Authority

23 When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came to him as he was teaching. They asked, “What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus replied, “I have a question for you. If you tell me the answer, I’ll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. 25 Where did John get his authority to baptize? Did he get it from heaven or from humans?” They argued among themselves, “If we say ‘from heaven,’ he’ll say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’26 But we can’t say ‘from humans’ because we’re afraid of the crowd, since everyone thinks John was a prophet.” 27 Then they replied, “We don’t know.” Jesus also said to them, “Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things.

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. Now he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’
29 “‘No, I don’t want to,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. 30 “The father said the same thing to the other son, who replied, ‘Yes, sir.’ But he didn’t go
31 “Which one of these two did his father’s will?”
They said, “The first one.”
Jesus said to them, “I assure you that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering God’s kingdom ahead of you.32 For John came to you on the righteous road, and you didn’t believe him. But tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Yet even after you saw this, you didn’t change your hearts and lives and you didn’t believe him. (Matthew 21:23-32, CEB)

Which son actually did what the father asked?

Actually neither. The first flat out told the father no and then felt guilty and changed his mind and went. That is not following the will of the father. Even though this pretty much match my journey to being a pastor and almost every other pastor’s journey I know. We all heard God say go to seminary, and we said no, or went somewhere else. But God came again and again, so it was not the first time we said yes, but sometime later when God asked again. So did God ask the first son to go again?

And the second son lied to the father and said, yeah I’ll go and just did what he wanted which was not doing what the father wanted.

God wants us to go where God sends us, not because it is our choice, but because we want to do what God has called us to do. And those who the religious leaders think will be the last to enter heaven will be there first because they live their lives in the truth of being real, and not fake before others.

That is what God wants. For us to be real.

Be real. Live for God.

Controversy over authority

27 Jesus and his disciples entered Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking around the temple, the chief priests, legal experts, and elders came to him. 28 They asked, “What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I have a question for you. Give me an answer, then I’ll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. 30 Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” 31 They argued among themselves, “If we say, ‘It’s of heavenly origin,’ he’ll say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But we can’t say, ‘It’s of earthly origin.’” They said this because they were afraid of the crowd, because they all thought John was a prophet. 33 They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things.” (Mark 11:27-33, CEB)

Has someone ever asked you a question that you knew the answer to but you were afraid to answer it because you know they wanted a different answer than you were going to give?

The religious leaders of the time were trying to get Jesus to give up something they could use against him, but he knew their hearts and why they were asking, so he asked them a question, that would be a start of a conversation they were not willing to have.

You see we need not fear answering a question honestly because God will always give us the words to speak. Plus if we are honest we do not have to have a good memory. Only the one who lies needs to have the perfect memory, to remember the falsehoods they have told and to whom.

Life is easier when we share the truth of God’s love in everything we do.

Won’t Believe

32 “We proclaim to you the good news. What God promised to our ancestors, 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it was written in the second psalm, You are my son; today I have become your father. 34 “God raised Jesus from the dead, never again to be subjected to death’s decay. Therefore, God said, I will give to you the holy and firm promises I made to David. 35 In another place it is said, You will not let your holy one experience death’s decay. 36 David served God’s purpose in his own generation, then he died and was buried with his ancestors. He experienced death’s decay, 37 but the one whom God has raised up didn’t experience death’s decay. 38 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, know this: Through Jesus we proclaim forgiveness of sins to you. From all those sins from which you couldn’t be put in right relationship with God through Moses’ Law, 39 through Jesus everyone who believes is put in right relationship with God. 40 Take care that the prophets’ words don’t apply to you:
41 Look, you scoffers,
    marvel and die.
I’m going to do work in your day —
    a work you won’t believe
    even if someone told you.”
(Acts 13:32-41, CEB)

Make sure you don’t become like those who received the prophets before Jesus came and wouldn’t believe the messengers of God. God does marvelous things in our presence and we just don’t believe it. Even when we are told it will happen we scoff and say it will never be.

But God has done many wonderful things and will do many wonderful things to come. Know that you can not save yourself and God has done that for you through Jesus. Believe and follow where God lead you and help others to believe it also.

Warning

11 Brothers and sisters, don’t say evil things about each other. Whoever insults or criticizes a brother or sister insults and criticizes the Law. If you find fault with the Law, you are not a doer of the Law but a judge over it.12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, and he is able to save and to destroy. But you who judge your neighbor, who are you? 13 Pay attention, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such-and-such a town. We will stay there a year, buying and selling, and making a profit.” 14 You don’t really know about tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for only a short while before it vanishes. 15 Here’s what you ought to say: “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast and brag, and all such boasting is evil. (James 4:11-16, CEB)

Do not look on someone else’s life and insult or criticize them, for you really have no place to do that. You need to be concerned with your own self and life and making sure you are right with God.

Because none of us know what tomorrow or the next 10 minutes will bring. We can only be assured of the here and now.

So love others as God loves you and say you will do things if the Lord wills it.

And in all you do share God’s love, every where you go.

Greatest in the kingdom

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then he called a little child over to sit among the disciples, 3 and said, “I assure you that if you don’t turn your lives around and become like this little child, you will definitely not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Those who humble themselves like this little child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. (Matthew 18:1-5, CEB)

If you want to be great then you have to not think of yourself as great.

If you want to be great you must be able to let others do things for you.

If you want to be great you must be able to say you can’t do it on your own.

Be like a child who is dependent on others to get what is needed for life.

Be like a child and rely on your heavenly parent to be there for you and to guide you in this life.

warning against division

17 Brothers and sisters, I urge you to watch out for people who create divisions and problems against the teaching that you learned. Keep away from them. 18 People like that aren’t serving the Lord. They are serving their own feelings. They deceive the hearts of innocent people with smooth talk and flattery. 19 The news of your obedience has reached everybody, so I’m happy for you. But I want you to be wise about what’s good, and innocent about what’s evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (Romans 16:17-20, CEB)

Watch out for people who create divisions and problems against what you have learned.

But what if what you have learned was wrong?

And what if things have changed?

We once thought women were not to be leaders in the church.

We once thought, and some still do, that LGBTQIA+ can not be leaders in the church.

So who is right here and what teaching are we to stick to?

Well if you believe that God has led you to the teaching you have received and you are doing what God has called you to, and others have said they believe that God has led you here and has given you this gift to share, then that is a sign from God.

So many in religious areas want to control, when the love of God will truly set us free to be who God has created us to be.

Be free and share God’s love with the world.

Calling

9 As Jesus continued on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at a kiosk for collecting taxes. He said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him. 10 As Jesus sat down to eat in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners joined Jesus and his disciples at the table. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard it, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. 13 Go and learn what this means: I want mercy and not sacrifice. I didn’t come to call righteous people, but sinners (Matthew 9:9-13, CEB)

I wonder about this, because even healthy people go to the doctor, for check ups and yearly exams. I am not in the greatest of health, as I have several chronic issues, but I would not say I am unhealthy, and I still go to the doctor twice a year. Is that what Jesus means here?

Yes and no, because even though I say I am healthy, in the grand scheme of things it is because of my medications and the things my doctor recommends that makes me healthier, but still not the best.

Jesus came to call the sinners, those who are separated from God, to be with God. But isn’t that really all of us?

We all need a different side or view of Jesus, the one that will allow us in our brokenness to see God as the one who loves us as we are. We need to get away from the noise of those who think they have the answers and hear God say, ” You are my beloved child.”

God doesn’t want the self righteous, God wants those who are loved by God, to open themselves to God and receive the love God has for them.

Workers in the vineyard

“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 After he agreed with the workers to pay them a denarion,[a] he sent them into his vineyard. 3 “Then he went out around nine in the morning and saw others standing around the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I’ll pay you whatever is right.’ 5 And they went. “Again around noon and then at three in the afternoon, he did the same thing. 6 Around five in the afternoon he went and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why are you just standing around here doing nothing all day long?’ 7 “‘Because nobody has hired us,’ they replied. “He responded, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and moving on finally to the first.’ 9 When those who were hired at five in the afternoon came, each one received a denarion. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarion. 11 When they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 ‘These who were hired last worked one hour, and they received the same pay as we did even though we had to work the whole day in the hot sun.’ 13 “But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I did you no wrong. Didn’t I agree to pay you a denarion? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I want to give to this one who was hired last the same as I give to you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you resentful because I’m generous?’ 16 So those who are last will be first. And those who are first will be last.” (Matthew 20:1-16, CEB)

We all complain when others get more than we think they deserve, and if it isn’t justice for us then it isn’t justice.

I wonder as you read this story who do you most align with?

Is it the landowner?
The first hired?
Those hired in between?
The last hired?
The manager?

I always wonder what did the manager think. I mean they would have known the landowner and how generous he was, but what would you think of giving a person who only worked an hour a whole days wage? Would you be concerned the ones hired early in the day would be upset because they didn’t get more than the last hired?

I find it amazing how we react to things and get upset over things that are completely out of our control.

We should be lifting up our siblings in Christ and looking for the best for everyone.

Know that God is gracious, because God was gracious to you, and God will be gracious to all.

Let it go

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I assure you that it will be very hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 In fact, it’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.” 25 When his disciples heard this, they were stunned. “Then who can be saved?” they asked. 26 Jesus looked at them carefully and said, “It’s impossible for human beings. But all things are possible for God.” 27 Then Peter replied, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you. What will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “I assure you who have followed me that, when everything is made new, when the Human One sits on his magnificent throne, you also will sit on twelve thrones overseeing the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And all who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or farms because of my name will receive one hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last. And many who are last will be first. (Matthew 19:23-30, CEB)

There is nothing we can do to make it into heaven.

But there are many things we can do to keep ourselves out. Or at least that is an impression I get from this lesson. If you are in love with your stuff and can’t let it go, then your stuff will keep you from heaven.

We need to not be worried about stuff and what we will get, but what Jesus has called us to.

We will get more than we could possibly imagine when we follow Christ, but that isn’t why we follow, because then we won’t get it. It is a very interesting catch 22.

And if we try to be last to be first that won’t work either. God knows our hearts and why we are doing what we are doing.

So just be and love as God loved you, and follow after Jesus loving everyone along the way, because that is what God told us to do.

Examine yourself

5 Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Don’t you understand that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless, of course, you fail the test. 6 But I hope that you will realize that we don’t fail the test. 7 We pray to God that you don’t do anything wrong, not because we want to appear to pass the test but so that you might do the right thing, even if we appear to fail. 8 We can’t do anything against the truth but only to help the truth. 9 We are happy when we are weak but you are strong. We pray for this: that you will be made complete. 10 This is why I’m writing these things while I’m away. I’m writing so that I won’t need to act harshly when I’m with you by using the authority that the Lord gave me. He gave it to me so that I could build you up, not tear you down. (2 Corinthians 13:5-10, CEB)

Test yourself to see if Jesus is in you, but know that you can’t fail the test?!?!

I had to read that a few times, Paul is telling the Corinthians to test themselves to see if they are in the faith. Yet he doesn’t tell them what the test should be or consist of. And then he says that if you fail the test Christ is not in you and you are not in the faith, but remember you can’t fail the test!

But we should still always take note of where we are and how we are connected to God. God will never leave us, but that doesn’t mean we don’t walk away from God.

So be mindful of where you are and how you are connected to God.