Bible Study:
Isaiah 48, 17 to 19. Matthew 11, 16 to 19.
In our
first reading today, God speaks to the people of Israel saying: “if only you had
listened to my words.” In other words, “if only you had paid attention to my
commandments” this calamity might not have befallen you. As at the time the
prophet Isaiah was delivering this message, the people of Israel were in
captivity in the land of Babylon and God was telling them what led to their
trouble.
And God is
saying to us today, “If only you will listen to me and pay close attention to
the observance of my commandments, then your prosperity will be like a river
and your success like the waves of the sea.”
God’s
commandments are not there to restrict our freedom and liberty rather they are
there to help us get the best out of life. God did not give us instructions in
other to punish us, instead he gave us instructions out of his deep seated love
for us and because he knows what is best for us.
There is
an element of rebellion within us, a degree of lack of trust in God. Like Adam
and Eve, we tend to believe the serpent by thinking that God must be keeping something
away from us by asking us not to eat of the tree. In our quest for life and all
we can possibly grab, we disregard God yet he alone is the answer.
The message
of the Prophet Isaiah thousands of years ago is not different from the message I
preach to you today and it is not different from the message of all the
prophets and preachers that have ever lived down to the very first prophet in
the Bible, Moses. The message is simple: That God alone is the answer, that it
is only in keeping his word that man can find life.
It doesn’t
matter who is presenting this message. God can use anybody. The problem is that
we like to look for excuses, we love to find short cuts and reasons why we
should not obey God’s word and one common reason we give is the nature and
personality of the messenger.
I am sure
you may have heard people say things like “Who are you to tell me what do do?”
when you try to correct them. Even we ourselves may have had to ask our
preachers that question. We believe that whoever dares to preach must be a
person without blemish, an epitome of perfection so to say. And it does make
sense to say for instance, that only a person who does not steal should preach
about not stealing or only a person who is morally upright should preach about
morality.
But Jesus
is saying to us today: “Listen to the message and do not get carried away with
the messenger.” He compared himself with John the Baptist whose way of life was
a distraction to many in that they say him as one whose lifestyle was far too
inhuman to prescribe anything for them since John the Baptist was not eating
and drinking like normal people. Even John’s clothes were not ordinary and his
diet was not ordinary. The people felt that John was able to practice holiness
because his living conditions were extreme. As some people today find it
difficult to accept the preaching of a priest simply because they feel he is
able to practice holiness because he is not married. Some will say, “Father, if
you were married like us and living in our condition, you will understand
better and you will not be asking us to live by such high standards you are
prescribing.”
But Jesus
came to live among human beings. He did not go to the desert, he did not wear a
coat of camel hair. He did not feed on honey and wild birds. He ate normal
food, he dressed like normal people, he combed his hair and took care of his
looks. Still yet, people still found excuses not to listen to his message. They
called him a glutton and a drunkard because perhaps he changed water into wine
and his wine and come to think of it, his wine was even sweeter and more alcoholic
than normal wine. He was seen with women and even allowed one to cover his feet
with kisses and wipe them with her hair. He was seen in the houses of the men
who were considered as notorious sinners. Jesus choose to live like this
because he wanted his message to reach the people but still yet, they got
distracted by his lifestyle and refused to listen.
Dear
friends, that message has not changed. Close your eyes to the messenger, forget
that you are reading this message on Whatsapp or Facebook right now. Don’t get
distracted with the means with which it is coming to you or the personality of
the one sending it to you. He or she may not be perfect according to your
standard but just listen to God speaking and live accordingly.
“O that
you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your prosperity would have been
like a river, and your success like the waves of the sea; your offspring would
have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would
never be cut off or destroyed from before me.” Isaiah 48:18-19
Let us
Pray:
Lord
Jesus, help me to look beyond who my preacher is and learn to listen to you
from his voice. Amen.
Good morning.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you.
Lord have mercy
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