The short answer is “yes”, we are chosen. But the plan of salvation is unfolding exactly as it was planned from the very beginning. And that plan calls for a certain group of people to be the “first fruits” and then they will be followed by all other people groups. Jesus says this not because He loves them more than us (God’s love is infinite, so that isn’t possible). He says it because this is the way He planned it. The Lord could have been born into any race or tribe….He chose the Jews. In fact, that had to be planned from the beginning as well. And from the time the three sons stepped off Noah’s ark, God knew which of the three would be his ancestor. (Shem).
Thinking of God’s ministers, there are several sentences here that are helpful in knowing how to treat those who serve the ministry. “those who work deserve to be fed” (verse 10 NLT), “if you receive the prophet, you will receive the same reward as the prophet” (vs. 40-42). I suppose there are some who are in ministry who really aren’t working…I can’t speak to that. However from my experience those who are in ministry are either working longer hours, or doing the work that no one else wants to do, while receiving fairly low wages. I know there are some ministers who are making fairly good salaries, and living pretty well…but the majority of churches are smaller and have limited income, and the men and women who serve them do so with some personal sacrifice. Jesus said “if you are carrying the Good News, then you should be taken care of by the people to whom you go”. The minister should trust for this, and the congregation should rise to the occasion. I am proud to say that the congregation I serve excels at this.
In the same way that the minister is to trust in God for the means to subsist, all of us are to trust in God for the words to say when we are pressed to testify about our faith. Jesus plainly says that we are going to be put in some very difficult situations for the sole purpose of testifying once we are there. The next time you feel that you are in trouble for no reason, remember that. You might be at the hospital with symptoms because someone at the hospital needs to hear. You might be speaking to a government agent because they need to hear. It’s a different way of looking at your life, I agree.
Verse 32 I quote often, because it provides the motivation for our witness. Who’s to say that I will want to testify once I am in front of my accuser? Once I accept the fact that my confession of Jesus here on earth will result in His confession for me in heaven, I am quick to respond.
Verse 37-39 forces us to change our priorities and place service to Christ at the top. If I have anything in life that is more important to me than my relationship with God, satan will be able to exploit that to bring me down. Therefore, when I place Jesus in the highest priority in my life, I actually protect and preserve my life.
continuing to march,
PR