MARCH 19 THE JESUS QUESTIONS JQ#10 “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?” (Matthew 10:29)

MARCH 19  THE JESUS QUESTIONS  JQ#10 “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?” (Matthew 10:29)

Daily Prayer to JESUS

JESUS, praise to the Name that is above all names, the Name by which the sinner can be forgiven and blessed of God, for our sins are against God only, and only Jesus met the requirement of the Lamb Without Spot and presented Himself to God as the Perfect Sacrifice for the Atonement of the sins of the world. Jesus, I call on Your Name and beg again for Your Mercy that is renewed in our lives fresh every morning. Lord there are more reasons than can be numbered why we should praise You but Lord it is enough that You Loved me and died on the cross for me but alas my heart leaps for Joy when I read that God Resurrected You on the Third Day and You now sit at the Right Hand of God making Intercession for this sinner saved by GRACE — Praise the Holy Name of Jesus!      AMEN

THE JESUS QUESTIONS

JESUS asks a simple Question about “sparrows” and “a copper coin” which just doesn’t seem relative to our lifestyles of iPads and Smartphones, besides no one sells sparrows any more and certainly no business man today in our “Profit-is-king-world” that would present a “two-for” product that costs a “penny”. So the question we must ask of JQ#10 is “Why was the simple question about birds and a penny asked in the first place?”  Therein lies the answer, and the Question only makes sense if we look at the circumstances surrounding both the Question and the “One” who is asking it. The first consideration is “who(?)” is asking the Question and the answer is all the way back in Matthew 10:5 as we read, “These twelve (disciples) JESUS sent out and commanded them saying…”. In my Scofield Red-Letter Edition all the Words of Jesus are in Red Letters and in this passage (or context) preceding JQ#10 about the two sparrows and a copper coin, the text is all Red Letters starting at the end of verse 5 and is Red up to verse 29 where Jesus asked this Question of the “two sparrows” and “a copper coin” which identifies Jesus as the “One” asking the Question. Not only is the Question asked by Jesus but we must consider that just before He asked the Question that He had “commanded” His hand-picked disciples as He “sent [the disciples] out” to share with the world that “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 10:7) Contained in verses Matthew 10:5-28, this set of commands Jesus is giving His disciples to share about the “kingdom of heaven being at hand” is (1) “heal the sick” (2) “cleanse the lepers” (3) “raise the dead” (4) and “cast out demons” then Jesus warns them (5) they “are sheep in the midst of wolves” (6) to “be wise as serpents” (7) and “beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils” (8) and men “will scourge you in their synagogues” (9) “brother will deliver up brother to death”. Jesus also warned them that His disciples will (10) “be hated by all for My names sake” (Matthew 10:8-22). These serious warnings and commands do not seem to fit with the simple question about “two sparrows” and “a copper coin” and especially when we consider that the last phrase Jesus used just before asking the sparrows and coin question in Matthew 10:29 was “fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.”(Matthew 10:28)!?!?  Considering the context before the Question gives much more weight to the Question, especially since the Question was asked by Jesus in the process of Teaching His disciples how to share with “the lost sheep” that the “kingdom of heaven is at hand”.  Jesus talks of life, death, betrayal, heaven, and hell and the destruction of “both soul and body” to prepare His disciples who are about to enter into the world to preach the Gospel which the very contrast itself makes the sparrow and coin Question jump out and grab our attention — which is most probably the exact effect Jesus intended for the disciples and that He also intends for us! The Lesson Jesus is Teaching with the simple Question of sparrows has great kingdom impact and Jesus takes a very serious topic and Jesus asks a simple Question that anyone can answer in order to show us that the “kingdom of heaven” is within everyone’s grasp! If Jesus was Teaching His disciples how to teach the “lost sheep” of Israel about (1) the “kingdom of heaven” and (2) how to address their eternal souls: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32); then we should (1) take the sparrow and coin Question very serious and (2) honestly answer this JESUS Question — — — because Jesus is talking about such serious issues as “eternal life and death, lost sheep, and destruction of our souls” then His question deserves an honest answer! Let Jesus and the Holy Spirit teach us the Lesson that He has intended for us — Remember Jesus wants a personal relationship with us!!! So in order to build an intimate relationship with the ONE that Loved us enough to die on a cross for us, don’t You think an honest Question asked with the Best of Intentions should be honored with an honest answer?