Hinge Verse: Luke 16:15
Jesus starts Luke 16 telling the disciples the parable of the Dishonest Manager. It's a confusing, conversation-starter parable that causes you to think deeply on the meaning. There was a rich man who was told his manager was blowing all of the rich man's money and possessions. He asked the manager to give account for his work. The manager is like "oh shoot, what am I going to do now? I'm too pretty to work, and too proud to beg!!" So he starts contacting the ones who owe him money and cuts them each a deal of sorts--kinda like cooking the books and covering his tracks. In a most shocking turn of events, the master PRAISED the unrighteous manager for his shrewdness. The lesson, as Jesus explains it, is the dishonest manager's actions were an outcome of his time--his culture, history, and society shaped his thoughts, values, and behaviors. Instead of making the wrong right, he made it wronger. Even though he was going the wrong direction, it took him great effort. So to his disciples he says harness this shrewdness for good! The unrighteous should not be outpacing the righteous when it comes to intelligence. The world is counting on the ones who value right living; the unrighteous will be the world's downfall.
So of course, the Pharisees, who LOVED money, are eavesdropping on Jesus's conversation with his disciples and mocking him. So Jesus turned to them (we need dramatic music playing in the background) and said:
"You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, BUT GOD knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God's sight. "
Besides money, the Pharisees also love and are experts in the law and the prophets. Jesus advises them that they can't pick and choose which ones to follow, because the law and the prophets all point to the invitation into the kingdom that is freely and urgently extended.
Robert Matthews was born in 1788 in Cambridge, New York. His parents, who died when he was young. were members of a division of the Presbyterian church called "Anti-Burgher", which simply put means they would not pledge allegiance to the established state church of Scotland.
By the age of 19, Robert was learning a trade, yet was also leaning toward a life of crime. He started spouting some strange religious beliefs. He dabbled in Methodism and Judaism for a while, but then left Christianity altogether. He was a self-proclaimed "prophesying Hebrew". Simultaneously, he was becoming more violent towards his wife and others. He claimed to have prophetic visions, and when his wife wouldn't comply with his demands, he kidnapped three of their children to protect them from the coming "flood". He was declared insane; his wife was unable to divorce him or have him arrested.
Robert was developing his "new theology" and began to refer to himself as "The Prophet Matthias".
After a while of fruitless street preaching, The Prophet Matthias was able to convince a well-known religious leader that he was legitimate. He convinced others that Christianity was evil, and they should start following him. Although he preached against women, clergymen, and "all men who wear spectacles", The Prophet Matthias still managed to generate a cult-like following. He established "The Kingdom", married his best friend's wife, who he claimed would bear a child who would be the messiah.
In 1835, The Prophet Matthias met Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church. He introduced himself to Joseph Smith as "Joshua the Jewish Minister", and claimed to be a direct descendant of Matthias, the apostle who took Judas's place after he betrayed Jesus. After their meeting, the two "prophets" labeled each other satanists.
Robert Matthews was born with proper religious teaching right at his fingertips. If he had used the energy it took to be unrighteously shrewd and turned it for good to the Kingdom of God, what a difference that would have made. Instead he spent his whole life, all of his possessions, all of his friendships, and cooked the books in what he thought was his own favor. He won people over to the kingdom of this world and darkness, when with the same effort (or maybe less because when God is for you who can be against you...) The Prophet Matthias could have won people over to the Kingdom of God and light. He was admired by some, BUT GOD found his heart revolting.
The Name Jesus called God--Theos--the owner and creator of everything.
Oh, BUT GOD....
The Prophet Matthias along with his housekeeper, Isabella Van Wagener, were accused and acquitted of murder. Isabella would later become a devout Christian and change her name to Sojourner Truth.
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