December 20, 2025
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Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Advent 2025 – Day 20 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Year of Growing Opposition
Read Sections 4.12 through 4.18 (pages 80-84)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
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Life of Jesus 4.12-4.18
Same scenario but a different miracle feeding 4,000 plus people this time. And the Pharisees again seek for a sign when Jesus has given plenty, but our relationship with God is to be based in faith and not things that He performs so we can see. It just goes to show why the Pharisees’ teaching should be avoided. Their legalism is like yeast the way it permeates someone’s life and thinking. Jesus is the One who gives sight to the blind, to those physically and spiritually blind. Because when we truly see Him, we understand that He is the Son of God, independent of what other people think or say. And Peter may have thought too much of himself after what was revealed to him about Jesus because he and satan didn’t understand the true purpose of why Jesus came to this earth. He came to die on the cross, to sacrifice Himself for us. And He calls us to do the same, carrying our own cross and dieing to ourselves and following Jesus. And just in case some of His disciples wanted validation of who Jesus is, He is revealed in His glory before them. Imagine one day we will hear the Father’s voice but wouldn’t it have been neat to be there?
Jesus once again feeds a large crowd. And once adding the apostles say how are we supposed to feed all these people. How many miracles did they have to see to believe. Later. Jesus tells them watch out for the bread of the Pharisees. They argue about not having bread. Jesus rebukes them for having a hard heart. Surprising Jesus doesn’t leave these men. Instead he loved them to the very end. John 13:1
The transfiguration that some of the apostles’s witness first of all, imagine hearing the voice of God how overwhelming is that. the second time that God has spoken to the Earth about his only son who he loves. it is fitting that Moses and Elijah are the two that company Jesus as Moses represents the law. And Elijah represents all that the profits had spoken , Jesus far surpasses both of these men as God‘s only son as he is the fulfillment of the Old Testament and all the prophetic promises. Jesus tells Peter James and John don’t speak of what you’ve seen because they would not fully understand until they saw the power of Jesus over death and all authority
Jesus said to stop thinking about ourselves and what we want. Give up what we cling to, pick up the cross and follow Him. If our main focus is on going after the things of this world, we will lose our lives. It is worth nothing if we are lost and no amount of money, prestige or favor in the eyes of men will be able to change that. We can’t buy our salvation with material things, good deeds or the belief that God will let everyone enter into his kingdom. We must believe in Jesus and follow him.
Advent 2025 – Day 20
Psalm 55; Jeremiah 32; The Life of Jesus 4.12-4.18
Picking up our cross daily, living a life of sacrifice, living to be less so He can be more. What gets most of our attention is likely the thing that is coming before God. The thing we think we could never live without; for the Pharisees it was their law for us it might be money, stuff, or even our kids. God must be first knowing that if we didn’t have any of those things we still have Him and He is enough. Once again we see that through His provision feeding 4000, there is no shortage He always provides.
It is encouraging to see the disciples struggling in faith, we are just like them. God does so much for us and yet we still lack faith. Jesus confronts and recounts the feeding of the 4,000 and the feeding of the 5,000 to help them remember and believe what He is able to achieve. Even after that some of them see Him transfigured! How amazing and faith building that would be! Even so Peter denies Jesus and the disciples are scattered. It is helpful to write down prayers and answers and amazing things God does to recall to mind in hard times to strengthen our faith.