December 9, 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 9 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Year of Popularity
Read Sections 3.8 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 is sick people that need a doctor! Can you think of a better response to the accusations of the Pharisees that Jesus is somehow less significant because of the company He keeps! To Him it is so common sense that He is with the EXACT people that need Him most.
I do often wonder if Jesus told people not to tell others about Him after He healed them because He knows it is literally the first thing we will likely do when told not to! Maybe its because He knows people still won’t believe. But whatever the reason, more and more would hear and come to see Him, hear Him, and touch Him. I imagine there was just something so different about Him it must have been amazing to witness!
I think it is because He doesn’t want people to believe Him because of His miracles but because they believe what He says.
Levi. Matthew. Leaves everything to follow Jesus. Not only does he leave behind a very lucrative materialistic life style. But he holds a banquet and invited all other tax collectors to come and meet Jesus. The Pharisees all wrapped up in their own sins. Jesus would rather spend time with Matthew and his friends than proud self righteous religious leaders. Almost impossible to pull that huge hook from someone thinking their own righteous lives will impress God. Imagine crippled begging for 38 years. Completely hopeless. To the point you let others walk all over you. Never will we lose hope in our hardships. God can minister and heal our deepest needs. Might just be God will use you inspite of your condition to minister to others The Pharisees are so wrapped up in their man made laws. A man carrying his mat on the sabbath. They completely dismissed this crooked man his whole life now walking. Then Jesus ministers to a bigger problem. Sins forgiven. I think Jesus has his undivided attention. Not only was he healed physically but spiritually. He had been made whole.
Psalm 45; Jeremiah 22; The Life of Jesus 3.8-3.12
Life of Jesus 3.6-3.12
So many unlikely people end up being Jesus’ disciples, and Matthew might be the most unlikely. What a great expression of God’s grace and His willingness to use all who are willing! In his excitement of what he has found, presumably, he throws a party and Jesus actually comes. And what a great truth that Jesus has come to those who need him, not to those who think they don’t. But we are all sinners, some just have a harder time admitting it. And so even when Jesus does something good, there are those who don’t understand and have to find issues with it. But Jesus knows exactly who He is and what He has come to do and who it is He is following. He has come to bring life and those who know they are dead will hear, believe and receive life. Now Jesus understands that they should necessarily believe what He says just because He says it. But His works testify to Him as well as His Father. And even Moses, who they respected pointed to Jesus. SO the evidence surrounds them, showing that Jesus is who He claimed to be.
Advent 2025 – Day 9
When Jesus returns, He will judge.
I was wondering about the meaning of these verses:
”Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.“
John 5:25, 28-29 NIV
Is this referring to the resurrection of the dead, pre His death and resurrection? Those who hear Him (believe?) will rise to eternal life? ALL who are in their graves will be raised and judged according to their works?
It is difficult to understand what Jesus is referring to here. The main point He is making is that He has power to raise people to life just like His Father does. He is both dependent on the Father and the same as Him too. So most likely it does refer to those raised around His death and resurrection. And this is one of those rare places that mention works connected to being raised to life. So many others mention faith alone. These rare places, to me, therefore, just reinforce that the faith we have in Jesus is supposed to result in good works. And that is something referred to throughout the Bible.
Jesus had compassion on people who were considered “sinners” by the community. He made his purpose known to the Pharisees – I came to heal the sick, the lost, the sinner. They were and are still invited to his table, all they have to do is accept his invitation and believe in Him. Jesus heals a sick man by the pool (this is my favorite episode on The Chosen). Do you want to be well? Get up on your feet, take your mat and walk! And of course, the Pharisees have to give him a hard time, do they not have anything else to do? Later, Jesus sees the healed man – “see you are well now!” I can imagine the scene – Jesus smiling with much love and compassion, reminding him to stop sinning. That’s how Jesus operated – out of love, compassion and sometimes discipline. Reminding us to stop doing the things are destructive, so we don’t have to suffer the consequences.