May 30, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 26:47-54
OBSERVATIONS/APPLICATION
This past Sunday the reading was Psalm 35, where David feels betrayed: “They pay me back with evil, even though I was good to them.” (Psalm 35:12)
This is what happens to Jesus too, He is betrayed by a kiss, at the hand of someone He has loved and served.
Yet like David in Psalm 35, Jesus is confident in God’s goodness and rightness.
The disciples seem to forget about God, they take matters into their own hands.
But Jesus reminds them that fulfilling God’s will and purpose, even when life gets hard, is still the best way.
It’s not that we must be doormats whenever bad things happen, but we must always do the right thing.
Don’t become like the enemy that fights us, don’t use the same weapons they use.
Listen to Paul’s advice: “My friends, don’t try to get even. Leave room for God to show his anger. It is written, “I am the One who judges people. I will pay them back,” (Deuteronomy 32:35) says the Lord. Do just the opposite. Scripture says, “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. By doing those things, you will pile up burning coals on their heads.” (Proverbs 25:21,22) Don’t let evil overcome you. Overcome evil by doing good. (Romans 12:19-21)
The problem with ‘lex talionis’ (the law of retaliation, eye for eye and tooth for tooth) is that everyone ends up blind and toothless, it doesn’t solve anything.
God ‘s purpose is greater: by responding to evil with good, evil is overcome and good triumphs!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, you could easily have used force to fix the worlds problem, but that would only have increased the problem. Help me to trust that goodness and rightness always triumphs, that it is not weak but the strongest possible response.
Observations:
Jesus had just finished His prayers when the betrayers came and seized Him. One of Jesus’ companions seized his sword and cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest, but Christ told him to put his sword away. God’s will be done.
Application:
God’s will must be done.
Remember the beatitudes? Totally opposite of what the thought or the mind set of the day was. Here once again, going against all what came natural – draw the sword. Rather, love your enemy. Do good. Be a living example of God’s power. As far as it depends upon you, live at peace with all mankind. God is in control. Do His will and let Him reign in you and through you.
Prayer:
Help me each day Lord to be an instrument of Your peace. It is only by Your power and presence I am strong.
1. Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me bring you love;
Where there is injury, your healing pow’r,
And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
2. Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, – only light,
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.
3. O Spirit, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consolded as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love with all my soul – .
4. Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving to all that we receive,
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.