DAY 40

DON’T GET TWISTED UP

Leviticus 6 & 7 and Matthew 25: 1 - 30

Yesterday I talked about the five offerings. I also highlighted that a portion of chapter six would finish up the directions for the last offering. Then in verse 8 of chapter six and in chapter seven specific directions are given to the priests with regard to what they are to do for each offering.

Lots of details: I am getting use to them after all the details on how to build everything. I am an Episcopalian Priest. Many people say that our worship services are very formal and full of details; they are right. As a priest today much of my life is different than the Old Testament, but there are similarities. I am to be very reverent as I serve at the Altar. Reverence requires a sense of intentionality, a sense of knowing why you are doing what you are doing, and trying as best you can to not let the routine become rote. It is easy to get this all twisted; to get all twisted up in the details. It takes paying attention and working at it.

Isn’t that what Jesus is talking about. Picture the scene: it is a cool night, your boss has just taken on the religious of the day (those whom Jesus has accused of getting it all twisted) you follow him out to his favorite spot, he sits down, so do you and your other close companions, and He begins to talk.  That is the scene we have entered. Jesus is on the Mount of Olives, close to the day of the Cross, and He is teaching.

His teaching in this setting began at the beginning of chapter 24. His disciples came up to him “and drew his attention to the buildings” – the Temple. Jesus tells them not to put their faith in it, he tells them it is all going to be destroyed, and he tells them not to worry about when it is going to happen. He then moves on to what they should be focused on.

Today we read two of his teachings – where one says stay awake and the other says use what God has given you for His Kingdom (not yours). The key in all of this (and there is a huge key that if we forget we get all twisted up) is the same key needed for Leviticus.

For Leviticus I have pointed out that the people are already chosen. They are not trying to convince God to love them. They are trying to become the people God has created by fulfilling the Law. They cannot, nor can we. Jesus fulfills it.

We are staying awake, we are working for the kingdom not to earn God’s love, but rather in response to Him. Don’t get that twisted. Most religions do. Most religions say you have to perform, and if you perform well enough God will love you and you will spend eternity with him. Think of an old fashion balance scale: you sins on one side having to be balanced by your good works on the other. That is not what Jesus is talking about.

Why, because we won’t be perfect. We will fall short. We will never get the scale balanced. If we think we have to earn God’s love, or earn our place in heaven all by ourselves, then we have gotten it somehow twisted. The Good News is that Jesus has fulfilled the burnt and sin offering – we are to offer ourselves, in some way, as the peace offering, but know that you are already chosen and when you turn to Christ, you become united with him in his death – and all the debt is paid.

What remains? Quite simply living as redeemed resurrected people, untwisted, and showing the way for others.