Tag Archives: the book of Matthew

December 23
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These final days prior to Christmas, allow me to briefly examine three things wrong with the Christmas story, as we commonly hear it.

The scriptural accounts of Jesus’ birth are full of barbs, pricks, and leaps; yet, over time we’ve become so familiar with the story that we now fail to grasp (let alone appreciate) the blessed disruption that always seems to occur when God appears. So, now let us begin with the first thing wrong with the Nativity story: The underestimation of Joseph’s character.

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’”  (Matthew 1:18-21, NIV)

Joseph, in my opinion, doesn’t get nearly the credit he’s due in the Christmas story.  If there was anyone in the story who could have walked-away with his good name unsullied, it was Joseph.  Whatever conclusion Joseph had made regarding the cause of Mary’s pregnancy, he was determined to do whatever he could to shield Mary from the tsunami of public scorn that awaited women in Mary’s situation.  Only a gentleman of good character would act as Joseph did.

The story, of course, didn’t end there. Joseph not only acted to shield Mary but, in obedience to God, Joseph’s good name and good character became her shield and her safe harbor in a hostile society.  This is huge!

As we approach Bethlehem, may we see not only God’s peculiar ways, but people of good character — like Joseph — who are kind and good in even the most dire of situations; and who are obedient to God at great personal cost.  – Luther

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August 26
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“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  (Matthew 5:48, NIV)

God expects His children — every one of them — to be as He is.

If it is otherwise, either God is wrong for expecting something of us that we are incapable of achieving; or we do not have His “DNA” and God is lying when He claims paternity.

Today’s scripture verse follows Jesus’ command — with explicit examples — to love our enemies.  It is difficult to love our enemies because love is very personal.  We crave it only from those who matter to us; and we give it only to those we deem worthy.

To love as God loves is the litmus test of our progress toward divine perfection.  Succeed at this one thing, and everything else we do falls into place.  Fail at this one thing, and nothing else we do (no matter how spiritual or sacrificial) matters.

The Gospel of John reminds us that “God so loved the world (the same “world” that would abuse and murder His only begotten Son) that God, nevertheless, gave. . .”  (John 3:16).

When a person accepts the way of Jesus, the Spirit of God is seal of God’s paternity.  The Spirit is the power to be perfect as our Father is perfect.  The Spirit is the strength to love.

It is not easy but, with God, it is possible — and expected.  – Luther

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July 31
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“He (Jesus) said to them (the demons), ‘Go!’  So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.  Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.  Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus.  And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.”  (Matthew 8:32-34, NIV)

As disciples of Jesus, we must apprehend the fact (and resist its seduction, at the same time) that in this world, possessions, power, and money are valued more highly than people.

We see this clearly in today’s scripture, the context of which is the healing of two demon-possessed men by Jesus.  In their deranged state, these two men were terrors of the town, and lived among the tombs.  People avoided all contact with the pair.

By his healing act, Jesus returned these men to society, to their families and friends; and removed the “town terrors.”  He ordered the demons into a herd of pigs.  In the culture of that day, pigs were considered unclean. Their purpose was to consume refuse.  They were not highly-valued.

You would think the townspeople would be happy with the report of those who were tending the pigs, but they were far from happy.  The town went, en mass, to Jesus to ask him to leave. Money/Power/Stuff: 1  People: 0.

While we may be discouraged because the value of humanity is discounted the way that it is by those in this world; we should be encouraged by the fact that with God, the people that He created and for whom Christ died are always — always — preferred to the lure of money; the pull of power; and the seductions of possessions.

We follow in the steps of our heavenly Father when we, too, choose the eternal potential of people over the passing value of all of the things we cannot keep.  – Luther

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