JESUS’ HARD SAYINGS – No Bragging or Boasting (No. 3) and No Expectations!

Please read Luke 17:7-10

This is my last post coming to our deeds/duties in the Kingdom of God. Jesus, while challenging us to be active His Kingdom, teaches us to be humble. In today’s Luke text, Jesus compares us to servants who toil in their master’s fields. (While most English versions of the Bible use the word servant, in Greek the word is doulos and it means a slave or a bondservant.)

After a hard day’s work outside, the servant is to come home and is expected to serve the master in the house. Only after the master finishes his meal, the servant is to have his meal. He has to do all of this expecting no appreciation or thanks from the master.

So first Jesus tells us we are to work in His Kingdom as slaves and then in Luke 17:10, Jesus says something really harsh – He wants us to keep on reminding ourselves we are unworthy servants –focused only on our duties. In Matthew 5:13 and Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus at least calls us salt and light of the world but in today’s text His words are truly harsh. Jesus tells us we are to show our love for him by our obedience (John 14:15, 23) but this obedience is of duty only and we have no choice(s) except to perform our duty.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus’ words are indeed harsh but He is preparing us for “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). On this earth, you and I are slaves/servants but in Heaven, which Jesus earned for us with His sacrifice on the cross, our position is different. We will be like Jesus  (1 John 3:2) and we will be sitting at His table no longer as servants and according to Luke 12:37 He will be serving us. So let’s rejoice in our hardships and sufferings, as we serve Jesus and fellow man in the Kingdom of God, remembering all that Jesus is doing for us.

Dear Jesus, help me in my occasional unbelief and keep me steady in my faith, focused on my duties in Your Kingdom and my future glory with you. Amen.

JESUS’ HARD SAYINGS – No Bragging or Boasting (No. 2) and No glory!

Please read Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Peter 4:11

In my previous post, I wrote how Jesus challenges (Matthew 5:13) us, His disciples. In today’s Matthew text, once again we see that Jesus is challenging us – He wants you and me to be the light of the world.

As you know, there are many floundering in this world’s darkness and they need Jesus, the light of the world (John 8:12). And He is asking us to be light - His light – light that guides others to Jesus and light that illuminates the way of Jesus in their lives. While Jesus calls us “ the light of the world”, we should never forget that He is the true light. Just as the sun is the source of light for the moon, Jesus is our source to produce/shine light. It is not going be easy, it is a hard task especially  “in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation” yet His disciples are to do this without  “grumbling or disputing” (Philippians 2:14-16) because of their relationship with God that Jesus earned for them on the cross.

So Jesus challenges us to the hard task and then He tells us not to expect any praise or honor. He makes this very clear in Matthew 5:16. To the world and its followers, it does not make any sense. But to His true disciples, who have the inward Christian growth and renewal of the mind (Romans 12:2), it is wisdom from God. John the Baptist also teaches the same(John 3:30).

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus tells us to be light and do good expecting and claiming no praise or honor. While that sounds harsh, always remember our future glory in Him especially when we “turn many to righteousness” with our light and good deeds (Daniel 12:3, Romans 8:17).

Dear Father in Heaven, be with me and guide me with your Spirit as I work in your kingdom according to your plan (Ephesians 2:10). Help me to reflect your light, with my eyes set on my eternal and glorious future with you. In Jesus name I thank and pray. Amen.

JESUS’ HARD SAYINGS – No Bragging or Boasting No.1

Please read Matthew 5:13, Mark 9:50, and Luke 14:34-35

I don’t remember the name of the commencement speaker.  In fact, I don’t even remember the name of the college. All I remember is watching a video, where the speaker stands up and tells the graduating class ‘ you are the greatest, sharpest, smartest, brainiest, etc. etc. graduates ever in the history of the college, city, state and country’ and he goes on like this for a few minutes and of course, embarrassed giggles and laughter erupt. Then comes the challenge  ‘Now just go out there in the world and prove it.’ The response – first silence then cheers.   

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus is (also) teaching and challenging his disciples - and that includes us - calling them “salt of the earth”. But the problem is, many read this verse and think (1) Jesus’ teaching is only for the disciples of Jesus’ time and (2) He is praising the disciples.

Coming to salt, the truth is – when we add and mix salt to any dish it becomes salted/ flavored, but you and I cannot see, smell, or touch* the salt in the dish.  It is there in the salted/flavored dish and we can taste the flavor.

That’s how Jesus wants us to function in this world and spread the Kingdom of God. He wants us to be active in the world, blending and providing gospel-seasoning and kingdom-seasoning words and deeds. When we salt the world around us with our good deeds** others will thirst for Jesus. Remember, He has given us His Spirit to help us share the good news and do good deeds (more later).

Now Jesus also says some harsh words coming flavorless salt (my words). A true disciple recognizes that God the Holy Spirit enables (1 Corinthians 2:13) him/her to be salt to others, quietly flavoring them and making them thirst for Jesus. On the other hand, a false disciple will go to others, trying to spread flavor of his own words and deeds for self-glory and boasting. In the end, they learn their fate as they futilely try to remind Jesus of their own works (Matthew 7:22-23, Luke 14:35).

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, with His blood, His Gospel, and His Spirit, Jesus has made us salt. Now He wants us to flavor the world with his Gospel for the sake of the Kingdom of God.  So let’s get to work with no boasting or bragging (Luke 10: 17, 20).

Dear God thank you for flavoring me with Jesus. Equip me to share His name, the name above all names, with others. In His name. Amen.

* Not salt on French fries or rock salt added late in cooking.

** Our good works do not save us (Ephesians 2:8-9).

JESUS’ HARD SAYINGS – ‘Rejoice and be glad’ in suffering

Please read Matthew 5:1-12

Apostle Matthew, in chapter 5, writes that Jesus’ teaching- i.e., the Sermon on the Mount- are for His disciples (Matthew 5:1-2). (In the NKJV verses 1 & 2 go “… when He was seated His disciples came to Him. ² Then He opened His mouth and taught them”.) Then in verses 3 to 10, He speaks in a general way - ex. “those who” - and now in verses 11 and 12 he uses the word “you” teaching His disciples. The disciples will be subject to insults, persecution and evil uttered against them because they are following Jesus. This is a continuation of what the Israelites had done to God’s servants (Matthew 23:29-31) during the Old Testament times. Jesus is preparing His disciples for the coming persecution, and he gives them comfort and hope that their reward is waiting for them, i.e., not on earth but in heaven.

And then Jesus says “Rejoice and be glad”(V.12) – he is saying you and I, as His disciples, should not only expect insults, evil words, and persecution but also accept such treatment from the world. As you know, Jesus’ values are in contrast to those of this world. Yet, Jesus teachings here are hard to accept and His expectations seem too much. While other religions promise freedom, happiness, independence, self-reliance and self-actualization, Jesus wants us to depend on him (John 15:5), serve Him (John 12:26), learn, act and serve humbly (Matthew 20:27-28; James 4:10; John 13:12-17) and surrender completely (Matthew 16:24-25). And after all of that, he tells us that we are to expect nothing on this earth (Luke 17:7-10).

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, many - including many Christians - adopt worldly standards and desire popularity. On the other hand, Jesus teaches us to humbly set ourselves apart from the same world and its standards.  This is hard to accept but in our walk of faith, He will provide us the necessary strength and guidance.

Dear Jesus, while the world entices me with its glitz and grandeur, help me to understand and walk in your ways, because You have the words of eternal life. I thank you for the rich and true reward you have for me in heaven. Amen.