The Master Teacher – #154

Welcome Back! Today, we’ll be looking at the Gospel of Luke to see the Master Teacher in action.

So let’s dive in.

(Click here to get a copy of the Gospel Sync document)

Luke 10:25-37

One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side. But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’ Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” “The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

My Thoughts

Do you think we ought to dissect the story of the Good Samaritan even though you’ve probably heard the story a hundred times? Maybe, but remember, the aim of our study is to become better disciple makers. So let’s dissect the way Jesus taught instead.

First, Jesus asks a question. He even asks a question to answer a question. In fact He asks two questions;

“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?”

And the questions He asks are just as important as the teaching technique itself. The first question points the person to an unshakable authority, the Word of God. And the second tests the person’s alignment with that authority.

Now we have to ask ourselves several questions;

In our teaching, are we asking questions or do we automatically launch into a monologue?
Are we pointing people to the Word of God as the authority or to ourselves?
Are we trying to identify the person’s commitment, understanding, and application of the Word?

As the situation unfolds the religious leader gives us the right answer; Love God and love people. But Jesus is not satisfied with intellectual assent, He challenges the “expert” to actually apply what he knows;

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”

Are we teaching with the expectation that people will not just know information but actually do something with it?
Are the people we are discipling trained to make the jump from being satisfied with a “good sermon” to making an assessment that leads to personal action?

Lesson over right? Nope! The religious leader exposes his lack of understanding of God’s Word and his own propensity to dodge the application.

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Now Jesus could have gone into a tirade telling him how deceptive, wicked, and incorrigible he was but instead, as the Master Teacher, He tells a short story. And not just any old story. He tells a story pitting feigned and positional religiosity against a true lover of God and people. He puts His finger dead into this impostor’s heart without accusing him of anything.

The Master Teacher is not done. He asked another question to see if the story landed.

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

As disciple makers, do we know the power of story telling and asking questions?
Are we observant and patient enough to see whether a person is getting the point or looking at us like a dog hearing a strange whistle?

Seeing the man got the point, Jesus then puts the icing on the cake with a challenge to once more…you guessed it…apply what he has learned.

Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Now that is a master class on teaching from the Master Disciple-Maker! There are many elements of Jesus’ life and example that we need to emulate but if we are going to become like the Master Teacher, this is a great place to start.

My Story

I was an excellent teacher. Or so I thought. I was trained in the art of military instruction by the best. First as an Air Assault Instructor and then as a Ranger Instructor. When the Army trains someone they do a pretty thorough job of it. In fact, our final evaluation was called a “Murder Board.” The student instructor would prepare their class to be taught in front of the most critical nitpicking bunch of pitbulls the school could produce and then be torn to shreds after their first attempt. That was just the start. Then you had to lead your students through the Crawl, Walk, Run PE (Practical Exercise) giving them an example of what “right looks like” and ample time to actually practice the things you just taught. The cherry on top was the AAR (After Action Review) where you guided soldiers through what needs to be improved and what they need to sustain. Nobody passes their first presentation and PE. But, over time, I became a well trained instructor and even trained a few instructors myself.

Then I took preaching classes in Bible college and seminary. The standards the professors were looking for were quite simple; thorough sermon preparation and delivery. That’s it. As I transitioned from Army Instructor to Pastor I was waxing eloquent two to three times a week but I can’t say my “students” were being taught. They were hearing a lot of good things but the actual transition from knowing to doing was severely lacking.

As I reflected on my military and clerical teacher experience, the stark differences were apparent. I realized I was giving a great monologue but not necessarily being a “great teacher.” I had to change my approach from what modern Christianity might call a “best practice” to practicing something that actually produced disciples that would do what Jesus said and not just know what Jesus said. I went back to the drawing board and to the Master Teacher. The more I read Jesus and the more I sat under some expert disciple makers, the more my instruction looked like my military days (without all the yelling and push-ups). I had to go back to the drawing board so to speak and relearn the art of asking questions (not just rhetorical questions). I had to actually learn to be patient and wait during an awkward amount of silence before jumping back in. I had to learn to answer a question with a question. I had to relearn the art of monitoring the audience for facial expressions and body language to gauge the level of understanding. And most importantly, I had to relearn that the initial lecture was only the beginning of the “class.” The real goal was following through with application and accountability until a sufficient level of mastery was reached before I could say “I taught them.”

If we are wondering why our attempt to make disciples in the American context (and many others) is so anemic, it’s because the “monologue only technique” is rarely sufficient for real transformation. Don’t get me wrong, the occasional lecture can be effective but not as an exclusive form of teaching. I think Jesus was more like a Ranger Instructor than a typical preacher we see today.

Our Action Plan

Now it’s time for application. Here’s some ideas;

The next time one of your mentees asks you a question, begin your answer with a question.
Tell a short personal story or Bible story to answer questions.
Ask them what they plan to do with your discussion.

Becoming a good teacher or disciple maker takes far more than just dispensing information. Your aim is to stimulate understanding through self discovery and to actually put the new knowledge into action. Through patient, persistent, clear instruction like Jesus we will become more like Him and help others do the same.

Organic Writing – No Artificial Intelligence or Sweeteners Added

El Maestro de Maestros – #154

¡Bienvenidos de nuevo! Hoy analizaremos el Evangelio de Lucas para ver al Maestro de Maestros en acción.

¡Comencemos!

Lucas 10:25-37

Mis Pensamientos

¿Crees que deberíamos analizar la historia del Buen Samaritano aunque probablemente la hayas escuchado cientos de veces? Quizás, pero recuerda que el objetivo de nuestro estudio es convertirnos en mejores hacedores de discípulos. Así que, en lugar de eso, analicemos la forma en que Jesús enseñaba.

Primero, Jesús hace una pregunta. Incluso hace una pregunta para responder a otra. De hecho, hace dos preguntas:

“¿Qué está escrito en la Ley?”, respondió Jesús. “¿Cómo la lees?”.

Y las preguntas que hace son tan importantes como la técnica de enseñanza misma. La primera pregunta dirige a la persona hacia una autoridad inquebrantable: la Palabra de Dios. Y la segunda prueba su alineamiento con esa autoridad.

Ahora debemos hacernos varias preguntas:

En nuestra enseñanza, ¿hacemos preguntas o nos lanzamos automáticamente a un monólogo?

¿Llevamos a la gente a la Palabra de Dios como autoridad o a nosotros mismos?

¿Intentamos identificar el compromiso, la comprensión y la aplicación de la Palabra de la persona?

A medida que la situación se desarrolla, el líder religioso nos da la respuesta correcta: amar a Dios y amar a las personas. Pero Jesús no se conforma con la aprobación intelectual; desafía al “experto” a aplicar realmente lo que sabe.

“Has respondido correctamente”, dijo Jesús. “Haz esto y vivirás”.

¿Acaso enseñamos con la expectativa de que la gente no solo conozca la información, sino que realmente la utilice?

¿Están las personas a quienes discipulamos preparadas para dar el salto de la satisfacción con un “buen sermón” a una evaluación que conduzca a la acción personal?

¿Se acabó la lección, verdad? ¡No! El líder religioso expone su falta de comprensión de la Palabra de Dios y su propia propensión a evadir la aplicación.

Pero, queriendo justificarse, le preguntó a Jesús: “¿Y quién es mi prójimo?”.

Jesús podría haberle lanzado una diatriba diciéndole lo engañoso, malvado e incorregible que era, pero en cambio, como Maestro de maestros, le cuenta una historia corta. Y no una historia cualquiera. Cuenta una historia que enfrenta la religiosidad fingida y posicional contra un verdadero amante de Dios y de las personas. Mete la pata en el corazón de este impostor sin acusarlo de nada.

El Maestro de Maestros no termina. Hizo otra pregunta para ver si la historia tenía sentido.

“¿Quién de estos tres crees que fue prójimo del hombre que cayó en manos de ladrones?”

Como hacedores de discípulos, ¿conocemos el poder de contar historias y hacer preguntas?

¿Somos lo suficientemente observadores y pacientes para ver si alguien capta la idea o nos mira como un perro que escucha un silbido extraño?

Al ver que el hombre captó la idea, Jesús le pone la guinda del pastel con el reto de aplicar una vez más… como ya habrás adivinado… lo que había aprendido.

Entonces Jesús le dijo: “Ve y haz tú lo mismo”.

¡Esa sí que es una clase magistral de enseñanza del Maestro Hacedor de Discípulos! Hay muchos elementos de la vida y el ejemplo de Jesús que debemos emular, pero si vamos a llegar a ser como el Maestro, este es un gran lugar para comenzar.

Mi Historia

Fui un excelente profesor. O eso creía. Me formaron en el arte de la instrucción militar los mejores. Primero como instructor de asalto aéreo y luego como instructor de rangers. Cuando el Ejército entrena a alguien, lo hace con bastante minuciosidad. De hecho, nuestra evaluación final se llamaba “Junta de Asesinato”. El alumno instructor preparaba su clase para que la enseñaran frente a la panda de pitbulls más críticos y quisquillosos que la escuela pudiera producir, y luego los destrozaban en su primer intento. Eso era solo el principio. Después, tenías que guiar a tus alumnos en el ejercicio práctico de gatear, caminar y correr, dándoles un ejemplo de lo que significa “hacer lo correcto” y tiempo suficiente para practicar lo que acababas de enseñar. La guinda del pastel era la Revisión Posterior a la Acción (RAA), donde guiabas a los soldados sobre qué debían mejorar y qué debían mantener. Nadie aprueba su primera presentación y su primera evaluación física. Con el tiempo, incluso me eligieron para ser uno de los “pitbulls”.

Luego tomé clases de predicación en el instituto bíblico y el seminario. Los estándares que buscaban los profesores eran bastante simples: una preparación y presentación minuciosa de sermones. Eso era todo. Al pasar de instructor del ejército a pastor, me deshacía en elocuencia dos o tres veces por semana, pero no puedo decir que mis “alumnos” aprendieran. Escuchaban muchas cosas buenas, pero la transición real del saber al hacer era muy deficiente.

Al reflexionar sobre mi experiencia como profesor militar y clérigo, las marcadas diferencias eran evidentes. Me di cuenta de que estaba dando un gran monólogo, pero no era necesariamente un “gran maestro”. Tuve que cambiar mi enfoque, de lo que el cristianismo moderno podría llamar una “mejor práctica”, a practicar algo que realmente produjera discípulos que hicieran lo que Jesús decía y no solo supieran lo que Jesús decía. Volví a la mesa de dibujo y al Maestro de maestros. Cuanto más leía a Jesús y más me sentaba con algunos expertos hacedores de discípulos, más se parecía mi instrucción a mis días en el ejército (sin todos los gritos y las flexiones). Tuve que volver a empezar desde cero, por así decirlo, y reaprender el arte de hacer preguntas (no solo preguntas retóricas). De hecho, tuve que aprender a ser paciente y esperar durante un silencio incómodo antes de volver a intervenir. Tuve que aprender a responder a una pregunta con otra pregunta. Tuve que reaprender el arte de observar las expresiones faciales y el lenguaje corporal del público para evaluar su nivel de comprensión. Y lo más importante, tuve que reaprender que la discusión inicial era solo el comienzo de la “clase”. El verdadero objetivo era seguir adelante con la aplicación y la responsabilidad hasta alcanzar un nivel de dominio suficiente antes de poder decir “Les enseñé”.

Si nos preguntamos por qué nuestro intento de hacer discípulos en el contexto estadounidense (y en muchos otros) es tan débil, es porque la “técnica del solo monólogo” rara vez es suficiente para una verdadera transformación.

Nuestro Plan de Acción

Ahora es momento de aplicar. Aquí tienes algunas ideas:

La próxima vez que uno de tus aprendices te haga una pregunta, comienza tu respuesta con una pregunta.

Cuenta una breve historia personal o bíblica para responder.

Pregúntales qué planean hacer con la conversación.

Convertirse en un buen maestro o hacedor de discípulos implica mucho más que simplemente impartir información. Tu objetivo es estimular la comprensión a través del autodescubrimiento y poner en práctica el nuevo conocimiento. Mediante una instrucción paciente, persistente y clara como la de Jesús, nos asemejaremos más a Él y ayudaremos a otros a hacer lo mismo.

Escritura orgánica: sin inteligencia artificial ni edulcorantes añadidos

Si ve un problema importante en la traducción, envíeme una corrección por correo electrónico a charleswood1@gmail.com

Kingdom Kernel #44 – Is Jesus Anti-Wealth? – Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:23-25, Luke 18:24-30

Lordship is the Problem, not Wealth

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And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first. (Matthew 19:16-30)

Introduction

In this essay we’ll look at Jesus’ response to the rich young ruler and discuss the issue of wealth and entrance into the kingdom of God. We will use other supporting Scripture to correctly interpret the meaning of Jesus’ admonition to the disciples on riches being a hindrance to entering the kingdom.

Key Words and Phrases

Eternal Life – αἰώνιος (Strong’s G166) & ζωή (Strong’s G2222)
Eternal – without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be, without beginning, without end, never to cease, everlasting

Life – Life, the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate, every living soul, of the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic “logos” and to Christ in whom the “logos” put on human nature, life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever. Knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent – John 17:3
Complete – τέλειος (Strong’s G5046) brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, Perfect, that which is perfect, consummate human integrity and virtue, of men – full grown, adult, of full age, mature

Enter – εἰσέρχομαι – (Strong’s G1525) to go out or come in: to enter, of men or animals, as into a house or a city, of Satan taking possession of the body of a person, of things: as food, that enters into the eater’s mouth, of entrance into any condition, state of things, society, employment, to arise, come into existence, begin to be, of men, to come before the public, to come into life, of thoughts that come into the mind

Saved – σῴζω – (Strong’s G4982) to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction, one (from injury or peril), to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health, to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue, to save in the technical biblical sense

Negatively, to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment, to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance

Messianic Model – Focus on Jesus’ example

At first glance it may appear that Jesus is against having wealth. But on a closer look we see that Jesus is actually aiming at something below the surface of riches. He’s aiming at a lack of commitment to the King, in other words Lordship. After some dialog about keeping the commands Jesus challenges the man to give everything to the poor and follow Him. Jesus admonishes the man, “if you want to be complete.” That Greek word for “complete” can also be translated “perfect” (and is done so in many other trustworthy translations). The man is unwilling and despite his sorrow, he walks away from Jesus.

As we flesh out our theology we find that even if one does give away all he owns, it will not suffice to enter the kingdom (1 Corinthians 13:3). We know from Scripture that perfection is only achieved by the shed blood of the Savior on the cross and our faith in Him (Matthew 19:21, Matthew 19:26, Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 2:6-7, Ephesians 5:26-27, Colossians 1:22, Romans 8:1, Titus 3:5).

We see this principle perfectly modeled in how Jesus Himself interacted with riches. He did not condemn the righteous use of expensive items when they were offered in true devotion. For example, when Mary anointed Jesus with extremely costly perfume—worth nearly a year’s wages—it was argued that it should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Yet, Jesus defended her extravagant gift, declaring she had done a “good deed” in preparing Him for burial (Matthew 26:6-13). The issue was never the financial value of the perfume, but Mary’s heart of complete, unhindered worship. Unlike the rich young ruler who held tightly to his possessions, Mary gladly poured hers out at the feet of the King. Jesus’ call was for the rich man’s unwavering allegiance to the King, not his money.

Key Theological Implications

Let’s turn our attention to some other indicators that Jesus is not against possessing wealth in this passage and in other parts of Scripture. First, within the very context of Mark’s rendition of the story we see that Jesus is actually alluding to His disciples possessing “riches.”

Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. (Mark 10:28-30)

A hundred times more than what was given up is a lot. And notice that is not just in heaven. It is here in this present age. I would consider that pretty wealthy!

And there is Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), a rich tax collector who only gives half his wealth to the poor. And for doing so Jesus declares, “Today salvation has come to this house!” Why would Jesus ask one man to give all that he owns and another only required to give half. Because it’s not about the wealth, it’s about the heart. Jesus wants our complete allegiance.

But before we completely side step Jesus’ warning about riches, we need to take His admonition seriously. In the passage Jesus clearly states that it’s hard for the wealthy to enter the kingdom (Matthew 19:24). In another passage He states it impossible to serve two masters, wealth being one of them and God being the other (Matthew 6:24). In a different setting Jesus offers a parable where a man decides to build two barns to store all his produce and he dies having invested in earthly wealth but being bankrupt when it comes to eternal treasures.

Contemporary Spiritual Significance

I would imagine that most of my audience are middle class Americans with a steady income. This is well above the majority population living in the first century in Palestine who lived hand to mouth. And as much as we may complain about not being able to “make ends meet” most of us would be considered rich by the standards the disciples of Jesus were used to seeing. And we can see the effects of affluence, comfort, and leisure has taken on the spirituality of our culture. And although some have been able to escape the snare of wealth, Jesus’ admonition still rings true. But as a reminder it is not only wealth that’s the problem, it’s the level of commitment to the Lord and King. And like the first century, many will not enter the kingdom because of it.

The Transformative Power of the Lordship of Jesus Christ

The comparison between Zacchaeus and the rich young ruler gives insight into how one can be transformed even when possessing great riches. It is evident that where one was unwilling to part with his wealth the other gave it freely to the poor and made a generous restitution for his shady deals. Being willing to part with wealth is a sign of loyalty, allegiance, and sincerity to follow Jesus. And in Zacchaeus’ case it only took half to prove his devotion to Christ. This transformation takes place by surrendering the lesser for the greater and the practice of generosity and restitution. Jesus deserves our total allegiance.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Jesus is not condemning the possession of wealth, but rather the tragedy of allowing our possessions to possess us. As we navigate building careers and managing our finances in an affluent culture, we must constantly evaluate whether our money is a tool for God’s purposes or a master demanding our allegiance. True transformation requires a heart that joyfully surrenders everything to the absolute Lordship of Christ, proving our devotion through open-handed generosity. May we hold our earthly treasures loosely, always remembering that we cannot serve both God and wealth (Matthew 6:24).

Disciple-Maker’s Short Story

The Weight of Silver

The Mercedes gleamed under the morning sun like a freshly minted accusation. Trevor felt his jaw tighten as Pastor Caldwell stepped out of the silver sedan, adjusting his tailored suit jacket with the unconscious ease of someone who had never known want.

“Unbelievable,” Trevor muttered, his grip tightening on the steering wheel of his ten-year-old Honda. Beside him, his mentor Samuel followed his gaze with quiet observation.

“What’s eating at you, son?”

“Look at that.” Trevor gestured toward the luxury vehicle now parked among the congregation’s collection of SUVs and sports cars. “How can he stand up there and preach about serving the poor when he’s driving around in a car worth more than most people make in a year?”

Samuel shifted in the passenger seat, his weathered hands folding calmly in his lap. At seventy-two, he carried the particular stillness of a man who had wrestled with angels and emerged humbled rather than triumphant.

“Tell me about Pastor Caldwell’s wife,” Samuel said quietly.

The unexpected question caught Trevor off-guard. “Elena? What about her?”

“What kind of car does she drive?”

Trevor frowned, scanning the parking lot until he spotted the familiar dented Toyota Camry with the faded paint. “That old thing over there. But what does that have to—”

“And their house?”

“It’s… modest, I guess. Three bedrooms in that older neighborhood off Maple Street.” Trevor’s voice carried a note of reluctant admission. “But Samuel, that doesn’t excuse—”

“Do you know about the Rodriguezes?”

The abrupt shift left Trevor fumbling. “The family that lost everything in the fire? What about them?”

“Who paid for their temporary housing while insurance sorted itself out?”

The pieces began clicking into place with uncomfortable precision. Trevor had heard whispers, fragments of conversations quickly hushed when others approached. Anonymous donations. Quiet acts of generosity that somehow always seemed to trace back to sources people preferred not to discuss publicly.

“And the Chen boy’s cancer treatments?”

Trevor’s shoulders sagged slightly. “That was… that was covered by some fund.”

“The Caldwell Family Foundation,” Samuel said gently. “Established five years ago. They’ve quietly handled seventeen major medical crises in our church alone.”

A BMW pulled up beside them, its owner stepping out with keys that caught the light like tiny silver promises. Trevor felt his indignation reignite. “So what, Samuel? Are you saying we should applaud them for having expensive taste while people are struggling?”

Samuel’s smile carried the patient warmth of a grandfather explaining why storms were necessary for growth. “I’m saying you’re asking the wrong questions, Trevor. You’re looking at what they have instead of asking what they’ve given up to have it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Pastor Caldwell inherited his father’s construction business at twenty-five. Do you know what that company was worth when he decided to enter ministry instead of expanding it?”

The question hung in the air like incense, heavy with implications Trevor wasn’t ready to consider.

“He could have built an empire, son. Could have owned half this county by now. Instead, he kept just enough of the business running to support his family and fund his real calling.” Samuel paused, watching as the pastor stopped to help an elderly woman navigate the curb with her walker. “That Mercedes? Old man Peterson wrecked it two years ago and was going to junk it. Instead, he gave it to Pastor Caldwell as a gift. Half the men in our congregation spent their Saturdays for three months fixing it up—new engine, bodywork, paint job. It was their labor of love.”

Trevor felt something uncomfortable shifting in his chest, like furniture being rearranged in a room he’d grown accustomed to navigating in the dark.

“But it still looks wrong,” he protested weakly. “People see the car and make assumptions.”

“The same assumptions you made?”

The words struck with surgical precision. Trevor winced but couldn’t argue.

“You know what Jesus told the rich young ruler?” Samuel continued. “Give everything away and follow me. But do you remember what he promised those who had already given everything to follow him?”

Trevor shook his head.

“‘A hundred times as much in this present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions.’ Not just in heaven, Marcus. Here. Now. In this life.”

A Lexus pulled into the space in front of them, followed by a compact car with a cracked windshield and a fading “Jesus Loves You” bumper sticker.

“The problem isn’t wealth,” Samuel said, watching both families emerge and greet each other with equal warmth. “The problem is lordship. What rules your heart? Your money, or your Master?”

Trevor thought about his own modest savings account, carefully guarded against any request that might diminish it. About the mission trip fundraiser he’d avoided contributing to because he was saving for a new laptop. About the homeless man he’d walked past yesterday, clutching his wallet tighter instead of reaching into it.

“I don’t give much either, do I?” he asked quietly.

“Do you know why it’s hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of heaven?”

Trevor waited, sensing this was more than rhetorical.

“Because wealth whispers promises that God alone should make. Security. Significance. Control.” Samuel’s voice carried the weight of personal experience. “The more you have, the harder it becomes to remember that everything—everything—belongs to Him. You become the steward of great resources, and stewardship is one of the heaviest responsibilities God can place on a human heart.”

Pastor Caldwell had reached the church entrance now, but instead of going inside, he stood greeting each family personally, remembering names, asking about sick relatives, celebrating small victories with the enthusiasm of someone for whom every congregation member mattered deeply.

“Watch him,” Samuel murmured. “Really watch.”

Trevor observed more carefully. The pastor’s suit, while well-tailored, showed signs of careful maintenance—a small repair near the pocket, shoes that had been resoled. His attention wasn’t on himself but completely focused on others, as if each person approaching was the most important individual in the world.

“He carries wealth like a cross,” Samuel said softly. “Every dollar is a decision. Every purchase is weighed against a hundred other needs he could meet. You think it’s easy being wealthy and faithful? Try carrying the weight of knowing that your comfort could be someone else’s survival.”

A young couple approached them, the woman visibly pregnant, the man’s clothes bearing the distinctive marks of blue-collar work. Pastor Caldwell’s face lit up as if they were royalty, and Trevor watched him slip something into the man’s hand with the practiced discretion of someone who understood dignity.

“But why not just give it all away?” Trevor asked. “Wouldn’t that be more… Christian?”

“Would it?” Samuel countered. “If he gave away the business, who would employ the forty-three people who work there? If he liquidated everything, where would the steady stream of support for missions, medical bills, and emergency needs come from? Sometimes stewardship means keeping resources flowing, not just dispersing them once.”

Trevor felt the foundations of his judgment shifting, revealing the shaky ground on which he’d built his moral indignation.

“Remember Zacchaeus?” Samuel continued. “Jesus didn’t ask him to give away everything. Half was enough to prove his heart had changed. But the rich young ruler? Jesus saw that his wealth owned him, not the other way around. Same question, different answers, because Jesus was looking at hearts, not bank accounts.”

They sat in comfortable silence as the parking lot gradually emptied, families making their way toward worship. Trevor found himself reconsidering every luxury vehicle, every designer outfit, every visible sign of prosperity he’d catalogued and condemned.

“The real question,” Samuel said as they prepared to leave the car, “isn’t whether someone should have wealth. It’s whether wealth has them. And that’s a question only God can answer about any of us.”

As they walked toward the church entrance, Trevor caught sight of his reflection in a store window—his carefully maintained appearance, his defensive posture toward generosity, his quick judgment of others. He wondered if his poverty of spirit might be more dangerous than anyone’s abundance of resources.

Pastor Caldwell held the door open for them, his smile genuine and welcoming. “Good morning, gentlemen. Beautiful day the Lord has made, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” Trevor replied, meaning it in ways he was only beginning to understand.

Inside, as they settled into their seats, Samuel leaned over one final time. “You know what the most dangerous thing about wealth is, Trevor?”

“What?”

“It’s not that it might keep someone out of heaven. It’s that we might use our judgment of wealthy people as an excuse to avoid examining our own hearts. Pride, envy, self-righteousness—these are just as deadly as greed, and often harder to see.”

The service began with a call to worship, voices joining together regardless of the value of the cars outside or the labels inside their clothes. In that moment, Trevor understood that transformation—his own included—wasn’t about achieving some perfect standard of poverty or wealth, but about surrendering whatever he had, much or little, to the lordship of Christ.

He thought of the hundred-fold promise, not as material reward, but as the exponential blessing that comes from holding everything loosely enough for God to use it as He wills. And for the first time in months, when the offering plate passed, Trevor gave not out of obligation, but out of a heart that was learning to trust that generosity, like grace, multiplies in ways that make earthly accounting seem almost absurdly small.

The weight of silver, he realized, was nothing compared to the weight of glory that awaited those who learned to carry both wealth and poverty as Christ had carried His cross—not as a burden, but as an instrument of redemption.

Kingdom Kernel Collection

Kingdom Kernel #43 – Anticipating the Fulfilment of the Kingdom – Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:25, Luke 22:14-20

Living in the Tension of the “Already” and the “Not Yet”

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When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. ” (Luke 22:14-20)

Introduction

The Last Supper is far more than a somber farewell; it is a strategic anchoring for discipleship. In this moment of impending darkness, Jesus points His followers toward a future light—the “Until” that marks the end of all suffering. For the disciple-maker navigating a world of shifting sand, this eternal perspective provides an immovable foundation. We are not merely surviving the “now”; we are actively anticipating the “then.” This essay explores how holding the King’s future glory in view transforms our present grit into a joyful, sustainable hope.

Key Words and Phrases

Until – ἕως (Strong’s G2193 – heōs) till, until. The boy was looking out the window until his father came home.

Fulfilled – πληρόω (Strong’s G4137 – plēroō) to make full, to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally, to complete, fill to the brim, to consummate, to render perfect, to carry through to the end, to accomplish, to carry into effect, bring to realisation, of matters of duty: to perform, execute, of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish

Messianic Model – Focus on Jesus’ Example

The Messianic Model, centered on Jesus’ example during the Passover, provides a profound guide for how we, as His followers, should live and engage in our faith. Jesus’ actions and mindset leading up to this defining event model a perfect balance of anticipation and eternal perspective. By looking forward to the future realization of the Kingdom of God—the time when He will drink the fruit of the vine anew with His disciples—He teaches us to live with a joyful, future-oriented hope. This anticipation is not passive; it is a present motivation to be working and living in light of that glorious culmination. We are called to embody this same eternal perspective, ensuring our daily actions are aligned with the ultimate destiny of God’s Kingdom.

Furthermore, Jesus’ example shows us the importance of aligning our inner life—our emotions and desires—with God’s Kingdom values. His earnest desire to eat the Passover with His disciples before His suffering (Luke 22:15) demonstrates a depth of holy emotion and purposeful intent. This teaches us that our deepest passions should be for the things of God and the advancement of His reign. To follow His example, we must actively cultivate desires for righteousness, peace, and the expansion of the Gospel, rather than worldly pursuits. This alignment of the heart is fundamental to being effective disciple-makers, as it allows us to present the Kingdom with the same enthusiasm and wholehearted dedication modeled by our King.

Key Theological Implications

The Kingdom of God stands as a profound theological reality that is simultaneously “already” and “not yet.” Jesus’ teaching and ministry inaugurated this Kingdom, as He declared in Matthew 4:17, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. The Kingdom’s presence is evident in the power of the Holy Spirit, which led Jesus to say, “if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28). However, this present reality is not its final form. The Last Supper accounts point to a glorious future culmination, as Jesus says in Luke 22:18, “I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes”. This tension between the “now” and the “future” is the cornerstone of our present spiritual life.

This eschatological framework directly informs our prayer and action. We live out the Kingdom’s values now, even as we pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This prayer is both an affirmation of God’s present sovereignty and an eager anticipation for its ultimate fulfillment, where the King will drink the fruit of the vine anew with His disciples (Matthew 26:29). This future hope is further illuminated by other references to the great final banquet, such as Jesus’ promise that “many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11). The ultimate expression of this joyous future is often called the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9), where the fellowship anticipated at the Last Supper will be perfectly realized in the presence of God.

Therefore, the Kingdom’s dual nature necessitates a life marked by patience, perseverance, and enduring hope. Knowing the King Himself is patiently awaiting the full realization of His kingdom, we are called to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). Our current labor, the work of those you are discipling, and faithfulness are all performed in the light of the future, perfect Kingdom. This eternal perspective fuels our perseverance, grounding our present work in the sure hope that all God’s promises will be fulfilled in His perfect timing.

Contemporary Spiritual Significance

In an era of instant gratification, the concept of “Until” is counter-cultural. For those of us navigating career uncertainties, family challenges, and ministry demands, the promise of the Kingdom’s fulfillment provides a “long-view” that gives us hope and sustainment for the long haul. This perspective is rooted in the principle of Steadfastness, knowing that “in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Our current activities—whether it’s training a mentee to read the Bible, a coffee with a friend, or time in personal prayer—take on eternal weight when we realize they are the investments of a future reward. We are called to “set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). This hope gives us a grit that is not fueled by immediate results, but by the certainty of the “inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away” (1 Peter 1:4). By keeping the “now” and “future” Kingdom in view, we find the strength to remain “faithful in a very little thing” (Luke 16:10), understanding that every small act of obedience is a seed planted for an eternal harvest.

The Transformative Power of Anticipation and Eternal Perspective

Anticipation is more than just waiting; it is an active preparation that shifts our current reality. When we live with a “long-view,” we operate under the Principle of Divine Delay, recognizing that God’s “slow” work is often His most thorough work. This eternal perspective allows us to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

This perspective transforms several key areas of our lives:

Resilience in Suffering: When we realize that our current trials are “momentary light affliction,” we gain the strength to endure, knowing they are “producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Strategic Ministry: Anticipating the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9) changes how we treat those we are discipling for Jesus. We aren’t just teaching them “rules” or social etiquette; we are preparing them for a Royal Wedding. We are training them for a citizenship that is not of this world (Philippians 3:20).
Joyful Urgency: Knowing the King is returning creates a “holy restlessness.” We work with urgency because the time is short, but we work with peace because the outcome is secure. We are like those who “eagerly wait for His son from heaven” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

By anchoring our daily grind in the glory of the coming banquet, we move from being survivors of the present to architects of the future. Our “now” is no longer a burden to be carried, but a canvas on which the King’s future glory is already being painted.

Conclusion

Anticipating the Kingdom’s fulfillment is the catalyst for a life of radical faithfulness. When we realize that Jesus Himself is looking forward to the day He drinks the fruit of the vine with us, we find the dignity and purpose needed for our daily labor. We are not just waiting for the end of a long journey; we are preparing for the start of an eternal celebration. As you move forward today, let the “until” of Jesus be the heartbeat of your ministry and the source of your tireless hope.

Disciple-Maker’s Short Story

The Long View from the Mountain

The smell of woodsmoke and wet pine filled the small, rustic cabin perched high in the Swan Range of Montana. Outside, the wind howled through the Douglas firs, but inside, the heavy cast-iron stove radiated a warmth that seeped into the bones of the four men gathered around the scarred oak table.

Elias, the eldest at fifty-four, was slowly cleaning his rifle, his movements rhythmic and seasoned. Hanging on the walls around him were decades of memories: grainy polaroids of the “Class of ’98” trip, sun-faded photos of elk racks that seemed impossibly large, and a tattered map of the Bitterroot Wilderness with handwritten notes in the margins. Next to him sat Marcus and Thomas, his lifelong friends, and Sarah’s younger brother, David.

David was forty-eight, but in this group, he felt like the kid. He was also the newest addition to their hunting party and the newest to the faith. Today had been a success; David had taken his first bull elk, a clean shot at three hundred yards. But as the adrenaline of the hunt faded into the quiet of the mountain night, a different kind of intensity took over.

“You guys have been doing this for thirty years,” David said, gesturing toward a photo of the three of them from the mid-nineties. “Doesn’t it ever get old? The hiking, the waiting in the cold, the work of discipling the younger guys back home? Sometimes I feel like I’m just spinning my wheels, Elias. Like the Kingdom work we talk about is just… a lot of effort for very little progress.”

Elias paused his cleaning and looked at the photo David was pointing to. He smiled, a web of fine lines crinkling around his eyes. “You see that photo, David? That was the year we spent ten days in a blizzard and didn’t see a single track. We were exhausted, frustrated, and ready to quit. But Thomas reminded us of something Elias’ father used to say: ‘You don’t hunt for the kill; you hunt for the return.'”

Thomas nodded, leaning back in his chair. “It’s about the ‘Until,’ David. Just like what we read this morning in Luke 22:18. Jesus didn’t just give the disciples a meal to remember Him by. He gave them a timeline. He said He wouldn’t drink the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes. He anchored His present suffering—the cross that was coming in just a few hours—to a future celebration.”

David frowned, stirring his coffee. “I get the theory. But how does that help when you’re dealing with a guy you’re discipling who just won’t get his life together? Or when your job feels like a dead end? It’s hard to stay motivated by a ‘future banquet’ when the ‘now’ is so draining.”

Marcus, who had been quiet, spoke up. “Look around this room, Dave. Why do we keep all these pictures? Why do we keep these racks on the wall? It’s not just to brag. It’s because these things are evidence. They remind us that the ‘Until’ is real. Every trip we’ve taken, every elk we’ve packed out, it’s a shadow of a greater satisfaction.”

He leaned forward, his voice low and earnest. “When I’m sitting with those guys I’m discipling for Jesus back in the city, and they’re struggling, I don’t just see their mess. I see them as future citizens of that banquet. I see them as guests at the table Jesus is currently preparing. That eternal perspective changes the way I invest in them. I’m not just trying to fix their behavior for Tuesday; I’m preparing them for eternity. If Jesus is patient enough to wait two thousand years for His drink, I can be patient enough to wait two years for a brother to grow.”

Elias set his rifle down and looked David directly in the eye. “David, the world tells us that if we don’t see results now, it’s not worth it. Instant gratification is the enemy of Kingdom grit. But Jesus models a different kind of ‘waiting.’ His anticipation wasn’t a passive ‘I hope this happens.’ It was a ‘This is so certain that I can face the nails because of it.’ That’s the Principle of Divine Delay we were talking about earlier.”

“Think about it,” Thomas added. “Jesus is the King. He could have inaugurated the full Kingdom that night. He could have called down legions of angels and set the table right then. But He chose to wait. He chose to enter into the ‘Already but Not Yet’ with us. He’s the first one to practice the patience He asks of us. He is literally waiting for us to join Him before He celebrates.”

The cabin fell silent for a moment, the only sound the crackle of the stove and the distant moan of the wind. David looked at the photos again. He saw the progression of time—the dark hair turning gray, the old gear being replaced by the new—but he also saw the consistency of the fellowship.

“So,” David said slowly, “the current labor… serving those in need, the long coffee sessions, listening to life’s problems, being patient with my kids… they aren’t just hurdles to get over? They’re actually investments?”

“Exactly,” Elias said. “They are seeds planted for an eternal harvest. When you realize that the King Himself is waiting, your ‘now’ loses its weight of frustration and gains a weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17). You start to realize that every act of faithfulness is a preparation for the Marriage Supper. We aren’t just hunters in the cold, David. We are architects of a future we haven’t seen yet, but one that is more real than this cabin.”

David looked at his own hands, calloused from the day’s work. He felt a shift in his spirit—a loosening of the knot of anxiety that had been tightening for months. The “Until” wasn’t a burden of delay; it was a promise of arrival.

“Jesus is waiting for me to drink that cup with Him,” David whispered, the reality of it finally sinking in.

“He is,” Elias said softly. “And He’s earnestly desiring it. If the King of the Universe has that kind of passion for the future, we can afford to have a little more patience for the present.”

As the men eventually climbed into their bunks, the fire in the stove began to die down. But in the heart of the newest hunter, a different fire was just beginning to burn—a quiet, enduring flame of hope that would sustain him long after he left the Montana mountains and returned to the everyday work of the Kingdom. He finally understood that the long-haul wasn’t something to be endured; it was something to be celebrated, one faithful step at a time, until the King says, “Join Me and feast at My table.”

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Cheetah Flips? – #153

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Welcome Back! Today, we’ll be looking at the Gospel of Luke to see what Jesus got most excited about in His earthly ministry.

So let’s dive in.

(Click here to get a copy of the Gospel Sync document)

Luke 10:21–24

At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”

Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

My Thoughts

Where in the gospels do we really see Jesus getting jazzed? I mean really excited? We see Him demonstrating many emotions; anger, grief, frustration, happiness, etc… But excitement? This is the only place I see Him doing “Cheetah Flips.”

Now you’re wondering, “What in the world are “Cheetah Flips?” This dates me but when I was a kid, I used to watch a weekly serial of Tarzan on a black and white TV. You know, the kind where if you wanted to change the channel, you had to actually get up, go to the TV, and turn the dial to get to a different channel. (I’ve already lost most of you). Any who…Tarzan had a pet chimpanzee named Cheetah and every time Cheetah would get excited he’d do back flips. Hence, “Cheetah Flips.” Really excited!

Well, this is the only time in the gospels you see Jesus that excited. And one has to ask, “And what was Jesus so excited about?” I can think of several things. First, Jesus was fulfilling His calling. The Father had sent Him to do these very things and both the Father and the Son were being glorified. Another thing was that His disciples were seeing the long awaited fulfillment of the kingdom coming in power and they were just as excited about it as He was. But, as I mentioned in the last post, Jesus told His men to rejoice that their names are written in heaven. And as a result of Jesus’ obedience to the Father and the disciple’s obedience to Jesus, the gospel of the kingdom was being spread far and wide. Jesus started a chain reaction that would lead to billions of people’s names that would also be written in heaven.

Jesus came to “seek and save that which is lost.” From that point forward, many, many lost people would be found. That’s pretty exciting!

My Story

I’ve been excited about a lot of things in my life from getting a new bike for Christmas as a kid to coming home after serving a long deployment in Kuwait as a soldier. But I have to say the most exciting things in my life were watching my new bride, Deb, walking down the aisle on our wedding day, and officiating the weddings for our sons and daughter-in-laws, Chuck & Jessica and Wes & Tina, and the births of our seven grandkids.

It’s interesting how these have a few things in common; They are relational, new beginnings, a sign of maturity, and multiplicative. In a lot of ways, it was like I had arrived and at the same time I was just getting started. It was partnership with the Creator and alignment with His design. It was the pinnacle of a journey to more pinnacles. I still get butterflies in my stomach when I look at pictures of those days.

But I need to be honest, “having my name written in heaven” seems a little surreal right now. I’m kind of like, I know it will be the most exciting thing that ever happened to me in my existence, but since I can’t see, smell, touch, hear, or taste it right now, it seems like a dream just out of reach. I’m sure the disciples probably felt the same way when Jesus told them where to place their joy. They had to trust His excitement and put their faith in His words that all this would be just as He describes. So until then, I will believe in a day where all other exciting events in my life will pale in comparison. And the excitement will bear the same qualities; I will have arrived and at the same time just getting started. It will be in partnership with the Creator and alignment with His design. It will be the pinnacle of a journey to more pinnacles. And I’m sure I will be doing more than a few “Cheetah Flips.”

Our Action Plan

Now it’s time for application. Here’s some questions and ideas;

What would it take for you and those you disciple to get really excited about heaven?
Do a Bible study on heaven with those you’re discipling.
Do a Bible study on “names written in heaven.”

It seems like Jesus had all the emotions we do, including excitement. Let’s spend time meditating on the things He was excited about and align our emotions with His.

Organic Writing – No Artificial Intelligence or Sweeteners Added

¿Guepardos Volteretas? – #153

¡Bienvenidos de nuevo! Hoy analizaremos el Evangelio de Lucas para ver qué era lo que más entusiasmaba a Jesús en su ministerio terrenal.

¡Profundicemos!

Lucas 10:21–24

Mis Pensamientos

¿En qué parte de los evangelios vemos realmente a Jesús entusiasmado? O mejor dicho, ¿emocionado de verdad? Lo vemos demostrando muchas emociones: ira, dolor, frustración, felicidad, etc. ¿Pero emoción? Este es el único lugar donde lo veo haciendo volteretas.

Ahora te estarás preguntando: “¿Qué son esas volteretas?”. Esto me delata, pero de niño veía una serie semanal de Tarzán en blanco y negro. Ya sabes, de esas en las que, para cambiar de canal, tenías que levantarte, ir al televisor y girar el dial. (Ya he perdido a la mayoría). Alguien sabe… Tarzán tenía un chimpancé llamado Chita, y cada vez que Chita se emocionaba, hacía volteretas. De ahí las “volteretas”. ¡Qué emoción!

Bueno, este es el único momento en los evangelios donde vemos a Jesús tan emocionado. Y uno se pregunta: “¿Y por qué estaba tan emocionado Jesús?”. Se me ocurren varias cosas. Primero, Jesús estaba cumpliendo su llamado. El Padre lo había enviado para hacer precisamente esto, y tanto el Padre como el Hijo estaban siendo glorificados. Además, sus discípulos veían el tan esperado cumplimiento del reino viniendo con poder, y estaban tan emocionados como él. Pero, como mencioné en la publicación anterior, Jesús les dijo a sus hombres que se regocijaran porque sus nombres estaban escritos en el cielo. Y como resultado de la obediencia de Jesús al Padre y de los discípulos a él, el evangelio del reino se estaba difundiendo por todas partes. Jesús inició una reacción en cadena que llevaría a que los nombres de miles de millones de personas también estuvieran escritos en el cielo.

Jesús vino a “buscar y salvar lo que se había perdido”. A partir de ese momento, muchísimas personas perdidas serían encontradas. ¡Qué emocionante!

Mi Historia

He estado entusiasmado con muchas cosas en mi vida, desde recibir una bicicleta nueva para Navidad hasta volver a casa después de un largo despliegue en Kuwait. Pero debo decir que lo más emocionante de mi vida fue ver a mi recién casada, Deb, caminar hacia el altar el día de nuestra boda, y el nacimiento de nuestros dos hijos, Chuck y Wes, y nuestros siete nietos.

Es interesante cómo estos momentos tienen algunas cosas en común: son relacionales, nuevos comienzos, una señal de madurez y multiplicación. En muchos sentidos, fue como si hubiera llegado y, al mismo tiempo, apenas estuviera empezando. Fue una alianza con el Creador y una alineación con su diseño. Fue la cima de un viaje hacia más cimas. Todavía siento mariposas en el estómago cuando veo fotos de aquellos días.

Pero, para ser honesto, “tener mi nombre escrito en el cielo” me parece un poco surrealista ahora mismo. Sé que será lo más emocionante que me ha pasado en la vida, pero como no puedo verlo, olerlo, tocarlo, oírlo ni saborearlo ahora mismo, parece un sueño inalcanzable. Estoy seguro de que los discípulos sintieron lo mismo cuando Jesús les dijo dónde poner su alegría. Tuvieron que confiar en su entusiasmo y confiar en sus palabras de que todo sería tal como él lo describe. Así que, hasta entonces, creeré en un día en el que todos los demás eventos emocionantes de mi vida palidecerán en comparación. Y la emoción tendrá las mismas cualidades: habré llegado y, al mismo tiempo, apenas estaré empezando. Será en colaboración con el Creador y en alineación con su diseño. Será la cima de un viaje hacia más cimas. Y estoy seguro de que haré más que unas cuantas “Cheetah Flips”.

Nuestro Plan de Acción

Ahora es momento de aplicarlo. Aquí tienes algunas preguntas e ideas:

¿Qué se necesitaría para que tú y tus discípulos se entusiasmen con el cielo?

Realiza un estudio bíblico sobre el cielo con tus discípulos.

Realiza un estudio bíblico sobre los “nombres escritos en el cielo”.

Parece que Jesús sentía todas las mismas emociones que nosotros, incluyendo la emoción. Dediquemos tiempo a meditar en las cosas que le entusiasmaban y alineemos nuestras emociones con las suyas.

Si ve un problema importante en la traducción, envíeme una corrección por correo electrónico a charleswood1@gmail.com

Kingdom Kernel #42 – Forgiveness from the Heart – Matthew 18:23-35

The King’s Radical Demand for Authentic Mercy

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“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:23-35)

Introduction

The parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:23-35 stands as one of Jesus’ most penetrating teachings on the nature of divine forgiveness and its implications for kingdom living. Situated within Matthew’s broader discourse on community relationships and church discipline, this parable culminates with the haunting declaration that the heavenly Father will deliver the unforgiving to tormentors “if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35). This reveals the profound depth of forgiveness required in God’s kingdom and points unmistakably to Christ’s own sacrificial love as both the model and enabling power for such radical mercy.

Key Words and Phrases

“forgive” – ἀφίημι (Strong’s G863 – aphiemi) means “to send away” or “to release,” suggesting a complete dismissal of the debt or offense and actively releasing one’s claim against the offender. This term appears in contexts like the remission of sins Matthew 6:12 and the releasing of captives Luke 4:18.

“from your heart” – καρδία (Strong’s G2588 – kardia) represents the center of human personality—the seat of intellect, emotion, and will. This comprehensive understanding indicates that authentic forgiveness (ἐκ καρδιῶν, ek kardion) must flow from the heart’s depths, involving inward transformation, rather than being merely superficial compliance.

Messianic Model – Focus on Jesus’ example

This parable finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who embodies both the king’s mercy and the perfect servant’s response. Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross represents the ultimate expression of forgiveness “from the heart”—a love so profound that it willingly bears the punishment for humanity’s unpayable debt (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ prayer from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34), exemplifies the heart-level forgiveness demanded in this parable.

Moreover, Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness throughout the Gospels consistently emphasizes its radical nature. The Lord’s Prayer includes the petition to “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12), directly connecting divine and human forgiveness. His command to forgive “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22) immediately precedes this parable, establishing the limitless scope of kingdom forgiveness.

Theological Significance

The parable reveals profound truths about the nature of God’s kingdom and the character of its King. The king’s initial forgiveness of the ten-thousand-talent debt—an astronomical sum representing an unpayable obligation—demonstrates the infinite scope of divine mercy. This forgiveness is not earned through the servant’s plea for patience but flows from the king’s compassionate nature (σπλαγχνίζομαι, splagchnizomai, Strong’s G4697), a term describing visceral, gut-level compassion.

However, the king’s subsequent judgment reveals that divine mercy and divine justice are not contradictory but complementary aspects of God’s character. The king’s anger (ὀργισθείς, orgistheis) at the servant’s hardness of heart demonstrates that God’s forgiveness creates both privilege and responsibility. Those who have received mercy must extend mercy, not as payment for their forgiveness but as its natural fruit.

Contemporary Spiritual Significance

The parable’s kingdom implications extend beyond individual relationships to encompass the very nature of Christian community. The phrase “kingdom of heaven” (βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν) in Matthew 18:23 indicates that forgiveness from the heart is not merely a moral ideal but a present reality of God’s reign. The Lordship of Jesus Christ is not exclusively future but actively transforms hearts and relationships in this age, though awaiting ultimate fulfillment in the end-times.

This present-tense reality of Christ’s kingdom means that believers possess both the mandate and the supernatural capacity for heart-level forgiveness. The Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence enables the kind of radical forgiveness that mirrors the king’s character (Galatians 5:22-23), making possible what human nature finds impossible.

Transformative Power of Forgiveness

The transformative power of forgiveness, as illustrated by the parable, lies in its ability to reframe it as both a divine command and a privileged opportunity. When believers grasp the magnitude of their forgiveness in Christ—the cancellation of an infinite debt—extending mercy to others is seen as an act of obedience to the King’s mandate that transforms into a privilege, not a burden. The phrase “from your heart” challenges surface-level reconciliation and calls for the deep work of the Spirit that transforms resentment into genuine love. This heart-level forgiveness serves as a powerful witness to the reality of God’s kingdom. In a world marked by division, revenge, and unforgiveness, the Christian community’s practice of radical mercy demonstrates the supernatural power of the gospel. Such forgiveness becomes a means of evangelism, revealing the character of the King to a watching world.

Conclusion

The parable of the unmerciful servant ultimately reveals that forgiveness “from your heart” is not merely a kingdom principle but a reflection of the King’s very nature. As believers embrace this radical call to mercy, they participate in the expansive, eternal nature of God’s kingdom, where divine love transforms human hearts and relationships. The phrase “from your heart” serves as both a standard and a promise—a standard that reveals the depth of kingdom living and a promise that God’s grace enables such transformative love. In practicing heart-level forgiveness, believers not only reflect their King’s character but also proclaim the present reality of His reign, anticipating the day when all things will be made new under His perfect rule.

Disciple-Maker’s Short Story

The Weight of Ten Thousand Talents

The aluminum bleachers still held the day’s heat, metal warm against Sally’s bare legs as she peeled off her lacrosse cleats. Her stick lay abandoned beside her, the mesh pocket dark with sweat and afternoon shadows. Across the field, the sprinklers had begun their rhythmic dance, sending arcs of water across the scorched grass where she’d spent the last two hours running drills, trying to outpace the restlessness that had been building in her chest for weeks.

“You’re doing that thing again,” Debbie said, settling beside her with the careful grace of someone who’d learned to read the weather patterns of her friend’s moods. She pulled a water bottle from her bag and took a long drink, her eyes never leaving Sally’s face.

“What thing?”

“That thing where you get all knotted up inside and pretend you’re fine.” Debbie’s voice carried the gentle authority of someone who’d walked through her own valleys. “It’s about your dad again, isn’t it?”

Sally’s fingers found the laces of her cleats, working them loose with more force than necessary. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the empty field, and somewhere in the distance, she could hear the faint laughter of students walking back to their dorms. The normalcy of it all felt surreal against the storm brewing in her chest.

“Everyone keeps telling me to forgive and forget,” Sally said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “Like it’s some kind of package deal. Like I can just flip a switch and—poof—twenty years of him being…” She paused, searching for the right word. “Present but not really there.”

Debbie shifted on the bleacher, the metal creaking softly. “Tell me about forgetting.”

“I can’t.” The words came out sharp, brittle. “I remember every soccer game he missed, every recital where he sat in the back row checking his phone. I remember the way he’d nod when I told him about my day, but his eyes were always somewhere else. He wasn’t abusive, wasn’t absent—he was just… absent while being present. Does that make sense?”

“Perfect sense.” Debbie’s response came without hesitation, without the usual platitudes Sally had grown to expect. “But can I tell you something? I think you’re carrying around a debt that was never yours to carry.”

Sally looked up, her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Debbie was quiet for a moment, her gaze drifting across the field where the sprinklers continued their patient work. When she spoke again, her voice carried the weight of someone who’d wrestled with sacred texts and emerged changed.

“Jesus told this story once about a servant who owed his king an impossible amount—ten thousand talents. Picture it: a debt so massive it would take multiple lifetimes to repay. The servant falls on his face, begging for mercy, and the king—moved by compassion—forgives the entire debt. Just like that. Gone.”

Sally’s hands stilled on her laces. Something in Debbie’s tone suggested this wasn’t just another Sunday school story.

“But then,” Debbie continued, “this same servant finds a fellow worker who owes him a hundred denarii—pocket change compared to what he’d been forgiven. And instead of showing mercy, he demands payment. Throws the man in prison.”

“That’s horrible.”

“It gets worse. When the king hears about it, he’s furious. He calls the servant wicked and hands him over to the torturers until he pays back everything—the full ten thousand talents he’d been forgiven.”

Sally felt something shift in her chest, a recognition she couldn’t quite name. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because Jesus ended the story with these words: ‘My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.'” Debbie turned to face her fully now, her expression gentle but serious. “From your heart, Sally. Not from your head, not from obligation, but from the deepest part of who you are.”

The afternoon air seemed to thicken around them. Sally could feel her pulse in her temples, the familiar tightness in her chest that always came when she thought about her father. “I don’t understand what that has to do with forgetting.”

“Everything.” Debbie’s voice was soft now, almost reverent. “The words for ‘from your heart’ isn’t about emotion—it’s about the center of your being, the place where your thoughts, feelings, and will all come together. It’s about releasing someone from the deepest part of yourself, not because you’ve forgotten what they did, but because you’ve remembered what’s been done for you.”

Sally stared at her cleats, the leather scuffed and worn from countless practices. “I don’t feel like I’ve been forgiven of anything that massive.”

“Haven’t you?” Debbie’s question hung in the air between them. “Sally, three weeks ago you told me about the lies you’d told to make yourself seem more interesting, the way you’d betrayed your roommate’s trust to get ahead in class, the nights you’d compromised yourself with guys just hoping they’d stick around. You said you were exhausted from the masks, from the manipulation, from all the ways you’d twisted yourself into knots trying to earn love—from your dad, from anyone who might fill that void. And when you finally understood that Jesus loves you not despite those dark places but right through them—what did that feel like?”

The memory hit Sally like a physical blow. She’d been sitting in her dorm room at 2 AM, staring at the ceiling, when the weight of twenty years of striving had finally cracked something open inside her. The realization that she was loved—completely, unconditionally, eternally—had left her sobbing on her narrow dorm bed.

“Like I could breathe for the first time,” she whispered.

“That’s your ten thousand talents,” Debbie said softly. “That’s the impossible debt Jesus paid for you. And your dad? The man who was present but not present, who loved you but didn’t know how to show it, who was probably fighting his own battles while you were fighting yours? His debt to you is real, Sally. It’s not nothing. But compared to what you’ve been forgiven…”

Sally felt tears she hadn’t expected burning behind her eyes. “It’s a hundred denarii.”

“It’s a hundred denarii.”

They sat in silence for a moment, watching the sprinklers complete their circuit. The campus was settling into evening now, the sky beginning to blush with the promise of sunset. Sally thought about the parable, about the servant who’d been forgiven everything but couldn’t forgive a fraction in return.

“I want to be like Jesus,” she said finally, the words coming out broken and honest. “I want to forgive from my heart, not just from my head. But I don’t know how to do it without forgetting.”

Debbie reached over and squeezed her hand. “Maybe that’s the point. Maybe forgiveness isn’t about forgetting—it’s about remembering differently. Instead of remembering your father’s absence as evidence of your unworthiness, maybe you can remember it as evidence of his brokenness. Instead of carrying his debt like a weight in your chest, maybe you can carry it like a bridge.”

“A bridge?”

“To understanding. To compassion. To the kind of love that doesn’t demand payment because it’s already been paid.” Debbie’s voice grew stronger, more certain. “Your father’s debt to you was real, Sally. But it was also paid in full by someone who knows what it means to be rejected—someone who was crucified by His own creation. Someone who understands what it feels like to need love and not receive it the way you expected.”

Sally felt something loosening in her chest, a knot that had been there so long she’d forgotten it wasn’t part of her natural anatomy. “So when Jesus says to forgive from the heart…”

“He’s not asking you to forget. He’s asking you to remember the cross. To remember that the debt has been paid—not just your father’s debt to you, but your debt to God. And from that place of remembering, to release him the way you’ve been released.”

The sprinklers had finished their work now, leaving the field glistening in the golden light. Sally picked up her lacrosse stick, running her fingers along the worn tape on the handle. She thought about all the games her father had missed, all the conversations that had never happened, all the ways she’d longed for his attention and approval.

But for the first time, she also thought about Jesus on the cross, crying out in abandonment, choosing to forgive from the deepest place of his suffering. She thought about the ten thousand talents of her own sin, her own striving, her own desperate attempts to earn love—all of it cancelled, forgiven, sent away.

“I want to try,” she said, her voice steady now. “I want to forgive him from my heart. Not because I’ve forgotten, but because I’ve remembered what it means to be forgiven.”

Debbie smiled, and in that smile Sally saw something she was only beginning to understand—the reflection of a love that had already paid every debt, conquered every absence, and transformed every heart willing to receive it.

As they gathered their things and walked across the wet grass toward the dormitories, Sally felt the weight of ten thousand talents lifting from her shoulders, replaced by something infinitely lighter and infinitely more powerful: the freedom to forgive from a heart that had learned, finally, what it meant to be forgiven.

Kingdom Kernel Collection

Putting Your Joy in the Right Place – #152

ENGLISH / ESPAÑOL

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Welcome Back! Today, we’ll be looking at the Gospel of Luke for where Jesus told His disciples to place their joy.

So let’s dive in.

(Click here to get a copy of the Gospel Sync document)

Luke 10:17–20

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.” So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

My Thoughts

When Jesus’ disciples returned from their short-term mission trip they were pumped! They had met their spiritual enemy face to face and crushed him. They even gave Jesus all the credit. They used Jesus’ name as instructed and the evil spirits fled. It was like a football team in the locker room after they had just pummeled the opposition 50 to zero and knew it was the coach that got them to the summit. There were highfives, chest bumps, and… well, I guess they didn’t have Gatorade back then. But you can just imagine the scene and how excited these disciples were.

Then the coach, Jesus, puts everything in perspective. He acknowledges the reality of their success. Satan didn’t stand a chance. The power of His players was so overwhelming nothing could stop them. Then He pauses for effect. “Nevertheless…” cheering, claps on the back, fist pumps all stop and all eyes are on Him. “the win over your opponent is not the biggest victory. Your real excitement should be placed in the fact that the Father and I know you and your names are engraved on the real trophy, heaven.” Silence erupts into chaos as the disciples roar and a chant breaks forth, Je-sus, Je-sus, Je-sus!

I’m sure it probably wasn’t anything like that…maybe. But I can only imagine if I were there and those words fell on my ears.

But let’s stop a second and consider what the Master said. All the suffering you’ve endured, all the good deeds you’ve done, all the prayers you’ve prayed, all the disciples you’ve made, Jesus acknowledges it all. But then He wraps His arm around your shoulders and says “But do you know what’s really exciting? The Father and I know you and you’re going to be with us forever.”

A good disciple maker can bring things into perspective. They can separate the good things from the most meaningful things without pitting them against each other. We need to learn and master this skill from Jesus. Too many times we get excited about the immediate and fail to point the disciples of Jesus to the ultimate goal. Or we fail to give credit for the advances that have been made and bring the highest value in like a sledgehammer. Let’s remember to highlight the good things but draw their attention to the most important, their eternal relationship with Him.

My Story

I had been mentoring a guy for about a year and he looked at me in exasperation and asked this question; “Isn’t Jesus enough?” He was obviously detecting my impatience with him as he struggled to reproduce in another person what I was doing with him. You know, meeting weekly, dropping knowledge, sharing life with him, serving him, loving him, modeling for him, etc…

Now I was exasperated! I didn’t answer his question but my mind was fashioning a rebuke; “What do you mean is Jesus enough? Of course He is! But you need to get on the ball. You need to do what I’m training you to do. Get with it pal!” But instead of words, I just sat there speechless. He had checkmated me.

Now you need to know that my friend really needed to shore up some significant weaknesses. He had parried me with his question because he wanted me to get off his back but the reality was his walk with Jesus was in shambles. Jesus is enough but he was nowhere close to having his cup full of living waters. But even a broken clock is right twice a day and his question was a frontal assault on my priorities. Was I just trying to get this guy to jump through my hoops or was I trying to help him follow the Master?

That question; “Is Jesus enough?” has been a gauge for my mentoring relationships ever since. I’m constantly asking myself, “Am I making Jesus the goal in this person’s life or am I aiming at something good but less?”

Our Action Plan

Now it’s time for application. Here’s some questions and ideas;

Are you pointing people to Jesus or something lesser?
Is a relationship with Jesus and being with Him for all eternity enough?
Make it a point to talk about Jesus every time you get together.

Jesus reminds the disciples where they need to find their greatest joy without throwing a wet blanket on their other accomplishments. As disciple makers, this is an important skill to master; to bring attention to the highest value without diminishing their good deeds in the process.

Organic Writing – No Artificial Intelligence or Sweeteners Added

Poniendo nuestra alegría en el lugar correcto – #152

¡Bienvenidos de nuevo! Hoy analizaremos el Evangelio de Lucas para descubrir dónde les dijo Jesús a sus discípulos que debían depositar su alegría.

Así que, ¡comencemos!

Lucas 10:17-20

Mis Pensamientos

Cuando los discípulos de Jesús regresaron de su breve viaje misionero, ¡estaban eufóricos! Se habían enfrentado cara a cara con su enemigo espiritual y lo habían derrotado. Incluso le dieron todo el crédito a Jesús. Usaron el nombre de Jesús, como se les había indicado, y los espíritus malignos huyeron. Era como un equipo de fútbol en el vestuario después de haber aplastado al equipo contrario 50 a 0 y sabiendo que fue el entrenador quien los llevó a la victoria. Había palmadas en la espalda, choques de puños y… bueno, supongo que no tenían Gatorade en aquel entonces. Pero pueden imaginarse la escena y lo emocionados que estaban estos discípulos.

Entonces el entrenador, Jesús, pone todo en perspectiva. Reconoce la realidad de su éxito. Satanás no tuvo ninguna oportunidad. El poder de sus discípulos era tan abrumador que nada podía detenerlos. Luego hace una pausa para crear expectación. “Sin embargo…” los vítores, las palmadas en la espalda, los puños en alto se detienen y todas las miradas se dirigen a Él. “La victoria sobre su oponente no es la mayor victoria. Su verdadera alegría debe estar en el hecho de que el Padre y yo los conocemos y sus nombres están grabados en el verdadero trofeo: el cielo”. El silencio se convierte en un estallido de alegría cuando los discípulos gritan y un cántico surge: ¡Jesús, Jesús, Jesús!

Estoy seguro de que probablemente no fue así… quizás. Pero solo puedo imaginarme si hubiera estado allí y esas palabras hubieran llegado a mis oídos.

Pero detengámonos un segundo y consideremos lo que dijo el Maestro. Todo el sufrimiento que han soportado, todas las buenas obras que han hecho, todas las oraciones que han rezado, todos los discípulos que han formado, Jesús lo reconoce todo. Pero luego les rodea con el brazo y dice: “¿Pero saben qué es lo realmente emocionante? El Padre y yo los conocemos y estarán con nosotros para siempre”.

Un buen formador de discípulos puede poner las cosas en perspectiva. Puede separar las cosas buenas de las cosas más significativas sin enfrentarlas entre sí. Necesitamos aprender y dominar esta habilidad de Jesús. Demasiadas veces nos emocionamos con lo inmediato y no logramos guiar a los discípulos de Jesús hacia la meta final. O no damos crédito por los avances logrados y presentamos el valor más alto de forma abrupta. Recordemos destacar las cosas buenas, pero también llamar su atención sobre lo más importante: su relación eterna con Él.

Mi Historia

Había estado guiando a un joven durante aproximadamente un año, y un día me miró con exasperación y me hizo esta pregunta: “¿No es suficiente Jesús?”. Era evidente que notaba mi impaciencia, ya que le costaba replicar en otra persona lo que yo estaba haciendo con él: reunirnos semanalmente, compartir conocimientos, compartir la vida, servirle, amarlo, ser un ejemplo para él, etc.

¡Ahora yo era el que estaba exasperado! No respondí a su pregunta, pero en mi mente se gestaba una reprimenda: “¿Qué quieres decir con que si Jesús es suficiente? ¡Claro que lo es! Pero tienes que ponerte las pilas. Tienes que hacer lo que te estoy enseñando. ¡Espabila, amigo!”. Pero en lugar de palabras, me quedé allí sentado, sin habla. Me había dejado sin argumentos.

Ahora bien, deben saber que mi amigo realmente necesitaba fortalecer algunas debilidades importantes. Me había respondido con esa pregunta porque quería que lo dejara en paz, pero la realidad era que su relación con Jesús estaba hecha un desastre. Jesús es suficiente, pero él estaba muy lejos de tener su copa llena de agua viva. Pero incluso un reloj averiado da la hora correcta dos veces al día, y su pregunta fue un ataque frontal a mis prioridades. ¿Acaso solo intentaba que este chico hiciera lo que yo quería o intentaba ayudarlo a seguir al Maestro?

Esa pregunta: “¿Es suficiente Jesús?” se ha convertido en un indicador de mis relaciones de mentoría desde entonces. Constantemente me pregunto: “¿Estoy haciendo de Jesús el objetivo en la vida de esta persona o estoy apuntando a algo bueno, pero inferior?”.

Nuestro Plan de Acción

Ahora es el momento de la aplicación práctica. Aquí tienes algunas preguntas e ideas:

¿Estás guiando a las personas hacia Jesús o hacia algo inferior?
¿Es suficiente una relación con Jesús y estar con Él por toda la eternidad?
Propónte hablar de Jesús cada vez que se reúnan.

Jesús les recuerda a los discípulos dónde deben encontrar su mayor alegría, sin restarle importancia a sus otros logros. Como formadores de discípulos, esta es una habilidad importante que debemos dominar: dirigir la atención hacia lo más valioso sin menospreciar sus buenas acciones en el proceso.

Escritura original – Sin inteligencia artificial ni añadidos artificiales.

Si ve un problema importante en la traducción, envíeme una corrección por correo electrónico a charleswood1@gmail.com

Kingdom Kernel #41 – Becoming Like a Child

Humility as the Gateway to the Kingdom of God

Kingdom Kernel Collection

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:1-6)

Introduction

In Matthew 18:1-6, Mark 9:42-48, and Luke 22:24-30, Jesus responds to the disciples’ disputes about greatness in the kingdom of heaven. By placing a child before them, He redefines greatness through the lens of humility, declaring, “Unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven”(Matthew 18:3). This essay analyzes the concept of becoming like a child, focusing on humility as the explicit attribute, exploring its linguistic roots, theological significance, and its revelation of Jesus as Messiah and King, whose lordship is real now and eternal.

Key Words and Phrases

“Converted” – στρέφω (Strong’s G4762 – strephō) means to turn or change direction, implying a transformative reorientation toward God’s kingdom, akin to repentance Acts 3:19.

“become like children” – παιδίον (Strong’s G3813 – paidion) denotes a young child, symbolizing vulnerability, dependence, and trust—qualities Jesus elevates as kingdom virtues.

“Humbles” – ταπεινόω (Strong’s G5013 – tapeinoō) means to lower oneself, reflecting humility as a posture of submission, contrasting worldly pride. In the Septuagint, tapeinoō describes God’s favor toward the humble Psalm 18:27.

The Messianic Model – Focus on Jesus’ Example

The Messianic Model is defined less by what Jesus said and more by what He did. His humility was not merely a teaching topic; it was the very fabric of His earthly existence. It began with the Incarnation, where the Almighty God emptied Himself to become a man, entering human history as a helpless child. This act of self-emptying (Philippians 2:7) set the trajectory for His entire life. He exhibited humility at every turn, culminating in the ultimate paradox: the Creator allowing His own creation to crucify Him. By choosing to die at the hands of those He made, Jesus demonstrated that true greatness is found in radical submission and self-sacrifice, embodied from the manger to the cross.

Key Theological Implications

This focus on humility is not merely a behavioral suggestion but a revelation of divine attributes. Scripture declares that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Jesus personifies this as the Servant-King who characterized His messianic identity through self-emptying obedience. He “humbled Himself” even to the point of the cross (Philippians 2:8), directly fulfilling Isaiah’s ancient prophecy of a suffering servant (Isaiah 53:3-5). In doing so, He aligned Kingdom values with God’s redemptive plan, proving that true exaltation comes only through humility (1 Samuel 2:7-8).

Contemporary Spiritual Significance

The humility of the King is not just a historical fact or a future hope; it is active right now. Christ reigns in the lives of believers who have been transferred to His kingdom through submission to His lordship (Colossians 1:13). The call to “become like children” serves as a prophetic pointer to Christ’s eternal reign, establishing a reality where the humble will eventually rule with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). This present reality challenges us to view our current spiritual state not as a ladder to climb, but as a position of service within His sovereign rule.

The Transformative Power of Humility

Humility is the catalyst that fundamentally alters a disciple of Jesus in both character and practice. In character, it shifts the heart from self-reliance to total dependence on God, mirroring the childlike humility Jesus commended. It dismantles pride, allowing the believer to find their identity securely in Christ rather than in worldly status. In practice, this internal reality manifests as tangible service. It moves a believer from seeking to be served to actively serving others, just as Christ did (Luke 22:27). This practical obedience—valuing others above oneself—is the evidence of Jesus’ Lordship in a person’s life. By living this way, believers not only prepare for their future rule with Christ (Revelation 3:21 ) but also become living invitations to His Kingdom today.

Conclusion

Ultimately, entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven hinges on an essential, non-negotiable step: we must “become like children” (Matthew 18:3). Jesus explicitly ties our very inclusion in His Kingdom to this radical conversion—a turning away from the pursuit of status and toward a posture of humble dependence. In a culture that idolized power, Jesus elevated the child—socially powerless and dependent—as the archetype of the Kingdom citizen. This implies that the requirement for entry is not strength, but trust. To enter His Kingdom and share in His reign, we must strip away the illusion of self-sufficiency and embrace the vulnerability of a child, fully relying on the grace of our Father and the example of our Servant-King.

Disciple-Maker’s Short Story

TThe Crux of the Climb

The Colorado sun sank behind Eldorado Canyon’s rugged cliffs, painting golden streaks across the granite where Charlie and Lorenzo climbed. The air was sharp with pine and dust as Charlie belayed his mentor, Lorenzo, who was tackling a tricky overhang. Lorenzo’s fingers clung to a narrow crack, his body taut with focus.

“You got this, Lorenzo!” Charlie shouted, feeding rope through the belay device. “Just have that childlike faith!”

Lorenzo’s foot found a hold, and with a smooth pull, he cleared the crux, grinning as he clipped the anchor. “Thanks for the hype, Charlie!” he called down, his voice bouncing off the canyon walls.

Later, sprawled on the tailgate of Lorenzo’s weathered pickup, they sipped water from dented canteens, the rock face looming like a silent witness. Lorenzo, wiping chalk from his hands with a rag, looked over at Charlie with a thoughtful smile.

“I appreciate the encouragement up there,” Lorenzo said. “But it got me thinking. You know the phrase ‘childlike faith’ isn’t actually in the Bible?”

Charlie paused mid-sip, his eyebrows knitting together. He sifted through memories—Sunday school, sermons, aimlessly thumbing through his worn Bible—but drew a blank. “Wait, really? I thought Jesus talked about kids and the Kingdom all the time.”

“He does,” Lorenzo nodded, his tone gentle. “But we often mix up our own sayings with Scripture. It’s like assuming the Bible mentions ‘three wise men visiting baby Jesus’ or Paul getting knocked off his horse—traditions we add to the text. Jesus doesn’t explicitly say ‘have faith like a child.’ He points to something even harder to swallow.”

Charlie leaned in, curious. “Okay, so what’s the real deal?”

“Humility,” Lorenzo said, his voice steady. “In Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus says, ‘Unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.’ And then He drops the hammer: ‘Whoever humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest.’”

“So it’s not about believing hard enough?”

“Faith is crucial, obviously,” Lorenzo explained. “But in that context, Jesus was addressing disciples who were arguing about who was the greatest. He wasn’t telling them to be innocent or gullible. In that culture, a child had zero status. They were totally dependent on their father for survival. To ‘become like a child’ isn’t just about trusting; it’s about lowering yourself. It’s admitting you bring nothing to the table.”

Charlie nodded slowly, looking back at the cliff they had just ascended. “So, when I said ‘childlike faith’…”

“You were focusing on our determination to believe and that’s good,” Lorenzo finished for him. “But here, Jesus is focusing on the posture of the heart. It’s like climbing. You didn’t get up that wall by just believing you could do it. You also had the attitude, respecting gravity, trusting your climbing buddy, and realizing you’re small compared to the rock. That’s humility. It’s submitting to the reality that God is God and we are not.”

Lorenzo tapped the tailgate. “Jesus modeled this perfectly. He didn’t just have a positive attitude; His faith was demonstrated through humility. He ‘humbled Himself by becoming obedient’ to the point of death (Philippians 2:8). And that’s another aspect of the Kingdom. He redefined greatness. It’s not about how much you know or how strong you are—it’s about how low you’re willing to go to serve.”

Charlie gazed at the darkening canyon, the lesson sinking in deeper than the climb. “I guess I’ve been using a cliché without realizing what Jesus really said.”

Lorenzo smiled, clapping a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “We all do, kid. And look at you! Admitting your weakness! You got that child-like humility already. And that’s the climb. We study the Word to get the holds right, and we practice a little humility to keep from falling.”As they packed up, Charlie felt a shift. He realized that following Jesus wasn’t just about bold declarations of faith, but just as much about quietly, humbly walking with the Lord—mirroring the King who served (Mark 10:45).

Kingdom Kernel Collection

Seeing Jesus in 3D – #151

ENGLISH / ESPAÑOL

Welcome Back! Today, we’ll be looking at the Gospel of Luke to see another essential side of disciple-making Jesus modeled.

So let’s dive in.

(Click here to get a copy of the Gospel Sync document)

Luke 10:10–16

But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

My Thoughts

For us pastoral types we might be thinking, “Woah, that seems kind of harsh, Jesus.” And for the prophetic types they’re saying, “Yeah, sic ‘em Jesus!” We kind of prefer to paint Jesus in the shades we enjoy and most value but we may end up seeing Jesus in 2D rather than 3D.

We’re not seeing the Lamb here. We’re seeing the Lion. This is part of who He really is! He will bring justice and judgment. He will hold people accountable. He will crush His enemies. He will bring the sword. And He’s not only giving us fair warning, He’s instructing His disciples to bring the warning as His ambassadors. We bring terms of peace and war at the same time.

But what if I feel uncomfortable about telling people the truth about rebelling against the King? What if I’d rather get along with everyone and not make any waves? You’re probably operating out of your personality and gifting and we need you to do that. But if our goal is to become more like Jesus and obey His commands we are going to have to face the cold hard facts that not everyone is going to like us and we will eventually tick a few people off.

For us pastoral types, we may try to hide behind the banner of love to avoid this kind of rhetoric. But is it really love or do I just not like being in conflict or hurting people’s feelings? If the bridge is out and I kindly wave them on as though nothing were wrong, am I really loving them when they crash and burn at the bottom of the gorge? No, we have to say something even though it may be inconvenient, sound judgy, or hurt their feelings. Real love brings both grace and truth.

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

And for you prophetic types, I’ll pick on you later. 😀

My Story

Being more pastoral by nature and gifting I’ve had to learn how to be more prophetic. In fact I’ve had some prophetic friends in my life that really tick me off on occasions. But when the Holy Spirit gets a hold of me and said, “You know Chuck, they have a point.” I’ve had to go back and actually thank them for what I thought was a bit strong and hurt my feelings. These friends have been good for me. I have other friends who are more evangelistic, more instructive, or more apostolic than I am. They make me feel just as uncomfortable. They kind of rub me the wrong way only to find out through the Spirit or through the Word they were rubbing me the RIGHT way, in the direction of Christlikeness (Ephesians 4:11-13).

But back to the prophets. I can think of three distinct times in my life where I’ve been asked a question that made me madder than a wet hen.

Chuck, what does that have to do with Jesus?
When’s the last time you shared the gospel?
Why does the gospel stop at the front gate of this army post?

You might be thinking to yourself, “Those questions sound pretty benign to me Chuck. What’s the big deal?” Yeah, unless the person asking you the question caught you in some character flaw or deficiency that called you on the carpet. You’re caught in the open, naked and nowhere to hide. You go from embarrassment to anger faster than a sports car can go 0-60. Yeah, we’ve all been there. But if they’re right and we are humble enough to admit our failure, the prophet has done their job and a major transformation takes place. Being transformed into the image of Christ.

Rather than voting them off the island, let’s celebrate the prophets in our lives and learn to be a bit more like them. And in turn we will become a bit more like Jesus.

Our Action Plan

Now it’s time for application. Here’s some questions and ideas;

Do you have some “Truth Tellers” in your life to sharpen you?
When was the last time you reproved or rebuked someone who needed it?
The next time you share the gospel, include the element of judgment.

Jesus is the Lamb and the Lion. He brings both truth and grace. If we are going to be like Him, we need to see Him in 3D. We take all of Him, not just the parts we like.

Organic Writing – No Artificial Intelligence or Sweeteners Added

Viendo a Jesús en 3D – #151

¡Bienvenidos de nuevo! Hoy, analizaremos el Evangelio de Lucas para ver otra faceta esencial del discipulado que Jesús ejemplificó.

Así que, ¡manos a la obra!

Lucas 10:10-16

Mis Pensamientos

Los que tenemos una inclinación pastoral podríamos pensar: «¡Vaya, eso suena un poco duro, Jesús!». Y los que tienen una inclinación profética dirían: «¡Sí, dales su merecido, Jesús!». Solemos pintar a Jesús con los colores que nos gustan y valoramos, pero corremos el riesgo de verlo en 2D en lugar de en 3D.

Aquí no vemos al Cordero, sino al León. ¡Esto es parte de quién es Él realmente! Él traerá justicia y juicio. Pedirá cuentas a las personas. Aplastará a sus enemigos. Desenvainará la espada. Y no solo nos está dando una advertencia, sino que también instruye a sus discípulos a que transmitan esa advertencia como sus embajadores. Llevamos un mensaje de paz y de guerra al mismo tiempo.

Pero, ¿qué pasa si me incomoda decirle a la gente la verdad sobre rebelarse contra el Rey? ¿Qué pasa si prefiero llevarme bien con todos y no causar problemas? Probablemente estés actuando según tu personalidad y dones, y necesitamos que lo hagas. Pero si nuestra meta es parecernos más a Jesús y obedecer sus mandamientos, tendremos que afrontar la cruda realidad de que no le gustaremos a todo el mundo y, tarde o temprano, molestaremos a algunas personas.

Los que tenemos una inclinación pastoral podríamos intentar escondernos detrás de la bandera del amor para evitar este tipo de discurso. Pero, ¿es realmente amor o simplemente no me gusta el conflicto ni herir los sentimientos de los demás? Si el puente está caído y les hago señas amablemente como si nada pasara, ¿los estoy amando de verdad cuando se estrellan en el fondo del barranco? No, tenemos que decir algo, aunque sea incómodo, suene a juicio o hiera sus sentimientos. El verdadero amor trae gracia y verdad.

Porque la ley fue dada por medio de Moisés; la gracia y la verdad vinieron por medio de Jesucristo (Juan 1:17).

Y a ustedes, los de inclinación profética, ya les tocará su turno. 😀

Mi Historia

Siendo por naturaleza y dones más inclinado al ministerio pastoral, he tenido que aprender a ser más profético. De hecho, he tenido algunos amigos proféticos en mi vida que me han irritado mucho en ocasiones. Pero cuando el Espíritu Santo me tocó y me dijo: “Sabes, Chuck, tienen razón”, tuve que volver y agradecerles por lo que pensé que había sido un poco fuerte y me había herido. Estos amigos me han hecho bien. Tengo otros amigos que son más evangelizadores, más instructivos o más apostólicos que yo. Me hacen sentir igual de incómodo. Me incomodan, solo para descubrir, a través del Espíritu o de la Palabra, que me estaban guiando en la dirección correcta, hacia la semejanza de Cristo.

Pero volviendo a los profetas. Recuerdo tres ocasiones distintas en mi vida en las que me hicieron una pregunta que me enfureció muchísimo.

Chuck, ¿qué tiene que ver eso con Jesús?

¿Cuándo fue la última vez que compartiste el evangelio?

¿Por qué el evangelio se detiene en la entrada de este cuartel militar?

Quizás estés pensando: “Esas preguntas me parecen bastante inofensivas, Chuck. ¿Cuál es el problema?”. Sí, a menos que la persona que te hizo la pregunta te haya descubierto en alguna falla o deficiencia de carácter que te haya puesto en evidencia. Te sientes expuesto, vulnerable y sin dónde esconderte. Pasas de la vergüenza a la ira más rápido que un coche deportivo de 0 a 100 km/h. Sí, todos hemos pasado por eso. Pero si tienen razón y somos lo suficientemente humildes como para admitir nuestro error, el profeta ha cumplido su función y se produce una gran transformación: ser transformados a la imagen de Cristo.

En lugar de excluirlos, celebremos a los profetas en nuestras vidas y aprendamos a ser un poco más como ellos. Y a su vez, nos pareceremos un poco más a Jesús.

Nuestro Plan de Acción

Ahora es el momento de la aplicación. Aquí tienes algunas preguntas e ideas:

¿Tienes en tu vida personas que te digan la verdad para ayudarte a crecer?

¿Cuándo fue la última vez que reprendiste o amonestaste a alguien que lo necesitaba?

La próxima vez que compartas el evangelio, incluye el elemento del juicio.

Jesús es el Cordero y el León. Él trae tanto la verdad como la gracia. Si queremos ser como Él, necesitamos verlo en tres dimensiones. Debemos aceptarlo tal como es, no solo las partes que nos gustan.

Escritura orgánica: sin inteligencia artificial ni aditivos.

Si ve un problema importante en la traducción, envíeme una corrección por correo electrónico a charleswood1@gmail.com

The Person of Peace – #150

ENGLISH / ESPAÑOL

Welcome Back! Today, we’ll be looking at the Gospel of Luke to see what kind of person Jesus anticipated His disciples would find when He sent them out with the gospel message.

So let’s dive in.

(Click here to get a copy of the Gospel Sync document)

Luke 10:4–9

Carry no purse or bag or sandals. Do not greet anyone along the road. Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house. If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’

My Thoughts

Last time we talked about what it takes to help disciples to be Committed, Competent, and Confident messengers of the gospel. This time we’ll focus on the “Target Audience” for the gospel.

Have you ever noticed that Jesus never twisted anyone’s arm to listen to Him? In fact, most of the time He spoke in parables that left the crowds scratching their heads. But it was the inquisitive that would follow Him back into the house and begin asking questions; “Ah, Jesus…what in the world were You talking about back there?” And then the Master Disciple Maker would say something like “To you the mysteries of the kingdom of God have been given!” (Mark 4:10-12).

Jesus wasn’t looking for people who just wanted to hear the message (a good sermon). He was looking for people who wanted to understand and receive the gospel. They were spiritually curious enough to go below the surface and get to the meaning for life. These were the kind of people Jesus was looking for and these were the same kind of people He told the disciples to look for.

If you look closely at the instructions, you begin to see the principles and profile of the “Person of Peace.” The ones who would be receptive.

Disciples	Person of Peace
They would bring a message of peace	They would receive the message of peace
They were to take nothing with them	They would provide food and lodging
They would stay at that house	They were willing to be host for a few days
They would heal their sick	They would receive healing
They would bring a message of the kingdom	They would receive the message of the kingdom

I’m afraid we have gotten this turned upside down in modern evangelism. We are waiting on the people to extend peace to us before we share THE message of peace with them (i.e. build the relationship before we share the good news). WE come bearing gifts and purchasing the hearer’s attention and thus muddying the waters of true motives. We practice “drive by” gospel shares and have no real time or possibility to see if understanding and repentance was a part of their reception. Our visit is given no opportunity for God to work His power in their lives through miraculous provision through prayer. And we bring a message of “God’s Acceptance of the way you are” and no talk of His rule in their life (i.e. the need to repent).

Am I stepping on any toes here? I certainly stepped on my own! Hey, anything about Jesus is better than nothing about Jesus. But this has been a good review of how Jesus found receptive people, instructed His disciples to find them, and how we should, in turn, try to find the same.

Now before we get “lost in the sauce” of the method, let’s focus on the principles.

As God’s ambassadors we bring His peace not a superficial message of “I’m ok and you’re ok.”
Trust God for receptivity by going needy and He will provide through those He has prepared.
Stay long enough (when possible) to answer questions, insure understanding, and demonstrate love.
Pray for them and expect God to answer your prayers on their behalf.
Talk about God’s kingdom. Yes, speak to His mercy and grace, but include His Lordship and a need to repent and bring oneself under His reign.

My Story

I used to sit at Starbucks every morning with a little sign that said, “How Can I Pray for You?” One day a gal came up, plopped down in the chair across the table, and just poured her guts out. Her life was an absolute mess and quite frankly I was a little taken back by her honesty and vulnerability with me as a stranger. I prayed for her and she was comforted. But I hadn’t shared the gospel with her yet because I was a little nervous. Basically, I chickened out with my first real “person of peace.”

The next week she came back on the same day, at the same time, and she was feeling better but had more requests. This time I prayed for her and then shared the gospel. She said she attended church on and off. (Note to self: Church attendance may mean interest but not necessarily a disciple of Jesus. As you share the gospel you will hear “I go to church…” a lot. That’s good but that’s not the question you’re asking.) I then asked her if she would be interested in Deb and I coming to her home and reading the Bible together. Bold right?! But to my surprise, she was very eager to have us come to her boyfriend’s apartment and study the Bible with her, her brother, and her two kids.

Did you catch all that messiness in the last sentence? And believe me it was. In the end, she, her brother, and her oldest child came to Christ and were baptized. I have a friend who says;

“Don’t expect a ‘House of Peace’ to smell like fresh baked bread and popery. It’s more like stale beer and cigarettes.”

Our Action Plan

Now it’s time for application. Here’s some ideas;

First, share the gospel and look for people who are actually interested
Aim for a quality discussions that may last anywhere from five minutes to several weeks
Train those you are discipling to slow down and practice the principles of finding a “person of peace”

It’s one thing to train someone to share the gospel and it’s another to actually know what you’re looking for. Jesus demonstrated this by the way He taught and interacted with people. He taught His messengers to expect and concentrate on the receptive. And then He pointed them in the right direction to share the good news with these kinds of people. This should greatly inform our approach to evangelism.

Organic Writing – No Artificial Intelligence or Sweeteners Added

La Persona de Paz – #150

¡Bienvenidos de nuevo! Hoy analizaremos el Evangelio de Lucas para ver qué tipo de persona esperaba Jesús que sus discípulos encontraran cuando los envió a predicar el mensaje del Evangelio.

Así que, ¡manos a la obra!

Lucas 10:4-9

Mis Pensamientos

La última vez hablamos de lo que se necesita para ayudar a los discípulos a ser mensajeros comprometidos, competentes y seguros del evangelio. Esta vez nos centraremos en el “público objetivo” del evangelio.

¿Alguna vez has notado que Jesús nunca obligó a nadie a escucharlo? De hecho, la mayoría de las veces hablaba en parábolas que dejaban a la multitud perpleja. Pero eran los curiosos quienes lo seguían a la casa y comenzaban a hacer preguntas: «Jesús, ¿de qué estabas hablando?» Y entonces el Maestro formador de discípulos decía algo como: «A vosotros se os ha dado a conocer el misterio del reino de Dios» (Marcos 4:10-12).

Jesús no buscaba personas que solo quisieran escuchar el mensaje (un buen sermón). Buscaba personas que quisieran comprender y recibir el evangelio. Tenían la suficiente curiosidad espiritual como para ir más allá de la superficie y encontrar el significado de la vida. Este era el tipo de personas que Jesús buscaba y este era el mismo tipo de personas que les dijo a sus discípulos que buscaran.

Si observas detenidamente las instrucciones, comienzas a ver los principios y el perfil de la “Persona de Paz”. Aquellos que serían receptivos.

Discípulos

Traerían un mensaje de paz

No debían llevar nada consigo

Se quedarían en esa casa

Sanarían a los enfermos

Traerían un mensaje del reino

Persona de Paz

Recibirían el mensaje de paz

Proporcionarían comida y alojamiento

Estarían dispuestos a hospedarles durante unos días

Recibirían sanación

Recibirían el mensaje del reino

Me temo que hemos invertido esto en el evangelismo moderno. Esperamos que la gente nos ofrezca paz antes de compartir con ellos el mensaje de paz (es decir, construimos la relación antes de compartir las buenas nuevas). Llegamos con regalos y compramos la atención del oyente, enturbiando así las verdaderas motivaciones. Practicamos la evangelización superficial y no tenemos tiempo ni posibilidad real de ver si la comprensión y el arrepentimiento formaron parte de su recepción. Nuestra visita no da oportunidad a que Dios obre su poder en sus vidas a través de la providencia milagrosa. Y transmitimos un mensaje de “La aceptación de Dios tal como eres”, sin hablar de Su autoridad en sus vidas (es decir, la necesidad de arrepentirse).

¿Estoy ofendiendo a alguien con esto? ¡Ciertamente me ofendí a mí mismo! Bueno, cualquier cosa sobre Jesús es mejor que nada sobre Jesús. Pero esta ha sido una buena reflexión sobre cómo Jesús encontró personas receptivas, instruyó a Sus discípulos para que las encontraran, y cómo nosotros, a su vez, debemos intentar encontrar a personas similares.

Ahora, antes de que nos perdamos en los detalles del método, centrémonos en los principios.

Como embajadores de Dios, traemos Su paz, no un mensaje superficial de “Estoy bien y tú estás bien”.

Confía en que Dios te guiará hacia personas receptivas, acércate a ellas con humildad y Él proveerá a través de quienes ha preparado.

Permanece el tiempo suficiente (cuando sea posible) para responder preguntas, asegurar la comprensión y demostrar amor.

Ora por ellas y espera que Dios responda tus oraciones en su nombre.

Habla del reino de Dios. Sí, habla de Su misericordia y gracia, pero incluye Su señorío y la necesidad de arrepentirse y someterse a Su reinado.

Mi Historia

Solía sentarme en Starbucks todas las mañanas con un pequeño cartel que decía: “¿Cómo puedo orar por ti?”. Un día, una chica se acercó, se sentó en la silla de enfrente y me contó todos sus problemas. Su vida era un completo desastre y, francamente, me sorprendió un poco su honestidad y vulnerabilidad conmigo, una desconocida. Oré por ella y se sintió reconfortada. Pero aún no le había compartido el evangelio porque estaba un poco nerviosa. Básicamente, me acobardé con mi primera verdadera “persona de paz”.

La semana siguiente, regresó el mismo día, a la misma hora, y se sentía mejor, pero tenía más peticiones. Esta vez oré por ella y luego le compartí el evangelio. Me dijo que asistía a la iglesia de vez en cuando. (Nota mental: Asistir a la iglesia puede significar interés, pero no necesariamente ser discípula de Jesús. Al compartir el evangelio, escucharás mucho “Voy a la iglesia…”. Eso está bien, pero esa no es la pregunta que estás haciendo). Entonces le pregunté si le interesaría que Deb y yo fuéramos a su casa a leer la Biblia juntas. ¡Qué atrevida, ¿verdad?! Pero para mi sorpresa, estaba muy entusiasmada con la idea de que fuéramos al apartamento de su novio y estudiáramos la Biblia con ella, su hermano y sus dos hijos.

¿Notaron todo el lío en la última oración? Y créanme, lo era. Al final, ella, su hermano y su hijo mayor aceptaron a Cristo y se bautizaron. Tengo un amigo que dice:

“No esperes que una ‘Casa de Paz’ huela a pan recién horneado y popurrí. Es más probable que huela a cerveza rancia y cigarrillos”.

Nuestro Plan de Acción

Ahora es el momento de la aplicación práctica. Aquí tienes algunas ideas:

Primero, comparte el evangelio y busca personas que estén realmente interesadas.

Busca tener conversaciones de calidad que puedan durar desde cinco minutos hasta varias semanas.

Enseña a quienes estás discipulando a tomarse su tiempo y a practicar los principios para encontrar a una «persona de paz».

Una cosa es enseñar a alguien a compartir el evangelio y otra muy distinta es saber realmente qué buscar. Jesús demostró esto con la forma en que enseñaba e interactuaba con la gente. Enseñó a sus mensajeros a esperar y a concentrarse en las personas receptivas. Y luego los guió en la dirección correcta para compartir las buenas nuevas con este tipo de personas. Esto debería influir enormemente en nuestro enfoque de la evangelización.

Escritura orgánica: sin inteligencia artificial ni aditivos.

Si ve un problema importante en la traducción, envíeme una corrección por correo electrónico a charleswood1@gmail.com

Kingdom Kernel #40 – Marriage, Divorce, and Celibacy

The Divine Design: Marriage, Divorce, and Celibacy in Matthew 19:3-12

Kingdom Kernel Collection

Introduction

In Matthew 19:3-12, Jesus addresses the Pharisees’ question on divorce, grounding His response in God’s original design for marriage while introducing celibacy as a kingdom-oriented choice. Amid first-century Jewish debates over divorce, particularly regarding Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Jesus clarifies that Moses’ allowance for divorce was due to the condition of human hearts, not God’s intent. The phrases “become one flesh,” “divorce,” and “made themselves eunuchs” reveal Jesus as Messiah and King, restoring divine purpose and illuminating the redemptive, eternal Kingdom of God.

Key Words and Phrases

“Become One Flesh” – Drawn from Genesis 2:24, “become one flesh” (v. 5) uses Hebrew basar echad (H1320, basar for flesh; H259, echad for one), denoting a profound physical, emotional, and spiritual unity. In Greek, Matthew employs sarx mia (G4561, sarx; G3391, mia), emphasizing composite oneness, akin to the Trinity’s relational nature. This union reflects Christ’s covenant with His Church Ephesians 5:25-32. Jesus’ command, “let no man separate” (v. 6), asserts His kingship, restoring creation’s design and foreshadowing the eternal bond with His Bride in the Kingdom.

“Divorce” – The Greek apolyō (G630, “to release” or “send away”) defines divorce (v. 7). Citing Deuteronomy 24:1, the Pharisees reference Moses’ provision. Jesus clarifies that Moses permitted divorce due to sklērokardia (G4641, “hardness of heart,” v. 8), reflecting human sinfulness, not God’s original intent. By restricting divorce to porneia (G4202, immorality, v. 9), Jesus reestablishes divine standards, showcasing His authority as Messiah to interpret the Law and His redemptive grace for broken relationships.

“Made Themselves Eunuchs” – (v. 12) employs eunouchizō (G2134), indicating voluntary celibacy for kingdom purposes. Historically, eunouchos (G2135) referred to castrated or celibate individuals. Jesus presents celibacy as a gift (dedotai, G1325, “given,” v. 11), mirroring His own life and total devotion to God. This anticipates the eschatological reality where marriage ceases Matthew 22:30, emphasizing undivided service to the King.

Messianic Model – Focus on Jesus’ Example

By clarifying God’s intent against Moses’ concession due to hardened hearts, Jesus reveals His present and future lordship. As King, He upholds marriage as a reflection of His covenant with the Church, addresses divorce as a response to human weakness, and honors celibacy as a kingdom calling. These teachings display God’s faithfulness, mercy, and holiness, aligning with His redemptive plan through Christ. The “one flesh” union mirrors Christ’s unity with believers, divorce highlights His hatred of disunity and destruction of broken relationships, and celibacy His sufficiency. His lordship empowers believers to embody these callings now, awaiting their fulfillment at His return.

Conclusion

Matthew 19:3-12 calls Christians to view marriage and celibacy as kingdom vocations under Christ’s lordship. By distinguishing God’s intent from human concessions, Jesus urges believers to reflect His covenantal love. Disciple-makers must guide others to honor both paths, fostering a community that embodies the Kingdom’s eternal nature. Jesus reigns now, transforming lives, and will consummate His eternal Kingdom.

Disciple-Maker’s Short Story

One Flesh, One Purpose

The gym hummed with the rhythm of clanging weights and the steady thud of sneakers on treadmills. Rabecca adjusted her grip on the dumbbells, her breaths sharp as she powered through another set. At twenty-nine, her lean frame reflected discipline, but her eyes carried a quiet restlessness. She glanced at the clock—6:15 PM, June 17, 2025—then at Penny, her mentor, who was spotting her with a steady gaze.

“Ten more, Becs,” Penny said, her voice warm but firm. “Focus.” Rabecca’s arms burned, but it was her heart that felt heavier. She’d been wrestling with a question that no workout could sweat out: Should I settle? The guy she’d been texting, Mark, was kind, successful, but divorced. Her friends urged her to “be realistic,” but the thought of compromising her dream of a God-ordained marriage gnawed at her.

As they moved to the stretching mats, Rabecca’s thoughts spilled out. “Penny, I’m almost thirty, and I’m still single. Mark’s great, but he’s been divorced. Said he’d messed up the relationship but he’s changed since then. I keep wondering if I’m being too picky, if I should just… lower my standards.”

Penny sat cross-legged, her gray-streaked braid swinging as she leaned forward. “Becs, let’s talk about what Jesus says in Matthew 19. You know the part about marriage and divorce?” Rabecca nodded, wiping sweat from her brow. “Jesus quotes Genesis—‘the two shall become one flesh.’ It’s not just about bodies uniting; it’s a soul-deep bond, a reflection of Christ and His Church. God designed marriage to mirror His covenant love, not to be a fallback plan.”

Rabecca’s shoulders slumped. “But what about divorce? Mark’s ex left him. Jesus said divorce was allowed because of ‘hardness of heart,’ right? Doesn’t that mean it’s okay sometimes?”

Penny’s eyes softened, but her tone held conviction. “Jesus clarified that Moses permitted divorce because people’s hearts were stubborn, not because it was God’s best. Divorce is a concession to human brokenness, not the ideal. You’re not just looking for a husband, Becs—you’re seeking God’s design, a man who’ll pursue that ‘one flesh’ unity with you under Christ’s lordship.”

Rabecca stretched her hamstrings, her mind racing. “What if that man never comes? I don’t want to be alone forever.”

Penny smiled, her face radiating quiet strength. “Jesus also talked about those who choose to be ‘eunuchs’ for the sake of the Kingdom—people who embrace singleness to serve God fully. It’s not a consolation prize; it’s a calling, just like marriage. Think of Jesus Himself—single, yet complete in His devotion to the Father. Right now, your singleness is a gift to live kingdom-minded, to grow in His likeness, serving others without distraction.”

Rabecca’s eyes stung, not from sweat but from a stirring within. She thought of Jesus, the King who lived fully for God, whose love was enough. “So, I keep praying for the right man, but… also use this time to be more like Him?”

“Exactly,” Penny said, standing. “Whether married or single, your life can reflect Christ’s commitment and love. Pray for a husband who shares that vision, but don’t settle for less than God’s design. And while you wait, let your singleness shine for the Kingdom—mentor kids at church, lead that Bible study. Be like Jesus, Becs, in every choice.”

As they left the gym, Rabecca felt lighter. The weight of her fears hadn’t vanished, but a new resolve burned within—to pursue Christ’s heart, to trust God’s timing, and to live her singleness as a testimony to the King’s present and eternal reign.

Kingdom Kernel Collection