Jesus our Model(This is a series of essays on various teachings of LORD/Jesus other than Sermon on the Mount, and on how Jesus lived his life on Earth.) |
Miscellaneous Topics (2)
Duty
Jesus : So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty." [Luke 17:10]
(Note : LORD taught us : "If you meet your enemy's ox or his ass going astray, you shall
bring it back to him. If you see the ass of one who hates you lying under its
burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it, you shall
help him to lift it up. [Ex. 23:4-5]. Thus it is our duty to help one another, even to those who hate us. In modern societies, we do not have to care about others. The government will take care of them (Welfare Department will take care of social welfare, Medical Department will take care of people's health, etc.), but it is not what LORD intends.)
Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains
Jesus' (word about the last days) : ... For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, .... , So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house; ... [Mt 24]
(Note : When the sins in a place are grave, LORD would usually send angels to destroy that place, as in Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels will do their job fast, therefore, we should flee quickly to the mountains, and care little about our worldly belongings. In the mountains, one can find food in herbs (annuals and biennials may be vegetables!) etc., and if one can keep a few sheep/deer/cattle/chicken, survival is much easier than in cities. Moreover, the terrain will provide safety. The recent incidents in East Timor, in Kosovo, ... show that situation can change quickly in a matter of hours!)
Jesus' (word to his disciples when he sent them out to preach) : Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; ... [Mt 10:16-23]
(Note : Jesus, when he preached in Jerusalem, faced being stoned many times, but on nearly all occasions, he fled and escaped injury. We should do the same too : when situation has deteriorated to such an extent that reasoning would not prevail, we should flee !
I read an article that says the Americans move a lot. Most often, I think that when they face persecution in one place, they would move to the next state. This may not be the solution : as we all have certain social responsibilities towards the place that has sheltered us for years, therefore we should make some efforts to improve the moral situation there. Moving to another state should only be the last resort, when everything fails.)
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour
Jesus' (word about the Last day) : But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the household had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. [Mt 24:36-44]
Jesus' (word about the Last day) : Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, "Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him." Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out." But the wise replied, "Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves." And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us." But he replied, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you." Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. [Mt 25:1-13]
Paradise and Hades
Jesus : There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, "Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame." But Abraham said, "Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us." And he said, "Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment." But Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." And he said, "No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent." He said to him, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead." [Luke 16:19-31]
Jesus : He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And he who sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the word but to save the world. He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge ; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has himself given me commandment what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has bidden me. [John 12:44-50]
Jesus : He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.
If a man love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my word; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. [John 14:21-24]
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