Have you ever heard the term
blood is thicker than water? It’s a phrase often used when we want to impress that family bonds are stronger than friendships. And while you may think the meaning is obvious, I think it goes much deeper than it suggests. I once heard a saying that I like much more, and it goes like this, "the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” The first saying speaks to physical ties, but the second speaks to the essence of what’s inside a person. I think the later version is what Jesus is implying in Matthew 12:46-50 - which is below. Scripture says, “As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.” Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.” Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” Matthew 12:46-50 When I first read this scripture I took offense, and thought, “How can Jesus be so insensitive and care-less?” But now I get it because I have the knowledge of the Holy Spirit. “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from ONE Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.” Hebrews 2:11-12 You see, Jesus does not make a distinction between friends and family, to Him they are one on the same. The blood of the covenant is more important than the water of the womb, because it is connected to the one true God. I believe this spiritual concept is also highlighted through the parable of the Master Gardener. Listen to this - Jesus says, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But IF you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:1-17 You see, to Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit there are only two kinds of people: those alive and those who are dead. We have been charged by the Holy Spirit to make the same kind of distinction when choosing our friends and family - we are called to be equally yoked and led by the Holy Spirit. Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 “Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. When you enter the home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day." Matthew 10:11-15 #Maranatha
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As I dive into scripture I am excavating loads of truth!
While Jesus shared his mercy, and his grace, He spoke about truth more than anything else! Some of his words are direct and harsh - I guess there’s not too many ways to speak around repentance. Some of his messages are often hidden in parables, and it’s only through Holy Spirit knowledge that one can discern it. But all require an understanding of the Old Testament, where the Prophets of Old foretell the story of Christ. Today’s message in Matthew speaks to all the above, so grab your shovel and let’s dig in. “One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.” But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here - but you refuse to repent. The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.” Matthew 12:38-42 Isn’t it amazing how God shed his light into the dark, to make sure that the truth comes out. And it's also incredible to see how the lives of the Prophets replicated aspects of the Son of God. I always loved the story of Hosea, because his life represented how much God loves an adulterous generation. But in this passage, Jesus chose to speak about Jonah, to be able share a miraculous sign of what is to come. He said he would be in the belly of the earth for three days and three nights, just like Jonah was in the belly of a whale - where he could no longer run from the voice of God. Upon his exit from the center of darkness, Jonah went to Nineveh to tell the kingdom to repent. The wicked king, who stood over all of it, listened to Jonah - and he put on burlap and took his linen off while he cried out to God. He ordered everyone in the kingdom to do the same - and an adulterous generation that was doomed like Sodom, was lost but now found. Jesus, like Jonah, was about to be separated from God for 3 days and nights, in the pit of hell. And just like Jonah, he would be spit back out out, to finish the mission to which He was sent. And then Jesus would be like Noah. He would send a great flood. For 40 days and nights, between resurrection and ascension, Jesus spoke about His Kingdom that would come. Now I need you to accept a drop of his rain, and listen closely to what He has said. "When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” Matthew 12:38-45 NLT You see, evil spirits need a home. They can not live in the desert all alone; A spirit needs a host upon which to lay his head; A spirit needs a person upon which to bear children. The Word of God tells us that without God, we are completely evil - living in complete darkness, void of His light. Evil spirits - roaming and wandering all around the earth. Evil spirits - bound to endless sin. In our depravity, we have turned everything around. We think we are good, and think God is bad. We think evil is separated from the core of who we are; and we think we are love when we really aren’t. We apply spirits to the sun and to the moon - we apply our very essence to everything we see. When is the last time, you have looked within? When is the last time you compared your reflection to the Image of God? I tell you this, and I do not lie - the only thing worthy is the spirit that is connected to God - and that can only happen through the blood of Christ. “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.” Ephesians 5:8-9 I share with you the words that Paul pressed upon Timothy, “Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to find fault over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.” 1 Timothy 6:3-5 You see, the only way to read and understand the Holy Bible is to have the mind of Christ. The only way to put His words into your heart is to be indwelled by His Holy Spirit. If you are reading this and all of it makes sense, may the Most High God bless you beyond measure. You have been chosen to live in the Light, you have been transformed by the Spirit of Truth. #maranatha |
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