Matthew 11:1-19 Messengers from John the Baptist

John the Baptist is mentioned here since we left him at the baptism scene (Mat.3). This is right after Jesus’ second discourse (Mat.10) on the mission of the kingdom, the cost and the rewards for the messengers sent out to work. The theme repeated several times in this section is “messenger” or “sent out one.” John sends his disciples (he was imprisoned) as messengers to Jesus to ask if he is the one. Jesus gives them evidence by mentioning all the signs and miracles he has performed. In light of Isaiah’s prophecy, he is the Messiah to come.

Lest anyone would think anything less about John, Jesus explains who he is. John is neither a weakling nor a well-dressed softy living in the wilderness, but a prophet who, according to Isaiah, would prepare the way for the Messiah. He is the messenger of God sent out on a mission to make way for the Christ. Jesus presents John as the Elijah to come, not resurrected Elijah, but a prophet in the spirit and power of Elijah. No one is considered greater than John among the living of the time. It is important to note that as Jesus affirms John’s identity, he is confirming his own as the Messiah.

What was the people’s response? Jesus uses a parable of children in the market inviting playmates who refuse to play no matter the game. If they play the flute they don’t dance and if they sing a dirge they don’t mourn. This is representative of that generation who witnessed John, an ascetic, and did not believe him. But when Jesus appears, who eats and drinks and befriends sinners, they don’t believe either. Ultimately, God’s wisdom is justified or proven right by her deeds - both John’s and Jesus’ deeds.

John and Jesus are perfect examples of messengers of God sent to the people who suffered rejection and ultimately gave their lives in God’s service. The mission of the kingdom is not defined by ministry styles, but by faithfulness to the call to bring the gospel of the kingdom to every man, woman, and child despite their response. To follow Jesus is to heed the call to be his messenger in the world.

Father, make me your messenger. May I heed your call to bring the gospel of the kingdom faithfully despite people’s response.

Psalm 22 Faithful God

My first years in college were one of the darkest times in my life. I was away from home for the first time. You'd think that was something to rejoice over, but not for me. I really liked the comforts of home, my church, my friends, and being close to my girlfriend. I didn't even like the college town where I now had to live. My family didn't have much, so I did not have spending money, not even enough to eat at times. My faith in those days was under attack by most of my family at large. No one believed that I was serious about following Jesus and many taunted and ridiculed me every time they had a chance. I felt lonely, rejected, downcast, and at times without hope. Yes, it was very depressing. My prayers in those days were very much like Psalm 22 - where are you God? Why have you abandoned me?

As you read the psalm, you realize that one of the things David constantly does is to remember the past when God had come through for his people and even for himself personally. What better way to build faith and confidence in those dark hours of life than to remember God's track record of his faithfulness? There are plenty of sources to remind me of God's faithfulness. First, I have the Bible. In it I find the stories of God's relationship with Israel, from the Exodus from Egypt to the liberation from Babylon and Persia. Story after story points to the faithfulness of God and tells me: "If God did it for them, he can do it for me." It reinforces my trust in God as I see him at work.

Also, I have a great source of God's faithfulness in my own personal past experience with God. I have plenty of stories to recall of how God came through for me to provide, heal, comfort, strengthen, etc. My own past experiences are worth my reflection and meditation in times when the sun does not seem to come out at all. These stories also have the power to infuse trust in my God.

Finally, there are so many good testimonies from the lives of my brothers and sisters that can serve to inspire my faith, reinvigorate my confidence, and lift up my soul. That's why fellowship with my brethren is so very important. My faith is built upon hearing God's word and God's past acts. It builds my faith to believe that God is faithful and he will do it again. If not in this lifetime, he will vindicate me in the life to come. This builds my hope, comforts my soul, and strengthens my spirit to continue this journey. Even Christ while on the cross, quoted this psalm: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" But he did not quote it in despair. He quoted it in hope, knowing that God the Father would vindicate him at the resurrection. He quoted it mindful of his Father's faithfulness.


Father, in my darkest hours, help me remember your faithfulness throughout time. May the Scriptures ring in my head as a reminder of your power and love. May your faithfulness to me in the past come to mind as well. May I recall your faithfulness to my brethren. Comfort me, strengthen me, and revive my trust in you because you are faithful. Amen.

Acts 8:1-3 Saul Ravages the Church

Saul of Tarsus was a young man when he started persecuting the Church. He was a Hellenistic Jew who loved God and his Law. He perceived the Church, like most Jews of his time,  to be against God and his Law and for this reason, he went after them with all his might to try to eradicate them from the face of the earth. Stoning was the main method for execution. The Jews persecuted the Church out of zeal.

The Romans also persecuted the Church for totally different reasons. Religion, for the Romans, was polytheist and it promoted social unity. They were very tolerant of other religions and used it as a means to keep their empire together. When they conquered a people group, they would add their gods to their pantheon and give them Roman names. They could not tolerate Christianity because it made claims of exclusivity. To the Romans, this was a threat against society. If people believed in Christ exclusively, they would lose the "glue" of their society.

The first Roman persecution was under the reign of Nero (c.64-68 ad). Tacitus, a historian of the time, reported:
"Besides being put to death they [the Christians] were made to serve as objects of amusement; they were clad in the hides of beast and torn to death by dogs; others were crucified, others set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylight failed. Nero had thrown open his grounds for the display, and was putting on a show in the circus, where he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or drove about in his chariot. All this gave rise to a feeling of pity, even toward men whose guilt merited the most exemplary punishment; for it was felt that they were being destroyed not for the public good but to satisfy the cruelty of an individual."


We can't forget that the persecution of the Church was predicted by Christ and it would be a sign of the end times. The Church is still under persecution - now more than ever. Much of the terrorism that we are experiencing today is somehow fueled by anti-Christian ideals. It is said that there have been more Christians martyred in the last century than in all the preceding centuries combined together. Here are some recent news concerning persecution: http://www.persecution.org/suffering/index.php


How will I react to persecution? I really don't know until I am there, but I pray that I will continue to stand strong in my faith and not crumble under its pressure. Persecution is a reminder that I don't belong to this world. It is an incentive to set my hope in Christ and look forward to his promise of a new kingdom upon the earth where peace and justice reign. Persecution, even reading about it, helps me put things in perspective very quickly. I am not going to pretend I understand persecution, but I most certainly pray that I be counted among the faithful if I have to face it.


Father, fill me with your Spirit to stand strong in my faith. May my hope always be in you and your promises of a new kingdom on earth. I pray for my brothers and sisters who are going through persecution right now. Please, strengthen them to remain faithful to you. Amen.

Joshua 23 Joshua's Charge to Israel's Leaders

Joshua was able to see with his own eyes the fulfillment of God's promise to Israel concerning the land. Israel marched in and conquered the territory marked out for them and gave all their attention to its allotment and occupation. They saw the hand of God at work on their behalf against the nations in the land. Lord God Almighty fought for Israel to make all of this possible. But now that Joshua is of age, he calls the leaders to remind them of the covenant.

One of the most important things that Joshua wants the leaders to understand is that the covenant is conditional. God will continue to fight for Israel before the nations as long as they are faithful to him. Some of the things that Joshua highlights are: the keeping of the Law of Moses and avoiding the adoption of the religions of the surrounding nations. The prohibition against mixing with the nations and intermarrying with them was religious and not racial. Israel was to remain faithful to the covenant to continue to receive its benefits. To achieve this, Israel had to remain ready for battle at any moment.

On the other hand, if Israel disobeyed and was unfaithful to the covenant, it had to face its consequences. The main consequence of their disobedience is that God would no longer drive the nations before Israel. The nations would become a "snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides, and thorns in your eyes until you perish." Basically, the surrounding nations would fight and dominate Israel and even take possession of the land promised. Their unfaithfulness would kindle the anger of the Lord against them until he has destroyed them from off the land.

In the new covenant with Christ, he requires me to do the same. I must be willing to wage battle with the world in which I live. Of course, it is not physical battle, but spiritual. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness. I am called to remain faithful to my Lord. I am called to avoid even the appearance of evil. I am called to abstain from the sinful desires that wage battle within my soul.

I am called to separate from the world and never adopt its sinful lifestyle. I am called to be in the world, but not of the world. I am called to never conform to its ways and standards. Am I waging the battle of faith day by day? Or have I given in to the ways of the world? Has materialism, power, greed, and religious syncretism gripped my heart? Is it choking the life of Christ out of me?

Lord, help me be faithful to you every day. Fill me with your Spirit that I may discern your ways and walk in them. Don't let me settle with the ways of the world. Deliver me from evil. Amen.

Matthew 25:14-30 Parable of the Talents

God has given me talents according to his will. I may bot be the one that has five, but at least one I have been given. The expectation of my Master is that I invest what he has given me and generate a return, a profit. I am a steward after all and what I have really belongs to my Master. He gave it to me. He wants me to invest. He wants me to generate a return. One day, he will call me to give an account of what he has given me.

The words I want to hear from my Master on that day of reckoning are: "Well done, good and faithful servant." I desire with all my heart to hear them. Those words hold the key to the expectations of my Master. First, he expects me to be excellent in all I do for the kingdom (Well done). Many a times, I develop an attitude that is less than excellent. I become complacent within my own mediocrity. The best is for the Lord. What do I settle for less than the best?

My Master wants me to be a "good" servant. I realize that I am a sinner and there is no goodness in me, but the goodness he wants refers to my character. My Master wants me to be a servant with character. One that lives a life that honors him in every way. I can't be a servant that lives a rotten life and expect my Master to be pleased. I must pursue all that is morally upright. I must dwell on all that is clean and pure and holy. I must live a life that glorifies the goodness of my Master.

Finally, my Master wants me to be "faithful." Faithfulness is to be loyal, constant, and steadfast. How easy it is for me to fix my eyes on other things that tug on my attention and are contrary to the will of my Lord. I must fix my eyes on Jesus only. I can't be wavering all the time about my commitments, but my Master expects me to be consistent in those commitments day after day. In fact, he wants me to be steadfast; to overcome all obstacles along the way that want to deter me from my loyalty and my duties.

Lord, help me be a good and faithful servant. May I please you with my excellent service every day. Instill in me the desire to do my best to serve you with what you have given me. May I pursue your kingdom and your righteousness every day of my life.

Matthew 23:13-24 More Woes...

Hypocrite is a word used in Greek theater to refer to and actor and it received a negative meaning over time that conveys the sense of pretending, lying, and deceiving. Jesus accused the Scribes and Pharisees of being spiritual actors pretending to have piety while lying to and deceiving the people. Their hypocrisy did not allow them to enter the kingdom of God. Because of their position of authority as spiritual leaders before other people, their hypocrisy did not allow others to enter the kingdom of God either. Their efforts to make converts to Judaism (proselytes) resulted in children destined to hell.

When it comes to swearing and oaths, the Scribes and Pharisees had devised a list of objects by which an oath would be binding (i.e. gold of the temple, gift on the altar) and another that was not so binding (i.e. the temple, the altar) to give them a way out of their commitments. Jesus accuses them of being blind guides to the people splitting hairs over what is binding or not. Such lists are ridiculous and somewhere else he prohibits such oaths and teaches that their word should be binding enough.

On the issue of tithing, the Scribes and Pharisees had become so obsessed and compulsive about it that they tithed even their spices (mint, dill, and cumin). Tithing is the principle of giving one tenth of one's produce and earnings as worship to God and used for the sustenance of temple and priests. Unfortunately, they neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness which are more important matters of the Law. Justice is to do right to our neighbor, mercy is to have compassion for those in need, and faithfulness is to be loyal and steadfast to God.

Straining the gnat and swallowing a camel is an exaggeration that conveys how ridiculous their behavior really was. The gnat and the camel were unclean. The Pharisees would strain their wine to avoid swallowing the unclean insect. But Jesus tells them that their neglect of the Law is equivalent to swallowing a camel! Am I a hypocrite, blind guide who obsesses with details but neglects the heart of God's kingdom? Am I honest with God, people, myself? Am I a person of my word? Am I not only tithing, but practicing justice, mercy, and faithfulness?

Lord, examine my heart. See that it is faithful to you. Help me to be sincere and honest in my faith with you and others. May I be a person of my word. May I never neglect the weightier matters of the kingdom.