August 2009 Archives

In this chapter, Jesus addresses the issues of Marriage, Money and Power. Because of the great confusion over marriage and the issue of divorce, we are focusing on that one issue for today. Jesus’ instruction has often been interpreted as a blanket prohibition against divorce except for adultery. Understood within the context of his day, it seems clear that Jesus was addressing a specific kind of divorce, what was known as the “any cause” divorce. While we should hold a high vision for marriage, we must also be careful that we do not demand that people remain in dangerous or destructive relationships because of a misplaced desire to follow Jesus’ command.

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Jesus not only calls us to live as a community, he instructs us how to live as one. The Bible is filled with such instructions that we at Beacon have called the “one anothers.” Eveyone who becomes a member at Beacon signs a covenant to live out these “one anothers.” In Matthew 18, Jesus instructs us to not only forgive one another, but to lovingly confront one another as well. Do we have the heart to confront in love? Do we have the courage to accept such confrontation? What Jesus asks is not easy but it is absolutely essential if we are to be the kind of life-giving community that he desires.

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Jesus finally gives his disciples a glimpse of who he truly is. They can see his divine nature with their own eyes. But seeing is not believing; believing is to listen and obey. God tells those who witness Jesus’ transfiguration that they should “Listen to him!” Are we willing to listen to him? Are we willing to offer Jesus what we have, all that we have, and see what he can do with it?

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When people encounter Jesus, they often don’t get it and they react with fear. But some do get it and they receive him in faith. Peter definitely “got it” when he made the ultimate confession of faith, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” You are the one! The first thing Peter did after this was to tell Jesus “No” and “Never.” If we are not careful, conviction can turn to overconfidence and we can begin to dictate to God what he should and shouldn’t do. Even when we do “get it,” even when we do receive him in faith, we must always be ready to admit that there is much that we still do not understand.

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