Saturday, January 5

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Genesis 13, 14, 15   Matthew 5:1-26

13:1-13  Maintaining peace may mean giving up something of greater value.  But peace, both externally with others and internally with one's self is well worth the sacrifice.

13:12  Lot would have been much better off if he had stayed away from the wicked cities.  First we see that he pitched his tents near Sodom.  Later (chapter 19) he moved into the city and was even a leader among them.

13:15  The land where Abraham was becomes a his offspring's forever.  Many people, even up to the present time, have tried to change that.  This verse looks like they will not succeed.

14:14 Abraham must have been exceedingly wealthy if among all his other servants and slaves he had 318 men trained for battle.  There must have also been those who were not trained for battle, and women, and children.  There could have easily been 1000 people under Abraham.

14:18 – Melchizedek was priest of God Most High.  Being a priest, Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.  Giving a tenth is a biblical practice.  On the average, Christians in America give only about 2.7% to God.  If American Christians would give 10% there would be more than $100 billion to help the needy people of the world.  And Christians would be more highly regarded and God would be more highly regarded.  (American Family Association Journal, January 2013, p18)  Just imagine how much good could be done in the world with that amount of money – people fed, improved health care, more educational opportunities, reduced reliance upon crime to support families, etc.  I also believe that if we gave more God would bless us even further and we could give more and more!  May everyone who reads this determine to be give generously to God.

15:1  This is another great verse of the Bible.  We really need to understand what God is saying to Abraham.  Abraham by this time was extremely wealthy.  He was highly respected.  He was powerful enough to make battle with a confederacy of four kings and win.  But God is saying that none of these is his reward.  We need to see that the same is true of us.  Education is not our reward.  Wisdom is not our reward. Great farm land is not our reward.  A wonderful family is not our reward. Wealth is not our reward.  God was two things for Abraham.  God will be two things for us also.  We also should not be afraid.  Abraham was to not be afraid because he had God, and God was promising to be two things for him.  God was his shield.  God was his reward.  What more could he want?  And what more could we want?  Would we rather have millions of dollars?  Would we rather have a 100-room house with servants to keep it in shape?  If we have God that is enough.  If we trust God then we need not be afraid, we have enough.  We have a shield and a reward.

15:2-6  We often have difficulty believing that God is enough.  We should not feel too bad.  It appears that Abraham also struggled to believe this.  He could not understand how God would give the land of Canaan to his offspring when he had no children.  His mind could not fathom how these seeming contradictions could possibly work out.  But remember, God was his shield and his great reward.  Remember also "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  God is able to do whatever He chooses.  Abraham saw a problem he could not solve.  The wonderful thing about that is that he did not need to solve that problem.  He had a God who was his shield and his great reward.  We also have a God who is our shield and our great reward.  Abraham came to faith.  He believed that he would indeed have a son of his own who would be his heir.  Abraham believed the Lord and He credited it to him as righteousness.  May we each believe God fully.

15:13-21  God knew exactly how the future would unfold.  Keep reading and see that all God told Abraham happened exactly as promised.  Let us also believe God's promises.

Matthew 5:13-16  There is too much that could be written about each verse of the Sermon on the Mount.  It would not be good to write so much.  Let me start by saying that if we are Christians then we are salt and we are light.  We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  Jesus said we are.  If the world is slipping into darkness whose fault is it?  The darkness is not supposed to light the world.  We often blame the world, but much of the blame lies with those who are supposed to be light.  Does our light shine?  One thing light does is expose.  Light allows things to be seen, things and actions and motives of the heart.  Let us be light.  Let us expose sin.  What is sin?  Read the Sermon on the Mount and find out.  Then, not just the Sermon on the Mount but the rest of the Bible also.

5:21-22  Talk about exposing sin!  Murder is a very overt action.  Hate is in the heart.  Jesus fulfills the law against murder by getting at the root cause – hate. 

Time to close.  May God bless you.  Enjoy worship tomorrow in church.

Larry