Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. Listen, he said, were going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead. Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. What is your request? he asked. She replied, In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left. But Jesus answered by saying to them, You dont know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Oh yes, they replied, we are able! Jesus told them, You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen. When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us! Be quiet! the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us! When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, What do you want me to do for you? Lord, they said, we want to see! Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭17‬-‭34‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to sacrifice His life, yet He was surrounded by blindness. The disciples had walked with Him but were still blind to who He was: the Suffering Servant (see Isaiah 53). James and John wanted to sit in the places of honornot understanding these places were reserved by Godand full of suffering. To live for God in a world of selfish sin guarantees suffering. James was beheaded by Herod (Acts 12:2), and John was exiled to the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9). Jesus taught them (and us) that the way of the Kingdom is to serve. JesusGod incarnate, the King Himselfcame to serve. We can NEVER be above Jesus, therefore the HIGHEST role we can have is to serve as Christ did. This requires changing deeply embedded thinking. In the community of those who obey Jesus, we honor those who lead with a servant heart, whose devotion is stronger than their personality, whose love for the least is stronger than their desire for the spotlight.

James and John were blind, wanting power. The other ten disciples were angry because they wanted the same power, position, and prestige; they were just as blind. Jesus was patient with them, knowing most of them would eventually understand. The physically blind men in this story serve to illustrate the blindness of the disciples (and perhaps the readers): they cried out repeatedly for the Lord to heal them. He did, and they walked with Him into the city of His suffering; this was the first thing they saw. There is a warning in these verses: it is possible to walk with Jesus and miss the change that needs to happen in your own life. Don't let that happen to you; dont be spiritually blind. Our goalin every area of our livesis to become like Jesus, with Jesus.

What does it mean to you to be a servant of Christ? How can you serve others without allowing others to take advantage of you?

For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. At nine oclock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three oclock he did the same thing. At five oclock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, Why havent you been working today? They replied, Because no one hired us. The landowner told them, Then go out and join the others in my vineyard. That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. When those hired at five oclock were paid, each received a full days wage. When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a days wage. When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, Those people worked only one hour, and yet youve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat. He answered one of them, Friend, I havent been unfair! Didnt you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others? So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This story has confused a lot of people, and even today students of the Bible debate what it means. At its core, this story is about Gods unexpected grace; He does not have to play by our rules or fulfill our expectations. This story is not teaching that all believers receive the same rewards or blessings in heaven, but it does show that salvation is an equal gift for those willing to accept the invitationwhether they came early or late.

The problem in the parable came from the comparison; the comparison led to jealousy. The parable closes with a profound question, Should you be jealous because I am kind to others? Humans question the generosity and grace of God, expecting Him to play by our rules. But grace throws away the scales and breaks karma; Jesus gave His life to pay for our sin. Everything we have is from Him. Why do we compare? Why are we jealous? Do we really want God to play by our rules? That would never work out for us!

How would you explain salvation by grace to someone? How can you make sure that you are living in the rhythms of grace more than your own rules?

Someone came to Jesus with this question: Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? Why ask me about what is good? Jesus replied. There is only One who is good. But to answer your questionif you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments. Which ones? the man asked. And Jesus replied: You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself. Ive obeyed all these commandments, the young man replied. What else must I do? Jesus told him, If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Ill say it againit is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God! The disciples were astounded. Then who in the world can be saved? they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible. Then Peter said to him, Weve given up everything to follow you. What will we get? Jesus replied, I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭16‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How dangerous is money? The most dangerous things in our lives are the possessions, power, positions, or people that we value more than God. What poses the most peril to our souls is not weapons but simple items that mean too much to us.

The rich young man called Jesus good, but Jesus reminded him that only God is good. Jesus is God, but the man did not realize thatthough Jesus pointed him in that direction. The young man had a great question: what to do to inherit eternal life? Of course, we dont earn eternal life but accept it from the Lord. Jesus understood this young mans thinking and so quoted some of the Ten Commandments. Yet He left out the commands about not working on the Sabbath, not coveting, not worshiping idols, and worshiping the Lord alone. These were the commandments the young man had likely ignored in order to gain his wealth and position. Christ didnt tell the young man to obey the commandments but sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow the King. Jesus is God and claims absolute obedience in our lives. This is the very purpose of our lives; everything else is secondand possibly a dangerous temptation. The rich man walked away sad. He walked away from Jesus, the Author of Life. He walked away from the adventure of following Jesus.

Possessions can so easily possess us. Is having too much wealth success or failure? If we do have more than we need, God has given it to give away, helping those who have less than they need.

Is your thinking about money shaped more by your culture or by Christ? If everything you have is given by God (and belongs to Him), how does He want you to spend it?

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick. Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason? Havent you read the Scriptures? Jesus replied. They record that from the beginning God made them male and female. And he said, This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together. Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away? they asked. Jesus replied, Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adulteryunless his wife has been unfaithful. Jesus disciples then said to him, If this is the case, it is better not to marry! Not everyone can accept this statement, Jesus said. Only those whom God helps. Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can. One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, Let the children come to me. Dont stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children. And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The love of God inside a believer changes every relationship in life. Jesus elevated marriage, defining it as a man and woman becoming one in God's eyes for life. God unites husband and wife in marriage. In their day, divorce was so common that one rabbi taught that a man could divorce his wife for burning dinner! In the Kingdom, marriage is more than just partnership; it is meant to change the soul and allow one to experience the love of God more fully. Our Lord taught a high view of marriageso high that the disciples questioned if it was even worth getting married!

Jesus also elevated singleness, calling it the preferred way of life, where a person allows the longings in their hearts to be fulfilled directly by the Lord (and in community). Singleness is not a curse but a blessing. Our churches should value singleness, create community, and be a light to the world for those who are singlewhether for a season or for life.

Jesus deeply valued children. His words have shaped Christians, who in turn shaped education, protection, and labor laws. Most of the world in Jesus time viewed children as lesser humans who needed to be ignored or put to work. Christians in the Roman world rescued unwanted children. The Lord gave clear commands on relationships; we can ignore them and hurt our lives or follow them, fight against our self-serving desires, and experience deeper love. In singleness, marriage, children, sex, celibacy, desire, media, and morefollow the life-giving way of Jesus.

Which command of Christ stands out to you today? What area of relationships needs some work in your life?

If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she wont accept the churchs decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them. Then Peter came to him and asked, Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times? No, not seven times, Jesus replied, but seventy times seven! Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldnt pay, so his master ordered that he be soldalong with his wife, his children, and everything he ownedto pay the debt. But the man fell down before his master and begged him, Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all. Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. Be patient with me, and I will pay it, he pleaded. But his creditor wouldnt wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldnt you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you? Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. Thats what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭15‬-‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus gave clear instructions for how to deal with conflict. First, we go directly to the person. Don't run away, avoid, be passive aggressive, manipulate, escalate, over-react, or accuse. Deal with the problem in love. If that doesn't work, then bring another personyour goal isnt to be right but help the person in their sin (the conflict should be about character not personal preferences). If a Christian brother or sister refuses to listen, then out of love bring it to leaders in the church who care enough to confront, leaving the 99 to reach the one. If the person still doesn't listen, treat them as you would a tax collector or sinnerwhich is with love and reaching out to a lost sheep (see 18:12-14), and always ready to forgive.

How many times should we forgive? Peter asked this question, seeking a limit. In their day, the rabbis taught that forgiveness was limited to three or maybe even five times. Jesus shocked His disciples (and us) with His answer: forgiveness is unlimited. His command was clearit is a mindsetforgive others as much as you would like to be forgiven by God. Are you aware of how many times the Father has forgiven you? WE are the ones with the million-dollar debt. May we forgive as we have been forgiven. And may we be transformed by His forgiveness.

There is an edge to this story... Jesus said those who don't forgive won't be forgiven. We dont earn salvation but receive it, but if we dont give forgiveness it shows we never received it from God. The world needs forgiveness from God and for each other; our Father begins by forgiving each heart that is willing to accept it.

Why is it hard for us to deal with sin and conflict as Jesus told us? What does it mean to deeply accept Gods forgiveness? Is there anyone in your life or past that needs your forgiveness?

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. Its better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. Its better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. Beware that you dont look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭1‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬v.11 is omitted from the new living translation because it wasn't in the earliest manuscripts of the book of Matthew, which translators use to develop modern English Bibles. it is now a footnote in the biblical text, which says: And the Son of Man came to save those who are lost.

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Wont he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didnt wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Fathers will that even one of these little ones should perish.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

People inside and outside the Church have high expectations for the Church, the people of God. This chapter is the fourth major teaching section in Matthew; it is called The Church Chapter because Jesus lays out His vision for His people. Based on this chapter, a church would not be measured by its music, preaching, programs, cool factor, or facilities. A church should be measured on making disciples who love and obey Jesus, which includes humility (v.4), renouncing the power games of the world, reaching out to the next generation, possessing a deep love for people, and running after lost people. Is this how you evaluate a good church?

The only thing the church should be against is sin. The business of the church is helping people turn to God and turn away from what is wrong. We must be those who can look at ourselves honestly and see what needs to be changed, and be transformed through Gods love, grace, power, and forgiveness. God's people should also be marked by a deep love for people, especially children and outcasts. We fight sin not by running away from sinners but by running to them. We sacrifice to reach the lost and see them safe in Gods love and in community. This is Gods dream for His people. We are not perfect, but the Church is part of Gods plan, and He has not given up on us. Jesus made the Church, and this is where we belong. As imperfect as we are, we point to the only One who is perfect; He fulfills all we need as humans.

Does your evaluation of church line up with this chapter? How can you help the church live out its God-given mission?

After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead. And the disciples were filled with grief. On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, Doesnt your teacher pay the Temple tax? Yes, he does, Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered? They tax the people they have conquered, Peter replied. Well, then, Jesus said, the citizens are free! However, we dont want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Matthew intentionally put his stories in a certain order to make a point. The disciples had confessed that Jesus is Lord and seen Him transfigured. Christ had predicted His death and did so again in these verses. Then a debate came up about paying the Temple tax. Jesus did pay the Temple tax, and He used the occasion to teach His disciples important lessons.

Jesus is God and King, clearly revealed in His teachings, miracles, authority, and the transfiguration. So, the Temple tax is actually paid TO Him. The Temple tax in Israel was paid by all males between twenty and fifty years old (Exodus 30:11-16). The tax helped pay for the sacrificial systemthe very one that Christ would fulfill through His sacrificial death. The Temple would no longer be needed; indeed, it would be destroyed (24:1) because the national leaders ignored Gods Son (21:43). Christ was making the point that He is King and Son of God; His followers (children, sons, or citizens, depending on your translation of verse 26) were exempt from the tax. This is a tax that would soon end; yet the Lord paid it so His followers would know to fulfill the laws of the land they lived in, as long as they did not contradict Gods laws. He taught them to do all they could not to offend others, while being bold in speaking truth. He taught them to live between the times of present reality and future fulfillment. And He taught them that He would provide as we do the work: Peter did the fishing, but the coins were provided by the Lord.

What lessons do you need to remember from todays verses? How can you live out these lessons in practical ways?

Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. Peter exclaimed, Lord, its wonderful for us to be here! If you want, Ill make three shelters as memorialsone for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him. The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. Then Jesus came over and touched them. Get up, he said. Dont be afraid. And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus. As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, Dont tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead. Then his disciples asked him, Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes? Jesus replied, Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasnt recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer. Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist. At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldnt heal him. Jesus said, You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me. Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well. Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, Why couldnt we cast out that demon? You dont have enough faith, Jesus told them. I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the mountain so they could see who He truly is. He was revealed to them with the glory of the Spirit and the voice of the Father. Moses and Elijahrepresenting the Law and the Prophets, two men who had unique deaths, and two men who saw God's gloryappeared and talked with Jesus. The three disciples experienced the Lord revealedtransfigured in powerand understood the power we have in Him. They were filled with wonder and terror; they were in the presence of God! Jesus invited them to know Him deeper, and they soaked up the life-changing experience to the core of their souls (see John 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:1). Jesus wants to reveal Himself to you.

When Christ and the three disciples came down the mountain they witnessed a ministry fiasco. That is so often what it is like after a mountaintop experience. The other disciples could not cast a demon out of a child. How could that be? Jesus had given them authority to cast out demons (Matthew 10:8), and they already had experience in this area, so what was the problem? They did not have enough faith or dependance on Christ (v.19; cf. Mark 9:29). These future Christian leaders were learning the lesson to depend on Christ more than themselves. We must all learn this lesson, and we often learn it through mistakes. We need to experience Him, see Him, be filled with Him, hear from Him, love Him, and personally know His love and power.

How have you personally experienced the power of Jesus Christ? Are you serving Christ out of your own strength or out of His power? How do you know?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? Well, they replied, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Then he asked them, But who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus replied, You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means rock), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. Heaven forbid, Lord, he said. This will never happen to you! Jesus turned to Peter and said, Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from Gods. Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In this chapter Jesus takes His disciples to a retreat into the region of Caesarea Philippi. Christ asked them (and us) the pointed question: Who do you say I am? This question defines all of life, and the answer is revealed by God (and accepted or rejected by each person). It is answered not with words alone but with every aspect of our lives. If He is the Son of God, then our lives must reflect what we truly believe.

The Messiah calls His people to obediently follow Himinto suffering. This is His way. Many people know who Jesus is but refuse to follow Him into the pain. Peter struggled with this as well (and was temporarily dubbed Satan for his lack of faith and tempting Christ to refuse the cross). Christ made it clear: He was headed for the cross (and resurrection). Christ also made it clear that those who follow Him MUST deny themselves and take up their cross (literally embrace death). This is the ONLY way to eternal life; in love for our Lord, our selfishness must die, and we find true life in Him. There is no other way; there is no shortcut.

Christ often leads where we don't want to go. His paths lead us to exponential growth, but they often hurt us; this is a hurt that healsbreaking away the chains of death that cling to us. The way of Christ will include suffering for others, it will include obeying Jesus when it doesn't make sense or when the feelings aren't there, and it will include being different than the world around us that says, Do what makes YOU happy.

Who do YOU say Jesus is? How is that question answered with your lifeattitude, actions, obedience, calendar, purpose, relationships, etc? What does it mean for you to follow Jesus, deny yourself, and take up your cross

One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. He replied, You know the saying, Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day. You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you dont know how to interpret the signs of the times! Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. Then Jesus left them and went away. Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. Watch out! Jesus warned them. Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. At this they began to argue with each other because they hadnt brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? Dont you understand even yet? Dont you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? Why cant you understand that Im not talking about bread? So again I say, Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Then at last they understood that he wasnt speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Make no mistake; you are influenced by those that teach you. The Pharisees and Sadducees were people who had spiritual and political influence in Jesus' day, but they could not understand the message of Jesus. They asked for a sign but ignored the countless signs already done. The final sign would be the resurrection; would they accept or deny it? The disciples were arguing about not having bread, seemingly forgetting that Jesus had provided bread for thousands. Christ warned His disciples not to be influenced by the political power of the Sadducees or the legalistically disciplined lives of the Pharisees. These leaders had blinded their eyes to the truth of God; may the disciples not be blind to the lessons of faith.

Most people understand they are influenced, but most underestimate how much they are influenced by their friends, family, job, and teachers. Every piece of media contains a message; most swallow this message without thinking. Be wise and be wary. Use God's word as a filter. Choose wisely what you allow to influence you, and don't foolishly believe that you are not influenced.

Which influences in your life draw you closer to Christ? How do you limit your exposure to influences that pull you away from your Savior?