May 2-6, 2022
Reflections from Matthew 22
Who's Your Daddy?
May 6, 2022 • Olivia Tew • Matthew 22:41–44
DNA tests are really having a moment, aren't they? It seems like everyone around us is learning about their earliest ancestors and cultural identity. I have recently been told some interesting information about my own heritage, going all the way back to the Revolutionary War. But the cynic in me begs the question, “how do I really know if this is true?” Genealogy was, and still is, a big part of Jewish culture. So, why does Jesus choose to bring up his own family line to the teachers of the law? While the Pharisees were still there, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose family will he come from? They answered, “He will be a son of King David.” Jesus replied, “How then could the Spirit lead David to call the Messiah his Lord? David said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right side until I make your enemies into a footstool for you.’” (Matthew 22:41-44) This whole passage can seem rather confusing. But the point Jesus was driving at was He is fully man, coming from the line of David, and also fully God! He stood in front of the Pharisees saying, “I’m here. I’m Him. I’m the Messiah!” Time and again these teachers could not (would not) accept Jesus as THE Messiah. After seeing this line of questioning I wonder if they would have accepted anyone? Even having been presented with so much evidence—fulfilled prophecies, genealogical data, signs, and wonders—the Pharisees couldn’t accept the truth. So where does this leave us? Will we accept truth, even if it presents itself in an unexpected way? Will we see God’s hand at work in our lives, even if it looks differently than we’d hoped? "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see." (Hebrews 11:1-2, The Message)
The Greatest Commandment
May 5, 2022 • Olivia Tew • Matthew 22:34–40
Have you ever had a conversation with a four-year-old? Their attention span is short. Their logic is just starting to develop, so explanations need to be simple and pointed. You must take big ideas and strip them down to the basics. There is no nuance, flowery language, or logical explanations involved in conversations like these. But the best part is the incredible insight you can gain when you simplify. We adults LOVE to overcomplicate things. When reading through Matthew 22:34-40 I was struck with how Jesus kept it simple. He knew the Pharisees were trying (yet again) to entrap him. He knew everyone there was well versed in the law, but he chose to simplify. He took the entirety of the ten commandments and drilled it down to one idea: RELATIONSHIP. Jesus was THERE in the garden when man breathed his first breath. He was THERE when they listened to Satan’s lies and ate the fruit. He was THERE when the flood waters rose around the ark. He was THERE when Israel demanded a king. And so on and so on. From the very beginning it was clear relationships are the most important thing in life. How it must have grieved Him to have lost the daily walks in the garden. How it must have pained Him to know so many would deny His very existence. Yet, He valued relationships so much He took the form of a man to walk among us again. He bore our sins on a cross and conquered death itself to make a way for us to be with him forever. So simple, but so meaningful. Jesus answered: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39) The entire framework for how to live on this earth and have peace in eternity in just a few words. It’s not heady or complex. In fact, it’s so simple even a child could understand.
Splitting Hairs
May 4, 2022 • Olivia Tew • Matthew 22:23–33
Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone who always has a rebuttal for you? “The sky is blue,” you say. “Oh no, that’s actually cerulean,” they reply. It’s even worse when it’s a theological discussion and the person seems to be completely missing the intent of the passage. Maybe Jesus was 30.75 years old at this death, instead of 30, but does that change anything? Not really. In Matthew 22:23-33 it seems the Sadducees were master hair splitters. They presented him the most unbelievable scenario to prove him theologically wrong. It’s such a great moment when Jesus says in verse 29: "You are completely wrong! You don't know what the Scriptures teach. And you don't know anything about the power of God." Once again Jesus came along and challenged the popular view of God’s kingdom! He was telling them His kingdom doesn’t operate like this world and neither will it in the resurrection. God raising believers to life is the ultimate fulfillment of their relationship with God, more than any human relationship could ever hope to offer. Jesus didn’t need to figure out who this poor woman would spend eternity with, she would be with HIM! But Jesus doesn’t just stop there: "And as for people being raised to life, God was speaking to you when he said, 'I am the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' He isn't the God of the dead, but of the living." (Matthew 22:31,32) The ultimate mic drop situation! Oh, and just in case there was any doubt, I’m the Messiah. I’m God. The same one your ancestors worshiped and I’m here for YOU. No wonder the passage ends by saying the crowds were amazed! Thousands of years later I’m amazed. God steps into a humanity that constantly doubts Him and continues to pursue us. The living God wants to make us alive with Him! "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…" (Ephesians 2:4 5)
Life, Death, and Taxes
May 3, 2022 • Olivia Tew • Matthew 22:17–22
We’re all familiar with Ben Franklin’s famous quote, “In this life the only certainty is death and taxes.” Taxes aren’t fun, but we’ve gotten used to them. We also live a democracy where sometimes we feel like we get a bit of say in where our tax dollars are going. Not so in the days of Jesus. Tax collectors were employed by the Romans, usually very corrupt and despised by most. We already know the Jewish leaders had strong opinions about Jesus’ associates. We see over and over in the gospel accounts where they tried to entrap Jesus with various technicalities of Jewish culture. In this particular passage, taxes were the subject: "Tell us what you think! Should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?” Jesus knew their evil thoughts and said, “Why are you trying to test me? You show-offs! Let me see one of the coins used for paying taxes.” They brought him a silver coin, and he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?” (Matthew 22:17-20, CEV) You see, Jesus used every opportunity to point back to the Kingdom of God. He wasn’t hung up on the idea of whether taxes should be paid, but the posture of hearts. He cut right to the heart of the question, “You show-offs.” Time and again Jesus uses a mundane part of the human experience to point to a kingdom principal. He was also demonstrating to his followers that His kingdom isn’t advanced by huge political statements or radical demonstrations, but by approaching every situation with humility. In fact, the whole of Jesus’s life was a lesson in humility from his birth in a stable to his death on a cross. Then Jesus told them, “Give Caesar what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.” His answer surprised them so much that they walked away. (Matthew 22:21-22) Sometimes the simplest answer is just to be humble and do what’s right. In a society that’s obsessed with status and how things look to the outside world, that’s a pretty obvious difference. This week I’ll take some time to ask God: In what areas of my life do I need more humility? In my attempt to “look good” am I taking my eyes (and worse, the eyes of others) off You? What does walking daily in humility look like for me?
VIP
May 2, 2022 • Olivia Tew • Matthew 22:1–14
Do you remember the kid in school who had the BEST parties? Were you invited? Or worse, you weren’t invited but had to hear the chosen ones gush about it for days and weeks after? If we’re truly honest, we all love a little exclusivity. It makes us feel special and important. Don't you always want to open an email that says, “An exclusive offer just for you!”? When reading the parable of the wedding banquet in Matthew 22:1-14 I’ve always been puzzled. Why wouldn’t everyone want to attend the most exclusive party in town? The king’s son’s wedding? Yes, please! In the days in which Jesus was telling this parable it was customary to receive an invitation for an event, but not know the time it would take place. Then when everything was prepared a messenger would call on you. Oh, the anticipation! So, these invited guests were not caught off guard, they simply couldn't be bothered. “And he sent his servants to call those who had [previously] been invited to the wedding feast, but they refused to come. Then he sent out some other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened calves are butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.” (Matthew 22:3-4, Amplified) Think about how this relates to our relationship with God. Time and again the Bible talks about God calling us, beckoning us, knocking on the door…Yet, how do we usually respond? I know too often for me it’s, “I’m too busy right now, but maybe later.” And even worse, in the parable, their apathy turned to contempt, and they murder the messengers! Have you seen this happen? Have you seen a believer just slip away? Has it happened to you? Sometimes it's not a huge falling out with the Lord; it’s more of a slow burn that turns to a flicker, then goes out. You might find yourself resenting the church people that never noticed your flame going out. That festers and after a while you want nothing to do with church people, church, or even God. Read up to verse 14 to find out what the king thinks about those who rejected him. It’s not a pretty picture. But even more, verse 14 says, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” We’ve all been given the invitation. But how do we respond? Will we be waiting in anticipation or too busy to even be bothered? Reading this parable reminds me again, that I’ve been gifted the most incredible VIP pass in the universe, and I need to be ready!