October 20, 2012

What Other People Say and What You Say (10/20)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 16; Mark 8; Luke 9:18-27.

Immediately before promising to build His church, Jesus taught His disciples an important lesson about what to believe.

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven’” (Matthew 16:13-17).

It was helpful to recognize what others were saying about Jesus. Many people had misconceptions about Him, just as many people do today. But while it was important to be aware of this, the goal of Jesus’ instruction was not merely to point out the erroneous views that His disciples might encounter. It was also vitally important that the disciples themselves believed the truth about Jesus.
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October 18, 2012

The Faith to Move Mountains

Mountain fog

The gospels record many occasions of Jesus casting out demons. On one such occasion, a man came requesting that Jesus heal his son of his demon possession (Matthew 17:14-15). What was interesting about this example was that this man first brought his son to Jesus’ disciples, but “they could not cure him” (Matthew 17:16). But when Jesus told this father to bring his son, Jesus immediately cast out the demon and cured the boy (Matthew 17:17-18).

Afterward, the disciples asked Jesus why they had been unable to cast out the demon. His answer provides an important lesson for us about faith.

“Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not drive it out?’ And He said to them, ‘Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting’” (Matthew 17:19-21).

Let us notice what Jesus was teaching His disciples about faith and how it applies to our lives today.
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October 16, 2012

Confessing Christ (10/16)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 9-10.

“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).

Jesus teaches here that it is absolutely essential for His followers to be willing to confess Him before others. But what type of confession is He referring to in these verses?

This passage is sometimes cited to show that confession precedes baptism as a requirement for salvation. It is certainly true that one must confess his faith in order to be saved (Romans 10:9-10) and that this confession comes before one’s baptism into Christ (Acts 8:36-37). But this is not the type of confession that Jesus is talking about here.
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October 11, 2012

The Centurion’s Great Faith (10/11)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 8:1-13; Luke 7.

When Jesus was informed of a centurion’s servant who was near death, He headed to the man’s house. But before He arrived, the centurion sent a message to Him. His message to Jesus proved to be a great expression of faith.

“Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far away from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, ‘Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, “Go!” and he goes, and to another, “Come!” and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this!” and he does it.’ Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, ‘I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith’” (Luke 7:6-9).

Notice some characteristics of the centurions “great faith“:
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October 8, 2012

"The One Who Accuses You Is Moses" (10/8)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from John 5.

Despite the evidence that was being presented to prove that Jesus was the promised Messiah, many of the Jews rejected Him. So Jesus, rather than accusing them Himself of rejecting the Christ, used those things which had been written by Moses.

“Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:45-47).

Moses was held in high regard by the Jews because he was the one who delivered the law from God. So Jesus used their regard for Moses to try to make them think. They rejected Jesus but claimed to accept Moses. But Jesus said, “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.”
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October 6, 2012

"We Have Heard for Ourselves and Know" (10/6)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from John 2-4.

When Jesus stopped at a well in Samaria and spoke with the woman who came to draw water, it triggered a spiritual awakening in that city.

“From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all the things that I have done.’ So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world’” (John 4:39-42).

At first, the woman who spoke with Jesus told the men of the city about the conversation she had with Him: “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” (John 4:29). Many of the Samaritans believed in Christ because of her testimony.
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October 2, 2012

"This Child is Appointed for the Fall and Rise of Many" (10/2)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 1; Luke 2:1-38.

When Joseph and Mary came to Jerusalem to present the child Jesus to the Lord at the temple, they were met by a devout man named Simeon. God had revealed to Simeon that “he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26). When Jesus was brought to the temple, Simeon was able to be a witness of God’s promise in Christ. He first praised God, then briefly explained to Mary what Jesus’ role was going to be:

“And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed’” (Luke 2:3).

Mary had already been told, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end” (Luke 1:32-33). Joseph had already been told that Jesus would “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). These passages emphasize the blessings that would come to man through Christ.
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