Today's Reading: Matthew 21: 23-32
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Matthew 21: 23-32
Bible Study
This is a passage calling us to repent. Why? Because we always say No or later to Jesus!
N.T. Wright says:
The first son, who rudely tells his father he doesn't fell like working today, but then does after all, stands for the tax-collectors and prostitutes. Their daily life seemed to be saying 'No' to God; but when they heard John they changed their mind and their lifestyle (in other words, they 'repented'). the second son, who politely tells his father he will indeed go to work, but then doesn't, stands for the Temple hierarchy and other leaders. They look as though they're doing God's will, worshipping in the Temple and keeping up appearances; but they refused to believe in John's message, not only about repentance but also about the Messiah who was standing unknown in their midst. Now the Messiah himself is here to call them to account. Not surprisingly, they don't like it.
The challenge of this passage for us today is partly this: to make sure we are responding to Jesus, allowing him to confront us at any point where we have been like the second son and said 'Yes' to God while in fact going off in the other direction.
Are you those people who always say 'No' or 'later' to Jesus?
N.T. Wright says:
The first son, who rudely tells his father he doesn't fell like working today, but then does after all, stands for the tax-collectors and prostitutes. Their daily life seemed to be saying 'No' to God; but when they heard John they changed their mind and their lifestyle (in other words, they 'repented'). the second son, who politely tells his father he will indeed go to work, but then doesn't, stands for the Temple hierarchy and other leaders. They look as though they're doing God's will, worshipping in the Temple and keeping up appearances; but they refused to believe in John's message, not only about repentance but also about the Messiah who was standing unknown in their midst. Now the Messiah himself is here to call them to account. Not surprisingly, they don't like it.
The challenge of this passage for us today is partly this: to make sure we are responding to Jesus, allowing him to confront us at any point where we have been like the second son and said 'Yes' to God while in fact going off in the other direction.
Are you those people who always say 'No' or 'later' to Jesus?
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Why we always say 'No' or 'later' to Jesus?
To answer this question is not difficult. We always say 'No' or 'later' to Jesus because we are the second son, similar to today's church leaders. We might have not repented and do not want to change our mind and our lifestyle!
I have seen so many cases that when pastors or leaders ask their people to do something, their reply is always, "Let me think about it", "Not now. May be later," "No, I don't have time. I am busy." That's how Jesus says in Luke 10:2:
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
That is why Neil Cole, the author of Organic Church, invites leaders to set our daily timer on 10:02a.m. to pray for more workers. I did that for a year and got lots of workers but stop for a year now. Jesus called me to set my daily timer again right now to pray for more workers for Jesus at 10:02a.m.
It's so sad that Christians nowadays are not accountable to anyone, not listening and obeying to anyone. If we want to join the vast army of God to do God's Kingdom work we need first to learn to say "Yes, Sir!". Don't say, "No, Sir! Later, Sir!"
I have seen so many cases that when pastors or leaders ask their people to do something, their reply is always, "Let me think about it", "Not now. May be later," "No, I don't have time. I am busy." That's how Jesus says in Luke 10:2:
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
That is why Neil Cole, the author of Organic Church, invites leaders to set our daily timer on 10:02a.m. to pray for more workers. I did that for a year and got lots of workers but stop for a year now. Jesus called me to set my daily timer again right now to pray for more workers for Jesus at 10:02a.m.
It's so sad that Christians nowadays are not accountable to anyone, not listening and obeying to anyone. If we want to join the vast army of God to do God's Kingdom work we need first to learn to say "Yes, Sir!". Don't say, "No, Sir! Later, Sir!"
Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to be able to say "Yes, Sir!" to you more often. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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