gather or scatter?

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 12:27-32

27 And if I expel demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons expel them? Because of this, they will be your judges.

28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I expel demons, then that proves that the kingdom of God has arrived among you.

29 How else can someone enter a strong person’s house and steal his stuff, unless he first ties up the strong person? Then he can really plunder his house.

30 The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters.

31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will potentially be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

32 And the one who speaks a word against the Son of Man will potentially be forgiven, but the one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

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gather or scatter?

Jesus warned the Pharisees to stop criticizing what the Holy Spirit was doing. Jesus had utilized the Holy Spirit’s power to tie up Satan and plunder his kingdom, gathering those he was rescuing into God’s kingdom. By criticizing Jesus’ work, the Pharisees were placing themselves in a dangerous status before God. They were blaspheming (spreading a bad stink) against the Holy Spirit.

Some people had not yet made their mind up about Jesus’ person, but trusted their eyes enough to believe he was doing God’s work. But the Pharisees had gone beyond that. They were calling his rescue a work of the devil.

Jesus told his enemies that they had two choices: either join him and his kingdom work (gather with him) or face the consequences. Those consequences included permanent loss of forgiveness. The fate of such people is destruction in Gehenna hell.

LORD, may we have the wisdom to join you in your work, and to stay away from those who dare to criticize it.

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a treaty at Mizpah

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

040114Genesis 31:38-50

38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and the rams of your flocks I have not eaten.

39 I did not bring to you what was torn by wild animals. I took the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.

40 I was like this: the heat consumed me by day, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.

41 These twenty years I have been with your household. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.

42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, you would have already sent me away empty-handed. God saw my trouble and the labor of my hands and he rebuked you last night.”

43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?

44 Come now, let us swear to a covenant, between me and you. And let it be a witness between me and you.”

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a monument.

46 And Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a pile, and they ate there by the pile.

47 Laban named it Jegar-sahadutha,[1] but Jacob called it Galeed.[2]

48 Laban said, “This pile is a witness between me and you today.” Therefore he named it Galeed,

49 and Mizpah,[3] because he said, “The LORD is watching between me and you, because we are hidden, each man from his companion.

50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.” _________________________________________

a treaty at Mizpah

After 20 years of service to Laban, God had blessed Jacob with a large family and many possessions. In fact, his wealth had increased so much that he was now seen as a threat to Laban. Jacob left at the command of God, but did so secretly. Laban and his men overtook them after seven days. The two make a treaty with each other, calling on the LORD to protect them from doing harm to each other. It is unfortunate that after 20 years by each other’s side – these men find it hard to trust each other.

Some see the Mizpah monument as a sort of prayer, where these two men are asking for the LORD’s protection while they are away from each other. It was really a sign of mistrust, asking the LORD to protect them from each other. Putting up Mizpah monuments is not one of those quaint Old Testament practices we should be incorporating into our culture.

LORD, make us people who generate trust and respect. Forgive us for being such poor representatives of the God we confess.

[1] Jegar-sahadutha: witness pile (Aramaic)

[2] Gale’ed: witness pile (Hebrew).

[3] Mitspah: observation post (Hebrew).

Posted in consideration of others, faithfulness, Jacob, trust | Tagged | 1 Comment

critics of the rescue

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 12:22-26

22 Then a blind and mute demonized man who was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the mute man could speak and see.

23 And all the people were astounded, and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

24 But when the Pharisees heard of it, they said, “He could not cast out demons without the power of Beelzebul, ruler of the demons.”

25 Knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed and deserted, and no city or family divided against itself will stay intact.

26 And if Satan is now casting out Satan, he is divided against himself. Then how will his kingdom stay intact?

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critics of the rescue

Jesus was calling on his critics to examine the nature of their criticism. The Pharisees had accused him of drawing on Satan’s power to deliver the demonized.

We know that sometimes that does happen. Sometimes Satan takes on the guise of a deliverer to deceive. The apostle Paul predicted an apostate church which would deceive people with all kinds of miracles and signs.[1] John attributes those miracles to the false prophet.[2] Believers need to be careful not to assume that anyone who seems to be empowered by God is actually getting his power from God.

But Jesus is stressing the other side of the issue. He asks his critics to take a good look at what is being done in the name of the coming sky kingdom. People are being rescued from sin, shame, and suffering. Satan’s kingdom is being ransacked, destroyed and left desolate. These are not miracles done to deceive. These miracles set people free. If Satan were doing them, it would be like a civil war going on in his kingdom.

Jesus was content to keep rescuing people, even if those acts of mercy were used against him. No criticism from the other side would stop him.

LORD, teach us how to rescue people from the grasp of Satan’s kingdom. Give us courage to keep doing so, even when we are criticized.

[1] 2 Thessalonians 2:9.

[2] Revelation 19:20.

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taking the moral high ground

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Genesis 31:26-37

26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have stolen away my heart and carried away my daughters like captives with a sword?

27 Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with laughter and songs, with tambourine and lyre?

28 And why did you not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters goodbye? Now you have acted foolishly.

29 It is in my power to do damage to you. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’

30 And now you have escaped because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”

31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.

32 Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not stay alive. In the presence of our relatives point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s.

34 But Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them.

35 And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the teraphim.

36 So Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have angrily chased me?

37 For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household items? Set it here before my brothers and your brothers, so that they may decide between us two.

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taking the moral high ground

Nothing feeds conflict like the assurance that you are in the right. Both Jacob and Laban took the moral high ground here. Both were convinced that they were wronged, and both were correct. Knowing what they do not, I am struck by how easy it was for them to assume that the fault was not shared. Actually, God was working behind the scenes to protect each of them from the other.

LORD, give us the wisdom to see both sides of an argument. May we seek peace, even with those who have wronged us.

Posted in anger, humility, hypocrisy, Jacob, reconciliation | Tagged | 1 Comment

getting off the soapbox

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 12:14-21

14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, seeking to destroy him.

15 Jesus, being aware of this, left that region. And many followed him, and he healed them all

16 but sternly warned them not to make his presence known.

17 This was to fulfill what was predicted by the prophet Isaiah:

18 “See, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

19 He will not quarrel or shout aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;

20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;

21 and in his name nations will hope.” _________________________________________

getting off the soapbox

Jesus had the most important message ever proclaimed, yet he decided to get off the soapbox for a while. One of the reasons for this strategy decision was that a conspiracy among the religious elite was mounting. They wanted to assassinate him. His hour would come, but he had others to reach before that time, so he decided to stay away from the big cities.

He did not compromise his ministry by doing so. The crowds would follow him wherever he went, and he would keep healing them all. By staying on the move, and keeping his ministry low-key, he ensured that people from all backgrounds in many places would have access to his grace. The Holy Spirit would draw the needy to him.

I have many friends in ministry around the world who are forced to be creative as to how they share Jesus. The same Holy Spirit works among them to reach the hurting while they stay away from the public limelight. He still draws people to Jesus.

LORD, when we have to make changes in how we do ministry, we will trust you to make those changes work.

Posted in evangelism, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, ministry | Tagged | Leave a comment

sneaking away from your problems

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Genesis 31:14-25

14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance to us in our father’s household?

15 Are we not thought by him as foreigners? Because he has sold us, and he has also devoured our silver.

16 All the wealth that God has plucked up from our father belongs to us and to our children. So, whatever God has said to you, do.”

17 So Jacob got up and put his sons and his wives on camels.

18 He sent all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac.

19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s teraphim.[1]

20 And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to go away.

21 He fled with all that he had and crossed the Euphrates, and set out in the direction of the hill country of Gilead.

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled,

23 he took his relatives with him and chased him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead.

24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. And Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his relatives also pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. _________________________________________

sneaking away from your problems

It was right for Jacob and his family to pick up and leave Laban. Things would have only gotten worse, maybe even fatal had they decided to stick it out. Even Rachel & Leah agreed that they had nothing to gain by staying on with their father’s clan.

But how they did it was not right. When we have to make a change, we owe it to those affected to tell them why. Laban needed to be confronted with his failure as a leader, and his abuse as a father. Instead, Jacob and his family try to sneak away from their troubles. Rachel probably told herself that Laban had trusted those teraphim more than he did her, and stole them out of spite. Bad form.

LORD, when it is time to make a change, give us the wisdom to do it right.

[1] small idols used for divination.

Posted in consideration of others, discernment, Jacob, wisdom | Tagged | 1 Comment

healing on the Sabbath

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 12:9-13

9 And after he departed from there, he entered their synagogue.

10 And see, a man was there with a deformed hand. And they questioned him, saying “Is it allowed on the Sabbath to heal?”- in order to accuse him.

11 But he said to them, “Which man among you has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?

12 Then, how much more valuable is a man than a sheep! So it is allowed to do good on the Sabbath.”

13 Then he said to the man, “Extend your hand.” And the man extended it, and it was restored, complete like the other.

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healing on the Sabbath

The religious professionals thought that they had found Jesus’ flaw. He was visiting a synagogue, and there was a man there with a deformed hand. The problem was obvious, and they knew Jesus would not avoid it. If he healed the man, he would be breaking the Sabbath taboo. No work on the Sabbath meant no help for this man. If Jesus obeyed the cultural norm, he would be denying who he was.

Notice the reason Jesus chose to heal that day. He pointed out to these critics that even they would rescue their property from danger on a Sabbath day. Doing good – especially the good of rescuing the hurting – is never outside of God’s will. God is less interested in our ritual purity and more interested in our caring for each other. Caring for people is his heart.

LORD, may we never neglect the opportunities we have to bring wholeness and healing into the lives of those who hurt. May even our religious habits never get in the way of showing your heart for the broken among us.

Posted in compassion, healing, Jesus Christ, love | Tagged | Leave a comment

making life decisions

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Genesis 31:1-13

1 Jacob had heard the words that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this abundance.”

2 Jacob also saw Laban’s face. See, nothing with him was like it was before.

3 Then the LORD told Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah, calling them into the field where his flock was

5 and saying to them, “I see your father’s face, that that nothing with me is like before. But the God of my father has been with me.

6 You know that I have worked for your father with all my strength,

7 but your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. Yet God did not allow him to harm me.

8 If he said, ‘The spotted will be your wages,’ then all the flock gave birth to spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped will be your wages,’ then all the flock gave birth to striped.

9 This is how God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.

10 In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that had mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled.

11 And an angel from God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’

12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that have mated with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, because I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where you have anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now get up, go out from this land and return to the land of your relatives.'” _________________________________________

making life decisions

Three separate sets of information are coming together for Jacob to help him make his next life decision. First, he hears the complaints of Laban’s sons. He knows that unless he gets along with them, he cannot stay with Laban’s clan forever. Secondly, he sees a change in the face of Laban. He can tell that Laban’s attitude is different now. Jacob is no longer the flavor of the month. Thirdly, the LORD comes in a dream and leaves no doubt: it is time to leave Laban.

Jacob calls a family meeting out in the field to let Rachel and Leah know what is going to happen next. The decision is made, but he owes it to them to explain why. Any life decision is a major one. We owe it to ourselves and those who are with us to have very good reasons for changing course.

LORD, help us to be considerate and cautious when making life decisions.

Posted in consideration of others, dependence upon God, family, Jacob | Tagged | 1 Comment

snacking on the Sabbath

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 12:1-8

At that time Jesus was passing through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat them.

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is not allowed for them to do on the Sabbath.”

3 He answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and also those who accompanied him:

4 how he even entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not allowed for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple regularly desecrate the Sabbath but are innocent of wrong?

6 I am telling you, something greater than the temple is here.

7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I want you to show mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent ones.

8 Because the master of the Sabbath is the Son of Man.”

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snacking on the Sabbath

The mass rejection that Jesus and the apostles were now experiencing in the Galilean region was being spearheaded by the Pharisees. They had just had enough of Jesus’ failure to accommodate himself to their culture.

A case in point: Jesus’ disciples were breaking the taboo against doing manual labor when they grab a snack in the grain fields. That is an unholy thing, and an insult to good respectful people who know the boundaries and keep them diligently. The Sabbath was God’s idea, not man’s. Those disciples had no right to treat that holy day so casually.

Jesus obviously saw the issue differently. Like David in the Old Testament, Jesus put the needs of those with him above the cultural taboos of the self-righteous. It was not about the show. It was about showing mercy. Besides, as master of the Sabbath, it is Jesus who decides what is allowed, not the Pharisees, or the traditions of their society. Like the priests in the temple, if their ministry requires it, they can break the rules. Under the new kingdom from the sky, each believer decides how to keep the Sabbath. And each believer answers not to the Pharisees or even the church. He answers to his Lord, the master of the Sabbath.

LORD, forgive us for demanding that other believers live up to our standards. Give us your insight to see our fellow believers as equal workers for the same master, and the wisdom to let you be their judge.

Posted in consideration of others, discipleship, Jesus Christ, servanthood | Tagged | Leave a comment

remapping a relationship

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Genesis 30:31-43

31 Laban said, “What should I give you?” Jacob said, “You will not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it:

32 let me pass through all your flock today, putting aside from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and they will be my wages.

33 So my integrity will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be considered stolen.”

34 Laban said, “Alright, It will be as you have said.”

35 But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in charge of his sons.

36 And he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban’s flock.

37 Then Jacob took new sticks from poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks.

38 He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs where they watered, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink,

39 the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted.

40 And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves by themselves and did not put them with Laban’s flock.

41 Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs in front of the eyes of the flock, that they would breed among the sticks,

42 but for the weaker of the flock he would not lay them there. So the weaker would be Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.

43 Thus Jacob got much wealthier and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

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remapping a relationship

Jacob and Laban’s family/work environment had become so tense and toxic that it became clear to both that change was needed. They needed to put some distance between themselves, and establish new boundaries, with a better understanding of what belonged to whom. Both men had their own interests at heart, but God was at work in the remapping of the relationship.

The LORD’s interests were the same as they had been at first. He wanted Jacob to be safe, and to prosper. As we learn later, he orchestrates the elaborate stick ritual, not because there was some magical power behind the sticks, but as a way of teaching Jacob to trust his instructions. Another relationship is being remapped. Changes in the social structure of Jacob’s life are touching Jacob’s spiritual life as well.

LORD, give us the wisdom to let you guide our lives, and the sensitivity to your guidance that we will need in order to see our life adjustments as ways to become more like you.

Posted in conflict, dependence upon God, family, Jacob, relationship with God | Tagged | 1 Comment