The Debt You Owe

Matthew 20:1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' 8 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' 13 But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen." 17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."

What is the economic basis of the kingdom of heaven? Is it what you deserve to receive – or is it the debt you owe?

Religion teaches me what to do so I can have a sense of accomplishment. With the sense of accomplishment comes the additional sense that somebody owes me something. Since God apparently sits at the head of the religious system – then it is God who owes me what I deserve to receive for accomplishing what I have accomplished.

Can you imagine “serving” God all your life, only to see someone come in at the last minute - serve Him for that minute – and then receive the same reward as you? That would be terrible wouldn’t it?

Compare this attitude with Jesus’ attitude toward His reward, (for my sake.)

He says, “the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify.” Does it sound as though Jesus is concerned with what He is owed?

Or does it sound as though Jesus’ only concern is to personally pay the debt I owe? If Jesus has personally and completely paid my debt – then what do I owe Him? At the very least, I owe Him an equal concern for others that He has for me.

-Pastor Bill

The Bucket List

Matt 19:16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" 17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?" 28 So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

What do you have on your list of things to do before you die?

They call it a ‘bucket list.’ It’s a list of those things you would like to have accomplished before you ‘kick the bucket.’ (Why dying is called ‘kicking the bucket’ is anyone’s guess.)

A better question might be: What do you need to have on your list to do before you die?

Who better to ask than Jesus? And so this rich, young ruler comes to Jesus, (which is the best thing any of us can ever do,) and asks him THE question each of us need to have an answer for before we die.

"Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"

The question is, does he even know Who he is asking? (And this is why Jesus deals with the identity question first.) When it comes to the question of entry into heaven for eternal life, who we ask is more important than what we ask.

Jesus says, “Why do you call me good?” (A sign of polity and respect, perhaps?) Have you ever referred to someone as, ‘Reverend?’

Just as the person you called, ‘Reverend,’ is not actually reverend - or to be revered, Jesus is, in fact, good. What does that mean? What should it mean?

It should mean that His answer to this rich young ruler also applies to me because the answer about how to gain entry into the kingdom of heaven is from God Himself, God in the flesh, Jesus the Son of God.

His answer tells me I must rid myself of whatever stands between me and God.

-Pastor Bill

The Empty Tomb

John 20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' " 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. 19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."

One of the great mysteries for the world to consider is where the body of Jesus Christ may be found?

We know the location of the burial place of every great figure of history. You name them, take your pick, right down the line. We know the location of Alexander the Great’s remains, and George Washington’s, and Muhammad’s, and Ghandi’s, and the Bhudda, and Abraham Lincoln, Vladmir Lenin, John Lennon, and so on and so forth…

Those well-known historical figures who have died have been buried or entombed, and we know the exact location because they were well-known historical figures. People remember them, and revere them, and they visit their grave sites to experience something of the history of their lives. It is all that is left to us of their lives.

Except for Jesus. Oh, you’re right, we DO know the location of Jesus’ tomb - but strangely His tomb is empty. We have no remains. They do not exist. Why is that?

The only historically-viable explanation is also the simplest one. Jesus has risen from the grave, and defeated death and dying.

Just as the first Adam brought death into the world, the second Adam has taken it away, for all those who place their faith upon Him. In this way, Jesus IS the way, He IS the truth, and He IS the life – to all those and for all those who rejoice in His resurrection!

-Pastor Bill

Admit One

Luke 19:29 And it came to pass, when He came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.' " 32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you loosing the colt?" 34 And they said, "The Lord has need of him." 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. 37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: "'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." 40 But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." 41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." 45 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, 46 saying to them, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.' " 47 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, 48 and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

Sometimes in life, you have to travel the road alone.

Jesus is demonstrating this principle as He enters Jerusalem for the last time in His earthly ministry.

It may seem as though He is in the midst of thousands of adoring fans, but in reality He is alone. (At least from a human perspective, He is.)

Jesus alone can do what He has come to do. Jesus alone is worthy of praise, and the worship of the people’s hearts. Jesus alone can cleanse the temple, and teach the people what it means to be in relationship with God.

And then, because all will abandon Him, Jesus will die alone.

In the same way, each of us must come to eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. It may seem as though your approach is in the midst of thousands, but from an earthly perspective it is just you alone. You alone must choose to follow God, even if it means unto death. You alone make that choice. God only admits one person at a time.

-Pastor Bill

Marriage By Design

Matthew 19:1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there. 3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" 4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." 7 They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" 8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." 10 His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry." 11 But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: 12 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it." 13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

It used to be, (and maybe still is, in some cases,) that the pastor officiating a marriage ceremony would turn to the assembled crowd of witnesses and say, “If anyone knows any reason why these two should not be joined in marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Why would such a question be asked? (I used to think, when attending a wedding back in the day.) But now I wonder - what would God think? Would God bless the marriage of every couple brought before Him?

These days, especially, it is impossible to say that He would, or even could.

Jesus alludes to man’s perversion of marriage by what He teaches us in Matthew 19. There has been a move afoot in that culture in that time to allow divorce for just about any reason. (Very similar to our “no-fault divorce” provision.)

Jesus says, (and He is being tested here between two divergent viewpoints – one conservative, and one liberal about divorce,) that you have misunderstood marriage because you have misunderstood its design. In saying this, there is also a plain indication you have misunderstood its Designer.

Can "one flesh" be divided any more than your body can be torn apart? Can we depart from God’s design of marriage for any other reason than hard-heartedness toward God?

-Pastor Bill