"But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children."
In today's lesson, Jesus rails against the uncaring inconsistency of the Jews of His day. It seems the Jewish people, the very ones God had chosen to represent Him, expressed no particular purpose, they simply carped against everything and stood for nothing except their own habitual uselessness.
This lesson is another that can be applied directly to "Christianity today. Wherever we might choose to go, we find designated and organized places of "worship" where "worshippers" show up two or three times a week and "worship". Sadly, very few of these "worshippers" are willing to step away from their established ritual and take on the things that are really required to spread the good news of eternal redemption.
Jesus sent the following message to the Church at Laodicea; "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:14-16)
Jesus sent the following message to the Church at Laodicea; "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:14-16)
Just like the Jewish nation, who were at that time, God's only chosen people and were supposed to represent His will before the coming of Jesus, Christianity today has become "lukewarm". Again, just like the ancient Jews, "Christians" have become a do nothing but "worship" people! We have forgotten what Jesus told His disciples to do just before He ascended, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
[20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matt. 28:19-20)
Instead of being "teach"ers, we have become only listeners! Therefore, we are subject to being judged by the same standard as the Laodiceans.
[20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matt. 28:19-20)
Instead of being "teach"ers, we have become only listeners! Therefore, we are subject to being judged by the same standard as the Laodiceans.
*The word "baptizing", as it is applied in Matt. 28:19 correctly translates to, 'immersing', which means to bury within, this instruction has nothing to do with water "baptism". If written in today's common English, the instruction would read as follows, 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, burying them within the concept of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
This too will be discussed more fully as these lessons progress.~
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