8/9/2019 What To Do When Your Salvation Is On the Line
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What To Do When Your Salvation Is On the LineA Commentary on
Matthew 21-25
Jesus' teaching, though in parabolic form, is actually quite
scandalous. Calling thenations to judgment is something long looked
forward to by the Israelites. Their
attitude, both throughout the Old Testament and into the New,
was to look down onthe nations and to look up to...themselves.
After all, they were the recipients of God'sgrace; they were the
ones called to be God's people through their father, Abraham;they
were the ones led out of Egypt by Moses into the promised land;
they were theones given the law; they were the ones given God's
glory in the Davidic lineage; theywere the ones who merely needed
to wait out the nations until God sent his promisedmessiah and lord
in David's line to free the people and rescue them for God.
Yet, when the nations are gathered by Jesus (the Son of Man; the
King) they areseparated by him. They are not separated by
nationality or ethnicity. Rather, they areseparated as though they
were animalsthey were separated into two types, two
camps. They were separated based on deeds done or not done; not
by perceivedvalue; and not by categories decided by nationality,
religion ("law"), or lineage("children of Abraham").
These separation criteria find fulfillment in judgment. The
reason for separation isclearnot everyone did the will of their
Father, which was surprising to some wholooked to improve their
religious lot in life. They were separated to be judged. Thosewho
loved Jesus received eternal life. Those who didn't love Jesus
received eternalpunishment. It's that simple.
How did they love Jesus? By serving the least of his brothers
and sisters; because in
doing so, they served him. How did they dis-love Jesus? By not
serving the least of hisbrothers and sisters; because when they
overlooked them because of their own self-importance, they
overlooked Jesus.
But how did Jesus arrive at this teaching? It has been building.
Jesus didn't get here inhis teaching without precedent.
His teaching began to take on a different, sharper tone once he
reached Jerusalemand knew that his life was coming to an end. As he
operated within Jerusalem andlooked toward the end, he taught that
the kingdom of God is about simple, childlikefaith and
fruit-bearing actions and activities (Matt. 21:15-22). He talked
about the
great reversal in God's kingdom which is centered around him,
where many who thinkthey should be involved completely miss their
opportunity, while many who wouldexpect to be left out are in fact
both invited and welcomed in (Matt. 22:1-14).
To those who claimed to be concerned about the law (even while
they tried to trapJesus in his teaching), Jesus said that love of
God and neighbor fulfill all the
2010 Jeremy Hoover / www.jeremyhoover.com /
[email protected]
8/9/2019 What To Do When Your Salvation Is On the Line
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What To Do When Your Salvation Is On the LineA Commentary on
Matthew 21-25
commands of the law (Matt. 23:34-40). He condemned hypocrisy by
calling out thePharisees and teachers of the law for leading others
astray with their teaching that is
focused on obedience of the law for its own sake rather than to
please God (Matt.23).
Finally, he brought it full circleJesus taught about his own
coming (Matt. 24). Thekey is to be prepared and diligent, doing
good to those you influence (Matt. 24:42-51). Jesus then amplifies
this teaching in a series of parables (Matt. 25). First,
fivevirgins who were to be part of the wedding banquet missed out
because of failure topay attention and plan for contingencies
(Matt. 25:1-13). Second, one servant whowas given money by his
master to do good with missed out because he became fearfulof his
master and failed to use the resources given him to increase his
master's reachand kingdom (Matt. 25:14-30). Third, the cursed (who
were very surprised to find
themselves considered as such) found themselves condemned for
failure to search outand serve the least of the King's brothers and
sisters, whom he shared solidarity with(Matt. 25:31-46).
We are to live in God's kingdom, being watchful, attentive,
diligent in good, using theresources God has given us to serve and
love the least among us. By doing so, weserve and love our master,
Jesus.
2010 Jeremy Hoover / www.jeremyhoover.com /
[email protected]
