OUR FATHER WHO LOOKS UPON THE HEART OF MEN

The city of Jerusalem was now a cauldron of hazards for Jesus and His disciples.

The established religious and political  powers were on their own home turf and they are familiar with all the legal and political tools available to destroy their opponents.

Matthew chapter 22 verse 15 - 22 records the setting of their trap and how Jesus evaded being caught in the vice that they had intended to use to destroy Him;

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

Having marked Jesus as a public enemy number one, the pharisees designed this question that would entrap Jesus in such a way that if He answered one way, the people could be turned against Him and if He answered the other way, the Roman rulers could be turned against Him.

Representatives from both the temple priests and king Herodˋs court approached Jesus falsely posturing as sincere seekers of wisdom. They pretended to regard Him as a genuine teacher and they attempted to flatter Him by saying that they knew He was incorruptable by the opinions of men. They then aired their question as to whether the nation of Israel, under the Mosaic law, was required to pay taxes to the Roman empire or not. 

This loaded question, if answered with a ˋyesˋ, would be used by the questioners to turn the peopleˋs opinion against Jesus because they would accuse Jesus of being a Roman sympathizer who supported Roman taxation over Israel. If Jesus lost the support of the people, the establishment would then be able to do whatever they wanted to Him with impunity.

If answered with a ˋnoˋ, the establishment would rush to the Roman rulers and report Jesus as a insurrectionist who wanted the people to rebel against the Roman by withholding taxes.

The Lord recognized the nature of the test and responded to the questioners in the presence of all the people in the temple;

18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?

19 Show Me the tax money.”

So they brought Him a denarius.

20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

This response disarmed the trap because it laid bare the realities that the political and religious establishments had already accepted as part of their compromises with the Romans and these compromises were what the people were having to cope with.

The people who came to question Jesus were in possession of the Roman  currency that was inscribed with the name and image of Ceasar and so they were in compliance with the Romans as they traded in and stored their own wealth in Roman currency.

This is their hypocricy that Jesus was pointing out to them as He answered the question by telling them that because they had already integrated the Roman currency into their own lives and benefited from the Roman economic system, they were obligated to render to Ceasar what Ceasar had bequeathed to them.

Having done that however, they were still obligated to the God of Israel  and so they were required to render what they owed to God, to God.

The incredibly compact dissection of Israelˋs state of affairs diffused the bomb launched by the pharisee and king Herodˋs reps and they were stunned into silence and they departed.

How perceptive and wise is our God?

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO CALLS MANY BUT CHOOSES A FEW

Matthew chapter 22 verses 11 - 14 is an addendum to the parable that Jesus told in the temple about the wedding feast that a king arranged for his son, only to have the invitees decline to attend.

In the parable, the king responded to the absence of attendees sent out his servants to invite the marginaized people from the highways and byways and they came to attend the feast.

At the feast, the king entered the banquet hall to see the guests and he picked out a person who was not dressed for the occasion and he asked him why he did not dressed appropriately. The man had no answer and the king ordered his servants to tie the man up and eject him into the outer darkness in a state of anguish.

This addendum, extraordinarily difficult to interprete, reads as follows.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

To try to understand what was being conveyed, letˋs deconstruct the story by identifying the various people and elements that appear.

• The king is God the Father
• The guests were those called to join the feast after the original invitees delined
• The man was an attendee who had invited in from the streets or the gentile realms
• The status of this man as per the king was  ˋfriendˋ or a believer in Jesus
• The missing wedding garment was the abscence of the garment of praise or the garment of righteousness which are both referenced in Isiaah 61 verses 10 - 11,

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;

     my soul rejoices in my God.

     For he has clothed me with garments of salvation

     and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,

     as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,

     and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up

     and a garden causes seeds to grow,

     so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness

     and praise spring up before all nations.

• The servants are the prophets of God who can bind and loose 
• The ejection from the feast into the outer darkness is a removal from the light and presence of God
• Weeping and gnashing of teeth is anguish and regret over missed opportunities

The conclusion that Jesus offers to the addendum to the parable is that many are called, but few are chosen.

This points to a sobering reality where people, hearing the gospel, believe it and are saved and they make it to the marriage supper of the lamb of God but when they get there, the lives they lived on earth are missing the praise and righteousness needed to form an appropriate garment. That garment reflects the individualˋs life of the pursuit of an intimate connection with the God. 

The ones who sought a sincere and humble love relationship with God will find that they are clothed with the garments appropriate for a wedding feast and that God reciprocates intimacy with intimacy. Those who forfeit their own lives even unto death for the sake of the kingdom of God out of love for God, will be  included in the ongoing life of God in the same way that a new bride and groom embark on a shared journey and even adventure in their lives going forward together.

Those without the garment are the ones who accepted salvation and recieved it but having been saved, did not inquire into the one who paid so great a price to save them and did not voluntarily pursue a relationship with Him out of their own love for the one who loved them while they were yet sinners.

Those who did not pursue intimacy with God while on earth got eternal life because they believed in the ressurection of Jesus and they were saved by the blood of the lamb but they will then, going forward live apart from Godˋs private presence and always regret that they missed out on being included in Godˋs inner circle because they loved only themselves.

Many are called to share in the goodness of God but when decisions are made to find the ones who genuinely loved God before they knew of His riches and glory, only a few will be chosen to be part of the inner life of God.

Have mercy on us O God.

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OUR FATHER WHO ARRANGED A MARRIAGE FOR HIS SON

Continuing to speak to the people in the temple, the Lord Jesus told the people a parable that indicted the religious establishment for their opposition to the One who was sent from God. The parable, in Matthew chapter 22 verses 1 - 10 reads this way;

1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables aod said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

The King in the parable is God the Father. The kingˋs son is the Lord Jesus Himself.

The wedding feast is the celebration of the reconciliation between God and mankind.

The servants who were sent out to the people to gather people for the feast are the prophets of God.

The people who were invited but refused to come to the wedding feast of the kingˋs son are the religious leaders who had priorities above the honoring of God.

The people who were gathered from the highways and byways were the castaways and gentiles who were being brought into the economy of salvation and reconciliation with God after the subjects of the king rejected the invitation to come to the celebrate the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This parable was marking the change from the Mosaic dispensation to the dispensation of grace and the Lord was telling this parable to the religious leaders of Israel at the very time that they were in the process of rejecting Him and seeking His death.

The death that the religious leaders were plotted for Him turned out to be the very sacrifice that was planned by God from the begining of the world that would pay for the sins of world and thus reconcile our fallen race of men back to our God for those who voluntarily chose to believe and accept the provision that was made for them.

This concept is parallel to what Jesus conveyed in Matthew chapter 21 verses 42 - 43 where He said;

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the Lord’s doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

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

Have mercy on us O God.

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 OUR FATHER WHO SENT HIS SON TO SAVE THE WORLD

Matthew chapter 21 verses 33 - 46 records a second parable that the Lord Jesus told the people in the temple regarding how different segments of the population would react to the arrival of the kingdom of God. In this case, the religious leaders, who were ostensibly in place to receive the kingdom of God when it arrived, were the ones who fought the emmisaries of the kingdom in their selfish quest to preserve their status in society. 

However, their dogged resistance to the arrival of the kingdom caused them to reject the cornerstone that was actually the Lord Himself and thus they disqualified themselves from kingdom and it was taken from them and given to another nation that would submit to the kingdom of God and yield fruit in keeping with their seasons. 

33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain  landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the Lord’s doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

Lord have mercy on us.

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OUR FATHER SENT A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS TO HERALD THE MESSIAH

Still speaking to the religious leaders who had demanded to know by what authority He was doing miracles and teaching, Jesus indicted them with a parable about two sons whose father wanted them to do some work in His vineyard . The parable, found in Matthew chapter 21 verses 28 - 32, reads this way;

28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”

They said to Him, “The first.”

Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

The father of the two sons in the parable represented God. One son represented the religious leaders and the other son represented the outcasts of the society like the tax collectors and prostitutes.

Jesus contrasted the two sons by showing how one did what was wrong by refusing to do what his fatherˋs requested but later regretted it and went out to serve his father. The other son verbally agreed to do what his father asked but did not actually go out to work.

He asked the religious leaders which of the two sons actually did the will of the father and they replied to the question by saying that it was the first  son who initially refused but later went out to work.

The Lord then clarified that the first son was like the tax collectors and harlots because they originally lived in rebellion to Godˋs will but upon hearing the preaching of John the baptist, they believed and regretted their sins, repented and were baptized.

On the other hand, the religious leaders were like the second son who originally subscribed to a life of serving God but when John came to them preaching the news of the kingdom of God that called them to be baptized, they did not believe and they did not seek to repent and be baptized.

Jesus assured the religious leaders that because of this difference, the tax collectors and harlots would enter the kingdom of God before they did.

Have mercy on us O God.

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OUR FATHER DECLARED THAT JESUS WAS HIS SON IN WHOM HE WAS WELL PLEASED

In Matthew chapter 21 verses 23 - 27, we see the Lord Jesus, having returned to Jerusalem from Bethany, at the temple teaching. The religious leaders challenged Him by demanding to know by what authority He was doing miracles and teaching in the temple.

23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”

And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Lord , knowing that their challenge was not a sincere request for clarification but rather a trap, countered them by asking them to declare whether they believed that the baptism of John was valid.

To answer this question, the religious leaders would have been forced to reveal their hypocricy related to how they treated John the baptist.

If they said John the baptist was  a valid prophet of God, they would then be asked by the people why they did not accept his teaching and why they let John be executed by king Herod for preaching righteousness.

On the other hand, if they said John was not a valid prophet, they would anger the people of the city who believed that John was a true prophet of God and they had gone out to the wilderness to hear him speak. Openly denying that John was a prophet would expose the fact that the religious leaders were not on the same page as the people of the city.

Pressed in this connundrum, the religious leaders tried to evade the question by simply saying that they didnˋt know whether Johnˋs baptism was valid or not. Jesus then told them that because they would not reveal their stance on this spiritual matter, He was not obligated to show them His spiritual credentials.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO IS PLEASED WHEN WE WALK IN FAITH

After spending the night at Bethany, the Lord Jesus travelled the short distance (about 3.2 kilometers) back to Jerualem and on the way, an enigmatic event took place as described in Matthew chapter 21 verses 18 - 22;

18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.

20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”

21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

A fig tree beside the road caught the Lordˋs attention and being hungry, He went to it looking for figs but the tree did not have any fruit on it but only leaves.

The Lord spoke to the tree saying, ˋLet no fruit grown on you ever againˋ, and the tree withered away.

The disciples saw the leaves rapidly drooping and fading and they were astonished that spoken words could have that kind of effect so they asked Jesus what power was at work that caused the tree to respond to His words like that.

The Lord explained a principle of faith to them which, if a person had faith that was undiluted by doubt, that person could command edicts over a fig tree and it would obey. Jesus explained that faith was not only effective in relation to living things but also in relation to inanimate masses such as mountains.  If a person had undiluted faith, they could speak to a mountain telling it to be uprooted and heaved into the sea, that would happen.  

The Lord then generalized the principle such that any prayers that are spoken while believing would bring about what was being asked for.

This teaching formalised the experiences that had occured in earlier chapters where for example in Matthew chapter 14,  the disciples were in a boat on the sea of Galilee and Jesus commanded Simon to walk on the water with Him and Simon got out of the boat and walked but he began to fear and doubt because of the high wind and waves and he started to sink into the water. Jesus grabbed him by the hand and pulled him into the boat asking why he doubted.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

The walk of faith that receives what is requested is one where we fully expect our words to carry effective power and that doubt is excluded from our thoughts no matter what the circumstances around us look like.

Amen.

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