Sunday February 16, 2025
A Necessary Shift
Steven W. Schenewerk / General Adult
How does Jesus define ‘success’ in His Kingdom?
John – whose proclamation of Jesus set the stage for the
arrival and appearing of the Son of Man (See Luke 3) – is acknowledged as a significant person, yet Jesus defines the least in the kingdom greater
Luke 7:28 HCSB
I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Luke 18:9–14 HCSB
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: “Two men went up to the temple complex to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee took his stand and was praying like this: ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like other people —greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, turn Your wrath from me —a sinner!’ I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
PRAYER –
Prayer requires an acknowledgement that there are a
multitude of kingdoms operating in our world. Primarily, we have our own ‘kingdom.’ All of us struggle with the concept that we and we alone are the star of our own life, the center of the world in which we live. Much like the first illustration Jesus used in Luke 18 we often pray focusing on our kingdom.
From time to time we might recognize another kingdom – like this Pharisee did – the kingdom of his peers. The Pharisees, the religious conservatives of Jesus’ day, had created a ‘rule of life’ by which TRUE Jews lived. Fasting. Praying. Giving. Sabbath Observance.
Over the centuries church has taken over a similar rule of
life. For the past several generations a genuine follower of Jesus is one who shows up regularly at church. The result of ‘attending’ is defined as ‘discipleship’ or ‘following Jesus.’
I often wonder what Jesus would say to our understanding.
The more often you attend, the closer you follow Jesus? Is that true?
In John’s gospel He is recorded as calling His followers to a hard to understand life:
John 6:57–60 HCSB
Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna your fathers ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.” He said these things while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. Therefore, when many of His disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard! Who can accept it?”
Food and drink sustain life, but Jesus’ flesh and blood
provide everlasting life. This is because anyone who partakes of Jesus wholly “remains in him,” and he remains in them. This is called “mutual indwelling” and is another key theme in John’s writings (cf. 14:20; 15:4–7; 1 John 2:24; 3:24; 4:15). The Father and the Son share completely in this way (10:38; 14:20; 17:11, 21), and when we become one with the Son, we share in that union. This produces a dynamic day-by-day union and fellowship with the Son that will always be at work in us.
(CORNERSTONE BIBLICAL COMMENTARY :The Gospel of John Grant Osborne 1–3 John Philip W. Comfort & Wendell C. Hawley GENERAL EDITOR,Philip W. Comfort).
One significant shift required- “Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:18–20, HCSB)
Nowhere does Jesus command His followers to fill buildings,
to create structures that sustain long-term growth. His command is simple: make disciples.
Let’s be honest before God
I’m not like others The Pharisee stands before God in self-congratulation, the tax collector stands before God in prayer.[1]
[1] James R. Edwards, The Gospel
according to Luke, ed. D. A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament
Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2015), 506.
Luke 18:11 HCSB
The Pharisee took his stand and was praying like this: ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like other people —greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
The honesty for which Jesus commends the tax-collector, however is a a different kind. Instead of affirming all that he is, all that he does, he simply accepts that he is an unworthy one, deserving wrath but pleading for mercy.
Luke 18:13 HCSB
“But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, turn Your wrath from me —a sinner!’
The Mercy of God
Tax collectors were independent contractors hired by Rome to assess and collect taxes and fees. Rome set the taxes and fees. The individual tax collectors added a surcharge to those taxes and fees to supply their own financial needs.
Luke 15:1–2 HCSB
All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to Him. And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”
REFLECT AND RESPOND
Which Kingdom Do You Serve?
Each day we have opportunities to serve our own kingdom – to expand our plans, to further our own interests, to follow my own plans and purposes – most of which are good and decent.
Like the Pharisee we can affirm before God that we serve our kingdom well.
As Jesus clearly speaks God’s kingdom is ultimate. God is present, expanding His kingdom, revealing His presence, making His power known.
Is our ultimate purpose to advance His kingdom?
The Necessary Shift
Luke 9:57–62 HCSB
As they were traveling on the road someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go!” Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” “Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.” But He told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
SUNDAY, February 23, 2025