The Lord's Prayer: In your words (8 of 8)

For a long while, I had a discipline every morning of praying the Lord's Prayer - but in my own words.  I would encourage you to try this!

First, I picked out a bound journal that I would enjoy writing in every morning.  This is was a very important step for me :-) because it gave me incentive to fill it up with prayers!  Standing at Barnes and Noble going through all the journals picking out just the right one (a leather one?  one that was bright and colorful?  the one with textured flowers all over it?  the one that was made from recycled paper?)  Hmmm... it seemed to be a holy activity!!  But you might want to write yours out in a private blog or in a Word Document on your PC.  You don't have to write them out at all, but writing them out has the benefit of returning to them and remembering what God has done.

Next I found a quiet place where I could take 5 minutes and write out my prayer every day.  My place became sitting at the piano and I stored the journal in the piano bench where it would be safe from prying eyes.

In the front of the journal, I wrote out the prayer in the stages we have just dissected in my last 6 posts.  I would use these stages to formulate my prayers:

1. Our Father in heaven --Identifying the Relationship
2. Hallowed be your name -- Offering praise to God.
3. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven -- Seeking the way of Jesus
4. Give us this day our daily bread  -- Asking for daily needs 
5. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. -- Seeking forgiveness
6. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. -- Seeking protection

Then I wrote a prayer each day... in my own words - based on what I was feeling and seeing and facing that day.  Nothing elegant.  Just words from my heart.  A typical prayer went like this:

(1) "Dear Father of all who loves everyone - you love those who love you back and those who do not. 
(2) You are not just loving, but you are love.  And you have expressed your love for me in ways that I can not fathom. You have given me a husband and children and friends and coworkers to love and be loved by.  I praise you for giving me purpose in life: to love!  
(3) I ask that this day will be spent living in the way of Jesus' truth and life.  I have read how Jesus's heart broke for those in need and pain.  May my heart be the same.  I have read how Jesus healed spiritual and physical issues and told his followers to do the same.  May Jesus work through me to heal where there is hurt and need today.  
(4)  Provide for my children at school this day - may their teachers use the time in the classroom wisely - especially Brent's science teacher.  May Brent grow by learning to deal with her and not by giving up when she is harsh with him.  Give me wisdom this day to deal with the meetings and decisions before me.  Please heal Sandra from the headaches that have been crippling to her.  
(5) Forgive me for my sins and help me to forgive others for their sins too.  Help me to deal with Tim (who has made mistakes which affect our release date) in a way that both offers forgiveness, but spurs him to do better.  Help me to deal with him in love and not un-forgiveness - give me wisdom if it is time to move him into a different job or continue to work with him in this one.  Forgive me for not being patient - for thinking with my own career in mind rather than thinking about his well being. 
(6)  Protect me from straying from your ways - protect me from putting myself before you - protect my family in the same way.  I trust you to lead me.  Amen.

Enjoy it if you decide to try it!  It is a wonderful way to grow closer to God.

The Lord's Prayer: Seek Protection (Luke 11:4b) 7 of 8

Next in the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches his disciples to ask for protection:

Matthew 6:13  And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.


Luke 11:4  And do not bring us to the time of trial.  

Most Christians, if you ask them what this means have no idea.  And yet they pray it every Sunday without thinking.  I think the best way to explain what it means is to jump ahead and tell the part of the story of Jesus right before he was arrested, tried, and crucified...

On the night that Jesus would be arrested, "Jesus went with the disciples to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."  He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated.  Then he said to them, "I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me."  And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want."  Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?  41 Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:36-41).


Jesus knows what his followers are made of... a willing spirit, but weak flesh.  We want to follow him, but it requires supernatural power - supernatural love - supernatural forgiveness - supernatural courage - supernatural faith.  Jesus is well aware of the intense emotional and physical pain that he and the disciples are facing in the next hours.  Jesus knows there will be defections - Judas will be first - Peter is a close second.  They are going to wish they had not signed up to follow Jesus.  Jesus tells them to pray that they will not face this trial because they aren't going to make it through unscathed... "Do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one"...  unless the supernatural power of God intervenes.

But Jesus also shows them an example of how one prays this prayer and faces the trial not allowing the evil one to win... "Again Jesus went away for the second time and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done."  Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.  So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words.  Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand."  While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.  Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him."  At once he came up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him.  Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you are here to do." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him"  (Matthew 26:42-50).  Hours later Jesus died on the cross.

Ask God for protection - for supernatural power that will help you stand firm and resist giving into the evil one.  There is no other way to overcome the trials in our lives.  

The Lord's Prayer: Seek Forgiveness (Luke 11:4a) 6 of 8

Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. 

Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

We often pray this part of the Lord's Prayer way too easily.  Have we really forgiven those who have sinned against us?  How about those who owe us something?

I usually have my private prayer time just after my husband leaves for work and before I start writing.  But this morning I had jury duty.  It is Monday as I write this.  I write my posts a day ahead of time to give me time to think about them before I publish them.  So on the way down here to the court house, since I didn't have my list of things people have asked me to pray with them about, I prayed the Lord's Prayer instead.  I stepped through each sentence holding my life up next to them and considering how God was speaking into my life.

When I got to this "asking forgiveness" part of the prayer, immediately a person that I know popped into my head.  I haven't thought of them in years.  They were an angry, but rather feeble-minded person controlled and manipulated by their extended family who cared very little about them personally, but often used them for their own agenda.  In fact, their extended family would make fun of them and speak ill of them behind their back.  I thought back to a situation where their family had pointed them at me (the new pastor in town) in order to intimidate me.

It was sort of like sending Stanley Tucci's character, Muerte, in "Undercover Blues" after me.  Except not nearly as entertaining.  This person couldn't reason their way through even simple situations so all they knew how to do was to lash out.  Kind of like a mafia thug.  Hurling threats.  Shaking a finger in my face - slamming their fist against a table.  Acting as angry and as mean as possible.

As I prayed this morning, I thought about this person's spouse and children - how they probably have had to deal with quite a lot on a daily basis.  There had been stories of this person killing the family pet during a fit of rage and of forcing slow driving strangers off the road causing serious harm.

I also thought about the time they had run out of work and I prayed with them about finding a job - and they found one the next week.  How excited they were that God had answered their prayer.  I thought about their loved one who has an incurable disease and how they told me once that they think God made this happen to their loved one as a punishment.  And yet, they were mad at God because they felt that, all in all, they were a good person and didn't deserve God's punishment.  There were so many problems in that logic that it was hard to help them understand how much God loves them and their loved one.

And then I remembered how they had created lies and spread them about me.  I knew it wasn't their own doing - their extended family had purposed it - encouraged it - rewarded them for it with attention and praise they never got otherwise.  The lies were thinly veiled and easily debunked - there had been plenty of witnesses to the situation in question - so the lies really didn't matter.  But it was unsettling.  The intermediary sent to intervene commented afterward that they had been afraid to look this person in the eyes during the meeting for fear of them becoming violent.

Had I forgiven this person?  Had I forgiven their extended family?  Could I really pray: "Forgive me my sins, for I have forgiven them."  What does forgiveness look like?   Do I need to tell them that I have forgiven them?  You know in order to tell someone that you forgive them, you have to at least insinuate that they have done something wrong.  How is that going to go over?  I'd be putting myself in danger!

How did Jesus demonstrate forgiveness?  On the cross, Jesus, who is in excruciating pain, said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing."  He forgave these people who were hurting him by asking God to forgive them.  And it wasn't just saying the words - Jesus meant it completely.  So I prayed that God would forgive this person and their family - asking God to help me mean it too.  Immediately, I became grateful for all the times that God has forgiven me.  And for all the people who have forgiven me.  I felt humbled that I live in God's grace - not because I deserve it,  but because God is merciful and loves me.  I felt hope in God's transformative work in the world.  I had seen it at work in my life (it still is!) - I knew it could work in other's lives too.

We aren't following in the way of Jesus if we have un-forgiveness in our hearts. But we are never following Jesus closer than when we offer and receive forgiveness.

The Lord's Prayer: Ask for Needs (Luke 11:3) 5 of 8

Luke 11:3  3 Give us each day our daily bread. 

Now comes the place in the Lord's Prayer where most of us start our prayers: asking for what we need.  Actually, most of us are asking for what we want - not what we need.  But now is the time to ask - after we have focused in on who God is and who we are in relationship to God - after we have offered God praise - and after we have considered how the Kingdom of God might reign in our lives this day.  Now is the time to ask.

It is interesting to me - that the focus is on daily needs too.  Not the long term ones.  And even more interesting is that it isn't just a personal request - it says "give us" - it is a request that everyone will be fed - that everyone's daily needs will be met

What should you be asking God for today?  And how is that informed by the earlier parts of the Lord's Prayer?

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The other gospels weigh in...

Matthew 6:11   11 Give us this day our daily bread. 

The Lord's Prayer: Seek God's Way (Luke 11:2b) 4 of 8

Luke 11:2  Your kingdom come. 

Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God (which is the same as the Kingdom of Heaven) throughout his ministry.  It is a mysterious thing.  It is any where and any place and any time where God reigns.  It can be among us and in us.  It was present in Jesus - in his teachings, in his acts of compassion, in his miracles.  It is present in us - noticeable when we are the hands and feet of Jesus.

Some things it is not:  It is not where one goes when they die.  It is not an earthly government or political system.  It is not a democracy.  It is not a form of government.  It is a way of being where we give up ourselves to let God reign within us.  It is not a list of rules of rules to follow, theology to believe, or a list of good works to do.  It is God reign within us and around us.

Jesus teaches us to ask for God's Kingdom to be present in our lives right now - for God to reign over all that we do - over all that we are.

Where are all of the places that you can invite the Kingdom of God to be present in your life today?

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The other gospels weigh in...

Matthew 6:10  10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

The Lord's Prayer: Offer Praise (Luke 11:1-2a) 3 of 8

Luke 11:2b  "...Hallowed be your name..."

"Your name is holy!"  This is a moment of praise offered to God.  There are many ways of offering praise to God in our prayers.  Many things we can adore about God.  But why his name?

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, a person's name reflects who they are or who their parents want them to become. God often changed a person's name when they entered into a relationship where he transformed them (Abram became Abraham; Saul became Paul, Simon became Peter, etc).  Likewise, God's name reflects who God has revealed himself to be.  And he has revealed to us that he is holy - perfect and flawless - perfect in love, truth, and righteousness.  Morally and Spiritually pure.  He is wholly and completely separate from all evil.

This moment of praise sets the tone for our relationship with the Father.  We are coming before a loving Father who is holy.  A Father who is perfect and flawless.  We come before him as children who trust and admire him.

How would it change your relationship if you approached God with praise and admiration - refusing to question his love, his truth, his righteousness?  How would it set the tone for your prayers?

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The other gospels weigh in...

Matthew 6:9b "hallowed be your name."

The Lord's Prayer: Identify the Relationship (Luke 11:1-2a) 2 of 8

Luke 11:1-2  He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."  2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father..."

God is our Father. This is earth shattering news when you think of it.  The Old Testament refers to God as Father (and Mother) by way of analogy - not direct address.  Jesus is the one who is bold enough to first address God as his Father.  And he teaches his followers to do it too.

I can remember on a long family vacation - my younger brother, who was very very young at the time, looked out the car window as we passed by farms and businesses and began to point out, "My Father owns that."  And "My Father owns that too."  And "Over there - My Father's stuff."  I imagine he was repeating what he had learned in Sunday School the week before.  It took the rest of us a while to catch on.  But this is the magnitude of what Jesus is teaching.  We are children of the God who is Sovereign over everything.

But do we live like it?  What if you look around where you are sitting - and claim the people, places, things, and situations as belonging to your Father?  "My Father owns this boss who isn't fair."  "My Father owns the food that could feed the homeless and hungry."  "My Father owns this relationship with my spouse that isn't going well."  How does it change the way you will live your life today.  As God's child what power and authority and responsibility does it give you?

It is uncomfortable for the Jews to hear Jesus call God his Father - it seems sacrilegious - too informal.  It isn't the way they think of God - God has become a rule-giver who judges us accordingly.  But Jesus is introducing us to God in a new way - teaching us that we can have an intimate relationship with God.  One where God cares deeply about us and is interested in our personal well being.  Jesus will develop this relationship further when he tells us the story of the Prodigal Son in which a Father offers mercy and grace to a wayward child.

Jesus begins the prayer this way so we will remember who God is and who we are:  Children of the creator who wants to love us like the perfect father would love his children.

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The other gospels weigh in...

Matthew 6:9   9 "Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven..."

The Lord's Prayer (1 of 8)

For the next eight days, we will be looking at the Lord's Prayer - a prayer that Jesus taught his disciples and that we say out loud together during church services.  We will be looking at how this prayer develops our relationship with God.  There are five parts to it...

1. Identifying the Relationship
2. Offering Praise to God
3. Seeking God's Way
4. Asking for Needs
5. Seeking Forgiveness
6. Seeking Protection

Some interesting things to note is that the prayer is a community prayer: "Our Father..." Also the order Jesus teaches the disciples to pray is interesting.  Many of us - especially those from more rule oriented denominations - have been taught that if we do not ask forgiveness of our sins first, then God will not hear our prayers.  Yet, Jesus puts seeking forgiveness after offering praise, seeking God's way, and asking for daily needs.  

I have enjoyed on special occasions altering the typical Presbyterian Worship Liturgy and organizing a worship service in the order of the Lord's prayer instead.  I have found it to be a refreshing change.

Matthew and Luke both contain versions of this prayer:

Matthew 6:9-13   9 "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  11 Give us this day our daily bread.  12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  13 And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. 

Luke 11:1-4  "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.  3 Give us each day our daily bread.  4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." 

God Knows (Matt 6:7-8)

My husband and I taught the Sunday night youth group for years.  One Sunday evening, I looked outside and there he was in the parking lot with the middle school boys.  He had attached a rope to his Jeep and was giving each of them a chance to pull the jeep to them.  They couldn't do it.  The jeep didn't budge.  But the harder they tried, the closer they "pulled" themselves to the jeep - tennis shoes and flip flops slipping closer to the Jeep as they struggled.  He told them this is what prayer does for you.  You may think you are pulling God closer to you when you pray, but God doesn't necessarily move - you do.

Matthew 6:7-8   7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Jesus tells us not to babble when we pray - we have a conversation - we speak meaningful words from our hearts.  We don't pray with meaningless words as in an incantation hoping the right combination with unlock God's power.  We lay out our lives before God - focusing them on God - and let God speak into them.  We don't pray with the intention of informing God of our needs... He knows them already.    Prayer doesn't bring God closer to us - it brings us closer to God.  It aligns our lives and plans with God.

Prayer and Hypocrites (Matt 6:5-9)

In these verses,  we see Jesus continuing in the line of thought that what motivates us - what is going on in our hearts - is most important to God.  Specifically in these verses, Jesus doesn't want us to pray as a demonstration of our holiness to others.  Jesus wants us to pray honestly from our hearts.

Matthew 6:5-6,9   5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ...  9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father..."

Imagine a church service or a leadership meeting or a Bible study or a pastor's visit to a sick congregant where you can't pray out loud in public?  Imagine not being able to ask your friends to pray with you over something you are struggling with - or in a time of potential tragedy?  I am certain that this is not what Jesus had in mind. Jesus was once again "beating up on" the Pharisees who liked to pick a street corner - disrupt traffic - and show how holy they were by praying.  Jesus felt pretty strongly that they'd be better off praying in private.  But Jesus wasn't commenting on all public prayer.

Jesus is focusing on why we pray.  He wants all of our prayers - the public ones too - to be heartfelt not a show.  And if you find that you are praying to be seen as holy, then you can certainly cure that by praying where no one can see you.

The most convincing evidence that public prayer is not forbidden by Jesus is when, in these very verses, Jesus goes on to teach his disciples to pray.  He says, "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father...". He starts the prayer with "Our Father" not "My Father" - the Lord's prayer was meant to be prayed in communion with others - it isn't a private prayer.  Here are other examples of public prayer in the Bible...

• Jesus prayed publicly when he raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:41-42).
• Jesus prayed publicly on the cross.
• Daniel opened his windows and prayed before everyone as an act of defiance to the King's degree that no one could pray to anyone but the King.  It got him thrown in the lion's den, but God protected him (Daniel 6:12-14).
• As Stephen was being tortured and killed by the religious people of the day for calling them "stiff necked" people, he prayed openly (Acts 7:51-60).
• Paul prayed publicly with the Ephesian leaders (Acts 20:36).
• We know that in the early 1st Century Christian worship services, that people prayed publicly  (I Cor 14:15-16).
• The public prayers of King Solomon, Miriam (the sister of Moses), Mary (the mother of Jesus), and King David are recorded throughout the Old and New testaments. 

Real prayer comes from the heart.  

Give to the needy, but... (Matt 6:1-4)

Matthew 6:1-4  "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 

Jesus assumes his followers will give to the needy.  So give, but don't be motivated by being noticed.  Give to honor God alone.  Now contrast this with what Jesus has just said about letting your light shine before the world.  The difference is what motivates us!  Be motivated by following in the way of Jesus - not to be noticed.

Loving Our Enemies (Luke 6:27-28 & 32-36)

Luke 6:27-28, 32-36  "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.... "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.  And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  

This is the heart of following Jesus - to not only want the best for your enemies, but to work for it.  This is impossible to do unless you let God's love overwhelm and transform you.  But if you have ever done it - demonstrated love to someone who didn't deserve it, you have experienced something more profound and spiritual than words can describe.

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Another gospel weighs in...

Matthew 5:43-48   "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Retaliation (Matt 5:38-42)

Matthew 5:38-42  38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'  39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 

The Old Testament Law, "An eye for an eye..." was not meant to be a form of personal retaliation, but a way of administering justice in the courts - a way of limiting punishment and making it fit the crime - and the ultimate purpose of punishment was reconciliation.  Seeking retaliation was never acceptable even in the Old Testament: "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD" (Leviticus 19:18).

But once again, Jesus is setting an even higher standard for his followers than following the law.  These verses pertain to the individual allowing themselves to be taken advantage of by evil.  It describes why Jesus does not fight back at his trial and persecution.  And Jesus invites us to follow his example in equally terrible situations.  Jesus does not want his followers to seek personal retaliation.  This doesn't mean we don't protect others and we certainly don't force (or expect) others to be self-sacrificing.  But we offer it ourselves.

Following Jesus is all about self-sacrifice.  The Jews were expecting a Messiah who would rally the troops and overturn the Roman occupation of Jerusalem.  Instead, they got a Messiah who told them to turn the other cheek.  You can see why Jesus quickly became unpopular.  Are we really willing to follow someone who tells us to give up everything?

Note:  I have read/heard Rob Bell's interpretation of these verses.  Recently I heard a young preacher using them to justify wars of aggression!  Seriously?  Rob Bell believes that when Jesus said to turn the cheek, he was actually forcing the person doing the hitting to become unclean and therefore making the person being hit his equal - which would then allow the person being hit to legally fight back.  He claims that Jesus was teaching his followers to be subversive and defiant not meek (meek is "strength under control").  In other words, Jesus was being manipulative by inciting the person into a justified legal fight.  But manipulation is completely counter to the previous verses.  Followers of Jesus are not weak, but their power is under control.


Rob Bell has equally odd interpretations for letting someone take your cloak or going the extra mile with them.  And he has provided nothing in scripture or first century Hebrew literature to back up these claims other than supposition.  Rob Bell wants these things to be acts of defiance instead of the demonstration of unselfish love, because he wants to justify that people who are being abused should take action.  And I agree that they should take action - but not by inciting the abuser, but by removing themselves from the situation completely.  If you are suffering abuse - get out of the situation - there are many organization who will help you.


While we come to the same conclusion, I am really confused with Rob Bell's logic.  But one thing is for sure, Jesus obviously lived out these teachings at his trial and torture on the cross.  His purpose on the cross was not to be defiant and subversive - not to put one up on his enemies - not to put himself in a situation where he could legally fight back, but to demonstrate unconditional, unselfish love to his enemies (us!).  I think Rob Bell missed the boat on this one completely.   I don't think it even fits with the rest of Rob Bell's teachings.     And it certainly doesn't fit with anything else Jesus says or does.  Nor does it fit within the context of these verses which end by calling on his followers to give unselfishly. Nothing about them says, "Get one up on your enemies - get them into a position where you can legally fight them."  Jesus is teaching us that following him is going to require self-sacrifice.  There isn't a way around it.

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Another gospel weighs in...

Luke 6:29-30  29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.  30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

Promises aren't Necessary (Matt 5:33-37)

Matthew 5:33-37   33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.'  34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;  35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.  36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. 

The religious people of Jesus' day had developed a complex system of which vows were important to keep and which were not so binding. But Jesus says that the yeses and nos of his followers are supposed to mean something.  Special promises and commitments shouldn't be necessary.

Do you ever commit to things you know that you will never do?  Do you ever twist the truth instead of being honest?  Do you ever manipulate instead of revealing your true intentions?  Jesus wants his followers to be honest.

Total Commitment (Luke 16:18)

Okay... it is one of those days when Jesus is going to make a lot of people mad. And he is going to make them mad at me too for not skipping over this teaching.  But in this blog, I am not skipping over any of Jesus' teachings - I am going chronologically through the New Testament hitting everything.  But the fact that Jesus wasn't politically correct - and my desire to soften his teaching - is why my post is already 2 and 1/2 hours late.  But if I am going to be a follower of Jesus and a teacher of his way, I can't pick and choose from what I like and don't like.  I have to trust that Jesus is right.

Luke 16:18   "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Once again, Jesus is pushing the standards higher.  It no longer matters what the law allows us to do.  It matters what is in our hearts.  And Jesus has already told us that following him is about self-sacrifice and putting God and others first.  So in the verse in Luke, divorce isn't okay just because you don't get along or have fallen out of love or have irreconcilable differences or because of any number of other reasons.

And this concept doesn't just apply to divorce - it applies to every part of our lives.  The fact is that the law allows us to do things that are not okay with God.  And for us to follow God we can not live by the law alone - we have to live with the Holy Spirit's guidance.  It is the only way for us to know where God is leading us.  The law can't tell us who to marry, what house to buy, what job to take.  Only the Spirit can do that. Matthew captures more of Jesus' words (below) and gives a valid reason for leaving a spouse: marital unfaithfulness.  But I think there are others too... like abuse - like abandonment.  Only the Spirit can make it clear to you what God wants you to do.

Live by the Spirit's guidance and not by the law!

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The other gospels weigh in...

Matthew 5:31-32   31 "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'  32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery. 

Stumbling (Mark 9:43-48)

Mark 9:43-48   43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.  44   45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.,  46   47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell,  48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

In Mark, these verses are referring to "stumbling" in general.  In Matthew, they are specifically referring to adultery.  At first glance it is easy to write these verses off as just being plain weird.  They talk about voluntarily maiming one's self for the purpose of ending one's own stumbling (note: this is not about dealing with the stumblings of others - but about our own personal stumblings).  Some have taken these verses literally over the centuries.  The famous first century theologian Origen, for example, castrated himself after reading theses verses.  But the point is not to physically maim one's self, but to radically deal with the causes of sin in your own life.  Jesus wants his followers to take their personal stumblings seriously and remove the causes.  BUT as impossible and ridiculous as it is to cut off your own body parts - it is equally impossible and ridiculous to try to deal with sin based on determination and discipline.

When you consider the verses that come just before them (see yesterday's post), Jesus talks about how it is the heart that is the real problem.  So how is maiming one's self going to change much of anything if the heart is still the real issue?  I think this is actually Jesus' point.  I think he is saying... "if you won't let your hearts be made right, then maiming yourself is the next best thing."  I think Jesus is using sarcasm to drive home his point that our hearts must be made right and we are powerless to do that on our own strength.

In the book of John, Jesus talks about why people stumble. "Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them" (John 11:9-10).  Stumbling happens when we aren't letting the light of Christ transform our darkness into light - when our hearts haven't been transformed from places of sin to places where Christ is served.

Rather than slashing body parts today - deal with your sin by letting Christ transform your heart.  Ask Jesus to change your heart -  then the stumbling will stop.  I speak from personal experience... the power of Christ to change us is real.

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Another gospel weighs in...

Matthew 5:29-30  29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. 

Is it Cheating? (Matt 5:27-28)

These verses come at an interesting time with Wiener-Gate upon us.  Yesterday, I listened on as a CNN anchor posed the question: "Did Representative Anthony Wiener technically cheat on his wife?"  He is a married man who met women over the internet and then sent raunchy photos to them.  He never had physical contact with these women... so was it really wrong?

Interesting that Jesus spoke into this situation more than 2000 years ago - before we had social media, internet, or computers.  Not much has really changed about us in 2000 years when you get down to the nitty-gritty of human relationships.

Matthew 5:27-28  27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

We learned in the last two posts that Jesus values human relationships.  They go hand in hand with our relationship to God.  The marriage relationship is no different.  You can't be in right relationship with God if you aren't in a right relationship with your spouse - one that completely and unselfishly loves and honors them.

In typical Jesus fashion, in these verses, he takes the marriage vows to a new level.  His standards are the ultimate high standards.  It isn't breaking the adultery rule that draws a line in the sand ... it is what goes on in our hearts - something that no one can measure.

So what was going on Wiener's heart?  Why was it so important to behave this way?  And he isn't alone.  Some studies say that there is a 50% chance that you and I have or will cheat on our spouses.  Some studies say that there is an even higher chance of infidelity if we identify as a Christian.  And these studies can't even begin to measure what goes on in the heart.

Jesus wants us to live in right relationships with others - not using others to satisfy our physical or emotional needs.   And being in right relationship with God and others begins (and ends) with what is in our hearts.  Good thing Jesus is in the business of transforming hearts and reconciling us to God and each other!  There is hope!

Speed is Important in Reconciliation (Matthew 5:25-26)

These verses follow immediately after Jesus tells us that we can't authentically worship God if we don't first make things right with others.  Tough standards!  But it is such an offense to God for his followers to have committed offenses against others that Jesus emphasizes that we must quickly attempt to reconcile... otherwise...


Matthew 5:25-26    25 "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.  26 I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. 

Luke 12:57-59  57 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?  58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.  59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny." 


Reach out to those who have hurt you and to those you have hurt!  It is the way of Jesus' followers.

Note:  I need to add a note for those who have suffered abuse.  Forgiveness is still very important, but that does not mean you need to ever put yourself into harm's way again.  Sit down with a trusted pastor or counselor and talk about how you can forgive someone who it would be unsafe to approach.  God would not want you to put yourselves in harm's way.    

Reconciliation (Matt 5:23-24)

Matthew 5:23-24   "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,  leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.  

Following Jesus is not just about having a right relationship with God, but it is also about having right relationships with everyone else too. In fact, our relationship with God and our relationships with others are tied together - they go hand in hand.

Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Often we think we have the right to keep things broken. We wear our dislike of others and our un-forgiveness of others like a badge. This is never okay.  Offering and receiving forgiveness - is a requirement of Jesus' followers. It is how we live.

Where are relationships broken in your life?  You will not be whole - right with God - as long as you do not try to mend them.  Offer and receive forgiveness today!

Tougher Standards (Matt 5:21-22)

Scholars report that there are 613 laws in the Old Testament (I haven't counted them!).  Just knowing what these laws entailed was burdensome enough.  But not breaking them (like not working on the Sabbath) often took considerable advanced planning (like preparing meals for the Sabbath the day before).  You could spend every day just focused on not breaking the Law.

Well, if that isn't bad enough, Jesus comes along and teaches that in his community, it isn't enough to just follow the law.  He pushes his followers much further:

• Don't just avoid murdering someone, but don't even be angry at them.  
• Don't just avoid forbidden language in your insults, but don't insult each other at all.

In Jesus' community, he doesn't want us to just keep the law, he wants us to go all the way and keep its intention too.  We can only do this by letting the Holy Spirit have control of our lives.

Matthew 5:21-22   21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'  22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, 'is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Rule Followers or Jesus Followers? (Matt 5:17-20)

Tina and George lived in the seventeen hundreds and had known each other since childhood.  As they grew to adulthood they fell in love with each other and became married.  It was easy for Tina to love George - she couldn't get enough of him.  And he loved her completely too.  They both put the other's well being before themselves.  But one day a new vicar came to their village.  His wife held a meeting of the all the women in the village and gave them a list of rules that they must follow to be good wives. It was a good list - nothing wrong with it whatsoever.  Tina wanted to be a good wife, so she began to follow them. But they were overwhelming and kept her away from doing all the things that she and George had loved doing together like taking long walks and singing together in the evenings.  Once her relationship with George had been out of love for him.  Now her relationship was through a list of rules that she carefully followed - but could never really keep.  George missed his wife.  Tina missed her husband.  Then one day George said, "I am going to the vicar and telling him that this is not our way - that we have a better way.  Our relationship is going to be based on love and laughter not a list of rules."


Matthew 5:17-20   17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.  19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 16:16-17   16 "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.  17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. 


Before the Messiah came, our relationship with God was through the Old Testament Law. The Old Testament Law required all kinds of ritualistic actions and sacrifices in order to be right with God.  But Jesus fulfilled all of the Law - not by keeping it or practicing it - but by his life, death, and resurrection.  He did not come to say these laws were wrong or not part of God's plan for humanity, but to give us a new way of being - a way where we would be in relationship with God, not through the law, but through the Holy Spirit living with in us.  His death and resurrection enabled our hearts to be cleansed so that the Holy Spirit could join with our own spirit - giving us direct access to God.  

The Law was for our benefit - to show us how to live in community with each other - and to show us that we could not keep God's standards.  But the Messiah fulfilled the law so that we could have direct access to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The Christian life is no longer focused on a list of rules to follow, but on following Jesus through the Holy Spirit living with in us.  We may look like a rule keeping people, but we are a Holy Spirit guided people living in direct relationship with God.  

The Light of the World (Matt 5:14-15)

When I worked for UPS, there was a big discussion about the company's philanthropic activities.  They gave away not only a lot of money, but resources too.  In fact, the company would give time off for whole departments to go do volunteer work together.  The interesting thing was that UPS had a policy of not calling attention to their philanthropic work.  Their policy was to give, but not let anyone know they were giving.  Then a new generation of executives came along who were not so sure they liked this policy.  They felt that if other companies knew what they were doing that it would challenge other companies to do likewise.  It also wasn't bad for publicity.  It would make the company look like the good guys.  It would attract employees with like minded values.  Getting word out there didn't really seem to have a down side.  It showed the world what they were made of.  UPS' policy remained unchanged while I was there, but recently I saw UPS' name in big letters as a sponsor of the Toys for Tots Literacy Program.  So I guess they have finally decided to let their light shine.

Matthew 5:14-16  "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." 


Mark 4:21-22  He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? 


Luke 8:16  "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

Do people know you are a follower of Jesus?  Are you "out from under the bowl, the jar, the bed?"  Living in a glass house professing your faith in Jesus gives light to everyone in and out of the house (as long as your faith is really being lived out).  Let your light shine!