March 27, 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 Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Day 17 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.17 through 5.20 (pages 150-155)
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.
What will we do with the things God has entrusted to us; the money, talents, abilities. Will we use them for His glory or will we squander them selfishly? Will we hide them and keep our faith only to ourselves or will we share the good news of Christ? What we do to the least of His people we do also to Him.
We should be making choices and acting in such a way to advance His kingdom and bring glory to Him. We have seen ALL He has accomplished in our lives, we have seen the miracles and now we must be bold in our faith and worry less about what man thinks and focus on our Savior and what He thinks and expects of us. We do not want to be the ones blindly walking in the darkness but rather those walking with Him in the light and sharing His love with others.
What stuck out to me in this reading was when Jesus said “The light will be with you for only a short time more. So walk while you have the light.” As Pastor mentioned Sunday, the access to His Grace will one day end. In Section 5.1, Jesus wept over the City of Jerusalem for their unbelief and their coming destruction. “So walk while you have the light.”
Lent Day 17
Day 17
5.17-5.20
On lent 2023 day 17
Ok. Missed a few nights not on reading but commenting. Matthew 24. Jesus tell his apostles don’t be concerned about the time of things happening but not to be deceived. Easy to be done if we are not focus on Christ and his word. So many preachers today telling of wealth and health. And what their itching ears want yo hear. Persecution is going on terribly in other countries. Need to pray for those that are being persecuted. Abomination that cause desolation. Just say. Hope my family and church family is not here when that occurs.
The story of the ten girls is a challenge for us to always be ready for His coming. Christ is the bridegroom and we as believers are the bride. Latter in this story Jesus says to always be ready for we don`t know the day or time of His coming. Knowing what is in man`s heart this information is not given to us. God knows that people would not live as they should following Him. People would be sleeping spiritually. Not telling others about Christ,not reading the Word of God, and not praying. The story of the three servants is about using what God has given each believer. I think this can apply to our spiritual gifts, talents, money, or anything else that comes between Jesus being first in our lives. In the third story Jesus will come with divine greatness. His angels will come with Him and He will sit as King on His glorious throne. He will separate the godly from the evil people. The godly into eternal life and the evil into punishment for ever. And the fourth story Jesus is talking about his death. He said The Son of Man must be lifted up from the earth. Then there is mentioned that the people saw the miracles that Jesus did but still would not believe. The hardness of the heart of man: like in the Old Testament where the Pharoah of Egypt hardened his heart.
Jesus follows up His teaching about being ready for when He returns with 2 stories that highlight the point. The general principle of preparedness is most important and we need to be careful of allegorizing scripture whereby every element in a story takes on some hidden meaning, but the story of the bridesmaids focuses on each person being prepared in their own right and not trying to borrow for the preparedness of others. It also points to our willingness to be prepared is a reflection of the truth of our relationship with Jesus. We know our faith is the only thing that qualifies us, but here it is clear that that faith will lead us to await and be prepared for whenever the bridegroom decides to arrive. The second story clearly points to whether our lives are producing anything to enhance the kingdom. And the more we start off with, the greater the expectation that we would produce fruit from our lives. How sad to be afraid of what God might think of our efforts and let that fear cause us to do nothing to expand the kingdom when clearly God has called us to bear fruit.
And just in case we wonder what God is looking for we have the account of the sheep and the goats. It’s how we treat the most vulnerable and needy that say a lot of how much of God’s life is being expressed through us. It is not about saving our life, it is about losing it. It is about embracing the Son and by doing so fulfilling the Father’s will. It is Jesus who came to shine the light and we are wise to follow it. How encouraging for those who believed when Jesus was here, even some of the Jewish leaders, but how sad for those who didn’t….
Jesus said, I came into this world as a light so that everyone who believes in me will not stay in darkness. Reminds me of a verse that I recite in my head often.
Psalm 18:28
You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
Some didn’t believe in Jesus despite all of His miracles.
Some did believe but were afraid they would be put out of the synagogue, so they remained silent. “They love praise from men rather than praise from God.”
Jesus says He didn’t come to judge, but His words will judge.
“The message I have spoken will judge them on the last day.”