March 1, 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:
Day 12 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Year of Growing Opposition
Read Sections 4.69 through 4.71 (pages 125-127)
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.
4.69 The Story About the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14) PRIDE. The source of our sin…a sinful nature within us that tells us that God does not have our best interest in mind, and that only we can take care of ourselves. Pride isn’t just about thinking we are better than someone else…it is also about thinking we know more than God does…it is idolatry. But God will not despise a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17)
4.70 Jesus Teaches About Divorce (Matthew 19:3-8, Mark 10:10-12, Matthew 19:10-12) Lots of good notes in the study Bible helping to explain why Moses had permitted divorce (he never commanded it). But God’s heart and design for marriage is made clear by Jesus here…marriage was part of God’s creation…He made us male and female, and the intent in that specific creation was not only so that we might reproduce, but as Paul explains later, that the marriage union would represent the ultimate intimacy…it is to be representative of the relationship between Christ and His Bride, the church. (Ephesians 5:32), and the relationship of a husband to his bride is to be representative of the love Christ shows to the church…to love her and give himself for her. And how did Christ give Himself for the church? To the utmost…even to death. Jesus makes it very clear here that God does not desire divorce, but makes allowance (does not command) for divorce on the grounds of unrepentant sexual immorality.
4.71 Jesus Welcomes Children (Mark 10:13-16) The faith of a child is unquestioning. A child simply believes because they trust. God tells us here that we must believe and trust in the same way. We must believe and trust that God has our best interest in mind…we must trust and obey, just like a child.
Day 12
The Life of Jesus 4.69-4.71
Lenten day 12
“God’s kingdom belongs to people who are like these little children.”
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.
Pharisee vs tax collector
Come as little children
Examples in humility
The Life of Jesus 4.69-4.71.
I do think in the Rich Man Refusing to Follow Jesus, it was interesting when Jesus posed the question of “Why do you call me good? Only God is good.” It’s so small but when reading it, I felt it tapped into such a fleshy or human side of who Jesus is; just as much as we know how spiritually powerful he is, the Son of God was so so humble. It followed The Pharisee and Tax collector message really well; of those being self important will be humbled and those being humble will be right with God.
One of my favorite parables the Pharisee praising God because of his religious position. And the tax collector unworthy to come into Gods presence. I know it’s repititive with me. But growing up catholic and attending their school. Seeing this at such an early age had lasting effects of unworthiness. Until the night I was filled with the Holy Spirit. In the presence of God. Realized in an instant. This parable is exactly what God is looking for. To realize how unworthy we are. Pastor Peter. A few weeks ago mentioning the gap between humans and God. How unworthy we are to come before the throne. The gap was filled by the cross of Calvary. I want to leep out of my body when I think of that truth. For God to love us that much!!!!! Easy to understand divorce today. The key is the answer Christ gave. Refused to follow Gods teaching. What an awesome gift marriage is when God is the center of our marriage. Ask for anything In my name and it will be given unto you. According to my will!! Do you think it’s Gods will for your marriage to be blessed. Then hold your wife’s hand and ask !! Many lessons we can learn from children I will never forget trying to explain to my grandchildren about someone who didn’t believe in God. They were completely confused. Couldn’t grasp anyone not believing in God.
Sean. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this section. It was well spoken. It is always good to share our thoughts as the Lord leads us. I am not sure that I can add anything to it. But what a contrast that Jesus gives of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee is self righteous and looks down on others while the tax collector is coming before God with a humble attitude and wouldn`t even look up to Heaven. There is another contrast between these two men. One of them was honored and well thought of by the common person and looked good on the outside. That would be the Pharisee. The other one { tax collector} was despised and was considered unworthy to be around the common person. After all the tax collector was Jewish and worked with Rome to take their taxes from them. In other words; he would be considered the enemy of all Jews. We do know in the Bible that two tax collectors became believers in Christ. They were Matthew and Zaccheus. Jesus when talking about marriage says that when God made the world; He also made male and female. God brought together to be husband and wife. That the two would become one flesh. This is the marriage that is ordained and blessed by Him. But God does allow divorce because of our sinful nature. But I do believe that when a person gets saved he is a new creature in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 { Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are past away; behold, all things are become new.} So isn`t a person starting a new life at this moment? People still live with the consequences that they had before they got saved. But it is still a fresh start. There can be so many things bad decisions made before a person gets saved. Many of us had to decide in the Lord`s leading what He wanted us to do in regards to this issue. Jesus took notice on how His followers were preventing the children from coming to Him. He used it as a teaching moment. He wanted the children to come to Him. The followers thought that He didn`t have time to be with the children when He had more important things to discuss. But Jesus proved them wrong and instead said that everyone should come to Him as a little child to enter into God`s kingdom. He held and blessed these little children showing that He had compassion for them. This is what happens to people when they put their trust in Jesus. As believers we can look back at the day that this happened to us. For it is only through Christ that we can be saved. Praise God for His love and mercy toward us.
Absolutely agree, Dennis…2 Cor 5:17 makes it clear…we are a new creation in Christ! There may be lasting effects from our sin, both before we came to Christ, as well as after, but we know that in our newness of life, we are able to seek Christ’s face. We know that Christ has atoned for all our sin, past, present and future…but that as a new creation in Christ, set free from the bondage to sin, we are called and equipped to live in obedience out of love for our Lord. Jesus is our example, and His entire life was lived in obedience to the Father! May God continually help us and strengthen us to become more and more like our Lord!
It is better to come before God as a humble sinner than someone who feels justified by their righteousness. The first sees the need for repentance and brings only faith to be accepted. The second thinks their is no need for either. And marriage was intended by God to be a sacred union between a man and a woman that no person should tear apart. Marital unfaithfulness cuts so deeply and thus is the only approved reason for divorce. And what a beautiful picture a child is to demonstrate the kind of believers God is looking for. At their best children are innocent, obedient and most of all trusting. They will believe and follow without much convincing at all. Just because they trust the adult. It is a shame how many times that trust has been misused and therefore broken. But it just goes to demonstrate just how trusting a child can be. And that trust is never unwarranted when we direct it to our Father in heaven.
Day 12 and Day 13
I loved what Pastor said at church this week about humility that as soon as you think you got it…you lost it! So true! The Pharisee was busy patting himself on the back for being a great person and the tax collector saw himself for who he was, who we all are, sinners!
Humility and being childlike are so similar, children don’t worry about what people are thinking and they trust and love so deeply and unconditionally. The idea of being childlike in our relationship with God is a great picture of dependence, humility, and open to really hear and follow him in our lives!
From my Bible notes: The humility of a child consists of childlike trust, vulnerability, and the inability to advance his or her own cause apart from the help, direction and resources of a parent. When I put my trust in God and depend on him fully, I am given the ability to carry out his will and purpose in my life. This ability is not my own, it is given to me from my Father.
Lenten 12