Jesus uses some interesting imagery.

Jesus uses some interesting imagery doesn't He?  Check this out.

Matthew 22:1-10(NKJV)

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 

and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 

Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ 

But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 

And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 

But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 

Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 

So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Now I believe the King in the parable is God.  Jesus is describing how God is going to deal with those who reject Jesus.  God isn't singing Kumbaya.  Jesus says God is furious.  Not just a little ticked off.  God is furious.  Look what Jesus says God does to them.  And notice that Jesus doesn't condemn God for doing so.  I believe this demonstrates that Jesus is in agreement with what God has planned. 

Now if Jesus were a pacifist as many seem to believe, why would He use all of this violent rhetoric to describe what will happen to those who don't believe in Him?  And why wouldn't he condemn it?

The answer is pretty obvious to me.  Jesus isn't a pacifist…and I have no problem with that. 

"And whoever falls on this stone will be broken…"

Interesting imagery isn't it?  When we stub our toes we think of it as a minor thing.  It hurts but there usually aren't long lasting consequences.  Maybe this helps explain why so many people just casually and without much thought reject Jesus.  They see it as a minor thing.  Not a big deal.  No long term consequences. 

Scripture says otherwise.

Matthew 21:43-44(NKJV)

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 

And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

One of my favorite parables.

 

Matthew 20:1-16(NKJV)

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 

Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 

And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 

and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 

Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 

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?’ 

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.’

“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.’ 

And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 

But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 

And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 

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.’ 

But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 

Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 

Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 

So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

"Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?"  Some people say that Jesus is a Socialist.  Does this look like something a Socialist would say?  :)

There is a difference between love and action

We know that Scripture says we need to love our enemies.  It also says we need to love those around us.  There are some who take this to mean that we always have to be accepting of the things that others do.  That we should forgive people even when they aren't repentant.  If we aren't we are accused of being un-Christian and haters. 

Let's take a look at something that Jesus said. 

Matthew 18:15-17(NKJV)

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 

But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’  

And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

"Let him be to you like a heathen or a tax collector".  What do you think that means?  My take is this.  Jesus didn't say we shouldn't still love them and pray for them.  Jesus simply says treat them as they deserve to be treated.  Don't waste your time with them.  If at some point their behavior changes and they apologize then by all means accept them back in to your life.  But there is nothing un-Christian about putting them out of your life until then.

How quickly things change and why we always need to be on guard.

Check this out!

Matthew 16:13-19(NKJV)

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 

And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Wow, Simon Peter is in tight with the boss.  It seems to me that Jesus just made Simon Peter the top apostle.  Pretty cool for Simon Peter, right?

So just 4 verses later here is what Jesus says to Simon Peter.

Matthew 16:22-23(NKJV)

Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

What the heck?  Did Simon Peter go from being a man of God to being a man of Satan that quickly?  Was Jesus mistaken to name Simon Peter the top apostle?  Did Jesus take that designation away from Simon Peter after calling him Satan?

The answers in my opinion are no, no, and no.

I think this demonstrates what we all face on a daily basis.  Even when we seek God with all our hearts, we are still subjected to human emotions and reactions.  We are still swayed by what is happening in our daily life.

In the case above Simon Peter was acting out of concern and love for Jesus.  Simon Peter certainly wasn't trying to subvert God's plan on purpose.  It is just that in our daily lives we sometimes don't think things through or we lose sight of the big picture. 

The lesson here though is that when that happens, Jesus doesn't reject us.  He understands.  He has said many times it is a heart issue.  As long as He knows our hearts are on him He forgives us the stuff where we stumble.  Our responsibility is to stay in the Word and stay in prayer so that Jesus can bring our stumbles to our attention so that we recognize them and can do better in the future. 

The Pharisees were offended? Did Jesus care?

There is some much attention to people being offended these days.  It's like some people now think they have a divine right not to be offended.  Freedom of speech is being restricted in the quest to never offend a single person.

Matthew 15:12(NKJV)

Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

 Here's a question.  "What would Jesus do" in regards to offending or not offending people?  Would Jesus get all apologetic and grovel and promise not to offend again?  Would Jesus change His message so as to not offend?  Or would Jesus say "tough shit.  The truth is the truth!  Deal with it!"

Read the rest of the passage to find out.

Matthew 15:13-20(NKJV)

But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 

Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 

Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 

These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

"…Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

There seems to be quite a bit of this even in the New Testament in my opinion.  Last time through the NT I paid particular attention to what Jesus said in the four Gospels and what is taught in the rest of the NT.  I would recommend you read through the NT with the same approach some time.

Matthew 15:9(NKJV)

    And in vain they worship Me,      Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” 

There were many example that I pointed out the last time through the NT but the one which I will cite now is one that I found most interesting.  What do we need to do to be saved? 

Paul among others has this whole thing about believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.  I compare that with what Jesus said.  Jesus said it was a heart issue…period.  Jesus didn't specify confessing with your mouth.  In fact Jesus went so far as to ask one guy something and after the guy answered Jesus said "close enough.". 

So in my mind Paul adding the confess with your mouth is a great example of the commandments of men.  Now let me be clear that I see nothing wrong with confessing with your mouth.  I have done it many times.  I just don't think it makes a difference of being saved or not being saved.  Make sense?