April 16, 2024

Immediately following the teaching Yeshua (Jesus) gave to the disciples and surrounding people, who had gathered to hear Him, Yeshua says, “Therefore.” It is said that when you see a statement starting with “therefore,” you can expect that it is referring to the immediate and preceding subject matter and the context of that information… that is what it is “there for.” And in this case, it was all three chapters of Matthew 5,6,7,  that is also called the Sermon on the Mount. Now these people had never heard such an authoritative teaching, and certainly no other person spoke like Yeshua… which had a two-fold effect; first it astonished the people, and second, it really made the religious cabal uncomfortable. I think such things work the same way today… Talking like Yeshua offends religious folks… and especially demons.

Now lets closely examine the “Therefore:”

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” mat 7:24-27 nkjv

I have taught on this “therefore” in times past, and I don’t think people take it seriously; just a few do… the same few believe the Bible actually teaches us to “DO,” the words written in the entire Biblical text. For example Yeshua’s half-brother James tells up to be a “doer of the WORD, not a hearer only.” ja 1:22-24 nkjv   This is the same thing Yeshua said in Mathew 7:24-27… you think? I am not pointing my finger at anyone, as I find myself falling short at times in obedience and faithfulness to what I have read, and really know, to be the expected response of those claiming to believe in Yeshua. It seems a kind of distraction or influence inhibits our focus and concentration on obedience and commitment that our heart understands to be “now,” not partially or even later, if we really do remember to do it. It sets up that guilty feeling that we must repent of our failure, and chinch up our self-discipline, so we don’t stumble into the next life with lesser “wedding garments,’’ than required of us… there will be consequences for carelessness:

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ mat 22:11-13 nkjv

AND

Paul is speaking to Timothy concerning striving for the faith and overcoming adversity and ungodliness… saying:

“Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 tim 2:19 nkjv

Iniquity, as used here in the Greek, is equivalent to evil, wrongdoing, ungodliness; The NIV translates the word “wickedness.” Certainly not the acts of a believer claiming to embrace what Yeshua was teaching during His Sermon on the Mount message… especially saying at the end, to sum up the emphasis, “Therefore.” Where do we stand with Yeshua’s expectations of us?

Now for the summation of where I think this leads: We are closer than ever to the last days confrontation with wickedness that is increasing all around us, and if you read carefully, there are only a few essential things that really matter in our defense of our lives, and eternal destiny… John writes it like this in Revelation:

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Rev 12:10-11 nkjv

AND

“Then the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went and made war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” rev 12:17 nkjv

Do you think it matters where one “builds” one’s house… upon the rock, or upon the sand? It seems the one who “does” [obedience and discipline] who Yeshua said is an over-comer; and if they, as Paul told Timothy, claim to know Yeshua as LORD, then they depart [do away with] all iniquity… So as we move ahead, let us have faith in Yeshua, and carefully listen to the counsel of the Holy Spirit, so that we not be distracted or hindered by the culture around us, and the evil spiritual realm that seeks to blind our senses to holiness. Yahweh told us to be Holy, as He is holy lev 11:45, 19:2 nkjv;  and the writer of Hebrews writes:

“and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;” heb 12:13-15 nkjv

Keeping our spiritual eyes on Yeshua and trusting His “therefore,” admonitions, is our map through the stormy waters on the horizon. Let us pray for, and look to see, each other on the other side.

Shalom, John