I love the sermons I hear on Sunday
morning. Each time I am able to find a spiritual nugget or two. Spiritual
insight and understanding that helps me in my own life and hopefully proves to
be an encouragement to those who read the words that I write. I wrote about the
difference between insulation and isolation.
The Pharisees believed that the way to personal holiness was
isolation. Have nothing to do with those
who were not of the Jewish faith but more, anyone who was a sinner – unholy.
That way, they would not be tainted by the world and sin. With respect to the Pharisees
– Jesus had this to say.
“Blind guides, who strain out a gnat
and swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you
cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion
and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and
dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear
beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all
uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you
are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” – Matthew 23:24-28
God gave us those words, not so we could
read an interesting story, but heed the warning and understand the dangers that
lay along the path we trod. There is a temptation to separate ourselves –
isolate ourselves from the world as a way to protect our gift of salvation. To follow
the way of the Pharisee. Thinking that
if we wash the outside of our cup, keep it clean by not associating with the
unclean, then the inside of the cup will be protected.
Jesus embraced the sinners but not their sin. Holiness starts in the inside to the outside –
not the other way around. Associating with people who are not Christians is
what we have been called to do. It is what Jesus did. Participating in their sin
– their life choices is not what Jesus did and not what we are supposed to do. So
how do we do it? How did Jesus do it? He kept His focus on the Father.
“But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father
has been working until now, and I have been working.’ ….. Then Jesus answered
and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of
Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son
also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all
things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these,
that you may marvel.’” – John 5:17,19-20
When I was in Haiti, I had the
opportunity to give a devotion to a group of missionaries from the U.S. Many of
them shared about their struggles with being in a country like Haiti – natural and
spiritual. I told them that if God had not called them to be in Haiti then they
should go home. Being in a country like
Haiti is very difficult – many hardships – things that are difficult to bear
unless you have the Spiritual strength to endure them. The same is true for reaching a lost world.
The safe thing would seem to be to isolate yourself to minimize the risk. The right thing to do is to insulate yourself
by the power of the Spirit and fulfill your purpose which is to point a lost
and dying world to a loving God and his Son.
“And Jesus came and spoke to them,
saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore
and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that
I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”
– Mark 13:32-37
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For
His Glory Alone
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