July 17, 2013

What All Men Have in Common

Handshake

People are different. Sadly, there are some who unfairly judge or even hate others simply because they are of a different race, culture, economic class, etc. Christians are to “judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24) and “abound in love for one another, and for all people” (1 Thessalonians 3:12). In order to do this, we need to remember what all men have in common rather than focus too much on certain differences that may exist.

In this article, we will consider seven things which all of us have in common.
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December 21, 2012

“Made Like His Brethren in All Things” (12/21)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Hebrews 1-6.

“Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).

The Hebrew writer’s assertion that Jesus was made “like His brethren in all things” has been stretched by some brethren far beyond what is taught in the context. Some suppose this phrase means that Jesus desired to sin like we desire to sin. Some assume that Jesus was given a human spirit when He came and lived on the earth. Neither of these is taught in the context, nor are they taught anywhere in Scripture.

The Hebrew writer explained in this context what is meant by the phrase, “He had to be made like His brethren in all things.”
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November 9, 2012

Praying That the Hour Might Pass Him By (11/9)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 26; Mark 14.

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His betrayal. Some have interpreted His prayer to mean that Jesus was praying that He might be able to avoid the cross. Notice what Jesus said as it was recorded by Matthew:

“And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will’” (Matthew 26:39).

Some read of this desire for “this cup” to pass from Him and conclude that Jesus, in a moment of weakness, desired to escape the cross. In other words, though Jesus came to this world to save sinners, when the time was near for Him to offer the sacrifice, in an act of human weakness He wanted to abandon the mission. Can this possibly be true of our Lord?

Mark, in his gospel, offers us an inspired commentary explaining what Jesus’ words meant:
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November 3, 2012

“For This Purpose I Came to This Hour” (11/3)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Mark 11; John 12.

“And Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit’” (John 12:23-24).

The time for Jesus to be glorified was approaching. But how was He going to be glorified? Many of the Jews were looking for their Messiah to defeat the Romans and rule over a physical kingdom from Jerusalem. But this was not the divine plan. Instead, as Jesus indicated here, it would involve death.

“‘Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, “Father, save Me from this hour”? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came out of heaven: ‘I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again’” (John 12:27-28).

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October 21, 2012

The Son of Man Will Be Killed (10/21)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9:28-62.

Even though His disciples did not completely understand what He meant, Jesus told them beforehand what was going to happen to Him.

“For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, ‘The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later’” (Mark 9:31).

Jesus was going to be killed. He knew this would happen. Peter would later say that this was part of the “predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). This was the reason why Jesus came to the earth in the first place – to die on the cross.
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September 14, 2012

Praise for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (9/14)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Daniel 1-3.

Daniel’s three friends – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego – were thrown into a fiery furnace for their refusal to bow down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. After they were miraculously delivered, Nebuchadnezzar offered some praise to these three men.

“Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God’” (Daniel 3:28).

Nebuchadnezzar mentioned four things that these men did that we must be willing to do also if we wish to please God today.
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July 20, 2012

Loyalty Rather Than Sacrifice (7/20)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Hosea 1-7.

“What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud and like the dew which goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; and the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth. For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:4-6).

As the wise man said, “Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?” (Proverbs 20:6). It is one thing to claim to be loyal to the Lord. It is quite another to actually be loyal.
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