Bob Rakestraw
Recently I spent four days in the hospital. I was admitted from the emergency room after my wife took me in for severe abdominal pain. It was basically a time of tests and consultations with doctors, more about heart than abdominal issues. Some of the test results were a bit encouraging and others were inconclusive. I came home with three new medications—just what I wanted! I also have more major tests and doctor visits in the weeks ahead concerning my heart. I left quite bewildered over the whole ordeal.
Chronic problems are difficult to deal with. Whether they are physical, mental, financial, spiritual, relational or some other kind of difficulty, if they are long-lasting they become tough to handle. There is a very real wearing-down effect of chronic trials. I have experienced this effect for many years, especially since my heart transplant in 2003, and especially in 2009. At the present time I am experiencing significant problems with breathing.
In the hospital, and in the days since I’ve returned home, I have been thinking about many things. Here are two of them.
1. It is good to have your Bible with you in the hospital. I did not have mine when I went into ER, but my wife brought it to me after I was admitted. I was greatly helped by the apostle Paul’s last recorded words in 2 Timothy 4: “The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength,” and “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.” I also read: “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship.” This last exhortation did not come across to me as harsh and unfeeling, but simply as God telling me what I needed to do. The text, rather than stressing me, actually strengthened me and enabled me to get through the hospital stay. I know that God truly does care.
2. Yielding, not fighting, is the way to peace. By yielding I mean accepting from God. Over the years I have struggled, as a theology professor and in my own life, concerning the origin of troubles. Are they from Satan and his cohorts? Are they from human beings primarily? Are they from my own mistakes and sins? Are they basically due to the reality that we are natural and fallen beings, living in a natural and fallen world? Or are they from God?
I will not be looking into each of these five possibilities, but I believe that troubles may come from any of these categories, and often from a combination of two or more of them. The biggest question to me concerns the matter of God’s involvement. Does God send us troubles directly? Does he simply allow them? Or is it that God is powerless to prevent them or to deal with them?
I totally reject the last possibility, even though I have read so-called theologians who hold to it. The real issue to me is how much God is involved in sending and/or permitting the trouble. My study of God’s word leads me to believe that, while God at times may directly send troubles to people (for example, causing a tree limb to fall on one’s head) for their good (to knock sense into them, perhaps), most of our problems come from the other sources listed above. Yet there is no doubt that God knows about them before they happen, and he allows them. Job’s trials and Paul’s thorn in the flesh are examples of this.
Concerning my own health matters, I accept them from God in this sense. I yield to God and to my God-allowed troubles. I no longer fight the health problems. Some may see this as a cop-out, and that I am giving up the battle in order to attain a false sense of contentment. Where is the fight to get better? Since Buddhists consider desire to be the root of all unhappiness, am I not capitulating to this Buddhist philosophy of life?
I admit that I have sometimes lowered my expectations or tossed them out entirely regarding some matters, so that I will not continue to be disappointed. Too much desire can be destructive. But this is not the kind of yielding or acceptance I am experiencing. I am not passively waiting for the next body-blow. I don’t want to be a punching bag. My yielding (in my better moments, at least) is a positive, active, robust trust in God’s wisdom and goodness. While he has all power, he allows difficulties so that I may be conformed to the likeness of Christ and may be of most use in expanding God’s reign in the earth. In the long run, this does the most good for people and the most good for me. God care for me, and for you!
I close with one verse from the Psalms that came to me over and over in the hospital. I offer it to you with grace: “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him.”
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Are You There, God
Bob Rakestraw
Sometimes people wonder if God is really “there.” They know he exists, but they would like to feel and experience God’s presence. They know their hope is based on facts, not feelings, but they still would like to sense the presence of God sometimes.
I have no infallible answer, but there are four things I do regularly (daily) that help me a lot in this area. They may help you.
1. I read and/or meditate a lot in the scriptures—not so much quantitatively as qualitatively. I chew on my favorite texts over and over, memorizing them and repeating them often. I underline a lot in my Bible. One of my favorite all-time verses is James 4:8—“come near to God and he will come near to you." God wants us to take the initiative; sometimes it's just a few words to him and he comes near.
2. I say "Thank You" to God several times a day—maybe 6-10 times a day. I mostly thank him for the eternal realities in my life, such as forgiveness of my sins of commission, omission, and disposition; genuine peace and hope, for today, tomorrow, and the whole future (based on the verifiable fact that God has never let me down one day in my life); as well as the daily, material and spiritual blessings I experience—relationships with family, people in my church community, money to buy food and pay the bills.
3. I visualize Jesus standing right in front of me or next to me. Somehow I never picture him sitting, but daily I make the effort (it takes very little once this becomes a habit, which is true of the other items mentioned) to look at the space in front of me and say, "Thank you Lord for being here," or something like that. I do it with my eyes open, in faith, and Jesus always shows up. Somehow I believe he is actually there, looking serious but not stern, and sometimes with a slight smile. But I don't so much think of specific facial features, but just the outline of his form being there, visible in my mind but not my eyes. This is very real.
4. I confess sin throughout the day, as I need to, as soon as I become aware of the fact that I am grieving the Lord in some way—thought, word, or deed. I do this, not to stay saved, to be saved, or to avoid God's wrath, but because I have displeased my best friend, and I want to get back in fellowship with him. I especially rest on the truth of 1 John 1 (the last few verses) and 2 (the first couple of verses).
Well, these are my habits. I trust that each of you will know God personally as well as cognitively.
Sometimes people wonder if God is really “there.” They know he exists, but they would like to feel and experience God’s presence. They know their hope is based on facts, not feelings, but they still would like to sense the presence of God sometimes.
I have no infallible answer, but there are four things I do regularly (daily) that help me a lot in this area. They may help you.
1. I read and/or meditate a lot in the scriptures—not so much quantitatively as qualitatively. I chew on my favorite texts over and over, memorizing them and repeating them often. I underline a lot in my Bible. One of my favorite all-time verses is James 4:8—“come near to God and he will come near to you." God wants us to take the initiative; sometimes it's just a few words to him and he comes near.
2. I say "Thank You" to God several times a day—maybe 6-10 times a day. I mostly thank him for the eternal realities in my life, such as forgiveness of my sins of commission, omission, and disposition; genuine peace and hope, for today, tomorrow, and the whole future (based on the verifiable fact that God has never let me down one day in my life); as well as the daily, material and spiritual blessings I experience—relationships with family, people in my church community, money to buy food and pay the bills.
3. I visualize Jesus standing right in front of me or next to me. Somehow I never picture him sitting, but daily I make the effort (it takes very little once this becomes a habit, which is true of the other items mentioned) to look at the space in front of me and say, "Thank you Lord for being here," or something like that. I do it with my eyes open, in faith, and Jesus always shows up. Somehow I believe he is actually there, looking serious but not stern, and sometimes with a slight smile. But I don't so much think of specific facial features, but just the outline of his form being there, visible in my mind but not my eyes. This is very real.
4. I confess sin throughout the day, as I need to, as soon as I become aware of the fact that I am grieving the Lord in some way—thought, word, or deed. I do this, not to stay saved, to be saved, or to avoid God's wrath, but because I have displeased my best friend, and I want to get back in fellowship with him. I especially rest on the truth of 1 John 1 (the last few verses) and 2 (the first couple of verses).
Well, these are my habits. I trust that each of you will know God personally as well as cognitively.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Jesus and Money: Can Jesus be Trusted?
Luke 12:31
(2009 – 11)
Bob Rakestraw
There is richness and depth in the promise of Jesus in Luke 12:31: “Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (NRSV). This posting will surely not exhaust the depth of the verse, but it will draw together our thoughts on the text by concluding the question we began to consider last time—“Jesus and Money: Does the Promise Really Work?” For this posting I ask the same question in a slightly different way—“Can Jesus be Trusted?” Last time I offered three reasons why it may seem to some people that this promise of Jesus is not true. In this piece I offer three more explanatory points that I hope are helpful.
1. We Are to Accept God’s Sovereignty
We easily forget that our God is the Sovereign Lord, and does what he wills according to his own good pleasure. We become very uncomfortable when our wants and then our needs begin to dwindle. Our necessities may not be coming in, or we are getting close to that point, and we then begin to doubt God. Even though my wife, Judy, and I have found the promise of Jesus to be consistently true during the forty-plus years of our marriage, we have had to rest in his sovereign care and accept that he works in his time and ways, not ours.
Over the years, Judy and I have gone through a foreclosure on our house, lost money that we had saved for our later years due to economic turmoil, and have often had very little money to buy even a few groceries. For several years we did not own a car. I received a heart transplant that has led to chronic rejection and numerous difficulties in daily living. I can truthfully say, however, that God has provided all of our basic needs every day of our lives. R.V.G. Tasker says it well: “His servants may not grow wealthy as the world understands riches, but they will not lack” (The Gospel According to St. Luke [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974], p. 215). You may lack money to buy junk food, excess food, restaurant meals, questionable entertainment, unnecessary clothing, cigarettes, and other non-essentials, but you will never lack for your daily bread and other daily needs.
2. We Are to be Givers to the Kingdom Work
We may not be giving to the needy as we should be. When times are tough, we instinctively want to hold on to the little we have. We assume God does not want us to give, or give much, when we are in difficulty. But this is one of the three mandates from our Lord in Luke 11:31-33. “Strive for his kingdom” (v. 31); “Do not be afraid, little flock” (v. 32); “Sell your possessions, and give alms” (v. 33). We are not to give only when we are comfortable in doing so, but consistently, through easy times and hard. We may need to give less when our income is less, but we are to never stop being cheerful givers. If you are down to two loaves of bread, and you discover that your neighbor has none, give one of the loaves to your neighbor. Don’t be foolish or boastful in your giving, but be merciful and joyful, trusting in God.
New Testament scholar Alfred Plummer has some fine words on this last point.
“[There is here] no condemnation of possessions as sinful. As Bede points out, Christians are not commanded to retain nothing for their own use (for Christ Himself had a purse out of which He gave alms), but to take care that fear of poverty does not interfere with benevolence. Almsgiving is not to be a mere giving of what we can spare. Nor is it merely for the sake of the receiver. It is also for the good of the giver, that his heart may be freed from covetousness. The attempt to keep the letter of the rule here given (Acts 2:44-45) had disastrous effects on the Church of Jerusalem, which speedily became a Church of paupers, constantly in need of alms (Romans 15:25-26; I Corinthians 16:3; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1).” (The Gospel According to St. Luke [Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, Fifth Edition, 1922], p. 329).
3. We May Have to Endure Persecution
Sometimes God in his own wisdom, and for our ultimate good, allows his children to suffer severely. In the words of D.A. Carson: “I think the major exception to this pledge [Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31] occurs when Christians are suffering for righteousness sake. Some are martyred by starvation and by exposure. The overwhelming importance of the kingdom may require self-sacrifice even to this ultimate degree” (The Sermon on the Mount [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978], p. 93). This brings up the matter of God’s sovereignty again, applied to extreme cases. I am reminded of the biblical account of God’s people who suffered greatly: “They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, (Hebrews 11:37-38, NIV).
Such special cases, while grievous, do not negate the overall promise of Jesus. Some promises in the Bible may be overridden by the will of God in specific instances. God’s people have for centuries placed themselves in the care of the Lord, knowing that if outward circumstances turn sour, God will never leave them. If God allows suffering for his children, it is for their ultimate good throughout eternity, and for the growth of the kingdom of God here on earth (Hebrews 11:32-40). While we must never forget the persecuted church, and need to give to and pray for their care, we are not to live our daily lives focusing on possible exceptions, but dwelling rather on the general principle behind all of God’s promises: our heavenly Father continuously watches over his children with tender care, and provides all our needs as we strive above all for his kingdom and righteousness.
Ultimately, all of the matters in these six postings boil down to a simple threefold formula, already mentioned above, in Luke 12:31-34: strive for God’s kingdom, do not worry, and give cheerfully to the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth. Here is true peace, true joy, and true satisfaction in life. Here is freedom from anxiety, a reason for living, and a wise heavenly Father to trust in every circumstance. I close with a section of scripture that has become more and more special to me as the years have passed. May you make these words your own, all of your life.
“Though the fig tree does not blossom,
and no fruit is on the vines;
though the produce of the olive fails,
and the fields yield no food;
though the flock is cut off from the fold,
and there is no herd in the stalls,
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will exult in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
and makes me tread upon the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NRSV)
(2009 – 11)
Bob Rakestraw
There is richness and depth in the promise of Jesus in Luke 12:31: “Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (NRSV). This posting will surely not exhaust the depth of the verse, but it will draw together our thoughts on the text by concluding the question we began to consider last time—“Jesus and Money: Does the Promise Really Work?” For this posting I ask the same question in a slightly different way—“Can Jesus be Trusted?” Last time I offered three reasons why it may seem to some people that this promise of Jesus is not true. In this piece I offer three more explanatory points that I hope are helpful.
1. We Are to Accept God’s Sovereignty
We easily forget that our God is the Sovereign Lord, and does what he wills according to his own good pleasure. We become very uncomfortable when our wants and then our needs begin to dwindle. Our necessities may not be coming in, or we are getting close to that point, and we then begin to doubt God. Even though my wife, Judy, and I have found the promise of Jesus to be consistently true during the forty-plus years of our marriage, we have had to rest in his sovereign care and accept that he works in his time and ways, not ours.
Over the years, Judy and I have gone through a foreclosure on our house, lost money that we had saved for our later years due to economic turmoil, and have often had very little money to buy even a few groceries. For several years we did not own a car. I received a heart transplant that has led to chronic rejection and numerous difficulties in daily living. I can truthfully say, however, that God has provided all of our basic needs every day of our lives. R.V.G. Tasker says it well: “His servants may not grow wealthy as the world understands riches, but they will not lack” (The Gospel According to St. Luke [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974], p. 215). You may lack money to buy junk food, excess food, restaurant meals, questionable entertainment, unnecessary clothing, cigarettes, and other non-essentials, but you will never lack for your daily bread and other daily needs.
2. We Are to be Givers to the Kingdom Work
We may not be giving to the needy as we should be. When times are tough, we instinctively want to hold on to the little we have. We assume God does not want us to give, or give much, when we are in difficulty. But this is one of the three mandates from our Lord in Luke 11:31-33. “Strive for his kingdom” (v. 31); “Do not be afraid, little flock” (v. 32); “Sell your possessions, and give alms” (v. 33). We are not to give only when we are comfortable in doing so, but consistently, through easy times and hard. We may need to give less when our income is less, but we are to never stop being cheerful givers. If you are down to two loaves of bread, and you discover that your neighbor has none, give one of the loaves to your neighbor. Don’t be foolish or boastful in your giving, but be merciful and joyful, trusting in God.
New Testament scholar Alfred Plummer has some fine words on this last point.
“[There is here] no condemnation of possessions as sinful. As Bede points out, Christians are not commanded to retain nothing for their own use (for Christ Himself had a purse out of which He gave alms), but to take care that fear of poverty does not interfere with benevolence. Almsgiving is not to be a mere giving of what we can spare. Nor is it merely for the sake of the receiver. It is also for the good of the giver, that his heart may be freed from covetousness. The attempt to keep the letter of the rule here given (Acts 2:44-45) had disastrous effects on the Church of Jerusalem, which speedily became a Church of paupers, constantly in need of alms (Romans 15:25-26; I Corinthians 16:3; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1).” (The Gospel According to St. Luke [Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, Fifth Edition, 1922], p. 329).
3. We May Have to Endure Persecution
Sometimes God in his own wisdom, and for our ultimate good, allows his children to suffer severely. In the words of D.A. Carson: “I think the major exception to this pledge [Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31] occurs when Christians are suffering for righteousness sake. Some are martyred by starvation and by exposure. The overwhelming importance of the kingdom may require self-sacrifice even to this ultimate degree” (The Sermon on the Mount [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978], p. 93). This brings up the matter of God’s sovereignty again, applied to extreme cases. I am reminded of the biblical account of God’s people who suffered greatly: “They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, (Hebrews 11:37-38, NIV).
Such special cases, while grievous, do not negate the overall promise of Jesus. Some promises in the Bible may be overridden by the will of God in specific instances. God’s people have for centuries placed themselves in the care of the Lord, knowing that if outward circumstances turn sour, God will never leave them. If God allows suffering for his children, it is for their ultimate good throughout eternity, and for the growth of the kingdom of God here on earth (Hebrews 11:32-40). While we must never forget the persecuted church, and need to give to and pray for their care, we are not to live our daily lives focusing on possible exceptions, but dwelling rather on the general principle behind all of God’s promises: our heavenly Father continuously watches over his children with tender care, and provides all our needs as we strive above all for his kingdom and righteousness.
Ultimately, all of the matters in these six postings boil down to a simple threefold formula, already mentioned above, in Luke 12:31-34: strive for God’s kingdom, do not worry, and give cheerfully to the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth. Here is true peace, true joy, and true satisfaction in life. Here is freedom from anxiety, a reason for living, and a wise heavenly Father to trust in every circumstance. I close with a section of scripture that has become more and more special to me as the years have passed. May you make these words your own, all of your life.
“Though the fig tree does not blossom,
and no fruit is on the vines;
though the produce of the olive fails,
and the fields yield no food;
though the flock is cut off from the fold,
and there is no herd in the stalls,
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will exult in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
and makes me tread upon the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NRSV)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Jesus and Money: Does the Promise Really Work?
Luke 12:31
(2009 – 10)
Bob Rakestraw
Here is where the rubber meets the road! I have been considering the Bible text, Luke 12:31, for the past several postings, and now I must face the toughest question: Does the promise of Jesus in this verse really work? When the Lord says, “Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (NRSV), does he intend this literally and in all cases? In the context, as we have seen, “these things” refer to the food, drink, clothing and other necessities of daily living. Can we count on this promise, however difficult our circumstances may be?
Identifying the Problem
It is important to think about Bible promises that are verifiable in experience. If a verse teaches that everyone who sincerely receives Christ becomes a child of God (John 1:12), we may rejoice in this, and do what it says, but we cannot “prove” in some mathematical sense that this really happens. If we read that Christ died for our sins (I Cor. 15:3), we may celebrate that, but we cannot know this is true by objective calculation. But some scripture texts are verifiable (to some extent, at least, keeping in mind that spiritual truths can never be fully reasoned out or proven through science).
The scripture verse we have been considering for the past several blogs is a text that may be verified in experience. Jesus spoke of those who strive and become anxious about how they will obtain their daily necessities. He urged them to stop worrying and to seek God’s reign. If they did so, Jesus said, he would meet all of their needs.
For some people, however, this raises a difficult question: Does the Lord’s promise expressed here really “work”? Have the people of God over the centuries found these words to be true? God is making a huge commitment to his people, and he intends for this text to be a trustworthy guide for our lives.
I know that numerous Christ-followers have experienced the full blessing of these words. My wife and I are two of them—for forty-two years. I know many people personally who have followed the principle in this verse and have not lacked the essentials of life. I have heard numerous testimonies to this effect. But what about those who are not receiving the daily necessities of life? I know that many people around the world—including some who call themselves Christian—are suffering from malnourishment, unclean water, and terrible housing conditions. How are we to think about such people and such circumstances in light of Luke 12:31 and Matthew 6:33?
I hesitate to tread on such difficult terrain, but these questions must be addressed. Every promise in the Bible, properly understood, is meant to be believed and trusted, and the fulfillment of God’s Word should be evident in real life. Here are some possible reasons or explanatory points for those occasions when it seems that Jesus has not been true to his word.
1. We Are to be Christians
It may be that the ones in need are not really believers in Jesus. Luke 12:31 is clearly a text for Christ-followers. Note how Jesus in chapter 12 first addresses the disciples (vss. 1-12), then the crowd (vss. 13-21), then the disciples again (vss. 22-53) and then the crowd again (vss. 54-59).
While all people are children of God by creation, not all are his children by adoption. This verse applies to those who have been adopted into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ. Mercifully, God often does supply the needs of non-Christians, especially through his people’s efforts. But the crimes against humanity, especially by corrupt political leaders and warlords, are a major source of hunger and poverty in this world. God grieves over this even as we grieve.
2. We Are to be Dedicated Christians
Another reason some people may think that this verse is only “pie in the sky,” and not a workable promise, is because they are not fulfilling the first half of the verse. After Jesus urges his disciples to stop worrying and striving about their food, drink, clothing (and no doubt other basics of life) he makes a sharp contrast: “Instead, strive for his kingdom.”
Some people—perhaps many who go by the name “Christian”—may be praying and pleading for God to supply their needs, yet they do not intend to change their selfish, sinful way of life. They may not even realize how far removed they are from the kingdom values of Jesus. The may be praying for a better job, a better car, a better apartment or living conditions, and when God does not seem to be answering, they may conclude that this promise is not true. The truth, however, may be that they are not seeking the kingdom above everything else. They are seeking first the necessities (and sometimes the luxuries) of life, and then perhaps think about God’s will (if they think at all about it). Jesus wants to reverse this order.
It struck me recently that Luke 12:22-34 is not teaching us to pray at all. It is good to present our requests to God (Philippians 4:6-7), but this text is urging us to do three things instead: (1) do not worry (vss. 22-30, 32), (2) strive for the kingdom (v. 31) and (3) give to the needy (vss. 33-34). Your Father knows your needs, and it is his good pleasure to give you the kingdom—material and non-material needs. We simply need to receive the provisions he has promised to supply, while concentrating on the three orders from our Master.
3. We Are to Expect Suffering
Some Christians forget (or never learn) that we are to expect trials and suffering in this world. Jesus is promising to supply all of our needs, not all of our wants. He often does fulfill many of our desires as well, if they are in accord with his best intentions for us. Our needs may not always be met according to our timetable, however, but they will come in God’s timing. Along this line I offer the following from D. A. Carsen.
”Some have been privileged to experience pressure to the point where they have had absolutely no recourse but God. I know a couple who, some years ago, were serving a small, lower class church in Montreal. On Christmas Day, the man distributed food packages, gathered by the church, to the destitute in the vicinity. He returned home to his wife, and both of them thanked the Lord for the food with which he had provided them—one can of beans. One half hour later they were invited out to a Christmas dinner” (The Sermon on the Mount [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978], pp. 93-94).
In our next posting I expect to present some further explanatory points concerning the seeming failure of Luke 12:31. In the meantime I ask you to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. If you are not yet a Christ-follower I urge you to read one of the four gospels and the rest of the New Testament, with a heart seeking God’s truth. Seek and you will find. If you are a believer in Jesus, seek him and his kingdom daily, and give to those in need. Finally, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
(2009 – 10)
Bob Rakestraw
Here is where the rubber meets the road! I have been considering the Bible text, Luke 12:31, for the past several postings, and now I must face the toughest question: Does the promise of Jesus in this verse really work? When the Lord says, “Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (NRSV), does he intend this literally and in all cases? In the context, as we have seen, “these things” refer to the food, drink, clothing and other necessities of daily living. Can we count on this promise, however difficult our circumstances may be?
Identifying the Problem
It is important to think about Bible promises that are verifiable in experience. If a verse teaches that everyone who sincerely receives Christ becomes a child of God (John 1:12), we may rejoice in this, and do what it says, but we cannot “prove” in some mathematical sense that this really happens. If we read that Christ died for our sins (I Cor. 15:3), we may celebrate that, but we cannot know this is true by objective calculation. But some scripture texts are verifiable (to some extent, at least, keeping in mind that spiritual truths can never be fully reasoned out or proven through science).
The scripture verse we have been considering for the past several blogs is a text that may be verified in experience. Jesus spoke of those who strive and become anxious about how they will obtain their daily necessities. He urged them to stop worrying and to seek God’s reign. If they did so, Jesus said, he would meet all of their needs.
For some people, however, this raises a difficult question: Does the Lord’s promise expressed here really “work”? Have the people of God over the centuries found these words to be true? God is making a huge commitment to his people, and he intends for this text to be a trustworthy guide for our lives.
I know that numerous Christ-followers have experienced the full blessing of these words. My wife and I are two of them—for forty-two years. I know many people personally who have followed the principle in this verse and have not lacked the essentials of life. I have heard numerous testimonies to this effect. But what about those who are not receiving the daily necessities of life? I know that many people around the world—including some who call themselves Christian—are suffering from malnourishment, unclean water, and terrible housing conditions. How are we to think about such people and such circumstances in light of Luke 12:31 and Matthew 6:33?
I hesitate to tread on such difficult terrain, but these questions must be addressed. Every promise in the Bible, properly understood, is meant to be believed and trusted, and the fulfillment of God’s Word should be evident in real life. Here are some possible reasons or explanatory points for those occasions when it seems that Jesus has not been true to his word.
1. We Are to be Christians
It may be that the ones in need are not really believers in Jesus. Luke 12:31 is clearly a text for Christ-followers. Note how Jesus in chapter 12 first addresses the disciples (vss. 1-12), then the crowd (vss. 13-21), then the disciples again (vss. 22-53) and then the crowd again (vss. 54-59).
While all people are children of God by creation, not all are his children by adoption. This verse applies to those who have been adopted into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ. Mercifully, God often does supply the needs of non-Christians, especially through his people’s efforts. But the crimes against humanity, especially by corrupt political leaders and warlords, are a major source of hunger and poverty in this world. God grieves over this even as we grieve.
2. We Are to be Dedicated Christians
Another reason some people may think that this verse is only “pie in the sky,” and not a workable promise, is because they are not fulfilling the first half of the verse. After Jesus urges his disciples to stop worrying and striving about their food, drink, clothing (and no doubt other basics of life) he makes a sharp contrast: “Instead, strive for his kingdom.”
Some people—perhaps many who go by the name “Christian”—may be praying and pleading for God to supply their needs, yet they do not intend to change their selfish, sinful way of life. They may not even realize how far removed they are from the kingdom values of Jesus. The may be praying for a better job, a better car, a better apartment or living conditions, and when God does not seem to be answering, they may conclude that this promise is not true. The truth, however, may be that they are not seeking the kingdom above everything else. They are seeking first the necessities (and sometimes the luxuries) of life, and then perhaps think about God’s will (if they think at all about it). Jesus wants to reverse this order.
It struck me recently that Luke 12:22-34 is not teaching us to pray at all. It is good to present our requests to God (Philippians 4:6-7), but this text is urging us to do three things instead: (1) do not worry (vss. 22-30, 32), (2) strive for the kingdom (v. 31) and (3) give to the needy (vss. 33-34). Your Father knows your needs, and it is his good pleasure to give you the kingdom—material and non-material needs. We simply need to receive the provisions he has promised to supply, while concentrating on the three orders from our Master.
3. We Are to Expect Suffering
Some Christians forget (or never learn) that we are to expect trials and suffering in this world. Jesus is promising to supply all of our needs, not all of our wants. He often does fulfill many of our desires as well, if they are in accord with his best intentions for us. Our needs may not always be met according to our timetable, however, but they will come in God’s timing. Along this line I offer the following from D. A. Carsen.
”Some have been privileged to experience pressure to the point where they have had absolutely no recourse but God. I know a couple who, some years ago, were serving a small, lower class church in Montreal. On Christmas Day, the man distributed food packages, gathered by the church, to the destitute in the vicinity. He returned home to his wife, and both of them thanked the Lord for the food with which he had provided them—one can of beans. One half hour later they were invited out to a Christmas dinner” (The Sermon on the Mount [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978], pp. 93-94).
In our next posting I expect to present some further explanatory points concerning the seeming failure of Luke 12:31. In the meantime I ask you to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. If you are not yet a Christ-follower I urge you to read one of the four gospels and the rest of the New Testament, with a heart seeking God’s truth. Seek and you will find. If you are a believer in Jesus, seek him and his kingdom daily, and give to those in need. Finally, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Jesus and Money: Understanding the Kingdom
Luke 12:31
(2009 – 9)
Bob Rakestraw
Knowing that our main pursuit in life is to “set our hearts on” and “strive first” for the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:33; Luke 12:29-31), we now need to ask a second major question on these issues: “What is the kingdom of God?” What did Jesus mean by this expression, and what does it mean to us today? If we get this right, and have the attitude of seeking the kingdom always, we will have solved, in principle, the overarching question of existence: “Why and how do we live life and provide for our basic needs?” A proper understanding of Jesus’ words, received with a heart to obey, will do us more good than a thousand sermons from the most gifted preacher in the world!
Many reams of paper and gallons of ink have been used over the years to try to explain the meaning of the phrase “the kingdom of God.” Whatever else has been accomplished, this huge effort demonstrates that Christians everywhere and always have recognized the importance of the words. Whatever else we may say about the kingdom,, we know that it is the most important thing in life to pursue. We are to strive first for it—above all else.
The Meaning of the Kingdom
It is always essential when trying to discover the meaning of any phrase or word in the Bible to look at its context, both immediate and broad. In the Gospel of Luke the word kingdom (basileia) is used 46 times. A meditative reading of these texts, as well as the many dozens of other locations of basileia throughout the New Testament is one of the most profitable exercises a Christian (or even a non-Christian) may experience. “Kingdom” is one of the most frequent and important words from the lips of Jesus, although the word is also found often in the book of Acts, the epistles, and the book of Revelation.
Most simply stated, the kingdom of God is the reign or rule of God. Ever since the creation, God has reigned as King, and his reign will never end. He is not a tyrant king, however, but is benevolent, merciful, loving, righteous, just and holy. We may even say that before the creation the kingdom of God has always existed as the harmonious trinity of Father, Son and Spirit. The characteristics of the King are the characteristics of the kingdom. Because God wanted to share his love and populate his created realm with living beings, some of whom would be able to make free moral choices, he created angelic beings, animals, and human beings. With the creation of angels and humans God allowed for ideas and actions opposed to his pure and perfect reign. Even after sin defiled God’s creation, God still reigned—and always will—over his domain: earth, the heavens and all things.
Clarifying the Concept
Many Christians think erroneously of God’s kingdom as a place rather than a realm. They often think of it as the place we go when we die, or the kingly government of Jesus over the earth from his throne in Jerusalem. There are reasons why these ideas have developed during the course of Christian history, and they contain some valuable insights. But the kingdom of God is a much broader concept than usually realized. N. T. Wright says that “God’s kingdom” in the preaching of Jesus “refers not to postmortem destiny, not to our escape from this world into another one, but to God’s sovereign rule coming ‘on earth as it is in heaven’” ["Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection and the Mission of the Church" (New York: Harper Collins, 2008), p. 18]. Wright goes on to consider the prayer, “Thy kingdom come, on earth as in heaven.” He states,
“That remains one of the most powerful and revolutionary sentences we can ever say. As I see it, the prayer was powerfully answered at the first Easter and will finally be answered fully when heaven and earth are joined in the New Jerusalem. Easter was when Hope in person surprised the whole world by coming forward from the future into the present. The ultimate future hope remains a surprise, partly because we don’t know when it will arrive and partly because at present we have only images and metaphors for it, leaving us to guess that the reality will be far greater, and more surprising, still” [Wright, p. 29].
Wright’s words help us to see the kingdom as already here on earth but not yet fully realized. It is possible to think of the kingdom as always existing within the Godhead, yet from the beginning of the human race prophesied and anticipated as something fuller, more tangible, than God’s rule over humanity in general.
Anticipating and Experiencing the Kingdom
During the thousands of years before the coming of Christ, God’s people were looking for the coming of the kingdom. The early chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke reveal how this heightened sense of anticipation culminated in the birth of Jesus—the King of Kings. Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and announced that “the kingdom of God is among you.” Jesus embodied the kingdom—the peace, justice, righteousness, joy and hope within the Godhead—and radiated the qualities of the kingdom himself to the people he taught, fed, healed, and forgave.
Everything about Jesus revealed the kingdom. As Wright indicated, however, the inauguration of the kingdom through the new people of God—the new sphere and agency of God’s rule on earth—did not occur until the first Easter Sunday. From the first Easter until now the kingdom of God has been coming more and more to earth as it is in heaven. This is the kingdom of God we are to strive for and seek to extend as we live here on earth. This is the kingdom that is now here, and the universal gift from God for all the earth. It is, of course, vital to pursue our coming rest with God upon death, as we await our bodily resurrection, and it is important to envision and hope for the coming of the New Heavens and the New Earth (the kingdom of God in its full realization). But neither of these is the kingdom of God we are to be striving for now in the sense of Luke 12:31 and Matthew 6:33.
One key to what Jesus meant by his kingdom is in Matthew 6:33 itself: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” A major aspect of the kingdom is God’s righteousness. The apostle Paul instructs us so helpfully on this point. “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval” (Romans 14:17-18).
The kingdom we are urged by Jesus to seek—to strive after above everything else—is a close daily walk with God, an attitude of generosity and kindness, a heart quick to repent and confess and a desire for holiness in thought, word and deed. It is also a zeal for justice, reconciliation, righteousness and the good news of salvation and wholeness to spread throughout the earth, engendering lives filled with love, joy and peace flowing from the life of God within.
This sounds like an impossibly high standard, and it is—if we strive after such a life and spirit by our own energy. But by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God we can live such a life, one day at a time, one minute at a time. God does not require of us what he does not enable us to do. In fact, in our classic text from Luke 12, in which he assures us that our Father knows our needs for the daily provisions for life, and in which he urges us to strive for his kingdom, he assures us that as we do so, “these things will be given to you as well.” Then he gives us those remarkable words of comfort and hope, with which I close. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
(2009 – 9)
Bob Rakestraw
Knowing that our main pursuit in life is to “set our hearts on” and “strive first” for the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:33; Luke 12:29-31), we now need to ask a second major question on these issues: “What is the kingdom of God?” What did Jesus mean by this expression, and what does it mean to us today? If we get this right, and have the attitude of seeking the kingdom always, we will have solved, in principle, the overarching question of existence: “Why and how do we live life and provide for our basic needs?” A proper understanding of Jesus’ words, received with a heart to obey, will do us more good than a thousand sermons from the most gifted preacher in the world!
Many reams of paper and gallons of ink have been used over the years to try to explain the meaning of the phrase “the kingdom of God.” Whatever else has been accomplished, this huge effort demonstrates that Christians everywhere and always have recognized the importance of the words. Whatever else we may say about the kingdom,, we know that it is the most important thing in life to pursue. We are to strive first for it—above all else.
The Meaning of the Kingdom
It is always essential when trying to discover the meaning of any phrase or word in the Bible to look at its context, both immediate and broad. In the Gospel of Luke the word kingdom (basileia) is used 46 times. A meditative reading of these texts, as well as the many dozens of other locations of basileia throughout the New Testament is one of the most profitable exercises a Christian (or even a non-Christian) may experience. “Kingdom” is one of the most frequent and important words from the lips of Jesus, although the word is also found often in the book of Acts, the epistles, and the book of Revelation.
Most simply stated, the kingdom of God is the reign or rule of God. Ever since the creation, God has reigned as King, and his reign will never end. He is not a tyrant king, however, but is benevolent, merciful, loving, righteous, just and holy. We may even say that before the creation the kingdom of God has always existed as the harmonious trinity of Father, Son and Spirit. The characteristics of the King are the characteristics of the kingdom. Because God wanted to share his love and populate his created realm with living beings, some of whom would be able to make free moral choices, he created angelic beings, animals, and human beings. With the creation of angels and humans God allowed for ideas and actions opposed to his pure and perfect reign. Even after sin defiled God’s creation, God still reigned—and always will—over his domain: earth, the heavens and all things.
Clarifying the Concept
Many Christians think erroneously of God’s kingdom as a place rather than a realm. They often think of it as the place we go when we die, or the kingly government of Jesus over the earth from his throne in Jerusalem. There are reasons why these ideas have developed during the course of Christian history, and they contain some valuable insights. But the kingdom of God is a much broader concept than usually realized. N. T. Wright says that “God’s kingdom” in the preaching of Jesus “refers not to postmortem destiny, not to our escape from this world into another one, but to God’s sovereign rule coming ‘on earth as it is in heaven’” ["Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection and the Mission of the Church" (New York: Harper Collins, 2008), p. 18]. Wright goes on to consider the prayer, “Thy kingdom come, on earth as in heaven.” He states,
“That remains one of the most powerful and revolutionary sentences we can ever say. As I see it, the prayer was powerfully answered at the first Easter and will finally be answered fully when heaven and earth are joined in the New Jerusalem. Easter was when Hope in person surprised the whole world by coming forward from the future into the present. The ultimate future hope remains a surprise, partly because we don’t know when it will arrive and partly because at present we have only images and metaphors for it, leaving us to guess that the reality will be far greater, and more surprising, still” [Wright, p. 29].
Wright’s words help us to see the kingdom as already here on earth but not yet fully realized. It is possible to think of the kingdom as always existing within the Godhead, yet from the beginning of the human race prophesied and anticipated as something fuller, more tangible, than God’s rule over humanity in general.
Anticipating and Experiencing the Kingdom
During the thousands of years before the coming of Christ, God’s people were looking for the coming of the kingdom. The early chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke reveal how this heightened sense of anticipation culminated in the birth of Jesus—the King of Kings. Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and announced that “the kingdom of God is among you.” Jesus embodied the kingdom—the peace, justice, righteousness, joy and hope within the Godhead—and radiated the qualities of the kingdom himself to the people he taught, fed, healed, and forgave.
Everything about Jesus revealed the kingdom. As Wright indicated, however, the inauguration of the kingdom through the new people of God—the new sphere and agency of God’s rule on earth—did not occur until the first Easter Sunday. From the first Easter until now the kingdom of God has been coming more and more to earth as it is in heaven. This is the kingdom of God we are to strive for and seek to extend as we live here on earth. This is the kingdom that is now here, and the universal gift from God for all the earth. It is, of course, vital to pursue our coming rest with God upon death, as we await our bodily resurrection, and it is important to envision and hope for the coming of the New Heavens and the New Earth (the kingdom of God in its full realization). But neither of these is the kingdom of God we are to be striving for now in the sense of Luke 12:31 and Matthew 6:33.
One key to what Jesus meant by his kingdom is in Matthew 6:33 itself: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” A major aspect of the kingdom is God’s righteousness. The apostle Paul instructs us so helpfully on this point. “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval” (Romans 14:17-18).
The kingdom we are urged by Jesus to seek—to strive after above everything else—is a close daily walk with God, an attitude of generosity and kindness, a heart quick to repent and confess and a desire for holiness in thought, word and deed. It is also a zeal for justice, reconciliation, righteousness and the good news of salvation and wholeness to spread throughout the earth, engendering lives filled with love, joy and peace flowing from the life of God within.
This sounds like an impossibly high standard, and it is—if we strive after such a life and spirit by our own energy. But by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God we can live such a life, one day at a time, one minute at a time. God does not require of us what he does not enable us to do. In fact, in our classic text from Luke 12, in which he assures us that our Father knows our needs for the daily provisions for life, and in which he urges us to strive for his kingdom, he assures us that as we do so, “these things will be given to you as well.” Then he gives us those remarkable words of comfort and hope, with which I close. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Jesus and Money: Striving for the Kingdom
Luke 12:31
(2009 – 8)
Bob Rakestraw
This is the third in our series on Luke 12:31: “Instead, strive for [your Father’s] kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” We previously noted that these words of Jesus contain a remarkable promise and offer us strong hope from day to day. However, some of you may be struggling with trying to obtain “these things” (the physical and financial necessities of life) in the economically turbulent world in which we live, and find this promise of Jesus either unclear, simplistic or unworkable. In this posting and the next I hope to address some of the issues and questions that are raised by these classic words of our Lord.
What Does “Strive” Mean?
The first question—one easily overlooked or minimized—is: what does it mean to strive for God’s kingdom? It helps to compare this text with the parallel verse in Matthew (“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”) and to note that the word “his”—from the context both in Matthew and Luke—refers to “your Father” or “your heavenly Father” (Matthew 6:32-33). The fact that this discourse is addressed to those who are known by their Father and who are the disciples of Jesus (Lk. 12:22) indicates that “seeking first” would arouse the listeners greatly. When this miracle-working Rabbi from Galilee tells his followers to pursue something “first” or “above anything else,” they listen.
God has made it plain what he will do if we seek his kingdom. While we will study the word “kingdom” more in the next posting, we can say for now that God’s kingdom is his rule, his reign, his way of righteousness, peace, justice, holiness and mercy. If we seek first the realm of God, the money and the provisions we need for everyday living (food, clothing, shelter, furniture, transportation, heat, light, water) will be given to us by God. There is no other thing mentioned in the text for us to do than to seek the Father’s kingdom. This is such an all-encompassing and highly-practical promise that one could easily use this as his or her life verse. It deserves and rewards our most careful attention. It almost seems too good to be true.
Matthew’s addition of “first” (“seek first”) reveals the emphasis Jesus places here on priorities. (Luke was not led by the Spirit to include this adverb, nor was he present, as Matthew was, when Jesus gave this discourse. The similarities and differences of the gospels are well worth reflecting on, as every part reveals the truth of God uniquely and richly.) The simple yet easily neglected truth, according to Jesus, is to strive first after God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and then our needs will be met. The painful (to our Father, for sure) fact, however, is that many of Christ’s followers seek first their daily needs—and often their daily wants—and then after they are having trouble paying their bills and supporting themselves they seek God. I suspect all of us have been guilty of this at some time or another. It may even be our daily approach to life, and Jesus wants to reverse this order.
Seeking and Striving Amplified
The words “seek” or “strive for” are used three times in Luke 12:29-31, once in each verse. The words have the same Greek root, but the middle verse, speaking of all the nations of the world, adds an intensifier to that root, and may be translated “eagerly seek” (NASB). Even though the three occasions all use the same basic root, one version reveals nicely the nuances in each verse:
29. “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father know that you need them. 31. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)
As is often the case, the context itself gives us the meaning of a word, and this is clearly the case above. Whereas some versions translate the basic root the same way each time (“strive,” NRSV; “seek,” NASB), the variations on the original Greek words, as shown above (“set your heart on,” “run after,” “seek”) bring out the fuller spectrum of color in the word. It is a strong word, and Luke instructs us both how not to strive (vss. 29, 30) and how to strive (v. 31).
To seek or strive after the Father’s kingdom is to “set our hearts on” the things of God, to “run after” God’s way, to long for the purity and holiness of God. We do this, in part, by praying something like the following as soon as we rise, “Dear Father, I give myself to you today. I love you, adore you, and trust you to direct my ways today. Thank you, Father, for giving yourself to me.”
“Seeking” is the mental/spiritual attitude with which you go through the day. The Greek is “be continually seeking.” Whether you are a bank teller, construction worker, student, homemaker, or computer technician, you do your tasks carefully and honestly, while always being aware of your status as a child of the King. You pray as needs come to your mind, you praise and thank God often, and you are always seeking ways to introduce others to the King and the Kingdom, whether by giving time, money, acts of kindness, words of compassion, or even blessing the needy in your mind.
It is important to correct one basic misconception that sometimes arises, and that can easily crush us in our quest for the kingdom of God. When Jesus tells us to “seek” and “strive after” the kingdom and its righteousness, he is not asking more of us than we are able to do by his grace. Yes, it is an impossibly high standard for us to achieve on our own, but when we respond to the grace of God at work already in us, he gives us more grace. As we are strengthened more and more by the Spirit within, we find that we are living the life of the kingdom—one word at a time, one action at a time, one day at a time.
The Giver of All Grace
It is possible to hear the command of God as coming from a rigid lawmaker or from a grace-giving enabler. If you see God the first way you will become weary very soon with “striving” after the kingdom of God. You may feel downcast and guilt-ridden when you read The New American Bible’s translation of Matthew 6:33: “Seek first his kingship over you, his way of holiness, and all these things will be given you besides.” You may feel that you need to play Christian music all day long, read only Christian books and magazines, associate only with believers, and pray through a long list of prayer requests every day. You may find the business of seeking God’s kingdom exhausting, and you may soon give up.
But if you are coming to know God as a grace-giving enabler, you are not overwhelmed by his commands. Of course, they are very high, but you come to know that with every expression of the will of God for you there is the generosity of God’s grace and enabling power to direct you in the way of the kingdom. You know personally the experience of the psalmist: “I find my delight in your commands, because I love them” (Ps. 119:47). And you hear the gentle words of Jesus often: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). You serve God throughout the day in whatever occupation you have, but you have a calmness about how you pursue the things of the kingdom. You are striving first for the kingdom, but you are experiencing an inner rest and freedom from anxiety as you walk with God and do your work.
We know that God desires strongly to meet all of our needs for living in this world. The verses before and after our text for today reinforce this truth. “Your Father knows that you need them. … Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:30,32). I know that finances are a major concern for some of you who read these postings, and for you and all of us I repeat the command and promise of Jesus to strengthen your faith and hope.
“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”
(2009 – 8)
Bob Rakestraw
This is the third in our series on Luke 12:31: “Instead, strive for [your Father’s] kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” We previously noted that these words of Jesus contain a remarkable promise and offer us strong hope from day to day. However, some of you may be struggling with trying to obtain “these things” (the physical and financial necessities of life) in the economically turbulent world in which we live, and find this promise of Jesus either unclear, simplistic or unworkable. In this posting and the next I hope to address some of the issues and questions that are raised by these classic words of our Lord.
What Does “Strive” Mean?
The first question—one easily overlooked or minimized—is: what does it mean to strive for God’s kingdom? It helps to compare this text with the parallel verse in Matthew (“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”) and to note that the word “his”—from the context both in Matthew and Luke—refers to “your Father” or “your heavenly Father” (Matthew 6:32-33). The fact that this discourse is addressed to those who are known by their Father and who are the disciples of Jesus (Lk. 12:22) indicates that “seeking first” would arouse the listeners greatly. When this miracle-working Rabbi from Galilee tells his followers to pursue something “first” or “above anything else,” they listen.
God has made it plain what he will do if we seek his kingdom. While we will study the word “kingdom” more in the next posting, we can say for now that God’s kingdom is his rule, his reign, his way of righteousness, peace, justice, holiness and mercy. If we seek first the realm of God, the money and the provisions we need for everyday living (food, clothing, shelter, furniture, transportation, heat, light, water) will be given to us by God. There is no other thing mentioned in the text for us to do than to seek the Father’s kingdom. This is such an all-encompassing and highly-practical promise that one could easily use this as his or her life verse. It deserves and rewards our most careful attention. It almost seems too good to be true.
Matthew’s addition of “first” (“seek first”) reveals the emphasis Jesus places here on priorities. (Luke was not led by the Spirit to include this adverb, nor was he present, as Matthew was, when Jesus gave this discourse. The similarities and differences of the gospels are well worth reflecting on, as every part reveals the truth of God uniquely and richly.) The simple yet easily neglected truth, according to Jesus, is to strive first after God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and then our needs will be met. The painful (to our Father, for sure) fact, however, is that many of Christ’s followers seek first their daily needs—and often their daily wants—and then after they are having trouble paying their bills and supporting themselves they seek God. I suspect all of us have been guilty of this at some time or another. It may even be our daily approach to life, and Jesus wants to reverse this order.
Seeking and Striving Amplified
The words “seek” or “strive for” are used three times in Luke 12:29-31, once in each verse. The words have the same Greek root, but the middle verse, speaking of all the nations of the world, adds an intensifier to that root, and may be translated “eagerly seek” (NASB). Even though the three occasions all use the same basic root, one version reveals nicely the nuances in each verse:
29. “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father know that you need them. 31. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)
As is often the case, the context itself gives us the meaning of a word, and this is clearly the case above. Whereas some versions translate the basic root the same way each time (“strive,” NRSV; “seek,” NASB), the variations on the original Greek words, as shown above (“set your heart on,” “run after,” “seek”) bring out the fuller spectrum of color in the word. It is a strong word, and Luke instructs us both how not to strive (vss. 29, 30) and how to strive (v. 31).
To seek or strive after the Father’s kingdom is to “set our hearts on” the things of God, to “run after” God’s way, to long for the purity and holiness of God. We do this, in part, by praying something like the following as soon as we rise, “Dear Father, I give myself to you today. I love you, adore you, and trust you to direct my ways today. Thank you, Father, for giving yourself to me.”
“Seeking” is the mental/spiritual attitude with which you go through the day. The Greek is “be continually seeking.” Whether you are a bank teller, construction worker, student, homemaker, or computer technician, you do your tasks carefully and honestly, while always being aware of your status as a child of the King. You pray as needs come to your mind, you praise and thank God often, and you are always seeking ways to introduce others to the King and the Kingdom, whether by giving time, money, acts of kindness, words of compassion, or even blessing the needy in your mind.
It is important to correct one basic misconception that sometimes arises, and that can easily crush us in our quest for the kingdom of God. When Jesus tells us to “seek” and “strive after” the kingdom and its righteousness, he is not asking more of us than we are able to do by his grace. Yes, it is an impossibly high standard for us to achieve on our own, but when we respond to the grace of God at work already in us, he gives us more grace. As we are strengthened more and more by the Spirit within, we find that we are living the life of the kingdom—one word at a time, one action at a time, one day at a time.
The Giver of All Grace
It is possible to hear the command of God as coming from a rigid lawmaker or from a grace-giving enabler. If you see God the first way you will become weary very soon with “striving” after the kingdom of God. You may feel downcast and guilt-ridden when you read The New American Bible’s translation of Matthew 6:33: “Seek first his kingship over you, his way of holiness, and all these things will be given you besides.” You may feel that you need to play Christian music all day long, read only Christian books and magazines, associate only with believers, and pray through a long list of prayer requests every day. You may find the business of seeking God’s kingdom exhausting, and you may soon give up.
But if you are coming to know God as a grace-giving enabler, you are not overwhelmed by his commands. Of course, they are very high, but you come to know that with every expression of the will of God for you there is the generosity of God’s grace and enabling power to direct you in the way of the kingdom. You know personally the experience of the psalmist: “I find my delight in your commands, because I love them” (Ps. 119:47). And you hear the gentle words of Jesus often: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). You serve God throughout the day in whatever occupation you have, but you have a calmness about how you pursue the things of the kingdom. You are striving first for the kingdom, but you are experiencing an inner rest and freedom from anxiety as you walk with God and do your work.
We know that God desires strongly to meet all of our needs for living in this world. The verses before and after our text for today reinforce this truth. “Your Father knows that you need them. … Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:30,32). I know that finances are a major concern for some of you who read these postings, and for you and all of us I repeat the command and promise of Jesus to strengthen your faith and hope.
“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”
Friday, April 10, 2009
Jesus and Money: The Remarkable Promise
Luke 12:31
(2009 – 7)
Bob Rakestraw
One of the biggest concerns in our lives is money. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the concern becomes corrosive when money becomes the principal thing. Jesus taught more about money than any other topic—more than he taught about heaven, hell, the new birth, hypocrisy, worship, loving one’s neighbor, or the great commission. But he never taught that money is evil. He said, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed” (Luke 12:15), and “You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24). And the apostle Paul, a faithful disciple of Jesus since they met on the Damascus Road, warned that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (I Timothy 6:10). It is covetousness, or greed, not money itself, that corrupts peoples’ souls and often ruins their lives. Trust in God and contentment with the necessities of life is the fundamental teaching of Jesus and his disciples toward material wealth (Luke 12:13-21; I Timothy 6:5-10).
The Necessity of Money…and Work
To say that money is one of our greatest concerns is not to say something necessarily negative about human beings. In fact, money—or some system of bartering or otherwise obtaining provisions for life—is essential for survival. All of us should be concerned about money to some extent, since each of us needs to pay our way in this world. I was struck a while ago when I re-discovered several warnings in the apostle Paul’s letters concerning those who considered themselves believers yet did not earn their own living. This seems to have been a considerable problem among some early Christians (I Thessalonians 4:11-12; 5:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; see also Acts 18:3; I Corinthians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 12:13-15). Paul gave the early Christians this rule: “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
Most people in Jesus’ day, and most people today, instinctively know that they need to work on a regular basis to support themselves. A small percentage are quite wealthy and need not work in the traditional sense, but they still need to manage their assets wisely and regularly. Another small percentage are lazy and decide to opt out of the work world, and become a drag on their families, friends, and society. Generally, however, we know that we need to work and that we need money to live decent lives.
The Foolishness of Worry
Because many of us, perhaps most, have limited resources, we very much need the words of Jesus about worry recorded in both Matthew 6 and Luke 12. Just like the disciples, we tend to be anxious about our financial needs, even though we usually do not, as in their case, experience the literal, day-by-day uncertainty about tomorrow’s food—or even today’s (“Give us this day our daily bread,” Matt. 6:11).
In Luke 12:22-30 Jesus warns us six times about worrying and anxious striving. “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear” (v. 22). “And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them” (vss. 29-30).
The Promise of Almighty God
After teaching how God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field, Jesus presents the words that have encouraged millions of believers for two thousand years: “Instead, strive for his [your Father’s] kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (v. 31).
These are incredibly comforting words, but they are also stern words. They contain a twofold exhortation—not to worry, and to strive for God’s kingdom and righteousness. The result is not something we have to do anything about—just receive the blessings: “all these things will be given to you as well.” However, there are conditions to this remarkable promise as there are in the classic words of Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV). Just as Romans 8:28 is often stated without careful thought, so are Luke 12:31 and Matthew 6:33. The qualifying elements in these promises are not meant to frighten us away or discourage us, but to prompt us to love God and strive for his kingdom. In fact, this is why Luke 12:31 is followed immediately by these amazing words: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (v. 32).
As we strive for God’s kingdom, God is pleased to give us his kingdom, and that kingdom will include our daily food, drink, clothing and necessities of life. God is not promising next week’s food or the money for next week’s electric bill today, but he is obligating himself to meet your daily needs. He is not promising all of our wants, however, but he is promising our needs—and his kingdom, forever!
(2009 – 7)
Bob Rakestraw
One of the biggest concerns in our lives is money. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the concern becomes corrosive when money becomes the principal thing. Jesus taught more about money than any other topic—more than he taught about heaven, hell, the new birth, hypocrisy, worship, loving one’s neighbor, or the great commission. But he never taught that money is evil. He said, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed” (Luke 12:15), and “You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24). And the apostle Paul, a faithful disciple of Jesus since they met on the Damascus Road, warned that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (I Timothy 6:10). It is covetousness, or greed, not money itself, that corrupts peoples’ souls and often ruins their lives. Trust in God and contentment with the necessities of life is the fundamental teaching of Jesus and his disciples toward material wealth (Luke 12:13-21; I Timothy 6:5-10).
The Necessity of Money…and Work
To say that money is one of our greatest concerns is not to say something necessarily negative about human beings. In fact, money—or some system of bartering or otherwise obtaining provisions for life—is essential for survival. All of us should be concerned about money to some extent, since each of us needs to pay our way in this world. I was struck a while ago when I re-discovered several warnings in the apostle Paul’s letters concerning those who considered themselves believers yet did not earn their own living. This seems to have been a considerable problem among some early Christians (I Thessalonians 4:11-12; 5:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; see also Acts 18:3; I Corinthians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 12:13-15). Paul gave the early Christians this rule: “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
Most people in Jesus’ day, and most people today, instinctively know that they need to work on a regular basis to support themselves. A small percentage are quite wealthy and need not work in the traditional sense, but they still need to manage their assets wisely and regularly. Another small percentage are lazy and decide to opt out of the work world, and become a drag on their families, friends, and society. Generally, however, we know that we need to work and that we need money to live decent lives.
The Foolishness of Worry
Because many of us, perhaps most, have limited resources, we very much need the words of Jesus about worry recorded in both Matthew 6 and Luke 12. Just like the disciples, we tend to be anxious about our financial needs, even though we usually do not, as in their case, experience the literal, day-by-day uncertainty about tomorrow’s food—or even today’s (“Give us this day our daily bread,” Matt. 6:11).
In Luke 12:22-30 Jesus warns us six times about worrying and anxious striving. “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear” (v. 22). “And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them” (vss. 29-30).
The Promise of Almighty God
After teaching how God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field, Jesus presents the words that have encouraged millions of believers for two thousand years: “Instead, strive for his [your Father’s] kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (v. 31).
These are incredibly comforting words, but they are also stern words. They contain a twofold exhortation—not to worry, and to strive for God’s kingdom and righteousness. The result is not something we have to do anything about—just receive the blessings: “all these things will be given to you as well.” However, there are conditions to this remarkable promise as there are in the classic words of Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV). Just as Romans 8:28 is often stated without careful thought, so are Luke 12:31 and Matthew 6:33. The qualifying elements in these promises are not meant to frighten us away or discourage us, but to prompt us to love God and strive for his kingdom. In fact, this is why Luke 12:31 is followed immediately by these amazing words: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (v. 32).
As we strive for God’s kingdom, God is pleased to give us his kingdom, and that kingdom will include our daily food, drink, clothing and necessities of life. God is not promising next week’s food or the money for next week’s electric bill today, but he is obligating himself to meet your daily needs. He is not promising all of our wants, however, but he is promising our needs—and his kingdom, forever!
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