Thursday, January 03, 2013 I Taught About the Kingdom

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Thursday, January 03, 2013        I Taught About the Kingdom       

Page 145-147         Matthew 18:1-35; Mark 9:33-50; Luke 9:46-50

Jesus is using a bit of hyperbole in his teaching in today’s passage. The use of such grand exaggeration was a pretty common teaching method in Biblical times. The problem this presents for contemporary readers is our tendency to focus on the wrong emphasis. Once you hear something about cutting off your hand or gouging out your eye, it is hard to think of anything else. Jesus wants us to focus on the Kingdom of God which is so very wonderful, beyond anything we could describe. Jesus believes when we are focused on the Kingdom, we will want to overcome any obstacles preventing us from entering into God’s presence.

We would do well to ponder Jesus’ comments about sin. We live in an age of entitlement. Personal responsibility or accountability is not emphasized nearly as much as the notion that we have a right to expect to be cared for regardless of the decisions we make in life.

Jesus has been teaching that our entrance into God’s Kingdom brings about a change in our way of thinking. As followers of Jesus, we learn to think of ourselves, others, and the world we live in from God’s perspective. Children of God’s Kingdom have a new vision for life that centers on a hunger for God, a heart for other people, and a hatred of sin.

Our human nature wants to negotiate with God. “Come, let us bargain” we want to say to Jesus. Just how much do we need to hunger for God? Just how much do we need to care for our neighbors? Just how seriously do we need to hate sin? Anything we do, in any way, shape, form, thought or deed, to live our life apart from God, is sin. To make it possible for us to enter into the Kingdom of God, Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice for our sin of living our life apart from God. Can our response be any less than hating the sin in us, for which Jesus was crucified?

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are available by email. Contact me at Amkrom812@gmail.com to be added to the email list.

This BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Friday, January 04, 2013   I Was Urged to Go to Jerusalem &

We Stopped at Mary and Martha's Home        

Page 153      Mark 10:1a; John 7:2-10; Luke 10:38-42