GOD’S WORD FOR FEBRUARY 6 ~ ~ Matthew 22:37-40 ~ ~ “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

YOUR PERSONAL PROMISES:

Psalm 56:8

You number my wanderings;  Put my tears into Your bottle;

Are they not in Your book?

We’re in John MacArthur’s book, “Parables” ~ ~talking about the parable in Matthew chapter 20 about the owner of the vineyard paying laborers.  This part is entitled:

THE PURPOSE

Why did Jesus devise this parable in this context?  The events Matthew relates before and after the parable answer that question.

Our Lord gave this analogy primarily for the benefit of His twelve disciples immediately after His conversation with the rich young ruler.  This young man of great wealth and influence had come to Jesus asking, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16).  He may have been fishing for praise, because he clearly thought he had fulfilled every spiritual duty and that his life was well in order.  He certainly looked like a promising evangelistic prospect.

But rather than simply giving him the good news of the gospel, Jesus challenged him on his obedience to the law.  When the fellow insisted, “All these things I have kept from my youth.  What do I still lack?” (vs 19-20).  Jesus told him to sell all his possessions, give the profits to the poor, and follow Him.  That was a sacrifice the young man wasn’t willing to make.

Jesus thus exposed the fact that the young ruler loved his possessions more than he loved either God or his neighbor.  In other words, although he claimed to have kept the entire law of God, he was in violation of both the first and second great commandments (See today’s verse above).  But the man still did not acknowledge that.  Unwilling to face his sin and repent, he “went away sorrowful”  (19:22).

The disciples were clearly stunned when Jesus seemed to put obstacles in the rich young ruler’s way rather than encouraging him.  They were baffled:  “Who then can be saved?”  (verse 25).

Jesus’ answer stresses the fact that salvation is God’s work, not something any sinner can accomplish for himself:  “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”. (verse 26).

So the disciples were thinking about the impossibility of meriting God’s favor.  They were no doubt examining their own hearts.  Unlike the rich ruler, they HAD in fact left all to follow Christ (v. 27).  And they were looking for some assurance from Christ Himself that their sacrifice wasn’t all for naught.  That is what prompted this parable.

As the rich young ruler walked away, it was Peter who spoke up on behalf of all the disciples and said, “See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?” (v. 27).  The Twelve were like the 6:00 a.m. group in the parable.  They were the first ones Jesus called at the start of His ministry.  They had been working through the heat of the day, for a lot longer than twelve hours.  It had already been nearly three years.  They had given up homes, jobs, and relationships to serve Christ.  With the sole exception of Judas, they certainly loved Jesus.  All of them would go on to give their lives for the gospel’s sake.  They wanted to know what they would receive for their sacrifice.

(Tomorrow we’ll see how Jesus deals with that and why).

**************  *****************

Mark 9:35

And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.

Matthew 10:38

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Published by liveinthelightofourlord

View all posts by liveinthelightofourlord