Devotional - March 30, 2022
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
An audio recording of last Sunday's service can be found on our website: https://www.citrusspringscongregational.org
Bible Study at 10 am. on Wednesday
Choir practice Friday at 11:00 am.
Luke 20: 41-47
41 Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? 42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms:
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
43 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’Ps 110:1
44 David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”
45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
There are a lot of theories about Jesus' level of education. Some have suggested He would not have known how to read or write due to His level of poverty. Formal education was not something readily available to people of His time like it is today with our public school system. Yet, in order for Him to fulfill one of the obligations at His bar mitzvah, He would have had to know how to read from the Torah. Later, He does so when He informs the crowd gathered at the synagogue that He is the Messiah (Luke 4:21). From today's text, He shows that He not only reads, but understands what He reads. Let's take a moment and look at the text He cites as it is written in the Old Testament, Psalms 110:1
The Lord says to my Lord:
“Sit at My right hand
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
Did you notice the difference from the one cited in Luke? I underlined the words of concern. When the Hebrew text is brought over to the Greek and then to English the nuances found in the wording are missed. The point Jesus is making is found in the interpretation of the words. Notice the different spellings of the word LORD/Lord in the text I provided from the Psalms in the Old Testament and the one provided in the text by Luke. The Hebrew interpretation of LORD is YHWH. The name God gave to Moses (Exodus 3:14). It is the only time God gives a name to be called by. We interpret it as I AM. The implication of this name ranges from I AM as I WAS as I WILL BE -eternally consistent and present. At it's very root, it means being, breath, life. We use the word LORD because it also implies the power of God. The second time it is spelled, Lord, which is translated as Adoni. It references what people understood as a lord or even a king of their day. It points to the authority, status, and responsibility God has over God's Kingdom. That is why David calls God, my Lord, in the text. He is under the Lord's authority. Even though many years would pass until the coming of the Messiah, He would come from the line of David (the writer of the Psalms) and would be the King of the people of God (past, present and future). That is why David calls Him Lord even though He will be one of the sons of the Davidic line. He would be David's Lord even though He had not yet been born. Now we take the next step toward understanding God by way of the Trinity. Accepting that God can operate in two capacities and yet be one is a bit of a stretch for most people. How can God be, not just in two places, but in two "persons" and still be one entity? Herein lies one of the mysteries of our faith. When considered, it defies logic, but maybe not when we consider what the person is trying to prove? If it is how God can be in two places and identities at once, that can be tricky. But, where does it say God can not do that? It is amazing to read about the advancements in quantum theory. I do not understand the science of it, but the ideology suggests things can exist in many ways. Our question is not how God did it, but why. Through Jesus, God shows that God is faithful and gracious. The revelation of God through Jesus Christ brings us closer to understanding the essence of God. Who God is, and from it, we can build an authentic relationship with God. All of that is revealed in the first stanza of the text. The LORD (YHWH -the Eternal) says to my Lord (Adoni - the Lord of all who will come from the line of David): "Sit at My right hand. It is through Jesus Christ, the One who the world will know and understand, that I will rule. The right hand symbolizes active authority and power. And, I will bring all that is evil to an end, as is written in the prophecies.
We can go a lot deeper into what is said, but that covers the meaning of it. That covers what the teachers of the law were supposed to be teaching the people. Had they done so, people would have understood the Scriptures and in turn been in a better position to receive Jesus and the Messiah. They did not, instead, they used their positions for personal gain and were abusive in the worst ways. Jesus makes it clear, they will pay for their deeds. But as bad as the abuses are, don't miss the tragedy of not teaching people the Scriptures. Unfortunately, today many do not want to hear about them due to all the politics and abuse they see going on in the "church." We may not be able to stop all the corruption befalling "Christianity" today, but that does not excuse us from doing our part. Testify to others about your relationship with God. The key is being honest about it. One of my favorite things about YHWH is that I cannot outgrow God. There is always something new, something to be learned or discerned that the Spirit can reveal. Even in our weakness (2 Cor 12: 9-10), the power of God can move in amazing ways, all of which can be lost in our neediness and greed. But even worse is how, in a corrupted state, we affect others. So, Jesus not only warns the disciples, and us, about the teachers of the law, but also warns us not to be or become one of them. Self description is a slippery slope on which we can slowly descend even when we think we are doing the right thing. Our relationship with God and studying the Scriptures can help clarify how we perceive ourselves and the world around us, but take heed of where and how you get your information. Even from me, test what I say.
Pray with me... Holy God, quicken our faith. It is hard to believe when we have questions and concerns. When things that do not fit together, show us the way. Help us not to succumb to our fears and aggravations and in so doing, miss the life You have given us. Be with our loved ones, bless them in accordance with their needs. Be with our church, bless us, so we can be the blessing You need us to be, in Jesus name. Amen.
God's peace,
Pastor Brian
