Main Text: Matt 12:22 - 37
This is one of those ridiculous theme where Jesus was accused of coming from the dark side of the force. He is the "bad guy". He comes with the power from the devil!
It is very easy for us to claim something too good must come from bad side, when we put our jealously first even efore we know the person. Second, we often do that when we think that we are the most right one since the beginning.
it is obvious that the Pharisees just looking for some trouble with Jesus. They dont know where the power of Jesus come from but one thing they know - they couldnt do what Jesus is able to do. What a pity to them.
Having said so, i believe that Christ must be the center of our thought knowing that at the end all of us are indeed his follower. Without that ability, we will always end up in the same place accusing Christ coming from the Dark Side
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Have Mercy! Not Sacrifice
Main Text: Matt 12: 1 - 14
Is it wrong to follow the rules? Why Jesus always goes against the rules and regulation? If there are no rules isnt the world will be such a terrible place with all of the haphazardness and chaos?
So why Jesus seems to be always against the rule?
In this particular text, once again Jesus was caught violating the rules of the Jew. He even violate one of the most fundamental rules of all - The Sabbath
However, as we observe carefully what Jesus did is one of the noblest way to follow the rule.
Jesus emphasize on harmony, where many things comes naturally from your heart. When God obey the rules, he doesnt do it simply because it is the right thing to do, but simply come from His own heart.
Jesus mission is to restore that obedience into humanity. That our obedience, is not driven by guilt or simply to do what is right but because our love and deep relationship with God.
In this way, we are lessening our effort on trying to obey, but increase our effort in trying to love, and maintain our relationship with God. Obeying someone is far easier than loving someone. You can obey a person without having to love or built a relationship with that person, but you cannot love someone without obeying that person.
Singapore is one of those lawful country where everything are govern under proper law, i do follow and obey the law but to be honest with you i dont even know who made this law, and where they stay, or what they eat for breakfast.
However, on the other side of it. I will live with a person that i know very well. my future wife. Since the beginning of our relationship we never declare any law for our marriage and when either one of us break that law then we have to pay fine.
But i know certain things that she doesnt like or hurt her.
I believe the same understanding work with God's law that when we called his as our father we should treat him the way we treat our father on earth.
So one sentence can conclude it all - obey it because you love the person not because of fear of fine
Is it wrong to follow the rules? Why Jesus always goes against the rules and regulation? If there are no rules isnt the world will be such a terrible place with all of the haphazardness and chaos?
So why Jesus seems to be always against the rule?
In this particular text, once again Jesus was caught violating the rules of the Jew. He even violate one of the most fundamental rules of all - The Sabbath
However, as we observe carefully what Jesus did is one of the noblest way to follow the rule.
Jesus emphasize on harmony, where many things comes naturally from your heart. When God obey the rules, he doesnt do it simply because it is the right thing to do, but simply come from His own heart.
Jesus mission is to restore that obedience into humanity. That our obedience, is not driven by guilt or simply to do what is right but because our love and deep relationship with God.
In this way, we are lessening our effort on trying to obey, but increase our effort in trying to love, and maintain our relationship with God. Obeying someone is far easier than loving someone. You can obey a person without having to love or built a relationship with that person, but you cannot love someone without obeying that person.
Singapore is one of those lawful country where everything are govern under proper law, i do follow and obey the law but to be honest with you i dont even know who made this law, and where they stay, or what they eat for breakfast.
However, on the other side of it. I will live with a person that i know very well. my future wife. Since the beginning of our relationship we never declare any law for our marriage and when either one of us break that law then we have to pay fine.
But i know certain things that she doesnt like or hurt her.
I believe the same understanding work with God's law that when we called his as our father we should treat him the way we treat our father on earth.
So one sentence can conclude it all - obey it because you love the person not because of fear of fine
Sunday, July 13, 2008
It is what hidden that counts!
Main Text: Matt 6: 1 -18
This is one of those text that has been read many times. I remember the first time i read and absolutely it was long long time ago!
However, as i look upon the text, today i found something interesting that i didnt notice before. The sentence:
"Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
This sentence was repeated three times: vs.4, vs6, 18 and three of them related to Religious Discipline.
We are living in the world where all need to be proven, even in Religion. You must prove that you are true Adventist by living to the life that people THINK right.
But Jesus seems to have a different approach, it is what others dont see that counts.
Why is that so? Because those action is lack on affirmation, ego booster, praise, and confirmation. To simplified it, God really counts motives rather than result. Things can be good outside but it is what motives that drives that action that counts.
Having said that, the lesson that we can learn here is that for each action that we do we should look deeper to its motives. When we do something to God too, what is our motives?
This is one of those text that has been read many times. I remember the first time i read and absolutely it was long long time ago!
However, as i look upon the text, today i found something interesting that i didnt notice before. The sentence:
"Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
This sentence was repeated three times: vs.4, vs6, 18 and three of them related to Religious Discipline.
We are living in the world where all need to be proven, even in Religion. You must prove that you are true Adventist by living to the life that people THINK right.
But Jesus seems to have a different approach, it is what others dont see that counts.
Why is that so? Because those action is lack on affirmation, ego booster, praise, and confirmation. To simplified it, God really counts motives rather than result. Things can be good outside but it is what motives that drives that action that counts.
Having said that, the lesson that we can learn here is that for each action that we do we should look deeper to its motives. When we do something to God too, what is our motives?
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Genocidal Baby
Main Text: Matt 2: 13 - 23
Following the story of wise men is the story of Jesus' exile to Egypt. On this text, it is obvious that Matthew use the envelope structure of Jewish Narrative. Verse 13 - 15 function as the head of the envelope, while verse 19 - 23 as the tail of it.
Trough this way, it left verse 16 - 18 as the main idea of the text.
Critically enough, the text obviously tell us that after the departure of those wise men. Herod become furious and release the decree of infanticide for all Jewish boy in Bethlehem area and around.
Just at the beginning of his life, Christ had bring hundreds of babies killed.
The interesting part of it, only the Gospel of Matthew record this incident.
Matthew wrote it as the fulfillment of the Prophecy.
Looking back on that prophecy, it can be found on the book of Jeremiah 31:15
However, as i read trough the whole prophecy itself. This is not such a sad prophecy.
Jeremiah predict that after the tears comes hope from the Lord himself to those who wait in the Lord.
This is one of those text that i honestly hard to accept, how could such a loving God allow the death of these little children as the cost of Christ birth?
May the Lord grant me his wisdom to answer this question....
Following the story of wise men is the story of Jesus' exile to Egypt. On this text, it is obvious that Matthew use the envelope structure of Jewish Narrative. Verse 13 - 15 function as the head of the envelope, while verse 19 - 23 as the tail of it.
Trough this way, it left verse 16 - 18 as the main idea of the text.
Critically enough, the text obviously tell us that after the departure of those wise men. Herod become furious and release the decree of infanticide for all Jewish boy in Bethlehem area and around.
Just at the beginning of his life, Christ had bring hundreds of babies killed.
The interesting part of it, only the Gospel of Matthew record this incident.
Matthew wrote it as the fulfillment of the Prophecy.
Looking back on that prophecy, it can be found on the book of Jeremiah 31:15
However, as i read trough the whole prophecy itself. This is not such a sad prophecy.
Jeremiah predict that after the tears comes hope from the Lord himself to those who wait in the Lord.
This is one of those text that i honestly hard to accept, how could such a loving God allow the death of these little children as the cost of Christ birth?
May the Lord grant me his wisdom to answer this question....
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
The Controversial Birth
Main Text: Matt 2: 1-12 ( The Wise man from the East)
Matthew wrote the story of wise man on the base of trying to explain to his reader that this messiah was the fulfillment of prophecy of the Old Testament. However, he put also the point that it was not only Herod that was shocked with the arrival of the wise man, but also the bible clearly said "the whole Jerusalem"
The birth of Jesus is not only known by the wise man, Herod, but also by the entire Jerusalem, and also the rabbi and torah teacher. Soon after the arrival of the wise men, Herod summon the rabbis of Synagogue and question them about the fact of this new king.
Yet, at the end of time only these wise men were the one that see and bow at the front of the King.
We can observe several character on this story:
Wise Men: probably they were the Persian Astrologer, since during that time they were the one that study heavily on each star movement and soon enough they notice that one start come out from the other. It makes me wonder, how could the star was noticed by them but not by the Jew? Historical evidence seems to support Matthew writing that actually these men also reffering to the same text of Micah 5:2 (the one that was quoted by the rabbis) and by that evidence they know where to find this king who was born.
I believe when they arrive, they got a little "shock" too that the royal baby that they expect was not in Jerusalem but on a small little house back in Betlehem. Yet for them, it is the star that has guide them that make them believe not the situation around Jesus. Clearly the bible said, they bow down and give the offering of a king to Jesus.
Sometimes Jesus was not very interesting to be seen by people out there. For them Jesus is only another "holy man" of a religion called Christianity. But yet will bow down and worship him, simply because they were convinced by the "stars" that guide them to see Jesus....
can we be that Stars?
Herod the King: Herod was one of those notorious king during the Roman empire era thanks to this cruelty. Yet at this story, he become paranoid by the report of the birth of this new Jewish king.
To understand why Herod was so paranoid, we have to understand the situation of Herod during that time.
Historical record, especially by the writing of Josephus has revealed to us that by the time of Jesus birth, the Judean province of Rome was not a peaceful place at all. The Jew was not cooperative at all with their Rome oppressor. Revolt by revolt has been the regular part of life in most of the area in Judea. Judas Maccabe was one of the most well known story of this.
The condition of Judea was so bad, that it is popular among the Roman Senate that the Governor that was sent to Jerusalem is someone that not doing very good in their work and Jerusalem will work as the punishment ground. Therefore Herod was one of them.
By his time, Herod was already under Rome pressure since he couldn't suppress the revolt and know their legendary hero, the person that was already prophesied hundred years ago was born. So Herod wants to play damage control here, before this new king can even ever grow up to be that man.
Insecurity brings paranoid, paranoid will make you thinks, and do things that unimaginable....
The Rabbis: well, they know already, they've learn this prophecy for a long long time, but yet they were not the one there, who visit Jesus and bow down at his feet. This is the scariest part of this text, i'm always afraid that those who knows more eventually become the one that is lost. Because learning can bring knowledge and enlightenment but if that learning not followed by deep relationship with God, that knowledge become meaningless. None of this Hebrew scholar who read the text, visit Jesus that time.
Being an Adventist and thinking that it will make you saved is a fatal mistake...
Therefore learning all of this, i realize that....
I want to bow down to you my king, my lord, and my savior. Like the wise man of this story let my knowledge and understanding - guided by the stars will let me find you and worship you like what you are deserved to be...
Amen
Matthew wrote the story of wise man on the base of trying to explain to his reader that this messiah was the fulfillment of prophecy of the Old Testament. However, he put also the point that it was not only Herod that was shocked with the arrival of the wise man, but also the bible clearly said "the whole Jerusalem"
The birth of Jesus is not only known by the wise man, Herod, but also by the entire Jerusalem, and also the rabbi and torah teacher. Soon after the arrival of the wise men, Herod summon the rabbis of Synagogue and question them about the fact of this new king.
Yet, at the end of time only these wise men were the one that see and bow at the front of the King.
We can observe several character on this story:
Wise Men: probably they were the Persian Astrologer, since during that time they were the one that study heavily on each star movement and soon enough they notice that one start come out from the other. It makes me wonder, how could the star was noticed by them but not by the Jew? Historical evidence seems to support Matthew writing that actually these men also reffering to the same text of Micah 5:2 (the one that was quoted by the rabbis) and by that evidence they know where to find this king who was born.
I believe when they arrive, they got a little "shock" too that the royal baby that they expect was not in Jerusalem but on a small little house back in Betlehem. Yet for them, it is the star that has guide them that make them believe not the situation around Jesus. Clearly the bible said, they bow down and give the offering of a king to Jesus.
Sometimes Jesus was not very interesting to be seen by people out there. For them Jesus is only another "holy man" of a religion called Christianity. But yet will bow down and worship him, simply because they were convinced by the "stars" that guide them to see Jesus....
can we be that Stars?
Herod the King: Herod was one of those notorious king during the Roman empire era thanks to this cruelty. Yet at this story, he become paranoid by the report of the birth of this new Jewish king.
To understand why Herod was so paranoid, we have to understand the situation of Herod during that time.
Historical record, especially by the writing of Josephus has revealed to us that by the time of Jesus birth, the Judean province of Rome was not a peaceful place at all. The Jew was not cooperative at all with their Rome oppressor. Revolt by revolt has been the regular part of life in most of the area in Judea. Judas Maccabe was one of the most well known story of this.
The condition of Judea was so bad, that it is popular among the Roman Senate that the Governor that was sent to Jerusalem is someone that not doing very good in their work and Jerusalem will work as the punishment ground. Therefore Herod was one of them.
By his time, Herod was already under Rome pressure since he couldn't suppress the revolt and know their legendary hero, the person that was already prophesied hundred years ago was born. So Herod wants to play damage control here, before this new king can even ever grow up to be that man.
Insecurity brings paranoid, paranoid will make you thinks, and do things that unimaginable....
The Rabbis: well, they know already, they've learn this prophecy for a long long time, but yet they were not the one there, who visit Jesus and bow down at his feet. This is the scariest part of this text, i'm always afraid that those who knows more eventually become the one that is lost. Because learning can bring knowledge and enlightenment but if that learning not followed by deep relationship with God, that knowledge become meaningless. None of this Hebrew scholar who read the text, visit Jesus that time.
Being an Adventist and thinking that it will make you saved is a fatal mistake...
Therefore learning all of this, i realize that....
I want to bow down to you my king, my lord, and my savior. Like the wise man of this story let my knowledge and understanding - guided by the stars will let me find you and worship you like what you are deserved to be...
Amen
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