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May 21, Sunday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Important Questions — There are six questions in these 16 verses, five of them asked by Jesus. The first one He asked was about the subject of the argument between the disciples and the scribes (v. 16). Since only the father’s response was recorded (v. 17), it appears that they were arguing about why the disciples could not cast out the evil spirit. Jesus would answer that question later. The next two questions came from Jesus, both asking, “How long …?” (v. 19). They were frustrated questions that criticized a lack of faith (“O unbelieving generation!”). There was certainly inadequate faith in both the disciples and the father. The assumption was that the disciples’ faith should have been growing as they walked with Jesus. The same growth is expected in us as well. When the father pleaded with Jesus, “…if You can do anything … help us!” (v. 22), His dismayed response repeated the question: “If You can?” This important fact was then stated: “All things are possible to him who believes” (v. 23). Faith answers all these questions. The disciples then re-asked the original question about why they could not cast out the demon. That answer was “prayer.” While Jesus was praying on the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, John, and James were sleeping, while the nine disciples left behind were arguing. I heard a sermon recently where the pastor said, “All of us agree about the importance of prayer, but we aren’t doing much of it.” We lack both prayer and faith. The important question for us is, “Are we growing in those areas?”
My Faith Has Found a Resting Place – YouTube
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May 22, Monday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Concealed Understanding — This is the second time Scripture reveals that Jesus told His disciples about His coming death. The first time was when Peter took Jesus aside to protest, so Peter correctly took Jesus’ statement literally; he just didn’t want it to happen. Because this prediction was repeated by Jesus, it seems that He really wanted them to know about it in advance. On the other hand, it seems like the Father was intentionally hindering their understanding (“…it was concealed from them”—Luke 9:45). Why? It may have been to prevent hindering attitudes and reactions of the disciples. Fear was certainly one of those negative attitudes already present to some degree. Both Mark and Luke say, “…and they were afraid to ask Him.” They understood enough to make them want to avoid hearing more—fear of the future and fear of bad news. We struggle with those attitudes at times as well. Some of us might even be a little hesitant about going to heaven because so much of that future experience is unknown. There are also many things in our Christian lives that are hard to understand, and we are challenged to walk by faith. God is entirely good, His way is right, and His planned results are perfect. If we knew it all now, there would be no need for faith.
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May 23, Tuesday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Exemption and Provision — There is some disagreement as to whether this tax was civil or religious, but since Jesus connected it to being exempt as sons, it may be referring to a religious tax, probably the one required in Exodus 30:11-16 for support of the tent of meeting (or temple). Peter told the collectors that Jesus was in the habit of paying that tax. There was a subtle miraculous element involved in the statement that “when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first,” i.e., before Peter had a chance to mention the tax collectors. One might suspect that Jesus saw the tax collectors through a window or heard the conversation, but the single Greek word translated “spoke…first,” used only here in the NT, suggests that His supernatural omniscience was involved. The second miraculous element was the fish providing the exact change. What are the odds that the first fish Peter caught on a hook would have the needed money in its mouth? They were only-possible-with-God odds! We are not told exactly how this happened, but it probably included both the miraculous arrangement of the Father and the divine omniscience of the Son. Most of us can probably remember how God, very surprisingly and exactly, met a particular need for us in the past. He still performs miracles of provision for His sons and daughters today.
Just When I Need Him Most – YouTube
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May 24, Wednesday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Servant Leadership — Jesus showed His omniscience again in this passage. He asked His disciples what they were discussing, not because He didn’t know, but because their selfish thinking needed to be confronted. They didn’t answer Jesus’ embarrassing question because they knew they were wrong in their selfish talk. Jesus’ message was that godly leaders must be humble and caring. That was as counter-cultural in the first century as it is in our time. Humble, caring leaders are rare, but they are attractive and effective. In what situation do you act as a leader in your family, church, or work? Are you being a servant leader? To illustrate His message, Jesus gave the object lesson of taking a child into His arms and showing His disciples how to minister to others (“in My name”—v. 37). It is a ministry of receiving, accepting, and loving. Children have very limited abilities, but we can receive and accept them where they are in life. It is very similar to how we are to minister to adults who are limited in physical and spiritual ways. Then, Jesus taught about what might be called a chain of reception: When we minister to a fellow human being, we are also ministering to the Son and to the Father. As Jesus would say later, “…to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me” (Matt. 25:40).
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May 25, Thursday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Cut It Off! — The object-lesson child was still present; Jesus referred to him three times in this passage (vv. 6, 10, 14). He showed that this child not only represented humility, but also the weakness of those “who believe in Me” (v. 6). Grave warning is given to anyone who entices a weak believer to sin. (The words “stumble / stumbling” are used six times in four verses.) This warning applies not only to dreadful sinners like pedophiles, but also includes things like spreading a damaging morsel of gossip about someone, which we might be tempted to do. Jesus’ warning then turns toward self-discipline (vv. 8-9) as He uses hyperbole (intentional exaggeration for effect) to stress the importance of protecting oneself from sin. Losing a hand, foot, or an eye is better than spending eternity in hell. Paul would later warn us to “make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Rom. 13:14). Do some of the things you watch or read raise the level of lust in your heart? Cut it off! The final application Jesus makes in connection with this child sitting on His lap is that when we see a believer stray from the truth or the fold, we should make every effort to lovingly bring them back into fellowship of the Church and the Lord. Jesus said that God cares about those who stray: “it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish” (Matt. 18:14). Are you in the habit of praying for children or grandchildren who have strayed away from the faith? Love them; send them a note! We all stay on track by keeping our attention on God.
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May 26, Friday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Forgive to Restore — Jesus’ teaching continues here, from the parable of the shepherd rescuing the one lost sheep, to the situation of one member from a church straying into sin. The purpose is that of forgiving restoration, subsequent to the sinner’s repentance. The restoration approach begins with a private meeting to clarify the problem and request repentance. If that fails, it should be broadened to 2-3 others and possibly to the whole church later. Will there be repentance? Will there be forgiveness? This is a delicate problem to handle, but Jesus provided a very assuring comment here: “I am there in their midst” (v. 20). He will be present to convict, direct, comfort, and encourage. Peter generously offered to forgive repeat offenders seven times, but Jesus multiplied that suggestion. Forgiveness must characterize our relationships with others. The following parable about the king and the unforgiving servant is disturbing in some ways because of how it concludes: “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts” (v. 35). It is important to remember that the context here is about forgiveness, not eternal salvation. As Jesus concluded His teaching of the Lord’s Prayer, He said, “if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matt. 6:14-15). God will not tolerate our unforgiving attitudes toward others, and the quality of our forgiveness must be genuine, forgiveness “from your hearts.”
Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive – YouTube
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May 27, Saturday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Not Yet Time — Jesus had already told His disciples that He would be killed in Jerusalem, but we are told here that “He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him” (v. 1). Why was He unwilling to go there when He knew that it was His destiny? It was all about timing. We saw earlier that Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1). He did what the Father told Him to do through the Spirit. Twice in today’s passage, Jesus told His unbelieving brothers that it was not yet the right time (John 7:6, 10). The Father was working out His plan from many angles, including using the Roman and Jewish leaders. His brothers wanted Him to go to the Feast publicly, but He went secretly. They wanted Him to go now, but He went later. He wasn’t lying to them when He said, “I am not yet going up to the feast” (v. 8); it was that the Spirit had not yet given Him permission. It was not yet time. Jesus’ brothers still belonged to the world, so their thoughts and directions were not motivated by God. Jesus was hated by those of the world because He told them that their “deeds are evil” (v. 7). How much does the world hate us? They would hate us more if we were more willing to stand boldly for the truth and oppose evil. We see some of their hatred when we stand against abortion and the confused gender program that they promote. We are to be faithful in living righteously and denouncing sin. The more we do that, the more we will become like Jesus, and the more the world will hate us. That time is here.
Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus – YouTube
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