Tag Archives: the book of Matthew

December 27
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“So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.  He remained there until the death of Herod.  This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’”  (Matthew 2:14-15a, NASB)

Egypt. Time and again in the Bible, Egypt becomes the place of exile and pain. Joseph (of many-colored coat fame; please see Genesis 37 for details) found himself in Egypt after being sold by his brothers.  The Children of Israel were delivered from slavery in Egypt in what is known as the Exodus.  And now, the Christ child is taken to Egypt by His parents to escape Herod’s slaughter of children.

Exile may have its purposes, but it, nevertheless, also had its own proximate difficulties: Loneliness, unfamiliarity, suffering.

Have you ever been exiled to your own “Egypt”?  Are you there today?

If you are, be resolute in the knowledge that God is in “Egypt” with you; that God will never forsake you; and that God will, in the fullness of time, deliver you.  – Luther

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August 17
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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, prerogatives, 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 garbage.  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 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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August 12
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“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”  (Matthew 7:21-23, NIV)

Prophecy and miracle-working in the name of Jesus — though impressive — will not get us through the “pearly gates.”  Jesus makes a clear distinction between (for lack of a better term) “exceptional religious performance” and righteous living in the day-to-day.

The Lord doesn’t care whether you or I ever perform miracles, prophesy like an Old Testament seer, or put demons to flight.  (Any of that is 100 percent God and 0 percent us, anyway.)  What impresses God is our obedience to Him in even the smallest and most ordinary of things.

God is not seeking rock stars, but He is seeking men and women who are “rock solid” in their commitment and in their obedience to His will.  – Luther

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