Saturday, November 13, 2010

Matthew 22

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Again, this ties in so well with my reading from my Daily Discipler. It was talking about the difference between the OT and the NT, how in the OT people were not indwelt by the HS and how today, we are each privileged to be like the prophets of old, having God speak to us and want to speak through us EACH. The question for the day was; "What would happen if the entire church were empowered and lived lives led by the Holy Spirit within them?"

Then here in this chapter we see the picture of the invitation extended to the Jews, then to all, and we see "But the people refused to listen to the servants and left to do other things. One went to work in his field, and another went to his business."

We look at the Jews and how they rejected God's great plan to bless them and we shake our heads. But we do the same every day when we turn to other things. We take His grace for granted and we chase after our own pursuits like stubborn donkeys in heat. Ugh. We are just as stubborn and foolish as those Israelites, just as blind to our own stupidity.

Berry Girl said...

this part about the wedding feast and the guy who was not dressed always perplexed me - I mean, it's not like they all had time to get "dressed" when it's obvious they were all rounded up at the last minute.

But I read the notes in my Bible, and found them very interesting - that basically NONE of them could have been expected to have the proper clothes due to the way they had been rounded up, which MacArthur says means that the King provided the proper attire. So this man's lack of proper clothing meant that he had refused the King's provision - a great insult.

MacArthur compares this to people who identify with the kingdom on the outside and profess to be Christians, but "spurn the garment of righteousness Christ offers by seeking to establish a righteousness of their own".

Interesting thoughts.

Joan said...

Berry Girl - I too found that the Life Application Bible had the same thoughts about the wedding clothes being provided for the guests and what an insult it was to refuse to wear them. (would sure solve our shopping problems but not the bill if we were the ones putting on the wedding!) It also said that the wedding clothes picture the righteousness needed to enter God's Kingdom-the total acceptance in God's eyes that Christ gives every believer.

My LABible also opens my eyes to many other truths that I would normally not have seen. Love it.

Chris said...

great thoughts here. "spurn the garment of righteousness Christ offers by seeking to establish a righteousness of their own". Don't we often try to 'spruce up' our own garments and make them good enough? My nature seeks to try so hard and so vainly to accomplish stuff in my strength. What a constant needless struggle.
I love the emphasis Jesus used in vs 29-32... God of the living. Man what a reunion it will be... unlike anything we could even imagine.

Unknown said...

I guess its a matter of motive, no? God wants us to act in accordance with righteousness, but not in order to make ourselves acceptable to Him, but because He has made us acceptable, to act accordingly, as an act of worship. In other words, our works are important, not because they clothe us appropriately, but because we have been dressed for the feast, we should act like it.

This came up in our small group study this week too, that the life of faith is one of God and man working together, God pushes one pedal, in calling us and providing the gift of faith, we push the other pedal, in receiving and moving forward with the impetus He provides. God wants us to partner with Him.

Unknown said...

a part of 2 Peter 1:3-11 came to mind and I had to look it up. I think it applies well to this. Since we have had righteousness imputed to us, therefore we should make every effort to live accordingly. Since... therefore. Driscoll banged on this a number of times, the since... therefore idea. We are definitely not discouraged from making an "effort" to live righteously in scripture. We just need to keep our actions in response to our salvation separate from our salvation. There is only one way to be saved and we know it is not through our own righteousness. Praise the Lamb.

Unknown said...

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Unknown said...

So I'm listening to my second sermon in prep for small group on Thursday night, and boom, in the introduction to it, Mark nails what the two sides to one coin we (okay... may I :) ) were discussing here, righteousness in Christ and consequent obedience. Whammy. In about three sentences he sums up what I always take pages and pages to try to communicate. Check it out, minutes 8-10

http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/rebels-guide-to-joy/the-rebels-guide-to-joy-in-conflict