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October 27th

The bible reading today is in Luke chapters 14 and 15.

The podcast today will come from one of my top two or three messages of Jesus to his disciples and the scribes and Pharisees.

It’s about “mercy” for “sinners and the “joy of God” in saving them. It reaches my heart in two simple ways. First: I’m a great sinner in need of the forgiveness of God...just as seen in the parables today.

And Secondly: Upon being saved through the gracious and merciful life and work of Christ, I’ve been commissioned by Christ to seek the lost for their salvation...and get in on the joy of heaven when sinners turn to Christ.

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:1-2‬ ‭

This man, Jesus, receives sinners and eats with them. The scribes and Pharisees took exception to Christ keeping company with tax collectors and sinners. They especially were offended with this rabbi’s practice of sitting down with them around his table fellowship...signifying the good news of grace.

Jesus tells these religious Jewish leaders three parables to defend his table fellowship with sinners.

First the parable of the lost sheep. A story from a man’s world...“What “man” of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:4‬

The shepherd is responsible for the care of the sheep. Each one is valuable to him. Each one is important to him. So the shepherd goes after the lost one. And upon finding the lost sheep, he calls his friends and neighbors together to rejoice with him.

I like what Thomas Schreiner wrote...”The earthly joy over finding the lost sheep reflects the joy in heaven over a sinner who repents. Since the Pharisees and scribes were not rejoicing but grumbling over Jesus’ table fellowship with sinners, they were not mirroring God’s attitude toward those who repent.” ....a story with a punch to the loveless religious elite.

The next parable addresses the world of women...“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:8‬

The woman searched high and low for the lost coin. When the coin was discovered, she called her friends and neighbors to join her in celebration.

What is this parable a reflection of?. ”The joy of God” over sinners turning from their sins and believing Him. God pursues sinners. He pursued me when I was lost and He found me and saved me from my sins.

Romans 10:21...”But of Israel, he says...” All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”...entreating them to return. Instead of longing for the repentance of sinners, the Pharisees grumbled about the conversion of these sinners and tax collectors who came to the table fellowship of Jesus.

O friends, when was the last time we invited lost sinners to eat with us and fellowship with Jesus? Too long for me...keep reminding us of that Carl...individually and as Missional Communities.

The final parable in this chapter is the story of the prodigal son and his father and his older brother.

“And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And the father divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:11-13‬ ‭

The prodigal son had no love and respect for his father. It would be fine with him if his dad died so that he could get his part of the inheritance. The father gave him his share. And he left home and wasted his inheritance on wicked living.

The young rebellious son came to his senses. And went back home to his father in humble repentance. He knew he would have to admit his sins and beg for forgiveness. His father said, “this my son was dead and is now alive...he was lost but now he is found”.... put a robe on him...put my ring on his finger...kill a fattened calf for a feast...and invite all the neighbors to celebrate with us....my younger son has returned safely...there had to be a party...his prodigal son has been spiritually saved.

O what a picture of how our God responds to sinners who come home to Him.

Bask in it, friends. That’s our salvation party. Our God presses his gracious lips upon our necks. Our Savior wraps his merciful arms around our shoulders and pulls us close...close to Him at the party table of his fellowship...this is my son, my daughter who once was dead but now is alive with me.

What a party for sinners who turn to Christ. Awesome. No grumbling here!

Have a great day

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October 26th

The bible reading today is in Luke chapters 12 and 13.

Jesus was in the first days of his 3-6 month Perean ministry, east of the Jordan River in what would be Lebanon today. He was traveling from village to village, city to city and the countryside in between preaching and teaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

During that time he was teaching his 12 disciples and the thousands of seekers (some say 10,000) who were in the large crowds following him. Jesus taught them, “to pray”.

Let us listen to Jesus...“If “you” then, who are “evil”, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭11:13‬ ‭

Pray...You who believe me!

What is keeping you from praying? The Father invites you to ask Him for what you need. He will be willing to give you the Holy Spirit...God the Spirit who supplies all that you need to live on purpose with Christ. From comfort, courage, and truth to power, direction, and spiritual gifts for ministry and discernment...just to mention a few.

O friends, let “us” enroll in Christ’s school of prayer. Let us not hesitate to bring our prayer requests to Him all of the time...with grateful and exciting expectation where it belongs...in our Savior God.

And Jesus continues to teach...“And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than for clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:22-24‬

Wow, what an exhortation for every Jesus believer then and now. We all worry about our lives. We are not worried about the exact same things, but we do all worry about our lives.

Some are worried about not having enough money to live comfortably on. Remember Paul’s message to Timothy...?

“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ 6:6-8

Some are worried about their health or the health of a loved one. Let us remember the Lord’s message to a frightened Joshua...“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Yes, Lord, You are with us wherever we go and whatever we are going through. Praise You.

Most are worried about the future. Will I be happy? Will I be living my dreams? Will I live a long and prosperous life? Will I have a chance at a happy marriage with my sweetheart? Will I have healthy children and grandchildren? The answer....“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary when we do. His understanding is unsearchable, especially when we can't figure things out that bother us. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength...especially to us when our faith and hope and physical strength is low. Even young people shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted, but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:28-31‬ ‭

Oh friends, let us pray about everything and trust Jesus to help us and to handle our worries according to God’s promises.

Have a great day.

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October 25th

The bible reading today is in Luke 10&11 and John 10:22-42.

“...and Jesus was walking in the temple...perhaps to warm himself on this cold rainy day. Not teaching, but walking in the Temple during the wintertime feast of Dedication...like he was just another visitor. He was walking in the colonnade of Solomon. (The porch just off the eastern side of the court of the Gentiles...covered over and looking over a deep valley...very white...supported by walls of four square stone precisely quarried and stacked two football fields high.)

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense?

Or in the Latin Vulgate translation...”How long dost thou take away our soul...depriving us of the knowledge of thee?...or Nonnus translation, “How long will you hide yourself from us...stealing away our hearts?”

Almost sounds like genuine seekers at first. But we know the end of this story. These were not just out to ensnare Jesus by twisting his words. They were out to kill him.

It was an ambush. Angry religious leaders who were out to destroy him encircled him. They were out to separate him from friends. They were out to find him alone without backup. They were out to intimidate the carpenter/rabbi and hoped that he would confess that he was not the Messiah for fear for his life, but Jesus was far from intimidation...he was bold and courageous.

Then the confrontational crowd asked this question...”If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10:23-24‬ ‭

Jesus answered them, “I told you. I told you that God was my Father...and that I was the light of the world...and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,”

Healing the sick, casting out devils, cleansing lepers, giving sight to the blind, causing the deaf to hear and the lame to walk, and even raising the dead to life.

“I have plainly shown you who I am...you should not be in any doubt or suspense as to my identity.

John‬ ‭10:24-25‬

Over and over again in those first two years of his ministry, Jesus proved, by his divine works and by the prophecies that were fulfilled in him, that he was the Messiah...the Christ. They just did not believe him. They didn't have the heart to believe him.

Jesus said to this hateful, confronting, self-righteous crowd of religious elite. “...you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.

Wow., Jesus claimed to be God the Eternal Good Shepherd, and He told these scribes and Pharisees that they were not among His flock. They didn't belong in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said...“My sheep hear my voice, Jesus was saying..." you don't hear my voice...you hear your own voice instead...so you’re not one of mine".

“And I know them, and they follow me....you don't follow me so I don't know you as one of my own. You're on “your own”

“I give them who follow me eternal life, and they will never perish. My own are given spiritual life...a life of grace...which issues in eternal life. I give my followers knowledge of me. I give my own my righteousness, which is their justification of life which entitles them to eternal life. And I give my own a foretaste of my life in faith and hope and enjoyment of me and my love."

"But you, who do not believe me, you will perish because I will not give you eternal life.. And one more thing...no one will snatch my own out of my hand.”

Christ’s sheep are in his hands, put there by God the Father from the beginning...and his hands have laid the foundations of the heavens and earth...his hands grasp the whole universe and hold all things together...so who then can pluck any of Christ’s sheep out of those loving strong hands? No one! Nothing!

"So they are all safe and saved with me...and the Father and the Spirit...you are not!"

‭‭John‬ ‭10:26-28‬ ‭

“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10:29-30‬ ‭

Wow, my 2nd favorite assurance verses. Father chose me...Father gave me to Jesus as his bride the church...and since Father is greater than all and He and Jesus are one, none is able to pluck them from our hands.

O, friends, Jesus just preached the gospel...and our reading helped us to preach it to ourselves again. Just what we needed!

Have a great day

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October 24th

The Bible reading today is in John chapters 9 and 10.

It sounds strangely human to say that Jesus was in danger after He preached from the Temple stairs that final day of the feast of booths. And I quote...“So they picked up stones to throw at Jesus...(and Jesus walked by them and away from them....)

‭‭John‬ ‭8:59‬

Jesus walked by those who wanted to kill him on the last day of the festival. To me, that would have been a noteworthy kind of day. To tell my loved ones that I saw and heard a group of people today that were plotting to kill me that would disturb our evening. It would disturb our sleep, and most likely it would be very distracting to the fulfilling of our responsibilities for weeks and months to come.

But not so with Jesus. The next day, Jesus went about his “daily work”... That reminds me of a verse that speaks of my “daily life” which is “my daily work.”

Eph. 2:10...Paul to the church at Ephesus....”For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which He has before ordained that we should walk in them.”

I used to describe the gospel accounts as the scriptural records of the “life and work of Christ”...as though “his life” was somehow separate from “his work”. But reading through the gospels with that in mind has shown me that Jesus’ life and work are one and the same.

His living was his work. And his work was and is his life. May it be so with us, my friends in Christ.

For me to live (and work) is Christ...Paul...Philippians 1:21

Now to our text today...Jesus still in Jerusalem just after the Feast of Booths...“As Jesus passed by (in the city) he saw a man blind from birth...and he healed him...

‭‭John‬ ‭9:1‬

“Jesus saw”...that was his life and work...that was his life and ministry. Jesus saw.... “people”!

Jesus left heaven and came to earth for people. He came for this blind man. And He came for me...one not physically blind, but one who was spiritually blind and in desperate need to see from whom my salvation comes.

Oh friends, Jesus, in his relationship with the Father and the Spirit Jesus’ whole life was about the people of his earthly journey...the people he encountered...the people he passed by. May it be so of our whole lives...” to see people” and love them to Jesus.

“And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

‭‭John‬ ‭9:2-3‬

Did you hear it? This man’s blindness had a purpose. He was blind so that the works of God might be displayed! WOW.

The man’s blindness was real. He had never seen anything, he had never seen anyone. But God had been at work even in his blindness all those years. And God would choose a day that He would use the blindness of the man to display His works again.

How awesome...God has a purpose for our afflictions. And it’s all about Him...all about You, Jesus...praise Your Name.

Have a great day.

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October 23

The bible reading today is in John chapters 7 and 8.

“Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”

And the Jews said to Jesus, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8:53, 57-58‬ ‭

One more time Jesus claimed to be God. He called himself “I Am”.

Remember Exodus 3? “...Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3:13-14‬

“Tell them “I Am Everything you need” (that’s who sent you)...” Jesus was and is the Great I Am. He was making Himself clear to the Jews...God very God...He is everything we need for life now and forever. Awesome!

“After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.”

‭‭John‬ ‭7:1‬

The vast majority of Christ’s earthly ministry took place in Galilee and Judea. And the majority of his ministry in those three years took place in the Galilean triangle towns of Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida.

We just read in John 7:1 that Jesus was spending his time in Galilee. We also read that Jesus would not walk in Judea because they sought to kill him.

Was Jesus scared of the Judeans and their death threats? No. Jesus knew the Father’s timing for him to be arrested and handed over to the Romans for execution. Now was not that time.

Wow, Jesus would not be taken. Jesus would give himself as a willing sacrifice...in due time...the Father’s way...the Father’s timing...all perfect in His redemption story.

The setting of today’s reading...“Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. For clarity, this week long festival took place in Jerusalem every year after fall harvest in September. It commemorated the faithful care of God for his people in their 40-year wilderness wandering.

The Jews would worship at the Temple giving thanks to God for his supplying all “their” needs. Jews would put up tents and makeshift housing all over Jerusalem and the mountains and plains surrounding the city of David. This was to remind them of what their forefathers went through on their way to the promised land.

“So Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.”

‭‭John‬ ‭7:2-4‬

It is a very painful truth that those nearest in kin to the Savior were not believers in His divine mission...at least at first. Jesus was truly a prophet who was without honor in his own country...even among his own. That had to weigh heavily upon the heart of the Lord.

At this time Jesus’ brothers were “taunting” him. “If you truly are a prophet, get out into the world and prove it.”

Jesus’ brothers told Him to prove himself as the Messiah...on a bigger platform...in Jerusalem...the center of Judaism.

Historically, the Jews of Jerusalem looked down on the Jews of Galilee. Since Jesus did most of his miraculous works in Galilee, it gave the religious leaders another reason to reject Jesus’ claims to be the Messiah.

They believed that if he was the Messiah he would have done most of his work in front of the “right audience” instead of the lower class Galileans. These “elite” judgmental Jews of Jerusalem believed that the Messiah would do his most glorious works in Jerusalem.

Ironically they were right...but his glorious work would be different.

What they didn't understand was that Christ’s most glorious work would be done in his crucifixion and resurrection in Jerusalem in about a year.

“And then on the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

What a glorious “gospel sermon invitation” that was. And it came down through the ages to me and to you. The spiritual thirsty were invited to come to Christ by Christ. And He would fill their hearts with living water as springs bubbling up with cool refreshing life.

O, friends, Jesus is still doing that. And He is doing that through you and me. Lord use us again to invite people to the living water...to You!

Have a great day

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October 22

The bible reading today is in Matthew chapter 18.

“As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17:22-23‬ ‭

After the Mt of Transfiguration experience, Jesus and His disciples came down off the mountain there in Galilee. Jesus told the twelve and all those gathering around them that He was heading toward death at the hands of men. And on the third day, he would be raised from the dead.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:1‬

Friends, it puzzles me that soon after Jesus told his disciples that he was going to die in the very near future, the disciples would ask him about rank in the Kingdom of God? Apparently, some of them felt like they were in the running for “the greatest” position in heaven. Some or one must have thought that his service to Christ had earned him a high ranking in the kingdom of heaven.

“So Lord, Who’s the greatest?...which one of us will be honored at the banquet table of heaven?

“And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them...and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you be converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:2-3‬ ‭

Jesus was pointing out an “I” problem among his disciples. Not the eye that they would see-through, but the straight back letter I. Their focus was upon themselves. Their ambition was focused upon themselves and what they could rise to achieve.

The greatest in the kingdom would be the little ones...little children...totally dependent upon Christ for everything. There is no place in the kingdom for the proud and the haughty and the arrogantly self-promoted individuals. No place in the kingdom of heaven for the boastful braggart who believes that he deserves the position of greatest.

Remember when Samuel was trying to rescue King Saul from the consequences of his personal pride!

“And Samuel said to Saul, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not the head of the tribes of Israel? Did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel?

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15:17‬ ‭

Now Saul was losing his kingdom because he became “great in his own eyes”...no longer humble...no longer counting on God...just himself.

God would have us “little in our own eyes” and desperately, humbly, seeking the Lord...depending upon Him for everything. And that’s why Jesus said...

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:4‬

And...“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:5‬ ‭

Wow...not the greatest...but the lowest...like John the Baptist said...”Jesus must increase and I must decrease.”

John got it...Lord help me and my friends in the faith get it too.

Have a great day

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October 21st

The bible reading today is in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9:28-62.

Yesterday, we read these words of Jesus...“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:23‬

I like David Guzik’s comments...“When the Romans crucified a criminal, they didn't just hang the criminal on a cross, they hung a cross on him. And carrying that cross always led to death on a cross. No one carried a cross for sport. If someone took up a cross, they never came back. It was a one-way journey to death.”

That’s what Jesus was walking toward in real-time. He said that if any man would follow him, let him take up his cross daily and follow him. Not the physical cross, that would be impossible...but the spiritual one.

The cross was not about self-promotion or self-affirmation. People who took up the cross knew they couldn't save themselves, but in Christ, self was destined to die and Jesus and others were to become central in our daily lives.

And Jesus continued to speak...“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

Whoever will seek to save his life and not die to it in Christ, he will actually lose his life forever.

Continuing to listen...“For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:24-25‬

Believe Christ and gain true eternal life, or seek to gain the world and lose everything in hell forever.

“Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah...who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:28-31‬ ‭

We call this the great Transfiguration. Jesus shone in glory. Moses and Elijah shone in glory.

Together, they talked about Jesus’ departure from earth to heaven that was about to take place in Jerusalem.

Obviously, Peter James, and John were so amazed they could hardly look at them. What happened was the continuation of God’s glorious presence among those who believed Him.

That transfigured radiance of Jesus was God showing the disciples one more time that Jesus was king over all God’s kingdom...to the glory of God!

This would certainly give a measure of confidence to Christ’s friends as they accompanied their rabbi to Jerusalem. “This man...Jesus...knows what he is doing. He has promised that he would suffer, die, and rise again...and he is still King of Glory.

Jesus was showing his cross-bearers that the cross is not the end...“cross-bearers will be glory receivers”.

The end is the glory, the power, and the forever gracious presence of God.

I can't help but wonder about the conversation between Jesus and Moses and Elijah.

Moses to Jesus...”Are you really going to do this? I offered to be judged in place of the people, but God wouldn’t have it. I was persecuted by Ahab and Jezebel terribly. My body and spirit gave way to pain and depression. Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

Jesus to Moses...”Yes, I was born for this...without this, you would be lost and judged for your sins forever. Not my will but His will be done....”

Yes...you and me Moses...still trusting in Jesus...the perfect sacrifice for our souls. Halleluiah!

Have a great day

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October 20th

The bible reading today is in Matthew 16, Mark 8, Luke 9:18-27.

After Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter to life, Jesus was praying alone. Makes me wonder if he stuck around for the family celebration. I'm sure he did, for a while at least. But what is recorded is that Jesus was praying alone.

Apparently...”There’s a time for celebrating...and there’s a time for praying.” Jesus did both.

And all of a sudden, the disciples were with him. Did the disciples interrupt Jesus’ prayer time with the Father? Or...Did Jesus invite the disciples to join him in prayer? Or...Did Jesus finish his praying and wanted to talk with his friends?

Perhaps any one or all of the three were true. But one thing is for sure...Jesus, on purpose, spent time with the Father and with the disciples.

Well, Jesus asked his friends a question. “Who do people say that I am?”

Some say that you are John the Baptist...some say, Elijah. And then Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?”

Peter said, “The Christ...the Messiah of God!”

And then Jesus strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:21-22‬

Why did Jesus instruct the disciples that day not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah?

I agree with William Barclay...”Jesus knew that before they could preach Jesus as Messiah, they themselves must know exactly what that means."

The Messiah must suffer many things. The Messiah must be rejected. The Messiah must be killed. And the Messiah must be raised on the third day.

Jesus would teach them this over and over during the next 2+ years. They believed him. They needed to know why...they needed to know the beauty and the power of the gospel in order to preach it with conviction.

Oh, friends, Jesus is wanting us to preach the gospel to ourselves over and over...that picture of the good news of God is grace and hope and joy and courage to our souls for everyday obedience and every hour challenges.

Jesus...You really are Good News to us who believe You.

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October 19th

The bible reading today is in Matthew 15 and Mark 7.

Religious leaders came from Jerusalem to Gennesaret to accuse the disciples of Jesus concerning the breaking of Jewish tradition.

Interesting the devil uses the same ploy today. Seeking to disrupt the ministry of Christ by taking aim at his followers. Let us be alert to the schemes of the devil and trust Jesus every day to save us from temptation.

So Jesus intervened on behalf of his friends and told a parable about washings and foods. The Jewish religious leaders were there to declare publicly that those who followed Jesus, instead of them and their traditions, they were “unclean”...no longer accepted at Temple for the worship of Yahweh God.

Temple worship was huge for the Jewish people. Satan was using the Pharisees to accuse Jesus’ followers of great spiritual crimes.

I'm sure it was upsetting to most in the crowd of seekers. So Jesus got right to it. Worship was from the heart...not from practicing ritual traditions made by man.

That was a big step of faith for the Jews in the crowd. They had been brought up on those religious traditions for years and years. They were taught that those traditions were way to God.

Jesus came saying, “I am the Way...” In more ways than one, Jesus was making claim to be the Messiah. “Make sure that your heart is right with God by believing Me.

And Jesus says one more thing to seal his fate with the Jewish religious elite...“And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭7:6-7‬

Jesus was declaring out loud Isaiah’s prophesy about these religious leaders. He called them Hypocrites...religious actors...wearing masks...pretending to know God.

He said that their hearts were far from God. They attended church but their hearts were far from God. They read their bible but their heart was far from God. They prayed eloquently but their heart was far from God. They contributed money but their heart was far from God. They loved to sing but their heart was far from God.

And these were the spiritual leaders from Jerusalem. No wonder Isaiah said...they worshipped God in vain...they had not the heart to seek the Lord in worship...they were just going through the religious motions.

O Jesus, may that not be me. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:23-24‬ ‭

In Your Name, I pray Jesus.

Have a great day