on the cross for us—recognize we're spiritually bankrupt.

A well-loved pastor is fond of saying that most folks like to consider themselves “spiritually middle-class,” admitting they can't be considered rich because of some 'awful' past sin, but won't acknowledge their utter depravity...they only have 'character flaws'. Though the truth is, we are all corrupt.

Our spiritual life is a home in which Christ is invited or excluded. When He sits at your table and asks: “What do you have to offer me,” so often, we respond foolishly, showing off. “Oh Lord, check out my vast Christian music collection, look at my lengthy prayers and Bible readings, oh, oh, and let's not forget that I don't drink, smoke or engage in premarital sex.” These may be good things, but incapable of making us right before God. They're just filthy rags we've sprayed with perfume (Isaiah 64:6), an unfit gift for a king.

The idea of somehow evening the score with God, creates a multitude of evils for the believer. Take for example, the pastor or ministry leader, according to the heresy of self-justification, they have somehow ascended the slippery ladder of morality that others are 'too weak' to grab a hold of. In their mind, sinning is a near impossibility (for a 'CEO-level Christian,' like themselves), thus building their taste for it, underneath the gloss of superiority. It becomes desirous and forbidden fruit. Being at the top becomes so lonely,to choices seem to either alienate one's self or...take the dive.

Matthew 5:3 begs us to be honest with Jesus, that we have nothing to offer the One who created Heaven and Earth, that we are in need of His complete support.

Questions:

1. What do you need Jesus for daily?
2. What does being spiritually middle class look like in your life?
3. How can you rely on the power of the Holy Spirit more?

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From Routine Day Job to Following Jesus: Matthew 4 Cont'd

Jesus Begins His Ministry

When Jesus heard John had been imprisoned, He went to Galilee, likely to continue John's work: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” sound familiar? Another instance in which the Savior of the world backs up ordinary people.

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John. Jesus selects the least likely to be his “co-pastors,” not those already set-up for the task at hand but those with potential. God has no great need for qualification or skill, simply a willingness to obey, which they showed. The word says they left “immediately.” Had it been most of us, one would imagine a bit more protesting and doubt. No consideration for job security or safety, just an uncanny trust in the Word, Jesus Himself (John 1:1).

Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds

If you've ever seen one of those coming-to-fame movies, then you'll recognize the “woah” moment. Its the point when people discover how talented a nobody is, and so they make them a celebrity, a somebody. Their simple life is gone, because people won't allow them a moment's rest. Jesus' early disciples must have had a few “woah” moments of their own when the healings began, one can imagine they felt proud to be associates of Jesus (thank you very much), but Jesus would not be their celebrity. He wanted to be their Lord and King, a less popular miracle.

Questions:

1. What does it look like when Jesus is Lord over someone's life?
2. Does your life look like that? Why or why not?
3. We see the disciples of Jesus leave everything to follow him. If you were one of their co-workers what would it look like, their abrupt exit? How would you have advised them?
4. What makes it difficult for you to follow Jesus wholeheartedly?

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