New Year.

It seems appropriate that on the day we begin a new year, we have finished the life of Jesus as related by Matthew. Hopefully, you've found it useful to read through Jesus' life during the Christmas season. If you'd like to share your thoughts, just enter a comment for this article.

It was pretty easy to do wasn't it? Even at this busy time of year? If you found that to be the case, and you've never stuck to a program before, I invite you to join those who will be reading more about Jesus, but also quite a bit about the Law he came to fulfill, and the prophets who said, among other things, he would come. Just head on over to read2009.blogspot.com where you can find the reading program, occasional articles about what we're reading, and a place where you can hang out online and discuss what you're reading. The plan is similar in commitment to this one, and includes one reading from the Psalms each week.

If you attend Beaverton Christian Church, you can pick up a physical copy of the reading plan, Jesus, the Law, and the Prophets, at the Welcome Center. And you can discuss what you're reading, in person, on Sundays, 11am, in room B-319.

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Culmination and Continuation. Matthew 28.

Read Matthew 28 online here.

Matthew 28 is undoubtedly the most astonishing and exciting chapter of this short book which has been filled with almost unbelievable events, beginning with the appearance of angels to Joseph announcing the birth of Jesus. Then there is the coming of the Magi, and the appearance of the star, and a flight to Egypt at the behest of an angel in a night time appearance. Following this is an account of a most unusual man, with his teachings which draw huge crowds and a life of helping others including miracles of healing and of power over the forces of nature. His popularity and teachings are more than the authorities can tolerate, so they accuse him of treason and get the Roman authorities to put him to death. His close followers had come to hope that he was the one who had been promised from ancient times to come and deliver Israel from her enemies and oppressors. They had come to believe that he had a special relationship and powers from God—one had even declared that he was the Son of God.

Now he was dead, buried with a forbidden seal over the tomb and a guard of Roman soldiers protecting it. Words such as downcast, depressed, distressed, devastated do not begin to plumb the depths of their despondency. They had had such high hopes, seen such fantastic miracles, witnessed such self giving love, heard him talk about the kingdom of God. Now all was destroyed! Grieving—they truly loved him; hiding—the authorities would likely come after them also; futureless—their plans for the future were with Him and the coming kingdom; emptiness...

Then the great reversal. So great that some were still having a hard time believing it at the time of the great commission. Jesus was alive—risen from the dead. No one ever rises from the dead. The women must be delusional! But the reports kept coming—he was alive!

And as the days passed and they truly believed they received the final touches of their preparation: their belief became conviction; their fear became excitement in proclamation of the fantastic news; their disillusionment became understanding; their despair became purpose. And the world was changed one person at a time. The spread of the kingdom was greater in that first century than any time since.

Now notice some challenging details. First, note the great love of some of the women. They were up before daylight. I’m guessing they had already eaten their breakfast—I don’t think embalming was some ten minute chore. Second, note the appearance of one angel. The guards trembled and became like dead men even though failure to protect was punishable by death and they outnumbered the one angel. Third, the angel reminded the women that Jesus had predicted that he would rise from the dead. Fourth, note the refusal of the chief priests and elders to believe. They had remembered the prediction of Jesus that he would rise from the dead. That was why the guard was placed—to prevent theft of the body and a false claim of a resurrection. But now it had actually happened and the guards had seen it. Did the leaders consider the truth of this? No! They just sought to work around it and excuse it. Can we expect less from the agents of Satan today?

Fifth, we are given the great commission. As you may already know the main verb in the commission is not the word “go” but “make disciples”. “Go” in the original is a participle. As we go, wherever we go, whenever we go, we are to make disciples. “Baptizing” and “teaching” are also participles. So it would appear that the making of disciples has two parts. First is the bringing of a person to an acceptance of Christ culminating in baptism. Second is the teaching to them all that Jesus commanded.

Finally there is the promise from Jesus, Himself, that He will be with us always—throughout the age. And I believe that means until He comes again.



Today's article written by Harold Smith.

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Linen. Matthew 27.

Read Matthew 27 online here.

As Christians, we live our lives in the shadow of the cross. The baby whose birth we just celebrated, was wrapped a final time in linen and laid in a cave.

They came to a place called Golgotha (which means
“Place of the Skull”) and offered Jesus wine mixed with
gall to drink. But after tasting it, he would not drink it.
When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes by
throwing dice. Then they sat down and kept guard over
him there. Above his head they put the charge against him,
which read: “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”

I invite you to spend an extra portion of time today, reading through and reflecting on this account of Jesus' condemnation, execution, death, and burial.

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Diem Mirabilis. Matthew 26.

Read Matthew 26 online here.

Annus Horribilis – “A Horrible Year!” Queen Elizabeth II declared in her Christmas address of 1992 after the divorces of her 2 sons and the fire at Windsor Castle. Since her usage of this Latin phrase to describe that year for the Royals this has been a term adopted into the English language to describe the worst of times.

As we look at this chapter it could possibly be described as Diem Horribilis — “A Horrible Day” as we see what appears from our worldly perspective a terrible unraveling of the life of Jesus of Nazareth — the Plot to kill Jesus, the Anointing for burial, Judas’ bargain for betrayal, a Passover meal with ominous symbolism, Jesus’ predictions of desertion and denial, an agonizing Gethsemane, the Arrest, the Trial, and Peter’s Denial. Now, I don’t know about you, but that would rank right up there as the worst day ever if it happened to me.

In all of these things that are going on in this passage you may see the greed of Judas, the grasping for power by the Jewish leaders, and the other selfish and cowardly acts as horrible things, but in the grace of God they are about to be turned into good.

I believe that the jewel of this passage is the Passover meal that Jesus shares with his disciples. This meal had great meaning for the Jews who were delivered in the Exodus and it was about to take on new meaning as Jesus was instituting God’s new covenant. The Passover meal reminds the Jews of all the great things — the miracles of the plagues, the intervention on their behalf, and even the provision in the wilderness later. God is about to do another miracle on behalf of all mankind and thus transform all of the horrible things done to Jesus into a very good thing — salvation for mankind. God is now the divine catalyst who will transform what is a horrible day and horrible things into the greatest miracle of all times.

John Dryden published an epic poem in 1667 called "Annus Mirabilis" (Year of Miracles) in which he praised God for the miracles of deliverance for England with the sparing of much of London from the great fire and the English defeat of the Dutch Navy. As I look at this passage and this time in Jesus’ life and ministry I am reminded of Romans 8:28 where Paul says, “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Instead of being a Diem Horribilis this is truly a Diem Mirabilis — it is our day of miracles, a day of deliverance, a new covenant with a new Passover Lamb. Praise God for His Grace and transforming power.

A discipleship point to ponder: If we are truly going to follow in the dust of the Rabbi and be Jesus’ disciples, isn’t there something we can learn about how to handle such a terrible day? Jesus was able to make it through this day perfectly by maintaining his focus on the Father and His will and not just on himself. So, how will you handle your next horrible day?

Today's article written by Steve Isom.

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For Display Only; a Pretty Lamp. Matthew 25.

Read Matthew 25 online here.

The Parable of the Wise
and Foolish Virgins
William Blake, ca. 1803-5
Watercolor, brush and gray wash,
pen and black ink over graphite

I’m not a virgin. But really you don’t have to be to understand what Jesus is telling us in the Parable of the Ten Virgins; in fact what He is telling us in the entire Matthew 25 chapter. Simply put, be prepared and don’t be foolish with what He has given you.

I wondered, as I read the first parable, why did the 5 foolish virgins only take their lamps and not the oil (because they were foolish you say…work with me here?) Lamps need oil to work, so why not just leave the lamp at home too? It’s, after all, an added burden to carry around a lamp with no oil. It’s like carrying around a flashlight without batteries. Better yet it’s like carrying around a box of tire chains that you know won’t fit your tires. Because, really, what are the chances I’ll need them anyway?

Perception management — the art of influencing others to think you’re a more responsible person than you really are. The 5 wise virgins probably perceived that the 5 foolish virgins were completely ready. It never came up in conversation because, by all outward appearances, they seemed to be prepared. Which means of course that the 5 foolish virgins never had to deal with the issue of their unpreparedness. I can’t help but think that their lamps were probably even better looking than the others. Yet still, no oil, no light. It was simply for show.

Do you have oil or just a pretty lamp?

Is your Bible strategically placed in your home so that your visitors will see it and be impressed at how spiritual you are…yet you don’t read it? Do you raise your hands in church because it looks like you’re a better worshiper…yet your heart is far from God? Do you say “I’ll pray for you” only as words of comfort…and then never pray?

Do you always respond “pretty good” when asked how things are going?

Maybe you’ve worked really hard to polish your lamp to impress those around you. You’ve convinced yourself that you’ll have plenty of time to get your heart right before your time here is over. In the end, you may have earned a nice eulogy about how godly of a person you were, but what happens next is of more importance.

The 5 foolish virgins knew that their lamps had no oil, and don’t we also know what in our lives is not genuine? Yet we may have convinced ourselves that we’re prepared. We may find comfort when we look in the trunk and see the box of tire chains and yet we know, eventually, the truth will come out that they don’t actually fit.

Today's article written by Bill Johnson.

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Be ready. Matthew 24.

Read Matthew 24 online here.
While the first part of this chapter is difficult to fully understand because Jesus seems to be talking about events both near in time and distant in time, intermingling them together, his instruction on what we are to do is very clear.**

Since we don't know the time of his return, we are to live in anticipation of that return. Be ready!

1. Be watchful.

2. Don't live as if you have time to waste.

3. Do the tasks set before you. Faithful service will be rewarded, unfaithful service punished.

And as with the rest of Jesus' teaching, he lays out these principles, not laws to follow, and leaves it to us to put these principles into practice.

How do you live in anticipation of his return?

** You can discuss this further in the comments, or come Sunday to room B-319 at 11am at BCC to discuss in person.

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What I Don't Want for Christmas. Matthew 23.

Read Matthew 23 online here.

For days we have seen presents sitting under the Christmas tree, all wrapped up in festive paper. Some of the gifts may even have fancy ribbons and bows, which only add to the anticipation. The more elegant the wrapping, the more we hope for a wonderful present. How disappointing it would be to untie the ribbon, tear off the paper and open the box only to find a handful of packing peanuts and no gift at all. It would be even worse to admiringly remove the shiny, decorative paper and discover the remains of someone’s fried chicken dinner. You would remember that gift for a long time, but not in a good way.

The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were a group of well-wrapped Christmas presents. It’s easy for us to see them as the bad guys in the Gospels because Jesus frequently called them out. However, most people in Jesus’ day saw them as the spiritual superstars. When it came to obeying God’s law, they were the varsity team. They looked really spiritual and holy, even down to their accessorizing¹, but Jesus saw their hearts. They were like beautiful wrapping paper covering up nasty chicken bones. Six times in this chapter, Jesus calls the Pharisees “hypocrites.” In Jesus’ words, a hypocrite is someone who does not practice what they preach (v. 23:3). They are quick to tell other people what to do, but are not willing to give them any help (v. 23:4). They do good things only to get noticed (v. 23:5). Basically, a hypocrite is someone who thinks the answer to sin is more rules and learning how to keep them. A hypocrite is someone who thinks that they can change their heart by changing stuff on the outside.

Trying to save yourself by following the rules will only turn you into a hypocrite. It doesn’t even matter what your rules are. The only real cure for hypocrisy is the Gospel. Jesus is very harsh in his words to the Pharisees, but he ends his words to them with an invitation to come to him. Jesus doesn’t deny that the people had sinned. In fact he said that they had murdered God’s truth-tellers — the prophets. But this did not mean that there was no hope for them. He said that he wanted to gather these sinful people of Jerusalem to himself like a mother hen protecting her baby chicks. The problem was not that they were too awful for Jesus to forgive or that they weren’t working hard enough to please God. The only thing that kept the people of Jerusalem from knowing God’s love and forgiveness was their own unwillingness to receive it on Jesus’ terms.

The Pharisees had their lists of rules and said, “Do these.” In his death on the cross, Jesus said, “It is done.” What are you counting on to make you “a good Christian”? Are you depending on rules or on Jesus?

¹For an interesting education on “phylacteries” (called “tefillin” by Jews today) check out http://www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/aid/102436/jewish/Tefillin.htm

Today's article written by Scott Gassoway.

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