6 Jesus Teachings In The Bible 2

We continue from where we left off on Jesus Teachings In The Bible and expounding further on scripture.

d) On coming judgments Luke 12:1-13:9

We are warned not to place our trust in possessions but rather in the Lord. He tells the parable of the rich fool, who on amassing a large amount of wealth, who now sits back looking forward to enjoying it as though he is a master of his own destiny. At the very point where he sits back, his soul is recalled and all his hard work goes to nought. It’s assumed that he lived as a “scrooge”, thinking only of his wealth and himself.

 

Our Lord time and again tells us to build our wealth in heaven by acts of almsgiving, prayer, fasting, and neighbourliness. The wealth on earth will be left here, just like the parable of the rich fools was. You can’t carry the wealth with you, but you can certainly carry the benefits of good acts using it. 

Jesus is telling us to carry with us, kindness, charity, compassionate acts, and so on. Use what is material to create spiritual goods for others and eternal life for yourself. You are encouraged to be selfish in your quest for eternal life; a selfish desire for heaven will produce a selfless character on earth.

Tissot- He wept, John 11:25-45 

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e) On truthful teaching Matt 7:15-22

There are many false teachers in the world today and you will know them by their fruits. Our priestly class is meant to live as He did, minimally and in support of the poor. He came for the poor, suffering sinners, lovers of justice and truth, and so on. 

If you look at the lives of the saints, many gave up all their worldly possessions, in line with the promise that Jesus gave regarding this, namely to repay one hundredfold, whatever they give up on the earth, in their aim to attain heaven through humble and ascetic lives in the service of Christ. 

Stevens- Zaccheus in the Sycamore Luke 19:1-15

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I believe that the lives of consecrated persons are a calling; a calling to save the souls of men against the evil one. If you find that your preacher acts more like a businessman than in the difficult cross of Christ, then I say be cautious. I am not saying that they should live in squalor, but rather that their focus should be on God's Kingdom, and not on what they will eat, drink or wear. A clear warning has been left for these kinds of people…” Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness”. 

A modern parallel of false teaching is the prosperity gospel. The Lord tells us to seek first His Kingdom. It does not follow that He will reciprocate with dollars and cents. Seeking His kingdom and finding it, is blessing enough. He constantly tells us to be wary of mammon, for we cannot serve Him and the things of this world simultaneously. It is either we serve the light or the darkness; one will be our true guide, and only one. It amazes me that there seems to be no fear of the consequences of false preaching. Do we forget that death is inevitable, and a judgment has been promised to us? 

f) On where sin begins (Matt 5:21-30)

Jesus refines the law, stating that the heart is the source of sin. It is from the heart that first the idea of sin is fomented. Murder will start with hate; adultery with lust and so on. The Lord is telling us to fight sin at its very source. He is telling us to ignore these suggestions and fill our minds with His lessons on righteousness. He uses hyperbole (exaggeration) to demonstrate that anything that causes one to sin should be “cut off”. This is extended to things, people, ideas, friends, places, situations, concepts, and so on. 

An important step towards avoiding temptation is knowing yourself. Your weaknesses are likely to be the spark toward sin. Avoid situations, places, and people that are likely to trigger your weakness and the sin thereafter. There is normally a pattern. By knowing yourself, you will know what you must give up to keep the sin at bay. 

g) On Marriage (Matt 5:31)

Whoever divorces except for immorality causes one's spouse to commit adultery and whoever marries such a one, commits adultery. Jesus refined the understanding of marriage, from the perspective of Heaven, in a society that was frivolous about divorce. It doesn’t seem to have changed much today. 

We are not to be frivolous in our relationships, quitting at the slightest opportunity because the world teaches us to do so. He was very clear on marriage, both on its importance and the fact that it is meant to be a lifelong union despite all the difficulties. 

Today, as was the case in yesteryear, there are many circumstances that may warrant a divorce, however, the church should ideally be the final arbiter, judging on the basis of Jesus' teachings. Legalities aside, this is a matter of faith. As a Christian, you must subject yourself to the church's authority.

 Our Lord spoke of the two great commandments, one of which is the love of neighbour as oneself. Surely is not the love of spouse and children, a carrying out of this great commandment on neighbourliness? I believe that marriage is one of the best ways to fulfil our duty to our neighbour. To truly understand and love another human being despite waning beauty, disappearing wealth, and hardships of one nature or the other is as neighbourly as you can get. 

The fact that you have children or a spouse, does not remove the fact that they are not you and by definition are strangers and thus neighbour’s to you. They may have a part of your genetic makeup, but they are not you. I have always felt that the institution was created by our maker, to teach us neighbourly behaviour as a means of getting us to heaven. Of course, there is procreation, but what better way to teach us tenderness, care, concern, and so on. Additionally, where such positive neighbourly traits are practised in earnest, the product will be God-loving and gentle human beings who will begin the cycle of tenderness and genteelness again with their own offspring. 

Reubens- Christ on the cross Matthew- 27:32-56

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Your love for your spouse and children (if so blessed), despite all the difficulties you endure, if not getting you to heaven directly, will certainly earn you air miles for getting there. 

h) On inner light Matt 6:19-24

This is a reference to the soul. If you are preoccupied with what is earthly, you will not see what is heavenly. Greed, lust, material things, and so on are what will dominate your heart, thoughts, and thus the soul. 

It is impossible for such a person to be the bigger one, accepting slight with a smile; forgiving even where not deserved; exhibiting weakness for the sake of the common good, and so on. Christ was the absolute suffering servant, and as a consequence, we are today his disciples. To truly love as Christ did, is to suffer and in so doing, have great light.

Who is the church? You are the church! Imagine a big building that encompasses the earth and within it all of mankind. This is the church, and within it, there are those that have no idea it exists, and then there is you. How does one inform those unknowledgeable that it exists? Well, that's where inner and outer light, salt, and the other metaphors mentioned by our Lord come in. You must be different. The idea is that slowly but surely, those who know become more, because of being attracted to your light and salt, and those unknowledgeable become less.

Enjoy