God's Last Words

Fruit Inspector
Matthew 5: 13-20

 

A newlywed farmer and his wife were visited by her mother, who immediately demanded an inspection of the place. The farmer had genuinely tried to be friendly to his new mother-in-law, hoping that it could be a friendly, non-antagonistic relationship.
      It was not to be, as she kept nagging them at every opportunity, demanding changes, offering unwanted advice, and generally making life unbearable to the farmer and his new bride.

     While they were walking through the barn, during the forced inspection, the farmer's mule suddenly reared up and kicked the mother-in-law in the head, killing her instantly. It was a shock to EVERYONE no matter their feelings toward her.

      At the funeral service a few days later, the farmer stood near the casket and greeted folks as they walked by. The pastor noticed that whenever a woman would whisper something to the farmer, he would nod his head yes and say something. Whenever a man walked by and whispered to the farmer, however, he would shake his head no, and mumble a reply.
      Very curious as to this seemingly strange behavior, the pastor asked the farmer what that was all about. The farmer replied, "The women would say, 'What a terrible tragedy' and I would nod my head and say 'Yes, it was.'

       The men would then ask, 'Can I borrow that mule?' and I would shake my head and say, 'Can't do it, it's all booked up for a year.'"

Let’s start a little differently today – my question is “What is the most overused Bible verse?”

      Some people would say John 3: 16 and that Christians are always saying it and waving it everywhere. They’d remind you of “Rainbow” man who seems to be at every sporting event with his sign that says “John 3: 16.”

     Tim Tebow got in trouble with his use of Bible verses as well.

     Other people may say the phrase “Repent and be saved.” Still others may say, “The End of the world is near.” While not actual scriptural passages these phrase are close to scriptural content, but don’t pass muster for the most overused verse.

     Think of our culture and you get a clue. Political correctness. No absolute right or wrong. Hypersensitivity to the rights of individuals.The new thing is the “phrase” homosexuals are now using (“micro-aggression”) every time a Christian speaks out against their behavior. Now we’re close.

      The answer is, obviously, “Don’t judge lest you be judged!” (BTW, I agree.)

       Isn’t that the reputation that others pin on Christians especially regarding the perception of sins?That Christians judge others? That Christians seem to have a sense of entitlement that makes them feel superior to others?

       No matter how much we try to separate sin from sinner there is always a distortion of understanding in unbelievers who can’t understand the purity of God’s Love.

Friends we are like the boy who was helping his mother serve pie to a large dinner party. Each time he would place a piece of pie in front of his father, only to see his father pass it on to another diner. Finally the boy said to his father, “It’s no use dad, mom cut all the pieces of the pie the same size.”

       Christians operate in a world where God’s grace is equally given and is free to all.

God’s grace is extended even to the most flagrant sinner if they repent.

       We don’t need to judge others, but we do need to point out that there is a criterion for a coming judgment available. This is what us different, that we have accepted God version and view of the universe and His role as creator in it. It makes us salty.

 

Let’s hear our Gospel message: Matthew 5: 13-20: “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?” It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under a bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

I can summarize and relate this whole passage to judging others by using this anonymous quote: “The trouble with most Christians today is that they would rather be on the judgment seat than on the witness stand.”

        By losing our voice in witness we remove the saltiness, hide our light, and reduce our righteousness. We become like the Pharisees and the scribes who practiced a written down book religion and lived a lie.

       Jesus tells us that whoever lives within the law of Christ, and teaches those laws to others is what He is looking for. We are not to judge but we are to point out and teach the limits of the law to others with no compromise.

       Let me say it another way: The game of life we live has rules that are applied to everybody and most of the time the game is self-refereed. We are to police our game and play by the game maker who is named “the Triune God.”

       Now some people say that Jesus spoke only of blessings and said he came to abolish the laws of Moses.
These people point out the harshness of the OT and say "are you willing to live by those standards?" The answer of course is we don't have too - they may still apply to the Jews but not to us Gentiles. Paul and Peter discussed and dealt with those issues..
        How could Jesus throw these laws away when His whole life’s story was to fulfill them? His very life was to serve as fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the promise God made to Eve in the Garden of Eden.

       Now let’s look at this judging thing. I am going to say an amazing thing: The Bible never says, nor did Jesus, that we have to agree to stop sinning in order to be saved. What it does say is that we have to change our mind and agree we are sinners, because people who don't think they sin don't ask or need a Savior.

       The Bible does not say that God selected some of us to be saved, and that He wants the rest to suffer eternal death, and there's nothing any of us can do to change that.
       The clearest verses on the subject tell us that God doesn't want any of us to perish (read 2 Peter 3: 9), but still some will.

       God wants everyone to be saved (read 1 Timothy 2: 3-4).

       Both the Old Testament and the New Testament tell us that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:32 and Romans 10:13).  

 

       Okay then, if that’s the case, why does it matter how we behave?  As we’ve seen, where our salvation is concerned, it doesn’t. We were saved because of what we believe, not because of how we behave. If that was the whole story then not judging anyone makes sense.  

       But scriptures tell us that when we were dead in our sins, God made us alive in Christ and forgave all our sins (Colossians 2: 13-14). We now belong to God and no one in Heaven or on Earth can ever change that (Romans 8: 38-39).
       Jesus tells us that the consequences of our actions become, just as in the fig tree and fruit trees the "fruit" ripe for the harvest. 

      Though we still sin, when we do God attributes it to the sin that dwells in us and no longer counts our sins against us (Romans 7: 18-20).  No group before the Church was ever given this blessing, nor will any group after us. The good we do becomes the fruit.

       The point of changing our behavior, and living to a new standard of conduct, is to express our gratitude to Him for the free gift of salvation. Every time we choose to “live up to what we’ve already been given” instead of yielding to the temptation to sin, we’re saying “Thank you Lord, for saving me.”

       What happens when produce or meat spoils? It begins to rot and smell. Sin, in all of its diversity also promotes rot and decay and should smell to those who are fleeing from it. Whatever is not of God, is sin. Whatever is not of God is death and decay.

        Jesus calls us not to judge but to simply recognize, through the fruits of our and other persons’ behavior, the good smell of grace or the rotten smell of sin. We are to become fruit inspectors.

And we are to point out what stinks and what is fragrant in God’s Kingdom. How do we know what this is? God’s Holy Word. Amen.