The Trinity in Matthew 23

 ~ The Trinity Role’s In Our Lives ~

Introduction  ~  While the English word “Trinity” is not found in the Bible the concept and truth of the Trinity is found throughout Scripture – beginning in the first chapter in the historical account of creation.  In this post we find the Trinity in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 23.

The Passage  ~ “Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.  They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.  But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.  They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.  But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.  Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.  Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.  But the greatest among you shall be your servant.  Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted’” (Matthew 23:1-12 nasu)

The Holy Spirit  ~  Jesus said, “They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi [Bible Teacher] by men.  But do not be called Rabbi [Bible Teacher]; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers” (Matthew 23:6-8 nasu)

While on earth Christ was our Teacher.  After He ascended back to heaven the Holy Spirit is our Teacher.  Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:25-26).  Jesus also said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:12-14).  “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (1 John 2:27). 

God the Father  ~  Jesus said, “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven” (Matthew 23: nasu)

The Son of God  ~  Jesus said, “Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader [Master], that is, Christ.  But the greatest among you shall be your servant.  Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted’” (Matthew 23:10-12 nasu)

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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God Our Rock, 17

 ~ My Rock Is High ~

Introduction  ~  In Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:47-49 Jesus relates the importance of building your house upon rock rather than sand.  This principle is even more critical when it comes to our spiritual life.  Each post in this series looks at a different Biblical passage which refers to our God as a Rock (not a complete list). 

Scripture  ~  “Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer.  From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

“For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.  I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.  Selah

“For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.  You will prolong the king’s life, His years as many generations.  He shall abide before God forever.  Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!

“So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows” (Psalm 61:1-8).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Spiritual Gifts, 22

 ~ The Spiritual Gift of The Evangelist ~

Opening Comment  ~  “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.  Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:16-18). 

Category  ~  In my thinking the gift of evangelism is in the Medical Community of gifts and specifically the Spiritual Obstetrician – one who delivers spiritual babies!

Scripture  ~  “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ — from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Comments  ~  1) God gifted “some” to be evangelists (see above passage).  I believe that many well-meaning teachers in the modern church lay guilt trips on individual Christians teaching that all Christians should be evangelizing the world.  I do not find that in Scripture.  I do find that we all are to teach and make disciples as we go about living in the world (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).

There are only three references to evangelists/evangelism in the New Testament and in each time it relates either to the special gift or an individual who had the gift of evangelism. In the New Testament evangelists were traveling missionaries. 

I do find over and over that all Christians are to be witnesses!  We should be quick to relate to others our own spiritual experiences.  (That is a topic for a different post.)

Biblical Examples  ~  “And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.  On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him” (Acts 21:7-8).  Notice the reference to Philip is similar to us saying, “Billy Graham, the evangelist.”

In the New Testament we see clearly that Paul was an evangelist as were some others.

Closing Comments  ~  “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.  Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.  Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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