2 Peter 2:1-22 "If...."

Read 2 Peter 2:1-22.

"... the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment...."

Peter is warning the scattered believers about the false teachers that will be among them. He even promises them through his "if" passage that God will faithfully punish all those who are claiming to follow Christ, but clearly spitting in His face by their actions.

We see the same thing happening today. Sometimes it is as blatant as Peter portrays - "never stop sinning, seduce the unstable, greedy, love the wages of wickedness...." We have all known someone claiming to be a believer and then caught in a secret sin that becomes for most their downfall. At that point, they make a decision to repent and turn completely away from their sin, or they decide that this is the life they have chosen and will continue in it.

But I think the greater dangers in this society are the ones who draw believers away through subtler means. They call themselves believers; they seem to be living a life following God, but there are little differences. They will twist truth; make compromises; or simply be two-faced -- one person on Sunday and another throughout the week. These are the "believers" that destroy the name of Christianity and make it so much harder to reach out to those who don't yet believe. By living with their feet in both worlds - a sinner's world and a believer's world -- they destroy the integrity of Christianity. We'd already had a great deal of damage done through being called a Christian nation. We are not a Christian nation. We may have started out that way, but capitalism, greed, and complacency has moved us away from the truth of that title. I've seen hypocrisy so much around me that I rarely say I'm a Christian. I call myself a believer in Jesus Christ. 

Now we will always have believers in different stages of their growth in their walk with Jesus. So you will see sin in some people's life because they have not learned to surrender that area to Jesus yet. That is very different from what this passage is talking about. These are people as it speaks about in verse 20 that have walked away from the world, followed Christ, and then turned around and chose the ways of the world again. It makes me very sad and honestly, I can't understand why anyone would walk away from the Lord. Makes me wonder if they ever really looked to see who Jesus is. Did they take the time to really get to know the Father? Did they surrender their heart and desires to His will? I guess that is between them and God. But once I made a complete commitment to God, there was no going back -- ever. 

Further Thoughts:

1. Look at other passages on false teachers/hypocrites.
   
2. Compare and contrast this passage with the Matthew 23-24 passages regarding the Pharisees.
   
3. Are there false teachers you know around you? How can we know if they are false? Find passages that tell us how to recognize the false teachers. What are we supposed to do with them?
   

Matthew 27:11-26

Read Matthew 27:11-26.

"'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility!'" NIV

The religious leaders and the people they sway to their way of thinking seem to be a theme that has been running for several chapters now. Once again, I am struck with the contrast between the religious leaders and the non-believers, in this case, Pilate, the Roman governor, and his wife. Here they turn over Jesus to the civil authorities stating a charge of treason since blasphemy would not have a stand in the civil courts. They could use treason because Jesus had claimed to be "king" of the Jews. Therefore, they were trying to show that Jesus was usurping the Roman authority. But Pilate, this non-believer, sees right through the ruse. Look at verse 18 again, "For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him." He knew that he was receiving an innocent man to be put to death because of the Jewish leaders' arrogance. Isn't that amazing....and tragic? Even Pilate's wife pays attention to a dream she has and tells Pilate in verse 19, "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man...." Two people, not a part of The Way, probably worshippers of mythological beings, sees the Truth clearer than the ones claiming to be upholding it.

And the responsibility for this tragedy doesn't all fall on the religious leaders' shoulders. The people allowed themselves to be swayed by the chief priests and elders and would rather have a known criminal freed and an innocent healer crucified. The blindness is so complete. The enemy had a stronghold that day -- only because God allowed it to fulfill His purposes. But still, the ability to move that many people away from the Truth. We so underestimate his powers. Granted, we have a greater power over the enemy, but only if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and not moved to Satan's lies.

In the end, the only person who saw the truth was Pilate. He didn't have the fortitude to stand up to the crowd and fight for Jesus' innocence; instead he washed his hands of the responsibility. The people had spoken, and he would honor their request. But he made it publicly known that he didn't agree with the verdict.

So how does the non-believer see clearer than the supposed believer? What is happening in the believer's life to hinder them from seeing Truth as truth? As I look over the last 15-20 years, I know I have grown so much closer to the Lord. I credit consistency to my time in the Word, surrender to His Lordship, and a constant working on my personality to reach out to others rather than just taking care of myself. And as I grow closer to Him, the sin around me becomes more obvious. Inconsistencies are glaring, the world seems to become blacker and Christ's truths, whiter. And my sin appears more wretched than it ever was because I see the perfection of God magnified.

So I guess that boils down to four things: (not necessarily the only things....)

• surrender to His Lordship
• consistently studying the Word to know Him better - this is hearing His voice
• taking steps to be more like Christ
• when I sin, recognize it and immediately confess it

The religious leaders were not doing any of these. Well, obviously they new the Word, but only the law, not the heart. And they obviously did not learn very much about the character of God because their lives did not exemplify Him at all.

This is a clear warning for us all. A life that loses focus on the right priorities, misses seeing the Truth. And that is an eternal tragedy.

Further Thoughts:

1. How are you doing on the "four things?" Are there other areas you think are important that the religious leaders were missing?
2. Compare and contrast the religious leaders of that time to judgemental Christians today. What happens to turn us into judgemental Christians? How is the opposite lived out?

Matthew 26:1-16 "Choose Your Response"

Read Matthew 26:1-16.

"....will be handed over to be crucified." "...an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head...." "Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over." NIV

These three passages sum up the three possible responses to Jesus - get rid of Him, love Him, or betray Him.

In vs 1-5, the chief priests and elders are plotting to have Jesus killed. They want to be rid of Him because He has upset their way of life. In the same way the world wants to be rid of Jesus. He tends to rock the boat still two thousand years after He walked this earth. And those in opposition simply want Him to be gone. Has it ever struck you that people want religious freedom for everyone but the Christians. They scream for tolerance of other religions, but call the Christian's stance narrow-minded and intolerant. Are they not being intolerant of Christianity? So in their minds it's best just to get rid of it. We've not faced that in the extreme in America yet, but in personal hearts it is prevalent. "I don't need Jesus" is the thought of the day. "I'm strong on my own; He is just a crutch for the weak and a wall for the intolerant to hide behind." And they kill not just the idea of a Messiah, but Christ Himself.

Then Jesus goes to Bethany where a woman anoints Him with oil. She represents the believer who will give their all to serve Jesus. He is treasured and adored to the exclusion of caring for what appears to be self's best interest. Jesus is to be lifted up, loved, and prioritized in our lives. We may face ridicule, but we continue to raise Him up as the true God; the One and Only Savior. Our hopes and dreams are centered around Him and His will. Our lives are not our own, but surrendered to the One who gives freedom through service. No longer are we bound by sin because we serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. His name is the only name we lift up in praise for He and He alone is worthy. Even if no one else around us believes, we will stand in this truth.

Lastly, the betrayal. Judas sells Jesus out. He's looking out for number one and abandons the very One who gave him life. Judas had lived and ministered with Jesus for three years, yet he still couldn't see the better way. He had witnessed miracle after miracle; prophesies fulfilled. He called Him Lord and Master while sitting at His feet, learning from His teachings. But self won the day and Jesus was betrayed. How many people call themselves Christian yet sell Jesus out each and every day. When decisions must be made that place Christ above personal wants and ambitions, He is placed on a shelf to be dusted off for Sunday services. I guess this makes Judas the first Pharisee of the Christian church. But the practice continues daily where hypocrisy abounds. Hearts not completely surrendered to Jesus will find that a commitment to His ways will collapse under the pressures of the enticement of sin and self.

Crucify, anoint, or betray. How do you respond to Jesus?

Further Thoughts:

1. What does the Scripture say about full devotion or holiness? Find passages from Paul's letters, James, 1 Peter, and 1 and 2 John on this subject.
2. Hypocrisy is rampant in a relative world. Even Christians are drawn into the fallacy that we can make our Christian walk relative to our wants and needs. The Pharisees are a prime example for us of the dangers of and punishment for hypocrisy. Read again the seven woes in chapter 23 as a warning. Compare and contrast a devoted follower to a Pharisee.
3. How do we become complacent in our Christianity? I'm sure Judas didn't leave His family without being devoted to Jesus in the beginning. What happened along the way?
4. Are you who you say you are? This is a question I ask myself often. We can preach something all day long, but if we are not living it, is it embedded in our hearts? Write a complete definition of "Christian." Is your life lined up with this definition? If no, why not?

Matthew 25:31-46 "Goats and Sheep"

Read Matthew 25:31-46.

"He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." NIV

To me this has always been one of the most frightening passages in the Bible. Jesus is not referring to all people; he's talking about believers. He will separate out the truly committed from the Pharisees walking among us. The question always arises, am I one of the Pharisees? Am I living life as a truly committed believer? Am I loving people as Christ loved them? We'd better find answers to these questions because they are obviously important to Him.

So who are the goats? If you look back at the seven woes in chapter 23, we see what the Pharisees were being told they would be punished for.

• Not practicing what they preach. (vs 3)
• Power lovers (vs 6-7)
• Followers of the letter of the law only, but not the spirit of it. (vs. 23-24)
• Have the appearance of a believer without the heart. (vs 25-28)
• Greedy and self-indulgent. (vs 25-26)

The goats will be like the five virgins not watching for the Lord because they were not prepared. They will be like the servant who wasted the talent that the master had given him.

But the sheep will live as Christ lived -- caring for all people's needs -- physical, emotional, and spiritual. Jesus did not look for a reward in this life for loving others as He loved Himself. Self-indulgence wasn't even in His vocabulary. Christ lived completely committed to His God-given mission and for the people. That's a tall order to live out. One that can only be accomplished through complete surrender and full commitment to the Almighty and His work.

Lord, help me to live as You would have me to live. I want to be on your right when the judgement comes.

Further Thoughts:

1. How do we avoid falling into Pharisaical attitudes and behaviors?
2. How do we live as Christ lived? What changes in my life or my attitudes need to happen to be in line with Him? What rolls do choice and the Holy Spirit play? Support with Scripture.
3. Why can we never let our guard down? Where does the enemy want a Christian to remain? Support with Scripture.
4. Full devotion requires complete surrender to God's ways and directions in our lives. Have you?

Matthew 21:23 - 23:39 "Christ's Authority Questioned, Part 2"

Read Matthew 21:23 - 23:39.

"By what authority are you doing these things? they asked. "And who gave you this authority?" NIV

This entire passage began with Jesus exercising His authority and clearing the temple of the money changers in 21:12-13. The chief priests and teachers of the law were furious because not only was Jesus claiming an authority they didn't think He had nor wanted Him to have because it would have placed Jesus over them. But they lost a source of revenue. So thus begins an extensive questioning of Jesus' authority and Jesus' response to the questions.

So who were the chief priests and teachers of the law? Basically, they were the ones who performed the sacrifices in the temple and taught the religious laws to the men. The problem was that they were extremely strict about the adherence of the law externally, but internally, they did not abide by it. They had gained a power over the people that fed them more than serving God. By their hypocrisy, they were misleading the people of Israel and infuriating Jesus. They stood for everything He was against. He says we are to live as servants; they wanted to be served. He says we are to worship only one God; they wanted to be the object of the people's adoration. He said to love God first; they loved self more. And as religious authority figures, they were sending the people and the image of God down the wrong path.

Therefore, when they begin questioning Jesus in an attempt to trap Him, Jesus turns the tables on them. When they are unable to answer His question, He is not obligated to answer theirs. He then proceeds to mirror for them through parables what they have become and their future. But they don't learn. They continue to try to trap Him so they can have Him arrested. But His answers always throw them off.

By the end of Chapter 22 Jesus has exhausted the Pharisees and Sadducees questions. He had no reply they could argue with. Then in Chapter 23, He starts in on teaching the people about the religious leaders' hypocrisy and listing the seven woes against them. He ends His diatribe against the hypocrites with a passionate cry of his heart to the people of Israel.

The contrast presented here between the life Christ lived and the lives of the religious leaders is stark. It causes me to pause and look at my own life -- whose example do I reflect? Am I living as a servant to my God and to others? Or do I strive for power and position? Do I force others through my expectations to live by the letter of the law and then sin in my own heart? Am I living like a whitewashed tomb? Am I creating of religion of man's making or walking the path that God has designed?

Lord, I never want to live in a palace of religiosity, but a humble house of devotion. Help me to follow the law with both my actions and my heart, and to never lead anyone astray from the Truth. Keep me pure and holy for You alone, Father.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do further research on the different Jewish Sects - Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots.
2. Why were the religious leaders and teachers so bent on having Jesus arrested?
3. Study how Jesus answered their questions. What can we learn from His example about handling opposition? What techniques did He use? How did He use both knowledge and wisdom in answering them?
4. List the contrasts between Jesus' life and teachings and those of the religious leaders. Is there anything in your life that does not line up with Christ's teachings and example?

Matthew 21:23 - 23:39 "Christ's Authority Questioned, Part 1"

Read Matthew 21:23 - 23:39.

Because this is such a long passsage, and I need to do more than one day's worth of study on it, read the passage today, and I will post my commentary and questions tomorrow.

Matthew 21:12-17 "Strength in Truth"

Read Matthew 21:12-17.

"Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves." NIV

Who ever said that Christians should be mamby-pamby whimps. Our Lord certainly wasn't. In fact, He'd plain and simply had had it with the hypocrites. And He backed it all up with Scripture. Did you notice that is basically all He says. No debate, no arguing, no insults or sarcasm -- just the Word of God.

I really don't have much more to say. This Scripture passage completely speaks for itself. I'll just add one instructional note: We must know the Word and character of God to speak His Scripture in truth and love. So I guess I'd better study some more.

Further Thoughts:

1. Look up the Scriptures Jesus quotes and the surrounding passage, Jeremiah 7:11 and Psalm 8:2.
2. Is truth still truth even if no one believes it? Explain.
3. Is there someone you need to speak truth to? Pray and then do it in love standing on the Lord's Word.