2 March 2012

Psalm 40, 54; Gen. 40:1-23; 1 Cor. 3:16-23; Mark 2:13-22

The cupbearer and baker were two important servants in the king’s household.  The king had to have great trust in these two men as they handled his food and drink, they had to be loyal and faithful to him.  When Joseph sees they are troubled, he wants to know why, and each tells him their dream.  The cupbearer’s dream foretells restoration for this servant and Joseph asks only that the cupbearer remember him before the king when he is restored, comparing his imprisonment here to his earlier treatment by his brothers, “here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”  The baker’s dream is exactly the opposite.  After hearing the interpretation given the cupbearer the baker had high expectations for his own dream but instead of lifting up his head for restoration it would be the lifting up of his head by hanging, and so it was.  Joseph’s interpretations were true but the cupbearer forgot Joseph when he was restored to his duties, leaving him to languish in prison a while longer.  The interpretation of dreams and release from prison will be linked and they do belong to the Lord, but so does timing.

What did the other disciples think when Jesus invited Matthew to join the group?  No teacher called a tax collector to be a disciple.  They were co-conspirators with the Romans, hated traitors to the nation.  The first thing he did was invite Jesus and the disciples to his house for a feast with other tax-collectors.  Surely the disciples hadn’t signed on to follow Jesus to hang out with such people.  Most would never have entered the home of a tax collector for any reason at all and now the scribes ask the divisive question, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  The disciples surely had no idea how to answer that question but Jesus did, He was here to heal the sick, the sick in body, mind and spirit.  This was not romanticism but reality, these people were sick, they were sinners, He didn’t pretend otherwise.  In His answers to questions regarding fasting Jesus sets Himself apart as the bridegroom, an incredibly presumptuous response unless it is true.  The time of jubilee, the year of favor of the Lord is now, salvation belongs to the Lord.

We are not to be respecters of persons with anyone but Jesus.  He stands alone and we must make a right judgment concerning Him.  If we get that one right then we can see the rest of us are just men and women.  Even those who teach and lead in the church are not to be esteemed above their pay grade.  Our leaders have gifts and talents and a particular call but under God we are all alike, IRS agent or pastor, we are disciples of Jesus.  We should value and respect those whose role it is to teach and lead but we have to be careful that all glory and honor is to God.  He makes us all that we are and He does so by emptying us of ourselves and filling us with His Spirit.

I waited patiently for the LORD;
   he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
   out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
   making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
   a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
   and put their trust in the LORD.

May all who seek you
   rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
   say continually, “Great is the LORD!”