• About
    • OUR LEADERSHIP >
      • OUR STAFF
      • DEACONS
      • CHURCH COUNCIL
    • OUR VISION >
      • VISION
      • MEMBERSHIP
    • ABOUT US
    • OUR HISTORY
    • OUR BELIEFS
    • FAQ
  • New Here
    • VISIT
    • Covid-19 Guidelines
    • FRESH START
  • Messages
  • Giving
  • Ministries
    • KIDZONE
    • ADULTS >
      • MEN
      • WOMEN
    • STUDENTS
    • HOST TEAM
    • PRAYER TEAM
    • SMALL GROUPS
  • Events
    • Upcoming Event Details
    • Office Calendar
    • Christmas Eve at Southtown
  • Contact Us
Southtown Baptist Church
  • About
    • OUR LEADERSHIP >
      • OUR STAFF
      • DEACONS
      • CHURCH COUNCIL
    • OUR VISION >
      • VISION
      • MEMBERSHIP
    • ABOUT US
    • OUR HISTORY
    • OUR BELIEFS
    • FAQ
  • New Here
    • VISIT
    • Covid-19 Guidelines
    • FRESH START
  • Messages
  • Giving
  • Ministries
    • KIDZONE
    • ADULTS >
      • MEN
      • WOMEN
    • STUDENTS
    • HOST TEAM
    • PRAYER TEAM
    • SMALL GROUPS
  • Events
    • Upcoming Event Details
    • Office Calendar
    • Christmas Eve at Southtown
  • Contact Us

The Pastor Ponders

What's Up with the Cup?

9/26/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Someone may ask Jesus, "What's up with the cup illustration?"

     "When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to eat with him; so Jesus went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
     39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
     42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone."
 Luke 11:37-42

Jesus used the cup as a life changing illustration to remind everyone of what life is all about.

The outside of the cup is what we do; work, play, serve, give or our lack of working, playing, serving or giving.

The inside of the cup is who we really are; selfish or selfless, unclean or clean, unrighteous or righteous, building my own kingdom or building God's Kingdom, satisfying myself or satisfying God.

The Religious Leader was watching every move what Jesus did (watching the outside of Jesus' cup). He was shocked that Jesus did not do the custom of washing before eating. Did Jesus care about the outside of the cup? Of course; He said, "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone." Jesus wants all of us to be concerned about both the inside and outside of the cup. I believe He intentionally did not wash so that it would start an extremely important spiritual conversation.

Why did Jesus point out that the Religious Leaders, and everyone human for that matter, focuses on the outside of the cup? Because no human has the power to wash the inside of the cup. All humans are sinners and are dirty on the inside. We are all unrighteous, not perfect, selfish. The only one who can clean the inside is God. That is why one of Jesus' favorite preaching topics was, "The Kingdom of God is near." Jesus is right here. He is the only One who can clean the inside of anyone's life. Because of Jesus' miracle birth, perfect sinless life, sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, He and only He has the qualifications and power to clean the insides of our lives of our messy, dirty sinfulness.

When we get to that point of realizing this and asking Jesus to clean the inside of our cup, then we are able to do all the outside of the cup living; truly loving others, serving others, giving to others. In other words, being generous with who we are to everyone we know.
What's up with the cup illustration?

Every time we wash the dishes and every time we look into a cup as we drink from it, we hope that it is clean. May every time we use a cup, Jesus' illustration come to our mind.

Let's bring our lives to Jesus and ask Him to clean our insides. Then let's be willing to join Him in serving, loving and giving to His Kingdom.

How is Jesus helping us to be generous with our time, our talents, our possessions and our money?

Seeking to be clean on the inside and out.
Seeking to let Jesus do His inside life changing thing in me so that I can team up with Him to do life changing things with others.

Pastor Chris

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Pastor Chris Reinertson enjoys all sports, especially those involving a ball.  He loves to hang out with people and challenge them to be Jesus REVolutionizers.

    Archives

    December 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014

    Categories

    All

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required

    RSS Feed

VISIT
STAFF DIRECTORY
SUNDAYS
KID'S MINISTRY WEDNESDAYS
STUDENTS


MUSIC
MISSIONS
MESSAGES - LISTEN ONLINE
CALENDAR
CONTACT US
GIVING

Picture
  • About
    • OUR LEADERSHIP >
      • OUR STAFF
      • DEACONS
      • CHURCH COUNCIL
    • OUR VISION >
      • VISION
      • MEMBERSHIP
    • ABOUT US
    • OUR HISTORY
    • OUR BELIEFS
    • FAQ
  • New Here
    • VISIT
    • Covid-19 Guidelines
    • FRESH START
  • Messages
  • Giving
  • Ministries
    • KIDZONE
    • ADULTS >
      • MEN
      • WOMEN
    • STUDENTS
    • HOST TEAM
    • PRAYER TEAM
    • SMALL GROUPS
  • Events
    • Upcoming Event Details
    • Office Calendar
    • Christmas Eve at Southtown
  • Contact Us