Category Archives: 01 – Matthew
Jesus Gives the Great Commission
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 19,20; Psalm 55; Matthew 28
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 28:16-20
Following Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, he spent time with His disciples here on earth. Right before He left this world and returned to the right hand of the Father, He left the disciples with a parting command. Most followers of Christ have heard of the Great Commission, and most of them can even paraphrase the verse if not quote it verbatim. Interestingly, though, for some Christians there seems to be some confusion as to what Jesus really commanded us to do. In verses 19 and 20 of today’s key passage, Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” It sounds fairly straightforward, but there is a slight problem. Many times, as followers of Christ it can become easy for us to start focusing on the wrong word. We tend to focus on “Go”. We spend our time “going”, trying to do things for Christ. We try to “go” to show our love for Him. We think that “go” is the verb in Jesus’ sentence, but in the sentence, “Go and make disciples of all nations”; the word “go” is not the verb. This is not the action Jesus is calling us to do. The verb in the sentence is “make”. The action Jesus is calling each and every follower of Christ to do is to make disciples.
What does it mean to make a disciple? Does it mean leading people to Jesus? Absolutely. But it also means a lot more than that. When Jesus first called the twelve disciples, He did not simply introduce Himself to them and then walk away leaving them to fend for themselves. He did not tell them everything about Himself and then release them out into the world on their own. What Jesus did was He walked with them. He met with them regularly. He answered their questions. He taught them more about God. He showed them the path they should follow, and then He took them down that path Himself. This is how He made them disciples. When we read the Great Commission, and we begin to focus on the real goal of making disciples, what better example do we have to follow than the example set forth by our Lord? Introducing a lost soul to Jesus Christ is great. Answering his or her questions about Christ is wonderful. Leading them to salvation is awesome. But to truly make a disciple, we have to keep going – we have to walk with that person.
There are three more quick points I would like to share about today’s key passage. First, keep in mind that this is the Great Commission, not the Great Suggestion. Making disciples is not optional. This is a command to every one of us who call Jesus our Lord and Savior. Secondly, Jesus told us to make disciples of “all” nations. We are not to pick and choose who gets to hear about Jesus or who gets to come to Him. The homeless man or the ex-prostitute who walks into the church should be greeted with joy and thanksgiving and we should do everything we can to make them disciples. Finally, Jesus commanded that we teach others to “obey everything I have commanded”. Just as we are not to pick and choose who can come to Christ, we cannot pick and choose which parts of Jesus message we should be teaching others to follow. Many times, it can be easy to preach a “health and wealth” message, and leave out the parts about carrying our cross daily or dealing with persecution. Teach others everything Jesus commanded, not just the things we think they will want to hear.
My prayer today is that each one of you reading this will take some time out of your busy day to stop and think about the Great Commission. How are you doing with it? Are you focusing on the right words? Are you making disciples?
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Go, Make Disciples (anotherchristianblog.org)
- The great commission (wordsofgrace.wordpress.com)
- We are called to obey “The Great Commission” (sharinhislove.wordpress.com)
Like this:
Pilate Washes His Hands of Jesus
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 18; Psalm 56; Matthew 27
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 27:11-26
In 1818, Ignaz Phillip Semmelweis was born into a world of dying women. The finest hospitals in the world lost one out of six young mothers to the scourge of “childbed fever.” A doctor’s daily routine began in the dissecting room where he performed autopsies. From there, he made his way to the hospital to examine expectant mothers without ever pausing to wash his hands. Dr. Semmelweis was the first man in history to associate such examinations with the resultant infection and death of the new mothers. His own practice was to wash with a chlorine solution, and after eleven years and the delivery of 8,537 babies, he lost only 184 mothers–about one in fifty. Though none of his colleagues believed him at the time, we know today about the importance of washing our hands. In today’s key passage however, we see a different kind of hand washing. The religious leaders were calling for Jesus execution, and Pilate was feeling the pressure. He knew what he should do. His own conscience told him that Jesus was not guilty of anything, and his wife confirmed his suspicions, but Pilate knew that if he released Jesus he would have a possible revolt on his hands that could cost him his job. Since he could not come up with a solution that would make everyone happy, he decided to make no decision at all. We read in verse 24, “When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘“It is your responsibility!’” Pilate wanted to simply walk away from the decision and not take responsibility for the outcome, but in the end, he still allowed Jesus to be crucified. In the end, he was still guilty.
There are many times when we can all feel tempted to simply “wash our hands” of a situation. When we see people who do not know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, we may be tempted to not deal with the question of who He is. When we see temptations in our lives that may lead us to sin, it is often too difficult to cut those temptations out of our lives completely. When we see other believers sinning, it is often easier to stay quiet instead of correcting them in love. When we see someone in need, it is often easier to walk by him instead of stopping to help. I could fill this page and probably a couple more simply listing out examples of when we might be tempted to “wash our hands” of a situation instead of dealing with it, but the point is that in each of these examples there is one common truth – washing our hands does not make us innocent. Walking away and choosing not to deal with a problem does not solve it, and in the eyes of God, we will still be found guilty. When you are tempted to wash your hands of a situation, instead ask God for His guidance. Allow Him to lead you to the right answer. Allow Him to lead you down the right path.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Easter Reflections: The Darkest of Days (graceformymess.com)
- The Fifth Station: Jesus is Judged by Pilate by Mark D. Roberts (trinityspeaks.wordpress.com)
- Saturday, May 5, 2012 @ Mark 15-16 (phyllisbenigas.wordpress.com)
- Matthew 27 Questions for Reflection (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
- Treasure in the Arms of Christ – Matthew 27:1-10 (thisdaywithgod.wordpress.com)
Mary Anoints Jesus with Perfume
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 17; Psalm 71; Matthew 26
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 26:6-13
In today’s key passage, we find the story of Mary of Bethany. Mary actually has three different stories in the New Testament. The first story is found in Luke 10:38-42 when Jesus visits her home. While her sister Martha spends her time running around trying to serve Jesus, Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to every word He has to say. We see Mary again in John 11:1-44 when her brother Lazarus dies and Jesus resurrects him. Her final story is found today in our passage, which is also located in Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-11. Jesus is only days away from His crucifixion, and he stops at the home of Simon the Leper in Bethany. While in this home, Mary came to Jesus with a very expensive jar of perfume and poured it over his head as He was reclining at a table. In John’s account of this story, she also poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet and washed them with her hair. (Please note that this is not the same event found in Luke 7:36-50 in which a sinful woman anoints Jesus’ feet. This is a separate, although fairly similar event, and should not be confused with Mary’s story found in today’s passage.) The disciples were not happy about Mary pouring this perfume on Jesus, as it was very expensive. In fact, the disciples point out that the perfume could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money could have been given to the poor. Jesus, however, was pleased with Mary’s gesture, and said, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”(Vss 10-13)
I think we can learn a lot from Mary’s story. Mary knew that there was a time and a place to worship Jesus, regardless of the cost. She did not seem to care that the perfume was costly. She did not seem to care that the disciples would criticize her sacrifice. The only thing she cared about was spending time worshiping Jesus, and she worshiped Him in the best way she knew. Like Mary, it is important that we take the time to stop everything and worship Jesus. We should spend our time with Him in prayer, and we should spend our time reading God’s Word. For many of us, this might prove to be costly. To really spend time with Jesus on a daily basis, we might have to get up early or stay up late. We might have to spend our lunch break with Him instead of going out to lunch with the group from the office. We might have to skip watching our favorite television show to make time to spend with Jesus. There might be many things we need to sacrifice to make a time to worship Him, but all of these sacrifices are well worth it. Though the disciples seemed to disagree at first, Jesus confirmed that Mary had her priorities straight. When it comes to worshiping Jesus and spending time with Him, it is important that we have our priorities straight as well. Do not allow anything to keep you from spending time worshiping Him daily. As we spend more time with Jesus, we will continue to grow and mature in our faith, and we will find that we are better able to serve Him in all that we do.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Saturday, April 28, 2012 @ Mark 13-14 (phyllisbenigas.wordpress.com)
- Moment Three: Anointing (contemplativechristians.com)
- John 12:1-11 – The Anointing at Bethany (readingacts.wordpress.com)
- SHE WASHED JESUS FEET AND HE WASHED THEIRS by Roberta Pierce, WTS Senior (thepersistentvoice.wordpress.com)
Remaining Watchful for Jesus’ Return
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 13, 14; Matthew 24
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 24:36-51
Have you ever sold a house? If you have, you know that the process can be challenging, particularly when it comes to showing your house to perspective buyers. One of the ways you can go about this is to schedule an open house. Using this method, the homeowner can choose a date and time when buyers can come and look at the house at their own pace. An open house is a good option for many homeowners because it is a scheduled event. The owner has time to clean the house and make sure it looks its best. He or she can ensure that all of the furniture is in order, that the kids’ toys are put away, and that the closets are clean. Not all perspective buyers, however, view a home during an open house. More often than not, buyers view the house on their own schedule with the help of a real estate agent. When this happens, the homeowner can get very little warning that someone is coming to view the house, so they have to make sure the house is always in order. This is one of the things that make listing a house for sale so challenging, because you always have to be prepared for a buyer to walk in at any moment. In today’s key passage, we learn that Jesus return will occur in much the same way.
The disciples asked Jesus when he would return to the world at the end of the age. Like a homeowner scheduling an open house, the disciples wanted to know exactly when this event would occur so that they would be able to prepare. Jesus, however, would not give them an exact date or time for His return. Instead, he told them to remain watchful. Like an owner with a house on the market, Jesus wanted the disciples (and us) to always be prepared for His coming. Jesus reminded the disciples about how the world was in the days of Noah. People were living their lives and going about their normal routines never knowing that a great flood was coming to wash them all away. Noah, of course, knew all about the flood and he spent a great deal of time getting prepared. He built the ark and filled it with animals in preparation for God’s coming judgment, while everyone else lived their lives oblivious to the event until the rains actually started. When the rains did come, no one had any time to make any last minute preparations to try to save themselves. Because they had not prepared, they were lost to the flood. Likewise, when Jesus returns on that great day of judgment, no one will have any opportunity for last minute preparations. He will come “at an hour when you do not expect Him.” (Vs. 44)
People today still try to predict when Jesus will return, but the simple fact is that no one really knows for sure. Unlike the people in Noah’s day who had no idea that a flood was coming, though, we do know for a fact that Jesus will return. We know from Scripture that there will be a day of judgment for every person in this world. While we do not know when that will happen, we do know how to prepare. We can live every day as if it were “that day”. We can choose to turn to Him now. We can choose to follow Him now. We can choose to walk in His ways and live our lives for Him now. When we do that, we never have to be worried about being caught off-guard by His return. When we remain watchful every day, we will always be prepared.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- I See Him in the Clouds! (ptl2010.com)
- The Bridegroom Comes (lancelottuckerblog.com)
Like this:
The Parable of the Vineyard Workers
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17; Psalm 2; Matthew 20
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 20:1-16
Grace is a tricky thing. Most of us are quick to want it when it comes to our own mistakes and sins, but extending it to others can be difficult, particularly if the other person in question is notoriously wicked. In 2011, the news broke that a raid by brave members of our US Armed Forces led to the death of Osama bin Laden. The news was met with widespread joy and celebration across the country, and most people (myself included) believe that bin Laden is currently in hell eternally separated from God. Here is the thing about grace, though – we do not know that to be a fact. Only God knows the condition of someone’s heart when he dies. While it is highly unlikely, it is possible that as death neared, Osama bin Laden repented of his sins and turned to God. While it is highly unlikely, it is possible that before he died he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. While it is highly unlikely, if that had happened, the Bible says that Osama bin Laden would be in Heaven right now. Does that seem hard to believe? Jesus knew this concept of grace might be difficult for us to understand, and that is why in today’s key passage He tells us the Parable of the Vineyard Workers.
In His parable, Jesus tells us about a landowner who went out early in the morning and hired men to work in his vineyard. The pay he offered was one denarius for the entire day. At about the third hour, the landowner went and found more men and agreed to pay them one denarius for the day. He continued to hire men at the sixth hour, the ninth hour, and the eleventh hour, and he agreed to pay all of them one denarius. At the end of the day, the landowner paid all of the men one denarius, starting with the last ones he hired, and all of the men who were hired early in the morning were angry to see that the men who had only worked a short time were being paid the same amount they were being paid. So what does this parable mean? The landowner is God, and the denarius is salvation.
Some people are saved early in life and they spend their entire lives working for Christ and following Him. Others are saved in the middle of their lives and only spend half as much time working for Christ and following Him. Still others are saved at the end of their lives, some even on their deathbeds, and they never really get the opportunity to do much work for Christ. All of these people, whether saved as a child or saved 1 minute before death, receive the same wage – eternal salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Just as the landowner was well within his rights to pay the men who worked in his vineyard whatever amount he wanted, our God is completely sovereign and can choose to extend grace to whoever He chooses. God chooses to extend grace to anyone who comes to him with a true heart, repents of his past sins, and accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. Regardless of past deeds, Jesus saves.
Does it make you slightly angry to think that people bin Laden, Hitler, or Stalin could be in Heaven? If so, you have not yet fully grasped the concept of grace. In fact, the very idea someone so wicked could actually end up in Heaven is a wonderful thing! It tells us that none of our sins are so bad that God cannot forgive them, and it tells us that it is never too late to come to Christ. Rejoice in the fact that our God freely gives His grace and mercy to everyone who seek it, and rejoice in the fact that eternal life is available for everyone willing to turn to Jesus Christ. While it is highly unlikely that bin Laden turned to Christ at the end of his life and was saved, it is certainly possible, and that, my friends, is a very good thing indeed.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
The Rich Young Ruler
Daily Bible Reading – 1 Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 19:16-30
It is interesting that in life we can do countless things right only to see one wrong move ruin everything. This is well illustrated in the world of sports. A baseball player can pitch a perfect game for 8.2 innings, throw one bad pitch, and lose the game with one swing of the bat. A quarterback can throw for 400 yards and four touchdowns before throwing a game losing interception in the fourth quarter. A pro golfer can lead for 71 holes of a tournament, hook his tee shot out of bounds on the last hole, and lose by one stroke. In today’s key passage, we see the story of a man who did many things right only to see one wrong move ruin everything.
The rich young ruler in today’s passage did many things right. To begin with, he sought out Jesus. This is always a good place to start. In addition, he asked Jesus the right questions. He began by asking Jesus what he should do to gain eternal life. When Jesus told him to obey the commandments, he replied that he had kept the commandments all of his life. By Jesus’ lack of an argument to this statement, we might be able to infer that the rich young man had indeed lived a good life of obedience to God. The man then asked Jesus another great question when he said, “What do I still lack?” (Vs. 20) Now Jesus knew exactly what was holding this man back. He knew exactly what he needed to do to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He knew that there was only one path to eternal life, and He knew that He was that path. Jesus told the rich young man, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Vs. 21) At this point, after living a good life, coming to the right person, and asking the right questions, the rich young man makes one single mistake that cost him everything. We read in verse 22 that, “when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” The one thing Jesus asked him to do was the one thing he was not willing to do. The rich young man made money his god, and he was not willing to give up that god to follow the one true God. In this one moment, all of the “right” things he had done in his life no longer mattered.
Many people misinterpret this passage of Scripture and believe that Jesus is telling all of His followers to sell all of their possessions and give everything to the poor. This is not the case, as Jesus’ words were only intended for this one young man who was worshiping his money. However, it does bring to mind a good question that each of us should ask ourselves today. Hypothetically, if Jesus asked you to sell all of your possessions and give to the poor, how would you respond? Would you be willing to give up everything for Him? Think about this question today. Search your heart for your true feelings and be honest with yourself. At the end of the day, nothing should be more important to us than Jesus. Nothing should come before Him.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Conflict Between Grace And Truth Part I (ptl2010.com)
- King’s Cross by Timothy Keller – Chapter 11 – The Trap (jamespaulgaard.wordpress.com)
- Jesus Blesses the Children; The Rich Young Ruler (brakeman1.com)
- Charity of Gospel? (olujordan.wordpress.com)
Like this:
The Unforgiving Debtor
Daily Bible Reading – 1 Chronicles 14,15; Psalm 132; Matthew 18
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 18:21-35
In today’s key passage, Jesus teaches us about having an unforgiving attitude. Peter asks Jesus how many times he needs to forgive someone who has sinned against him, and then he offers up his own possible answer of seven times. Before we move on, we need to understand this in the context of the day. Jewish law mandated that you must forgive another person three times, so when Peter offered up the answer of seven times he probably believed he was being very generous with his forgiveness. He was likely expecting Jesus to commend him on his answer, but instead Jesus told Peter that he should forgive his brother seventy-seven times. (Note that some translations say seven times seventy times or 490 times total, but the point Jesus is making is that we should not worry about counting how many times we forgive someone and should instead always forgive others. The fact is, if we are keeping count of how many times we have forgiven a person, we probably have not actually forgiven them at all.)
In order to illustrate His point, Jesus goes on to tell the Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor. In this parable, there is a man who owes the king ten thousand talents. (Most scholars believe this is the equivalent of roughly $10 million, but some scholars estimate it as high as billions of dollars. The point is the debt was large enough that it could never realistically be repaid.) The king wants to collect his money, but the servant is unable to pay him this large debt, so the king threatens to sell everything the man owns as well as his family to repay the debt. The servant drops to his knees and begs the king for mercy, and the king agrees to cancel his debt completely. Now imagine you have just been forgiven a $10 million debt. That would be a pretty good day right? You would likely celebrate your good fortune! Instead, the debtor went out and found a fellow servant who owed him a hundred denarii. (Most scholars estimate this to be roughly $20.) He grabs the servant who owes him $20 and chokes him, demanding to be repaid, and he ultimately has the man thrown in jail over the $20 debt. When the king hears this, he calls the servant back in and reinstates his debt of $10 million and puts him in jail to be tortured until he can pay.
If you are a follower of Christ, you are like the debtor who owed an unimaginable amount of debt to the King. Our debt is our sins, and we all have a lot of this debt built up from our lives here on earth. Fortunately, God has cancelled our debt through the cross of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. Though we have been forgiven so much, how often do we keep an unforgiving heart toward others? When we are wronged by others or treated badly, we hold onto that anger and refuse to forgive them right away, and we are in essence demanding payment for a “$20 debt” after being forgiven a “$10 million debt”. How often do husbands and wives say, “I can forgive my spouse for anything except this one thing”? How often do people say, “I just cannot forgive that person for what he or she has done”? Usually, when people have trouble forgiving others, it is because they do not completely understand their own forgiveness. Many people believe that God forgives them for almost all of their sins, but that God is still mad about one or two really bad things from the past. This is simply not the case! Colossians 2:13-14 says, “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” When we truly understand the forgiveness of God, we will find that it will become impossible to have an unforgiving attitude toward others. Do not hold onto an unforgiving heart over a $20 debt. Instead, rejoice in your own forgiveness and trust in God’s perfect righteousness.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Some Thoughts on Church Discipline… (andrewbmills23.wordpress.com)
- Seventy times seven… (ptl2010.com)
- The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (brakeman1.com)
- Who bears the cost of forgiveness? (ptl2010.com)
- Steps To True Forgiveness (threepassionslingerie.wordpress.com)
Like this:
Defining Jesus
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 4,5; Psalm 139; Matthew 16
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 16:13-20
How are you doing? What do you do? How old are your kids? Will you marry me? Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? Are you listening to me? Do you know how fast you were going? We are asked many questions in this life. They start as early as the day of our births, and continue at a constant pace all the way through our last day. Some of the questions are mundane, while others are amazingly important. Some will change our lives forever, while others will be forgotten almost as quickly as they were asked. In today’s key passage, we see what is perhaps the most important question you will ever have to answer. How you choose to answer this question will define your entire life, and will dictate how you spend eternity.
Jesus was walking with His disciples when he asked them how other people were defining Him. The disciples told Jesus that some people were claiming that He was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. That is when Jesus popped the big question. He asked the disciples, “Who do you say I am?” (Vs. 15) It seems like an innocent enough question, amazing in its own simplicity, but the answer to this question is indescribably important. Peter immediately spoke up for the entire group and answered Jesus by saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Vs. 16) To this, Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Vss. 17-18) Peter correctly defined Jesus, and in return, Jesus defined Peter.
I think people spend a lot of time trying to figure out who they are. They attempt to understand what it is that they stand for in life. Who are they? Who are they going to be? What is the plan for their lives, and how do they get there? It is important to realize, though, that defining yourself is difficult if not impossible. Self-assessment is inherently difficult because we simply have too many biases to deal with as we attempt to look at ourselves impartially. If you truly want to figure out who you are, you must first answer the question of who you say Jesus is. You cannot simply rely on how other people define Jesus. I can tell you that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life, and your pastor can tell you that Jesus Christ is the Lord of his or her life, but that does not really mean a lot when it comes to you personally. You have to answer the question. You have to define Him. Moreover, there is no middle ground answer – either He is the Lord of YOUR life or He is not. Either He is the most important thing to you or He is not. If you say He was a great man, a great teacher, or a great prophet, you are not necessarily wrong you are simply incomplete in your answer. Jesus was all of these things, but He is so much more than that. The only complete answer is the one that Peter gave. The only answer that truly honors the sacrifice He made for each of us is the one that Peter gave. The only answer that guarantees eternal salvation is the one the Peter gave. Interestingly, once you define Jesus as the Lord of your life, He will turn around and define exactly who you are just as He did for Peter. He will show you who you are today, and He will show you who you will become. More importantly, He will start to change you to make you the person you can be. If you really want to define yourself, first define Jesus. After that, let Jesus take over and make you who He wants you to be.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Matthew 16: Who Do You Say I Am? (kingdomnewtestament.wordpress.com)
- The Bread of Life and The Words of Eternal Life (tvaraj2inspirations.wordpress.com)
Like this:
Quick to Forget
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 15:29-39
Awhile back, my daughter was running into the kitchen to get a snack when she accidentally tripped over her shoes that were lying on the kitchen floor and skinned her knee on the hard ceramic tile. While the wound itself was small, her reaction to it was not, and she spent several minutes on the ground crying. After making sure she was okay, my wife and I picked her up off the floor, and she somberly headed to her room to watch television with her snack in hand. Minutes later, she emerged from her room laughing and smiling and in the best of spirits. In the span of only a couple of minutes, she had completely forgotten her run-in with the hard kitchen floor. Sometimes being quick to forget can be a good thing. The ability to quickly forget a past hurt or a wrong committed by another person is definitely a good trait. Being quick to forget a past failure can serve us well and keep us from being mired in guilt or self-pity. At other times, though, being quick to forget can be a detriment. In today’s key passage, we see an example of how the disciples were sometimes quick to forget what Jesus had already accomplished.
Just yesterday, we read the story of Jesus feeding over five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. It was the type of miracle that would illustrate to others that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, and the story of his accomplishment would no doubt follow him through the land. Amazingly though, His disciples seemed to have forgotten all about it in today’s reading. Jesus was teaching over four thousand people on a mountainside, and decided that He did not want to send the crowd away without something to eat. When He told the disciples His intention to feed the masses, their response was staggering. They answered Him by saying, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?” (Vs. 33) The disciples were perplexed by this problem even though it was strikingly similar to another issue that Jesus had already solved. In this example, the disciples were quick to forget what Jesus had already done for them.
While it is easy for us to look back and wonder how the disciples could have possibly forgotten that Jesus had the power to rectify their current situation, it is equally easy for each of us to do the same thing. When faced with a difficult situation, how often is it that our first reaction is one of bewilderment? How often do we sit and wonder what we should do next? How often do we throw up our hands and think that the situation seems impossible? We are often quick to forget that nothing is impossible with God. We are quick to forget that He has helped us in the past and will help us again. When we have needed nourishment, He has fed us. When we have needed help, He has helped us. When we have needed saving, He has saved us. Do not be quick to forget the miracles our awesome God has done in your life and the lives of others. Remember His perfect goodness, and bask in the knowledge that you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Like this:
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
Daily Bible Reading – 2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14
Today’s Key Passage – Matthew 14:13-21
In today’s Bible reading, we find one of the most well known of Jesus’ miracles. Most people have heard the story, and it is illustrated in all four Gospels. Because it is so well known, sometimes we can have a tendency to gloss over it as we are reading God’s Word, but the lesson we learn from this story is so important that we must do everything we can to avoid that pitfall. The story of Jesus feeding five thousand people is not just a great story that shows Jesus’ capacity to perform miracles. It is not just a story about Jesus’ unlimited compassion. While both of these things are true and are highlighted in the text, there is so much more that we can glean from this story. The lesson taught is one that can permeate into every area of our lives. The lesson is about faith.
When our story begins, Jesus has just been told about John the Baptist’s death. He was filled with sorrow, and decided that He and His men needed a break, so they left in a boat to go to a solitary place. When they landed, though, Jesus and the disciples were met with thousands of people who were waiting on them. Instead of sticking to their plan of taking a break, Jesus had compassion for the people and healed their sick. Near the end of the day, the disciples wanted Jesus to send the crowd away so they could get something to eat, but instead Jesus gave the disciples a seemingly impossible task. He said, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” (Vs. 16) The disciples, knowing they were in a remote place, surveyed to see what they had available to feed the crowd. From John’s Gospel, we learn that they found a young boy who had brought his lunch consisting of five loaves of bread and two fish, and while they knew this was not enough to feed five thousand men plus women and children, they took what they had and gave it to Jesus. Jesus took the food He had been given, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, and everyone in the crowd ate and were satisfied. Once everyone had finished eating, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
In this life, we know that Jesus wants us to meet the needs of others. He wants us to meet their needs spiritually by reaching the lost and telling them about Him. He wants us to meet their needs physically by feeding the hungry and helping the poor. He wants us to meet their needs emotionally by taking compassion on others and serving them. Sometimes these tasks can seem difficult, and sometimes they might even seem impossible. There are many times when we simply feel we do not have a lot to offer. In those times, though, it is important that we do a bit of surveying to determine exactly what we have available. Whatever we find, no matter how small, if we give it all to Jesus He can do great things. He can multiply what we have to offer to create an abundance. There is a trap in this life, though, that we must avoid. When we feel like we do not have a lot of money or time, our flesh will say that we should just not give anything. When we feel like we do not have a lot of energy to serve others, our flesh will say that we should just not serve at all. When we feel like we do not know enough or are too afraid to reach people for Christ, our flesh will say that we should not even try. When we feel like we do not have a lot of faith, our flesh will say that we should just turn away from God. Imagine what would have happened if the disciples had fallen for this trap when they found the five loaves and two fish – Jesus never would have had a chance to perform one of the greatest miracles in history! In all areas of our lives, when we take everything we have and give it to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, He will multiply our efforts. The next time you feel like you do not have a lot to offer, give everything you have to Jesus and watch as He does miraculous things.
During your Bible reading today, what “key passages” stood out to you? Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you about His Word today.
To become a fan of The Daily Bible Plan’s Facebook Page, CLICK HERE.
To follow me on Twitter for inspirational tweets, click the follow button – Follow @kevin_griggs
If you like this post, please SHARE it with others to spread the Word of God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Related articles
- Prep Work (firstsouthernbaptistofcoalinga.wordpress.com)
- “They saw the signs which Jesus did” (worryisuseless.wordpress.com)
