March 28, 2018
JESUS EXPLAINS HIS TEACHING TO HIS DISCIPLES
After Jesus taught His parable of the four soils to the crowds, His disciples asked Him to explain its meaning. Imagine how wonderful this would be to have Jesus personally explain His Word. Don’t you wish you could have been there?
Remember how Jesus explained the Scriptures to His disciples on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection? Luke wrote, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). No wonder their “hearts burned” while learning from Him.
Does Jesus still explain His Word to His followers?
March 27, 2018
JESUS STILL GOES AROUND FORGIVING SINS
The men sitting at Simon the Pharisee’s table questioned Christ’s habit of forgiving sins. He had just allowed an immoral woman to anoint His feet and said nothing to rebuke her. Then, to top it off, Jesus forgave the woman her sins.
Perhaps their question should be worded, “Who does he think he is going around forgiving sins?” I think that was the real sense of their question. They questioned His authority because they rejected His identity. How can a mere man go around forgiving sins? That’s God’s job.
The other revealing thing about their question is the one they didn’t ask. They didn’t ask why Jesus had forgiven the woman, but had not forgiven their sins. Why? Because they didn’t see themselves as sinners. They didn’t see their need for a savior.
The first part of their question, “Who is this man?”, when rightly answered also answers the second part. When Christ asked, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt.16:15-16). Since Jesus is the Christ, and the Son of God, He is able to forgive sins. And Jesus is still going around forgiving the sins of those who rightly recognize Him and receive Him today.
March 26, 2018
THE WISDOM OF THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE
The wisdom of the Spirit-filled life appeared in both John as the ascetic and in Christ, as the social and later the suffering. Yet, the Pharisees rejected both of them. For they did not see with spiritual eyes, but with natural. As the apostle Paul wrote, “So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23-24).
There is a wisdom that is beyond the world’s understanding. This is the wisdom that is ours in Christ alone.
March 25, 2018
OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST’S LORDSHIP
Jesus made it clear that those who call Him “Lord,” should obey what He said. Doing so, He taught, would not prevent life’s storms from coming. But it would build a strong foundation of faith that would endure any storm. However, the one who only pays lip service to Jesus as Lord, not doing what He says, will be swept away when storms come.
Obedience is proof that we have recognized Christ as Lord.
March 24, 2018
ALL-NIGHT PRAYER PRECEDED CALLING AND SENDING
Jesus went up into a mountain and prayed all night before choosing twelve of His followers to be “apostles.” The word “apostle” means “one sent.” Jesus spent the night praying to get clear instruction from His Father on whom He would send. After praying, He arose at daybreak to commission and send out His apostles to represent Him and to preach the gospel. This was a profoundly significant day in the establishment of the Church.
Jesus is still calling and sending out His followers to represent Him and preach the gospel. I wonder how many will respond as Isaiah did when hearing the Lord’s call?
“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, “Here I am! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8).
March 23, 2018
JESUS CHRIST IS OUR SABBATH REST
When Jesus’ disciples picked heads of grain while walking through a wheat field on the Sabbath, some Pharisees accused them of breaking the law. They were referring to the fourth commandment of the Decalogue which states, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8). It was a simply worded law without much detail. Yet, the Pharisees had added layer upon layer of application to it.
I have witnessed the expansion of this law myself on visits to modern Israel. I was surprised to get on an elevator in an Israeli hotel on the Sabbath and find that it stopped on every floor. The reason? Pressing the button is considered work.
The Sabbath law is clearly connected to God’s creation week and His resting on the seventh day. Certainly, that God rested was not due to fatigue. He is omnipotent and tireless. He does not “slumber nor sleep” (Psa. 121:4). God rested from creating, but not from sustaining. For He created the world through His Son and “He sustains the universe by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:2-3). So, Jesus rightly said that He is the Lord of the Sabbath.
As the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus has authority over how it is applied. Even more significant, He is its fulfillment. For as the Israelites in the wilderness were given bread from heaven enough to sustain them on the seventh day, so Jesus, the “Bread of Heaven” (John 6:48-50), is our eternal life. Jesus invites, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Jesus is our Sabbath rest (Heb.4).
March 22, 2018
CHRIST’S MIRACLES ARE PROOFS OF HIS DIVINITY
The Pharisees were upset by Jesus telling a paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven. They said to themselves that he had committed blasphemy because only God had the authority to forgive sins. Jesus knew their thoughts, so he asked them which is easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? Then, without pause, he commanded the paralyzed man to stand up and walk. He said that this miracle should “prove” his authority as the “Son of Man” (A Messianic title).
Jesus offered many “proofs” of His divinity. That’s why the apostle John called Christ’s miracles, “signs” in his gospel. Sign’s don’t point to themselves. They identify the place, person or thing. Jesus’ miracles were signs pointing to His identity as the Messiah, both Son of Man and Son of God. They were proofs that He had the authority of God because He is God.
March 21, 2018
KNOWING ABOUT JESUS IS NOT ENOUGH
At Simon’s mother-in-law’s house in Capernaum, Jesus healed and cast out demons from a multitude of people who lined up to see Him. Many of the demons tried to speak, rightly recognizing Jesus as the “Son of God,” but He commanded their silence and cast them out. Of course they knew who Jesus was, they had seen Him in glory before their rebellion. They were fully aware of His Sonship, but they had rejected His Lordship.
Many of us are like them. We know a lot about Jesus. We may even give mental assent to His Sonship, but this is not the same as bowing the knee to Him as Lord. Knowledge about Jesus is not saving faith in Jesus. Right doctrine is not right relationship. As the apostle James wrote, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (James 2:19).
March 20, 2018
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
Jesus taught His disciples to pray that the Lord would not lead them into temptation, but deliver them from evil (Matt. 6:13). Yet, the Spirit “led” Christ into the wilderness “where He was tempted.” How can this seeming contradiction be explained? Perhaps by understanding the two ways the word “temptation” might be understood in Scripture. First, from the human point of view, a trip through the wilderness is a temptation to sin, to lose faith. But from the second point of view, which is the Lord’s, the wilderness experience is a test–– a test of one’s faith. Remember, the Lord does not tempt, nor is He tempted, but He does bless those who “patiently endure” temptation (James 1:12-15). So, we might understand the Lord’s Prayer like this, “Lead us not into temptation, but if You do, please help us endure it and overcome it by delivering us from evil.”
March 19, 2018
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIRTY YEARS
With the exception of the birth accounts in Matthew and Luke and the twelve-year old in the Temple account in Luke, the gospels contain little detail about Jesus before thirty. All four gospels focus their attention on Christ’s ministry that began with His baptism at thirty and concluded with the cross, the tomb and the ascension three years later. So, why was it significant for Jesus to begin His public ministry at age thirty?
Perhaps these examples from Scripture will shed light on this question:
1) Joseph was thirty when he began serving as Pharoah’s second-in-command over Egypt (Gen. 41:46).
2) Levite priests began their public ministry at age thirty (Ex. 4:3).
3) David became king at age thirty (2 Sam. 5:4).
4) Ezekiel the prophet saw his first vision at thirty (Ez. 1:1).
While the Bible doesn’t answer our question directly, perhaps we might infer by example and type that thirty is the biblical age for one to be publicly acknowledged as a prophet, priest or king. For in Jesus, we see all three offices fulfilled.
It was on my thirtieth birthday that I first studied these Scriptures and finally answered the call of God that had been on my life since I was a boy.