Within these chapters we have a portion of the Sermon On The Mount. In this message Jesus is describing what a citizen of the kingdom of God looks like. Much of His description has to do with our possessions and the way we view what life is really about. Are our lives wrapped up in possessions? If they are we will be prone to worry, because possessions come and go. Even the best of things don't last forever. I have a Levi wallet that I bought when I was a teenager in the 70's at the Springfield Mall in northern Virginia. It is made of a sort of sail cloth and it seemed like it would never wear out. It would get dirty and I would just throw it in the washing machine and it would look as good as new. Well, as I took the wallet out of my pocket yesterday I noticed that a hole was beginning to form and the threads were beginning to break. This could be especially traumatic since just a few months ago I finally had to throw out my 35 year old JC Penny work shoes. For those of you that might not know, they were a real fashion statement at the time. Then, I am reminded that, as the Lord said, "one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). And, as Jesus tells us here in this sermon that if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness He will provide the things that we really need (Matthew 6:33). The worry decreases when we have less of an attachment to this world and more of a connection with God's eternal kingdom and I become more aware of His incredible love for me.
Pastor Chris
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ReplyDeleteI would say Mary and Joseph had a lot of respect and faith in God. They were very self-less. If not, It would have been so devastating for any couple to know that your betroth is now pregnant. What shameful guilt or mistrust Satan could have planted in the other partner’s mind to break off the marriage or worse, attempt to abort the pregnancy in fear of disgracing your family, or because of other selfish reasons. Luckily for us, Mary and Joseph were self-less and obedient to God and made that choice to follow through with God’s plan. In doing so, they Glorified God and were blessed with a beautiful child who eventually became our Blessed Savior. This brings to mind how God places us in so many predicaments. How we choose to follow God’s way that just does not seem right to the rest of the world or to your family. But it is only in being self-less (being humble and compassionate) and obedient to God and His Words, that we can Glorify God and we become truly Blessed.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at how quickly people moved when Jesus called...how they obeyed when they felt distress...this passage reminds me that no matter how life really seems at the moment, He already knows what we have need of before we ask. If we are obedient and continue to DO and TEACH the Lord's commandments, the Word declares that we will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. I don't care what man thinks of me, but only that my God shall call me great in His glorious kingdom. What love He must feel for those who obey and trust Him when distresses come and remain fixed on His Word to bring them through.
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