For the past week, I was in shocked to see my friends walk away from Jesus. Even today, I grief for them. I think God ordained this time for me to write another post to edify those who are in pain to see their friends saying they walk away from Jesus, find Jesus not relevant, deny Jesus as their Lord and Savior, don’t see any love coming from Jesus, and many more reasons.
Take at least few minutes to read Luke 15:11-32.
My assumption to those who reads this entry would know this famous parable that Jesus taught – Parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son asks for his father’s inheritance – half of it. And then he goes out and blows the money through partying like a rock star. After spending all the money, he goes out and work to make a living out of a worse labor job ever. Despite all the effort he made, nobody, not even his friends, gave him anything. He was left alone and abandoned by the world.A lot of people are totally depraved in this world. Their eyes are blinded by the gods of this world from seeing the light of the gospel. Claiming to be wise, they became fools. The prodigal son could have ended at Luke 15:16 and the story could have been told like that. Jesus could have told that the moral of the story is this: “Don’t be an idiot like this son at the end of his life.”
Here is a single word that changes everything: BUT. Jesus, however, continues the story with an amazing redemption for this pathetic son. His mind clicks. When the son came to himself he realized that his sin was not only against his earthly father but in the deepest sense against heaven, that is, against God himself. I do not believe, however, that it was any human conscience that caused this son to realize his sin. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that people can realize their mistakes and try to change it. In Biblical sense, the consciousness of realizing one’s sin that moves him or her to repentance can only be done by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the son was deeply sorrowful for the foolish mistake he made for walking his own way and finds words to say to his father before he sees him.
The Father sees his son at the distance. He runs to embrace him and love him. The son confesses his sin to him, and the father throws a party for him because he “was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”
Some of us have went to church only during for Sunday school. Somehow this world (e.g. videogame, girlfriend, boyfriend, partying, smoking, getting drunk) was more attractive than God; therefore, we chose to walk away from God and indulge in this world. At the end of the day, this world leaves you nothing but suffering and emptiness. However, no matter where we are at with God, we are either a friend of Him or a foe. Not everyone will have this “BUT” in their lives where they realize what in the world they are doing with their lives. Some will continuously be stiff-necked, stubborn, and arrogant to continue their folly, which in the end leads them to their destruction – hell.
God is waiting for you to come back to Him and truly want you to experience His unconditionally love and irresistible grace. Good news is this: God extends His grace to you, first, by embracing and hugging you. Referencing from what Reality Church states: The goal of the Gospelis not the gifts God gives, but rather God as the gift given to us by grace.
For the past week, I was in shocked to see my friends walk away from Jesus. Even today, I grief for them. I think God ordained this time for me to write another post to edify those who are in pain to see their friends saying they walk away from Jesus, find Jesus not relevant, deny Jesus as their Lord and Savior, don’t see any love coming from Jesus, and many more reasons.
Take at least few minutes to read Luke 15:11-32.
My assumption to those who reads this entry would know this famous parable that Jesus taught – Parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son asks for his father’s inheritance – half of it. And then he goes out and blows the money through partying like a rock star. After spending all the money, he goes out and work to make a living out of a worse labor job ever. Despite all the effort he made, nobody, not even his friends, gave him anything. He was left alone and abandoned by the world.A lot of people are totally depraved in this world. Their eyes are blinded by the gods of this world from seeing the light of the gospel. Claiming to be wise, they became fools. The prodigal son could have ended at Luke 15:16 and the story could have been told like that. Jesus could have told that the moral of the story is this: “Don’t be an idiot like this son at the end of his life.”
Here is a single word that changes everything: BUT. Jesus, however, continues the story with an amazing redemption for this pathetic son. His mind clicks. When the son came to himself he realized that his sin was not only against his earthly father but in the deepest sense against heaven, that is, against God himself. I do not believe, however, that it was any human conscience that caused this son to realize his sin. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that people can realize their mistakes and try to change it. In Biblical sense, the consciousness of realizing one’s sin that moves him or her to repentance can only be done by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the son was deeply sorrowful for the foolish mistake he made for walking his own way and finds words to say to his father before he sees him.
The Father sees his son at the distance. He runs to embrace him and love him. The son confesses his sin to him, and the father throws a party for him because he “was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”
Some of us have went to church only during for Sunday school. Somehow this world (e.g. videogame, girlfriend, boyfriend, partying, smoking, getting drunk) was more attractive than God; therefore, we chose to walk away from God and indulge in this world. At the end of the day, this world leaves you nothing but suffering and emptiness. However, no matter where we are at with God, we are either a friend of Him or a foe. Not everyone will have this “BUT” in their lives where they realize what in the world they are doing with their lives. Some will continuously be stiff-necked, stubborn, and arrogant to continue their folly, which in the end leads them to their destruction – hell.
God is waiting for you to come back to Him and truly want you to experience His unconditionally love and irresistible grace. Good news is this: God extends His grace to you, first, by embracing and hugging you. Referencing from what Reality Church states: The goal of the Gospelis not the gifts God gives, but rather God as the gift given to us by grace.
Take at least few minutes to read Matthew 18:21-35 for this week’s passage of the “Word On The Street”.
What does it mean to forgive someone? This word, “forgiveness”, is a word that we all know, but wrongly applied majority of the time in our lives. Let me give you 10 things from my brother, Mark Driscoll, of what forgiveness is NOT:
1.) Approving or Diminishing
2.) Enabling Sin
3.) Denying a wrongdoing
4.) Waiting for an apology
5.) Forgetting
6.) Ceasing to feel the pain
7.) A one time event
8.) Neglecting justice
9.) Trusting
10.) Reconciliation
Before the passage (Matthew 18:15-20), Jesus taught on confronting your brother who sinned against you. In this passage, Jesus taught on forgiving someone who sinned against you. If you’re not able to forgive someone, then your sins are not forgiven because asking God’s forgiveness requires forgiving others.
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
As we see in this parable in the bigger context, Jesus is speaking about what kingdom of heaven is like. So what does it mean to forgive someone who sinned against you? The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. The king forgave the servant when he asked for forgiveness. Did this servant deserve any forgiveness with the amount of debt that he owed to the king? I would say “No” because he doesn’t deserve it. But the king, out of grace and pity, still forgave him. This is what the kingdom of heaven may be like.
What is the kingdom of heaven NOT like? In contrast, the same servant hunted down one of his fellow servant because he was in debt to him. He didn’t forgive him, he even choked him and put him in prison. As a result, he was reported to the king by his own fellow servants because “they were greatly distressed”. It was painful to watch, and I wonder what they were thinking. “Wait a minute, this doesn’t seem moral, and seem injustice. You were forgiven by the king but you weren’t able to forgive your servant?” The king was furious, saying, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”
Why wasn’t the servant able to forgive? The answer to this question is found in the last verse of this passage: “If you do not forgive your brother FROM YOUR HEART.” What does this all mean? You and I have heard of Jesus Christ and the message of the gospel. Most of us went to Sunday School and learned about God’s forgiveness and love for the world by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins so that we are able, by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, to come to Jesus and live a new life in repentance, which leads to holiness. This is what we call sanctification. The servant wasn’t able to forgive is due to the issue of the heart. Let me ask you this: where is your heart at? Because I know some of you have heard of God’s forgiveness. Some of you might have asked Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins, but did this experience of forgiveness genuinely transformed your heart? A transformed heart must result in a changed life that offers the same mercy and forgiveness as has been received from God. Someone who does not grant forgiveness to others shows that his own heart has not experienced God’s forgiveness. Throughout Scripture, the heart refers to the center of one’s being, including one’s reason, emotions, and will.
In our lives, we all have spiritual debt that we owe to God. Our standard credit is holiness. Since we have fallen short of the glory of God, we are no longer holy, but wicked and sinful man and woman. In order for any of us to be with God, we are called to be holy as He is holy. Different religions teach you about working your way to heaven or do good deeds or follow the moral standard of this culture or try to balance over our bad deeds with the good deeds. But no matter how hard we try to be perfect, we can never reach God’s standard because our heart cannot be changed by religious good deeds. Imagine I put a little bit of poison on a bucket of water, for example, would you still drink it? If I add more water onto it (without overflowing), then would you still drink it? I would hope you say “no”. Ever since we were born, we have done nothing but sin or rebel against God. Every sin we have committed, we are already in debt. I cannot imagine myself ever finish paying that debt because everyday I sin. Just like the servant, who fell on his knees, and begged for mercy, the king was willing to forgive his debts and wipe his credit clean. Jesus came and suffered on the cross in our behalf to pay the penalty of our debt, our sin, while we were suppose to be the ones who should deserve that penalty. Every sin that I have committed in my life, from the time I was born until now, Jesus died for it. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) As He promised, He resurrected from the dead to give us new life and live free from debt if we repent of sin and believe in Jesus and what He did for us. It all come down to the heart issue. What is holding you back from forgiving? Better question: What is holding you back from receiving forgiveness of sin? I am willing to forgive, although it’s hard sometimes, because Jesus forgave me even though I don’t deserve it. Thank Jesus for erasing our debt and purchasing our salvation.
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. “(Colossians 2:13-15)
Take at least few minutes to read Matthew 18:21-35 for this week’s passage of the “Word On The Street”.
What does it mean to forgive someone? This word, “forgiveness”, is a word that we all know, but wrongly applied majority of the time in our lives. Let me give you 10 things from my brother, Mark Driscoll, of what forgiveness is NOT: 1.) Approving or Diminishing 2.) Enabling Sin 3.) Denying a wrongdoing 4.) Waiting for an apology 5.) Forgetting 6.) Ceasing to feel the pain 7.) A one time event 8.) Neglecting justice 9.) Trusting 10.) Reconciliation
Before the passage (Matthew 18:15-20), Jesus taught on confronting your brother who sinned against you. In this passage, Jesus taught on forgiving someone who sinned against you. If you’re not able to forgive someone, then your sins are not forgiven because asking God’s forgiveness requires forgiving others.
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
As we see in this parable in the bigger context, Jesus is speaking about what kingdom of heaven is like. So what does it mean to forgive someone who sinned against you? The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. The king forgave the servant when he asked for forgiveness. Did this servant deserve any forgiveness with the amount of debt that he owed to the king? I would say “No” because he doesn’t deserve it. But the king, out of grace and pity, still forgave him. This is what the kingdom of heaven may be like. What is the kingdom of heaven NOT like? In contrast, the same servant hunted down one of his fellow servant because he was in debt to him. He didn’t forgive him, he even choked him and put him in prison. As a result, he was reported to the king by his own fellow servants because “they were greatly distressed”. It was painful to watch, and I wonder what they were thinking. “Wait a minute, this doesn’t seem moral, and seem injustice. You were forgiven by the king but you weren’t able to forgive your servant?” The king was furious, saying, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”
Why wasn’t the servant able to forgive? The answer to this question is found in the last verse of this passage: “If you do not forgive your brother FROM YOUR HEART.” What does this all mean? You and I have heard of Jesus Christ and the message of the gospel. Most of us went to Sunday School and learned about God’s forgiveness and love for the world by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins so that we are able, by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, to come to Jesus and live a new life in repentance, which leads to holiness. This is what we call sanctification. The servant wasn’t able to forgive is due to the issue of the heart. Let me ask you this: where is your heart at? Because I know some of you have heard of God’s forgiveness. Some of you might have asked Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins, but did this experience of forgiveness genuinely transformed your heart? A transformed heart must result in a changed life that offers the same mercy and forgiveness as has been received from God. Someone who does not grant forgiveness to others shows that his own heart has not experienced God’s forgiveness. Throughout Scripture, the heart refers to the center of one’s being, including one’s reason, emotions, and will.
In our lives, we all have spiritual debt that we owe to God. Our standard credit is holiness. Since we have fallen short of the glory of God, we are no longer holy, but wicked and sinful man and woman. In order for any of us to be with God, we are called to be holy as He is holy. Different religions teach you about working your way to heaven or do good deeds or follow the moral standard of this culture or try to balance over our bad deeds with the good deeds. But no matter how hard we try to be perfect, we can never reach God’s standard because our heart cannot be changed by religious good deeds. Imagine I put a little bit of poison on a bucket of water, for example, would you still drink it? If I add more water onto it (without overflowing), then would you still drink it? I would hope you say “no”. Ever since we were born, we have done nothing but sin or rebel against God. Every sin we have committed, we are already in debt. I cannot imagine myself ever finish paying that debt because everyday I sin. Just like the servant, who fell on his knees, and begged for mercy, the king was willing to forgive his debts and wipe his credit clean. Jesus came and suffered on the cross in our behalf to pay the penalty of our debt, our sin, while we were suppose to be the ones who should deserve that penalty. Every sin that I have committed in my life, from the time I was born until now, Jesus died for it. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) As He promised, He resurrected from the dead to give us new life and live free from debt if we repent of sin and believe in Jesus and what He did for us. It all come down to the heart issue. What is holding you back from forgiving? Better question: What is holding you back from receiving forgiveness of sin? I am willing to forgive, although it’s hard sometimes, because Jesus forgave me even though I don’t deserve it. Thank Jesus for erasing our debt and purchasing our salvation.
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. “(Colossians 2:13-15)
Take at least 2 minutes to read Luke 10:25-37 for this week’s passage of the “Word On The Street”.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan is probably one of the famous stories in the Bible. Christians and non-Christians (secularism) know this story and have implemented into the culture. The concept of the “Good Samaritan” is found in the “Good Samaritan law”, helping others and cleaning up the mess in the riot, and I don’t know how many “Good Samaritan _____ “(fill in the blank) there are. Hopefully some of you know what the story is about, but we often miss the main point of the story.
It started out with a lawyer asking Jesus what it takes to go to heaven. Jesus asked, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The lawyer answered the Great Commandment. Since the lawyer answered correctly, he must apply it. The lawyer wanted to justify himself. What did he mean “justify himself”? To be show what is just and to be made right. Why did he want to “justify himself”? He asked Jesus a question, “Who is my neighbour?” As deceitful and clever this lawyer was, he tried to escape the responsibility of not loving those who are “non-neighbour”, such as the poor, the sinners, the sick, the lame, and those who are in the lower social classes.
Jesus told a story to show an example of what a neighbour is like. A man from Jerusalem got mugged by robbers. There were three people who Jesus talked about: Priest, Levite, and Samaritan. Priest is a descendant of Aaron who had priestly responsibilities in the Jerusalem temple. He saw the man wounded but he passed by on the other side, which was to describe his unwillingness to love his neighbor. Levite is a member of the tribe of Levi but not a descendant of Aaron and therefore not a priest. The Levites were the ones who assisted the priests. He also passed by the man. Then came a Samaritan. Culturally, it would have been unthinkable for a Samaritan to help a Jew (the wounded man could have been a Jew because he is coming from Jerusalem) because Jews and Samaritans hated each other. Jesus, however, emphasized the point that to love your neighbor involved showing care and compassion even to those who would not have any normal relationship or to those who are undeserving to be loved and cared for. The Samaritan ministered and helped the injured man by setting “him on his own animal” because he’s probably too injured to walk, brought him to an inn and paid for the fees because he’s been mugged and has nothing left, and extending whatever more cost and care may be needed for this Jew. On the extended note, two denarii were equivalent of two days salary; therefore, it showed that the Samaritan was willing to sacrifice his money and energy for the well-being of the Jew. Jesus ended with this question, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” And we can all answer: “The Good Samaritan”.
I want to make a personal note that I don’t agree that there is a “Good Samaritan”. The headline of your Bible may say that “The Parable of the Good Samaritan”, but Jesus never said the Samaritan was good although he did demonstrate love and kindness. I think, perhaps, that the “Good Samaritan” was able to show love and compassion for his neighbor was because God showed compassion and love toward him in the first place, if he ever existed. Because of the grace of God, the Samaritan’s heart and mind was able to be changed and renewed by the Holy Spirit. No one is good besides God. No one is righteous besides God. Why did Jesus tell us this parable then? It is to show how the “wise and understanding” (the religious leaders who thinks they are good and self-righteous) do not understand even the simplest commands of Scripture. We too fall short like the lawyer. Like the lawyer, we try to justify ourselves by picking and choosing who our neighbours are. How about the man or woman living in E Hastings and doing drugs and sleeping street? Do they need compassion and need to be loved? How about a new person coming into the youth Sunday School or small group or Bible study and we ignore him or her because we like to be comfortable with the friends we know? Does he or she need compassion and need to be loved?
The gospel is a better news than just helping the poor and paying their hotel fees. It is about Jesus. I think that Jesus wanted to us to see ourselves in the story. Who did the injured man represent? I think it would be, in the context of the Bible, the sinners, the lame, the sick, and living in the lower social class (like you and I spiritually speaking). Who did the priest and Levite represent? The religious leaders. Throughout the story of the gospel, the Pharisees never cared about the sinner and didn’t even want to interact with them because they were afraid that it would defile them. They would condemn people like hypocrites for not seeing the plank in their own eyes. In John 8, Jesus was with the prostitute who was about to be stoned by the Pharisees. It shows that being religious doesn’t work.
Jesus not only taught about “loving your neighbor as yourself”, but He fulfills that command in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5). It is about Jesus loving the world by demonstrating His love on the cross. Jesus loves those who hated Him. Jesus loves those who are affected by culture (John 4). Jesus loves those who persecuted Him. On the cross, He told the Father to forgive them because they don’t know what they were doing.
Apart from Jesus, if we think that by doing good works will label us as “good” and “righteous” people, then don’t be fooled by the religious culture we are living in. Apart from Jesus, all our good deeds are like garbage. I’m not saying don’t help people and stop doing good, but if Jesus has renewed your heart and mind, then all the good deeds you do are no longer for yourself, but for Jesus Christ. Instead of asking an improper question, “Who is my neighbor?” we should ask, “How can I be a loving neighbor?”
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.” (Luke 6:27; 30)
Take at least 2 minutes to read Luke 10:25-37 for this week’s passage of the “Word On The Street”.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan is probably one of the famous stories in the Bible. Christians and non-Christians (secularism) know this story and have implemented into the culture. The concept of the “Good Samaritan” is found in the “Good Samaritan law”, helping others and cleaning up the mess in the riot, and I don’t know how many “Good Samaritan _____ “(fill in the blank) there are. Hopefully some of you know what the story is about, but we often miss the main point of the story.
It started out with a lawyer asking Jesus what it takes to go to heaven. Jesus asked, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The lawyer answered the Great Commandment. Since the lawyer answered correctly, he must apply it. The lawyer wanted to justify himself. What did he mean “justify himself”? To be show what is just and to be made right. Why did he want to “justify himself”? He asked Jesus a question, “Who is my neighbour?” As deceitful and clever this lawyer was, he tried to escape the responsibility of not loving those who are “non-neighbour”, such as the poor, the sinners, the sick, the lame, and those who are in the lower social classes.
Jesus told a story to show an example of what a neighbour is like. A man from Jerusalem got mugged by robbers. There were three people who Jesus talked about: Priest, Levite, and Samaritan. Priest is a descendant of Aaron who had priestly responsibilities in the Jerusalem temple. He saw the man wounded but he passed by on the other side, which was to describe his unwillingness to love his neighbor. Levite is a member of the tribe of Levi but not a descendant of Aaron and therefore not a priest. The Levites were the ones who assisted the priests. He also passed by the man. Then came a Samaritan. Culturally, it would have been unthinkable for a Samaritan to help a Jew (the wounded man could have been a Jew because he is coming from Jerusalem) because Jews and Samaritans hated each other. Jesus, however, emphasized the point that to love your neighbor involved showing care and compassion even to those who would not have any normal relationship or to those who are undeserving to be loved and cared for. The Samaritan ministered and helped the injured man by setting “him on his own animal” because he’s probably too injured to walk, brought him to an inn and paid for the fees because he’s been mugged and has nothing left, and extending whatever more cost and care may be needed for this Jew. On the extended note, two denarii were equivalent of two days salary; therefore, it showed that the Samaritan was willing to sacrifice his money and energy for the well-being of the Jew. Jesus ended with this question, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” And we can all answer: “The Good Samaritan”.
I want to make a personal note that I don’t agree that there is a “Good Samaritan”. The headline of your Bible may say that “The Parable of the Good Samaritan”, but Jesus never said the Samaritan was good although he did demonstrate love and kindness. I think, perhaps, that the “Good Samaritan” was able to show love and compassion for his neighbor was because God showed compassion and love toward him in the first place, if he ever existed. Because of the grace of God, the Samaritan’s heart and mind was able to be changed and renewed by the Holy Spirit. No one is good besides God. No one is righteous besides God. Why did Jesus tell us this parable then? It is to show how the “wise and understanding” (the religious leaders who thinks they are good and self-righteous) do not understand even the simplest commands of Scripture. We too fall short like the lawyer. Like the lawyer, we try to justify ourselves by picking and choosing who our neighbours are. How about the man or woman living in E Hastings and doing drugs and sleeping street? Do they need compassion and need to be loved? How about a new person coming into the youth Sunday School or small group or Bible study and we ignore him or her because we like to be comfortable with the friends we know? Does he or she need compassion and need to be loved?
The gospel is a better news than just helping the poor and paying their hotel fees. It is about Jesus. I think that Jesus wanted to us to see ourselves in the story. Who did the injured man represent? I think it would be, in the context of the Bible, the sinners, the lame, the sick, and living in the lower social class (like you and I spiritually speaking). Who did the priest and Levite represent? The religious leaders. Throughout the story of the gospel, the Pharisees never cared about the sinner and didn’t even want to interact with them because they were afraid that it would defile them. They would condemn people like hypocrites for not seeing the plank in their own eyes. In John 8, Jesus was with the prostitute who was about to be stoned by the Pharisees. It shows that being religious doesn’t work.
Jesus not only taught about “loving your neighbor as yourself”, but He fulfills that command in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5). It is about Jesus loving the world by demonstrating His love on the cross. Jesus loves those who hated Him. Jesus loves those who are affected by culture (John 4). Jesus loves those who persecuted Him. On the cross, He told the Father to forgive them because they don’t know what they were doing.
Apart from Jesus, if we think that by doing good works will label us as “good” and “righteous” people, then don’t be fooled by the religious culture we are living in. Apart from Jesus, all our good deeds are like garbage. I’m not saying don’t help people and stop doing good, but if Jesus has renewed your heart and mind, then all the good deeds you do are no longer for yourself, but for Jesus Christ. Instead of asking an improper question, “Who is my neighbor?” we should ask, “How can I be a loving neighbor?”
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.” (Luke 6:27; 30)
Take at least 2 minutes to read Matthew 20:1-16 for this week’s passage of the “Word On The Street”.
As Jesus taught in the parable, the landowner teaches the laborers to be thankful with wages they received. The landowner clearly promised the laborers that the deal was to give them a denarius (a typical day’s wage for a laborer) a day. The landowner, however, did not say denarius per hour. When the laborer came in the last hour before laborers need to get off work, he too got the denarius as the ones who worked from morning at 6am, 9am, 12pm…and so on. The workers grumbled at the landowner for being unfair because he gave the same wage as to the one who worked only for an hour while they worked for 12 hours. The landowner reminded them, “‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? (v.13 ESV)” That’s the deal my friend! He continues saying, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what BELONGS to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” The reward (the wages) belongs to the landowner, and he explained the fairness of his actions. Begrudge (or envious NIV) literally means, “Is your eye evil?” Instead of being thankful for their wages, they have been blinded by their own self-interested lack of compassion for his fellow worker who needed a job (v.7).
I’ll be asking this question for this post and for the next four weeks: What does this have to do with the gospel?
Jesus is not just an idea originated from the western culture. That is the biggest mistake and assumption that people make regarding Jesus. Jesus was a God becoming a man and was born in Asia in a place called Bethlehem. Anybody can believe in Jesus whether if you’re an Asian, Caucasian, African and every race and tribe and tongue and nation. This parable displays God’s generosity to give salvation to anybody whom Jesus saves whether if they are young or old. Some of us became Christians when we’re young. There are some who would become Christians later on in our life. Some would become Christians a moment before they die. What? Jesus can save those an hour before they die? Yes! But that’s not fair! What about the things they did in the past? Stealing, murder, rebellion, sexual immorality, and etc. Take this parable as a warning from Jesus. Do NOT despise those who would come to faith later. We are no different from them because we are all sinners and we have once been on their shoes before. As Jesus teaches, “So the last will be first, and the first last.” As Christians, we should never measure our worth by comparing it with other’s accomplishments. For example, I helped around the church longer than this person did, so I think God should reward me more. Being a Christian is not about getting a bigger reward than others, but it is about where our heart is at when we serve God. Does our serving focus from a heart of gratitude and joy in RESPONSE to God’s grace to us? Basically, do we love God because Jesus saved us by dying on the cross for our sins, from the wrath of God, resurrecting from the grave to give us new life. Those who are Christians will get the same reward. If you’re a Christian, then you and I will get the same reward when we get to heaven. “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
This parable is an amazing story that Jesus taught, and it can relate to us in a personal level. If you’re not a Christian yet, by God’s mercy and grace, Jesus welcomes you. Let our attitudes be changed to gratitude by believing in what Jesus has done for you and I and accept His forgiveness, inviting the Holy Spirit to regenerate you, and to convict us of sin, and repent of sin.
“Religion will change your outer behaviors, but grace will change your heart.”
“If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:14-15 ESV)
Take at least 2 minutes to read Matthew 20:1-16 for this week’s passage of the “Word On The Street”.
As Jesus taught in the parable, the landowner teaches the laborers to be thankful with wages they received. The landowner clearly promised the laborers that the deal was to give them a denarius (a typical day’s wage for a laborer) a day. The landowner, however, did not say denarius per hour. When the laborer came in the last hour before laborers need to get off work, he too got the denarius as the ones who worked from morning at 6am, 9am, 12pm…and so on. The workers grumbled at the landowner for being unfair because he gave the same wage as to the one who worked only for an hour while they worked for 12 hours. The landowner reminded them, “‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? (v.13 ESV)” That’s the deal my friend! He continues saying, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what BELONGS to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” The reward (the wages) belongs to the landowner, and he explained the fairness of his actions. Begrudge (or envious NIV) literally means, “Is your eye evil?” Instead of being thankful for their wages, they have been blinded by their own self-interested lack of compassion for his fellow worker who needed a job (v.7).
I’ll be asking this question for this post and for the next four weeks: What does this have to do with the gospel?
Jesus is not just an idea originated from the western culture. That is the biggest mistake and assumption that people make regarding Jesus. Jesus was a God becoming a man and was born in Asia in a place called Bethlehem. Anybody can believe in Jesus whether if you’re an Asian, Caucasian, African and every race and tribe and tongue and nation. This parable displays God’s generosity to give salvation to anybody whom Jesus saves whether if they are young or old. Some of us became Christians when we’re young. There are some who would become Christians later on in our life. Some would become Christians a moment before they die. What? Jesus can save those an hour before they die? Yes! But that’s not fair! What about the things they did in the past? Stealing, murder, rebellion, sexual immorality, and etc. Take this parable as a warning from Jesus. Do NOT despise those who would come to faith later. We are no different from them because we are all sinners and we have once been on their shoes before. As Jesus teaches, “So the last will be first, and the first last.” As Christians, we should never measure our worth by comparing it with other’s accomplishments. For example, I helped around the church longer than this person did, so I think God should reward me more. Being a Christian is not about getting a bigger reward than others, but it is about where our heart is at when we serve God. Does our serving focus from a heart of gratitude and joy in RESPONSE to God’s grace to us? Basically, do we love God because Jesus saved us by dying on the cross for our sins, from the wrath of God, resurrecting from the grave to give us new life. Those who are Christians will get the same reward. If you’re a Christian, then you and I will get the same reward when we get to heaven. “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
This parable is an amazing story that Jesus taught, and it can relate to us in a personal level. If you’re not a Christian yet, by God’s mercy and grace, Jesus welcomes you. Let our attitudes be changed to gratitude by believing in what Jesus has done for you and I and accept His forgiveness, inviting the Holy Spirit to regenerate you, and to convict us of sin, and repent of sin.
“Religion will change your outer behaviors, but grace will change your heart.”
“If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:14-15 ESV)
This week, from Tuesday until Saturday (Aug 2nd – Aug 6th), Oakridge Children’s Ministry will be hosting Vacation Bible School! It’s very exciting to see children coming to our church, having fun, making friends, learning the parables in the Bible, and getting to know our awesome Savior Jesus Christ.
The children will basically be learning about 5 words based on the parable lessons being taught: Gratitude, Compassion, Grace, Forgiveness, and Faithfulness. These lessons may be simple knowledge for our Christian life, but not easy to apply them in our day-to-day basis. For the next 5 weeks, through the reliance of the Holy Spirit, I will try to explain each word through the teachings of Jesus – the parables – and how it all points to the gospel.
5 Questions to think about:
What are you thankful for each day?
How do you deal with someone who is in need?
Is there someone, who usually ticks you off, you need to show love?
Is there someone who you need to forgive?
How is your walk with Jesus Christ?
This week, from Tuesday until Saturday (Aug 2nd – Aug 6th), Oakridge Children’s Ministry will be hosting Vacation Bible School! It’s very exciting to see children coming to our church, having fun, making friends, learning the parables in the Bible, and getting to know our awesome Savior Jesus Christ.
The children will basically be learning about 5 words based on the parable lessons being taught: Gratitude, Compassion, Grace, Forgiveness, and Faithfulness. These lessons may be simple knowledge for our Christian life, but not easy to apply them in our day-to-day basis. For the next 5 weeks, through the reliance of the Holy Spirit, I will try to explain each word through the teachings of Jesus – the parables – and how it all points to the gospel.
5 Questions to think about: What are you thankful for each day? How do you deal with someone who is in need? Is there someone, who usually ticks you off, you need to show love? Is there someone who you need to forgive? How is your walk with Jesus Christ?
Tommy Wong 