This week, I'd like for us to take an in-depth look at one of the most popular chapters in the entire bible, one that many can recite from memory, the 23rd Psalm. As eloquently written as it is, there are many beautiful truths just below its surface, and our faith is strengthened as we search out the scriptures, and God reveals these things to us as we study His word. So, let us ponder the 23rd Psalm together...
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
David, the writer of this Psalm, was a shepherd himself when he was young, and so he was very familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a shepherd. It is not known at what point in David's life that this Psalm was written, but it seems that it must have been in his later years, as the very nature of the Psalm lends itself to experience, and the provision and safekeeping of God through many trials. The psalm actually contains two very different analogies, one referring to the care and provision of a shepherd, and the other pertaining to a feast. Both have very valid points to make, and so, let's look at them verse by verse...
In verse 1, we read the beautiful and reassuring words..."The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want." As the Good Shepherd, Jesus not only leads and protects His flock, but at the same time, He supplies all their needs. In the original Hebrew text the phrase "I shall not want" is literally translated into a very emphatic "I want nothing", which implies the supply of every possible need, simply put, all that is required for well being and happiness is to be found in the Lord. However, if we are to be cared for and provided for by the Great Shepherd, we must be as sheep in His pasture, quiet, meek, humble, and ready and willing to be led.
Verse 2 tells us..."He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." Notice here, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...sometimes, we are reluctant to "let go, and let God", we are resistant to the idea of relinquishing control, or somehow fearful of the peace of mind that comes from simply resting in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We seem to think that, without our efforts, without our oversight, that our situations will somehow spiral out of control. We must understand, however, that control is an illusion. It is only when we let go of the urge to govern and maintain our own lives, and let God take the reins, and lead us by His Spirit, that we will find ourselves in the paths of righteousness. Without His divine guidance, we are blind, and without His light, we have no focus, as we are told in Jeremiah 10:23..."O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps." May we abandon this illusion of self control, and allow God to lead us beside the still waters, that we would live in peace and harmony with His will.
Encouragement and inspiration is found in verse 3, as we read..."He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." When we are overcome with temptation, when we are weak, He will restore our souls. His love is such that He is not willing that any should perish, and His sacrifice for us is so complete that He restores us when we fall, and He cares for us when we are weakened or sick, as a Shepherd cares for his sheep. He leads us in paths of righteousness, not that we are righteous by our own merits, but that His righteousness has been transferred to us, as believers. For the sake of Christ, and His supreme sacrifice, the righteousness of God has been accounted to us, though we are so undeserving, and this, Praise God, is the very definition of grace!
Verse 4, being the midpoint of the psalm, marks the transition from one thought to another. It is in stark contrast to the first three verses, as it paints a darker picture, the semblance of danger and death, and the reliance upon the Lord for safety and guidance through these perilous times. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." The shadow of death, which is the Hebrew phrase "sal-ma-wet", or "the death-darkness", is the Hebrew equivalent of the blackest darkness, a place of peril and torment, and here David asserts that even in the valley, or the lowest point, of this darkness, that he will not fear, because his God is with him. What an inspirational thought, that no matter the situation, or where we may find ourselves, evil is not to be feared, because God is with us, and He holds us in the palm of His Mighty Hand. Traditionally, the rod of the shepherd was used to guide as well as to count the sheep, as the shepherd would keep count as each sheep passed under the rod. Here, David refers to the comfort and reassurance that he feels as he passes under the rod, knowing that he belongs to God, as a sheep in His pasture. So, we see that God guides us and counts us as one of His own. The rod and the staff are one tool, the crooked end being the rod which the shepherd used to gently guide the sheep and which they passed under as they were counted. The staff was the long straight end which the shepherd would use to ward off wolves, dogs, or other predators which would seek to attack the sheep. We should take comfort in the knowledge that God is protecting us from our enemies, and from the attacks of the devil. Not that we will not be tempted, but that, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 10:13, God is faithful, and will "...not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." How blessed we are to be counted as God's own dear children, led by His Spirit, and protected as the sheep of His pasture!
Verse 5 gives us the analogy of the provision of God as a feast..."Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over." The Hebrew word for "table" is "shulchaan", which is literally translated as a king's table which is set for a feast. God prepares this richly appointed table in the presence of our enemies, who may look on in envy, but just as the rich man beheld Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, and could not reach him for the great gulf which was fixed between them, so the enemies of God will have no place at His table. "Thou anointest my head with oil:"...The guests at a feast were often anointed with oil and perfumes, and God anoints us with the "oil of gladness" as we are told in Psalm 45:7. Furthermore, God reproved kings of enemy nations in 1 Chronicles 16:7 by telling them..."Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." So we see that God anoints those who he provides for and protects. When we follow after God, and depend upon his provision, we will have all that we need and more. These blessings naturally lead to overflow, as David tells us..."my cup runneth over." What a beautiful picture of the abundance of love, mercy, and grace that our God has in store for us as the children of the King!
David closes out the Psalm with a majestic and reassuring proclamation..."Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
Just as the sheep are pursued by predators, but watched over and protected by the shepherd, so the goodness and mercy of God follow after His children. We, as believers, are graciously shadowed by the love and provision of our Shepherd throughout this life, and, because of His supreme sacrifice, we are able to contemplate the dwelling that He is preparing for us, where we will be with Him forever in the house of the Lord.
We come to the conclusion of our "Sermon on the Mount" series this week as we take a look at Matthew Chapter 7, verses 13-29, and I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I'm so thankful for all the views of this series, and that I've been truly blessed and learned so much from this series of studies, and it is my prayer that is has been as helpful and enlightening for all of you as it has been for me, and so we pick it up at verse 13...
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
With verses 13 and 14, Jesus lays out the facts of eternal destiny, and tells us in no uncertain terms that we determine our outcome, our own eternity, by the path which we choose. This is indeed a sobering thought. Notice that no apology is given for the straitness of the gate, nor for the narrowness of the way, which we must trod if we hope to gain eternal life. The choice is ours to make, and the fact is, we must make a choice. There is a line from an old song that says..."If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice", and this is exactly the case. The question becomes, then, which path will we choose for ourselves? The broad path demands no changes in our nature, or our habits, nor does it require any restraint of our lusts, or desires, and certainly no one will walk the broad path by themselves. However, the end of the path leads to destruction. How sad it is that so many are fooled into believing that the ride is worth the horrible fate that awaits them at the end! The broad path, and the wide gate are, unfortunately, by far the most popular choice, so much so, in fact, that we are told in Isaiah 5:14..."Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it." We, as followers of Jesus, must shine the light of truth in this dark world, and we must never allow others to dim our light simply because it is shining in their eyes. We must be content in the knowledge that there is nothing wrong with being different from the rest of the world. As we are told in Titus 2:13-14..."Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Let us never feel the need to apologize for our belief in the truth, and may we never be ashamed to proclaim the name of Jesus..after all, why should we try to fit in, when we were born to stand out?
Jesus gives us an ominous warning concerning false prophets in verse 15, followed by a detailed explanation of how to recognize them in verses 16-20..."Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." There are individuals, and indeed entire organizations, both secular and religious, which profess to be Christian, and claim the name of Jesus, who are nothing more than the proverbial "wolves in sheep's clothing." It is our duty to spend time in God's word, and to pray for guidance, that we will be able to discern who these false prophets are. As we are told in 1 John 4:1..."Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." We are not to be taken in by what someone looks like, or by what they say, because as we read in 2 Corinthians 11:13-14..."For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." It is only by the actions of an individual that their case is proven. Whether or not someone's actions are in line with God's word, and not the way in which they portray themselves, determines their credibility. However, while we prayerfully discern the false prophets around us, let us never forget the fact that there is a false prophet that whispers directly in our ear, the most insidious and dangerous of all, that roaring lion which seeks to devour us. May we pray for clarity in our hearts and minds, that we would not only see through the many false prophets around us, but also that we would tune in to the voice of the Spirit within us, and not the voice that would lead us down the broad path to destruction.
In verses 21-23, Jesus gives us a glimpse of the Great Day, and the fate of those whose motives and actions are not in accordance with God's will..."Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." A dreadful pronouncement of judgment upon those whose hearts are impure, who have never given the precious blood sacrifice of Christ the preeminence in their lives. Those who only pay lip service, saying, "Lord, Lord", but never giving their hearts fully to Jesus, are no different from the Roman soldiers which put the robe on His back and the crown of thorns upon His head, and bowed down, mocking Him. Countless thousands will claim intimacy with Jesus in that day, but He will refute their assertions by openly proclaiming that not only was their acquaintance was not broken, but rather, that there was never a relationship to begin with. A sad state, to be sure. Many throughout history have prophesied, cast out devils, and done many wonderful works in the name of Jesus, but their hearts were not in the right place. How could these things be, we ask? Jesus explains in Matthew 15:8..."This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."
With verses 24-27, Jesus closes out the sermon on the mount with a beautiful parable which not only separates the "hearers" from the "doers", but is also filled with hidden treasures, pearls of wisdom, which will help to strengthen our faith..."Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." First of all, we must acknowledge the fact that we are blessed simply to be hearers of Jesus, as there are many in the world who have not yet been given the awesome privilege of hearing the gospel. But hearing, as we all know, is not enough. We must open our hearts and minds, believe and obey the gospel, and only then will we be likened unto the wise man that built his house upon a rock. So, what is the rock that Jesus speaks of here? We read in Matthew 16:16-18..."And Simon Peter answered and said unto him, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." So we see, the rock is the confession that Peter made, and that we all must make, the acknowledgement that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God. Our belief must be proclaimed, as we are told in Romans 10:9-10..."That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." So, the question becomes, what is our foundation, or, where will we build our house? The fact is, we all have a house to build, a spiritual house, the building of the hope of life eternal. Many, lamentably, only build their houses to suit themselves, as if they would live here forever. We are provided a rock upon which to build our house, which is Christ, but, sadly, many reject Him, as He tells us in Mark 12:10..."...the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner." The bottom line is, there is a storm coming, and the rains will descend, and the floods will come, and the winds will blow, and if our house is not founded upon the rock, it will fall, and great will be the fall of it.
Verses 28 and 29 bring the chapter to a close with a summary of the reaction of the people to the words of Jesus..."And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Jesus had the consciousness of Divine authority, as the Lawgiver, and the Judge, and He reached the people in a way that the scribes, which only read the law, could never aspire to. No wonder, then, that the people were astonished at His doctrine. And now, some 2000 years later, people are still astonished. And well they should be, as there has never been, nor will there ever be, a teacher, a preacher, or a prophet, who has expounded God's ways in such an eloquent and firsthand way. Jesus taught with authority, because He was given authority, as He tells us in Matthew 28:18..."...All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth."
The sermon on the mount stands the test of time as the most powerful discourse ever delivered, the single most important sermon that has ever, or will ever, be preached. The precepts and promises set forth in this sermon have been proven true for over two thousand years, and when combined with prayer and faith, they will help to ensure that our houses are founded upon the rock. May we all be led by the Spirit, and walk the narrow path, that we would enter in at the strait gate, and be among the precious few that find eternal life.
This week, we'll continue our study of the sermon on the mount with an in-depth look at Matthew, chapter 7, verses 1-12...
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."
In verses 1 and 2, Jesus warns us against the act of judging others. However, the word "judge" here does not refer to the act of making a simple judgment of someone's character, or motives, or actions, because we must make these types of judgment calls in order to determine whether or not we can trust a person, or whether or not a situation is safe for us. Jesus is telling us in these verses that we are not to pronounce rash, unjust judgments, or judgments based on biased or superficial prejudices. We have no right to judge others in this way, because we do not want our own lives to be judged by these standards.
A compelling example of why we are not to rashly pass judgment upon others is provided in verses 3, 4 and 5. By contrasting the mote, or splinter, that we so easily behold in the eye of our brother, with the beam, which is much larger, and more pronounced, that we fail to notice in our own eye, Jesus casts light on our hypocritical nature. He brings to light our tendency to minimize our own faults, all the while exaggerating the flaws in others in a vain attempt at misdirection. We are quick to point out the sins of others, simply because it shifts the focus away from our own. This is precisely the type of judgment that Jesus is warning us against.
Verse 6 gives us a detailed explanation of the difference between rash, uninformed judgment of others, and righteous, prayerful judgment of one's character. Jesus tells us that we are not to give "that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Those who are crude, coarse, and impure cannot appreciate the priceless pearls of wisdom that Christianity has to offer, and will, instead of valuing and accepting it, endeavour to bring it into contempt. They will downplay its eternal importance, and will bring reproach upon those who seek only to enlighten, and perhaps help to save, their very souls. All that remains in these situations is for us to pray for these individuals, and continue to do our best to portray the love of Jesus in everything that we do.
Verses 7 and 8 are filled with beautiful and reassuring promises that Jesus gives us in order to bolster our faith..."Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." By comparison, however, these three "cause and effect" principles are very different in nature. We "ask" for those things that we desire, we "seek" for those things which we have lost, and we "knock" on the door when we feel that we have been excluded. Just as we are told in James 4:2..."ye have not, because ye ask not", we must ask in faith, and in accordance with the will of God, and not ask for worldly things simply because we want them. We should ask for those things that will help us to become all that God would have us to be, such as patience, humility, and empathy, compassion, love, and a forgiving spirit. And, as we read in Matthew 6:33..."seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness", and only then will the necessities of this life be added unto us. We must seek for the kingdom, because any right we had been given to it was lost to us at the fall of Adam. Original sin has driven a wedge which we must seek to remove. Thanks be to God for the unspeakable gift of His Son, who, through His death, burial and resurrection, broke down the border of separation. Furthermore, when we seek first for righteousness, the temporal things of this life somehow seem less important, and worldly needs seem to be less pressing, and when we realize that God has promised to supply all of our needs, the worries and anxieties of this life simply fade away. We read the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:20..."Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him..." In order for us to avoid exclusion from eternal life, we must be willing to open the door of our hearts when Jesus knocks, and to allow Him to come in, and to live in and through us, and then all things will be opened unto us. Also, when we pray, it is akin to a knock at the door of heaven. Let us not be as a heathen, who would knock on a door and then run away, but let us knock, and then in faith, wait for our answer, and, if need be, knock again.
Verses 9, 10, and 11 come together in order to form one complete thought..."Or, what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or, if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" Human nature dictates that a man will work to fulfill the needs of his children, and not deny them basic necessities. As corrupt as we are in this fallen state, we still have a heart that desires to provide good things for those that we love. How infinitely stronger, then, must be the desire of God to fulfill the needs of His children! The tender compassion of mankind is not fit to be compared with the unfathomable love of God! So rich in mercy, so ready to forgive, and so willing to provide for us. Not only has God made provision for us in those things that we need in this life, but He has provided something so much more valuable in the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Though we are so undeserving, salvation has been made possible for us through the supreme sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross!
We come now to the proverbial "golden rule". Jesus tells us in verse 12..."Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." We can all understand the adage "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", but in order for us to implement this precept in our daily life, we must make righteousness our priority, and accept it as our principle. We must develop and nurture empathy toward others, for without empathy, we can never fulfill this command. It is only when we esteem others better than ourselves, when we through eyes of humility see others as equals, that we are able to gain insight into their situations. Not only are we to do good to others, because we want good to be done to us, but we are to do good to those who would seek to do evil to us, as well. We are not to recompense evil for evil, not to hold grudges, or think evil of others. As Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:44..."...love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you..."The only way for us to put this into practice is through consistent prayer and hard work. It goes against human nature to resist the urge to seek revenge or retribution, just as it is contrary to our nature to think of others as being on equal footing with us. As Paul said in Romans 12:3..."For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think..." Only when we humble ourselves can our hearts be changed by the Spirit of God into what we should be. James tells us in Chapter 4, verse 6..."God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." So, in conclusion, let us "ask" for humility, for empathy, and for purity in our hearts and minds, and may we "seek" for God to change us as He sees fit, that He would use us as instruments to further His kingdom. And finally, may we "knock" at the door of heaven in faith with our prayers, and open the door of our hearts to Jesus when He feel Him "knock", and be ready and willing to be filled with His Spirit, and to share His love with a lost and dying world.
This week, we'll continue looking at the sermon on the mount, and pick it up at Matthew 6:25-34, and this week we'll pay particular attention to the teachings of Jesus as they relate to the problems of worry and doubt, and how to counteract their crippling effects on our life...
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
In verse 25, Jesus begins to lay out His case against the cares and worries of this present world taking over our minds. He uses the phrase "take no thought" three separate times in this section of the sermon, and it simply means that we are not to devote any of our conscious energies to these things. In the original Greek text, the phrase "take no thought" is translated "me merimnate", literally, "Be not in care", and so, in other words, these are not issues that we are to become preoccupied with or anxious about. We are not to allow them to become our focus. In other words, a mind that is content in the knowledge that God will provide is a mind that will not become disquieted about these worldly things.
Jesus tells us in verse 26 to behold the birds, to take note of the fact that although they put forth no effort to sow, or to reap, to gather, or to store, that God in his infinite mercy makes sure that they have food to eat. Jesus then asks the question, "Are ye not much better than they?", and of course, we know that we are of much greater value to God than the birds, as Jesus tells us in Luke 12:7..."even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." But, do we have as much faith in God's provision as the birds do? They never seem to be worried about where their next meal will come from, and it would seem, although they may be simple in nature, that they have an underlying faith, and perhaps, we can all learn a valuable lesson from them. Just as we are told to "behold" the birds in the previous verses, we are told to "consider" the lilies of the field in verse 28, and the fact that, like the birds, they toil not, but Jesus goes on to say "that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Verse 30 tells us that, if God so clothe the grass of the field, that is here today, and tomorrow is burned in the oven, why would He not therefore clothe us? As beautifully arrayed as the lilies are, surpassing all artificial human grandeur, they are but temporary. Will God's own dear children, whose souls are eternal, then be left destitute or naked? Certainly not.
Verses 31 and 32 reiterate the command of Jesus that we "take no thought", wondering what we shall eat, or drink, or be clothed with, because we are told that these temporal things are what the Gentiles seek after. The Gentiles, as pagans and idol worshipers, only sought after those things that fulfilled their momentary, fleshly desires. Jesus here elevates his disciples up above these worldly concerns, and comforts us by making sure that we are aware that "your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." Such a blessed assurance is imparted as Jesus ensures us that God is aware of our needs, and that He will provide for us.
And so, we come to the main point of this section of the sermon, and, arguably, the main point of the entire sermon on the mount, as Jesus sums up all these thoughts in a beautiful way..."But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." A simple statement, but so far reaching and comprehensive in nature at the same time. Earlier Jesus told us that we were to "take no thought" about where our food, or shelter, or clothing, would come from, and here, He gives practical application of this lesson, namely, if we will first seek to be pleasing to God, and seek for His righteousness, all these temporal things will be given to us. Perhaps not in abundance, but wealth is not what we were promised, provision is what we were promised. We are told in Hebrews 13:5 to..."be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." And this needs to be enough for us, to know that we are loved and cared for. How much our outlook, and our life in general, would be changed if we could only take this great truth to heart, and know that the best way to be comfortably provided for in this life is to keep our focus on eternal life. If we could shift our focus from the "work to pay bills, and work to buy food" mentality, to an "I am loved, and I am provided for by God" mindset, the stresses of our day to day lives would lose their power over us. They would then have no way of causing any further turmoil in our minds. How freeing it is to simply rest in the provision of the Lord!
We close out the chapter with verse 34..."Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Just as surely as each day brings with it its own particular set of challenges and problems, it is self defeating for us to be anxious, or worried, about tomorrow, as this will only serve to add to our troubles. We must understand that the devil is indeed very real, and the more that we seek to live a life that is pleasing to God, the more the devil will seek to tear us down. We will be faced with heartache, temptation, and stress, but let us never forget that we have in Jesus an ally who can never be defeated. He has given us His word that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. Let us then be ever mindful of His provision and His love, and let us lean on Him for strength in times of trouble. Led by His Spirit, and strengthened by His mighty hand, may we go forth with a renewed sense of confidence in His unfailing love for us!
Continuing with our study of the sermon on the mount, this week we'll look at Matthew 6:14-24, which contains some of the most profound and oft quoted sayings of Jesus, teachings which are certainly worthy of our attention. Beginning at verse 14..."For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
This section of the sermon on the mount is all about priorities, and how we are to go about setting them in our life. We must put God first, and seek His kingdom above all else. Jesus warns us in verses 14 and 15 that if we are to be forgiven, we must be willing to forgive. In order for us to qualify for the mercy and pardon that we all so desperately need, we must set aside our natural tendencies to assign blame, and to seek for retribution against those who have done wrong to us. We must consider others to be worthy of our forgiveness if we are to be found worthy of pardon ourselves. Jesus goes on to speak about fasting, and the fact that there are those who are so hypocritical as to perpetrate a lie, appearing to men to suffer for their faith, all the while their self serving motives are causing them to forfeit any blessing or benefit that their fast may have afforded. Rather than the fast being about the willpower of the individual, thereby effectively stealing the glory away from God, Jesus tells us that, when we fast, we are to wash our faces, and anoint our heads, so that we do not appear to men to be fasting. This is difficult, because it involves the denial of our natural inclination to seek praise for our sacrificial actions, but this is exactly what Jesus expects from His people, to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow Him.
Verses 19-21 have been quoted, memorized, and recited thousands of times, and they certainly are worthy of further study. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Just as we are warned against coveting the praises of men, Jesus here warns us against coveting worldly possessions and material wealth. Again, it comes down to our priorities. What do we consider to be treasures? Those who only seek worldly wealth, those who are never satisfied, and are ever wanting more, will ultimately end up empty and unfulfilled. As Jesus said in Mark 8:36..."For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" So we see, no matter how much of this world's wealth we may gather, it will never be enough to replace that which we lose in the process of the gathering, our very souls. The intrinsic value of the soul simply cannot be overstated. Our soul is the only part of us which will continue on for eternity, and so it is the most valuable possession that we are endowed with, and no amount of worldly wealth could even begin to compare with it. Once we realize the true value of our souls, we will begin to equate their worth with treasure, and will begin to act accordingly. We must value ourselves and consider our eternal destiny to be of the utmost importance, and then we will, by process of reevaluation, begin to seek to live in a way that will be pleasing to God. Our priorities will then naturally shift toward those areas that God would have us to focus on, whether it be for our own self betterment or for the betterment of others. Our willingness to conform to the will of God for our life, whatever that may be, sets us on the path to true peace and happiness, and in this way, we can be a blessing to those around us, and reflect the light of Jesus to a world that so desperately needs Him. So, what is meant by "laying up treasures in heaven?" What does it entail, what is the process by which we "lay up treasure in heaven?" Jesus tells us in Luke 18:22, as he speaks to the rich young ruler..."sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me." Does Jesus require us, in this present world, to sell all that we have, and give it to the poor? This is a tricky question, and we must be careful in answering, because there are those who the Lord may lead to do this very thing, to rid themselves completely of worldly possessions in order to purify themselves and fulfill His will for their life. However, we are not all required to make such an extreme sacrifice. We are, however, required to prioritize, and to tithe, and to give of what we have been blessed with in order to provide for those who are in need. Whether it be through charitable giving, or through giving of our time in volunteer work, we are commanded to give of our means in order to help those who may be less fortunate. This is how we lay up treasures in heaven. Our recognition of the value of giving to others paves the way for our hearts to be opened to their plight, and to empathize with their situations, whether or not we have ever personally felt their pain or not. If our hearts are content in the knowledge that God will provide for us, we will give willingly, and cheerfully, as God requires. We are told in 2 Corinthians 9:7..."Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."
In verses 22 and 23, Jesus tells us..."The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" The eye spoken of here is not the literal, physical eye, but the heart, and the will, of the individual. Those things that we choose to focus on, to give our attention to, are the things which will occupy our thoughts and ultimately determine our destiny. This "light or darkness" concept is not foreign to us or difficult to be understood. We will either choose to focus our attention and our energy on the good or on the evil, the will of God for our life, or on our own selfish desires. There is no in-between. We will either put all that we have into serving God and others, or we will serve ourselves. This is precisely what Jesus is warning against in these verses, the distinct difference between the direction that we would choose for our life, and the direction that God would have us to go in. Once again, it comes down to our priorities. It is this giving up of self in deference to the leading of the Holy Spirit that we must come to terms with. Only when we are willing to strip control away from ourselves, and give it to God, can we be the "empty vessels" that He would have us to be, and be ready to be filled with His Spirit.
These thoughts are wrapped up in a very profound and thought provoking way in verse 24, as Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms..."No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will cling to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." In the original Greek text, the word "douleuein", which equates to our word "serve", is used here, and it is defined as "to belong wholly to and be entirely under command to", and this type of service can only be given to one master. For us to serve two masters in this way would be quite impossible, as their teachings would invariably contradict one another at some point, and our loyalties would then be tested. Love for the one would then win out, and hatred for the oppressiveness of the other would show forth as we made the conscious choice of which master we would ultimately serve. Let us remember that our God is a jealous God, and He will not suffer us to share our time or devotion to Him with anyone or anything else. The last phrase of verse 24 simply states..."Ye cannot serve God and mammon." The word "mammon" derived from ancient Syria, and it signifies anything that we value above all else, and put our trust in. 1 John 2:16 tells us..."For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of this world." The incessant grasping at of these things to the exclusion of God is the very reason why Jesus warns us against making them our master. These things will never provide us with the satisfaction that simply being in the will of God provides. The peace of mind that comes from the knowledge that we are loved and cared for by God is unsurpassed in its value, and nothing else in this world is worthy to be compared to it. Finally, as Paul tells us in Phillipians 4:7..."And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
