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RE Verse reading–Matthew 8:18-22 (day five)  “Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead” (vs 22)  It is something I forget about Jesus.  His calm urgency.  His awareness that spiritual opportunities pass quickly by and never return.  Ordinarily, family concerns were a high priority for Christ.  “Honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12)  “Woman, behold your son”, he said, taking care of His own mother from the cross. (John 19:26)  But family concerns must always come second to the call of the Spirit.  The world is too lost for us to make family first.  It was second to the Lord Himself.  It must be  second to His followers.  How else can missionaries accept assignments that separate them from normal family relationships and responsiblities?  Hard to  hear but still eternally true, “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.  He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37)

RE Verse reading–Matthew 8:18-22 (day four)  “Lord, first let me go and bury my father” (vs 21) What is the first thing you do each day?  What is the first check you write (for those who still write checks)?  What is your first priority when you move into a new city?  Your first prayer when you pray?  Most of us don’t pay much attention.  Like the disciple in Matthew 8, what comes first doesn’t seem spiritually significant.  We will get to everything eventually, right?  Not necessarily!   Jesus knew that the human heart is capable of self-deception.  We can say one thing and do another.  What we put first is the telling clue.  I am hearing of a new media/evangelism campaign that is coming soon.  It is called “I am second” (God is first)  Jesus affirms the statement, but only if the words truly describe our actions and choices.  What is first?  It tells me the condition of my heart.

RE Verse reading–Matthew 8:18-22 (day three)  “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (vs 20)  It is ironic.  Man (the highest creature) when he accepts his highest assignment (following Christ) often becomes lower than the animals.  They have homes.  Followers of Christ have no guarantee.  Most of us need to be regularly reminded that spiritual ministry is a costly enterprise.  “Death works in us, but life in you” said Paul in honest assessment of the missionary life. (2 Corinthians 4:12)  Christ identified the same principle.  “The first shall be last” ( Matthew 19:30)  Followers are first in insight, but often last in privilege.  We are first in responsibility,  but last in recognition from the world.  Like the eager scribe, all of us are well served by being warned.   There are dangers ahead, sacrifices to be made.  Consider carefully before you decide to follow Christ!

RE Verse reading–Matthew 8:18-22 (day two)  “When Jesus saw the crowd around Him, He gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake” (vs 18)  It was a moment of transition.  Transitions are hard, inconvenient.  Jesus and the disciples needed to leave Capernaum. Were the crowds  becoming too volatile?  Perhaps the decision surprised or disappointed the disciples.  Perhaps it was something that the Lord Himself had only realized recently.  It was not, however, a new principle.  Serving God requires sacrifice.  There are things (good things, comforting things) that we will do without for the sake of the kingdom.  It was made clear when an eager scribe volunteered himself for service.  “There will be difficulties ahead”, says the Lord.  “I do not offer security as the world measures it” Those who want God must “count the cost”  in advance or be terribly disappointed along the way.  Did anyone warn you before you became a follower of Christ?  I hope so.

RE Verse reading–Matthew 8:18-22 (day one) “Lord , first let me go and bury my father” (vs 21)  It will not be the only time.  At several points in His ministry the Lord will make a statement that sounds unsympathetic to the needs of the family.  He will appear almost unconcerned.  He isn’t, but as He will later clarify “If your love for God is second to your love for your family.  If your love for God is not so much higher that it makes your love for family seem almost like ‘hate’ by comparison, you cannot be a disciple.” (read Luke 14:26)  Family is a good gift from God.  Family is a good gift from GOD!  If we do not put Him first we ultimately destroy the very ones we claim to love.  It will not be the only time He says it.—Thank you everyone who worked hard on yesterday’s Founders Day celebration.  Fun!  Necessary!  I am grateful.

RE Verse reading–Matthew 7:1-27 (day seven)  “And the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall” (vs 25)  I am more philosophical about problems these days.  Earlier in my life I was anxious and offended by every appearing crisis.  Now I know that storms come.  I know that God selected the path of pressure and pain for His son and for all who follow Him.  “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you. . .as though some strange thing were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12)  My prayer these days is for courage, for faithfulness.  I no longer expect every day to be sunny and calm.  I do expect  a foundation of strength that is more than a match for the challenges that come.  I expect His “grace to be sufficient”(2 Corinthians 12:9).  I expect peace and joy and resolve that will allow me to stand in the wind.  What a great gift!

RE Verse reading–Matthew 7:1-27 (day six)  “Ask and it will be given you” (vs 7)  This simple command is the secret of Jesus Christ.  It is a summary expression of His deep faith.  The universe (created and ruled by the Father) is a safe and generous place.  Ask!  Your Father will give you good gifts. (vs 11)  This is why we are taught not to worry. (6:25)  Worry keeps the responsibility.  Trust releases it to God.  This is why we should enter the narrow gate and stay on the narrow road.  A relationship with God is so valuable, so good that sacrifices are small.  We shall be safe so long as we stay on the road.  Before dismissing this childlike confidence as unrealistic, we should consider the outcomes.  What kind of person was the Lord?  What kind of peace and love did He display?  What kind of people would we be if we knew that we were profoundly safe and cared for?

RE Verse reading–Matthew 7:1-27 (day five) “Do not give dogs what is sacred, do not throw your pearls to pigs” (vs 6)  While  Jesus forbids us from being harsh and unfair in our judgement of others (vs 1), He also requires us to be aware of abusers.  “This is a plea to be generous not a requirement to be blind”, says John Stott.  To recognize the “dogs and pigs” (those who will reject our message and harm us for the effort) is a dark duty, but it must be done.  This discernment is more than permitted, it is required.  “But Jesus. . .was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew. . .what was in man” (John 2:24)  It takes great courage to “shake off the dust from your feet” (Luke 9:5) and walk away from a destructive relationship.  “Know when to walk away, and know when to RUN” says the old song.  This is a difficult balance to find.  May the Lord give us wisdom.

Re:Verse reading–Matthew 7:1-27 (day four)  “The gate is small and the road narrow that leads to life, and only a few find it” (vs 14) It is something that we “know” if we are honest with ourselves.  More people talk about being Christian than actually are, and the really narrow gate is obedience rather than doctrine  “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (vs 24)  Not everyone who hears the Lord puts what they have heard into practice.  The shocking truth of Matthew 7 is that all of these people are “Christian” in name and reputation.  They are false prophets.  They are trees without fruit.  They are people who call Jesus Lord (even prophesy in His name) but do not obey Him.  Christ is being honest.  We should be honest too–about ourselves, our families, our nation.  It will help us pray.

Re:Verse reading–Matthew 7:1-27 (day three) “How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?” (vs 11)  As the Sermon on the Mount comes to a close, Jesus is speaking of the difficulties ahead.  He speaks of imperfect people (do not judge), hard choices (narrow gates), religious imposters (false prophets), superficial disciples (“Lord, Lord” vs 21) and coming storms (vs 25)  Our encouragement in the face of such difficulty?  Prayer.  Jesus knew that we will be less disappointed (and therefore less critical) if our eyes and expectations were not on people in the first place.  So long as we hope people will save us, we will be angry when they don’t/can’t.  When we learn to look to God for our needs, then even difficult roads and assignments become possible and joyful.  “I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.  My help comes from God” (Psalm 121)