December 20, 2024
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 Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Advent 2024 – 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.
*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.
Religious leaders asking for a sign from the sky. Jesus knew even that would not convince them. The yeast that is in bread. What a great comparison to teach that a little bit of yeast affects the whole batch. The Pharisees teachings were leading everyone away from God. A little bit of yeast can destroy many people. Many churches today. Upon this rock I will build my church. Peter the first pope!! Told that many times as a kid. Kind of hard to pull that off. Catholic religion was established around 400ad. No. Jesus is saying upon what Peter has said I will build my church. As Peter reminds us in his letters that we are the church built on a foundation and Jesus is the chief cornerstone. The messiah!! If any wants to follow me. He must deny himself. And take up his cross and follow me. Tough words. But so true. We are here to further Gods kingdom on earth by using our God given gifts whatever that looks like for each of us molded by God himself. We can rest when we get to heaven as ambassadors for Jesus now we have worked to do. The transfiguration to show that Jesus is much more than a great prophet. Great leader. But he truly is the Son of God. When you understand that. Your response will be to worship and obey
Advent Day 20
The Life of Jesus 4.12 to 4.18
It’s interesting how the disciples again lacked faith when it came to Jesus’s ability to feed over 4,000 people when He had fed an even larger crowd before. And even after that they’re worried when they didn’t pack bread for just themselves!
The Pharisees and Sadducees ask Jesus for a confirming miracle, but Jesus repeats that He does not perform miracles to prove Himself to unbelievers but does miracles for those who already believe He can. The only exception is His eventual death and resurrection, which will be a miracle evident to believers and unbelievers alike.
I also like how there are several different things Jesus does when healing people. From touching them, to spitting in their eyes (ew), and in some cases He just says that they’re healed without ever going to see them in person. I think part of why He does this is if He did the same thing for every healing he did, we might think that there was something special about whatever specific ritual He did and try to replicate it as if THAT were the thing that healed, but instead the only common denominator that we can replicate is the faith of the individual He’s addressing.
When Jesus again talks about His eventual sacrifice and resurrection, He tells the disciples (and I believe us, by extension) to give up their lives as well. That doesn’t mean that we all strive to be martyred for our faith. A line I heard in a show once is “to die is a great sacrifice, but living can be an even greater sacrifice”. For however long we have to live on this Earth, we should dedicate our entire lives to following God instead of pursuing what we want. And like the parable from before of the man who found a treasure in a field the kingdom of God will cost us everything we have but is worth so much more!
When I was younger I took the whole idea of John the Baptist being Elijah a little too literally, thinking of him as a sort of reincarnation. But in recent years I’ve realized the Bible doesn’t promote any kind of reincarnation, but this is more John being a type of Elijah similar to how Jesus is called a type of Adam in the Epistles.
How many times do we face things that God has resolved in the past and then go to Him like it’s a new problem and we are not sure what to do? It’s like the apostles being concerned about where to get food after Jesus gives them a chance to believe that He will do it again by mentioning the people have no food. And yet Jesus is not a performer that acts on the whim of their audience. In fact, in certain circumstances, miracles are actually contrary to faith and spiritual growth. And the apostle are to avoid people that seek to use Jesus in that way and put the law above the grace of God. And in the same way Jesus gives us spiritual sight, He also gives sight to the blind. And God makes clear to Peter just who Jesus is and the most important question that anyone can answer is who do you say Jesus is. Having the right answer is a matter of life and death. And it is in our relationship with Jesus where true life is found. What good is it to have all the trappings that the world has to offer and not have the knowledge of God and relationship with Him and His guidance and power in our lives. If we try to hold on to our lives, we will lose it. But if we lose our lives for God’s sake, then we will find the true life that only God can give. And just in case the apostles and us ever needed affirmation that Jesus is who He claims to be, Jesus is revealed in glory to Peter, James and John. It is no wonder Peter doesn’t know what to do with himself in that setting. How awesome it will be to experience that ourselves some day!
When we study the Word of God, we know what the truth is and what the signs are of the coming of Jesus. Those who know the Lord, will know when the time is near. If we want to follow Christ, we must stop thinking about our own desires and focus on what God wants. When we do this, we live our lives with meaning, and even though we have difficulties, we are blessed and rewarded for it.
One moment Jesus is calling Peter the rock based on his proclamation of Jesus being the Messiah, the next He is calling Peter Satan and says, “you are not helping me.” Peter is a great picture of the struggle in our spirit and flesh. We know Jesus, and in our ignorance we sometimes misinterpret Gods will. In the next scene Peter sees Jesus glorified, later he will deny Jesus, then be “reinstated” and told to feed Hid sheep. What Jesus says about the truth of what Peter said, and the church prevailing remains true, despite Peter’s humanity.
Advent day 20