October 31 – Matthew 19 & Mark 10

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Matthew 19 & Mark 10. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

I do not write what I am about to write in a proud and boastful way, only as a teaching element. In 2007 I graduated college with a degree in Bible and Theology. I spent four academic years of my life studying the Bible. I was given tools and knowledge to better understand the Bible. In those four years I studied nearly every book of the Bible on some intimate detail level. Sadly to say, it was not until 2012 that I actually for the first time read the Bible cover to cover. I had read it all over different parts of my life, but never in an organized attempt to do so. With all that training, with all that study, and with all the times I have read the Bible, especially many sections of the Bible, you would think it would be hard to have a new understanding, especially over familiar passages.

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

Well in our reading today, I found an amazing truth nestled in the words of Jesus. A rich young man comes to Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus goes over some basics and the man confirms that he has kept all of them. Jesus reminds him there is one wrong thing he has done … he has clung to his wordily wealth. When the man leaves sad and dejected, Jesus turns to his disciples and tells them … “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In facts, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:24-25 NLT) From here Jesus disciples are perplexed and they struggle with the thought that no one can enter into God’s kingdom. Here is where I had a new revelation … “Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” (Mark 10:27 NLT)

I have always read the camel in the eye of the needle story independently without the follow up. At least I have never connected them. In the first part Jesus is teaching that in reality, there is nothing that anyone can do to enter into the Kingdom of God. Rich men cannot buy it. Poor man cannot be pure enough. Religious men cannot do enough. There is nothing you and I can do to inherit the Kingdom of God. But that is where God steps in on this matter … “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God.” I do not know about you, but that tells me there is something God is up to.

As Christians we know the rest of the story. We know that Jesus will go to the cross … something He alludes to latter in the chapter … where He will pay the debt for our sins. A camel goes through the eye of a needle easier because there is nothing you and I do to inherit the Kingdom of God. It is the work of God in Jesus on the Cross.

Now I did not learn anything new in our reading today. I only saw for the first time this teaching Jesus used here in Mark 10 to illustrate it yet another time in scripture. Friends, no matter how many times you have read the Bible there is always something new and something different that you can draw from God’s Word. 

October 30 – Luke 18

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Luke 18. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

If we return to our theme of grouping we come to Luke 18 and see a series of stories strung together. We see the persistent widow who comes to the unjust judge, followed by the Parable where the Pharisee brags he is not a sinner while the tax collector falls broken before God, followed by the story of the little children coming to Jesus. What theme do you see from these stories?

I see the theme of a just but loving God. God is one who serves justice to those who have sinned against him. His love for us forces Him to do so. As I write this my mind goes back to the scene that played out before sitting down to write. I just finished disciplining my daughter for throwing a fit when I told her no to using my iPad at this moment. I would not have shown her love if I did not discipline her for her choice to behave with a fit. Friends that unfortunately is justice produced by love.

But … God does not stop there. Not only does His love require justice, His love also shares forgiveness. The little children coming to Jesus in their purity is what God desires of His children. The tax collector falling broken before God is the process of returning to Jesus with the purity of the children. In that state, God’s love overwhelms in forgiveness. God is not like the unjust judge. It is not through persistence that God’s hand is forced. God is always just, both in administering justice and love. But we can learn from the widow, we must always come before God, persistently in a broken state realizing that without God we are not like the little children. 

October 29 – John 11

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from John 11. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Jesus says something rather remarkable in our reading today. Jesus has been close with three siblings from the Jerusalem suburb of Bethany. Lazarus, the brother and possible bread winner of this family has taken ill. Jesus is a considerable distance away from Bethany, but certainly close enough to come to the aid of Lazarus. However, when the news of his illness reaches Jesus ears, Jesus stays back and says … “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” (John 11:4 NLT) At first glance that statement does not seem all that remarkable but let’s break it down.

Jesus has insight into what will happen to Lazarus. Jesus knows that Lazarus is going to die. He also knows that He will bring Lazarus back to life. If you happened to be someone who was reading this for the first time you may not have picked up on that bit of information. But as someone who knows the story, who has read it multiple times, we are able to see the foreshadowing Jesus is giving. None of that is the amazing part.

What amazes me is the reason for death. Jesus is going to let Lazarus die, even though He has the ability to heal him remotely. Why? So that glory will come to Jesus and God through the resurrection. And that is exactly what happens. Many people believe and they could not keep quiet. God and Jesus were both being glorified for this event. But the glory does not stop here.

It is through this event that eventual glory will take place in Jesus own death and resurrection. Look at verse fifty-three again … “So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.” (John 11:53 NLT) Had Jesus not returned like His disciples advised Him to, then maybe something else would have been the catalyst for the crucifixion. But Jesus foreshadowed in a powerful way. Not only do we have the glory of the here and now event, but we have the glory of the cross from this one event. I find that remarkable.

So … on a side note, maybe the events in your life; the ups and downs, the joys and pains, the tears and laughter, are part of God orchestrating and event to bring Himself glory. Approaching situations with that mindset might help you through the trying times. 

Luke 14 - 15

Hello everyone. I want to apologize for not updating in several days. To be honest we have hit a section of the reading where I have simply hit writers block. I apologize and hope to be back at this tomorrow. Thank you for understanding.

October 23 – John 7 & 8

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from John 7 & 8. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

I love Jesus. Our reading today may just be one of the boldest two days of Jesus life. Here He is in Jerusalem, in the Temple area, and making some of the most outlandishly true statements of His ministry. Our reading opens up with His brothers encouraging Him to go to Jerusalem. They want Him to do publicly there what he has been doing in other regions. They are beginning to believe He is the political Messiah they have been waiting on. Jesus knows that He is not, and that the heat is too much, and that a trip to Jerusalem would possibly be deadly. He stays back, but only for a short amount of time.

In Jerusalem people are looking for Jesus but He is laying low. Finally He speaks and when He does, He gives them some bold proclamations …

“For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”” (John 7:23-24 NLT)

  

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (John 7:37-38 NLT)

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12 NLT)

“Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” (John 8:19 NLT)

“No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!” (John 8:49-51 NLT)

“Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!” At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.” (John 8:58-59 NLT)

Jesus does not mince words. He speaks pointedly about who He is and who it that sent Him. While not everyone understands all that He says, it is clear that Jesus is calling God His father and making deity claims about Himself.

The question that remains for us is simple … are we willing to follow Jesus example and stand boldly in our world making the same claims to an unbelieving generation?

October 22 – Mathew 18

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Matthew 18. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

In a recent post I commented on the idea that it is often best to read the gospels by their topical arrangement. You can read that post here. By doing so we are able to get a complete picture of that particular grouping of stories. It will enhance your Bible study immensely if you do so.

Today’s reading is another one where grouping helps. The conversation revolves around the Kingdom of Heaven. In it we are given different aspects of what the Kingdom of Heaven will be like. We are given a glimpse as to who will get in and the pursuit that God is on after us. We are also given a glimpse of how the people who belong to the Kingdom of Heaven are to treat one another. What strikes me about this discussion is it is alluding to the fact that Kingdom of Heaven is not a future tense object, but something currently present.

How we treat children is a here and now concept. How we pursue people who are not part of the Kingdom of Heaven is a here and now concept. How we look out for the mistakes of others is a here and now concept. How we forgive others of their debts and wrong doing’s is a here and now concept. If the Kingdom of Heaven is so great, then why on earth would we want to wait for it? Wouldn't life be much more enjoyable if we all worked to make the Kingdom of Heaven a reality in our present day lives?