Was Jesus a Chauvinistic Sexist?

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:1-5)

While at a wedding in Cana, Jesus’ mother realized that the banquet had run short on wine, so she informed Jesus in order that he use his power to do something about it. His response might be startling to some of our 21 Century ears. He answers, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

Wow that sounds like a strong rebuke; and what’s up with him addressing her as “woman”? The problem is that we naturally read into things we read, hear or see based on our previous assumptions and life experiences. We immediately are reminded of the abusive wife beaters or disrespectful sons that we may have witnessed in our lifetime. However, when Jesus refers to his mother as “woman”, it is an enduring term. We must take into account culture and time period. Jesus also uses the term several other times in John’s gospel in the same enduring manner (see John 19:26-27; 20:15). Another thing to remember is that we cannot hear his tone. Because of the word “woman” and the way we read into that term, we might hear a rather harsh sounding Jesus here. However, it is much more likely it was tender, especially by her reaction in implying to the servants that Jesus was about to act anyway.

So what was Jesus getting at then? Well, just because this was indeed a gentle rebuke, does not mean that it was not a rebuke. Since his baptism, Jesus had officially begun his ministry, and in a sense is distancing himself from his mother. What I mean is that Jesus is Mary’s son, but Jesus is Mary’s Lord. He must honor her in earthly matters, but she must honor him in heavenly matters. Her instructing Jesus to work a miracle is beyond the bonds of her role as his mother. It is according to his timing and his will; better yet according to his Heavenly Father’s timing and will.

The beautiful thing here though, is that Jesus acts anyway. He has compassion for his mother and for the wedding party and performs the first miracle in his ministry. What a miracle it was! He turned water into the finest of wines, showing that what Jesus has to provide is always the best! His grace, his undeserved favor toward those who believe, is the greatest blessing anyone could ever receive!

Dealing With Change

by Scott Hescht

After a recent conversation with a woman about her job struggles I was reminded of how much things can change in life. We get comfortable in a situation; we get in a groove and routine and then things change. For those of us who don't like change, it can turn our world upside down. Even for those who welcome change, it often depends on the nature of the change. When seemingly good change happens we welcome it with open arms, however when it is seemingly bad or it brings about difficulty or hardship, we tend to shun change.

There is no denying that change can be difficult. However, change is a tool that God uses to bring about his good purposes. Once, early in the history of mankind when people refused to obey God's command to spread throughout the earth and multiply, God changed (or divided) their languages in order to bring about his plan (Genesis 11). In another instance after Jesus ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to empower his disciples for ministry, they too congregated in one place (Jerusalem) instead of spreading out like God had intended (Acts 8). God allowed persecution against his people in order to light a fire under them, get them out of Jerusalem, and out into the rest of the world spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.

You see, though it may not be easy or convenient, God often uses those hard times of change to knock us out of our comfort zones and move us on to the bigger and better plans that he has for us. Jesus' intention was never to walk forever physically with his disciples when he ministered to them 2,000 years ago. At the time this was not music to the ears of those he discipled, yet they eventually understood as he returned through the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He also never intended the 12 disciples to remain together as he commissioned them to preach the good news to the world. They had work to do and individual purposes to fulfill for his kingdom.

Change also helps us remember that we should be at most home in God. I heard this said in a church service recently where the congregation had been forced to meet in the gymnasium because their sanctuary was having work done to its ceiling structure. The pastor said this in order to remind the people that the church wasn't about the building, but about God and his people.

When we go through change, we should allow it to remind us that our circumstances don't define us. Our houses, our jobs, our possessions, our social status, even our families don't define who we are. Those things change. They are fleeting. Jobs change, people retire, houses grow old, and people will let you down, but God never changes and God is trustworthy and true. So whatever your hardship, or even if the sky is bright and clear right now, don't take up residence in your circumstances. Take up your residence in your Heavenly Father and in his Son Jesus Christ. He is in complete control of your situation and even has a purpose for it. Change is good when you trust an all- powerful, sovereign, loving, grace-filled God who never changes.

Taking One for the Team

The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached Part XV

Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5-7

(Commentary by Guy Glass and Scott Hescht)

Matthew 5:38-42 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Scott: This passage has been used frequently to speak out against capital punishment. In other words, if someone murders, they should not have thier life taken as a result. Is that what Jesus' intentions were? Was he speaking against capital, or even more broadly, legal punishment altogether? If so then why did He not rebuke the thief on the cross who declared that his own punishment was just (Luke 23:41)? When the Apostle Paul is standing trial in Acts 25:11, he too implies that in certain cases, the death penalty is just. In the letter to the Romans, Paul declares that the governing authorities bear the sword for a reason (Romans 13:3-4). In other words, they have the right to punish crime.

So did Jesus speak againt the law of Moses here? Jesus has already declared earlier in this sermon that He had not come to abolish the law, but rather to fulfill it. Jesus is not changing the law God gave to Moses. In this sermon, Jesus does a lot of clarifying, but not changing. He clarified that it is not just killing somebody that makes one a murderer, but rather a heart of hatred. He clarified that it is the heart of lust that leads to adultery. Here too, He clarifies that the laws put in place to bring about justice are not to be used as an excuse for personal revenge. Eye for eye and tooth for tooth was set in place to insure that the punishment fit the crime. However, it had been reinterpreted by some in order to enact personal vengeance on those that mistreated them. This sermon is all about love and that is where Jesus continues to point His listeners.

Jesus' followers are to stand apart from the world in the areas of love, mercy and grace. It is the way that the light of Christ shines through us. If you are reading this passage attempting to figure out how many times you can be hit in the mouth before you can hit back, you are missing the point. The message isn't about not using self defense, but rather about being secure enough in Christ's love for you that you do not have to defend your honor. Sacrifice your honor for the sake of a lost and dying world. Yes, that world mistreats you. It is selfish. However, we too were once a part of that world and Christ set us free. We were self seeking, but if you are in Christ that is not you anymore. Seek His honor and not your own. Be a fool in the world's eyes as you seek to go out of your way for those that mistreat you. After all, it is the way of the Master. In His eyes you will be blessed. He has already declared, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12).

Christianity is Not Based on Principles

Christianity is not based on principles. It is based on a Savior. It is an ancient mistake that defines much of American religion today. Common misunderstandings include:

1. I've always been a Christian
2. I was raised a Christian
3. Living by Christian principles make us a Christian
4. Living by the 10 commandments make us a Christian
5. Living by the Golden Rule makes us a Christian
6. Being religious (the Jesus kind ofcourse) makes us a Christian

I don't write this to be mean or judgmental, but to warn against making a foundational mistake in Christianity. Paul wrote to the Galatian church, "...we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified" (Galatians 2:16). In fact, what the the law (including the 10 commandments) did was show Israel how truly sinful it was (along with the rest of mankind).

I wence when I somebody say that they are a Christian only to find that it is based on the fact that they follow the same principles as did their American forefathers. Nobody will enter the Kingdom of Heaven based on living a moral life. It would be better to deny the Bible altogether than to claim that it teaches something that it doesn't. Jesus did not come to point the way to a moral life. He did so, but that was not His purpose. Jesus said, "For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:13). Why? Because the Bible says that none are righteous (Romans 3:10-12). We have all sinned and therefore fall short of a Holy and perfect God (Romans 3:23). One sin falls short because God, by nature, cannot look upon sin. That is why we needed a Savior! That is what the Bible is all about... one cohesive love story about redemption!

This can only be recieved by faith. True repentant faith; that is realizing the need for a Savior because of your sin and in then accepting the free gift given by God through Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24-26). This is what the Bible means by being "born again" (John 3) or being made a "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is an act of salvation in which the one repenting and placing their faith in Jesus Christ recieve His Holy Spirit into their life. Only then can a moral life be acceptable to God as one walks in a personal relationship with Him; not because it saves the individual but rather Christian principles become an overflow of gratitude toward the One that saved them.

If Christian morals save, then the cross was pointless. As a pastor friend of mine often says, "Think about it."

Scott Hescht
http://www.psalm22.net/
http://www.lifespringfamily.org/

Who do you Love more than Jesus?

Matthew 10:34-39 (Jesus speaking)
³⁴ "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶ And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. ³⁷ Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

The words of Jesus here stand in stark contrast to how many would explain the Gospel. You might not hear this message preached in a lot of churches in America. Some may find themselves asking, "Jesus didn't come to bring peace but rather a sword? Isn't peace what the Gospel is all about."

Well, the truth is Jesus did come to bring peace, but the peace that He brings is between God and man, or better stated between God and those who call upon His Son in faith. However, many don't even realize that there exists strife between God and fallen mankind but that is not the point of this article. (see "God has not Forsaken You")

What Jesus is saying here is that His Word is going to cause strife between those who believe and those who don't. Many will not come to the light of Christ because it reveals the darkness of sin in their lives (John 3:19-20). Of course they won't admit that, they may not even admit it to themselves, but they will simply not like the light of Jesus within the believer. This is of course assuming that we live for Christ and aren't ashamedly putting our light under a basket (Matthew 5:14-16).

Jesus takes this a step further. This is where the message really hits home. There is the chance that members of your own family will reject the Gospel. We must be willing to forsake all in order to follow our Creator. This isn't a message of hate however. This is a message that calls us to put Jesus Christ where He belongs... on the Throne of God! This is a message that calls us to draw a line in the sand and take a stand as Christians. As Joshua said to the wishy washy people of Israel, "choose this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).

Ask yourself whom will you serve if your husband or wife will not follow the Lord? Whom will you serve if your mother or father will not follow the Lord. Whom will you serve? God almighty or your loved ones?

I get so discouraged to see people falling away because they are being dragged down by those close to them who are unbelieving. One woman that I must brag on because she is such an inspiration is a woman by the name of Sonya. Sonya is a friend of mine that has had her share of struggles, but she has taken a stand in her family and has chosen to serve the Lord regardless. I admire that. God admires that. God honors that. The way to love your family is not to be dragged down, but to stand up and let the light of Jesus Christ shine through you. If they are to have any hope of salvation it surely will not be by you giving up. We cannot set our loved ones... wives, husbands, sisters, brothers or even babies above God. That is idol worship and it is an abomination against our Creator. In order to love them properly (and more than we ever could otherwise), we must love God properly and faithfully.

Our call is to take up our cross, and just like Jesus, not look back. It won't be easy. If you continue to cling to the things of this life you will lose sight of Christ. Actually Jesus implies that if you are not willing to follow after Him in such a manner, you may have never truly had Him in your sights to begin with (v. 39). Don't get me wrong. The Bible teaches that once you are Christ's nothing can snatch you out of His hand (John 10:28-29). However, the Bible also teaches that those who are truly His persevere (Matthew 13:1-23). Faith in Jesus is a journey and not a single event. It lasts. It perseveres. It does not accept the truth and then go back to a former way of living.

When we are assured of the hope that lies before us, nothing can turn us back or stand in our way. We will forsake all that weighs us down in order that we might obtain the prize that awaits us in Christ Jesus.

Scott Hescht
Psalm 22 Ministries

The Grudge: A Call to Reconciliation

The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached Part XI

Reflections on the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5-7

(Commentary by Guy Glass and Scott Hescht)

Matthew 5:21-26 ²¹ "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' ²²But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.²³ So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵ Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Scott: At one time I prided myself in the idea that I had no personal enemies that I knew of. I tried to get along with everyone that I knew. It is interesting how things can change. Some have distanced themselves because of the gospel, and Jesus promised us that would happen if we follow Him (John 15:20). Unfortunately with others I cannot use that excuse. Although I would not call them enemies, let's just say that there are those who would rather not call me a friend. It really is unfortunate. What makes matters worse is that the division involves fellow believers.

Anger destroys and that is why Jesus put it up there with murder. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus doesn't just deal with the action, but goes straight to the root. Murder comes from a heart of anger. Now there is a Godly anger, but when Christians divide, God is far from it. Though there may be things that we would and wouldn't do differently if given a second chance, I think our sin nature attempts to place blame rather than to realize that damage has been done and as a result people have been hurt.

So, my brother has something against me. What shall I do? Jesus says don't come before God with your offering (worship) if you have not attempted to reconcile with that person. This is not something to take lightly because we can bring judgment upon ourselves by not carefully observing this command. Oh, how this ate at me!

What if they won't reconcile? Well, that isn't up to us. We have to do our part. The Apostle Paul declared, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" (Romans 12:18). Drop the pride and make peace. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). As far as it depends on you. That isn't ignoring the situation and declaring that you hold no grudges. It is facing the issue head on and attempting to reconcile. Attempt... that is all you can do. Approach them with a sincere heart. It isn't about being right. If they won't make peace, you did all you could. You love your brother or sister, your conscience is clear and you once again can approach the throne of God with confidence. I'm so glad I obeyed this command. You will be too.

Peacemaking and The Slippery Slope

A few weeks ago we discussed the difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking. Below is a chart created by Peacemaker Ministries using a biblical approach to conflict resolution. You may find it extremely useful when handling conflict in your own life.

Conflict can make life very awkward. It often catches us off guard and leads us to say and do things we later regret. When someone offends us, we often react without thinking. Soon it is as if we are sliding down a slippery slope and things are going from bad to worse. As the illustration shows, this slippery slope can drop off in two directions. (Read more here...)

© Peacemaker Ministries. From The Peacemaker by Ken Sande.

Used by permission. www.Peacemaker.net

For more information about biblical peacemaking, visit the Peacemaker Ministries web site at www.Peacemaker.net or contact Peacemaker Ministries at PO Box 81130, Billings, MT 59108 (406/256-1583).