Reflective Bible Study

During the time Jesus walked on the earth, every time He shared a parable or illustration, it was to teach those present a spiritual truth that they might not have already known. Sometimes those present were the crowds of people, while other times, those present were the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders who felt challenged by Jesus’ ministry.

During one of these latter times, where Jesus is teaching while some priests and leaders are present, we find a fascinating illustration about what God thinks about our words compared with our actions. In this illustration, we find the answer to whether our words are more important or whether our actions are.

While we could easily say that both are important, and ideally one should align both their words and actions with God and His plan, what happens when only one of these things is present. It is this scenario that Jesus draws our attention to in this parable.

For our episode today, we’ll be reading from the gospel of Matthew, chapter 21, using the New Century Version. Starting in verse 28, Jesus turns to the priests and leaders present and asks them:

²⁸ “Tell me what you think about this: A man had two sons. He went to the first son and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’ ²⁹ The son answered, ‘I will not go.’ But later the son changed his mind and went. ³⁰ Then the father went to the other son and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’ The son answered, ‘Yes, sir, I will go and work,’ but he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two sons obeyed his father?”

The priests and leaders answered, “The first son.”

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before you do. ³² John came to show you the right way to live. You did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Even after seeing this, you still refused to change your ways and believe him.

Of all the illustrations Jesus gave, this one likely hit the priests and leaders the hardest. After the priests and leaders give their answer, Jesus shifts the focus back onto reality and onto how they responded to John the Baptist when compared with how the most sinful sinners responded. The priests and leaders listened to John the Baptist’s message, but they didn’t change their ways, while on the opposite end of the spectrum, tax collectors and prostitutes were challenged by John’s message and they did change their ways.

Perhaps each group’s response was because each group had a different frame of mind about their starting point. Those in the sinner group knew they were not living rightly, so they chose to change, while those in the religious group believed they were already walking along the path God wanted them on, so they didn’t.

What I find fascinating about this illustration is that the priests implicate themselves. They identify the son who acted according to his father’s will as the one who obeyed. The refusal on the front end means nothing in comparison to the action that followed. The other son, who verbally said he would help but didn’t cannot be said to have obeyed because his actions didn’t match his words.

However, if we look at this story, and simply change one word, we see another fascinating idea. Instead of asking “which son ‘obeyed’ his father?”, let’s ask “which son gave respect to his father?”

On the surface, the answer to this second question sounds like the second son. After all, the second son tells his father that he would help, which is a lot nicer than the first son who said no.

But is respect best shown through words or through actions? If we say we respect God, is that best displayed by what we say or by what we do?

Jesus’ illustration in our passage gives us the very strong impression that to God, actions speak significantly louder than words. While both our actions and words will ultimately line up when given enough time, while they are not in alignment, our actions are a better representation of who we are and of our character.

But we don’t have to focus on Jesus to learn this truth. All we simply need to do is ask ourselves the question that Jesus asked these leaders. We can ask ourselves whether we value someone’s words or someone’s actions more. Would we rather have a friend who simply says they’re our friend while no one else is around or one who acts like our friend while others are present?

Obviously, someone who says they are your friend and acts like it is the best case, but if you could only have someone’s words or someone’s actions, which would you prefer?

This is Jesus’ point in this illustration. For God, our actions are more important than our words. For God, obedience and respect means living a life that is within His will, and not simply putting on a front when other spiritual people are present. God can use us in a bigger way when our actions are within His will than when only our words are.

God cares about our holistic selves, and this includes both our words and actions, but if He has to choose, He would rather our actions and our obedience.

With this said, as we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As always, choose to intentionally place God first in your life – and do it in a way where your respect and obedience are shown through your actions. While other people simple talk a good talk while not actually following through with actions, resolve to be someone that follows God through your actions first, and if possible, also match up your words to your actions. In other words, resolve to both say you will follow God while also actually following Him, but if you must choose, follow Him with your actions over your words.

Also, continue to pray and study the Bible for yourself and learn what God is like through how Jesus lived and taught while here on earth. Through what we read in the gospels, discover what Jesus was like and how His life challenges us to live for God.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or give up on where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

As the week before Jesus’ crucifixion begins, one of the early days in this week finds Jesus doing something significant, while also very disruptive. It is as though leading up to the cross, Jesus starts pushing emotional issues with the religious leaders in an attempt to get them to pay attention, to return their focus onto God, or to seek to kill Him. We know from history, and from our passage for this episode, that they picked the last option, but while it might seem like Jesus pressed for death, when we read our passage closely, He was more focused on something other than death.

The event we will be looking at is found in three of the four gospels during the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, and for our episode, we will focus in on Mark’s version. This passage is found in the gospel of Mark, chapter 11, and we will read it from the God’s Word translation. Starting in verse 15:

¹⁵ When they came to Jerusalem, Jesus went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold pigeons. ¹⁶ He would not let anyone carry anything across the temple courtyard.

¹⁷ Then he taught them by saying, “Scripture says, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.”

¹⁸ When the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings heard him, they looked for a way to kill him. They were afraid of him because he amazed all the crowds with his teaching.

¹⁹ (Every evening Jesus and his disciples would leave the city.)

Several things stand out in my mind when reading this passage. The first is that Jesus opposed commerce in God’s place of worship. While some might be quick to say that it wasn’t the buying or selling Jesus opposed, but the deception and thievery, the impression I get from this passage is that you cannot have one without the other. In other words, not all commerce is thievery, but in this context, thievery can only be present when there is commerce present.

Those in the temple had transformed God’s house into a market place, and a market place where people weren’t focused on God.

The only words Jesus says in this passage are also very profound. Verse 17 tells us Jesus’ message: “Then he [Jesus] taught them by saying, ‘Scripture says, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,” but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.’”

In Jesus’ message, we discover what God intended His temple to be known as. Jesus tells us God’s intention for His temple is a house of prayer for all nations. Jesus quotes this from Isaiah 56, verse 7 where God speaks through the prophet Isaiah, saying, “Then I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them happy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, because my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

It is fascinating in my mind that in the heart of the Old Testament, in the writings of one of the most significant prophets God sent to the Jewish nation, we find the goal that God’s house on earth, otherwise known as the temple, was intended to be a place of prayer for all nations. This meant that everyone would be welcome, regardless of their background or their nationality.

In an odd twist, a group of thieves would be welcome in the temple in God’s eyes if they came not to practice thievery, but to pray and ask for forgiveness. Those coming to the temple with repentant hearts and a desire to be forgiven have been drawn there by God and the last thing God would want is to give them reason to stop short or reject God based on what was happening in His temple.

The biggest issue Jesus has with what was happening in the temple is that it kept people from focusing on God, on prayer, and on bringing their hearts to Him with their gifts.

I’m not sure if it was how Jesus said the statement, or whether it was more based on the chief priests rejection of Isaiah’s message, but when they heard Jesus’ statement, verse 18 tells us that “they looked for a way to kill him”. Other religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus based on His raising Lazarus from the dead, and how that miracle drew large numbers of people to place their faith in Him. Now in this passage, we have another place where the religious leaders resolve to kill Jesus.

Jesus’ presence represented a challenge to the status quo in the religious leaders’ lives, and it appeared as though Jesus was more interested in changing their way of life than He was on simply letting them carry on as they had always done. It seemed that Jesus was there to take away their income and their standard of living – and in a way, this was true.

Jesus didn’t have an issue with the religious leaders earning money, but He did take issue with them earning money in deceitful ways, in God’s name, in God’s house. When coming to God’s house, the focus should be on praising God, praying to God, thanking God, giving to God, and learning from God’s word. Any action or activity present in God’s house that takes our focus off of God should not be present in His house of worship.

Does this extend to today’s churches? Maybe.

I will be the first to say that people meet to pray and worship together in almost every conceivable location, and in some places it is not possible to remove all distractions. A group of people who rent out space in a theater to worship likely are not able to remove all the distractions present when people walk through the lobby. The location of a theater is one example of a place where we can worship God but where the space probably shouldn’t be confused with being “God’s House”.

In contrast, a dedicated church building that was built with the purpose of worshiping God, or a dedicated space that has been renovated with the intent of exclusively being used to worship God probably should be viewed as being a part of God’s house. In situations like these, I believe Jesus’ message to the religious leaders and those present in the temple makes sense. God intends for His house to be a place of prayer for all people, and anything that distracts away from focusing on God should be removed.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

The next time you go to church, pay attention to what you see and feel when you arrive. Intentionally focus on seeking God first when you arrive and if you notice anything that draws your attention away from focusing on God, work to remove it if possible. Remember that God intends for His house to be a place of prayer and acceptance of people from every background and nationality, and if acceptance, love, and prayer are not characteristics of your worship experience, then it may be worth looking for a new place to worship.

However, with that said, also be sure to pray and study the Bible for yourself, and let God’s word challenge your heart, your mind, and your life. Just as when we go to church, when we study, know that God loves each of us, and He welcomes us as we are, but He doesn’t ever want to leave us as we are. If God’s word challenges your heart and mind with something it says, that is likely God’s Holy Spirit drawing you to Him and challenging you to leave something that might be sinful or unhealthy for you.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, when God calls you to move forward with Him, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or give up on where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Part way through Jesus’ ministry, the gospel of John adds a side-note that gives us a glimpse into the mindset of the religious leaders living in the first century. In this side-note, John tells us two prophecies that Isaiah gave which were unfortunately fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry.

I wonder if John wrote this side-note with these prophecies to not only give us a perspective on the Jewish leaders, but to also challenge us to not make the same mistake as they did.

Let’s read what John wrote, from the gospel of John, chapter 12, using the Good News Translation. Starting in verse 37, John tells us that:

³⁷ Even though he [Jesus] had performed all these miracles in their presence, they did not believe in him, ³⁸ so that what the prophet Isaiah had said might come true:

“Lord, who believed the message we told?
    To whom did the Lord reveal his power?”

³⁹ And so they were not able to believe, because Isaiah also said,

⁴⁰ “God has blinded their eyes
    and closed their minds,
so that their eyes would not see,
    and their minds would not understand,
    and they would not turn to me, says God,
    for me to heal them.”

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

Let’s pause reading here to draw our attention to an important point. A simple reading might make us think that God did not want the Jewish leaders to believe in Jesus. However, this was far from the truth. While God is seen as the active agent in the second prophecy, He is likely not needed at all in this prophecy since the leaders easily closed themselves off to Jesus – likely without God’s help at all.

I believe the reason Isaiah tells us that God blinded these leaders’ eyes is that it was the ministry of Jesus, specifically the way Jesus focused and directed His ministry, that pushed them away. The light, love, and warmth Jesus radiated throughout His time on earth melted hearts that were receptive to His love, but it also hardened hearts that were defensive to Him and His message. It is like saying that the same sun will either melt butter or harden clay. What matters most in the polarizing effect that Jesus had is the state of the person’s heart.

Let’s continue reading, because we will learn of a third group of people. While the first group openly followed Jesus and believed in Him, and the second group openly rejected Him with hard hearts, there is a third group that John tells us about. Picking back up in verse 42, we read:

⁴² Even then, many Jewish authorities believed in Jesus; but because of the Pharisees they did not talk about it openly, so as not to be expelled from the synagogue. ⁴³ They loved human approval rather than the approval of God.

Let’s pause again to focus on something that was just said. John tells us that there was a group of Jewish leaders who believed in Jesus, but “They loved human approval rather than the approval of God.” (v. 43)

These leaders were “secret followers” because they feared the Pharisees and did not want to be expelled from their synagogues. Some of us might fit into this group of people, because this group is known as people who believe in God, but they don’t let or want their belief to be visible in their lives.

The fearful, secret followers of Jesus, we could describe as spiritual chameleons; these believers actively adapt into whatever social setting they are in. In a worldly setting, they act to fit in, but in church on the weekend, they act differently in order to fit in as well. While they may believe they are being a light, they miss the idea that a light is only as good as how brightly seen it is. By blending in, secret followers of Jesus dim their lights and they cheapen their witness.

However, while John is finished sharing the side-note, he picks back up sharing a powerful statement Jesus says to the crowd which likely was filled with each of the three types of people we have been talking about. Continuing in verse 44, we read:

⁴⁴ Jesus said in a loud voice, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in him who sent me. ⁴⁵ Whoever sees me sees also him who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. ⁴⁷ If people hear my message and do not obey it, I will not judge them. I came, not to judge the world, but to save it. ⁴⁸ Those who reject me and do not accept my message have one who will judge them. The words I have spoken will be their judge on the last day! ⁴⁹ This is true, because I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has commanded me what I must say and speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that his command brings eternal life. What I say, then, is what the Father has told me to say.”

Jesus’ big promise to us here is that He is not the one who will judge. While this might ease our minds a little, Jesus is quick to point out that just because He isn’t the judge doesn’t mean that there won’t be a judge. Jesus directly states that His words and His message will judge them, and it isn’t because He said them, it is because His words and His message came from the Father.

Note here that the emphasis is not simply on hearing Jesus’ message. The emphasis is on obeying it. Rejecting Jesus and His message is the same as hearing it and not obeying it. These people fall under judgment, because they reject the free gift that Jesus has offered.

Jesus closes His message here by saying that He knows that God’s message and His commands bring eternal life, and that the things He says – which presumably include what He just finished saying – are what the Father has told Him to say.

God did not send Jesus into the world to fill the role of judge. The world has too many people in it claiming that role. Instead, Jesus came into the world as a Messenger, a Healer, and a Savior. Jesus came into this world to show us what God is really like.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always open by challenging you, intentionally seek God first in your life and purposefully pay attention to the things He has commanded. When discovering something that God has commanded, resolve to apply what you learned into your life. Seek to grow towards God and ask Him to melt your heart rather than harden it.

Also, as I regularly challenge you to do, choose to personally pray and study the Bible for yourself to learn what God has commanded, and what God has laid as a foundation for our faith and belief in Him. While other people have opinions, God wants to reveal His truth to you that is found only through personally studying the Bible.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or walk away from where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

As Jesus arrives at Jerusalem leading up to the Passover weekend when He would be crucified, Luke describes in his gospel that Jesus does something that seems unexpected, and Luke describes how Jesus gives a prediction and message about the city that probably challenged those present.

In this short four-verse passage, we are able to see an amazing picture of Jesus’ heart and God’s love for His city and His people.

Let’s begin by reading what happens from Luke’s gospel, and then unpack some things we can learn about God from this event. Our passage is found in Luke’s gospel, chapter 19, and we will be reading from the Good News Translation. Starting in verse 41, Luke tells us that:

⁴¹ He [Jesus] came closer to the city, and when he saw it, he wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you only knew today what is needed for peace! But now you cannot see it! ⁴³ The time will come when your enemies will surround you with barricades, blockade you, and close in on you from every side. ⁴⁴ They will completely destroy you and the people within your walls; not a single stone will they leave in its place, because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you!”

In this short passage, we can see Jesus’ heart, His emotions, His love, and His challenge for God’s people. This is one of only two places in the gospels where Jesus cried. The other time is shortly before raising Lazarus from the dead. In the Lazarus event, we can learn that Jesus loves people on an individual level, and the Lazarus event has Jesus interacting with both Martha and Mary each separately and uniquely.

To contrast the Lazarus miracle where Jesus cried, we have this passage which demonstrates Jesus’ love for God’s people and His nation – at a national level. On the national level, the people of Israel rejected Him even if there were plenty of individual exceptions. Jesus cries for the city because it represented His people, and how they had waited and waited for God’s Messiah to arrive only to not recognize or accept Him when He actually came.

The two times Jesus cries describe the two ways God interacts with His people. God desires a personal connection with each of us. God also desires a group level connection with us as well. God interacts with groups of people differently than He interacts with individuals. It would be a mistake to interpret a group interaction as being God dealing with someone on a personal level, just as it would be a mistake to interpret an individual message to be equally applicable to a group. While God can use prophets and messengers to deliver messages to either individuals or groups, it would be a mistake to misapply His words to the wrong context.

However, there is a bigger theme present in this passage than God’s emotions and love for His people. This big theme is found in how Jesus ends His message for Jerusalem. Jesus finishes His message by saying at the end of verse 44, “because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you”.

This statement is worth paying close attention to because it describes how the people as a nation decided to reject Jesus because they did not recognize Him, and because they didn’t realize what is needed for peace. The people at that time believed peace was possible only when they were diplomatic, free, or when they had the upper hand with their military.

God being the source of peace regardless of their circumstances was not something that entered their discussions. If God was brought into the discussion, it was because they believed God would keep His promise to their ancestors indefinitely, regardless of their present day choices, and because God had promised to send a Messiah who they believed would set them free from the Romans.

However, Jesus’ closing line in this passage is important for us to pay attention to. This closing line draws our attention onto the fact that we must open our eyes to what God is doing in the world around us. This closing line draws our attention onto the fact that we must depend on God to do the saving. This closing line draws our attention onto the fact that nothing we can do is enough to save ourselves. Today’s Christian culture seems less focused towards depending on God to save us as it is on pressing its own agendas forward towards achieving political, economical, and cultural power – which are all powers based on worldly standards.  

Jesus lived in one of the most oppressive times in world history, and if someone wanted to make the case Jesus came as a military leader, they would have a challenging time with how the gospels’ describe Jesus’ focus. It would take a lot of effort and misrepresenting of the gospels to make Jesus into a political leader. Instead, we see Jesus working on an individual level, helping those who needed help, and pointing people towards giving God the glory – all while living in the distant corner the Roman empire, and even a decent distance away from Jerusalem.

However, I also believe Jesus wouldn’t have changed His tactics even if He lived in Rome. We don’t see any hint of Jesus desiring political power, fame, or popularity while living in Judea, and there is no reason to think He would be different if He lived in a more politically-charged environment.

This means, at least to me, that as a follower of Jesus, I should spend five or even ten times more time praying than I do seeking to build influence among other people. Seeking influence shouldn’t even be a measurable goal for a follower of Jesus.

While there are followers of Jesus in almost every area of culture, the goal for a follower of Jesus is modeling Jesus, not seeking power. Culture has blinded people today, like it blinded those in the first century, regarding what is needed for true peace. Peace is not found in having power, influence, or wealth. Peace is not found in having a bigger military, a stronger economy, or having a better, stronger, or more effective world leader who wants to help you or your group.

The only place where peace can be found is by seeking God through Jesus, learning to depend on Him for everything, and praying like crazy for His will to be done in the world today. This idea fits with a saying I heard a while ago, which says that we should “Let go and let God”.

When trials come into our life, the only place where peace can be found is through leaning on and trusting in God. When things are going well, almost too well, and we are fearful or worried about what the future might hold, the only place where peace can be found is through leaning on and trusting in God.

Let’s pray today for our world, and for God’s will to be done in our world today. Instead of the customary closing challenges that I end every podcast with, let’s turn these challenges into a prayer for our lives:

Father,

Thank You for everything you have blessed us with. Thank You for creating us, for loving us, and for sending Jesus to redeem us from our sin-filled lives. I ask Father, that You be with each of Your followers living in the world today, and to help all of Your people to seek You first in their lives. Help us make You a priority when life’s demands want to distract us away.

Also Father, help us to grow closer to You each and every day through prayer and reading Your Word the Bible. Help each of us to have a personal relationship with You that is present from this point and moves forward with You all the way into eternity.

And Father, please bring about Your will for the world today. Lead, guide, and direct in all the decisions that each of us make, and help us to seek the things You want us to seek, and ignore the things You know are not worth our attention. Be with the state of the world, with all the world leaders, and direct history forward towards Your soon return!

We love You Father. Thank You for hearing, and answering, our prayer. In Jesus name, Amen.