December 30, 2023
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 30 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Year of Growing Opposition
Read Sections 4.25 through 4.28 (pages 88-92)
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.
Advent 2023 – Day 30
Advent Day 30
Day 30
Jesus teaches about forgiveness. That we should forgive others no matter how many times they do us harm. And that we should forgive just as God has forgiven us. It is unhealthy for ourselves to not forgive someone. Yet we still do not want to forgive those who have deeply harmed us or those we love. Why is that. We would rather nurse the grudge. I have found that some things can be forgiven easier than others while some things can be so hard. Yet God tells us that this is what we need to do. There would be no healing without this forgiveness. As I write this in the New Year at 12;30 AM perhaps this should be a resolution to start this new year. Whether we fail to keep it or not; we should still be willing to continue to commit this to the Lord. May God help us.
It is interesting to note that Jesus`s brothers did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah at least until the Resurrection. Yet they must have witnessed some of the miracles that He did. They and their sisters grew up together in the same household. We don’t know when Joseph died, but this would have left Jesus as the oldest male in their family to care for His family. Of course the sisters were younger also. God bless all.
“if you want to be well known, you must not hide what you do.”
I couldn’t help but think about those who seek fame, and notoriety, or fortune, by performing in the spotlight. Jesus didn’t do that. He often told people not to tell about the miracles He did for them, because it wasn’t the right time. Even in HIs resurrection, although many people saw Him, it wasn’t broadcast through the leadership of the synagogues. He appeared to His disciples and directed that small group to spread the gospel throughout Jerusalem, and Judea, and to the ends of the earth. Jesus continually directs any credit to the Father.
How important it is for us to remember how much God has forgiven us as He calls us to forgive others. And what a poignant story Jesus tells to express His point. We forgive as we have been forgiven. And what an interesting interaction we have here between Jesus and His brothers. It reminds me of times when unbelievers share their “wisdom” of what should be done, when it is clear it is against God’s way. He will go when He knows it to be right not when they say so. And yet Jesus does fulfill the law by going, but does not do what they had advised. He lays low and teaches, but there is nothing here about Him performing miracles. And isn’t it good that we too can speak for God as we have and know His word. And our lives like Jesus’ should be about glorifying Him and not ourselves and in that our motives can be purified. And next we see again the foolish way that people outside of the truth try to dismiss Jesus. Their arguments dismiss the evidence and are illogical. Jesus showed Himself to be of God and from God in all He did, and yet they denied Him. And because Jesus lived in Galilee, they thought He was from them. They discredit Him for not being from Bethlehem when He actually was from there. Typical of unbelievers that grasp at anything to dismiss the truth that is right in front of them!