Levi’s Calling - Mark 2:14

 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.- Mark 2:14

    A tax collector in Christ’s day was, to say the least, a man of means. Even at the level of local collection, tax collectors were in the unique position of amassing enough to both pay the required taxes and skim enough, in addition to their salaries, to make themselves a very lucrative living. The Jewish people were aware of this and so their intense hatred for “tax collectors,” who they saw as thieves and traitors to Israel.   
    And rather than paint a less than accurate picture of Levi, let us all agree that as a tax collector, he must have been competent and calculating. Clearly, he was astute at accounting so he was not an ignorant man of his times. Levi certainly would have been considered brighter than a common fisherman or even a carpenter. Considering his business calling, besides his first language of Aramaic, he would have been proficient both in Latin (the language of the Roman occupying forces) as well as Greek. He was a man well versed in the art of collecting wealth, so much so that according to Luke, he threw a banquet in Jesus’ honor. “And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.” - Luke 5:29.
    Taking the reputation of tax collectors in Judea into consideration, the Pharisees were quick to raise objections to Christ’s association with them. “And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” - Matthew 9:12. Beyond this short account in the Synoptic Gospels, little else is revealed on Levi the tax collector, AKA the Apostle Matthew. We know that he owned a home elaborate enough to entertain large groups of people. As a well to do publican we can safely assume he dressed in the finest clothing available in his time. This is how Levi appeared to those in his area of influence: a man respected by his ilk and hated by those he collected from.
    Another question is raised by Levi also going by the name, “Matthew.” There actually need be no confusion on the matter: Levi was his Aramaic name while Matthew was the Greek translation. Similarly, Peter means "stone" in Greek, while Cephas means "stone" in Aramaic.
    So with Matthew’s brief back-story, we have to ask, with all that he had in his official position, why on earth would he have ever simply picked up, abandon his tax business, and follow Jesus based upon the mere verbal command to “follow Me?” Very certainly, we can dismiss the notion that the mere words were enough to move this man off his wealth and status. Matthew would have met the words “follow me” with the same cynicism as the words, “I can’t pay what I owe you.” No, the motivation for Matthew had to have been much deeper than mere conversation.
    Later on in the Gospels, when a rich young ruler approached Jesus, Our Lord beckoned him with very much the same language.  “Jesus said to him, ‘If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”- Matthew 19:21-22. One might ask, “Why did Levi follow Christ while the rich young ruler didn’t?” The answer to that question can be seen on a weekly basis in nearly any true Christian church: two men visit the same church, sit in the same pew, and listen to the same sermon, given by the same minister on the same Sunday. One walks out with his heart changed for Christ while the other leaves the church preoccupied with getting home in time to see the game.
    The young ruler’s heart proved to be the path where the seed was sown while Levi’s heart was the good soil where the seed took root. One was unable to receive the Good News while the other heard it and his heart was changed by it. The word of God is available to all of us. But how many of us will allow that seed to take root and grow in our hearts like Levi? When Christ gives us His command to follow Him, will we turn and walk away like the rich young ruler or will we respond like Levi, leaving our worldly lives behind us to eat of the bread of life? Our calling is to simply obey.

God’s Position On Immigration - Exodus 12:48-49

   
“If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.” - Exodus 12:48-49

    Even in ancient Judaism, strangers and sojourners had to meet criteria if they wanted to share in the providence of the Jewish people. On the eve of the first Passover, God gave the command that no stranger may partake of the Passover meal unless he and his male heirs were willing to be circumcised. If the stranger were willing to comply with that stipulation he would become “as a native of the land.” The Scripture goes on to say that no uncircumcised person shall eat of it (the Passover meal) and that there was to be one law for native and stranger alike. In a word, the strangers must agree to “assimilate” into the Jewish faith and customs.
    Circumcision is a pretty tall demand just to share in a people’s providential blessings. Clearly, it seems far more draconian than simply being asked to pledge allegiance to a nation or abide by its laws for citizenship. The desired nation is hardly asking for a pound of flesh, not even an ounce.
    It was clear that God demanded reverence and worship from anyone who wanted to share in the providential blessings of the Jews. But even the Jews were given commands regarding the treatment of travelers. “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” - Exodus 23:9. But God’s treatment of all people native and traveler alike is without reservation, irrespective of legal status or country of origin. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” - Romans 13:1-2. Breaking the nation’s laws is not an option. This is God’s position on entry into a host nation. God declared there would be one law for the native and for the stranger alike! What the native was forbidden to do, likewise the sojourner was forbidden to do. The key was for the traveler to recognize Jewish law (circumcision).  If the sojourner was unwilling to accept the ordinance, they were not to enjoy the benefits of God’s blessings upon His chosen people. The law was clear then as it is today!
    The issue of immigration today is a highly charged and emotional.  But the key for the traveler today is to also recognize the law of the United States. There are those who vigorously defend opposite sides of the argument. But let us not forget that while it is an emotional issue it is also one of reason. In such instances, it nearly always comes down to whose values will win the day. While there is uproar along our nation’s borders, filibustering in the halls of Congress, and fighting in the streets, God observes it all and expects compliance with His law. “Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” - 1 Peter 2:13-17.
    There is a proper way to seek asylum, regardless of motivation. There is a proper way to behave once asylum has been granted. Living “servants of God” do not hop fences, use unlawful or violent tactics to get their way, or circumvent the law . . . they follow it!
    A gracious heart seldom goes unrecognized. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18.
Truly, the bottom line to these considerations isn’t about the peripherals of circumcision or pledging allegiance; it is about following the law as it is prescribed because it is God Who established the institution of human authority over the land. And that is God’s position on immigration.

Woe To The Enabler - Luke 12:53

“They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” - Luke 12:53

    One of the most controversial statements Jesus Christ ever made followed on the heels of His declaration - “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” - Luke 12:51. If this statement wasn’t contentious enough, He came right back with the words of division amongst the family. Many have found this to be highly objectionable due to the ramifications of such an attitude. It has even turned many away from the Christian faith. How could Jesus mean that He could easily countenance the break up of strong family ties? Obviously, Jesus was using it as an extreme example of how important it is to follow Him completely and without hesitation, even if it means disagreeing or parting with a family member. It is in many ways similar to Christ’s directive in Matthew 5:30 - “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” An extreme example again, but Christ is trying to warn us away from the ultimate cost of sin.
    We see this “family tension” everywhere in the world today. One brother follows Christ; the other disdains him for it. A sister is ostracized by her siblings for going to church. Then we see a mother worshiping on Sunday morning, reading her Bible during the course of the week, and attending Bible Study among those who share her “religion.” She is doubtless a dutiful woman. She prays for her children “religiously.” Yet despite her children’s crimes and misdemeanors, she caters to them and spoils them. She has religion; what she lacks is saving faith in Jesus Christ. She lacks the will to follow Christ’s imperative.
    I say she has religion rather than faith because religion is malleable enough to accommodate and tolerate that which God has condemned. Religion finds a way to accept and include the most flagrant forms of sinful behavior imaginable. Religion provides us with a way to accept the unacceptable, to turn a blind eye to the objectionable, and to entrench sin in both our lives and the lives around us. Religion makes room for sin. True saving faith in Jesus Christ does not, cannot, and will not ignore the sin that casts its shadow before us.
    Yes, he may be my son but true saving faith will not allow me to welcome his sinful lifestyle beneath my roof. If your idea of faith in God includes allowing sinners to bring their sinful practices into your home, I must question both your liberal definition of faith and your languid concept of the holiness of God.
    The Holy Bible is clear on these matters: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” - Galatians 5:19-21. Saving faith will not tolerate such sin in our homes.
    It isn’t even an acceptable position of heart to maintain relations with those who would continually transgress God’s commands. It yolks us with them and the world they live in. “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” - James 4:4.
    We know what our Christian duty to Christ is. We are never to sacrifice obedience to God no matter who we are trying to keep close to our hearts. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.” - Ephesians 5:11-12. The consequences we face for holding the line as Christians are nothing compared to the consequences we face if we falter.
    No, we don’t want to purposely distance ourselves from our families over petty differences but encouraging them in their sin holds a number of consequences that will have eternal repercussions. “If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.” - Ezekiel 3:18.

No Christ Without The Cross - John 6:68-69

   
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,  and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
 - John 6:68-69


    Perhaps, the most striking element of Peter’s confession comes from what preceded it. Jesus was teaching a crowd of disciples and effectively declared that the Spirit is the one who gives eternal life, not the flesh. In fact, He told them that the flesh would be no help at all (7:63). He went on to reveal that there many among them who did not believe Him and that was why He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” - John 6:65. As a result of Christ’s revelation, “. . . many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” - John 6:66.  It was when Jesus asked his Apostles if they wanted to walk away from Him as well (6:66) that Peter gave his response. This small moment thunders through Church history right up until today. There are still those who walk away from the Christian faith today because they fail to grasp that it is through the work of the Holy Spirit that we find our salvation in Jesus Christ and not through the flesh or our works.
    Peter recognized that the words of eternal life came through Jesus Christ and through no other. Peter understood that there was one way and only one to heaven. There were not many roads to salvation . . . only one - Jesus Christ! The options for walking away from Christ were effectively off the table. Peter boldly stated that it was Christ’s way or the highway for those who would seek salvation, much as Jesus Himself  would later reveal. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” - Matthew 7:13-14.
    In addition to Christ’s gate being narrow, it was understood that His way would be a difficult road to follow. That was the realization of those disciples who “no longer walked with Him.” They weren’t willing to make the effort needed to follow Christ. And Jesus made no secret of the hardship involved. He assured us that following Him would indeed be difficult - “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” - Luke 9:23. Denying one’s self certainly precludes one’s works and flatly denies the power of our flesh. So if our own strength is the power we are relying on, it is easy to see why we would turn away and no longer walk with Him. Those who insist they can follow Christ today without bearing their crosses are only fooling themselves. If we reject the narrow way and we reject the cross then we effectively reject Jesus Christ because there is no Christ without the cross!
    Of course, at the time of this conversation between Jesus and His Apostles, there was still confusion among them as to Jesus’ fulfillment of the Scriptures. “But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” - Luke 18:34. But even in their confusion, the Apostles were convinced that Jesus was the Way. Why? Because they believed and had come to know that Jesus was the Holy One of God.. Their faith, while still immature, was certain.
    The faith of the Apostles would continue to be tested by the events that followed, right up to and including the morning of the Resurrection. It would not be until they witnessed the risen Christ with their own eyes and felt His presence that they would understand the meaning of the cross. And upon the day of Pentecost, their faith and fates were sealed forever by the filling of the Holy Spirit.
    It is easy to see why Peter uttered his question: “Lord, to whom shall we go?”

The Doctrinal Wind of Regeneration - John 3:5-6

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” - John 3:5-6

    The timely truths that Christ testified to here are foundational doctrines for the Christian church. So when someone says “doctrine doesn’t matter,” gently correct them by referring to the title verse. Doctrine does matter. And adhering to correct Christian doctrine will guarantee that we don’t ever hear Jesus reject our claims as followers. “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” - Matthew 7:23.
    Christ is clear in his testimony to Nicodemus - unless we are born of water and Spirit, we cannot enter the kingdom of God! Washing and regeneration are the key elements leading to faith in Jesus because without the regeneration by the Holy Spirit we can never come to true faith. This is what is meant by regeneration - rebirth. So whenever Jesus imposes a condition on our spiritual position, it is doctrine!
    Nicodemus was a Jew by birth and according to Jewish law, Jews were the chosen people by virtue of their pedigree as children of Abraham. Nothing else (aside from following Jewish law) was necessary for salvation. To this, Jesus posited that, no, even the Jews must be “born again” if they were to ever gain entry to the kingdom of God. Their laws could not save them.
    Nicodemus was utterly stupefied. He questioned Christ as to how a man could ever be “born again.” Jesus responded, “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” - John 3:7-8. The Holy Spirit does as He pleases, not as any man commands. Aside from being a perfect example of the Spirit’s actions in the human heart, this is also a Biblically sound denial of the alleged ability of humans to be able to call upon the Spirit or to summon His presence when they feel the desire as many Charismatics claim - “the wind blows where it wishes” . . .  not where any man would direct it! To put it another way: the wind (Spirit) blows (regenerates) where (who) it will. And this concept also supports the idea of God’s unconditional election. The Spirit of God will regenerate those who He chooses and bypass those He chooses to reject. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” - Ephesians 1:3-4.
    Jesus went on to say that what is born merely of flesh is mere . . . flesh, hence the need for spiritual washing and regeneration. Jesus made this statement because this was precisely why He had come as the incarnate Son of God - “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” - Titus 3:4-7. To believe or behave otherwise violates the most fundamental Christian doctrine: that of the in-filling of the Holy Spirit, resulting in the washing and regeneration of our souls, thus making us salvageable by the blood of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.
    Yes, brothers and sisters, doctrine does matter. And in the case of our salvation, it is all that matters. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” - John 5:24.

Obeying The Law - Romans 2:13

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. - Romans 2:13

21st Century America (the entire world for that matter) seems to have a problem with lawful obedience. It’s not that we don’t want to obey the law; we just want to be able to pick and choose which laws we will obey. The problem with that attitude is that as long as there are two people on the planet one of the two will object to obeying some facet of the law. “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” - Judges 21:25.
Clearly, we can see the problem this attitude presents in a society that is built on law. And all societies are structured around some kind of regulatory foundation. Laws differ from one nation to another but there are still laws that must be obeyed if civility, security, and expediency are to be maintained at a level which allows the group to function effectively, properly, and achieve success. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”- Joshua 1:8.
The issue of who gets to determine what laws we will or will not follow has been left up to the Legislative Branch of our Government and ultimately to the Supreme Court to determine the lawfulness of the statutes. Once the law is settled, it becomes “the law of the land.” Of course, some laws are of such a spurious or controversial nature that even after they have been settled, there is still cause for review by the SCOTUS. Since such laws seem to be in flux, we often fall back to the words of Judges 21:25. There are controversy and confrontation over these questionable laws. There is often violence and judicial action taken to quell the disagreements. If we just had a set of laws we could routinely turn to for the answers to our greatest disagreements.
 “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1: 7-8.
Yes, we do have “the law.” It is the Law that God himself gave us when He called Moses to the mountain top. There He gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Laws that we can not only live by but thrive by as well. Provided, of course, that we all obey the Law!
Many today reject the very idea of following the Ten Commandments, citing that they are outdated and antiquated. I certainly pray that they are not talking about murder. No, most people will agree that “thou shalt not murder” is a law well worth preserving and obeying, at least when it comes to viable living human beings. Infants “in vivo” don’t seem to enjoy the same protections, but that is another issue that I have covered on many previous occasions. No, what we are currently discussing are God’s own laws as given to us by his prophet, Moses. And their validity today.
As I stated previously, many people prefer to pick and choose which laws they will abide by and those they won’t. But God takes a sterner view of our capriciousness. “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” - James 2:10. That is a hard criterion to have to live by but it is God’s criteria and we are not free to object. The Apostle, Paul, puts it into even greater perspective - “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’” - Galatians 3:10.
Clearly, God has given us a set of Laws that even non-believers are responsible for following. We stray at our own risk.
But what about grace? Are we still under the Law or are we not, by the grace of God? We will turn back to James for the answer to that inquiry - “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” - James 2:14-17. Genuine saving faith will manifest itself in our daily actions and behavior. With genuine saving faith, we will obey the Law.

Why All This Suffering And Death? - Luke 13:2-3

   
And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. - Luke 13:2-3

    If any of us have lived long enough we have undoubtedly lost loved ones, be they family or friends. Sometimes those losses have come by way of tragic circumstances, natural disasters, or disease. Inevitably we will hear two incessant questions to the loss of that loved one. The first that comes to mind is - “What did he or she do that caused this tragic death?” The second is almost always, “Why? Why did this loved one have to die?”
    Obviously, unless the deceased led a risky lifestyle we may simply never know the cause of death other than the curse of Genesis 3. “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” - Genesis 3:19. This was a general curse to mankind. Because as Romans 6:23 tells us - “For the wages of sin is death.” But God not only cursed Adam and Eve at that moment; He also cursed the earth - “And to Adam he said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.’” - Genesis 3:17.
    There are two misconceptions which many of us seem to fall under. One is the idea that a particularly tragic end came because of some particular sin we may have committed. The other is that we may feel (because of some wrongful thinking) that our faith wasn’t strong enough to prevent the tragedy from taking place. Both ideas are fallacious in their very being.
    Christ is telling us in our title verse that there was no particular sin responsible for the circumstances surrounding the tragedies that befall us. He is also implying that it was not a weakness of faith per se. The problem, according to Jesus, is that we fail to repent of our sins. This is Christ’s primary message to the world. It was the very first statement made by Him in the Gospel of Mark - “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” - Mark 1:14-15.
    But the answer to “why” still eludes us. To be perfectly honest all I can say is that we may never know the answer this side of heaven. Our heavenly Father doesn’t always reveal His reasons to us and the best we may hope for comes to us from the Letter to the Romans - “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28. It is of paramount importance to understand the terms “for those who love God” and “for those who are called according to his purpose.” The indicators clearly show that we must first love God and be called according to His purpose. These two criteria find life in us through the promise of eternal salvation and life everlasting. Were this hope not evident; were this hope not true, we would have nothing more than the unbelievers have. This is the foundation of our hope. Without it, suffering and death have no meaning and we truly are lost. “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” - 1 Corinthians 15:19. Without this promise, our faith makes no sense!
    More important though is that before death naturally or tragically overcomes us, we need to be prepared for a good death. A good death defined is a death where we have our repose in Christ Jesus. While we spend great energies and expenses upon the hope of recovery, healing, and recuperation, many of us and our loved ones fail to spend even a moment preparing ourselves for the inevitable end of life. And since we know neither the time nor place, shouldn’t we be sure we are ready to meet Christ when He comes to draw us to Himself? Certainly, healing is a blessing and if it is God’s will, we will be healed. But being prepared for our eternity in heaven is an even greater blessing, bought and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Let us all be prepared.
    We may never understand why people die when they do or whether they somehow brought their deaths upon themselves. God is under no obligation to explain Himself to us . . . ever! He is sovereign and does as He pleases. He is God! Our responsibility is to seek Him where and when He may be found. “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” - Isaiah 55:6-7.
    We will always have suffering and death but we can always be prepared for the time and the place if our faith is ultimately in Christ Jesus.