A PRAYER TO START
There will be a point in our relating to the Father through Christ that we find he has offended us. Whether his offense has been to our self-identity, to our perception of a good life, to our expectations of faith, or our bias heart; the life, message, death and resurrection of Jesus will require us to persevere in our relationship. And this perseverance goes both ways…Christ tenacious to call you and I family. Pray this prayer of persistence today…
Father, I am at times confused by you and how you work. I know you are a good Father, but life does not always feel good, nor is actually so. What I thought I would get from you and what I thought you required at times appears to be, well, wrong. Such moments send me into a spiral or questioning and I am not sure where to grab onto for stability. Then I remember that Jesus is stretching out to grab hold of me. Reaching through the confusion, doubt, and even anger to secure me in your hands; into a grip that nothing in life—physically, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually—can ever remove me from. Thank you Father for your persisting mercy and Jesus for your never ending pursuit. Help me in your Spirit to recognize these moments as opportunities to be transformed by your gospel anew. Help me to press into you in offense, so that I might know you and your love for me even more. Amen.
TAKING A LOOK AHEAD
On any journey, whether a hike in the mountains or a trek to the grocery store, it is important to be aware of your surroundings, to be present. It’s also important to know where you are going! To look up, and take a peek at what is ahead.
This coming week our journey runs into opposition. In some way, opposition or at least resistance, has been a part of our trek throughout, yet here we begin to see a willful antagonism to Jesus’ works and his message from the religiously righteous, “the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.” (12:14); as well as from his own kin. When we read in chapter 12 verse 46 “his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him”, it would better be read, “Concerned for the agitation he was causing, worried that he was getting carried away, Jesus’ family came to rescue him from himself but couldn’t make their way to him because of all the people there to learn from him.” (see John 7:5 and Mark 3:20-21). The lines of division Jesus spoke of in chapter 10 verses 34-39, are beginning to be seen in the relationships within the community.
Read Matthew 12:1-50, preferably in The Message translation. I think Peterson’s translation will make this a fresh and more accessible passage for you. As you are reading take notice and note of the following:
Who are the characters in the story? Explicitly named and those assumed.
Where does the story take place? Physically, & how is it connected to what proceeds it?
What repeats? Words, characters, actions/events, sayings, descriptions, etc.
What surprised you?
What might have surprised the people Matthew was writing to?
What questions does the story raise so far?
CONNECTING THE DOTS
The message of Jesus is the kingdom of God has come, so turn and follow him into life with your gracious Father. While such a message is certainly good news for it brings about a way of life on earth as it is in heaven in the physical and relational healing of what is broken; it is also a message that offends. It offends the ones who want to control who is in and out of God’s kingdom through religious obedience or simple bigotry. It offends the ones who think only others are in need of rescue and not themselves. It offends those who’d rather not have to choose. And, it offends those that feel singular clarity is a bit over the top. Yet, Jesus will be persistent in pressing through offense to extend his saving invitation to life now and forever.
For the second time (9:13 & 12:7-8) in Matthew’s story, Jesus quotes Hosea 6, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” Read Hosea 6:1-6. In what ways do God’s words through Hosea reflect the exchange in Matthew 12?
What insight can we gain from how God has acted in history and how Jesus is acting towards even those who are “fickle” in their affections toward him?
The scribes and Pharisees desire a “sign” from Jesus. Some sort of action or prediction that will demonstrate to them that he is not of “Beelzebul” but actually from God. Jesus’ reply is interesting. He says that the only sign you will receive is the “sign of the prophet Jonah”. Read Jonah 3-4 (it’s short!). What sign did Jonah give to Nineveh?
How did Nineveh respond? How did Jonah respond?
In what way are the people Jesus is engaging more like Jonah than the Ninevehites?
Consider Jesus’ interaction with his family in verses 46-48 and his (surprising and culturally unacceptable) declaration in verses 49-50 that “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” In what ways does this section demonstrate the character of Jesus’ message?
How might it “sum up” the good news Jesus is proclaiming?
A THOUGHT TO PONDER
“Fruit is always the miraculous, the created; it is never the result of willing, but always a growth. The fruit of the Spirit is a gift of God, and only He can produce it. They who bear it know as little about it as the tree knows of its fruit. They know only the power of Him on whom their life depends”
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)