Shalom Aleichem...
Reflections is a weekly Christian Teaching Ministry. Each week we will talk about the Bible and lessons we can put to use in our daily life. We will try to, on a weekly basis, provide to you stories, thoughts, and just easy ways to live your life on a straight path.
THIS WEEK'S TEACHING....October 2, 2017
Welcome to October...This week we continue with our overview of The Book of Revelation
This is without a doubt the book of the Bible most difficult of interpretation; and because of this, though a special blessing is promised to its readers (Revelation 1:3), it is very much neglected. We have to think that Satan has something to do with this neglect, because it has so much to say about his final downfall. Why should we pass the book by because it is so mysterious and difficult? Does the end of science leave scientific problems alone because they happen to be difficult to fathom and comprehend?
SPLENDID FINISH TO THE BIBLE
It makes a splendid finish to the Divine library. Let me point out the striking balance which exists between Genesis and Revelation. In Genesis 1 see earth created; in Revelation 1 see it passing away. In Genesis Sun and Moon appear; in Revelation I read they have no need for the Sun or Moon. In Genesis there is a garden, which is home for man; in Revelation there is a city, the home for the nations. In Genesis there is the marriage of the first Adam; in Revelation there is the marriage of the second Adam. In Genesis there is the first grim appearance of that great enemy Satan; in Revelation there is his final doom. In Genesis there is the inauguration of sorrow and suffering, you hear the first sob, you see the first tear; in Revelation there is no more sorrow, and no more pain, and all tears are wiped away. In Genesis we hear the mutter of the curse, which falls because of sin; In Revelation we read ‘there shall be no more curse.’ In Genesis we see man driven out from the garden with the tree of life; in Revelation we see him welcomed back, with the tree of life at his disposal.
CLUES
In order to a right understanding of the book, several facts must be noted, and kept in mind:
1. It gives a glowing portrait of the Lord Jesus as the Triumphant One. The key phrase is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” It unveils the Lord Jesus. “Whoever sets upon the study of the book to find out what it says about the Lord Jesus, will find it a marvelous revelation.” No less than 26 times do we find in it Christ’s sacrificial title “Lamb.” This book is full of Him!
2. After the end of Chapter 3 the Church is never represented as on earth in this book. Between Chapters 3 and 4 the removal of the Church must have taken place. (The Rapture) Chapter 4 and onward has to do with the awful tribulation and last things.
3. The law of recurrence (to be observed in other books of the Bible, notably that of Genesis) must be noted. After reviewing some great procession or national event, on returning home we usually give an account to our loved ones of what we have seen. After completing our story, we may return to the subject again and again to give additional particulars. This is the law of recurrence. This is precisely what John does. After giving an account of the beginning of the judgments on the earth, and the final victory of the Lord Jesus in Chapters 4 – 8, he returns again to the subject in Chapters 11 – 16, and again in 17 – 22.
It is most important to keep this law of recurrence in mind when reading Revelation.
I will stop here and hope your appetite has been whetted.
I invite you all to join us for more....The Book of Revelation continues, October 8th, C4 Church, Coral Room, 5:00pm-6:30pm:)
DID YOU EVER WONDER???
I don't know if it is true but here it is.
THE POWER OF A LETTER
Most of you know John Wayne as an actor. You may not know what happened to him before he died. This is that story!
Robert Schuller's teenage daughter, Cindy, was in a motorcycle accident and had to have her leg amputated. John Wayne is a big fan of Robert Schuller. He heard Dr. Schuller say on one of his programs that his daughter had been in an accident and had to have her leg amputated.
John Wayne wrote a note to her saying: Dear Cindy, Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you will be all right. Signed, John Wayne
The note was delivered to her and she decided she wanted to write John Wayne a note in reply. She wrote: Dear Mr. Wayne, I got your note. Thanks for writing to me. I like you very much. I am going to be all right because Jesus is going to help me. Mr. Wayne, do you know Jesus? I sure hope you know Jesus, Mr. Wayne, because I cannot imagine Heaven being complete without John Wayne being there. I hope, if you don't know Jesus, that you will give your heart to Jesus right now. See you in Heaven. And she signed her name.
She had just put that letter in an envelope, sealed it, and written across the front of it "John Wayne" when a visitor came into her room to see her. He said to her: What are you doing? She
said: I just wrote a letter to John Wayne, but I don't know how to get it to him. He said: That's funny, I am going to have dinner with John Wayne tonight at the Newport Club down at Newport Beach. Give it to me and I will give it to him. She gave him the letter and he put it in his coat pocket. There were twelve of them that night sitting around the table for dinner. They were laughing and cutting up and the guy happened to reach in his pocket and felt that letter and
remembered. John Wayne was seated at the end of the table and the guy took the letter out and said:
Hey, Duke, I was in Schuller's daughter's room today and she wrote you a letter and wanted me to give it to you. Here it is. They passed it down to John Wayne and he opened it. They kept on laughing and cutting up and someone happened to look down at John Wayne.
He was crying. One of them said: Hey, Duke, what is the matter? He said (and can't you hear him saying it), " I want to read you this letter." He read the letter. Then he began to weep. He folded it, put it in his pocket, and he pointed to the man who delivered it to him and said: "You go tell that little girl that right now, in this restaurant, right here, John Wayne gives his heart to Jesus Christ and I will see her in heaven." Three weeks later John Wayne died. You never know how your witness to another will effect their eternity!
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE...A TEACHING
This is probably the most famous of Jesus' teaching:
The Sermon on the Mount
5 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
The Beatitudes
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Anger
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Lust
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Divorce
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
Retaliation
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 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. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
The Sermon on the Mount
(5:1–7:29)
Jesus doesn’t only teach in synagogues. Sometimes he likes to get away from the crowds and teach only his disciples.
Matthew describes Jesus taking his disciples into the hills. Like all rabbis, Jesus sits down to teach and his disciples gather round him to listen. Many people have wondered if the mountain is important. Is Matthew telling us that Jesus is a new Moses, delivering a new law—like Moses on Mount Sinai?
The Sermon on the Mount is Matthew’s great account of Jesus’ teaching to his disciples. Here Jesus describes the attitudes and behaviour he wants of his followers.
The Sermon on the Plain in Luke’s Gospel is shorter, and contains about half of Matthew’s material.
THE BEATITUDES
Jesus starts by telling his disciples how to be happy. His list of eight happy attitudes turns popular values upside down (5:3–12).
Most people assume happiness is:
♦ achieving our goals of wealth and success; leaving others behind.
♦ always being fun to have around—the life and soul of every party.
♦ being strong, or beautiful, or rich, or clever; being independent, secure and in control.
♦ getting our terms agreed, our rights established and ensuring that justice is done.
To our shame, we also find happiness in:
♦ taking revenge on our enemies.
♦ indulging our greed and lust.
♦ spicking fights and winning arguments.
♦ and (better still) avoiding all trouble or misfortune!
Jesus’ conditions for a happy life are exactly the opposite.
He says the poor in spirit are happy, because they depend completely on God—which is heaven on earth.
He says those who mourn are happy, because God shares their heartbreak and will surely comfort them.
The meek have a special happiness because they are free of pride and ambition; God will give them the world.
Those who hunger and thirst for goodness are happy, because God himself will satisfy their longings.
Those who show mercy are happy, because they in turn will be treated kindly.
The pure in heart are happy, because they will meet God face to face.
Those who make peace are happy, because they take after God and do his work.
Those who are persecuted for doing good are happy, because they share the real cost of God’s kingdom.
Jesus describes a happiness which doesn’t depend on possessions, circumstances or good luck. It’s a happiness God gives us now which nothing can take away. It’s a happiness which looks forward to wonderful rewards when God’s kingdom finally comes.
Jesus adds a blessing for those who suffer for their faith in him. He promises that God will make it up to them, with a reward which is far greater than anything they can imagine. And persecution is a compliment of sorts. It means we’re being treated like the old prophets.
SALT AND LIGHT
Jesus says his disciples are like salt and light (5:13–16). They are very distinctive—and have a strong influence on their surroundings.
Salt is used to flavour or preserve food. True Christians will promote goodness and hinder corruption in society. Those who lose their distinctiveness are like useless salt which is thrown out on the path.
Light is utterly different from darkness. It shines out to conquer gloom, reveal a situation or show the way. Jesus says his followers give spiritual light to this world—their good deeds shining out for the glory of God. So—don’t fail the Father by hiding away!
THE FULFILMENT OF THE LAW
Jesus hasn’t come to change or cancel the commands and teachings of the Old Testament. He has come to fulfil them by living them completely. The law stands—right down to its smallest letter—until Jesus fulfils the purpose for which it was given (5:17–20).
Jesus is against nit-picking legalism. The Pharisees have developed the law into a mass of little rules—because they are trying so hard to obey it perfectly. But Jesus says his disciples must do better than the Pharisees. They must obey the law by letting it govern their inner thoughts and motives, not just their outward actions.
THE HEART OF THE COMMANDMENTS
To explain what he means, Jesus takes two of the Ten Commandments: ‘You shall not murder’ and ‘You shall not commit adultery’ (5:21–30).
Murder is when one person kills another. But Jesus points to the invisible anger which lies behind a murder. Even a mild insult like ‘Idiot’ (‘Raca’) or ‘Fool’ is, in thought, a mini-murder.
Jesus says there’s more to this commandment than simply not murdering. We must tackle our anger by forgiving each other. Even if we are at the most sacred moment of our year—poised to offer a gift to God—forgiveness is more important. We must leave our gift and make peace with the person with whom we are so angry.
Adultery is when a husband or wife cheats on their partner by having sex with someone else. Simple. But Jesus tackles the ‘come-on’ look which first starts an affair. That’s when the commandment is broken and adultery takes place. Better to gouge out your eye or cut off your hand than take that road to destruction.
Jesus is exaggerating to make his point. He doesn’t really expect a church full of one-eyed, left-handed Christians. But he’s serious about our need for self-discipline: if an action will be wrong, don’t look, don’t touch—and don’t think it!
DIVORCE
Divorce in Jewish society is quick and easy for the husband, and extremely unfair to the wife. A man can discard his wife for the slightest reason—simply by giving her a certificate.
But Jesus teaches that there is only one reason for divorcing a wife—when she herself has cancelled the marriage by committing adultery. To divorce her for any other reason is wrong, because the marriage is still valid in God’s sight (5:31–32).
A discarded wife will be forced to remarry in order to have a home. The new marriage makes both her and her second husband adulterers.
OATHS
Some Jews have found a way of breaking promises. They distinguish between an unbreakable oath, which is made in God’s name, and lesser oaths, which are made on other objects and may be easily broken.
Jesus has no time for this trivial tampering with truth. If a Christian makes a promise, it is automatically in the Lord’s name and needs nothing added. The disciples are to give a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’—and let their Christian honour defy the devil’s deceit (5:33–37).
Matthew and the law
In the early days of Christianity, there is a great debate about the Jewish law. Does being a Christian mean you keep the law more than ever—or are you now released from its demands?
The Pharisees say Jesus breaks the law. They accuse him of working on the sabbath day, because he heals diseases and disabilities, delivers from evil spirits and lets his disciples harvest handfuls of grain. But Jesus says the sabbath is a day of sheer freedom to honour God, not a day of rigid inactivity to honour the law.
Matthew gives a lot of attention to a Christian understanding of the Jewish law. He does this particularly in the Sermon on the Mount (5:1–7:29). Perhaps he shows us Jesus teaching on a mountain to help us connect with Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.
Matthew’s main point is this: Jesus has not come to abolish the teachings of the Law and the Prophets. He has come to fulfil them. All the Old Testament scriptures will continue as God’s guide to a good life. Jesus has come to live them out in perfect obedience and joy.
If the Jewish law still applies, should Christians behave more like Pharisees? Jesus accused some Pharisees of studying the law for reasons of pride, fear and a desire to find loopholes. They were so concerned to interpret the details of the law correctly that they forgot more important matters like justice, mercy and faithfulness. Both Jews and Christians need to study the law to find the love of God behind it—and to keep it as gladly and wholeheartedly as possible. For a Christian, keeping the law is like walking with Jesus. The yoke of legalism is a chafing burden, but the yoke of Christ is a joyful freedom (11:28–30).
AN EYE FOR AN EYE
Now Jesus announces a truly Christian difference. He reminds his disciples of the old laws of compensation (Exodus 21:24). If someone blinds you in one eye, you can blind one of theirs in return. If someone knocks out one of your teeth, you can knock out one of theirs. But only one! The penalty is to be exactly fair.
But now, says Jesus, the Christian way is to forgive (5:38–42). If someone insults you with a terrible blow on the cheek, disarm them by offering the other as well. If someone sues you for your coat, overcome their greed with your generosity—and give them your cloak for good measure. If a Roman soldier forces you to carry his pack for a mile, surprise him by giving him an extra mile free! Give and lend as a matter of course—because that is how God treats you.
LOVE FOR ENEMIES
For centuries the Jews have prized the commandment, ‘Love your neighbour’ (Leviticus 19:18). A neighbour is any fellow Jew—so the law leaves plenty of room to hate foreigners!
But now Jesus springs the greatest surprise of all. The Christian way is to love our enemies (5:43–48). This is what God does, and we are to take after him. Our heavenly Father doesn’t limit his blessings to good people—but sends sun and rain on good and bad alike.
Jesus says that loving people who will love us in return is something any sinner can do. Greeting our own kind is no different from paganism. The challenge is to cross the old lines of pride and prejudice—and accept other people in a way which shows the perfect love of God.
The Lord’s Prayer
When we pray, we are to talk to God as ‘Abba’, our dear Father. No one was ever so intimate with God before Jesus came. Now he teaches us to do the same. God is our Father. We can pray this prayer together.
We are to pray that God’s name (the way we think of God and what he does) will be honoured as utterly holy.
We are to pray that God’s kingdom will come here on earth. May the whole world welcome his reign of love, justice and peace, as heaven already does.
And what should we ask for ourselves? Jesus tells us to ask God for our daily bread—that he will give us the food and clothes and strength we need, without our worrying.
We must ask him to forgive our debts—especially our sins. And, if we ask for forgiveness, it’s only right that we should already have forgiven those who have wronged us.
We must ask to be kept from temptation—the kind of test which would overwhelm and destroy us. May God protect us from the power and plans of the devil.
Jesus adds a comment on forgiveness. Prayer is an active engagement with God. Prayer makes us check our attitudes and change our ways. For example, we can hardly expect God to forgive us if we are not forgiving others.
Unselfish love—wanting the best for others, even our enemies—is Christianity’s greatest gift to the world. We never knew such love until Jesus came.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 416). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 416). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., pp. 414–415). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 414). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 414). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., pp. 413–414). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 413). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 5:43–48). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 5:31–42). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 5:17–30). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 5:13–16). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 5:1–12). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED WEEK:)
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