Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. [Hebrews 1.1-4]
Long ago God spoke... If we were going to categorize everything God spoke long ago by importance, the most important thing God ever said would certainly have been this:
“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.2-3]
And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son... Likewise, if we were going to categorize everything Jesus said while on earth by importance, the most important thing Jesus ever said would similarly be:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]
Both what God said and what Jesus said leave no room for plurality of faith. In clear language, God and Jesus both articulate singular faith: no idols (including man's own way, the way of "self").
Further into today's One Year Chronological Bible reading, we find this important warning for us:
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. [Hebrews 3,.12]
The phrase, turning you away is very much a reference to idolatry because idolatry is turning away from God in the Old Testament, and turning away from Jesus (Who is God manifest in the flesh) in the New Testament. And, it should be noted that Jesus did not ever mention the word "idol" but narrowed the idol-problem down to your own way. because idols, according to the Psalms, are the production of man's effort:
Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 115.4-8]
The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 135.15-18]
Anything that man uses to defend his non-compliance to Jesus' command to follow me is an idol. Yes, you read that right. If man is compelled to "explain" his less-than-full compliance with Matthew 16.24, Mark 8.34 and Luke 9.23, his explanation will, in fact, be a turning you away from the living God moment. These idolatrous statements generally start with, "Well, God knows..." or "But God gave us..." and any number of intelligent responses that highlight human wisdom over obedience to God.
Jesus simply was not joking around when He said, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. None of our explanations or reasoning excuses non-compliance. If there is any question about what your own way means, the only safe way to insure zero possibility of offending our Jealous God is to turn away from whatever it is that is in question.
“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. [Exodus 20.4-6]
If my wife says she's jealous of someone or something, my response is not to reason with her, but to avoid that "someone or something" altogether if I am truly intent on not invoking her jealousy. If however I make a foolish statement like, "you know my heart..." or "I've got this..." I can be sure to experience her jealousy and wrath at a whole other level!
My wife never told me she was jealous before we married - and yet her jealousy is real. How much more intense is God's jealousy if He announces it clearly in the 2nd Commandment?
Jesus no less announced His zero-tolerance. Again:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]
If we think for a moment that God in the flesh, Jesus, is any less jealous than God the Father, Hebrews 1 confirms to us that Jesus expresses the very character of God.
Father, may we give Jesus every respect You demand. So be it.
No comments:
Post a Comment