7 May 2010
Psalm 106:1-18; Lev. 23:1-22; 2 Thess. 2:1-17; Matt. 7:1-12

The instructions for the festivals are given, including Passover and the Feast of Weeks which we know as Pentecost. Passover and the festival of unleavened bread are to remind the people of the mighty acts of God in bringing the people out of Egypt, the Exodus. The Feast of weeks is for the purpose of reminding them that all that they have is theirs simply by the grace of God who redeemed them from Egypt and then gave them the land with all its abundance. The firstfruits belong to Him as a perpetual reminder that it is His lovingkindness that is the source of all. On the day of Pentecost in the church we see the firstfruits of the new kingdom which is a non-geographic kingdom in some respects but is truly a supra-geographic kingdom in reality, the whole earth is truly His and the fullness thereof.

The warning against judgment is often misquoted and misapplied. It does not forbid judgment of any kind, we are clearly to judge sinful behavior, but we judge with a right standard, a Biblical one. We are not able to judge the soul of another and we are not to be characterized by judgmentalism. We need always to be wary of our own sinfulness, as the first part of the sermon has shown us. Verse 7 and following return to the theme from yesterday, ask, seek, knock. We are called to be seekers always, the riches of the kingdom of God and the knowledge of God are inexhaustible. Our encouragement for seeking is that if we do seek Him our prayers will be answered. The passage ends with the Golden Rule, which Jesus says is the law and the prophets, a profound and fascinating statement.

Paul comforts his readers about the end of things by assuring them that the end has not come yet. He has apparently taught extensively about the end as he refers to his teaching in this passage. He speaks of the man of lawlessness who is a law and a god unto himself. We need not be deceived in the interim by anyone or anything as we have both the Word and the Holy Spirit. We need to depend on these great gifts of God to see us through to the end, standing firm in them and trusting God. We need to be a people of the Word, the Spirit, and of prayer to ask for the gift of a discerning spirit and mind to know and hold fast to truth. We are those who are the firstfruits of the harvest that will come at the end of the age, those devoted to God.

Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or declare all his praise?
Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times!