Tag: Matthew 10

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Jesus Mindset: Are you ready to teach?

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First published June 23, 2021 as part of the Jesus Mindset series

“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:26-28

One of my friends has found herself with an unexpected teaching opportunity. She and her husband were active participants in a Bible study held at my house for about five years. But her husband seemed stuck in his faith journey.

A year after that study group disbanded, my friend came to me asking about starting another study group. She was particularly concerned about her husband. They were no longer attending the same church, and with the study group having disbanded, her husband was without the counsel of other Christians. We decided to start a new group, but it would include only women this time, leaving her concerns about her husband unanswered.

Over the past year, my friend has grown tremendously in her faith. Just last week, I listened as she answered a difficult Bible study question with a great analogy, making it all clear to the rest of us! I felt the same delight I had while watching one of my Girl Scouts successfully build a fire. I wanted to jump for joy at my friend’s insight. I loved it!

And God has answered her prayers about her husband. It wasn’t the answer she was expecting. You see, the teacher he needed was her. Her husband has watched her transformation with awe. She is living out the Word, and he has started asking her questions about Jesus. After church—their new church—they go to breakfast and discuss the sermon. He relies on her for further insight and instruction.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3:15-16

My friend’s teaching opportunity was close to home. At the start of Jesus’ ministry, He, too, started close to home. The first recorded teaching by Jesus was to His cousin, John the Baptist. Jesus asked John to baptize Him, but John recognizedHim as the Messiah and tried to convince Jesus that it should be the other way around.

“Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.” Matthew 3:15

Jesus knew His audience. As a devoted man of God, John was well-practiced in what it meant to achieve holy righteousness. And so, he accepted Jesus’ reasoning.

Follow Jesus’ teaching ministry, and you see patience, purpose, and an approach tailored to the people He encountered. And that’s the joy of teaching. What we teach matters, but so does how we teach it. At first, Jesus reached out to His cousin, then to His cousin’s followers and their friends. The tipping point came after He performed quiet acts of healing and word of them spread: the Sermon on the Mount.

But even after He preached to large crowds, He encountered individuals and specifically set aside time to teach them about the glory of God and the forgiveness of sins.

To the learned, He spoke with confident knowledge of Moses and Isaiah. To the poor and lame, He taught through love and compassion. To the average man and woman, He used parables containing everyday elements such as farming and relationships. And to the disciples, He opened their eyes to the mysteries of the Kingdom. Each time, He sought the “aha” moment for which every teacher longs—the moment when the light comes on inside.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

I once led a small Bible study, and the topic of “evangelizing” came up. It usually makes people squirm. One participant said she just didn’t feel ready to talk to people about God. And yet, she had been a Christian for about 50 years. What if we erase the word “evangelize” and replace it with sharing or teaching? What if, instead of picturing ourselves standing before the Pharisees or Sanhedrin, we picture ourselves sitting with our children or a friend and sharing how Jesus has brought us peace and joy in times of trouble? That should, at a minimum, be expected of us.

My friend, whom I mentioned at the beginning, has come a long way. About a year ago, her adult son started asking her questions about God and Jesus, and she felt unprepared. She had prayed for many years that her son would turn to Jesus, and now he was asking her questions. So, what did she do? She sought instruction, prayed, and was bold. At her next opportunity to teach a family member—her husband—she was ready.

“Our lives should reflect the love and goodness of Jesus, but we should pray that the Lord would give us opportunities to share the gospel with people who come into our lives.” Pastor Adriel Sanchez, Core Christianity Podcast

Jesus didn’t want to keep His life offering among a small group of people. So yes, He lived a good and faithful life, but He didn’t stop there. He reached out to people. Through teaching, He shared the most important lessons we will ever learn. He prepared for this task. And when His time came, He was ready.

The question is, are you ready?  

Your role as a teacher may be needed right now—for your children, your spouse, your neighbor, a struggling believer, or a searching nonbeliever.

Have you worked on the other steps so you can teach, as Peter says, with gentleness and respect Have you put yourself in a position to be a humble servant and, therefore, to interact with nonbelievers in positive ways? Are you studying His Word so that, when confronted with half-truths or outright lies about God, you can stand firm like a warrior?

God has already tested you in all these areas. He’s tested me. What is your report card? In what areas do you need to ask for God’s help today so you can be ready?

Hiker overlooking river valley with snow-capped mountains and sunrise
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He Knows All Things

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“Would not God find this out?  For He knows the secrets of the heart.”  Psalm 44:21

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”  Matthew 10:30

Of all the blog posts I’ve written so far in this series it’s this one that I’ve spent the most contemplating.  It’s not for lack of material to work with; no, it’s the abundance that has caused me to ponder my focus.  

God’s omniscience shows up in scripture in various ways, both in the obvious and not so obvious.  It’s why I chose the two pieces of scripture to get us started.  One exemplifies the idea of God knowing exactly what we think and feel.  While the other represents God’s knowledge of everything in the natural world.  He is not only everywhere and all-powerful; He sees and understands all.

“By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before Him; for whenever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.”  1 John 3:20

The Apostle John apparently was paying attention during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  If you drill down into all that Jesus taught and can be found in Matthew 5-7, He’s talking about God knowing our thoughts and hearts.  Even back in the book of Isaiah God told His people not to come with empty sacrifices; He wants our hearts.  This was the downfall of Cain.

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.”  Proverbs 15:3

There is no place to hide, as the post on God’s omnipresence reminds us.  He is both physically everywhere and knowledgeable about all.  To truly grasp God’s mercy we must understand this. 

No one gets away with anything.  God is a just God and cannot let sin go unpunished.  We should be thankful for that.  Conversely, we should be eternally grateful that the punishment for our sins has already been paid.  As Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.”  We may not understand it all but we don’t need to.

“God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.”  Life Principle #5, Charles Stanley, 30 Life Principles

When we completely accept as truth the “3 O’s of God,” as I once titled a blog post on His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence, we let go of our wills and submit gladly to the power of Christ.  When we accept that the Holy Spirit is not just the angel on our shoulder balancing the red devil on the other, we move into a Christian life free of bondage to sin. 

His Eternal Wisdom and Knowledge

“Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?”  Isaiah 40:13-14

When James tells us in His book to seek God’s wisdom if we are lacking, he’s simply building on the truth of God’s omniscience told throughout the Old Testament.  From the creation of the world to leading His people out of Egypt and the wisdom books to prophets foretelling both the first and second coming of Christ, we can see God knowing what came, what is happening and what is to come.  All knowledge and wisdom finds its source in Him.

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” Romans 11:33

Friends, when we realize this truth, we can laugh when scientists “discover” something “new.”  In fact, I read there are at least 10 major scientific ideas found in the Old Testament.  For example, long before explorers circled the earth pronouncing it round, Isaiah tells us, “He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth” (Isaiah 40:22).

Rest In His Insight

Honestly, when we feel lost, unsure, unseen, unheard, unloved by those around us in this physical world it can be very discouraging.  But God.  He sees you, has wisdom and knowledge to impart to you, and loves you.  He has a plan laid for you and for me.  And it is good.  

Countless Stars: At a time when people believed the stars could be easily numbered, Scripture declared the opposite: “As the host of heaven cannot be counted…” (Jeremiah 33:22). Modern astronomy reveals billions of galaxies each containing countless stars. The more we look, the more we discover that it’s truly an innumerable multitude sparkling in our night sky.  Science and The Bible, Bible Hub

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Enjoy The Ever-Changing Sameness

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We took a chance that night.  My husband wanted to go to the coast, about 20 minutes away, to capture the sunset with his newly revived photography interest.  The weather app said cloudy without even a chance of sunlight.  Being free of any other obligations, we decided to go anyway.  We might not catch a glorious sunset but standing high on the cliffs above Torrey Pines State Beach is never without its own beauty.  Just watching the waves take their turns kissing the beach, people and dog watching, silently encouraging each surfer as they paddle furiously to catch one more wave before the light is gone, peering with hope to see a dolphin or even a whale spout – it’s all the draw of standing at the edge of the sea.

We hopped on our Vespa scooters (realizing too late we weren’t dressed for the chilly air!) and wound our way to the coast.  The “parking gods” were with us and we found a place to park with the beachside cliffs just over the short berm.  At first the sky was just as the weather app had predicted – slightly gloomy.  For some reason we kept watch.  

Off on the distant horizon a glimmer of gold began to break through the greyness.  Minute by minute a tear in the clouds began to emerge.  The scene soon revealed a fiery, heavenly furnace with bright golds, oranges and red bursting through the clouds.  As the sun continued its nightly, predictable path to the west, soft pink and blue cotton candy-like clouds joined the canvas.  At one point the sun itself made an entrance in blinding suddenness.  Its rays glowed across the surface of the sea.  As it lowered further and further toward distant lands, the furnace became a gentle glow of a dying campfire.  My eyes drawn into the soft light of God’s glory on full display.  

Soon the torn sky began to heal with clouds marching together to close the scene.  And those of us standing there wanting to squeeze every ounce of beauty out of what was before us looked around and finally breathed.  

Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.   The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.  The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course…All things are wearisome more than one can say.” Ecclesiastes 1:4-8

It seems easy to enjoy life when surrounded by such beauty set before us.  An hour of admiring the ending of another day.  Yet, how often do we get caught up in what King Solomon repeats throughout his study of life in Ecclesiastes, “the meaningless life?”  We wake up each morning with our to-do list firmly planted at the front of our mind.  We trudge through our morning routine and either go off to work or begin our work at home.  We stop for lunch then pick it all up again.  Dinner time, tv, reading, our evening routine, and then to bed.  It’s the life Solomon laments in its “routineness.” He asks what is the point of our toil (Ecc 1:3)?  The sun rises and sets and nothing ever changes.  It’s meaningless.

Now I warn you.  The book of Ecclesiastes has its pitfalls just as the Book of Job.  There’s danger in opening either book and grabbing a piece of scripture to represent the whole message.  It’s why I avoided quoting Job in any post for a long time.  And the first few chapters of Ecclesiastes could be used in destructive ways.  But I’m going to give you the spoiler – life is meaningless, unless you have God as your Lord.  We will toil for selfish or pointless reasons.  We will lose or not ever have any hope.  We will feel like prisoners.  We might even see God as evil or unloving.  We lose sight of how beautifully made this cyclical world really is.

But God.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called  the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day." Genesis 1:1-3

King Solomon was gifted by God to be one of the wisest men ever to exist.  But I find myself challenging him straight away when he says, “Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look!  This is something new’?  It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.” (Ecc 1:10)

Why do I disagree to some degree with that statement?  Because God is the god that bursts into our lives and upsets the world from time to time.  There once was nothing and He created something magnificent!  There was a time the sun didn’t rise or set.  A time were there weren’t any seasons.  God then gave us constants like knowing the sun will rise in the east and set in the west, every. single. day. of our human existence.  

But then He goes and puts His finger to the artist’s canvas again for that unique sunset, the duplicate of which will never be seen again.  The giant oak tree in front of my daughter’s house will bloom this spring again and produce giant leaves.  In the fall the leaves will change color and fall to the ground.  The cycle goes round and round.  But each new leaf will never look exactly like another.  The fall color change pattern will never be repeated exactly the same.  

And you, when you were formed in your mother’s womb, may look like your parents, you may have some of their mannerisms, you may have similar beliefs about the world.  You generally look like everyone else and your body performs pretty much like everyone else’s.  But you, you will never be repeated.  His artist’s finger has touched you and made you beautiful.  Yes, you.  You with the aches and pains.  You with the slightly longer left leg than right.  You with the hair you always wish were the opposite.  You with that funny freckle right there. 

In the infinite wisdom of the Lord of all the earth, each event falls with exact precision into its proper place in the unfolding of His divine plan. Nothing, however small, however strange, occurs without His ordering, or without its particular fitness for its place in the working out of His purpose; and the end of all shall be the manifestation of His glory, and the accumulation of His praise.

B.B. Warfield

In His omniscient wisdom He gave us constancy and variety all at once.  We can thank Him for both.  He gives us blessings and trials – all so we can give Him glory for His hand at work.  It’s not meaningless monotony God created but a sturdy white canvas ready for something new each day.

Friend, like I said, it is easy to take an hour and enjoy a sunset.  But let me finish the story of our trip to catch the sun on its nightly, guaranteed journey.  You see, the city where we chose to park is very strict with their parking.  We rolled up our little Vespas to the perfect spots and decided not to walk the half block to pay for parking passes (I think it’s their evil plan to spread the meter machines so far apart).  After watching God’s performance, we hiked back to our rides.  And yes, each had a $50 parking ticket.  Did we let it ruin what we had just witnessed?  No, we knew we had willfully disobeyed the set rules. Instead of getting angry I said, “Well, we stayed home for our date night this week so we can just look at this as our date night.  A bottle of wine and a nice meal would’ve cost us just as much!”  I shocked myself realizing the work God has done in me.  How He has changed this typical, average woman into one that gives Him the glory.  I enjoyed the lesson and message He set before me – follow the rules and don’t be lazy.

This year the Lord has put upon my heart to “ENJOY.”  Not just seek joy, but as a friend noticed, to take action.  Enjoy is a verb, not a feeling.  When I researched “enjoy” in the Bible, I found it repeated throughout the book of Ecclesiastes.  So, for the past few months I’ve been reading, researching, noodling and most of all praying.  And here we are with the new series, “Enjoy Life — From meaningless to meaningful.”  I’ll be posting a least once a week for the next few weeks.  To be honest, the Holy Spirit and I haven’t worked out the full length of this series.  

I want to leave you today, however with this piece of scripture and a quote by Warren Wiersbe to encourage you to enjoy today, enjoy this hour, enjoy the sameness and the fact that you will never have another day quite like today.  Enjoy not only the good, but the bad and sometimes ugly.  Because the Lord is always with you.  He can always be found touching your life.  When we believe that, we can see Him making all things work for those who love Him.  Without Him, everything will seem so meaningless.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-30

“Since early dawn, that bird has done nothing but try to survive.  He’s been wearing himself out hiding from enemies and looking for food for himself and his little ones.  And yet, when he gets to the end of the day, he sings about it.”  

Warren Wiersbe

Enjoy.

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Healers

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Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8

I sat in my car after having just left yet another doctor’s appointment and announced out loud, “I hate doctors!”  One more doctor who treated me with some level of impatience all the while acknowledging I needed surgery.  But then I took a step back from my prideful emotions and realized this person – a man of flesh and blood – was gifted by God the ability to heal me.  I didn’t need him as a friend, I need him as a healer.  And I gave thanks for his able hands and depth of knowledge concerning my medical issue.

Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”  John 5:8

I was reminded of the scene by the healing pool when Jesus encountered the invalid who had been laying by the pool for 38 years.  Jesus simply asked, “Do you want to be healed?”  And then told him to get moving.  And I realized how much I expect my doctors to be the tender, compassionate Jesus.  But even Jesus himself was a no nonsense healer.  

My own daughter is a doctor of physical therapy.  She’s a pretty no nonsense kind of person.  She’s also very good at her job.   When her patients are done with treatments, or during the holidays, they shower her with loving, thoughtful gifts.  It’s because, while she is good at listening to their needs, what they truly want is healing and she delivers.

I’ve had kind doctors, rude doctors, dismissive doctors, attentive ones.  I have to admit that just about all of them have done what I needed them for – healing.  Doing something for me that I could never do myself.  So, while I may not like every doctor’s bedside manner, I can say a prayer while sitting in the “big chair” thanking God for their skill and for the healing that is to come.  And I pray for me to have patience and kindness in between.