December 12, 2022
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Advent readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Day 12 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Year of Popularity
Read Sections 3.9 through 3.12 (pages 36-40)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
It’s funny that as I read this I think of what Pastor shared yesterday about the prophecies telling of Jesus’ birth and coming to the earth and there are these Pharisees so focused on the law that they missed what they were seeing come to pass with their own eyes. Their focus on the law and the rules is what they thought were important and they missed the whole point the it is about following God where He leads even if that means healing someone on the sabbath.
Advent 2022 Day 12
Always amazed as I read this. That Jesus would spend time near this pool where the lame were for days. Can’t imagine what those surroundings were Not sure if this man wanted to be healed or to stay in his misery. Imaging the religious dismissing a crippled for 38 years is healed and their concern is it happened on the sabbath. I despise man made spiritual laws. We have every answer in life. At our fingertips. Religion adds so many other dos and dont’s. You stifle the truth that is pure freedom. They were so caught up in their religion. Jesus is standing in front of them God was before them and their religion blinded them. Romans 8. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus and we also have been set free from the law. Thank you Jesus!!!!!
Day 12 3.8-3.12
Day 12
3.9 – 3.12
Jesus took a lot of criticism from the Jewish leaders. His answers were forthright and anchored in truth according to the scriptures. The verses that struck me were “I can do nothing alone… I am not trying to please myself. I want only to please the one who sent me.” and “I don’t want praise from you or any other person.” As followers of Christ, our intent should be to please God and not to win the praise of other people.
Fasting is a good practice, but not when you are rejoicing and having a party. When the bridegroom is present, it is a time for rejoicing. Fasting will come when He is gone. There are aspects of the ways the Jews managed the law that just won’t fit in the economy that Jesus is establishing in grace, just like old wine doesn’t go in new wine skins. Case in point, Jesus heals a guy who is crippled and rather than rejoice in the power of God present around them, they question, why are you carrying your mat? Maybe, just maybe, a lame person walking and being able to carry his mat is more important than the manmade regulation that makes carrying the mat a problem. And of course, the fact that the healing happened on the sabbath is the greater issue to them. Straining at gnats and swallowing camels are what these religious leaders do. And naturally, the godly solution is to kill Jesus because He is rocking their world. No the right conclusion is to understand that Jesus has come from the Father and is doing the very things that Father has told Him to do. So the answer is to trust and follow Him because He and the Father are one. And because Jesus is the one present with them He is the one who is to judge them. And they will be the ones who determine what judgement Jesus makes about them. And just in case they need proof why they should trust Him and do what He says (or at least not criticize what He does), John the Baptist, the miracles Jesus had performed and Moses are the confirmation of His authority. But they just can’t see it because they are not looking for praise from God, but praise from men. They can’t hear what Jesus is saying and be open to what He is doing, because they just want to justify their own practice and belief rather than being truly open to what God is saying and doing. Hmmmm…much like our world today….