25/1/18 – Genesis 49, Genesis 50 Matthew 17:14-27, Matthew 18:1-9 Psalm 15:1-5

Gen 50: 25 – And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

Joseph had saved his family by bringing them to Egypt. They did not starve in the famine and they set up home. But Joseph knew this was only temporary. He knew that they were called to the land God had promised them. Jospeh, in his last years was already looking forward to the promises of God and he didn’t want to miss out. He may have been buried in Egypt but he wanted the memory of him not to be just looking back – but also looking forward to the promise.

He knew God would come to their aid – that the nation would return home – even if he himself would never see it.

Faith sees ahead. Faith sees what is coming. Faith doesn’t look backwards – it looks forwards.

Matt 17:19-20 – Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

We need to understand something here. Jesus is not saying as long as you have enough faith – everything you have faith for will happen. No.

To say nothing is impossible isn’t to say everything will happen – it’s to say nothing is too big for faith. But faith must be rooted in the word and truth of God.

There have been great men and women of faith throughout the ages and no mountains have been moved around. Why? Because throwing a mountain around hasn’t as yet served the purposes of God.

Jesus is using hyperboyle. He’s taking the smallest thing you can think of and saying that much faith can effect the biggest thing you can think of.

Faith, therefore is not hindered by the size of the obstacle – because faith is rooted in a God who can do all things.

No matter how big your problem, it doesn’t matter – because it’s smaller than God so your faith is up to the job.

Faith is not a leap into the dark – it’s knowing that in the dark there is something there.

Faith is what allows you to believe in that which is not seen. In fact faith ONLY works with the things not seen – because if you can see it, or hold it or have some tangible evidence for it – then it’s not faith.

Matt 17:24-27 – After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

“Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

“From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offence, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Is this a conversation about tax? No, not really. Jesus was using this as an opportunity to tell us who He is. The temple tax was given to God – and Jesus is telling Peter that children are exempt from paying. He’s indicating who He is – the Son of God – that He is above paying this tax. However, for the sake of not causing offence – he does pay it.

Jesus is very clear that He is the son of God. People who say Jesus never said He was God have never really listened to the words Jesus said.

Matt 18:8-9 – If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Jesus talks about two places in this chapter. He talks about the Kingdom of God and how it’s possible not to get in there. He also talks about the fires of hell.

One is described as a place you want to go – the other very much not. One is such a terrible place, you are better off gouging out your eye or loosing a hand, rather than going there.

He’s very clear. Two distinct places. Jesus talked about the kingdom and He did talk about hell.

Ps 15:5 – who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Here’s an interesting Psalm. Who shall ascend the mountain of God?

Someone blameless… someone righteous… someone who speaks truth, does not slander, keeps an oath.

And then… get this one – doesn’t charge interest to the poor. That’s right, someone who does not take advantage of those who are struggling. We live in a world that takes advantage of the poor at every turn, with payday loans and so on. We cannot be like that. We must treat those who have nothing righteously.

If you loan someone money because they have nothing… don’t charge them interest. Show them love.