754 I Send My Messenger Before Your Face?, A Guided Christian Meditation on Luke 7:27-30 with the Recenter With Christ app

The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in and connect wi h the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.

Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving jor anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate.

Scripture for Meditation

Luke 7

ESV 27 This is he of whom it is written, "'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.' 28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." 29 (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

KJV 27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

Meditation on Scripture:

This passage is a continuation of Jesus's response to John. Jesus himself declares that John was a prophet and the greatest there was. Specifically because he came to teach about Jesus. He also was testifying that he was greater than John the Baptist, since he also referred to himself as the least in the kingdom. The Son of God descended below all. After this he took on the sin of the world and as a result was both the lowest, but also the greatest. John testified of that.

No matter what Good moral lessons the scriptures teach we should recognize that first and foremost the purpose of scripture is to testify of Christ and our need of Him.

It is interesting that those who would be baptised believed that they were baptised of John saw this statement as a justifying God. and the Pharisees and lawyers, who rejected the baptism of John, did not receive this well. They denied the counsel of God that would have blessed their lives as much as anyone else.

The willingness of the people to be baptised was directly connected with their willingness to believe the words of Jesus. When we do what God asks us to do, that is one way we can demonstrate our faith in God. It is not through thosue actions that we earn some credit score in heaven, but it is a demonstration of faith in Jesus Christ, as James says. Place your faith entirely in Jesus Christ and follow those things He asks you to do. THe new testament is filled with commandments of Jesus. We should seek them out and seek to do them, not to try and earn heaven but to align with the faith that we profess. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments.

Meditation of Prayer:

Pray as directed by the Spirit.

Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him.

Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:

I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials.

Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life:

This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast

Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?

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