Christian Life

God Hates Divorce – But Loves Me

Jon Bauman Leave a comment

I was at a wedding, sitting by myself, when the officient started to speak of the couple’s decision to commit to getting married even after seeing a society that is so consumer-driven in their relationships. He gave the couple statistics that showed how divorce rates were increasing, but he reassured the attendees that this couple would not be a part of that statistic; that this couple was following God, and their bond is greater than themselves.

As I listened to his message, I sat in that church pew completely frozen, not being able to move, and my breath suddenly became shallow. I felt tears welling up in my eyes, and used the only movement I could muster to seek to wipe the tears away to hide the anxiety attack that I was having.

I hoped for the best for this couple — that they wouldn’t face the same thing that I did. But as a man in ministry who was in the process of his own divorce, these were my thoughts that day:

“I am just a statistic. To other Christians who don’t know me, or my story, or how my own marriage crumbled, I am just a faceless statistic who is in the process of getting something that God hates! There are churches that won’t hire me as a minister because I am getting a divorce…this church probably wouldn’t hire me…”

Before everything happened, I would have liked the pastor’s message, and I would probably say something similar in my own officianting. In fact, before everything happened, I always assumed the worst in people who got a divorce; thinking that they both must have wanted one and gave up on their marriage without giving it a fighting chance. I admit to this horrible thinking.

But I was struck with the reality that sometimes you don’t have a choice in the matter, even after taking drastic steps to save a marriage like I did. Sometimes the decision is not something you have a say in because one person cannot force another person to do anything that they do not want to do.

But God Hates Divorce…THAT is true.

Even though I believe that God would allow for my own divorce to take place, based on the scriptures, Divorce is still hated by him.

But what I realised after going through my own divorce is that God still seemed to care for me; he still comforted me when I reflected on him crying in the Garden and identifying with the suffering of humanity. And he understood divorce intimately because his own people, including me, have divorced him many times over the existence of humanity by running away from him, and his desire is for us to follow him.

God Hates Divorce.

I hate divorce, and would counsel couples away from divorce with greater importance than I would have before, when divorce was simply a law that was broken.

My passion against divorce is fueled by my understanding that divorce is absolute hell to go through, and losing that trust in the person who you trusted most in the world, is a despair that could be described endlessly.

Divorce signifies a covenant that is broken; a covenant that is meant to reflect the covenant between God and us . Your partner is meant to show you the love of God at times when you don’t think it is deserved, and when that covenant is broken, our conception of love, trust, reliance, hope, and peace is shattered.

God hates divorce because, like me, he knows what it feels like and he doesn’t want us to go through all of that pain. He wants us to have that covenant with another person to remind us of his love for us.

Sometimes divorce is unavoidable, and sometimes it is needed, but that doesn’t mean that God hates those who have to get a divorce…He just hates the divorce.

Those who get a divorce, if they come to faith, or are able to retain or rebild their faith, are comforted most by God wrapping his arms around them, and slowly showing them that his love is still real, that it won’t leave them, and that he’s been through what they have been through.

I’ve learned a lot over the last 17 months…I learned a lot about God, my own faith, my strengths, my weaknesses, but most of all, I learned that God hates my divorce…BECAUSE he loves me.

The Father RUNS towards his children

Ending Comments — I wrote this post because I believe that God is calling me to care for those that are broken in the way of trauma, and/or divorce and marital problems.

I also wrote this post because I had not made it public that I went through marital problems yet and the divorce has now been finalized after 17 months of separation. Although making it public feels weird, it hurts me when I have to explain that I am divorced to those who care about me but who do not know about it yet and ask me how my ex-wife is.

I hope that some of the readers of this post are comforted.

Originally Posted Here: LINK

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Never Forget – 9.11.01

Jon Bauman Leave a comment

Today is September 11, 2015. 14 years ago, a major act of terrorism struck our country, and the whole nation mourned over the tragedy of the lives lost.

I am sure that those of us who are old enough to remember, even if we were very young, are thinking of the fear and disbelief that fell upon us as we kept seeing those horrible repeated scenes on our TVs as we sought an answer to why this was happening.

A lot of us will feel anger and pain when we think back on this time for the years to come. But it is in these times that we must remember something else:

The pain of the terrorism that struck us is experienced throughout the world on a more frequent basis. There are communities and families who fear EVERYDAY of being killed, bombed, or crashed into.

This is not to minimize in any way the pain that we experienced from this event, but it is to say that Anger and Prejudice are worldwide afflictions. Normal people can become so angry towards a particular person, or group of people, that they start creating stereotypes, start dehumanizing them, and they start to see everything they do as inherently evil. Eventually, this hatred can breed evil action.

As Christians, the Gospel calls us to Love others, to forgive others, and to not harbor hate in our hearts towards anyone. Each one of us has the potential to become a hateful and evil person if we let anger take hold of our hearts and vision. Germany was once taken out of poverty by a leader they trusted and admired, and then that leader led the whole nation into evil, prejudice, and racism. Normal people became supporters of an evil reign because of fear, anger, and frustration.

So on this September 11th, as we mourn those lost, as we reflect on where we were 14 years ago, as we are still completely confused how the terrorists could be so angry and hateful against us, let us remember to continually fight against anger and hate in our own lives, and in our communities in which we call home.

Never Forget – September 11, 2001

9.11.15

Passionate Spirituality: A faith that keeps walking

Jon Bauman Leave a comment

I grew up in a Christian home, went to church every Sunday, attended Sunday school, youth group, and I accepted Christ at a very early age.  For years, it was Enough for me to simply be involved in the church, pray at meals, and wear “W.W.J.D” bracelets.

But over time, it wasn’t enough; it didn’t sustain me.

I started to realize that the faith that I had, though it was genuine, was based more on my upbringing and memorizing bible verses than it was based on my personal wrestling with the questions I had already been told the answers to.

In 11th grade, I started reading the bible for the first time on my own, and I started to pray more throughout my days.  I began to notice a thirst for knowing more about God that wasn’t there before, and I knew that I wanted to continually seek Him.

The story of life includes various seasons that bring both high hills of productivity, determination, and passionate interest, as well as low valleys of depression, doubt, and failure.

Oftentimes, we get so hung up on our imperfections that it stalls our progression of faith.  We think that God will puppet our lives according to how much we pray, how we “feel” about God at the moment, or how much we sin.  In thinking this way, we forget that God has called the imperfect to do his perfect Will since the days of Noah.   In thinking this way, we deny the full power of God’s Grace over our lives, and we assume that a God willing to die for the world won’t love us as much if we mess up just once.

Noah was a man God called to build the Ark, and once the flood waters subsided, Noah settled in with his family, grew a vineyard, and got drunk….Noah wasn’t perfect.  (Genesis 9:20-21 – NRSV)

Abraham was a man named Abram who did not seek God (as best we know) before God called him to be the start of the Nation of Israel.  Abraham did not Trust that God would give him a son through his own wife, so he slept with a servant….Abraham wasn’t perfect. (Genesis 16:1-2 – NRSV)

David was called to be the King of Israel, was described, by God, to be a man after God’s own heart. David committed adultery, and then sent the woman’s husband to the front lines of a battle…David Wasn’t perfect. (2 Samuel 11:2-15 – NRSV)

The Apostle Paul, before he was a believer, would hunt down followers of Jesus and persecute them.  After he became a believer and was called to be an Apostle, he still did something(s) that he did not wish to do…Paul wasn’t perfect. (1 Cor. 15:9, Romans 7:15-20  – NRSV)

So please, can we, myself included, move past the “I’m not good enough” mentality?  God sees us as Men and Women of God – we just have to follow Him.

Passionate Spirituality isn’t about doing all the right things all the time…its about having the desire to move forward, even when your life seems to be telling you to give up.   It is not about having faith that never doubts; but having a faith that seeks to grow from having those doubts.  Passionate Spirituality is a drive to know God more, love God more, love others more…all while going through our hills and valleys of bliss and despair.

So when we go to Church on Sundays, rejoice in knowing that God loves you, and you have the opportunity to join other believers to Worship and Know God more.

When you see your bible at home, do not see it as a scary book that is only for the “good” people, see it as God’s story of redemption.

When you pray at meals, in the morning, at night…Know that God loves you, and calls you to more than yourself – YOU are a part of His plan for the World.

Passionate Spirituality is a lifestyle centered around knowing God more.

If you want to grow more in your faith, but you do not know where to start – email lambtheology@gmail.com and I will see if I can help.  Or comment below!

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Discussion Questions:

Why do we go to Church?

What do you do in order to grow closer to God?

What book, chapter, or verse in the bible has been the most meaningful in your life? Why?

Faith of Our Fathers: Reflecting on the imprint of my Grandfather

Jon Bauman Leave a comment

As a boy, I remember going to sleep over at “Grandpop’s” house at their old stone house.  During the morning, I would watch some cartoons while Grammy Bauman made me some delicious eggs, and I always got to choose between “Grandpop’s” Yellow American Cheese, or “Grammy’s” White American Cheese.

During the day, I sometimes walked with Grandpop in his garden, and he would show me his attempts at growing brussel sprouts and carrots, and we’d walk through the more tried and true plants like tomatoes and corn – all while he wore his traditional outfit of jean overalls, a white button down shirt, and a straw hat.

In the evening, I’d get tired and go up to the spare bedroom where there was a bed waiting for me, and as I drifted off to sleep, I saw the dim glow of a desk lamp on grandpop’s desk as he read his bible and took notes just a few feet from my bed.

Grandpop was a man of great faith – always reading the bible in the evening, reading other books for Christian study, leading a Sunday school class every Sunday morning, and every day of the week he showed the Love and mercy of Christ to others.  Grandpop was a man who exemplified consistent Christian Character.

He and my Grammy Bauman raised 7 boys together in the Lord, and while I do not know the faith of all of my uncles, the ones that I do know of have a very deep faith, and a faith that keeps wanting to grow. When my father sits down at the dinner table and says his prayer for the family, and for the food, sometimes his voice has a slight tremble as he is speaking to God, and thanking Him for all of his and our family’s blessings.

My Dad is a man after my grandfather’s heart; he will bend over backwards to help people – especially those he loves.  He once drove up to visit my Aunt and Uncle in Canada just to help them out with things to do around their property and house.  During that week, he fell off the top of a large wood pile, and we were all worried about him.  During that week, he also went to an auction, and got me a $400 guitar for $50.00.   When he came home, he got out of the car and I went to hug him, and he said,  “Wait, let me get your guitar”, and I said,  “Dad, I’m just glad you are home safe”.

Today, I sit at my desk in my Church office, writing plans and lessons for the school year to come for my position in Youth and Young Adult Ministry, and I just think, “I wish Grandpop was here so I could talk to him…”.  In November, when I married the woman of my dreams, I really wanted Grandpop to be there; I wanted him to meet this wonderful godly woman that I get to spend the rest of my life with.

There are many times when I just want to talk to Grandpop.  But today marks 7 years since he passed away, and even as I write this, I get teary eyed.  Surviving Grandpop in our immediate family is my Dad who, together with my mom, raised his three boys in the Lord, and each one of us today has a deep love for God, and a deep love for people; just like Grandpop.

The Faith of our Fathers is a blessing.  I cannot express enough how fortunate I am to have received time, instruction, and conversations from my Grandpop.  I miss him so much, but his impression on me is deep and long-lasting.

May God watch over our family and yours, and may God show us the love and mercy that we can pass on to others. Amen. 

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“There was not a Needy person among them…”

Jon Bauman Leave a comment

In my personal reading, I have been wading thoughtfully through the Book of Acts, and studying how the Early Church functioned.  After Christ’s ascension, a whole new faith existed; it was Judaism coupled with the revelation and teaching of Christ.   This new faith became known as “The Way”, and eventually, its adherents would be called  “Christians”.

Something that I have seen as a fundamentally good and Christ-like practice that they did in the early Church, and that is not necessarily a focus of the modern Church, is to sell your earthly possessions, and distribute the church’s communal wealth so that the needy would not be in need any longer. Two passages that communicate this practice are: Acts 2:43-47, and Acts 4:32-37.

I’m not saying we’re to become homeless and wear rags, but I am trying to suggest that for the Early Church, meeting the needs of the Poor among them was very important.

Church, Are we meeting the needs of our Poor?

Biblical Insight

Internal:

  • The church takes care of their own so that there is “not a Needy person among them” (Acts 4:34, NRSV).

External:

  • Luke 14:13 – “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” – Jesus
  • James 1:27:  “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

The early church in the book of Acts, as well as other writings from the Scriptures, clearly communicate that the CHURCH is commanded to aid the Poor.  The poor are in our communities, and the poor are within our Church doors. There is no Excuse why people should starve or freeze within a close distance from a Church of God.  And there is absolutely no excuse why any member, or regular attender, of a Church of God should ever be lacking in food, clean water, shelter, or warm clothing.

Stop for a moment . . .

Think about your own Church.

Is there any person, or family, within your own fold who is suffering financially – whether because of unforeseen life expenses, loss of a job, or even bad spending choices?

Sometimes, people in need will not make mention of it out of fear of judgement, or out of embarrassment.  Does your church have a system in place that allows them to discreetly tell you their needs, and a board or committee that discerns how to address these needs?  If your church has something in place to address the poor within their doors, they are doing well.

What does your church do to help the poor with your doors, and/or outside of it?  Please leave a comment.

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.” – The Prayer of St. Francis

**All Scripture passages are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible**

Charleston Shooting, Racism in America, and the Christian Obligation to Action

Jon Bauman 2 Comments

My wife and I watched “The Butler” last night, which is a movie about one man’s job as a butler to the president of the united states through the terms of Eisenhower through Reagan.  The film tracked this one man’s experience and thoughts during the civil rights movement, and the struggle of thought between activism, and hoping your country will get it right soon.

As a white boy, growing up in the 90s in the northeast, I did not notice a lot of racism.  When people talked about racism, and white privilege, I assumed that was all done with by now.

In 2008, as a 16 year old, when I heard from fox news, or somewhere else that African-Americans voted for Obama just because he was black, I thought it was ridiculous that people would do such a thing…

Now? I don’t find it so ridiculous.  Not because I am a big Obama fan, but because it had taken WAY too long for there to be an African-American president; it had taken WAY too long for African-Americans to gain true, and protected equal rights.

From the 1700s to the late 1800s, slavery was legal in the United States, and it was present in the Americas since its colonization.   From the late 1800s to 1965, African-Americans were legally told that there was a “white” side of a restaurant, and a “colored” side; a white water fountain, and a colored water fountain.  They were excluded from places, and even when they were oppressed against the law, the “Law” was a group of White policemen who regularly beat them, sprayed them with a fire hose, and some of these policeman were members of local white hate groups – KKK or otherwise.  These segregation laws, called Jim Crow laws, remained in effect until 1965 – just 55 years ago.  Going along with this government-driven racism, we have to think about what this did to the African-American community.  A quality and an equal Education was difficult to find, going to college was a rarity, and all of this, combined with the reality that equal pay was still not enforced, results in poverty and a lack of trust in the white man, and in police officers.  Can you imagine growing up and hearing stories from your mom, and your grandfather about how policemen would beat your people to death simply because of the color of your skin?  With this in mind, when an African-American talks about racism, they are not only talking about the slavery of long ago, but of the blatant racism that existed in the lives of themselves, their parents, or their grandparents.

Fast forward 55 years to 2015.

We have an African-American president, equal pay is enforced- for the most part, there is no more “colored” or “white-only” schools, restaurants, churches, etc..

BUT

  • When Trevon Martin was shot by George Zimmerman in 2012, MANY conservative news agencies and people took the side of Zimmerman.  Although an altercation may have taken place between the two people, not much was known about the situation at first, but many conservatives were quick to take the side of Zimmerman over Martin because Martin was a “suspicious” black guy in a black hoodie walking around a neighborhood in which he stayed.
  • 2014 – When Michael Brown was fatally shot in Ferguson, again, with not many details out, many conservatives took the side of the officer. I am not a Democrat, nor am I a Republican, I just know what I have observed.
  • 2014 – When Eric Garner was held to the ground and was audibly heard saying “I can’t breathe”, policeman kept him down, forcibly restraining him until he died, and there was an outcry against police brutality.
  • 2015 – When Freddie Gray sustained injuries within a police vehicle, there was an outcry against police brutality, there were riots, both violent and non-violent, and still…the conservative news agencies and people took the side of the officers, even though these officers were later found guilty of the brutality in which they were charged.  Conservative articles circulated about how Freddie Gray was a known criminal, and how he had multiple charges against him in the past…as if any of that mattered..as if any of that justifies the acts committed by the police…
  • 2015 – This Week on 6/17/15 – An early 20s White man walks into a historic African-American church in South Carolina, sits with them in prayer for an hour, and then kills 9 black men and women, leaving three survivors.
  • In 2015, the Confederate flag still waves high at the South Carolina State Capitol, and it is protected by State law to not be lowered or taken down because it is part of South Carolina’s history. 
    • Can you imagine, as a black person, seeing the same flag spoken of as waved by KKK members, being flown at your state’s capitol?  I realize that for some, the flag is more about country music and rebellion, but it nonetheless has extremely racist meanings to a lot of people, and should never be displayed by any American Government.

Racism is not dead; Racism exists in these instances, and racism exists in how people respond to these instances.  Regardless of our political party, combating racism and prejudice should Never be thought of as conflicting to our political views, and if they are, as a Christian, I submit to these folks that if Christ was their ruler, they wouldn’t be so quick to defend the subtle racism that exists around them.

When the Black community is united against racism that they have seen and noticed, white politicians, news anchors, and people do not have the right to brush away what they are saying.  Every instance should be examined.

If you are quick to defend the police before all facts are out..

If you are quick to point out that there are innocent White people attacked by black people too…

If you are quick to think that you can’t speak up because of how it may make you look..

You are part of the problem. 

If you are a Christian, and you honestly believe that you should follow Christ, then you should be at the forefront of people uniting against racism, in all of its forms.

If you are a Christian, and you hear of a White, Black, Asian, or Hispanic person being mistreated because of their race…You should be the first to defend them in Word, and in non-violent activism.

Jesus commands us to more, and to love all of those we come across.  Jesus broke racial prejudice when he told the parable of the good Samaritan who stopped to help a beaten man on the side of the road.  The Samaritans were a different race than the Israelites and there was a lot of conflict between the two; Jesus showed his followers that we are all people, and we can all show compassion.

Will you take a stand against the racism that is still alive and well in this country?  Will you take a stand against your own inclination to remain silent?

The Sermon On The Mount: Part Seven – Summary

Jon Bauman Leave a comment

**This post will is the seventh and final post of an exciting series on the Sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7, as translated in the English Standard Version of the Bible.  You can read the passage online by Clicking Here so that you can gain the most value and context for these posts.  Please subscribe to this blog to receive updates on new posts! You can read the whole series in order by Clicking Here**

A Summary of Matthew 5-7

In the last six posts in this series, I have gone section by section through Matthew 5-7, commonly known as, “The Sermon on the Mount”.  In this famous sermon, Jesus covered a lot of topics for Christians to consider, and gave a lot of instruction on how a Christian is Called to Live.

We have learned that Christianity is NOT just saying a prayer and going to church.  Christianity is NOT just about writing sermon notes, reading the bible, or wearing a cross necklace.

Christianity IS About committing to a life centered on Jesus by:

  • Striving to be defined by the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)
  • Being Salt and Light to the World (Matthew 13-16)
  • Fighting our Anger (Matthew 5:21-26)
  • Fighting our Lusts (Matthew 5:27-30)
  • Fighting Against Divorce and Bad Relationships (Matthew 5:31-32)
  • Not taking Oaths (Matthew 5:33-37)
  • Non-Violence and Loving our Enemies (Matthew 5:38-48)
  • Giving to the Needy with a Humble Spirit (Matthew 6:1-4)
  • Seeking God’s Will and Kingdom (Matthew 6:5-13)
  • Forgiving Others (Matthew 6:14-15)
  • Praying and Fasting Humbly (Matthew 6:16-18)
  • Not letting money become a God (Matthew 6:19-24)
  • Trusting God with our lives – whether poor, or whether rich (Matthew 6:25-34)
  • Not Judging others (Matthew 7:1-6)
  • Asking the Lord for Help (Matthew 7:7-11)
  • Treating Others the way we would like to be treated (Matthew 7:12-14)

And finally, following Jesus is about having faith in him, and following him with all that we have, so that our actions, words, and thoughts are reflections of His influence on our lives.  (Matthew 7:15-29)

Following Jesus is a high calling that EVERY Christian is called to.

Are we ready to LIVE like Jesus?

Are we ready to APPLY His teachings to our lives?

The Sermon On The Mount: Part Six – Matthew 7:15-29

Jon Bauman Leave a comment

**This post is the sixth post of an exciting series on the Sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7, as translated in the English Standard Version of the Bible.  You can read the passage online by Clicking Here so that you can gain the most value and context for these posts.  Please subscribe to this blog to receive updates on new posts! You can read the whole series in order by Clicking Here**

Recap – The content in the last section was a little separated, but the theme was as follows:  “Every one of us is on a journey in life, and each one of us isn’t perfect.  We should not lose sight of our own imperfection and judge others, instead, we should pray for help, or pray for any need we have, and we should always treat others as we would wish to be treated.”

In this next section, the theme is best said by: “Do God’s Will if you believe”

Bear Good Fruit – Matthew 7:15-20

Jesus made an analogy of what it means to truly follow Him by using trees that bear fruit.  A healthy tree will bear good fruit, but an unhealthy tree will bear bad fruit.  If a person follows Christ, they will/should bear good fruit; if they do not follow Jesus, they will bear bad fruit.

Trees that bear bad fruit are not good, and they are not healthy trees.  If a persons claims to be a Christian, and their actions and words do not match up…is their faith truly defining their life?  Is their faith really real?

“I Never Knew You” – Matthew 7:21-23

This passage is pretty dramatic. In this passage, Christ says that some who call Him LORD, will not enter heaven; only those who do the Will of God.   These people who Christ says will not enter heaven had prophesied in Christ’s name, had cast out demons in the name of Jesus, have done many mighty works – all in the name of God.  And yet, Jesus will say to them, “I never knew you”.

Why?  Because these people may have called Jesus LORD, but they did not see Him as LORD over their own lives – they did not do what their Lord would have them to do, only religious acts without the heart behind it.

Again, we see that doing the Will of God, following Jesus’ teachings, words, and example, are VERY important for the Christian faith.  Works alone will not save anyone, but if one has Faith in Christ, following HIS Will is important.

A Solid Foundation – Matthew 7:24-27

Most of us have heard the parable of the man who build his house on the Rock, and the man who built his house on sand.  The house on the rock withstood the tests of time and weather, and the house on the sand could not withstand the wind, rain, and floods; it washed away.

What Jesus was saying in this parable was that those who hear His teachings and DO them – they are like the man who built his house on the Rock.  But everyone who Hears, and does not do, builds a house on the sand; therefore having a false sense of security when in reality…their faith rests on only themselves because they do not want to fully commit to the calling of following Jesus.

The Authority of Jesus – Matthew 7:28-29

“And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,  for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”(ESV)

Jesus’ teachings were unlike what the crowd had heard before; they knew that something was special about them, and that something was special about Jesus.  Though they did not believe him to be the Messiah at this point, they did see him as someone worth listening to; some even saw him as someone worth following.

Conclusion

Jesus calls us to more than belief; Jesus calls us to Active Faith.

Is your life Centered on Christ, or is only your faith only a belief, and not an Active Belief?

What does it mean to live like Jesus?  How can we follow Jesus in practical and every day ways? Comment below.

 

 

The Sermon On The Mount: Part Five – Matthew 7:1-14

Jon Bauman Leave a comment

**This post is the fifth post of an exciting series on the Sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7, as translated in the English Standard Version of the Bible.  You can read the passage online by Clicking Here so that you can gain the most value and context for these posts.  Please subscribe to this blog to receive updates on new posts! You can read the whole series in order by Clicking Here**

Recap – We left off with the last section in this series (Matthew 6:19-34), which could be summed up by the following theme:  If we want to follow Jesus, we should know that earthly possessions do not matter as much as trusting the Lord in all of life’s circumstances.

The theme in Matthew 7:1-14 is more like:  Every one of us is on a journey in life, and each one of us isn’t perfect.  We should not lose sight of our own imperfection and judge others, instead, we should pray for help, or pray for any need we have, and we should always treat others as we would wish to be treated.

“Judge Not” – Matthew 7:1-6

People tend to look at the imperfections of others in higher standing than their own.  It is easy to look at the flaws of others while ignoring the prideful and arrogant lenses that we view them through.

Christians have a bad reputation for judging others, both other Christians, and those who are not Christians. This reputation hurts the spread of the true good news of Christianity greatly because instead of one person making a positive impact for Christ, one person could single-handedly blacken the name of Christ to another.

When we judge others, we look past the “log in our own eye” and concentrate on the “speck” in another’s.  Jesus said “Judge not, that you be not judged”, emphasizing that God forgives abundantly, God is the only one to judge anyone, and that if we judge someone, we will be held accountable for the judgement by God.

Ask & Receive – Matthew 7:7-11

The greatness of Christianity is the ability to have fellowship with God; the ability to communicate our thoughts, concerns, praises, and requests, directly to the same God who created life and light.

Jesus tells us to ask of him, and you will receive; seek, and find.  Jesus said this after instructing them to fix their own flaws first, as well as telling them in teh previous chapter to not worry about wealth. We can come to God with anything, and he WILL answer.

The Golden Rule – Matthew 7:12-14

Jesus instructs his listeners here, after talking about judging and wealth, that we should treat others in the way in which we would wish to be treated. Would we want to be judged by others? No. Would we want to be called names? No. Would we want to be looked upon as anything less than a human being? No.

A pastor who I met in college had this saying that he tried to live by:  “Nothing in the Bible permits me to be a jerk”.   Followers of Christ should not have the stereotype of being judgmental, mean, or insensitive.

Directly after Jesus communicated “The Golden Rule”, He made mention that we are to be on teh narrow gate (or go through the narrow gate), for the gate is wide and easy on the path to destruction.  But the narrow road is tough.  The narrow road requires a love that supersedes our natural tendencies; a love that treats others the same or better than we wish to be treated.

How have you made an impact to others?  Have you been a positive image, or a negative one?

There are things that I regret doing, and saying, years later; even after I have sought forgiveness. The key is learning from our failures, and striving to live like Jesus to those around us.

The Sermon On The Mount: Part Four – Matthew 6:19-34

Jon Bauman Leave a comment

**This post will is the forth post of an exciting series on the Sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7, as translated in the English Standard Version of the Bible.  You can read the passage online by Clicking Here so that you can gain the most value and context for these posts.  Please subscribe to this blog to receive updates on new posts! You can read the whole series in order by Clicking Here**

Recap – We left off with an overall message of:  If we want to follow Jesus, we’re called to love, pray, and worship genuinely.  It’s all about the nature of our hearts; the motives behind our worship need to be pure.

In this next section in Matthew 6, verses 19-34, the overall theme is best summed up as: If we want to follow Jesus, we should know that earthly possessions do not matter as much as trusting the Lord in all of life’s circumstances.

God and Money – Matthew 6:19-24 

Money can consume us; whether we are in need or not.  We can spend so much time thinking about how we are going to pay the electric bill in a very hot or cold month, how we’re going to fill our tank up again, or how we’re going to advance further, financially, in our life time.

Jesus warns us how money can become an idol – where we may have a lot of treasure, but none of that matters when you pass on to the next life; your spiritual treasures are what matters.  So wich are you focused on?

Jesus said that the eye is the lamp of the body, so is your eye on God, or on money?  If it is on money, you will notice that money consumes your thoughts, and you are never really satisfied with what you have.  If God consumes your thoughts, though money is a natural part of life, it will not be the focus of your life.

Trusting God through observing nature – Matthew 6:25-34

Life seems simpler as an animal sometimes.  You wake up, search for food, build nests or dens, sleep, repeat.  Animals don’t have bills, they don’t have to buy clothing, or food; they just live. Is life hard for them? Yes – predators could get to them, and they have to survive the harsh winters and the hot summers.

For humans, its hard to say that God will provide for us sometimes because we know that some Christians die of starvation, some are homeless, and although these things happen, some of these people STILL are joyful.  Why?  Because they know that heaven is greater, that God is loving, and they let that hope carry them through, instead of letting their worries gain control over their tomorrows.

This passage seems to indicate that God knows and provides for our needs.  I am going to be honest and say that I have a hard time accepting the view that God provides for the needs of a Christian when the starvation and homelessness of Christians exist.  It would be easy for me to believe that God provides all of our needs because I have all of my needs…but what about those who don’t? Its difficult; its messy.  For now, I have to trust in the God who gave me the greatest gift of faith, and pray for clarification for the rest. If you have any thoughts on this, please leave a comment!