I.R.S. guys, Pharisees, and Jesus.

In Luke 5.27-32, Jesus calls Matthew to follow Him and recounts the response of the Pharisees when Jesus dines with “sinners”.  Matthew agrees to follow Jesus and then invites him to his house for a big party.  So Jesus willingly goes to Matthew’s house.  Matthew was a tax collector and was hated by the Jews; just think I.R.S. and you have Matthew Levi.  In addition to Jesus, Matthew has invited other of his friends including tax collectors (more I.R.S. guys), prostitutes, drunks, addicts, swindlers etc.  The Bible calls them “other people”. 

So try to picture Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh, perfect sinless humanity “reclining at the table” with these people.  For perspective, imagine Jesus today going to an ex-con’s house and hanging out with bikers, more ex-cons, prostitutes, drunks, drug addicts, low life’s, sleazy professionals, swindling C.E.O.s and other forms of “odd man out” and you have the picture of Luke 5.29.

Now picture some guys who are well meaning, well versed in the law, and live by a high moral standard.  They see Jesus in Matthew’s home along with his unsavory friends.  And immediately, perhaps without even realizing it, the Pharisees become pompous, legalistic, cold, calculating bigots.

They condemn Jesus and his choice of friends.  And Jesus in response tells them “it is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.  I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5.31-32). 

Matthew knew that he needed what Jesus had to offer.  He was so excited about it that he invited his friends to meet Jesus.  The Pharisees were confident in their knowledge of the law.  But knowledge of God’s law (the Bible) without action expressed in love is useless and no good.

Think of the church today.  Are you and I a friend of the ex-con showing them Jesus, or are you and I a friend of the Pharisee who means well, but misses the point?    

Is Jesus Christ a Socialist?

I was listening to a radio interview today.  I will not name the program, the host, or the person being interviewed; because seriously, who cares.  But I will give my opinion on the topic which is this:  “Is Jesus Christ a socialist?”  The saying goes that the two most volatile subjects too discuss are religion and politics. Yet this question combines what many consider religion and a political ideology.

From the outset I DO NOT think Jesus Christ is a socialist nor do I think Jesus Christ “fits” into any political party, republican or otherwise.  According to the Bible, Jesus Christ is THE ruling party in and of Himself.  Read Joshua 5.13-15 and the point becomes clear that God is God and men are men, and when men try to make God fit a political mold; well, it’s just a big waste of time.  I grow weary of people on the radio, television, and in publications who try to make Jesus a socialist based solely on the good things He did while on the earth.  These people take the risen Lord Jesus Christ and use Him as some kind of poster boy to promote political agenda’s.  It is a disgrace to His Holy Majesty. 

The miracles, acts of kindness, and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5,6,7) were performed and taught for specific reasons.  None of this was meant as a model for governments to adopt.  The miracles were a sign for Israel that the long awaited Messiah had arrived and the Sermon on the Mount was Jesus preparing Israel for His millennial kingdom over which He would reign supreme.  But then Israel rejected the Messiah and the kingdom has been postponed for nearly 2000 years.

I can hear the questions now, “so mark, are you saying that we are not to carry out acts of kindness and live by the principles of the Sermon on the Mount?  Are we not to feed and clothe the poor etc..”  And in response I would say, “Absolutely, we are to help people in need, practice acts of kindness, show mercy and love”; but all of that has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with politics.  Go read the book of James and 1 John (there are lots more) which lays out plain and simple the kind of life a Christian is to live. 

Now understand this is not my support for any political party it is simply my response to the question, “Is Jesus Christ a socialist?”

Just to clear the air on my political views:  I am a constitutional conservative who carry’s a gun, believes in the freedom of speech, supports the rule of law, supports the checks and balances of the government as set up by the constitution, and believes in the individual freedoms of American CITIZENS. 

But first and foremost I believe in the rule of law as spoken by the Holy Spirit and recorded by the Apostles of the New Testament.     

ALL the social ills of this world WILL NOT AND CANNOT be solved by well meaning Christians who preach a social gospel.  Sorry it just aint happening until Jesus Christ, the only TRUE Benevolent Dictator returns and makes it so. 

In the meantime PLEASE stop boring me to tears trying to put Jesus into a man made political box.

Intimacy with Christ.

Ok, I have to write this out.  In Ephesians 5 and Revelation 19 the church is called, “the bride of Christ”.  The marriage relationship is the most intimate on earth.  I find it interesting that Jesus sees His church the same way a bridegroom sees his bride.  It follows then that the church is to see Jesus the same way a bride sees her bridegroom.  Since I am happily married I have a taste of what that means.  Over the years my wife has become my best friend.  We have grown to love each other deeply and honestly, life would royally suck without her.  Now Jesus says, “how you love your wife or husband is how I love you; and you in turn are to love Me like that as well”. 

I think the key ingredient we need to focus on is intimacy.  Jesus Christ desires intimacy with His church.  When we think of intimacy we think of the ultimate union in marriage.  And this is where Christians get a little nervous and begin to wiggle in their seats.  We have a hard time making the connection between our concept of intimacy and God’s concept of intimacy.  After all, our finite minds can only comprehend so much.  And so we begin to shuttle and shift and just not think about it or try to marginalize it.  In Ephesians 5.32 Paul writes, “this mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”  In the verses prior to that he was speaking of the marriage relationship between and a man and a woman.  And then in vs. 31 he quotes Genesis 2.24 which speaks of a man and a woman becoming one flesh. 

Are you squirming yet?

So, the question remains what in the world is God talking about when it comes to intimacy?  Remember, the purpose of this writing is my attempt to resolve this in my limited brain.  I believe Paul called it a mystery because we will not fully understand it until we reach heaven.  But in the meantime intimacy with Christ means first of all removing as best we can the physical aspect of intimacy and focusing on the spiritual connection that occurs.  It is the idea of removing all walls and hindrances and enjoying each other’s presence.  That is what I believe Jesus meant in John 14 where He speaks of “abiding in Him”.  I think then it’s the concept of His presence; being in His presence, basking in His presence, longing for His presence. 

What do you think?     

Vigilance

Yesterday on the Military channel Riley and I watched WWII in color.  The show was about the Allied push into Germany.  Beginning in the winter/spring of 1945 elements of the American, British, and French Armies advanced from the south toward the Rhine river.  From the north and east two Russian armies advanced toward the Oder river.  In between the two rivers is the German heartland and the capital of Berlin. 

WWII was an incredible and devastating time in world history.  Every time I watch a show or read a book about that war I am always amazed at the magnitude of it.  Entire continents were at war.  The immensity of it all is staggering.  As an example, as the Russians advanced on Berlin a total of 3.5 million men and women were armed about to fight one another.  The Russian army was 2.5 million strong while Germany was defending Berlin with 1 million; as I said, staggering.  This number does not include the other allied armies in the south or the other half of the war going on in the Pacific. 

But then come the pictures of the Nazi concentration camps and the cities destroyed by bombs.  People walking like zombies looking for some semblance of normalcy.  Everything around them, devastated dead and dying everywhere, food and water, shelter scarce to non existent.  And then we must realize that it was only about 80 years ago that all this occurred.  Eighty years seems like a lifetime and in reality it is, but in the grand scheme of things it was just yesterday. 

I suppose this post is one of reflection, thankfulness, and a call to vigilance.  Reflection on the fact of the sacrifice of good men and the evil of bad men.  Thankfulness for the God given gift of Peace in our land.  And a call to be ever vigilant of what we have and to never take any of it for granted.