This was a devastating critique of the Sadducees’ theology by Jesus. They affirmed only the Torah and denied the resurrection of the dead. Jesus declared them wrong on both. There are many today who claim to be teachers and theologians that Jesus would stand against because they dismiss the Bible and deny the resurrection. Do you believe the Bible? Do you believe in the resurrection? What does Jesus think of your theology?
The Lord instructed the Israelites to set up camp with the Tabernacle at the center. Their tents were to face inward toward the place of worship, not outward toward the world. Worship was to be the center of individual and community life. All of daily life was to revolve around worship of God. What’s at the center of your family’s life?
Stop talking and worrying. Turn off, turn down, pull away and listen. Then know. Know that He is God. Acknowledge, understand and experience His presence and power. Then pray and worship. Worship because it is the only appropriate response. Pray because the nations are far from God and it is His will to bring them back. Pray for the Day when God’s Name will be lifted up in all the earth.
Worldly riches are temporary and so is the happiness they bring, for they always contain trouble as well. The ‘new car’ smell always wears off. The new roof eventually leaks. Moth and rust destroy and thieves steal. But the blessing of the Lord is eternal and adds no trouble. His blessing cannot be earned, only received. Which do you seek?
This was Jesus’ response to the question “Who then can be saved?” The truth is that we cannot save ourselves. Salvation is beyond humanity’s reach. No amount of counseling, religion, self-help courses, New Year’s resolutions… can change the heart of man. We are drowning in our own sin and unable to reach the shore. But God has made a way for us through Christ. What impossible thing is defeating you today? Bring it to God. He specializes in accomplishing impossible things.
The more one talks, the greater the likelihood of sinning. The wise man keeps silent, actively listening to others before carefully choosing words of response. Try talking less and listening more today. Ask the Lord to help you hear His voice and to hear the voices of others before uttering a word yourself.
This is the confession of a man who desperately wanted to believe, but still had doubts. This doesn’t sound like the greatest of confessions, yet Jesus healed the man’s son nonetheless. Jesus still answers the prayers of those who have a mixture of doubt and belief. The important thing is to confess the doubt, saying, “Jesus, help my unbelief! Increase my faith!” We all begin our journey with Jesus with a “mustard seed” of faith. Following Him, the seed grows into a tree, overshadowing all our doubts, so that only our believing remains.
David described the longing of his soul for God. The brilliant French physicist and philosopher, Pascal, proposed that such a longing was present in every human heart, saying, “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus” (Blaise Pascal, Pensees). People try to fill this longing with other things, which explains the misery of many. But the human soul can only find its fullest satisfaction in Christ.
During this season of Christ’s ministry he told people to keep quiet. Some say because it wasn’t yet His time. Others say He was trying to stay off the Roman radar. But it may have been because He didn’t want undue attention on His miracles. John called Christ’s miracles “signs.” They were to point to who He was, not to what He could do. Many crowded after Him for the free bread, not because He was the Bread of Life. Our witness is to be less about the healing and more about the Healer. Less the manna and more the Son of Man. The gospel is not so much what Jesus can do for you, but what He has already done. We preach Christ crucified.
This is both call to worship and benediction. Seeking the Lord, may you be full of joy and gladness in Him. Finding salvation, may you swell with such chesed love that you shout of God’s greatness.