Friday, 1/30/2015

“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done.

We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.”  ~ Mother Teresa

EXODUS 22-24

Exodus 22 begins with additional laws and requirements. They fall in the areas of

• Protection of Property
• Social Responsibility
• Justice and Mercy
• Sabbath Laws
• Festivals and Celebrations

Chapter 23 ends and all of chapter 24 define that God will go ahead of Israel and he will prepare the way for them.  It will be God and God alone that will be the reason for the Israelites success.

MATTHEW 20: 20-34

The mother of the sons of Zebedee comes to Jesus and discreetly tries to secure position with Jesus for her boys.  Jesus rebukes her and tells her she does not know what she is asking.  When the disciples hear about it they are annoyed and angry.  Jesus then uses it to clarify that his path is about serving and loving not being served. 

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

JOURNAL

Both of these texts seem to really dig down into my heart.  What is my motive and what is my objective. God makes it very clear to the Israelites that he gives them the rules in grace to guide them and keep them from being enslaved to themselves and others.  He then makes it very clear that he is the author of their success.

Jesus makes it crystal clear that the path to greatness is in selfless service, his path is not one that seeks to gain position and power but instead seeks service and humility in order to glorify God. This is so simple in concept yet it is so opposed to my flesh and to the message and way of the world.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  (Matthew 25:34-36)