Are we ready to open the door for Jesus upon His return? Let’s look at the parable of the waiting servants in Luke 12:35-48.
Ready
Luke 12:35 “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.” As a household servant would have had the lamps lit for the owner’s return, so do many of us leave an outside light on for someone we are expecting home soon. If they’ve been gone a long time, we may be dressed appropriately to help them. So must be ready for the Parousia or Second Coming of Christ.
Luke 12:36 “Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.” The picture here is one of expectant waiting for the household boss coming from a wedding celebration and opening the door at his first knock. Live in joyful expectation of His coming, ready to meet Him.
Luke 12:37 “Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.” Rather than be served, our selfless and loving Master, Jesus will gladly serve us. Footwashing was not an empty gesture, but the way Jesus lives.
Luke 12:38 “Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.” Romans divided the night into four watches. The Jews into three watches. The second Jewish watch was from 10:00 pm-2:00 am and the third from 2:00-6:00 am. An earlier or later coming of Christ makes no difference to those who are ready.
Luke 12:39 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.” A second metaphor of waiting for Christ is the unexpected thief in the night. But, we can be ready for the thief. Even in ancient times families took turns on night watch as we saw.
Luke 12:40 “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” How do we get ready? How do we watch? We stay on the alert. We don’t let the thief steal our faith. We pray. We guard our hearts. We watch our mouths. We guard against heresies. We draw near to God faithfully obedient to His commandments of love.
Faithful
Luke 12:42 “… Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?” Jesus instructs every faithful steward but it reminds us of other admonitions, “Tend My lambs” (John 21:15) and “shepherd the church of God” (Acts 20:28). The spiritual diet given in due season is very important to God.
Luke 12:43-44 “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” What should a preacher preach, meat in due season, or worldly fluff that tickles the ears? Should he preach the Bible or the philosophy of those who care more for the world’s opinions? Faithful preaching has eternal rewards.
Luke 12:45 “But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk”. Too much alcohol is not for Christians. We would be tempted to let down our guards and become abusive. It’s not time to slacken in our responsibilities to God and the Church.
Luke 12:46 “the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.” If we neglect the worship of God, we will not be ready for Christ’s return. Our punishment will be ugly. This is Jesus talking, not an Old Testament prophet.
Luke 12:47-48a “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few.” Contrary to the popular notion that ignorance of the law is not excuse, with God it is. The level of culpability depends on knowledge.
Luke 12:48b “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” Just as national leaders have a grave responsibility to tell the truth and show forth good character, so do Church leaders. Those who have been given a greater knowledge of God’s Holy Word are thus held more accountable for how they live.
Conclusion
The problem with being in the Church for decades is the temptation to slacken off. Our problem in western countries like America and Europe is that we no longer believe the Bible without changing it to suit the world. Yet, now more than ever before, we need to be reading our Bibles daily, pray more than ever and be about our Father’s business. Jesus is coming soon. Are we ready to open the door?
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
You Will Long to See
This week several stories of firefighters and a police chief losing their homes to wildfires have emerged. They had no time to mourn their losses, because they had a job to do in continuing to fight. Something greater than personal loss drove them on, they longed to see others saved.
When times are tough, what do we long to see? Do we long to hear once more the stories of Jesus? In Luke 17:20-37 Jesus prophesied a time of trouble after the cross and what we should focus on as most important. What is the most important thing in our lives?
No Signs
In Luke 17:20 what did Jesus mean that “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed”? The Greek implies Jesus was describing both the careful and anxious watching, with which the hostile Pharisees had been observing Him and others, who were looking for a sign that He was the Messiah king. His kingdom is not one of worldly pomp but God’s reign in men’s hearts.
In Luke 17:21 speaking of the kingdom of God, Jesus says, “nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” We too can focus so much on the visible coming of the king of kings, that we miss the kingdom of God in our midst. It reigns in our hearts and its king was already here.
Long to See
In Luke 17:22 Jesus said to His disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.” This wording looks both backwards to the disciples’ joy in His earthly ministry and forward to their eagerly awaiting His return. During difficult times let’s also remember our days hearing Jesus’ teachings and His healing people.
In Luke 17:23 we read, “They will say to you, ‘Look there! Look here!’ Do not go away, and do not run after them.” In those days many false Christ’s began to appear. Even today false prophets attempt to tell people they will find Christ here or there among their deceptive doctrines. We must constantly focus on doctrines that Jesus taught, not enticing things which He did not teach.
Like Lightning
Luke 17:24 “For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day.” Though the kingdom of God is in the hearts of all who submit to God’s rule in their lives, Jesus points to His bright and visible return and conquest of earth by that kingdom.
Luke 17:25 “But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” As the ultimate Patriarch of both Old and New Testaments, Jesus set the example of true self-sacrificial leadership for the world He loves. So, before coming in glory, He would suffer in shame. We see in Jesus a loving God who mourns for the world’s suffering and is willing to suffer along with it.
Lot’s Wife
Luke 17:26-27 “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” In the dark days ahead, life will continue in many respects as normal.
Luke 17:28-29 “It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.” A perverse society that cared nothing for the poor was suddenly judged, abruptly as will Jesus return.
Luke 17:30 “It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” In rich countries we are so proud. We ignore countries that we have exploited, the poor that we have oppressed to gain our wealth and we take pride in our sins. Like Sodom we live in lands that are “ well watered everywhere… like the garden of the Lord” (Genesis 13:10).
Luke 17:31-32 “On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife.” We get so attached to things, yet unlike Lot’s wife we must live as if ready to walk away from our worldly possessions without looking back.
Luke 17:32-33 “Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” The pillar of salt is a memorial to the failure of a counterfeit gospel about wealth. As Lot’s wife was told not to look back, let us learn not to mourn for the materialism of a dying world, but forward to the things that will last forever.
Carcass
Luke 17:34-36 “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. [Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.]” Is this reminiscent of the final judgment?
Luke 17:37 “And answering they said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, Where the body [carcass] is, there also the vultures will be gathered.” This is not the Body of Christ, but the rotting carcass of a sinful nation about to be taken and destroyed. But Jesus’ words also prophesy of our time and are deliberately vague enough not to be limited by where or when?
Postlude
Let’s not be like Lot’s wife, but live as if we are ready and willing at a moment’s notice to abandon all our material possessions for the kingdom of God. Because, all of those things will pass away, and only the kingdom remains.
Luke 17:20-37; Genesis 13:10
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
When times are tough, what do we long to see? Do we long to hear once more the stories of Jesus? In Luke 17:20-37 Jesus prophesied a time of trouble after the cross and what we should focus on as most important. What is the most important thing in our lives?
No Signs
In Luke 17:20 what did Jesus mean that “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed”? The Greek implies Jesus was describing both the careful and anxious watching, with which the hostile Pharisees had been observing Him and others, who were looking for a sign that He was the Messiah king. His kingdom is not one of worldly pomp but God’s reign in men’s hearts.
In Luke 17:21 speaking of the kingdom of God, Jesus says, “nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” We too can focus so much on the visible coming of the king of kings, that we miss the kingdom of God in our midst. It reigns in our hearts and its king was already here.
Long to See
In Luke 17:22 Jesus said to His disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.” This wording looks both backwards to the disciples’ joy in His earthly ministry and forward to their eagerly awaiting His return. During difficult times let’s also remember our days hearing Jesus’ teachings and His healing people.
In Luke 17:23 we read, “They will say to you, ‘Look there! Look here!’ Do not go away, and do not run after them.” In those days many false Christ’s began to appear. Even today false prophets attempt to tell people they will find Christ here or there among their deceptive doctrines. We must constantly focus on doctrines that Jesus taught, not enticing things which He did not teach.
Like Lightning
Luke 17:24 “For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day.” Though the kingdom of God is in the hearts of all who submit to God’s rule in their lives, Jesus points to His bright and visible return and conquest of earth by that kingdom.
Luke 17:25 “But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” As the ultimate Patriarch of both Old and New Testaments, Jesus set the example of true self-sacrificial leadership for the world He loves. So, before coming in glory, He would suffer in shame. We see in Jesus a loving God who mourns for the world’s suffering and is willing to suffer along with it.
Lot’s Wife
Luke 17:26-27 “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” In the dark days ahead, life will continue in many respects as normal.
Luke 17:28-29 “It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.” A perverse society that cared nothing for the poor was suddenly judged, abruptly as will Jesus return.
Luke 17:30 “It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” In rich countries we are so proud. We ignore countries that we have exploited, the poor that we have oppressed to gain our wealth and we take pride in our sins. Like Sodom we live in lands that are “ well watered everywhere… like the garden of the Lord” (Genesis 13:10).
Luke 17:31-32 “On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife.” We get so attached to things, yet unlike Lot’s wife we must live as if ready to walk away from our worldly possessions without looking back.
Luke 17:32-33 “Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” The pillar of salt is a memorial to the failure of a counterfeit gospel about wealth. As Lot’s wife was told not to look back, let us learn not to mourn for the materialism of a dying world, but forward to the things that will last forever.
Carcass
Luke 17:34-36 “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. [Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.]” Is this reminiscent of the final judgment?
Luke 17:37 “And answering they said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, Where the body [carcass] is, there also the vultures will be gathered.” This is not the Body of Christ, but the rotting carcass of a sinful nation about to be taken and destroyed. But Jesus’ words also prophesy of our time and are deliberately vague enough not to be limited by where or when?
Postlude
Let’s not be like Lot’s wife, but live as if we are ready and willing at a moment’s notice to abandon all our material possessions for the kingdom of God. Because, all of those things will pass away, and only the kingdom remains.
Luke 17:20-37; Genesis 13:10
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Out of the Heart
Prelude
Are we so blinded by our church buildings and our rituals that we don’t see God? Are we blinded by the world’s sinfulness? Are we noble like the Bereans, studying our Bibles daily to see what God says? What defiles us? Let’s look at Matthew 15:10-20 and see what Jesus has to say about blindness and what’s in our hearts.
This Defiles the Man
Reading Matthew 15:10-11 Jesus taught, “Hear and understand. It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” The Pharisees stressed the letter of the law, but Jesus was more concerned with the spirit of our words than kosher meats and handwashing. Why? How do our words defile us? Our words reveal what’s in our hearts.
The Pharisees were Offended
Reading Matthew 15:12 “Then the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?’” Jesus offended religious leaders without apology. Did He set Himself above kosher law from the Old Testament? The Pharisees kept it in the letter not understanding the spiritual intent of the law. Are we afraid of sharing the Gospel because it may offend some people?
4 Times Blind
Reading Matthew 15:13-14 “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Don’t be anxious about heresies. Every man-made doctrine, every man-made tradition, and every church ministry which God did not plant will eventually disappear, so dismiss them from your thoughts.
From the Heart
Reading Matthew 15:15-18 “... the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.” Our words tell what’s in our hearts. Our hearts defile us, and outward washing rituals and kosher dietary regulations cannot make us clean inside. The heart is the corrupt source of this defilement. Sinful words come from there, and by polluting others only serve to defile others as well.
Out of the Heart
Reading Matthew 15:19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” All these evil things begin with thoughts. This follows the order of the Ten Commandments, but instead of covetousness ends with blasphemies or slander, the Greek word can mean either. Jesus said that breaking the Ten Commandments is done in the heart, not just in the flesh (Matthew 5:22, 28).
Application 1
Blind leaders place human traditions ahead of matters of the heart. Blind leaders find excuses to sidestep the instructions of God. Blind leaders preach “inclusion,” meaning accomodation to the sins of the world, so that they can keep the money coming in. Blind leaders preach “unconditional love,” often preached as “come as you are,” meaning no need to change, when real love is preaching repentance, and rescuing sinners from hell.
Application 2
How can we avoid being misled by blind leaders. Listen carefully to their words. The Bereans listened carefully to Paul (Acts 17:10-11). Being a good listener means we don’t naively swallow everything we hear, but analyze it. For Christians that also means we compare it to the Scriptures. Don’t just believe any preacher. Follow along in our Bibles. If we don’t study our Bibles daily, we become quickly blind.
Postlude
Blind leaders and their followers will be “uprooted… [and] fall into a pit.” Jesus concludes by saying, “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”
We often focus on the physical side of religion, our buildings, our rituals, but not our changed hearts, yet that’s the very definition of repentance. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Matthew 13:16-17)
Matthew 15:10-20; Matthew 5:22, 28; Acts 17:10-11; Matthew 13:16-17
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/matt/mt15_12.htm
Are we so blinded by our church buildings and our rituals that we don’t see God? Are we blinded by the world’s sinfulness? Are we noble like the Bereans, studying our Bibles daily to see what God says? What defiles us? Let’s look at Matthew 15:10-20 and see what Jesus has to say about blindness and what’s in our hearts.
This Defiles the Man
Reading Matthew 15:10-11 Jesus taught, “Hear and understand. It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” The Pharisees stressed the letter of the law, but Jesus was more concerned with the spirit of our words than kosher meats and handwashing. Why? How do our words defile us? Our words reveal what’s in our hearts.
The Pharisees were Offended
Reading Matthew 15:12 “Then the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?’” Jesus offended religious leaders without apology. Did He set Himself above kosher law from the Old Testament? The Pharisees kept it in the letter not understanding the spiritual intent of the law. Are we afraid of sharing the Gospel because it may offend some people?
4 Times Blind
Reading Matthew 15:13-14 “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Don’t be anxious about heresies. Every man-made doctrine, every man-made tradition, and every church ministry which God did not plant will eventually disappear, so dismiss them from your thoughts.
From the Heart
Reading Matthew 15:15-18 “... the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.” Our words tell what’s in our hearts. Our hearts defile us, and outward washing rituals and kosher dietary regulations cannot make us clean inside. The heart is the corrupt source of this defilement. Sinful words come from there, and by polluting others only serve to defile others as well.
Out of the Heart
Reading Matthew 15:19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” All these evil things begin with thoughts. This follows the order of the Ten Commandments, but instead of covetousness ends with blasphemies or slander, the Greek word can mean either. Jesus said that breaking the Ten Commandments is done in the heart, not just in the flesh (Matthew 5:22, 28).
Application 1
Blind leaders place human traditions ahead of matters of the heart. Blind leaders find excuses to sidestep the instructions of God. Blind leaders preach “inclusion,” meaning accomodation to the sins of the world, so that they can keep the money coming in. Blind leaders preach “unconditional love,” often preached as “come as you are,” meaning no need to change, when real love is preaching repentance, and rescuing sinners from hell.
Application 2
How can we avoid being misled by blind leaders. Listen carefully to their words. The Bereans listened carefully to Paul (Acts 17:10-11). Being a good listener means we don’t naively swallow everything we hear, but analyze it. For Christians that also means we compare it to the Scriptures. Don’t just believe any preacher. Follow along in our Bibles. If we don’t study our Bibles daily, we become quickly blind.
Postlude
Blind leaders and their followers will be “uprooted… [and] fall into a pit.” Jesus concludes by saying, “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”
We often focus on the physical side of religion, our buildings, our rituals, but not our changed hearts, yet that’s the very definition of repentance. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Matthew 13:16-17)
Matthew 15:10-20; Matthew 5:22, 28; Acts 17:10-11; Matthew 13:16-17
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/matt/mt15_12.htm
Leaven
Prelude
The Bible uses leaven to symbolize how both good and bad things grow in our lives. It’s important for us to know the difference, so that we make sure that the good things in our lives grow and not the bad. Purpose: Let’s learn about the meaning of leaven in the Bible. Plan: We’ll look at the parable of the leaven in Matthew 13:33 and the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod in Mark 8:13-21.
Leaven
The leavening agent in Bible times was yeast. A mixture of flour and water left to rest, naturally ferments before baking. Yeast is everywhere, on our skin and in the air. This is known today as sourdough bread, which we are most familiar with while camping or in rye bread. The foam or barm from beer-making was also an ancient source of yeast. Israel probably learned that from ancient Egypt.
Good Leaven Matthew 13:33
In Matthew 13:33 Jesus spoke a parable of those under God’s rule, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” Leaven pictures growth from within. A woman’s work is very important to the Church. Even behind the scenes, it produces growth. Let’s not be discouraged, God’s kingdom will grow despite problems within the Church.
Bad Leaven Mark 8:13-21
In Mark 8:15 Jesus said, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And in Matthew 16:5–12, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees… the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Political leaders, and both liberal and conservative religious leaders. So leaven pictures both political and religious teachings and In Luke 12:1 Jesus includes “hypocrisy.”
Political Leaven
Herod produced bad leaven (Mark 8:15) because he was a liar, abused his office, an adulterer, and used religion as a tool for personal influence, rather than genuine repentance. Herod enforced human law, not God’s law, as politicians do. Jesus tells us to beware of putting man’s law above God’s law. Knowledge of man’s law is like leaven (1 Corinthians 8:1). It puffs up with a counterfeit morality.
Conservative Pharisees & Liberal Sadducees
Liberal leaven can be disguised as inclusiveness and love. But we forget that holiness requires exclusiveness in some areas of life and that true love warns those on the road to hell to repent of sins, not pretend that God allows “malice and wickedness” instead of “sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:1-8). Conservative leaven can be man-made rules and promoting the letter of Old Testament law (Galatians 5:1-9).
Bad Religion & Bad Politicians
In Matthew 16:5-12 we learn that “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” is “the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” This would include Herod because he was in collusion with Sadducees. Thus, three parties are included in this bad leaven, the conservative Pharisees, the liberal Sadducees and the corrupt king Herod. Herod had an over inflated opinion of himself, and set a bad example as leader.
Good Religion & Good Politicians
True Christianity sets the spiritual framework for a society that God can bless. The Sadducees convinced Rome to put their man, Herod into office. The Pharisees despised the man that the Sadducees has gotten into office. How much does this sound like any election cycle in a western democracy? The answer is not on either side of corrupt politics, but in genuine Christianity, in truly loving God and loving neighbor.
Good Thoughts
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” We need to get our minds of negative influences, politics, news, and negative people. A cure for negativity is to continually thank God for a long list of blessings.
Postlude
So we have a choice. We can focus on conservative leaven of man-made rules and Old Testament legalism, centrist leaven of wishy-washy compromise with the devil, liberal leaven of inclusion of evil and a false love which sends people to hell, political leaven which is filled with worldly lies and false promises, OR we can hide the leaven of the kingdom of heaven in our hearts until it permeates every part of our lives with joy and blessings forever more.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Matthew 13:33; Mark 8:13-21; Mark 8:15; Matthew 16:5–12; Luke 12:1; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 5:1-8; Galatians 5:1-9; Philippians 4:8
The Bible uses leaven to symbolize how both good and bad things grow in our lives. It’s important for us to know the difference, so that we make sure that the good things in our lives grow and not the bad. Purpose: Let’s learn about the meaning of leaven in the Bible. Plan: We’ll look at the parable of the leaven in Matthew 13:33 and the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod in Mark 8:13-21.
Leaven
The leavening agent in Bible times was yeast. A mixture of flour and water left to rest, naturally ferments before baking. Yeast is everywhere, on our skin and in the air. This is known today as sourdough bread, which we are most familiar with while camping or in rye bread. The foam or barm from beer-making was also an ancient source of yeast. Israel probably learned that from ancient Egypt.
Good Leaven Matthew 13:33
In Matthew 13:33 Jesus spoke a parable of those under God’s rule, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” Leaven pictures growth from within. A woman’s work is very important to the Church. Even behind the scenes, it produces growth. Let’s not be discouraged, God’s kingdom will grow despite problems within the Church.
Bad Leaven Mark 8:13-21
In Mark 8:15 Jesus said, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And in Matthew 16:5–12, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees… the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Political leaders, and both liberal and conservative religious leaders. So leaven pictures both political and religious teachings and In Luke 12:1 Jesus includes “hypocrisy.”
Political Leaven
Herod produced bad leaven (Mark 8:15) because he was a liar, abused his office, an adulterer, and used religion as a tool for personal influence, rather than genuine repentance. Herod enforced human law, not God’s law, as politicians do. Jesus tells us to beware of putting man’s law above God’s law. Knowledge of man’s law is like leaven (1 Corinthians 8:1). It puffs up with a counterfeit morality.
Conservative Pharisees & Liberal Sadducees
Liberal leaven can be disguised as inclusiveness and love. But we forget that holiness requires exclusiveness in some areas of life and that true love warns those on the road to hell to repent of sins, not pretend that God allows “malice and wickedness” instead of “sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:1-8). Conservative leaven can be man-made rules and promoting the letter of Old Testament law (Galatians 5:1-9).
Bad Religion & Bad Politicians
In Matthew 16:5-12 we learn that “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” is “the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” This would include Herod because he was in collusion with Sadducees. Thus, three parties are included in this bad leaven, the conservative Pharisees, the liberal Sadducees and the corrupt king Herod. Herod had an over inflated opinion of himself, and set a bad example as leader.
Good Religion & Good Politicians
True Christianity sets the spiritual framework for a society that God can bless. The Sadducees convinced Rome to put their man, Herod into office. The Pharisees despised the man that the Sadducees has gotten into office. How much does this sound like any election cycle in a western democracy? The answer is not on either side of corrupt politics, but in genuine Christianity, in truly loving God and loving neighbor.
Good Thoughts
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” We need to get our minds of negative influences, politics, news, and negative people. A cure for negativity is to continually thank God for a long list of blessings.
Postlude
So we have a choice. We can focus on conservative leaven of man-made rules and Old Testament legalism, centrist leaven of wishy-washy compromise with the devil, liberal leaven of inclusion of evil and a false love which sends people to hell, political leaven which is filled with worldly lies and false promises, OR we can hide the leaven of the kingdom of heaven in our hearts until it permeates every part of our lives with joy and blessings forever more.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Matthew 13:33; Mark 8:13-21; Mark 8:15; Matthew 16:5–12; Luke 12:1; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 5:1-8; Galatians 5:1-9; Philippians 4:8
Jonah
Prelude
What business does a foreigner have telling any nation to repent? If his name is Jonah, it’s God’s business. But, Jonah ran away because he despised Assyria. Are we running away from God? Are we bigoted against other nations? Purpose: Let’s learn that God cares even for our enemies. Plan: Let’s look at Jonah 1 and see what we can learn from a bad attitude prophet.
Arise, Go
Jonah 1:1-2 “The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.’” Nineveh (now Mosul, Iraq) was the capital of Assyria, a nation of warriors that terrorized Israel. Israel was to bless the whole world, but they had degenerated into hating foreigners. Jonah’s bigotry was no exception.
Jonah Fled
Jonah 1:3 “But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” Tarshish was far west across the Mediterranean. Nineveh was northeast. Joppa is the seaport Jaffa. Jonah rebelled against God.
A Great Storm
Jonah 1:4 “The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.” Mediterranean tropical storms can become Category 1 hurricanes. But, this was a specially prepared sudden storm “hurled” by God. The ship was near to breaking up. Such are the storms we invite into our lives when we rebel against God.
Jonah Slept
Jonah 1:5 “Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.” This is a story of opposites. A bad prophet and good sailors. Jonah is asleep in depression due to disobedience.
Why Are You Sleeping
Jonah 1:6 “So the captain approached him and said, ‘How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.’” Are we asleep, or doing God’s work? Do we pray for people of other faiths? Is God concerned for them? Is our nation beginning to break apart? Is God concerned for our nation?
Who Caused This
Jonah 1:7 “Each man said to his mate, ‘Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.” God can use heathen superstitions to reveal Himself and His will. The false idea that calamity is always God’s punishment is common. It can be, but time and chance also happen (Ecclesiastes 9:11).
Tell Us
Jonah 1:8 “Then they said to him, ‘Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?’” A lot of natural questions were asked about why, his occupation, origin, country, and people. They wanted to know why God was punishing Jonah. And yes, there was a man responsible, Jonah.
The God of Heaven
Jonah 1:9 “He said to them, ‘I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.’” Jonah’s confession may be familiar to those who have ever been asked a reason for the hope that is within them. Like Jonah, we are also imperfect, but when the chips are down, we tell where our true faith lies, in God alone.
Postlude
Many people have served their nation and a grateful nation thanks them for it. Now God has called us to serve in a greater way than ever before, to pray for our nation that we be like Nineveh and repent, that we be a blessing to other nations, not a curse, and to speak when asked about the hope that lies within us. Let’s not sleep during the storm. It is time to wake up, call upon our God and proclaim God’s message of repentance to all.
Jonah 1; Ecclesiastes 9:11
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
What business does a foreigner have telling any nation to repent? If his name is Jonah, it’s God’s business. But, Jonah ran away because he despised Assyria. Are we running away from God? Are we bigoted against other nations? Purpose: Let’s learn that God cares even for our enemies. Plan: Let’s look at Jonah 1 and see what we can learn from a bad attitude prophet.
Arise, Go
Jonah 1:1-2 “The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.’” Nineveh (now Mosul, Iraq) was the capital of Assyria, a nation of warriors that terrorized Israel. Israel was to bless the whole world, but they had degenerated into hating foreigners. Jonah’s bigotry was no exception.
Jonah Fled
Jonah 1:3 “But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” Tarshish was far west across the Mediterranean. Nineveh was northeast. Joppa is the seaport Jaffa. Jonah rebelled against God.
A Great Storm
Jonah 1:4 “The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.” Mediterranean tropical storms can become Category 1 hurricanes. But, this was a specially prepared sudden storm “hurled” by God. The ship was near to breaking up. Such are the storms we invite into our lives when we rebel against God.
Jonah Slept
Jonah 1:5 “Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.” This is a story of opposites. A bad prophet and good sailors. Jonah is asleep in depression due to disobedience.
Why Are You Sleeping
Jonah 1:6 “So the captain approached him and said, ‘How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.’” Are we asleep, or doing God’s work? Do we pray for people of other faiths? Is God concerned for them? Is our nation beginning to break apart? Is God concerned for our nation?
Who Caused This
Jonah 1:7 “Each man said to his mate, ‘Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.” God can use heathen superstitions to reveal Himself and His will. The false idea that calamity is always God’s punishment is common. It can be, but time and chance also happen (Ecclesiastes 9:11).
Tell Us
Jonah 1:8 “Then they said to him, ‘Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?’” A lot of natural questions were asked about why, his occupation, origin, country, and people. They wanted to know why God was punishing Jonah. And yes, there was a man responsible, Jonah.
The God of Heaven
Jonah 1:9 “He said to them, ‘I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.’” Jonah’s confession may be familiar to those who have ever been asked a reason for the hope that is within them. Like Jonah, we are also imperfect, but when the chips are down, we tell where our true faith lies, in God alone.
Postlude
Many people have served their nation and a grateful nation thanks them for it. Now God has called us to serve in a greater way than ever before, to pray for our nation that we be like Nineveh and repent, that we be a blessing to other nations, not a curse, and to speak when asked about the hope that lies within us. Let’s not sleep during the storm. It is time to wake up, call upon our God and proclaim God’s message of repentance to all.
Jonah 1; Ecclesiastes 9:11
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
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