Don’t fall back.

By Dave Howe.

 

Don fall back, Don’t forget God.

Don’t Be like the children of Israel in days of old – Don’t fall back into old ways when God has set you free.

 

Watch yourself – For this can happen so slowly that you may not know its happening.

 

Don’t be like a dog that goes back to its own vomit – Like a pig that goes back to the mud after being cleaned.

 

Do not fall back into the ways of the gentiles who love to boast of their own righteousness before the peoples – Who love to lord it over each other.

Do not take the highest place at the table – But go to the lowest and wait for your master in heaven to exalt you – For before honour comes humility.

 

Honour others above yourself – Yes prefer each other – Treat others as better than yourself.

Be as children before the Lord – But don’t be childish – Be wise as serpents but harmless as doves.

 

Yes do not fall back as the children of Israel fell back when they forgot about Gods love and mercy – For when they forgot about Gods commandments they became as the nations around them.

 

May we guard our hearts for its easy to fall back into old ways – To take on the ways of the world around us.

Remember we are in the world – BUT not of it.

 

Who is great – Luke:22-24-27.

 

Lu:22:24: And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

Lu:22:25: And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

Lu:22:26: But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Lu:22:27: For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

 

 

Terms of discipleship – Luke:9:23-25.

 

Lu:9:23: And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Lu:9:24: For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Lu:9:25: For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

 

Jesus teaches on greatness – Math:18:1-5.

 

M't:18:1: At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

M't:18:2: And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

M't:18:3: And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

M't:18:4: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

M't:18:5: And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

 

Mark:9:33-41.

 

M'r:9:33: And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

M'r:9:34: But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

M'r:9:35: And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

M'r:9:36: And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

M'r:9:37: Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

M'r:9:38: And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

M'r:9:39: But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

M'r:9:40: For he that is not against us is on our part.

M'r:9:41: For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

 

Luke:9:46-48.

 

Lu:9:46: Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

Lu:9:47: And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,

Lu:9:48: And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

 

Jesus teaches humility – Luke:14:7-11.

 

Lu:14:7: And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

Lu:14:8: When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

Lu:14:9: And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

Lu:14:10: But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

Lu:14:11: For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

Jesus denounces scribes – Math:23:1-39.

 

M't:23:1: Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

M't:23:2: Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

M't:23:3: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

M't:23:4: For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

M't:23:5: But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

M't:23:6: And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

M't:23:7: And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

M't:23:8: But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

M't:23:9: And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

M't:23:10: Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

M't:23:11: But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

M't:23:12: And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

M't:23:13: But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

M't:23:14: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

M't:23:15: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

M't:23:16: Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

M't:23:17: Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

M't:23:18: And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

M't:23:19: Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

M't:23:20: Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

M't:23:21: And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

M't:23:22: And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

M't:23:23: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

M't:23:24: Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

M't:23:25: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

M't:23:26: Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

M't:23:27: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

M't:23:28: Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

M't:23:29: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

M't:23:30: And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

M't:23:31: Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

M't:23:32: Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

M't:23:33: Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

M't:23:34: Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

M't:23:35: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

M't:23:36: Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

M't:23:37: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

M't:23:38: Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

M't:23:39: For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

 

Mark:12:38-40.

 

M'r:12:38: And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,

M'r:12:39: And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

M'r:12:40: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

 

Dave Howe 25^th Feb 2003.