28 May 2010
Psalm 31; Prov. 23:19-21,29-24:2; 1 Tim. 5:17-25; Matt. 13:31-35

Solomon warns against the “eat, drink and be merry” philosophy of life, Epicureanism. Clearly the dangers of excess alcohol consumption are in view here, along with gluttony. This is not some nebulous warning, it is definite and clear that we are to be careful and moderate in our consumption of the fruits of the earth, not dulling our senses and our minds. These are for our enjoyment and sustenance but not for ultimate pleasure and sustenance. The prophetic word I quoted yesterday from Isaiah 55 begins with Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” We are not to be satisfied with the things of earth, no matter how good they may be, we were meant to be satisfied with the Lord and the things of eternity.

We make our judgments on things based on their significance at the wrong point in time. A mustard seed and the amount of yeast that goes into making bread seem insignificant to the larger whole at the time but the effect they each produce is great. Our judgments are based on appearances and we need to get beyond that appearance and have the patience to wait to discern what God may be doing in the situation. I know of a church that had been in our town for decades and was struggling along until the right moment in God’s timing and it exploded into a mega-church with ministries that reach all aspects of life. The church where we formerly served had been in existence over 200 years before it suddenly came to life and grew to ten times its former size in a season of less than 15 years. The Lord knows that small isn’t always insignificant.

Paul gives instructions for how to deal with church discipline and with the treatment of elders. We must be careful with discipline of elders (pastors and other leaders) to ensure that jealousy isn’t the real issue. Paul says that we must receive the testimony of several in order to establish a charge against an elder. Paul also speaks of sin in the final two verses in such a way as to remind his young charge that, even though he is to rebuke sin and the sinner who persists in sin, that some sins are conspicuous and some are hidden and yet all are ultimately judged. We have no trouble being vocal about public sin while we know that in our own lives there is sin that remains hidden from the world. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 7 when he speaks of not being willing to help another with the splinter in their eye until we deal with the log in our own. We are to deal ruthlessly with sin in the church and to be equally ruthless with the sin in our own lives.

Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the children of mankind!
In the cover of your presence you hide them
from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
from the strife of tongues.