Does God Want Sinners Back? (A study of the Prophet Zechariah)

           

On June 14, 2013 the US Department of Justice charged Edward Snowden with two counts of violating the Espionage Act and for stealing classified documents.  Snowden took thousands of classified documents while working for an NSA contract and leaked those documents to various media outlets.  Some have viewed his theft and leaking classified documents as heroically exposing the reach of the United States government.  While some praise him for his exposure, others view him as a traitor who should be punished up to the full extent of the law.  Snowden has been given asylum by Vladimir Putin and the Russian government.  As of today, he is not welcomed to return to the United States without facing severe criminal charges. 

            Edward Snowden’s case has sparked national and worldwide debate on mass surveillance and government secrecy, but it has also sparked a worldwide debate of forgiveness. Should Edward Snowden be pardoned for his crimes? Should he be allowed to return to the United States? Or are his crimes so egregious and such a violation of the US government that he should be banned for life?  It is easy for us to debate Snowden’s case, because we are detached from his crimes.  It would be harder to discuss with any sort of objectivity if someone’s crimes were against us.  When my wife reported for jury duty, she was asked if she or if anyone she knew had been a victim of a crime. She answered yes and was immediately dismissed from the jury.  The lawyers did not feel that she would have been able to have been objective in trying the case. 

            When others sin against us, it is hard to keep our objectivity. We are embodied souls so our emotions affect our judgment. When we experience awful sin against us, it is very difficult to forgive. And usually when we are sinned against, the last thing we want to do is to be around the person who has hurt us.  We do not want them to return to us, but we want them to be punished.  It is much easier to break the relationship and move on, than to open one’s arms and to invite them to return to us. But what if you are the sinner? What if you are the one who has wronged someone else? Maybe you are the person who feels that your sin is so bad that no one could love you and no one would want you back? Maybe you have felt that way in regards to your relationship with God?

            We know from the Bible that all sin is ultimately against God.  David says after he sinned with Bathsheba and against Uriah,

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. (Psalm 51:3-4)

Our sin is ultimately against God. And maybe we feel that our sin is so bad in the eyes of God that He doesn’t want us. And maybe this is how Christians feel after falling back into certain sins that they thought they had long conquered.  Do we ever get to a point when God no longer wants us back? 

            We turn to answer this question from the longest Minor Prophet Zechariah.  Zechariah is not only the longest Minor Prophet, but is probably the most difficult one to easily comprehend.  Zechariah began his prophecy in the fall of 520 B.C. Zechariah 1:1, “In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo.” As we have seen in all these Minor Prophets, Zechariah was the spokesman, but the prophetic word came from the Lord. The Lord gives a very sweet and precious word to His people.

God wants you to return to the Sovereign Lord

Zechariah 1:2-6,

“The LORD was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”

The Lord looks at His sinful and rebellious people and says, “Return to me.”  Think of how encouraging it was to hear those precious words from God. They had rejected God and lost their homeland in Jerusalem. The temple was destroyed and they were carried into exile. How many times did they think sitting in pagan Babylon that they were too far gone?  God would never want us back.  And yet, God said, “Return to me.”

            We should follow the Lord’s example in calling sinners back to God and to His people.  There are some people who believe that because of their past sins that they will never be welcomed back into the body of Christ.  They feel that no one would want them to be part of the community.  And we as God’s people must say to them “Return to us.”  All repentant sinners are welcome in the body of Christ. We all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God . God has called to us return to Him, but that does not mean He expects us to stay the same.  He expects us to return to Him and in our returning to Him we will be turning away from other things.  The call of God is leave everything and follow Him.  The only thing that excludes us from the body of Christ is no repentance.  Repentance is the road that should always lead to restoration and reconciliation to God and His people.

            After this first invitation, Zechariah shares 8 different visions. The ESV breaks down these visions as follows:

A Vision of a Horseman 1:7-17, A Vision of Horns and Craftsman 1:18-21, A Vision of a Man with a Measuring Unit 2:1-13, A Vision of Joshua and the High Priest 3:1-10, A Vision of the Golden Lampstand 4:1-14, A Vision of the Flying Scroll 5:1-4, A Vision of a Woman in a Basket 5:5-11, A Vision of Four Chariots 6:1-8

The visions can be confusing, but all of them point to the peaceful rule of the Messiah. As Mark Dever notes, “The eight visions present a picture of the whole world at peace under the rule of God’s anointed priest and king.[1]” It is looking ahead to the worldwide peace that will come ultimately through Christ.

            We know from the book of Hebrews that Jesus Christ is both the King coming from the tribe of Judah and the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was both king and priest providing a shadow to the reality of the future Messianic King and Priest. Jesus Christ became our high priest through His own blood and was crowned with honor and majesty seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High.  The only way that people would be able to return to God is on the basis of the promise realized in Christ.  He has made peace with God through His blood for all that would repent of their sin and trust in God. 

            The visions may be confusing, but their aim is clear. Their aim is to give the people hope that God wants them to return to Him as they await His promised deliverance through the promised Messiah.  And how sweet that promise is!!! God has promised us forgiveness in the Messiah if we return to Him. So whoever returns to God in faith receives the blessing of the promise: forgiveness from sin and full redemption into God’s family as adopted sons and daughters of God.

God wants you to return to the Sovereign  Word

            After the visions, Zechariah gives two sermons to the people. The first sermon is a reflection and interpretation on why the Jews were brought into exile and the second sermon looks ahead to the future deliverance that God will give His people.  The reason God sent the people into exile was they rejected His Word.  Zechariah 7:8-13,

And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts. “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts, (Zechariah 7:8-13)

They refused to pay attention to God’s Word, but chose to live their own way. And because they did not listen to God when He called, He did not listen to them when they called.

            A new study conducted by lifeway research discovered this in regards to Americans view of the Bible:

About half of Americans (48 percent) believe the Bible is the Word of God. Four in 10 (43 percent) say the Bible is 100 percent accurate, while a similar share of Americans (41 percent) say it’s helpful but not literally true. Evangelicals (76 percent) and Black Protestants (67 percent) are most likely to say the Bible is accurate. Mainline Protestants (50 percent) and Catholics (49 percent) lean toward the Bible being helpful but not literally true.[2]

One out of two people do not believe the Bible is the Word of God.  People may believe it is helpful, but not completely true. If people do not believe the Bible to be true, they why would they want to follow it? And if they do not want to follow it, they may end up under the condemnation of God like the Jews who refused to pay attention to His Word.  How are you hearing and responding to God’s Word? Are you refusing to pay attention to God?  Do you believe it is true or only helpful for life? God wants us to return to Him through His Word.

            The second sermon is how God plans to deal with his people as they move back from exile and to give them a glimpse of his coming peace. Zechariah 8:11-13,

But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.” (Zechariah 8:11-13).

The people were not too far gone. God will make His people who had become a curse word among the nations, a blessing to all the nations of the earth.  God promises that He will save them and He will make them a blessing.  And yet, He still expects them to live differently than before,

These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.” (Zechariah 8:16-17)

God’s people will always be held to a higher standard. 

God wants you to return to the Sovereign  Savior

            The last 5 chapters of Zechariah (9-14) speak about the promised Warrior King who was coming to deliver His people. We see this King will enter Jerusalem mounted on a donkey,

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

This prophecy is clearly fulfilled as Jesus triumphantly enters into Jerusalem as the Blessed King who comes in the name of the Lord. 

            We also see Jesus fulfilling another prophecy from Zechariah. This one is not of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, but of His triumphal victory over death. Zechariah 12:10,

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

The Apostle John quotes this passage at the end of the crucifixion of Jesus.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” (John 19:33-37)

God’s Word interprets God’s Word for us. 

The prophecy in Zechariah is a clear reference to Christ. Now look again at this prophecy and notice the verb tenses, “When they look on me (present tense), on him whom they have pierced (past tense).” He was one whom they have pierced implying that He died, but they were looking on Him as if he was alive.  If we read it carefully, we can see they were looking forward to a day when Jesus would be pierced and die, and then rise again.  And because the Warrior King would be pierced and raised, God can say in Zechariah 12:6, “The Lord will give salvation.” Salvation for us only comes through Christ. 

            The people of Israel rejected God’s Word, defied his decrees, experienced punishment, and yet, God still saves He will give salvation.  He can give salvation because He sent His Son to be pierced and rise again.  The cross answers our question.  We are never too far gone. God always wants us back. He wants us so much that He was willing to die for us.  Let me close with a poem reminding us of God’s gracious gift to return to Him.

Return to Me

Do you feel the weight of sin,

Guilt loaded down within?

Do you think I want you no more,

That your sin has closed the door?

Return to me, my wayward son

Return to me, thy sin is done.

For the Son was pierced and was raised,

The Blessed King has come to be praised.

Do not let the tempter weaken thy faith with tears,

The tomb is empty, victorious over all thy fears.

Return to me, my wayward son,

Return to me, thy sin is done.

Be overcome not with shame,

For another has come to take your blame.

God will freely welcome you back,

For Christ has fulfilled all your lack.

Return to me, thy wayward son,

Return to me, thy sin is done.

---

[1] Dever, Mark. Promises Made: The Message of the Old Testament. Pg. 908

[2] http://www.lifewayresearch.com/2014/10/28/americans-believe-in-heaven-hell-and-a-little-bit-of-heresy/ accessed on 10.29.14
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Transferring Citizenship

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, (Matthew 28:19)

Beloved,

The Naturalization Act of 1795 required all incoming United States citizens to declare their allegiance to the United States from any former prince or kingdom. America in its earliest stages realized that they needed something to initiate new citizens into the country. The American system of democracy and freedom of religion was sure to attract citizens of other nations. Thus, at beginning of this new nation, incoming citizens had to go through a rite of initiation declaring their public intent to transfer their citizenship to the United States.

Baptism is the rite of initiation whereby incoming citizens declare their public intent to transfer their citizenship from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of God.  Philippians 3:20 states that, “Our citizenship is in heaven.”  Ephesians 2:19 says, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” When people put their faith in Christ, they transfer their citizenship from the earthly to the heavenly kingdom.  We are no longer strangers to Heaven, but have been declared citizens. And being declared citizens of heaven, we are not strangers and aliens of our earthly kingdom.

Baptism is a public declaration that we have chosen to pledge our allegiance to God and His kingdom over any earthly king or nation.  The act of baptism is to symbolize that our former life and our former allegiances has been buried and are raised to walk as citizens of the heavenly Kingdom.  In baptism, we identify ourselves primarily with Christ’ death and resurrection and declare Him our true King over any other.

Although baptism is a personal choice, it is not a private one.  The church comes along those seeking baptism to discern their profession and help them understand the transfer of total allegiance to Christ.  For baptism is the rite of initiation welcoming people formally into the church, the visible community of the kingdom of God.  Baptism does not bring people into the invisible kingdom of God for God alone calls people by the power of the Holy Spirit into His kingdom.  Baptism then does not save, but it is a public statement by the church that one’s soul has been bound for heaven (Matthew 16:19).

Although baptism does not save, it is commanded to be followed by Christ for the good of the church, the individual believer and the world.  Baptism helps the church know who their citizens are, it helps the believer know they have transferred their citizenship to heaven and it clarifies to the world that they are not part of God’s kingdom and need to transfer their allegiance.

God was establishing a new spiritual nation through the forgiveness of sins and redemption through the blood of Christ. And this new kingdom was going to attract new citizens so God established a system for people to public renounce their past allegiance and to declare their intent to live as citizens of heaven.  Let us be faithful in following God’s plan to publicly initiate God’s people as citizens of heaven as we await from there our Savior Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:20).

_____

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Triumphal Tears - Luke 19:28-44

On June 16, 1996 the Chicago Bulls won the NBA finals.  I grew up outside of Chicago, and I rarely missed watching a Chicago Bulls game. The Bulls had cruised to the best record in the NBA and had dominated their opponents all the way through their finals victory against the Seattle Supersonics.  This was the first title for the Chicago Bulls since Michael Jordan had returned from his brief retirement from basketball.  Michael Jordan was the king of basketball and he triumphed that summer night in Chicago and was crowned MVP of the basketball world again. 

            Although he was crowned king that night, he received his coronation with tears.  I will never forget that sight, a young basketball fanatic, seeing his hero sprawled on the floor in tears.  June 16 was Father’s Day.  Michael Jordan’s father James Jordan was murdered a few years ago while he was napping at a rest area.  This was the first championship since this father’s death.  Jordan was incredibly close to this father so on that night even though he was crowned king of the basketball world, he was full of tears.  His tears flowed because someone he dearly loved was not able to experience his triumph with him.  Victory always tastes better when we are able to share it with those we deeply love. 

            Jesus has been making his way to Jerusalem to fulfill his mission as the true King of Israel.  The identity of Jesus Christ will no longer be hidden, but displayed to all. The King has come in the name of the Lord, yet this King’s triumph will be filled with tears.  Let us look first at our King’s triumph.

The King’s Triumph

            Jesus had just finished a parable about a nobleman who went to receive a kingdom and returned to judge his servants on their labors.  Jesus was always teaching, but his teaching was only part of his mission to the cross. Verse 28, “And when he had said these things, he went ahead, going up to Jerusalem.” Jesus always had his eye on Jerusalem where he would suffer and die for the sins of the world.  Jesus came to fulfill the promises of the Old Testament.  Zechariah 9:9,

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

With that Scripture in mind, see how Jesus fulfills this promise.

Verse 29-35,

When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.

Jesus demonstrates his control of this entire situation. Jesus knew where the animal was located, what the owner was going to ask, and that it had never been ridden.  Jesus is indeed the all-knowing King of glory. This is not any normal ride, but this was a triumphal procession of the King coming into the holy city, Jerusalem.

            Those who were there knew what was happening and they understood that Jesus was the one to fulfill the prophecy; He was the coming King.  Verse 36-38,

And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

The crowd gave glory and honor to God for all the mighty works they had seen.  They had seen Jesus feed the 5,000, raise the dead, give sight to the blind, and make the deaf hear, cast out evil spirits and heal diseases.  Jesus was no ordinary man, but he was the blessed King who comes in the name of the Lord.  Verse 38 is a quote from Psalm 118. Psalm 118 was sung by the people during a festal procession as they entered Jerusalem after a great deliverance.  We do not know the exact cause that lead to the Psalm’s writing, but we do know it was commonly use as liturgy in the processional march of victory into Jerusalem.

            It is clear that the whole multitude knew this was a special occasion. There are some that

would say that Jesus never called himself God, but this does not fit the biblical narrative.  Notice how the Pharisees respond in verse 39, “And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher rebuke your disciples.” The Pharisees wanted Jesus to silence his disciples for calling him the coming King.  The Pharisees believed that the disciples were attributing praise to Jesus that was only fitting for God. And Jesus agrees with the Pharisees in that the praise he was receiving was only fitting for the one true God, for in verse 40, “He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”  All of creation was created for the praise of his glory. 

            Throughout Jesus’ ministry after healing or the casting out of demons, he asked those he healed to remain silent.  It was not yet his time to go to Jerusalem, but the time of waiting was over. His long journey is about to be complete. Luke 9:51, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.”  He resolutely set his face towards Jerusalem towards the cross.  It was his time. And yet, many in the crowd still did not understand that before he could receive his kingdom he had to die.  They did not understand the complete picture of the Messiah. Even in Psalm 118, already mentioned,

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. (Psalm 118:22-26)

The Jews pleaded for salvation, but for true and final salvation, the King had to be rejected.  Death had to come before life.  So Peter stands before the high priest and the high priest’s family in Acts 4 and says,

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12)

Salvation only comes through faith in that Jesus was rejected and was resurrected for us.

            If you are not a follower of Christ, have you ever considered why people need to be saved? You may be thinking, “What do I need to be saved from?”  The Bible explains that God made the world good, perfect without sin and suffering.  Our first parents Adam and Eve rejected God’s reign and rule over their lives bringing death and destruction into the world. Our world now is full of bitterness and strife.  The result of our fallen world is sin.  Sin has cursed this world, and we being part of the world are under its curse. Our sin separates us from God and puts us at war with Him.  So the answer to the question, “What do I need to be saved from?” is God. God is just and holy and therefore he has to punish sin.  The punishment for sin is to be cast eternally from God’s presence in a literal hell, experiencing conscious torment forever. 

            But God in his abundant mercy sent Jesus, the blessed King who came in the name of the Lord, to be rejected in our place. Jesus is the stone that has been rejected by the world and has become the cornerstone of salvation.  He lived a perfect life. He never disobeyed God. And yet, God placed our iniquity on him.  He took our punishment on the cross.  And after three days, God raised him from the dead accepting his sacrifice on our behalf so that now there is salvation in no one else, and there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.  Jesus Christ is the King.  And, if you submit to Him as your King, he will save you.  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love is offered to you today and forever. 

            As I mentioned earlier, Jesus was entering Jerusalem as the King, but his triumph was full of tears.

The King’s Tears

            We would be wise to notice Jesus’s affection and compassion for the lost. Christians are too often known for being cold and harsh in speaking of the truth.  We need to follow the way of our master.  Luke 19:41-44,

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Jesus drew near and saw the city and he wept. The word used for wept (klaio) is very strong, referring to intense sobbing.  The picture is like a father sobbing over the foolish decision of one of his children.[1] Jesus loved Israel. And his tears are magnified because of what their rejection has brought upon them.

Decisions have consequences.  Jesus prophesied of a day when an enemy would come and surround and siege Jerusalem.  The temple would be destroyed and the people and their children would be stuck down, because they did not recognize the time of their visitation by the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  This prophecy was fulfilled in AD 70 when the Roman army under Titus surrounded and sieged Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. Decisions have consequences.  Their decision to reject Jesus brought divine judgment on the nation. 

During great catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, the 2004 Tsunami, or the earthquake in Haiti, people often ask, “Was this divine judgment?” We may fully know the intent of all God’s actions, but God is active in our world and does bring divine judgment. Natural disasters could simply be the consequences of living in fallen world, but God is sovereign. He will show mercy on whom he shows mercy and compassion on whom he shows compassion (Exodus 33:19). The Lord is in control of the world, and whenever one starts to talk of divine judgment, it often makes the Lord look cold and harsh. People accuse the Lord with questions like, “How could a good God do that?” or they say things like “I could never love a God that would do that.” What do we say to those people? First, we say is that Jesus sobbed over their decision to reject him.

Jesus could not enjoy this triumphal entry into Jerusalem, because the people he loved rejected him.  He was a man of sorrows, stricken with grief.  I have only experienced glimpses of being rejected by those I love.  I have only experienced glimpses rejection and therefore have only felt the beginning pains of rejection. Some of you have experienced being abandoned by a spouse or rejected by a daughter or son-in-law that keeps you from your grandchildren. Your experience is far greater than mine so your pain is more intense. Rejection hurts. 

Jesus Christ was rejected by those he came to save, but the depth of his pain is not for himself.  The depth of his pain is because of what the  people are missing. Verse 42, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” His pain is not focused on his own hurt (which is real), but it is focused on pain that his people are bringing upon themselves. His pain is driven by their pain.

It is natural to experience the world with an eye on how things affect me.  We have to retrain our eyes to see not how this world affects me, but how it affects others.  When I am hurting, I focus on my own hurt. I focus on my own pain. I start asking questions like, “Does anyone know how I feel? Does anyone care about me? Why doesn’t anyone understand my pain?” The questions we should be training our minds to ask is, “How are my actions affecting others? How is this person feeling? What are they going through? How can I serve them?” Jesus was not focused on his own pain, but that of others. This focus would be good for us to model in our own lives.

The second thing we have to help people see about divine judgment is the offense of sin.  Most people who are offended by the idea of hell are people who do not understand how offensive sin is to God or how holy God is.  People accuse God for the severity of his judgment, but Theology Professor Jonathan Bowers writes,

What if eternal torment is actually a fitting response to our sin? What if, instead of seeing hell as an overreaction to our misdeeds, we looked at it instead as God’s commentary on the gravity of our rebellion? In other words, what if it’s not God’s view of sin that needs adjusting, but our own?[2]

The problem is not with the punishment, but our understanding of the punishment. Jesus understood the punishment and wept.  He wept because he offered Himself so they could avoid divine judgment.  Bowers goes on to write,

Similarly, we will only see the justice of hell when we see the awful weight of our sin. And we will only see the awful weight of our sin when we see the God who says of himself, “I am the Lᴏʀᴅ; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols” (Isaiah 42:8). When we see this God, we will understand why Jonathan Edwards could say that “Men do not hate misery more than God hates sin.” So sin, in the final analysis, is worse than hell. We should not marvel that God burns with wrath against his enemies. Let us marvel, instead, that while we were still enemies, Christ died for us.

When we magnify the awful weight of our sin and the awesome majesty of God, we see something absolutely profound: the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We deserve Hell, but God saves us. 

            How do you view sin? Do you think sin deserves divine judgment? Or do you think God’s punishment may be too severe? We can only understand God’s divine judgment against sin when we understand the holy and righteous character of God. If we want to change our view of sin and justice, we have to start with God.  We have to understand who God is, for it is only in properly understanding God that we will rightly view the world. The fear of the Lord is beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). All good theology begins with God. How do you expect to live well if you do not understand God?  Our life decisions flow from our view of God. 

            How you treat you spouse, raise your children, choose your vocation, and pick your friends are the fruit of your understanding of God’s character.  Whether you choose to engage or not engage in sin, or choose to offer forgiveness or persevere in a difficult relationship all flow from one’s view of God.  

People often come to church because they want help with their lives, but they do not realize what will truly help them.  Six tips for a better marriage may improve one’s marriage, but knowing the character and heart of God will transform one’s entire life.  It will not only change what you do, but why you do it.  Our problems are not rooted merely in our actions, but in our hearts’ desires that lead to our actions.

            So, for example, how do we change our willingness to share Christ’s peace with the lost? We must change our heart’s desire.  We must learn to sob over the lost like Jesus because we realize the full and just wrath of God that awaits sinners who reject Him as Savior and Lord.  Our actions will change only when our hearts’ desires change and they change when we focus on the glory and majesty of God. When we learn to probably fear the Lord, we then will begin to live differently.

Jesus understood divine judgment.  He knew it better than anyone else, because he faced it on the cross. He knew the pain that awaited those who rejected Him, so he wept. He did not focus on his own pain, but on the pain of others. Likewise, we cannot focus on our own pain of rejection, but we must learn to weep for those who are perishing. It is in our weeping that will lead us to seek to share the peace of Christ. And we only can learn to weep for the lost by properly looking to our King Jesus and his triumphal tears.  Do you weep for those who do not have salvation? Christ did.  He knew God’s love and he knew God’s wrath.  And only in knowing both will we weep for those who know neither.

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[1] Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke: 9:51–24:53 (Vol. 2). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. Commentary on 19:41

[2] http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/sin-is-worse-than-hell accessed 10.24.14
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What is Your Top Priority? (A study of the Prophet Haggai)

Sports were my top priority as a teenager.  I played three sports in high school: football, basketball and baseball. One day after a football game against Barrington High School, my coach asked me to stick around so he could talk to me after the game.  I thought he was going to praise me for my performance.  I had three sacks and caught a 53 yard pass.  It was one of my better football games in my career.  I walked up to my coach ready for my pat on the back, but instead he questioned by priorities.  He questioned who my friends were and my loyalties to the football team.  My friends were not athletes and they had a reputation of being a little wild. My coach out of genuine concern for me questioned my priorities.  I had to ask myself, “What is my top priority?”

            There are certain times in everyone’s life when decisions have to be made to display one’s top priorities. My coach question my priorities and he wanted me to respond by showing him that football was more of a priority than my friends.  Have you ever been put in a situation when you had to make a choice to choose your priority?  Maybe you have had to choose between a new job and more time at home.  Maybe you have had to choose between moving up the corporate ladder and church involvement.  Our real-life decisions reveal our top priorities.  So what is your top priority?

            I pray that question would be revealed to you as we study the short prophecy of Haggai.  Haggai prophesied to post-exilic Judah.  The Jews had been able to return to their homeland having been shown favor by Darius, the Persian King (522 -486 B.C.).  Haggai’s prophecy was given to the leaders of Judah: Zerubbabel and Joshua, Haggai 1:1,

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest:

Haggai sent this prophecy to expose the people’s priorities.  We all have priorities, but our true priorities are revealed by our actions.  God’s Word helps reveals the difference between our stated priorities and are true priorities.

Our Priorities are Revealed by our Spending

            Haggai starts his prophecy by showing the people how they are neglecting God’s house in favor of building their own houses.  Haggai 1:2-6,

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. (Haggai 1:2-6)

There were certain people claiming that it was not time to rebuild the temple.  The temple rebuilding began in 536 B.C., but quickly ceased due to local opposition.  Instead of restarting the building of the temple, the Jews rather turned to establish their own homes.  The key question is in verse 4, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” 

            [1] And it was not that they were just providing themselves a place to live, but they were dwelling in paneled homes implying they were not focused on necessities, but luxuries. This may seem dramatic, but their spending revealed their priorities. They did not prioritize the worship of God, but showed their priority of self.  What would your spending reveal about your priorities?  If someone examined your purchases over the last 6 months what would they reveal?  There is a big difference in our stated priorities and our true priorities. 

Remember the temple was the place where God’s presence dwelt.  So these Jews were focusing on their own homes while the Lord remained homeless.

            Haggai twice in these first eleven verses challenges the leaders to “consider their ways.”  This is one of the most important things that we can do for ourselves and for others.  One of the greatest challenges of ministry in the West is the sheer volume of noise, entertainment and busyness.  We have so much going on and so many escapes that very rarely do we stop and consider our ways.  Haggai was calling the people to slow down and consider their ways. The Lord revealed through Haggai that the reason for the recent trouble in the land is because of the priority of the people.  Verse 5-11,

Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.” (Haggai 1:5-11)

The Lord brought discipline upon His people because of their selfishness and lack of concern for God and His people. 

            I am glad that I do not have cable, because if I did I would watch way too much HGTV.  I love watching home remodel or house flipping shows.  The worst part of those shows is when we have to leave without seeing the big reveal at end.  Although I enjoy watching the shows, there is an undercurrent that subtly attempts to shift wants to needs.  Do I need granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances? No. Are they nice to have? Yes. My concern in living in the west is that we shift too many wants to needs and therefore neglect the building up of God’s house, the church.  Our society wants you to focus on renovating your American Dream at the expense of renovating God’s house.  What is your top priority? 

            John Piper has encouraged and modeled a wartime lifestyle. I think it would be appropriate to quote him at length,

The answer to the question is no. A wartime lifestyle does not mean that you after providing yourself and your family with a modest housing, food, clothing, now you are obliged to give all the surplus away immediately. That is not what wartime lifestyle says. Rather, the call for wartime way of life says with a lot more nuance and complexity that the remainder of our resources, so after you have provided for yourself those necessities, might be 10 dollars, might be 10 million dollars left over. That is the one that is being asked about. What is left over is managed, stewarded for the good of others, the glory of God, the advancement of his saving and sanctifying and healing purposes in the world rather than for personal aggrandizement.[2]

What we do with our money after we meet our needs reveals our priorities.  Haggai encouraged Judah to consider your ways; it would be wise to follow his counsel.

Our Priorities are Revealed by our Submission

            Our priorities are ultimately revealed in what we think about doing, but in what we actually do.  Would Zerubbabel and Joshua submit to God’s Word? Haggai 1:12-15,

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD. Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, “I am with you, declares the LORD.” And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. (Haggai 1:12-15)

Three key phrases in this section show that Judah true priorities had changed. First, they obeyed the voice of the Lord their God.  Second, the people feared the Lord. And third, the Lord stirred up the spirit of the people. Repentance is an act of God.

            God spoke to the people, “I am with you declares the Lord.”  They do not have to fear opposition because the Lord is in their midst.  Think of how encouraging this word would have been to the people recently returned from exiles.  God is in their midst.  It is God speaking and God stirring that bring the people to work on the house of the Lord.  It is a simple and sweet reminder that if God’s temple, the church, is going to change today, it will be because the Lord stirs up the hearts of His people.  Let us pray that God would be gracious to stir up our hearts to obedience changing our priorities from selfishness to selflessness.  For as Christians, we want our priorities to be God’s priorities.

God’s Priorities are Revealed by the Spirit

            The people are building the temple and it is clear that it will be far inferior to the one built by Solomon as the Lord asks, “Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?” It was obvious to everyone that this temple would pale in comparison to the previous one and it would have caused them to think that the past glory was greater than the future glory. 

Whenever we hold on to the past glory over present glory discouragement and despair are sure to come.  Life will never be like it was.  There is a hopelessness that comes when we cling to past success, but the promise of the Scripture is always of a future glory that will far exceed the past. Haggai 2:4-9,

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’” (Haggai 2:4-9)

The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former glory.  This promise is speaking about the day when the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as the water covers the seas.

           

The author of Hebrews picks up this prophecy and brings it to the saints in saying, Hebrews 12:26b-29,

He has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

The Spirit reveals the Lord’s priority in creating a kingdom that will not be shaken.  The promise that God made to Abraham was alive and well for the people of Judah after the exile and it will continue to New Testament saints until the Lord comes and shakes the earth and also the heavens. So how is this going to happen?  God’s priorities are most clearly revealed in His Son

God’s Priorities are Revealed by the Son

Haggai shares that the people of Judah are unclean (2:10-19).  Their uncleanness has brought trouble upon them, but the Lord has promised them “from this day on I will bless you.” How does the Lord bless unclean people?  He does it through His Son. The Lord promises this at the end of Haggai’s prophecy, verses 2:20-23,

The word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts.” (Haggai 2:20-23).

The signet ring was given as a sign of authority.  God has given the signet ring to Zerubbabel. And in giving the ring to Zerubbabel, God is restoring the royal line of King David and reaffirming His covenant that one day there will be a forever king on a forever throne. 

            Therefore we read Zerubbabel’s name in the lineage of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1:12. God gave the signet ring to Zerubbabel to point the Jews to look to the promise of the Messiah who would come and cleanse His people from their sin.  The Messiah would come and live a pure and clean life fully trusting God always living in line with God’s priorities. His perfect life would end in a brutal death. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, would die for His people, but on the third day be raised from the dead.  And after He rose, He ascended into heaven seated at the right hand of God.  So those who trust in Christ, have the hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb. 10:22). Jesus blesses a defiled people by making them clean through His own blood.  God’s priority of redemption is clearly seen in the promise of His Son through the signet ring given to Zerubbabel. God promises to make you clean if you would consider your ways, turn and trust in Christ for salvation. God made it a priority to offer your redemption; will you make it a priority to receive it?

           

Are your priorities God’s priorities? Are you living for the greater glory promised by the Spirit where the glory of the Lord will fill the earth? Are you prioritizing redemption and the forgiveness of sin for all who trust in Christ?  Or are you so focused on your own comfort and peace that you are neglecting what truly matters?

            I pray that you would consider your ways.  Ask God to reveal your current priorities and then by His grace help you reorder them to His.  What is your top priority? Let it be the Lord and none other.

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[1] ESV Study Bible Note on 1:4 pg 1744

[2] http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/wartime-wisdom-for-the-wealthy accessed on 10.22.2014
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Gospel Signs

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22:19-20

Beloved,

I still remember when I took my test to get my driver’s permit.  I waited in the long DMV line took the test and brought it back up to the lady at the counter.  She looked at me and said, “You didn’t answer a question.” I replied, “Is it going to matter?” “Yes.”  She gave me the test back and I proceeded to get the wrong answer and failed my permit test.  I finally grabbed the study booklet and started to review the meaning of all the various signs one sees on the road in the hopes of passing the test. Each sign I studied was a symbol for what drivers needed to know in order be aware of their surroundings. 

Signs are powerful tools to protect people from dangers as well as to encourage them that they are traveling in the right direction.  The Lord Jesus has given His people two signs for the Christian gospel: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Both these signs were commanded by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry.  These signs are known as ordinances.  These two ordinances are signs both to the church community and to the world of who has identified themselves with Christ death and resurrection. 

Baptism is the sign symbolizing one has entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Individuals are buried under the water to identify with Christ’s death and are raised out of the water to identify with Christ’s resurrection. This is an outward symbol of an inward change. The Lord’s Supper is a sign symbolizing that one is continuing in their relationship with Jesus Christ.  The bread and cup represent Christ’s broken body and His shed blood.  In partaking of the Lord’s Supper you are showing you have communion with God and with His people. 

These two ordinances are signed to distinguish between God’s people and the world.  As Timothy Keller says they are, “boundary markers,” for the covenant church community.  Baptism is a sign you are now a part of the church while the Lord’s Supper is a sign that you are still a part of the church. These signs protect the church’s membership and clarify to the world who is and who is not part of God’s people. Therefore, these signs make the gospel visible to the church and to the world.  I pray that when you see these signs, your, “seeing leads to believing[1].”

In Christ,

Pastor Dave

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[1] J.I. Packer quoted by Tim Keller in New City Catechism Question 43.

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Dave Kiehn 10 19 2014 "Engage in Kingdom Business"

Engage in Kingdom Business (Luke 19:11-27)

            There is nothing like the excitement of waiting for a child to be born.  I remember the mix of excitement and nervousness sitting in the hospital room waiting to go back for the delivery.  Yet the waiting and preparation for the baby begins long before the delivery. Expectant mothers have to prepare their bodies for delivery by eating healthy and hydrating ensuring their blood pressure and vitals are correct. Expectant fathers have to say goodbye to their office or “man cave” by transforming it into a nursery. Parents have to assemble the crib, paint the walls new colors, and hang the appropriate pictures.  There are showers for the baby to load up on clothes and diapers. Expectant parents know the baby is coming, and when they know the baby is coming they engage in preparing for the arrival. 

            In this waiting and expectation, Christians are like expectant parents.  We know God is going to come and will deliver his kingdom. And because we know his arrival is coming, we must engage in preparing for His arrival.  Many Jews believed that the Messiah was going to come as a powerful political king restoring the nation of Israel.  They supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.  Ask any expectant mother at month 7 and they will tell you that they are ready for the baby to be born, but they do not have any control over the timing of the delivery.  We do not have control over the timing of the Lord’s return.  We know that it is going to happen, but all we can do is to wait for it.  Luke 19:11,

As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.

Jesus shared this parable to illustrate that His kingdom will not be fully established until some later date. In this parable Jesus shows three distinct groups of people. I pray that the Holy Spirit clarifies which group you are in and convicts you to respond accordingly. Let me frame this passage by asking you three questions, the first,

Are you Engaging in Kingdom Business?

Luke 19:12-19,

He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ (Luke 19:12-19)

The parable is of a nobleman who went to a far country to receive for himself a kingdom. Before he left, he called ten of his servants together giving them each one mina (or about 3 months salary) and tells them, “Engage in business until I come.” These ten servants were called to engage in the King’s business while he was away to prepare for his return. In this way the nobleman represents Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ returned home and was given all power and dominion and authority, seated at the right hand of the God.  He has gone to receive a kingdom.

This is an interesting parable for Luke’s gospel. For most of Luke’s gospel he mentions the kingdom being near or present, but here Luke is speaking about the kingdom that is to come. This is where we get the “already, but not yet” theology of the kingdom.  Jesus Christ has brought the kingdom to us in part, but will one day bring the kingdom to us completely.  So we are called to live in the “already” (born again, redeemed, holy, righteous people of God) and the not-yet (still living in the flesh, battling the world and the devil).  Jesus has already won us the victory, but we have not experienced ceasefire. 

I think one of the key phrases of this parable is at the end of verse 13, “Engage in business until I come.” We see two realities here: what we are called to do- engage in the King’s business, and how long we are called to do it – until Christ comes.  We see in the parable what happens when the King returns.  It says in verse 15, “When he returned, having received the kingdom,” he is coming back after fully establishing the kingdom. He calls all the servants to him and judges their engagement in the master’s business. The first two servants provide a return for the investment. I love the interchange with the first servant and the master, verses 16-17,

The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’

This man is rewarded for his faithfulness. He has been faithful with little so he has been entrusted with much. God will always reward the faithfulness of his people.

I love those words, “well done.”  The task is over.  The race has been run.  The job is finished. Well done!! These words are promised for all who engage in kingdom business, so how do you know if you are engaging in kingdom business?  First of all, it doesn’t mean that you are saved, because of your work, but rather your engagement in work is a sign that you are saved, for Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Engaging in kingdom business does not earn us merit with God, but proves that we are abiding in Jesus. So another way to frame the question is, “Are you abiding or remaining in Christ?” Paul uses the similar concept of walking throughout his epistles.  Are you walking with Christ? Are you abiding in Christ? This is kingdom engagement.

Or yet another way to look at engaging in kingdom business would be to ask, “Are we being good stewards of the lives God have given us? The nobleman gave each servant a mina and then judged them based on their stewardship. So are we using our money, our talents, and our time for kingdom business?  Paul weds both these concepts together in Ephesians 5,

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-21)

Making the best use of your time is intimately connected to serving and living together with one another. 

We can divorce spirituality from Christ and his people. I hear many people say that they do not attend church because they are more spiritual than religious.  Although it may sound trendy and be a cultural buzzword, biblical spirituality cannot be divorced from Christ and his people.  Theologian and Biblical scholar, Andreas Kostenberger writes,

“Growth in spirituality is evidenced in the form of active obedience, love, mission, and corporate unity and peace. We therefore progress in spirituality (engage in kingdom business) as we express love for others in practical and concrete ways, make our day-by-day decisions in obedience to God’s commands, involve ourselves, in the fulfillment of God’s mission in the world, and promote peace and unity within God’s church.[1]

All that to say is that one of the most profound and biblical ways to engage in kingdom business is to be a faithful member in a local church. 

Love each other during difficult times. Forgive and bear with each other when you are offended. Visit widows regularly. Give cards on special days. Grieve with each other.  Pray for each other’s lost family members.  Rejoice with those who rejoice.  Outdo one another in showing honor.  In this age where radical spirituality is promoted, wouldn’t it be surprising that the greatest kingdom business we can engage in is right here in the local church.  Our love for God will almost always be expressed in concrete acts of love to others.  Be a faithful church member and be confident that you are engaging in kingdom business.

Second question:

Are you Ignoring Kingdom Business?

            If we are not engaging in kingdom business, we may be ignoring it. And there are grave consequences for ignoring kingdom business, Luke 19:19-26,

Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

This servant did not receive is commendation, but a condemnation.  He was condemned because he did not respond in loving obedience to the King.

            Let’s analyze this servant’s attitude and character.  First, he was afraid of the master because he believed him to be a severe man.  He did not trust his graciousness and kindness, but lived in a state of fear. 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”  Second, he was lazy and selfish. If he was truly afraid, he would have been motivated to try and bring a return, but his fear never changed his behavior.  His laziness and selfishness causes him to ignore kingdom business.  Lasty, he is wicked, verse 22, “I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant.” So his fearful, self-serving lazy, wicked attitude brought him condemnation.

            A very similar parable is told in Matthew 25.  The servant was rebuked in Matthew 25 by the master with these words,

‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:26-30). 

Luke does not have such a stinging, clear end. The wicked servant in Matthew ends in Hell, the place of outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

            Now remember Jesus told this parable to those who thought the kingdom of God was going to come immediately.  There was going to be some considerable time between the first and second coming of Christ.  This passage is an encouragement to those who are engaging in kingdom business to press on and remain steadfast, but this passage is also a warning to those who are part of the community yet are ignoring kingdom business.  In a church community, there are some of you who need to be encouraged in your gospel engagement, while there are others they need to be warned. For if you are ignoring kingdom business, indifferent in loving one another, refusing to use your gifts to build up the body, desiring to be served rather than to serve, withholding forgiveness from others, stirring up strife, harboring bitterness, etc., you may not a good and faithful servant of Christ.

            The great Christian theologian Augustine of Hippo said the church will always be a mixed community.  True believers will always be among false believers.  Jesus shared the parable of the weeds in Matthew 13,

²⁷ So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” (Matthew 13:27-30 NKJV)

Jesus said, “Let them both grow together until the harvest time,” then the separation will come. 

Farmers are very familiar with wheat and tares.  If you look at baby wheat and baby tares, they are indistinguishable.  It is impossible to tell the difference until the harvest. Both the wheat and tares are harvested in the spring. The tare stands tall and proud while the wheat bows from its weight.  It is a great illustration. The tare, like the wicked servant, stands tall in his pride, not truly recognizing the King while the wheat bows in humble submission the one who has received the kingdom.  Those ignoring kingdom business are usually those too proud to humble themselves in service of others. Be warned that there is a judgment awaiting all those who did not recognize Christ as the true king.

Third Question,

Are you Against Kingdom Business?

            The previous warning was to those who are in the community, but the last group Jesus addresses in this parable, are those who reject him.  Verse 14, “But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’” It was common in those days, for Jews to send a delegation to oppose someone’s reign. Jewish Historian Josephus mentions one such time when the Jews sent a delegation to oppose Archelaus’s reign.  The Jews despised him for he massacred 3,000 Jews during one Passover so the citizens referenced in verse 14 would have been receive by the audience as a clear reference to the Jews hatred of Jesus.[2] Jesus finished the parable with these words regarding the Jews, “But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’” These enemies do not hear his words only feel his wrath.

            The truth is that all of us at one time were enemies of God. We were wicked servants rejecting our King’s reign for our own rule. Jesus Christ is the only true King.  He came to us, his enemies.  He was born as a man, lived a perfect life, and died for all those who want Jesus to reign over them.  He came as a man died and was resurrected from the dead. And after showing himself to his disciples, God exalted Him the highest place giving Him full authority over His Kingdom as the one true King.  His kingdom will not come immediately, but it will come.  And when it comes, no one will be able to stand, except for those who have already been humbled and have invited Jesus to reign over them as King. Jesus is the only true King, but the greatness of his reign is that it started in death so that we could live. Who would not want to follow a King that would die for them?

            So which words will you hear on that day? Well done, my good and faithful servant, you have been faithful with little so you will receive much? Or you lazy, wicked servant, you are condemned with your own words? You can know today what words you are going to hear on that day. All true citizens of the kingdom of heaven who engage in kingdom business will be rewarded for their faithfulness. Engage in kingdom business, until He comes.

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[1] Kostenberg, Andreas. Excellence: The Character of God and the pursuit of Scholarly Virtue. Crossway. Wheaton, IL 2011. Pg. 75.

[2] Bock, Darrell. BEC. Luke 9:51-23:53. Pg. 1533