Daily Meat
Only Part of the Story
January 14, 2007
Key Passage: Matthew 11:1-19
Topic: Jesus; Doubt/Fear
John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?"
Jesus told them, "Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen--the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, 'God blesses those who do not turn away because of me'" (Matthew 11:2-6, NLT).
John is sitting in Herod's prison, and he knows it's not likely to end well. He looks over his life: preaching to people about their sin, calling them to prepare for the Messiah and baptizing them. But here he sits, maybe a little discouraged or doubtful and wondering if all that he'd poured his life into was really worth it.
Jesus sends back a message to John that says, "Yes, it was worth it; you did the right thing; I'm exactly who you said I was. We're accomplishing the mission; don't lose heart."
We could stop with these words of reassurance and hope for a man with questions. But look at what Jesus does next.
He turns to the crowd, and He commends John before them. He talks about Moses and the prophets--men who were highly revered by the Jews--and He says that John, that wild-looking and outspoken wilderness preacher, is greater than all of them before God! John was the one in the prophecies who paved the way for Jesus, the Messiah.
But for all that he knew and did to prepare people for Jesus, John only saw part of the story. He wouldn't be around for Jesus' death on the cross as the perfect Lamb, sacrificed for sin, once and for all. He didn't know about the resurrected Jesus, the One who conquered sin and death to offer eternal life for all who believe.
John didn't see all that. He was left with only part of the story, a few questions…and the praise of Jesus.
It's OK to ask questions about your service to God, to want to know if what you've done or are doing is what God asks of you. But don't lose faith; don't turn away in your doubts. You see only part of God's unfolding story.
Judgment Day Someday
January 15, 2007
Key Passage: Matthew 11:20-24
Topic: Other (Judgment)
"For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you" (Matthew 11:23-24, NLT).
The idea of judgment, specifically God's divine judgment, is not popular. Most people don't like to think that a God of love will judge people for their sins. But the Bible makes it clear this is exactly what will happen.
In today's passage, Jesus is talking about the town of Capernaum and He makes a reference to the town of Sodom. Sodom was destroyed by God a long time ago because of its wickedness.
Jesus said if He had done the same miracles in Sodom as He had in Capernaum, the people of Sodom would have believed in Him and their city would not have been destroyed. But the people of Capernaum refused to believe in Jesus or follow Him. As a result, Jesus says that it will be worse for them on Judgment Day than for the people of Sodom.
Jesus also seems to teach there will be degrees of punishment on Judgment Day. In other words, some people will be judged more harshly than others, due in part to what they know about Jesus. It appears that those who don't know much will be better off than those who know a lot but still reject Him.
So, what's the point? The point is God judges sin. The only way to escape from judgment is to believe in Jesus and follow Him.
How will it be for you on Judgment Day? Will it be better or worse for you than the people of Sodom? Of Capernaum?
January 14, 2007
Key Passage: Matthew 11:1-19
Topic: Jesus; Doubt/Fear
John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?"
Jesus told them, "Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen--the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, 'God blesses those who do not turn away because of me'" (Matthew 11:2-6, NLT).
John is sitting in Herod's prison, and he knows it's not likely to end well. He looks over his life: preaching to people about their sin, calling them to prepare for the Messiah and baptizing them. But here he sits, maybe a little discouraged or doubtful and wondering if all that he'd poured his life into was really worth it.
Jesus sends back a message to John that says, "Yes, it was worth it; you did the right thing; I'm exactly who you said I was. We're accomplishing the mission; don't lose heart."
We could stop with these words of reassurance and hope for a man with questions. But look at what Jesus does next.
He turns to the crowd, and He commends John before them. He talks about Moses and the prophets--men who were highly revered by the Jews--and He says that John, that wild-looking and outspoken wilderness preacher, is greater than all of them before God! John was the one in the prophecies who paved the way for Jesus, the Messiah.
But for all that he knew and did to prepare people for Jesus, John only saw part of the story. He wouldn't be around for Jesus' death on the cross as the perfect Lamb, sacrificed for sin, once and for all. He didn't know about the resurrected Jesus, the One who conquered sin and death to offer eternal life for all who believe.
John didn't see all that. He was left with only part of the story, a few questions…and the praise of Jesus.
It's OK to ask questions about your service to God, to want to know if what you've done or are doing is what God asks of you. But don't lose faith; don't turn away in your doubts. You see only part of God's unfolding story.
Judgment Day Someday
January 15, 2007
Key Passage: Matthew 11:20-24
Topic: Other (Judgment)
"For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you" (Matthew 11:23-24, NLT).
The idea of judgment, specifically God's divine judgment, is not popular. Most people don't like to think that a God of love will judge people for their sins. But the Bible makes it clear this is exactly what will happen.
In today's passage, Jesus is talking about the town of Capernaum and He makes a reference to the town of Sodom. Sodom was destroyed by God a long time ago because of its wickedness.
Jesus said if He had done the same miracles in Sodom as He had in Capernaum, the people of Sodom would have believed in Him and their city would not have been destroyed. But the people of Capernaum refused to believe in Jesus or follow Him. As a result, Jesus says that it will be worse for them on Judgment Day than for the people of Sodom.
Jesus also seems to teach there will be degrees of punishment on Judgment Day. In other words, some people will be judged more harshly than others, due in part to what they know about Jesus. It appears that those who don't know much will be better off than those who know a lot but still reject Him.
So, what's the point? The point is God judges sin. The only way to escape from judgment is to believe in Jesus and follow Him.
How will it be for you on Judgment Day? Will it be better or worse for you than the people of Sodom? Of Capernaum?