Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

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

Wednesday, March 13, 2013       A Pharisee Asked About the Law

Page 239-240         Matthew 22:34-46; Mark 12: 28-37; Luke 20: 41-44

G. K. Chesterton noted, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." At first reading, Chesterton may seem a bit cynical, but on closer reflection he is not far from the truth. The Pharisee’s in today’s reading certainly stand indicted by his insight. The Pharisee’s had compiled 613 commandments, and while they were quick to affirm that Jesus had correctly identified the greatest of their commandments, they were slow to discern that fulfilling the commandments was more important than reciting them, especially when it comes to loving your neighbors.

This lack of discernment carried over to the discussion of David’s son. The common expectation of the Messiah was that he would be the successor to King David’s throne and thus the one to defeat Israel’s enemies. However, if the Messiah was only David’s heir, the oppressive Roman’s would have been his only enemy. What if the Messiah were both David’s heir and King David’s Lord? Then the Messiah wouldn’t be limited to a regional foe like Rome, but as the Son of God, the Messiah could take on the ultimate enemies of all human life: sin and death.

The one person God sent to demonstrate the possibility of a new way of living was standing before the Pharisees. The one person who could actually love God with his whole heart, soul, and mind and love his neighbor as himself stood before the Pharisees. Not only could this one person love God and others so completely, he would make it possible for all of his followers to become people of such love. But the Pharisees missed seeing this one person because “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 KJV).    

Chesterton was right, the Christian ideal is difficult. It is not easy to make the life in Christ become our way of life. Therefore, in our quest for new life in Christ, we never want to lose sight of Jesus’ promise that, “What is impossible for people is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). We are not alone on our journey: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13). With God’s help we can be assured that “God will transform (us) into a new person by changing the way (we) think. Then (we) will learn to know God’s will for (us), which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

 Sē’lah

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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?

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(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 written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

The second edition of my book, First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGQL5JC

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)
Thursday, March 14, 2013 Beware of Religious Men &
a Widow’s Offering 
Page 240      Mark 12:38-44; Luke 20:45- 21:4