Podcast

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

“When I call out, answer me, my righteous God.
In the straits, You set me free.
Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer” Psalm 4:1

Intro: Do you have a favorite psalm; for instance, Psalm 23?

Whether one psalm speaks to me and another one doesn’t,
– depends a lot on my mood at the time I read them
• the Psalms are moody, and some of them match my mood perfectly
• whenever a psalm speaks to me, it’s effect is palpable
◦ it not only gives me something to think about,
◦ but also stirs up significant feelings
– the Psalms speak to our frustrations, conflicts, and heartaches
• there are psalms that encourage and console
• others give us wise counsel and guidance
• more than once, a psalm has met me in my grief
• many psalms are reminders that God is with us

Walking through Psalm 4 yesterday morning was therapeutic
– what I want to do this morning,
• is share with you what that psalm did for me
– I am reading Robert Alter’s translation of the Psalms
• he is a scholar who appreciates the uniqueness of Hebrew poetry
• and is able to bring out the literary beauty of the Psalms

The psalm begins with what all of us desire when we pray
“When I call out, answer me, my righteous God.
In the straits, You set me free.
Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer” Psalm 4:1

When we call out to God, we want an answer — a word of advice:
I have found it’s best to not ask for a specific answer
• like most everyone, I have financial concerns
◦ but I know better than to ask God to rig the lottery
• we can specify our situation or our need,
◦ but prepare ourselves for however God chooses to meet it
◦ sometimes–maybe often–we get an answer like Paul received
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9)
– I can accept an answer like that, but can I accept it as well as Paul did?
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10)
• I’m probably not there yet – and that may be God’s answer to my prayer;
• that I need to move to a place of greater maturity

In the straits – the Hebrew word translated straits means a narrow or tight space
– when we experience “dire straits” like intense stress or anxiety,
• our brains automatically fixate on the problem
◦ this is sometimes referred to as “tunnel vision”
◦ we lose sight of the big picture
• so the poet begins by recalling his history with God:
“In the straits, You set me free”
◦ more than once, a psalm has expanded my vision
◦ peace came immediately – and soon after peace, the answer arrived
– the poet’s opens his prayer with a third significant thought:
“Have mercy upon me”
• it would never occur to me, to think I deserve an answer (or anything from God)
◦ I’m well aware that everything that comes from God is a gift
“and hear my prayer”
• in Hebrew, “hear” combines two thoughts: listen and respond
◦ the same word is sometimes translated “obey”
◦ God’s mercy allows us to go forward with our prayer, anticipating his response

“Sons of man, how long will My glory be shamed?
You love vain things and seek out lies.
But know that the LORD set apart His faithful.
The LORD will hear when I call to him” Psalm 4:2-3
I doubt we could have seen these lines coming
– the voice shifts from the poet to God – with an immediate response
• God knows already what’s on the poet’s mind and the contents of his prayer
• besides that, God shares his concern–in fact, he takes it personally
– sometimes–many times–people are the problem
• in this instance, rather than honor God by right actions,
◦ they ignore God’s glory, as if it meant nothing, had no value
◦ they’re actions are an embarrassment to God (they shame his glory)
• the poet instantly picks up on that – he agrees with God
◦ this is the problem, and why he prays
– he definitely does not share the crowd’s values or actions
• but he is content to leave them in God’s hands
◦ and in that way he is enabled to go on and find the peace he craves
◦ God doesn’t always require us to butt heads with buttheads
• the poet belongs to God’s faithful followers, set apart from others
◦ now he’s confident that God will hear his prayer

After verse 2, there’s a strange little word in right hand margin,
– selah – and no one knows for certain what it means
• most conjecture that it’s a musical notation
• I usually ignore it, but sometimes I treat it like a prompt to “stop and think about this”

The remainder of the poem is a sequence of instructions

I assume that all of us are familiar with the agitation the poet felt
– the belligerent, hurtful, foolish, or threatening words of others
• the “vain things,” as God says in verse 2, and the lies that people rant
◦ empty words actions pouring out of empty heads,
◦ stirs up unpleasant emotions that can keep us awake at night
• the poet has some enlightened advice for us
◦ we’ll take it one step at a time

“Quake, and do not offend.
Speak in your hearts on your beds, and be still” Psalm 4:4
Quake: I think he’s saying, “Acknowledge your agitation”
– bring awareness to what you’re feeling – name it
• negative feelings and emotions have more force when not identified
• there’s a “part two” in this verse: do not offend – sin, miss the mark
◦ don’t ruminate on those feelings or act on them
◦ don’t make a bad situation worse
– then, do some “heart talk” – Speak in your hearts
• there’s a good example of this in Psalm 42
“Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?” (Ps. 42:5)
◦ another “part 2” in the second line: “and be still”
◦ develop healthy habits of self-soothing (it’s easy to adopt bad ones)
• when our brains are most reactive we find it hard to shut them off
◦ cultivate stillness – relax every muscle in your body
◦ release every thought in your mind

Next:
“Offer righteous sacrifices
and trust in the LORD” Psalm 4:5

Do the right thing when others are doing wrong things
– I suggest we go with modern meaning of sacrifice, which is above and beyond
– trust is the centerpiece of the psalm – of everything in the psalm and in the whole of the Scriptures
• I love the word TRUST, and God brings me back to it all the time
• this is what makes the other instructions work

Next:
“Many say, ‘Who will show us good things?’
Lift up the light of Your face to us, LORD” Psalm 4:6
– our response to the negative attitude of the “many” voices
• a dismal outlook, that nothing good is coming to us from any direction
– to dial into those good things, receive God’s benediction – his blessing
• that is essentially the thrust of the second line of this verse
The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace (Nu. 6:24-26)

Then:
“You put joy in my heart,
from the time their grain and their drink did abound” Psalm 4:6
– look for joy – open your heart to joy

And finally:
“In peace, all whole, let me lie down and sleep.
For You, LORD, alone, do set me down safely” Psalm 4:7
– one of the great concerns in our nation today is safety and security
– this is a beautiful way for the poetic prayer to resolve
• we sleep peacefully while God continues to work through the night

Conclusion: I’ll wrap this up with lyrics from an old hymn

Be still, my soul! the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In ev’ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul! your best, your heav’nly friend
Thru’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Podcast

Welcome and Prayer: Jim Calhoun

Come Lord join us here today
When you speak, help us be eager to hear you
When you call, cause us to come to you quickly

Let us grow weary of all of our ploys and workarounds and distractions
Let us grow weary of depending on our wealth and position and power
Let us bring our anxieties and fears and concerns to you instead
Trusting you to make us whole
Trusting you to bind up our wounds
Trusting you in and for all things
Knowing your great good love is
Our deepest need
And most valued treasure.
Amen

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

The story I am going read to is found in both Matthew and Mark, but each one highlights different details. I’ve combined both versions of the story, because I didn’t want to leave out any of my favorite lines.

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. [And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden.]
And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region [a Gentile] [whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet] . . . crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”
But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
And he answered, “[Let the children be fed first, for] It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! [For this statement you may go your way . . . .] Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. [And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.] Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30

Intro: Jesus crossed an international border looking for rest

Matthew says, he “went away” and “withdrew”
– he needed space where he was free from the desperate crowds
• care givers have to be careful to care for themselves
• otherwise burn out can take out a care giver
◦ during this brief respite, Jesus and disciples were off the clock
– last thing they wanted was to hear the cry of a Gentile woman
• Jesus buries his face in a newspaper or checks his cell phone
◦ seeing that he ignores her, she begins pestering his disciples
◦ and it worked – in frustration they went to Jesus
“Send her away, for she is crying out after us”
• they broke but not because they were more merciful than Jesus
Helmut Thielicke, “They can’t take the woman’s misery. The woman clearly feels that too, otherwise she would have turned to the weary and therefore more helpful disciples. She realizes, however, that they are not merciful in yielding to her cry for help. They just have weak nerves.”
◦ so far, she has been rejected and not helped

This woman is a hero
– a desperate mom – she’s a mother who won’t give up
• up till now, her daughter has had no hope for a cure
◦ but she heard about the Jewish rabbi who came to Sidon
◦ a miracle worker – an exorcist who cast out demons with a word
• he wasn’t from her country or culture,
◦ but, if need be, she’ll become enough of a bother to wear him down
◦ she easily broke through his ring of bodyguards
– having crossed the line, she fell down at Jesus’ feet,
• and prayed this short prayer: “Lord, help me”
• now, for all her work, what does Jesus give her?
◦ a hard time, a refusal – he tells her,

“This isn’t right. You’re not a lost sheep of Israel.
What I have to give isn’t for you.
You’re torn to pieces over your daughter–I heard you,
but I have children of my own to think of, and to care for.
The needs of my children come first. My provisions are for them.
It wouldn’t be right to take food from them and throw it to the dogs.
Your name is not on my list. I can’t help you.”

• for a moment Jesus sounds like a stone-faced bureaucrat
“I can’t approve this for you. You don’t have the right papers.”
Or, “We’re returning your application because you signed on the wrong line”

If we feel uncomfortable with how Jesus acts in this story–and we do–,
– it’s not that it lacks beauty or power
• but because we don’t like seeing Jesus in this negative light
◦ we’re uncomfortable with the way he treats her
◦ if ever he’s rude or severe, it’s with self-righteous, judgmental, hypocrites
• how we see this scenario is:
“So what if she’s from the wrong side of the tracks? What does it cost Jesus to meet her desperate need?”
◦ this is not the lovely image of Jesus that we treasure
– so now, do we have to give up our idea of a loving and kind Jesus?
• should we fret that perhaps he isn’t always “nice”?
◦ whenever we find Jesus one-to-one with any person–e.g., Nicodemus, Bartimaeus, or Peter
◦ he is always working a specific strategy – he’s after something
• perhaps Jesus is testing this soulful mother
◦ challenging her like he did with two blind men in chapter 9, whom he asked,
“Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Mt. 9:28)
◦ if Jesus discourages someone, he has a reason; he makes his move to win them, not lose them

When Jesus says “dogs,” the suspense is tangible
– can this story in any way have a happy ending?
• it’s her move now, and she says, “Yes, Lord”

“Refuse my prayer that’s fine. Okay, I’m a dog. I have no right to bother You, no right to demand anything from You. I’m an outsider. But Lord, I’m not asking for the children’s bread! I’m not applying for discipleship. But about those dogs You mentioned? Well, even those dogs are allowed to eat whatever scraps fall from the table.”

◦ anyone who has children and a dog or two, knows for sure,
◦ more than a few scraps will fall under the table
(I wonder if there are any dogs that eat lima beans)
• before approaching Jesus, she had already decided no matter what he tells her, she will say “Yes”
◦ and that’s what Jesus wants–is her “Yes”
– do you remember what we’ve gone over these past two weeks?
(It’s okay if you don’t. I don’t either, but I have it in my notes)
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord, and not do what I command you?”
Why do you call me ‘Lord,’ but your actual response to me is not a ‘Yes, Lord’?
– here is a woman–a Gentile–who accepts the conceptual frame in which Jesus placed her
• but then she re-frames HIS concept to create a loophole for herself and her daughter
• it’s as if this were a game, like chess, and she just countered his move
“Yes, Lord, I’m a dog; but even the dogs get something”

“Then Jesus answered her, O woman, great is your faith!”

Was Jesus smiling when he said this? I think so. I think he enjoyed her riposte. After all, it was precisely the sort of response he hoped for, only perhaps even more clever.

– there’s another story like this, but involving a Roman centurion (another Gentile)
• Jesus said of him,
“Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith” (Mt. 8:10)
◦ the woman won the match, because her faith wouldn’t allow her to give up
◦ Luke, in his gospel, tells us that one time Jesus
“told . . . a parable to the effect that [we] ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Lk. 18:1)
• that describes this woman — she did not lose heart, even when rejected and insulted
– she won because she was ready to surrender
• ready to accept any deal Jesus offered, meet any demand he made
• and her surrender, her “Yes, Lord,” is what Jesus was after
◦ he did not want her to walk away discouraged or hopeless
◦ he did not want the rich young man to walk away discouraged, but he did
and that was because he wasn’t prepared to meet Jesus’ demands
his response was a, “No Lord, not that!”

Some of the people I love–and whom I know love Jesus–
– have given up on prayer – not that they stopped praying
• but they never ask for anything out of the ordinary
◦ they ask for assistance, forgiveness, safe travel, and their daily bread
◦ all the basic stuff and typical necessities
• they ask for God’s help with things they can also do on their own,
(just in case he doesn’t come through)
◦ but they avoid asking for anything that depends totally on God
– most people I know have a limit on how far they’ll trust God,
• and when they reach it, they “lose heart”
◦ I, also, have my moments of despair
◦ but when God is silent, I’m learning to listen more closely
• there’s often a message in God’s silence
◦ I’m learning to say,
“Lord, since You haven’t answered the question I asked, what’s the question I should be asking?”
Or, “Since You have given me what I requested, what should be my request?”
– that’s an important lesson, however, not today’s “big idea”

Conclusion: I have another point I wish to make clear

It’s not a law, or a rule, or a magic formula to get the answer you want to every prayer
– in fact, it’s rather simple:
• we don’t have to pray long prayers to get God’s attention
• its enough to pray, “Lord, help me!”

Every week I pray for my extended family – it’s a long list
– for years, I’ve prayed my heart’s concerns
(with lots of details and ‘suggestions’ for God)
• so working my way through that list took a long time
• one morning I realized God didn’t need all the details and instructions that I gave him
◦ after that, when praying, I paused at each person’s name, and without words,
◦ I felt, briefly, my concern for their needs and what I hoped God would do for them
– so in my prayers now, I respect God’s wisdom in deciding how he will assist them
• and that gives me more time to rest in his presence
• short prayers can be as effective as long prayers,
◦ if they are sincere and backed by faith and surrender

From the example of this desperate woman, we learn
that “Lord, help me” can be enough of a prayer
or, as in Peter’s case, “Lord, save me!”
(If he had tried to pray a longer prayer, he would have drowned)
God is not waiting for us to find the right words
He waits for our, surrender, our “Yes, Lord, your will be done”
With friends or walking alone, we can pray out loud if we want
(Public prayer must be prayed aloud, so that others can say “Amen” to our prayer)
anywhere else we can pray silently at the altar of our hearts
Because we make our prayers,
whether long or short, loud or silent, with tears or laughter,
to our infinite Father in heaven anything is possible – all things are possible

Podcast

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
“And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” Matthew 7:24-27

Intro: My grandchildren have been helping me with social media, by interpreting a slew of new acronyms

Acronyms are abbreviations for phrases, titles, or names, using only the first letters of each word
– for instance, USA, BTW, or RFK
• acronyms look strange, initially
◦ a popular political insult is RINO: Republican In Name Only
• this came to mind when reading a quote by Justin Martyr
◦ a first century philosopher who became a Christian
– he quoted the part of Jesus’ Sermon we’ve been going over (Mt. 7:21-27)
Justin Martyr, “. . . let those who are not found living as He taught, be understood to be no Christians, even though they profess with the lip the precepts of Christ; for not those who make profession, but those who do the works, shall be saved . . . . And as to those who are not living pursuant to these His teachings . . . are. . . “Christians only in name”
• Jesus continues with his theme from last week
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven”
◦ and now he concludes the Sermon with a parable

The parable illustrates two prerequisites for a stable future

Last week the theme was saying and doing; here it is hearing and doing
– this might remind you immediately of the letter of James
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (Jas. 1:22)
• this is a dangerous self-deception
• there are several people I worry about, because they assume they’re fighting a righteous battle,
◦ but what they’re doing is not of God at all
– Jesus sets two characters side-by-side; one wise, the other foolish
• this is a familiar contrast in the OT wisdom literature
“The wise lay up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near” (Pr. 10:14)
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice” (Pr. 12:15)
• both characters in the parable are building a house
◦ we could take this to mean that each one is constructing a life
◦ its stability depends the the values each one adopts and the habits they form

First there is the wise man, “who built his house on the rock”

Luke records the same parable, but there Jesus tells it differently
“he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock (Lk. 6:48)
– Soren Kierkegaard wrote an essay, “Love Edifies” (builds up)
• he stresses the important first stage in building up, which is “digging down”
Kierkegaard, “It is commendable that a man, before he starts to build, should reflect on ‘how high he will be able to build his tower,’ but if he decides to build, then let him take care to dig deep . . . .”
“In the simple story about a house, a building, everyone knows what is understood by the ground and the foundation. But what is, spiritually understood, the ground and the foundation of the spiritual life which shall support the building? It is simply love; love is the origin of everything, and, Spiritually understood, love is the deepest foundation of the spiritual life.”
• as you can see, he was a poet as well as a philosopher and theologian
– of course, he was right about love being the foundation
• Jesus has stressed that all through the Sermon
• love is the righteousness that exceeds that of scribes and Pharisees (Mt. 5:20)

Jesus then describes how sturdiness of house was tested
– rain fell, floods came, and winds blew and beat on that house
• no human person is immune from trouble
◦ inconveniences fall on us
◦ trouble comes to us
◦ storms rage and blast against us
• being a minister means that we have not only our own problems,
◦ but we’re exposed to the problems of many other people
◦ illness and injury, financial problems and job insecurities,
troubled friendships and aggressive enemies
all the usual (and some unusual) anxieties of life,
as well as our own actual losses and miseries
– all these things come as trials (think of a “trial run”)
• they test the stability of our lives
◦ and we’ve seen that whatever tests us can also tempt us
◦ but if we have a firm foundation, we won’t crumble
• that is what Jesus has provided us through the entire Sermon
◦ hearing his teaching is good–that much we can take for granted
◦ but doing as he says is like “building to code”
(then, even moderate earthquakes won’t bring our house down)

Now we come to the foolish man

Jesus makes it obvious that this person paid no attention to the foundation of his house
– not only did he fail to dig down to rock bottom,
• he didn’t even bother to consider the soils composition
◦ constructing a building in Orange County requires soils test
◦ builders need to know the compaction of the ground on which they will build
• what happens when you stand on a sandy shoreline and let the water roll over your feet?
◦ the water shifts the sand under your feet and undermines your stability
– in Luke, Jesus says, the foolish builder
“built his house on the ground without a foundation” (Lk. 6:49)
Jonathan Pennington, “the difference” between the two houses “is at the hidden level of the foundation.”
• maybe no one else could see how the builder cut corners
◦ no one else knew the way he violated building codes
◦ or failed to do what he heard Jesus teach
• but eventually, the truth came out

The assault on the foolish man’s house, was exactly the same as the wise man’s house
– but the foolish man’s structure was not prepared to pass the tests
• not only did it fall, but “great was the fall of it”
• that extra notation could cause me a panic attack
◦ ultimately, his was a life that served no purpose
◦ a life that did not benefit anyone–not even himself
– the obvious questions I need to ask myself are:
• Am I living Jesus’ Sermon On the Mount?
◦ am I becoming a kinder, more merciful person?
◦ am I practicing the true righteousness of the law?
◦ am I avoiding all the ways of acting like a hypocrite?
◦ am I learning to control my anxiety
◦ am I seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness?
• Jesus has brought us back to the crossroads
◦ the narrow gate that opens to the hard way
and the wide gate that opens to the easy way
◦ the wise way and the foolish way–one is ultimate success and the other is ultimate failure

Conclusion: We are not quite done
“And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”
“When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him” Matthew 7:28-8:1

Matthew encloses Jesus’ sermon in a tidy envelope structure
– the sermon began when Jesus climbed the mountain, followed by a crowd
• and now it ends as Jesus descends the mountain, with great crowds following him
• but what stands out at the end of the Sermon, is that
“the crowds were astonished at his teaching”
and that because
“he was teaching them as one who had authority”
• how did they experience Jesus’ authority?
◦ who is Jesus? Why listen to him and then do what he says?
– Jesus exerts his authority all the way through the Sermon
• remember when he was saying (repeatedly):
“You have heard that it was said . . . . But I say to you”

Jesus, the Son of God is an astonishing person
He carries authority within himself
He doesn’t need a badge, a weapon, or a university degree
His is the truest, the most real kind of authority
The words of Jesus stay with us as we descend the mountain,
and return to the desperate crowds below
But we return with a new vision, and a transformed life
Amy-Jill Levine, “If you let the Sermon be your guide, you will not only have one foot in the kingdom of heaven but also be able to experience that kingdom in your life and in your heart.”

Podcast

Welcome and Prayer: Jim Calhoun

Come Lord join us here today

Help us remember every good thing in our lives
Full of gratitude
And giving thanks from our hearts
Especially for the people we love and who love us too
Their kindness and care
Their affection and consideration
Show us how to love them well
Better than ever before
In our gratitude

And if we have caused pain in their lives
Or there are misunderstandings
Resentments
Help us to make repairs as needed
To make amends
To set things right
To bring peace into the world
And help us find ways to resolve our concerns
Our difficulties and problems
Without causing unnecessary hurt
So that as far as it depends upon us
We can be at peace with everyone
Especially those close to us

Make your life full in ours
Help us embody your way
Knowing our healing and wholeness comes
Through loving others
And help us become the sort of people
who have the capacity to love
As you have loved us
Amen

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:21-23

Intro: We’re nearing the end of Jesus’ Sermon

I think we must admit, there have been surprises along the way
– but it has been a journey of wonder, skirting the edges of the kingdom of God
• at the same time, the Lord has exposed us, to truth that is deep and difficult
• so, what does Jesus want to say to us this morning?
– though he’s never one to sugarcoat the hard things, Jesus is being rather blunt, don’t you think?
• maybe what we hear is a tone of voice that offends
◦ we ask, Where is God’s compassion and mercy?
• if Jesus must deliver this truth, couldn’t he at least be polite?
◦ but is there a polite way to shout, “The building’s on fire”? or “Run for your lives”?
◦ when Jesus is direct and rough, even then he loves us

in these verses, Jesus does not give us new information, but a clear application
– because, if we look closely, we find all the Sermon’s central themes
• the kingdom of heaven–from the Beatitudes on
• the heavenly Father–which like the kingdom, is in Lord’s Prayer
• the will of my Father–also in the Lord’s Prayer
• the Law (here: lawlessness)–and, by implication, true righteousness
– reiterating these themes, Jesus encloses them in a classic package:
“Actions speak louder than words”
• the scale is balanced between what one “says” and “does”
◦ after he makes his point, he illustrates it with a parable
◦ and again later in Matthew with another slightly different parable

“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you” (Mt. 21:28-32)

• people can change their minds about what they’ve said
◦ but they cannot change what they’ve done or not done

V. 21, The message is simple

In fact, it shouldn’t take longer to explain than it is to read
But if some people are in for a dreadful surprise, we need to see why
– next week, Jesus tells parable about two men building houses
• he told almost the same parable another time
◦ we find that one in Luke’s gospel, where Jesus introduces his story with:
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Lk. 6:46)
◦ this is the heart of the problem; the huge inconsistency
• for now, Jesus is “Lord,” but only for those who do what he says
– entrance into the Father’s kingdom is contingent on doing what the Father says
• that is the one necessary qualification

V. 22, The credentials these people present are impressive

They do not look like your ordinary followers of Jesus
– in fact, that’s why the whole issue at the entrance to the kingdom of God is shocking
• if the miracle-workers are turned away, what hope is there for an average Christian like myself?
– I’m curious if this group will include preachers and evangelists,
• who think they’ve worked miracles in Jesus’ name
◦ and built multi-million dollar organizations with sprawling campuses and private jets
• do any of these famous, and infamous, people,
◦ assume amassing fortunes and building empires in Jesus’ name,
◦ is the sum total of what God expected of them?

Now, if you’re wondering, how a person who
– prophesied, cast out demons, and did many might works, “in Jesus’ name”
• would not make it into the kingdom of heaven, then you haven’t been paying attention!
• remember last week, “You will recognize them by their fruit” ?
◦ what fruit? — that’s the question we should be asking
– I try not to be hyper-critical – or even moderately critical,
• but there are many things people do in Jesus’ name, that have nothing to do with Jesus
◦ but everything to do with their own agenda, popularity, and profit
• they turn the name of Jesus into a banner,
◦ and wave it over their own projects and personal goals
◦ they use, and misuse, the name of Jesus to attract followers

I listen carefully to the words Jesus says,
– specifically, “On that day” – the effect those words provoke is chilling
• standing in the threshold of the kingdom of heaven,
◦ is not the place where you want to be surprised
◦ where you want to learn that you are not granted access
– what does Jesus say to these people who,
• use his name without his authorization?

V. 23, “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you’”

Now we learn what it was they were doing wrong:
“depart from me, you workers of lawlessness”
– to appreciate the point Jesus is making,
• we have to turn back a couple of pages
“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. . . . Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven . . . .For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:17-20)
• is it staring to come together for you?
– how does Jesus “fulfill” the Law and Prophets?
• by taking us below the surface of the “words” of the Law down into their intent
“You have heard that it has been said . . . . But I say to you . . . .”
◦ there is a superficial righteousness practiced by scribes and Pharisees
• Jesus revealed a greater righteousness
◦ when sifted to its essence, the Law’s true form is love (cf. Rom. 13:8-10)
◦ a righteousness that is not merely ethical or moral, but relational
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets (Mt. 22:37-40)

Repeatedly in the Sermon Jesus has brought us back to this revelation
– what is the “fruit” Jesus wants to see in us and for us to look for in others?
“the fruit of the Spirit is love” (Gal. 5:22)

One year, reading these verses left me feeling disturbed

Especially by Jesus words of rejection: “I never knew you; depart from me . . .”
– I’m sure that many of those people who hear Jesus tell them this, ask,
“How could he have never known me?”
• so I asked myself, “How can I get Jesus to know ME?”
◦ obviously, not by boasting “big” displays of power or even miracles
◦ not by making a name for myself
• the answer was right in front of me:
“do the will of my Father who is in heaven”
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love [them] and manifest myself to [them]” (Jn. 14:21)
“if anyone loves God, [they] are known by God” (1 Cor. 8:3)
– in Matthew chapter 12, Jesus redefined family
• his mother and brothers were outside wanting to speak to him
“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Mt. 12:46-50)

Conclusion: Now you and I have all we need to know

No one is going to talk or argue their way into the kingdom of heaven
Jesus knows those whose love for others is like his own
He knows those who “hear the word of God and do it”
It is the people who bear his family resemblance
In Matthew 25 we learn that Jesus is especially fond of those who
Feed people when they are hungry and have nothing to eat
Give drink to people when they are thirsty
Welcome strangers who need assistance
Clothe others when what they wear is inadequate for their need
Visit the infirm, the elderly, the prisoner

Whatever else you and I will be doing this week,
Let’s be on the lookout for someone who needs love
Don’t worry about “who” or “how” or “where” or “when”
Just show love
Be creative

Podcast

Welcome and Prayer: Jim Calhoun

Come Lord join us here today

We know that not everyone who calls on your name is known by you.
Help us Lord
We know that flashy public displays of devotion are empty
Help us Lord
We know it is easier to pretend to be your follower than it is to follow you in our bodies, in our lives, moment by moment, day by day
Help us Lord
We know that it is easy to deceive ourselves, justify ourselves, and wear a mask that is acceptable in our circles but buffers us from your calling
Help us Lord
We know that common sense, the status quo, and standard operating procedures can lead us away from you
Help us Lord
We know that money and wealth and power are calling for our devotion
Help us Lord
We know your yoke is easy and that picking up our cross is a sacrifice
Help us Lord

Help us Lord
Help us know you and to be known by you
Make this our first thought, the organizing principle in our lives
Letting go of our other ambitions
Our claims to righteousness on our own terms

Instead let us be found loving others
Not blaming
Not demeaning
Not criticizing
Not condemning
Not judging
Heal our impatience
Heal our pride
Heal our anxiety
Heal our anger
Heal our loathing

Let us be found loving
Which is worthy of you
Loving the poor
Loving those without enough food and water, in war zones, in regions with famine, in the schools where there is chronic poverty
Loving the sick, the mentally ill, the addicted
Loving those in jail and prison
Loving strangers, aliens, foreigners
Those different, from other places, with different ways and different languages
Loving forgotten people,
Elderly, homeless, orphans, those emotionally isolated, and those living alone

Help us Lord
Let our faith be simple and true
Quiet and content
Let us be found loving
Give us a little something to do
Not all of it at once
Nothing too big
But our little opportunity to
Live life giving honor to you
And all you have done for us
Amen

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15

Intro: Before we explore what Jesus is saying in these verses,

There are three issues that need to be addressed
First:
– belonging to a church family can sometimes be devastating
• I’ve met people whose first real family was their church
◦ it became their lifeline, until one day it fractured
◦ an angry and hostile faction split the church
• those on sidelines were so disillusioned, and so hurt,
◦ they never ventured into another church
◦ their church became their second destructive and dysfunctional family
– a similar sadness occurs when we discover a particular religious leader’s true colors,
• when the mask comes off and the real person is exposed
◦ maybe they were with us during a difficult time,
◦ maybe they quoted scripture and prayed with us
but now we see them for what they are
• perhaps what happened is they began as a sincere minister, but changed over time,
◦ or maybe they always had a different agenda from what their spiritual role required
◦ either way, eventually their true commitments and concerns came to the surface
“He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me . . . and I lay down my life for the sheep” (Jn. 10:12-14)
– so we need to be aware that the discovery of a false prophet is not only dangerous,
• it can also be very sad

Second:
There’s never been a time when Jesus’ warning wasn’t relevant
– it seems especially relevant for us in our own times
• I think this will be come clear as we work through it

Third
– how do we harmonize what Jesus says here this with verse 1?
“Judge not, that you be not judged”
• aren’t we “judging” a person when identify them as a false prophet?
• we will try to tackle this question now

Take a close look at the words Jesus uses

In verse 16 he says, “You will recognize them” – and the same thing again in v. 20
– condemning someone is not the same as recognizing someone for what they are
• but Jesus says, Do not judge, at the beginning of this section as a warning for us,
◦ because it’s almost always the first thing we do
(it is in our human neural system to immediately judge if a person or situation is dangerous or safe)
◦ “judge not” is a reminder; it is a practice that creates a boundary
◦ “recognize,” but don’t pass judgment (condemn)
• if someone poses a threat to the community, we must be aware of that
“I appeal to you, [my friends], to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the [teaching] that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive” (Rom. 16:17-18)
– when Jesus pronounced his predictions of what was to come,
• the very first words he spoke were:
“See that no one leads you astray” – further into his talk he says,
“And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” – and, again,
“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand” (Mt. 24:4, 11, 24)
◦ we have to exercise discernment and recognize the danger
◦ but we also need to proceed with caution and with safeguards
• that means we must harness our attitude, indignation, and self-righteousness
“Brothers and sisters, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore [them] in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Gal. 6:1)

“Beware of False Prophets”

I’m convinced, many Christians in U.S. do not take this seriously
– some of us are eager to follow anyone with generous promises
• that our every prayer will be answered,
◦ that we’ll enjoy prosperity or uninterrupted happiness
• or we’re suckers for religious celebrities and follow them around
◦ we confuse personal charisma for God’s anointing
◦ or we think the gifted Bible teacher is the one who entertains us
– perhaps we imagine a false prophet would look sinister
• not like that nice woman always inviting people to her home for meals
◦ or a false prophet wouldn’t quote scripture (especially not by heart)
◦ or it couldn’t be the televangelist with millions of followers
(in our American culture we frequently confuse material success and a large following with God’s blessing. We forget the Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head)
• anyone posing as a servant or messenger of God, can turn out to be a fraud
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 Jn. 4:1)

The false prophets who become cult leaders are typically very demanding
– in the same era as Jesus Movement two large cults emerged
• the Unification Church (founded by Sun Myung Moon)
and the Children of God (founded by David “Moses” Berg)
◦ they were demanding of their followers and treated them harshly
• their devotees were required to abandon their families, live in compounds, and turn their belongings over to the cult
◦ each morning they were driven into cities in fans to canvas the streets with tracts and beg for money to support their cult
– other false prophets are nicer and we meet them at the wide gate or on the easy trail (cf. v. 13)
• these leaders are kinder and oftentimes charming
“And no wonder,” Paul says, “for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:14-15)

Can you feel the tension in the two words, false-prophet?
– there should be no such thing
• yet they have appeared everywhere in biblical history and in the world
◦ Moses was already warning Israel against false prophets at founding of their religion (De. 13:1-3; 18:20)
◦ and they appear, with great influence, in the Book of Revelation
• what is most upsetting to me, is false prophets prey on innocent and vulnerable people
◦ they have compunction about exploiting people’s love for God – or fear of God
– in a sermon one Sunday morning, at least forty years ago, I said,
“You don’t have to send money to televangelists or religious organizations that send you newsletters, telling you that you must support them to carry on their mission. Most of them are already well-funded.”
• afterward, an elderly woman took my hand, looked in my eyes, and said,
“Thank you, so much. I needed to hear that”

Jesus returns to a familiar theme in his Sermon

Wolves in sheep’s clothing illustrate his emphasis on integrity
– he insists that our exterior life must be consistent with our interior life
• in this instance, the contrast is extreme and intentional — wolves and sheep
• they “look right” and at first they seem to fit in
◦ but the exterior is a disguise worn in a deliberate attempt to deceive others
– Jesus describes them a “ravenous” – greedy, insatiable
• some of them have a voracious appetite for money, others for power and total control
“I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30)

To help us recognize false prophets, , Jesus switches metaphors
“You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire Matthew 7:16-19

My suspicion is aroused when I hear a teacher give a flawed interpretation of scripture
– then, instead of using discernment, I make an assumption–and I “judge” that person
• but the truth is, no one has the one perfect interpretation of the entire Bible
• unfortunately, I also tend to make snap judgments regarding a person’s political stance
– so what are some legitimate criteria of fruit inspection?
▫ when people promote themselves, like Simon who we find “saying he himself was someone great” (Acts 8:9)
▫ “jealousy and strife” and “selfish ambition” (1 Cor. 3:3; Jas. 3:14-16)
▫ people who create and foment conflict (Jas. 4:1-2)
▫ seriously bad teaching – for instance, those who dismiss the Sermon on Mount, saying it doesn’t apply to Jesus’ followers today
– or who dismiss judgment Jesus describes in Mt. 25:31-46 “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me”
▫ all of Matthew chapter 23 provides examples
▫ then there is the ongoing care for orphans, widows, and resident aliens, repeated frequently (De. 24:19-21; Jas. 1:26)
▫ when a religious leader causes followers to suffer physical, financial, relational, or emotional damage

We find In Galatians 5 a famous list of the fruit of the Spirit
– not just one fruit, but more like a fruit salad
• fruits carry seeds that reproduce more fruit, so the DNA of love produces more love,
the DNA of joy produces more joy, the DNA of peace produces more peace, etcetera
• we can ask regarding leaders and followers (and ourselves):
◦ what does the fruit of love look like?
what does the fruit of joy look like?
◦ and so on, through the whole list
– in verse 19 we learn the destiny of false prophets;
• they’re not going anywhere

Conclusion: Jesus gives a recap in v. 20,
“Thus you will recognize them by their fruits”

Not by their clothing, their big Bibles or pious demeanor
(Jesus told us already in chapter 6, looks can be for show, not for God)
Not by their success, their religious jargon, or their passion
But especially by their love (see also John 13:37-38)
Amy-Jill Levine, “Leave the walking on water to Jesus; instead, feed the hungry. Leave the signs and wonders to the prophets of Israel and John the Baptist; instead, clothe the naked. Leave the deeds of power, the ‘mighty works of God,’ to God; instead, welcome the stranger. To do that is miracle enough.”

Podcast

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” Matthew 7:12-14

Intro: You may hear something today you haven’t heard before

So I’m going to try to make this as clear as possible
– we need to consider the larger context that surrounds and informs verses 12-14
• not only the context of this chapter, but in Jesus’ entire Sermon
– the first big idea is this:
• the key to interpreting these verses is love
• it may not look like it at first, so we jump to other verses to shed light on these
◦ but those similarities turn out to be coincidence and not real connections
◦ if we stay with the themes of the Sermon, we will see how these verses fit

Three times in Matthew we find the phrase, “the Law and the Prophets”
– two of those times occur here in the Sermon
• in one other place he says “the Prophets and the Law” — reversing the order
◦ there Jesus is referring to John the Baptist’s ministry, and he said,
“For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John” (Mt. 11:13)
◦ so maybe that is why he mentioned the Prophets first
• otherwise, here is what Jesus says,

1. “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” (Mt. 5:17)
2. “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Mt. 7:12)
3. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Mt. 22:36-40)
   • in the first quote Jesus adds, “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”
     • we saw, that doesn’t mean we have to obey more rules,
     ◦ or we have to be more strict, or more religious than they were
     ◦ our righteousness must be of a different kind than the scribes’ and Pharisees’
     • ours must integrate both our heart and our actions
     ◦ we can’t put on our practice of righteousness for show
   • but the most important distinction is the nature of righteous
     • it is not primarily ethical or moral, but relational
     ◦ and that’s what we learn from the two other quotes
     ◦ the essence of the Law and Prophets is the way of love
     • Jesus takes love to an extreme degree: love your enemy
     ◦ love fulfills every law and every prophetic pronouncement
     “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Gal. 5:14)
     “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Ro. 13:8)
   • this is the righteousness that exceeds scribes and Pharisees
     • this is the background and context for our verses today
     • and that’s why I say, key to interpreting these verses is love

Jesus packs the essence of entire Sermon into a proverb
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12

A proverb is one of our most useful “memory tools”
– wisdom is packaged into a short verse, of generally two lines
• “A bird in the hand . . .” – “A stitch in time . . .”
◦ if you’re as old as I am, you probably know two dozen proverbs or more
• if I were to ask, “What is a simple way to love my neighbor as myself?”
◦ an easy reminder is,
“Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them”
– the message is so clear, that I don’t need to explain it
• all we need is the reminder
◦ however, some people love to find (or create) complications
• for instance, a lawyer asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life
◦ Jesus proved that he already knew the answer, by asking him,
“What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Lk. 10:26-27)
◦ but after Jesus told him “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live,” the lawyer, wanting to embarrass Jesus with a tricky question, asked him, “And who is my neighbor?”
• this is a classic maneuver – it even has a name: “equivocate”
◦ it creates problems where there are none
◦ lawyers are especially adept at using it (to confuse a witness or a jury)

Please bear with me, because I don’t mean to offend, but clarify
– when we quote the scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself”
• many people will say, “But what if I hate myself?”
◦ they turn the quote into a psychological dilemma
◦ it suggests that we must first learn to love ourselves
• the Bible assumes that each of us do love ourselves
◦ only sometimes does biblical love refer to an emotion or feeling
◦ usually it refers to the way we behave toward someone or take care of others
“For no one ever hated [their] own body, but nourishes and cherishes it” (Ep. 5:29)
– if it’s true, that I don’t like myself, why not?
• is it because I want so much more for myself? believe I could be so much more?
◦ is it because I’m not satisfied with who I am, or pleased with what I am?
◦ these are all indications of our normal self-love
• in my deepest depression, when I just wanted to die, I may have felt like I hated myself,
◦ but it was because I loved myself that I could not stand to live in so much misery

If what I’ve said isn’t convincing, then forget it
– we can come at this another way
• let’s say you can’t love others as you love yourself
• well, Jesus has an alternative for you–a new commandment!
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (Jn. 13:34)
◦ (that’s enough to make me want to love others as myself! Jesus’ love for us cost him his life)
– Jesus hasn’t left room for excuses–as if we don’t know how to love
• the last thing we read last week was, as imperfect as we are, we still know how to give good gifts to our children
◦ being imperfect (evil) might be a valid excuse not to love
◦ but even still, we know what it means to do good
• we also know when someone has done something good for us
◦ and this can be something as simple as a pleasant smile

In these next two verses, Jesus does not change the subject
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate s narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” Matthew 12:13-14

Jesus is still concerned with how we treat others
– that it is with love
• look, Jesus has already taught us, “Love your enemies”
• few of us are capable of doing this–or willing to do it
◦ and we’d never even consider if he had not said it
– Jesus instructions are clear; that is not the problem
• our difficulty is that it’s not easy to follow his instructions
◦ it’s like trying to squeeze through a narrow gate

Jesus is not an easy leader to follow
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mt. 16:24)
– back in the days of the Jesus Movement, we sang this verse
• the words were put to a cute and lively tune,
• as if it were no big deal to die to ourselves and live for God
– the way of the Lord is hard – we don’t choose it because it’s easy,
• but because it is the only way to please God
◦ the only way to find and to be our true self
• Jesus is the way, the truth and the life
◦ in him we find truth, goodness, and beauty — and that is what we become

First, Jesus tells us, “Enter by the narrow gate”
– enter, where? – what new place are we moving into?
• perhaps the answer is in verse 21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven . . . .”
Or, “. . . unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:20)
• Luke records a similar statement Jesus made in answer to a quest
“And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able’” (Lk. 13:23-24)
◦ the other side of the narrow gate is life–the eternal life of the kingdom of heaven
– showing love to others is the narrow gate
• if we find it difficult to live out the teaching of Jesus, we’re probably on the right trail
• in the Scriptures, there are always two ways
◦ and we are always given the choice of which one to take

Conclusion: I wish I could offer my own life as a better example

I’m still learning to broaden the range of my love for others,
and I a frequently forgetting to do that
Jesus said that there are few who “find” their way to life
So if we’re having a hard time finding it, what can we do
Ask – the same as last week – ask for directions
Seek – when we’re around others, look for the opportunity
Knock – a door will open somewhere
and when it does, squeeze through

Podcast

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened Matthew 7:7-8

Intro: Before we explore what God has for us in these verses,

We need to address a misconception about what Jesus is promising
– reading these verses closely, something piqued my curiosity
• in verse 7 Jesus encourages us to ask, seek, and knock
• then verse 8 is a virtual repetition of verse 7, only it’s more like a guarantee
◦ is is as though Jesus is saying, “Do this! You’ll see that it works”
– then–as if that were not enough–Jesus adds an illustration
• we’ll come to that in a moment, but the point is we can count on God’s favorable response
• why does Jesus make this effort to convince us to go to the Father to ask, seek, and knock?

I’m only guessing here, but perhaps his prompting is because
– he knows his promise will sound unbelievable to us
• after so many prayers that weren’t answered as we wanted, so many disappointments
◦ he knows we’ll naturally resist his instructions
• but he wants us to return to a childlike confidence in him and in our heavenly Father
– anyone who has walked with God for a few years, knows that they’ve prayed legitimate prayers,
that were denied
• a better job, rent before the end of the month, a child’s healing, or an end to famine or war
• we prayed so many failed prayers that we stopped believing – stopped asking for things
◦ and this in spite of the parable Jesus taught us that we should always pray and not lose heart (Lk. 18:1-8)

If we stick with prayer, in time we discover there are rules

If John had not told us, we would have figured it out anyway
“. . . this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (1 Jn. 5:14-15)
– of course we learned this already from Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, “Not my will, but yours be done”
• naturally, God will not to do just anything for us or give us anything contrary to his will
– so what I’m poking at here, is the possibility,
• Jesus is trying to get around our disappointments, our discouragement, and our giving up on prayer
• here he’s not thinking of prayer in general (like the “Lord’s Prayer”)
◦ but prayer with a specific goal or concern
◦ and he’s telling us, there are prayers God is always willing to answer

What did we learn last week about chapter 7, its main subject?

Jesus is teaching us how to deal with the challenge of other people
– after we get through today’s passage, Jesus next statement begins with “So” or “therefore”
• today’s lesson leads into the next one–and what is that?
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (v. 12)
◦ as I said last week, this is “ground control” for whole chapter
• this is the context Jesus creates for “ask,” “seek,” “knock”
◦ God will definitely give us this kind of help when we go to him for it
◦ he’ll show us how to reach and respond to other people

Every person you will ever meet is a mystery

Even someone you’ve known for years can surprise you
– and we haven’t a clue what to expect from people we don’t know
• perhaps that’s why we refer to them as “strangers”
◦ their behavior, at first, looks “strange” to us – until we get to know them
• we must look just as strange to people who don’t know us
– some of you remember Tim Eba
• he was everybody’s friend
◦ even if you were unsure of him at your first encounter, he would soon win you over
• very few of us are like that
◦ I think the majority of us form friendships with specific types of people
◦ we stay with a circle that is familiar and closed
Clique: “a small group of people, with shared interests or other features in common, who spend time together and do not readily allow others to join them”

Jesus has already told us that our love has to cross boundaries

“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Mt. 5:46-47)
– we can get charged up on challenges like this,
• but as soon as we walk into a coffee shop, we clam up
• other people are just too different
◦ we don’t know how to read them or what to make of them
◦ but, still, people need to hear and to know
. . . in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect (1 Pe. 3:15)

I’m going to back-up for a moment
– some people are dangerous
• if they do not pose a physical threat,
• they may still not be safe and should not be trusted
– Jesus began this section with “Judge not”
• that doesn’t mean we can’t recognize when a person’s done wrong
• what it means is we can’t stop caring about them or praying for them
◦ that we can’t write them off or give up hope for them
◦ it also means we can avoid them or set boundaries if necessary

But when it comes to others who are safe,
– how do we relate to them if they have walls up?
• what about the person who’s closed off?
◦ who is always angry and irritated?
◦ who only wants to argue and not to listen?
• what about all those we love who don’t know God?
◦ who could really use God’s love and help
◦ whose lives could be so much more if they knew and trusted him?

Ask God for his help in establishing a rapport with them
– to walk you into a conversation that will build a bridge
• or create trust and form a bond
• begin with prayer – for the person and for yourself
Seek the wisdom God is willing to share with you
– I think of Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at the well
• she was at first sarcastic – then offended and shut off
• but Jesus worked his way through all that and found her heart
– earlier, Jesus told us to seek the kingdom of God
• we can seek God’s kingdom in every conversation
• I found his kingdom this week in two remarkable conversations
Knock at God’s door before knocking on any other door
– Jesus promises that God will open to you
• sometimes, what God does for you is this:
◦ he uses someone else or something else–like a dream–to speak to you
• or God works in the other person’s heart to bring them to you

Just in case we need more encouragement . . .
“Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11

In this example, when Jesus refers to us as evil, he is using hyperbole
– that is to say, he is exaggerating the case to make a point
• we’re not perfect, but we know what to give our kids when they ask for something to eat
• a few weeks ago I explained a rabbinical form of argument
◦ from the lesser to the greater–“how much more”
◦ Jesus used it again here
“How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him”
– can you see that Jesus is really earnest in wanting us to know that God will give us the help we need?
• the Greek text does not have “good things” –simply “good”
◦ God gives us the good, whatever that might be, when we ask
• in Luke’s gospel where Jesus makes the same statement, he says,
“how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Lk. 11:13)

Conclusion: To get to know other people and how to help them,

We don’t have to become psychologists
What we need is to have open hearts;
open to God and open to others
God already knows everyone – and what everyone needs
Our part, yours and mine, is to trust him, be available to him,
and to ask and to seek and to knock

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Welcome and Prayer: Jim Calhoun

Come Lord and join us today
We thank you for our time together
For this community
For our shared lives

Some of our number are ill today
Some are struggling with new and sudden symptoms
Some are living with ongoing, chronic conditions
Some are facing the end of their lives
And some just don’t know where they stand.

We ask you hold each and every one with your everlasting care
Envelope them in your grace and mercy
Give them strength to persevere
Give them courage to face their situation
Give them wisdom to make the best choices for them and for their families
Bring healing into their bodies
Give their bodies rest
Ease their pain
Clear their minds

And bring healing to their hearts
Grant them peace
Restore their spirits
Help them to tie up the loose ends of their lives
Warm and repair broken relationships
Let forgiveness flow from them and to them
Release them from their worry, their anxiety and their fear
Set each on the path of freedom with you and in you.

And for family and friends and caregivers we also pray
Grant them cheerful hearts, optimism, joy
As they love their people though these days
Help them rest and not fret
Comfort their sorrow
Lead them with discernment
Fill them with strength.

We know that sometimes this life brings suffering and we don’t like it
We also know that we never suffer alone
That you are with us
Caring for us
Welcoming us
And preparing a way for us.
For this we depend upon you
And for this we thank you
Amen

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

Judge not, that yo be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measured you use it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2

Intro: Until recently, whenever I came to this chapter I felt lost

I was able to follow the continuity of Jesus’ Sermon this far,
– but I was not able to see how chapter 7 fit with what came before it
• I assumed that our Lord chose to add these random lessons as an afterthought
◦ but I made a mistake, and that was thinking I had come to a new chapter
◦ and the new chapter appeared different from the previous chapters
• but the truth is that the chapter breaks in the Bible are artificial
◦ they weren’t inserted in the Scriptures until 16th century
◦ this created the illusion of one thought ending and a new thought beginning
– the thread of the Sermon’s central themes continue through chapter 7 to the end
• previously, Jesus had been teaching his disciples with their spiritual development in view:
◦ this included:
The revelation of a true righteousness
Offering service to God without seeking recognition from others
How to eliminate anxiety by seeking first the kingdom of God
• now he makes a slight turn
◦ from our personal and internal development to relational issues
◦ in chapter 7, Jesus gives us the scoop on other people

This section is complicated, because the challenges we face with people are diverse
– there are all sorts of people that enter our lives
• our encounters with them differ, from healthy to toxic, from close to distant, from edifying to tearing down
• we need basic insights regarding how to respond to the great variety of human interactions
– I do not know why Jesus chose to address the specific issues in this chapter
• however, we might note that some of his sayings in this chapter have become famous
◦ like, “Judge not” – and, especially, the “Golden Rule,”
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (v.12)
◦ and this verse is actually crux of this entire last section of the Sermon

Unfortunately, this first “judge not” rule brings out the worst in us

There is no other verse in the Bible that motivates Fundamentalist Christians to work so hard to prove Jesus did not mean what he said
– and they have invented all sorts of reasons why we must judge others
– making judgments about people is built into our neurology
• our bodies are constantly on the lookout for danger
◦ we learn by experience that certain things cause pain (fire)
◦ and certain people can hurt our feelings – or worse
• we cannot turn off this automatic and mostly unconscious reactivity
◦ but we can learn to harness it, control it
– to be honest, this verse is a hornet’s nest for us
• the word “judge” has several layers of meaning
◦ the same is true for the Greek word – krino
◦ it means to separate, distinguish, discern, and condemn
A. T. Roberson, “Our word critic is from this very word.”
◦ it can also refer to bias or prejudice
• so which meaning does it have here?
◦ that has to be determined by the context and other passages that address the same issue
◦ the way I read it, to “judge” here means:
to observe the words and actions of another person
evaluate what we have observed
form a negative opinion of the person (as well as their words or actions)
and then condemn that person
• Paul, however, had this word of advice for the Corinthians:
“Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart” (1 Cor. 4:5)

We do the wrong kind of judging when:
– we look at a person’s appearance and form a negative opinion of them
“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” (Jn. 7:24)
– we have a critical spirit (we’re bent on finding fault with others)
– when we’re overly concerned with what others are doing
– when we condemn the actions of others and those who perform those actions
Jesus told the Pharisees, who had criticized his disciples for violating their Sabbath rules, “if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless” (Mt. 12:8)
– when we write someone off as hopeless of salvation
(the verse that doesn’t get quoted as often as its twin: John 3:16)
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world may be saved through him” (Jn. 3:17)
• Jesus would not be a Savior if he came to condemn
◦ condemning a person does not do them any good
◦ we’re ambassadors of mercy
• can you imagine Jesus telling you, “stay in your own lane”?
“Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them . . . [and] said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!’” (Jn. 21:20-22)

Jesus gives us an excellent reason to not judge others
“For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you” Matthew 7:2

Many years ago, a carpenter in the church volunteered to make a wooden pulpit (lectern) for the platform (stage). When he brought it to the church, I was surprised by his craftsmanship. I did not know he could do finish carpentry, and I blurted out, “I didn’t know you had it in you.” He just gave me a funny look.
Some time later, he dropped by the church while I was building a dividing wall in our office. When he came in and saw me working on it, he went out to his truck and held his level against one of the two-by-fours in the wooden frame. The wall was plumb. He smiled and said, “Wow, Chuck, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

If I’m hyper-critical of someone, if I’m unforgiving of faults,
– God will use the same rigid and precise standard on me
• if we dump a pound of judgment on someone else, we receive a pound of judgment on our selves
◦ if we dump a ton of judgment on someone one else . . . !
• here’s my question:
◦ How merciful do you want God to be with you?
◦ that is how merciful you will need to be with others
– let that sink in
• We can put this verse side-by-side with what Jesus said earlier
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Mt. 6:14)
“For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you”
◦ you get what you give, and to the same degree
◦ I find this the strongest motivation for showing mercy
• sometimes being merciful is difficult
◦ especially when someone persists in doing wrong to you or a loved one
◦ but it is strangely liberating to show mercy
to let go of the feeling that we need to criticize or condemn
◦ something is lifted off of our shoulders

I imagine Jesus saying these lines with a smile
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5

If you try to picture it, you get a scene out of the Three Stooges
– here we have a spiritual optical illusion
• the tiny dust particle of someone else’s wrong doing or wrong thinking looks like it requires immediate fixing
◦ while our giant flaws are hardly noticeable
• perhaps Jesus is still smiling when he says, “You hypocrite!”
◦ “You stage-actor” — “What a great performance. You play the role of a saint really well”
– before you try to help someone improve their sight, check your own vision first
• regarding the Pharisees, Jesus told the disciples,
“Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Mt. 15:15)

Now does Jesus immediately qualify what he said or contradict himself?
“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not through your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” Matthew 7:6

Jonathan Pennington says this is “the most difficult verse to understand in the sermon.”
I agree, and lots of people have problems with it
– but it’s not that difficult to decipher, if you look closely
• some people assume Jesus is immediately judging people
• referring to them as dogs or pigs
– I think it’s sad when a person has no imagination
• they probably find it difficult to understand poetry and art
◦ poetry is a kind of painting with words; using metaphors especially
• the Hebrew Scriptures are rich with word pictures and colorful allusions
◦ now look at the images Jesus uses in this verse:
◦ dogs, what is holy, pearls, and pigs

Jesus is not throwing insults at people
– the point he’s making is that dogs can’t appreciate holy objects
• give a crucifix to a dog and if he does anything with it, he chews it up
– likewise, pigs don’t have any interest in pearls
• throw pearls at wild boars and they’ll attack you to defend themselves
Amy-Jill Levine, “Disciples are to be generous and compassionate; they are not to be stupid.”
– some people couldn’t care less about what’s precious to us
• we’re wasting our breath talking about Jesus, and at the same time we’re irritating them
• we don’t want to create unnecessary barriers, as we do when we judge
◦ or preach at others when they don’t want to hear it
– Jesus is teaching us about building bridges and setting boundaries

Conclusion: There are people I’ve forgiven what they did to me — one hundred times or more

But, sadly, my perspective of them is still colored by their actions
I forgive them, but don’t respect them
I acknowledge them, but want to be around them
If today they asked for my support, I could not give it to them
I want God’s Spirit to work at that level of my heart
And so I pray for myself, and for you too,
that God’s light will go deep and drive out all the darkness
that lingers still within in us

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Welcome and Prayer: Jim Calhoun

Come Lord join us here today
Please Lord, let us be of help.
Let us be your hands or your feet
Let us be your strong back to help lift and carry
Your tender shoulder for tears and comfort
Let us be your smile
Your safe and warm hug
Your knowing nod
Your welcome
Your full acceptance
Your compassion

Let us be a little bit of strength when someone needs it
Calm, patient when things are falling apart
Let us be your grace
Your generosity
Your wallet if need be
Let us be your selflessness
Your sacrifice, living in our bodies
If need be

And kindness,
Lord let us be your kindness
Let us be your gentleness
Let us be your mercy
When folk are afraid
Overwhelmed
Undone
When people are running out of hope
Place us there
Side by side with you
And be rock solid
Steady
Still
Make us like that,
Transform us
Teach us,
Move us,
Compel us Lord

Let us be your joy
Let us be your love
Let us, Lord,
Please
Let us be of help

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33

Intro: Did you know, many Christians avoid the Sermon On the Mount?

The problem is that they misread the Sermon
– they think Jesus demands a perfection that is beyond us
• what actually happens in the Sermon is that it empowers us
◦ we learn the way of sincerity, integrity, and mercy
• whatever else it might mean to be Christian,
◦ above all, it means to be a “good person”
◦ loving, caring, helping, serving
– I feel that what we go over today can’t be “just another talk”
• we need to know how to get Jesus’ teaching into our hearts, and minds, and our everyday lives
• this verse, that I skimmed over last week,
◦ teaches us where we need to go from here

By now we should be familiar with two key words in this verse

Kingdom and righteousness – we first encounter them in Beatitudes
– in this verse Jesus puts them together
• righteousness is a central concern in the kingdom of God
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17)
– there is a third important word in this verse: “seek”
• Jesus uses seek in the Sermon only two times
◦ first time, is in verse 32 (a slight difference; same word intensive)
• we encounter this concept frequently in the Old Testament
◦ God wants us to come looking for him
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually! (Ps. 105:4)
Seek the LORD while he may be found (Isa. 55:6)

What is it that Jesus expects us to do?

I think it’s obvious that he wants us to live the Sermon
– to put God before everything else
• and that means we live on the outside is what we are on the inside
• it means being the light of the world and salt of the earth
• it means being kindness and compassion, forgiveness and substantial help
◦ Jesus is concerned with doing a lot of internal work with us
◦ that is where integrity begins
– to seek the kingdom of God does not mean to be religious
• I heard that at the National Prayer Breakfast,
◦ two speakers stressed America needed more religion
◦ more religion is Taliban, Isis, an oppressive government like Iran
• to the church in Rome that was divided by religion, Paul said (again),
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17)
◦ God’s righteousness has been what the Sermon is all about to this point
◦ righteousness is “right relationship”

There is another part to seeking the kingdom of God

When Jesus first preached the kingdom, he said its “at hand” (Mt. 4:17)
– what does that mean?
• in Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested, told disciples
“See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed . . .” (Mt. 26:45)
◦ Matthew goes on to say,
“While he was still speaking, Judas came . . . and with him a great crowd . . .” (Mt. 26:47)
◦ “at hand” means it is happening already
• this is the mystery of the kingdom (Mt. 13:11)
“The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Lk. 17:20-21)
• we’re not sitting around waiting for the kingdom to arrive
◦ it’s already arrived, present with us in the here and now
– to seek the kingdom is to develop an awareness of its presence
• God hasn’t yet brought the fullness of his kingdom into our world
◦ but it is here in a way that it wasn’t before Jesus came
• awareness of its presence strengthens and sustains us

In our Lectio Divina, we’ve been in the parables of the kingdom

I want to demonstrate something about Jesus’ parables
– after Jesus cleared the temple of money changers,
• the chief priests and scribes came up to him and demanded,
“Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who is it that gave you this authority” (Lk. 20:1-2)
◦ since they were in charge, they knew he wasn’t authorized by the high priest or anyone else in charge of the temple and its services
• had they been sincere, he would’ve given a suitable answer no doubt
◦ but he knew with their mind-set, they’d reject any answer
◦ so he dodged giving an answer by asking them a question
– but then in his next move, Jesus did answer their question
• but he did it with a parable

And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone’? (Lk. 20:9-17)

◦ a story gave them an opportunity to hear his answer outside their preconceptions
◦ for instance, where did the vineyard owner’s son get his authority?

Jesus changed the context so that they could understand his answer!

• our challenge with being aware of the kingdom here, now, is that our culture is dominated by a materialistic worldview
◦ if it can’t be seen, measured, quantified it doesn’t exist
◦ but the message of the kingdom reveals another dimension beyond our four-dimensional universe
◦ there is a larger reality that the one in which we live our daily lives

Jesus used his parables to create for us a new context,
– one that would helps us grasp the idea of an invisible heavenly kingdom
• he explained this to his disciples
Then the disciples came to him and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Mt. 13:10-11)
• something has to happen with us, in us
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:3)
◦ Nicodemus reacted just like his fellow Pharisees, priests and elders; i.e., within his own narrow context
◦ so Jesus spoke even more seriously,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (Jn. 3:5-6)
– I’m convinced, there is no expert here, no one with an easy answer or exercise to open our minds and hearts to the reality of God’s kingdom
Lonnie Frisbee, “We fail our way into the kingdom of God”
(I would say, “stumble our way into,” but same idea
• for me, the most difficult part is quieting my mind
◦ in the theater, before a movie begins, we hear, “Silence your cell phones”
◦ it is so difficult at first, but we can learn silence our minds and hearts to better hear God
(sometimes music can also be helpful — 2 Kings 3:15-16!)

Jesus does give us some idea of what might help awaken us to God’s kingdom

In the same chapter where Jesus said
“How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
he also said,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it” (Lk. 18:17-24)

How do children receive gifts? I’m guessing here, but it seems to me:
– With a sense of ownership
It’s only when they get older they ask, “Is this for me”? or “Can I keep it?” Other wise, what’s handed to them becomes theirs
– With curiosity
This motivates them to explore and to ask questions, like, “What does this do?” or “How do I open it?”
– With a feeling of bonding with the giver
They assume the giver’s love or care for them
– With trust in both the gift and the giver
– With eagerness
Have you seen posts on social media of children receiving an unexpected gift? It is so unbelievable to them that they were actually given a puppy, for instance. It can move you to tears

Conclusion: A word of caution

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go it (Mt. 23:13)

There are blog sites and video streams hosted by religious watch dogs,
who take it upon themselves to warn us of worldly dangers
These are often people who haven’t experienced God for themselves,
and make certain to close the door to others who want to experience God’s kingdom
We can find an entrance into the kingdom in every present moment
Jesus invites us to enter the kingdom, with the promise:
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (Lk. 12:32)

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Welcome and Prayer: Jim Calhoun

Come Lord join us here today.

Thank you for the times when we know we are doing as you have asked us
When we know that feeling bad doesn’t mean we are bad
That you hold us close
Make all things,
Including ourselves, new
You restore
You rebuild
You rejuvenate
You repair us

And sometimes we see the fruit
When something true becomes clear to another person who had been resisting it
When souls are gladdened by affection, attention, care
When hope is rekindled
When grief is lightened for a few moments by kindness
When others willingly, gladly pick up our burdens to share.
When hearts connect and share the desire to be good and useful
When people long to help and serve
When battles end
And the fighting stops
And the possibilities of new paths forward open up
And the ways of gentleness make their mark
And patience is rewarded
And joy is found and held tight
We thank you and thank you.
Amen

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Matthew 6:25

Intro: Jesus is explaining and extending what he had said in verse 21
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

In scripture, the heart can have several meanings
– here, it isn’t the physical organ that pumps blood through our bodies
• nor is it exclusively the seat of our feelings or emotions
• here the heart is the central hub of our entire inner life
◦ our perspectives, perceptions, and assumptions
◦ our thoughts, feelings, and emotions
◦ our needs, desires, and drives
◦ our motives, intentions, and habits
◦ our actions and reactions, beliefs, and commitments
– the heart stands for your complete interior “person”
• what Jesus wants is for our hearts to belong to God
◦ and that’s where we left off
◦ his last point is that we cannot serve both a heavenly Father and a materialistic god
• now Jesus’ links that statement with his next lesson, using the word “therefore”
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious”
◦ Jesus may be hinting that anxiety can be a form of worshiping materialistic deities
◦ a kind of service that the god of this world would extract from people

So what do we do when anxieties rise within us?

Because they do! Anxieties are as natural as joy and sadness
– first of all, everyone experiences stress – it’s a normal condition of life
• we don’t all experience it the same way or to same degree
◦ and not everyone deals with stress in the same way
◦ but our bodies react to anything perceived as a threat
Stephen Porges, “Our nervous system functions as a sentry by continuously evaluating risk in the environment. Through neural surveillance mechanisms . . . our brain identifies features of risk or safety.”
• anything perceived as a threat triggers instant two-way communication between the brain and our internal organs
◦ this is automatic and usually unconscious–at least initially
◦ fear often presents itself in forms of anxiety and worry
– there’s also good news regarding how anxiety can be regulated
• we can help each other relax and de-stress
Porges, “In the context of caregiving, the quality of the person-to-person interactions between a caregiver and those being cared for is critical for survival. ¶ Under optimal conditions, person-to-person interactions can be triggers within the human nervous system for adaptive biobehavioral systems that support health and healing. Both the giving and receiving of caregiving or love has the capacity to protect, heal, and restore.”
• this is the challenge of Jesus’ teaching in this part of Sermon
◦ what will we do with our anxiety when it is stirred up?

First, we need to enlarge our perspective on the issues

Negative emotions create tunnel vision
– we get fixated on problems and our limited resources
• so first Jesus asks us,
“Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
◦ the “miracle” is life itself and the body that is alive
• it’s interesting to me, Matthew doesn’t use a typical Greek word for “life” (such as bio or zoe )
◦ instead, he used psyche – “soul”; this is more than something that just lives and breathes
◦ even plants do that
– the soul is the living person,
• with all their quirks, and ideas, and dreams, and disappointments
• and also, Jesus is using a form of reasoning that has been classic among rabbis
◦ “from the lesser to the greater” – “if this, then how much more that“
◦ he will repeat the same use of this logic two more times

Jesus’ down home remedy for anxiety
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” Matthew 6:26-30

Jesus recommends two exercises – one is to look and the other is to consider

First, “Look at the birds” – for an afternoon become bird-watchers
– I won’t say that Jesus is telling us to contemplate nature
• however, he is demonstrating that he has done has contemplated the behavior of birds
◦ he did not only watch birds, he noticed what they did
◦ noticing is more than merely looking at something
• noticing is a special skill of artists, authors, poets, and generally wise people
(the wisdom literature found in the Old Testament frequently encourages its readers to “consider” )
◦ noticing is what you’re not doing right now, at least, not until I reminded
◦ you weren’t noticing the chair your sitting on, the lighting, or the room temperature
– to notice something is to bring greater awareness to our observation of it
• as long as we have labels for things, we will typically ignore them
◦ I see an object and identify it as a “tree” and then look away, because I know about trees
◦ but I don’t observe the tree, focus attention on this particular tree’s shape, bark, leaves, and so on
• there’s something about leisurely looking at clouds that brings fresh and a variety of thoughts to mind
◦ something that nurtures the soul, and at times inspire a whisper of praise or thanks

If birds do any farming at all, it’s by accident
– they drop undigested seeds here and there
• but they don’t put any work into planting or harvesting
◦ greed drives anxiety, but so does need
• Jesus isn’t saying we don’t have to work,
◦ he’s saying we don’t have to worry
◦ God is to us a “heavenly Father”–he will assist us
– the point that Jesus drives home, is our value to God
• if we do end up missing a meal or fail to make a months’ rent,
◦ we won’t be abandoned – we’re never alone in our predicament
• rich or poor, full stomach or empty stomach, God knows
◦ he cares, he hears us, he watches over us
◦ the times I have suffered, it meant everything to me, that God was with me

Between the birds and the next exercise, Jesus asks a question in verse 27
– the question is: What does anxiety actually accomplish?
• can it add an hour to your life?
◦ anxiety can ruin many hours of our lives
• or he could be saying, “Can anxiety add an inch to your height?”
◦ I’m keen to that, because he’s about to mention clothing and that has to do with our appearance
– advertising is an industry that is dedicated to making us feel dissatisfied with ourselves and our lives
• we’re constantly being told that we’re not enough
◦ not thin enough, not healthy enough, not having fun enough
• a lot of money goes into stirring up anxiety and discontent
◦ sad to say, many Christian organizations promote anxiety
◦ it seems that fear is a stronger motive to make donations than love
– anyway, Jesus reminds us anxiety has never solved anyone’s problems
• it doesn’t add even one good thing to our lives – anxiety is a waste of time and mental energy!
• what anxiety does, is spoil the moment we’re living in right now

Next Jesus tells us to Consider the lilies
– in the spring of 1974, I was in Israel with two friends
• we had spent the night in a youth hostel near Capernaum
◦ in the morning we hiked up a nearby hill overlooking the lake (“Sea of Galilee”)
◦ we went off, each by himself, to read the Sermon On the Mount
• I remember the hillside where I sat, carpeted in beautiful wild flowers
◦ it was a vivid illustration of God clothing the grass!
– when I’ve taken my walks from Scotty’s place, I’ve often photographed wild flowers
• even very tiny ones have intricate designs
◦ again, the point Jesus wants to drive home is God’s care for us
• but at the same time, he puts his finger on our biggest problem when he adds,
“O you of little faith”

Jesus repeats his point and sums up his counsel to us
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:31-34

In place of “Gentiles,” let’s say people in the world who do not know God
– we don’t take our cues regarding how to live from people without faith
• anyway, if we can rid ourselves of anxiety, we’re free for something else
• and our first pursuit is for the kingdom of God
◦ first in importance, first on our to-do list, first in our love and loyalty
– Jesus has returned to where he began,
• having already told us not to worry about food and clothing, he now tells us not to worry about time
• you don’t have to worry about time,
◦ because when you get to tomorrow, it will have enough trouble of its own

Conclusion: Next week I want to come back to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness”

I think there’s a lot we need to learn regarding enlarging our view of reality,
and finding God present in our here and now experience

But until then, for now, keep renewing your soul in “grace and peace”
Relax, breathe;
we don’t have to be anxious,
because God is here, now