The 'if' statements of the Bible are designed to make us think about the logic we use to justify our beliefs and lifestyle. Jesus stirred His trainee apostles to think about why they were kind to people by suggesting that they had the morality of prostitutes ('sinners'). Such people were known to give people what they paid for, love those who loved them, show kindness to kind people, and lend as long as they would be repaid.
The Bible leaves us in no doubt that God is awesomely powerful. It is foolish to fight against Him or to incur His wrath. God's judgement on sin is properly terrifying, as we can see by the ten plagues that punished the rebellious Egyptian Pharaoh, and other plagues that destroyed rebellious Israelites (Amos 4:10). But God is merciful (Romans 9:14-15). That is His nature – patiently waiting and delaying judgement so that He might have mercy on those who repent (2 Peter 3:9).
True relationships require mutual understanding and respect. People working in the same business need to share common values: families cannot hold together unless they choose to love each other. Jesus had just commanded the disciples to be merciful, because that is how our Heavenly Father operates (Luke 6:35). Mercy is part of the 'family value system' of heaven; it is essential to Christian faith. Those who receive mercy must show mercy.
God is not mean (Hebrews 6:10). He does not abuse His servants nor ill-treat His friends. He rewards those who give service, time, labour, money, possessions and worship in His Name (Matthew 19:29). But God never defines a particular reward for individual acts of sacrificial giving. Perhaps that is because we are not employed by Him on a contract; so we are never given the luxury of predicting what we get for what we give. Neither are we to compare our reward with anybody else's. Nor are we allowed to know when or how God's reward will arrive - in time or
What is the first essential of teaching? Surely, the teacher must be able to see more than the student. Effective travel guides must know where they are, where they want to get to and how to get there. No teacher or guide can ever lead others beyond their own understanding. If one blind man leads another, obviously, both of them are walking into danger.
When Jesus used the word 'hypocrite', everybody knew He was referring to actors. In the Greek theatrical tradition of Jesus' day, the most common plays were tragedies in which the misfortunes of the main character stemmed from unrealised bad personality traits. The audience could see the tragedy developing although the character remained oblivious to his own faults. The word itself means ‘speaking from underneath a mask’. Not only could the audience not see the face of the actor, but the mask also prevented proper vision.
Fruit of all kinds including figs, olives and grapes - grown on trees and vines - have been the mainstay of the Mediterranean economy for centuries. Of course, a diseased tree will hardly support any fruit, while a healthy tree always promises a good crop in a predictable climate. Everybody listening to Jesus knew that the type and variety of fruit depended on the nature of the tree or vine, so He used this illustration to show that people behave according to what is in their heart. Wickedness comes out of evil hearts (Hosea 10:13) and graciousness out of sanctified hearts.
The Greek word used here for 'Lord' refers to supremacy. A 'Lord' was an owner of property and the master of people, somebody who had the right to decide and control. Used as a title, 'Lord' recognised the person as being in authority and gave a solemn responsibility to serve and obey. The Bible writers also use 'Lord' as a name for God (Acts 2:47), which greatly heightens our obligation to do what He says today.
Construction workers know the importance of foundations. It is not the structures we see above ground which determine their lasting value, but what is unseen. Jesus used this building illustration to challenge religious leaders and alert His trainee apostles to a new way of living. They were used to seeing so-called 'holy' people paraded in public, but what were their hearts like, deep down? Jesus said that His gospel words alone had the power to change people from the inside, so that their lives would be unshakable (1 Corinthians 3:11).
It should be impossible to read the gospel accounts without realising that Jesus was always purposeful. He made deliberate choices about the places He visited (John 4:4-7), the people He met and the timing of everything (John 4:42). Sometimes He was in the middle of the crowd; then He would switch to being with His disciples, or being alone with His Father. But His itinerary was not a series of random ideas: He knew who He was going to meet, and every encounter was designed to bring glory to His Father as He moved towards His pivotal appointment with death on the cross.
