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Matthew 27 & Mark 15

Devotion by Rick McClain (Michigan)

Yesterday’s devotion was written to those with a strong faith.  Today’s devotion is written for everybody else.  Perhaps, some of you are a bit wobbly in your faith and have drifted away from God.  Some of you may not have decided yet to live for God instead of yourself.  I suppose it is possible some of you have no interest in becoming a Christian, but I am guessing most of those folks wouldn’t be reading this.  In Matthew 27, we read about the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross and the crazy events that happened right after he died.

Strangely enough, it was the religious leaders that schemed to find Jesus guilty so they could put him to death.  It’s not easy finding someone guilty when they never have done anything wrong in their life, but they managed to concoct a way to make it happen.  They believed in the Old Testament scriptures, but somehow ignored the many writings about a messiah that would be coming.  They also saw miracles, or at the very least heard about them from many others.  All the signs were there for them to easily accept the fact that Jesus was indeed God’s son, but they chose not to believe.

In verse 50, Jesus cried out and then died.  At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, the earth shook, rocks split, and the tombs broke open.  Here is the craziest part of all:  bodies of holy people who had died were raised to life and started walking around town where many people saw them.  Can you imagine what that scene must have been like?  I’m sure there were people flipping out all over the place, including those who had put Jesus to death.  In verse 54, the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened.  It says they were terrified and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”  Oops.  Just minutes after they had crucified Jesus, they realized they had made a big mistake, but there was no going back at that point.  There was no do-over; they were clearly warned, but they chose to not believe.  I’m sure they felt terrible about their decision.

So, what does any of this have to do with you?  Well, you have a decision to make as well.  You must decide if you are going to live for God or live for yourself.  It’s a big decision so don’t take it lightly.  You can choose to ignore the signs if you would like, the same way the religious leaders ignored the signs 2,000 years ago.  Look at the incredible masterpiece called creation and try to justify that it happened completely randomly.  Read the Bible and try to convince yourself that all the ways the Bible has been proven to be accurate are just a coincidence.

Maybe you actually do believe in God, but you are putting off the decision until later.  Risky, risky.  You may die today, losing your chance.  Moreover, Jesus says he is going to come back like a thief in the night, meaning a lot of people are going to be surprised when that day happens.  In fact, on that day, I think the most said word of that day will be ‘Oops’.  A lot of people are going to regret they blew their chance.  Don’t let that be you.

Reflection Questions:

If you are not saved, what is holding you back from making that decision?

If you find yourself on the outside looking in after Christ returns, what thoughts will be going through your head at that point?

(Originally posted for SeekGrowLove on Dec 23, 2023)

2 Kings 16-17, 2 Chronicles 28

Following Jotham, king of Israel, his son Ahaz became king of Judah at age 20. He had the ability to continue his fathers’ example of leading his people in righteousness. Instead, he copied the ways of the nations around him in order to appease them. He trusted alliances over God, altered God’s temple to suit foreign tastes, and led Judah into deeper sin.

God became furious with Israel as they continued to worship other gods and idols. All throughout the country they created altars and burned incense and practiced what other nations practiced. Even after being with Israel through tribulation, the people would not walk with Him in his promise.

In 2 Kings 17, we see Hoshea become the king of Israel in Samaria. He betrayed the king of Assyria, and therefore Samaria was invaded and overtaken. During this time the Israelites are still worshipping all sorts of gods, and were therefore handed over to foreign forces. When Assyria resettled Samaria, different cultural groups continued to further the practices of their gods in the cities in the land of Israel. It turns out that that doesn’t go so well for them, and so we come to this situation where they are worshipping two masters at once:

“They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.” (‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭33‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

And this continued on and on through generations:

“Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.” (‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭41‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Jesus in Matthew 6 says that you cannot serve two masters, and that is supported right here in Israel’s history. In the pursuit of worldliness and spirituality where there was none, the kingdom of Israel served two masters (or more) and divided itself. The Israelites had issues with the Assyrians and their war, but that doesn’t mean that they had to adopt customs in order to succeed. God’s judgment in both cases of Ahaz and Hoshea wasn’t just about their political failure. It was about their spiritual betrayal. Worship had become self-centered, cultural, and hollow. And because their hearts were divided, their kingdoms fell.

There is a warning here for us: half-hearted worship invites whole-hearted ruin. When we try to mix our faith with the ways of the world, our foundation cracks. God calls for our full attention and our full faith, not just a little here and there when we care to be available between him and the appeasement of the world. 

However, although God sent the people of Israel away, they still came back. This is also a reminder that when we fall or when we stumble there is still hope. In fact, God’s discipline of the nation of Israel in 2 Kings 16-17 wasn’t just wrath to be wrath: it had a purpose. It was a call to return. Eventually, that worked out. In that sense, we are very similar. God calls to us to be with him, however, do we ignore the call and continue the ways of the world, or do we rest our faith in the eternal rock?

To give you a solid answer to that question (no pun intended), here is 2 Kings 17:15

“They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless.”(2 Kings 17:15 NIV)

-Colby Leggitt

Discussion Questions

1. Are there ways in which I’ve compromised my faith for acceptance or comfort?
   
2. What would it look like to worship God with my whole heart today?
   
3. Where is the line in adopting the ways of the world before it interrupts our walk with God?

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 9-10

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 5

New Testament: Philippians 4:7

In chapter 5, again the theme of oppression from 4:1-3 resurfaces in Solomon’s observations of the world, and along with that the issue of wealth, which is often procured by oppressive means in society. But this time Solomon addresses it as it pertains to a systematic form of oppression. While individuals can oppress others, Solomon now proclaims that one should not be amazed at all the oppression and denial of justice and righteousness that goes on in the land because such widespread oppression and injustice is caused by the corruption that exists within the structural hierarchy of government that protects those who perpetuate it.

Often corruption is allowed to remain because it exists at multiple levels, each person watching out for the others so that their oppressive regime can remain in effect. In the following verses, Solomon will proceed to give seven reasons for the pointless pursuit of money in one’s life.

FIRST reason: wealth is both addictive and unfulfilling (v. 10).

Greed is never satisfied; there is always room for more. The question is, “How much money is enough?” Do you have “enough” money? Most people would say, “no.” But no matter how much money one has, they will never be satisfied because they will have the desire for more. Therefore, whatever goal you set for yourself in life, whether it’s a million dollars or whatever, once you reach that, you will not be happy stopping there.

There are a few things that we can truly say people are never satisfied with, no matter how much they have: money, power, and pleasure.

SECOND reason: more wealth just means more people to consume it (v. 11a), and THIRD reason: wealth doesn’t benefit the owner (v. 11b).

The person whose wealth has increased, has also increased the labor force with which to sustain the wealth. As the possession of the owner multiplies, he must hire more help to manage it. And so, he grows wealthy, but as wealth is produced, it is then given to the workers. And so, because of this natural consequence that accompanies wealth, the owner doesn’t get to enjoy his wealth except to watch it pass through his hands as others consume it. The fortune that is amassed is met by a large household and expenses that need provisions to keep running, and therefore, the owner finds no advantage for himself.

FOURTH reason: wealth robs the owner of peace and rest (v. 12).

The main premise that Solomon argues from is that the rich do not sleep well. He doesn’t explain the mechanism behind why this is the case, but perhaps it is because rich people are always concerned about their money: what to do with it, how to multiply it, will they lose it, etc. The endless possibilities for projects, purchases, & property surround him every day and follow him into the night where they do not permit his mind to be at rest, and thereby, enjoy deep and rejuvenating sleep.

FIFTH reason: hording wealth is an unhealthy behavior and causes harm to the owner (v. 13).

Why is that? Isn’t it a good idea to save up money? Well, the answer is “yes.” But it appears that Solomon has in mind someone who is accumulating money for the mere sake of its accumulation, that is, for a big number in the bank account. He doesn’t specify why this behavior is detrimental to the owner, but since the money is never used, it does not benefit the owner and brings him no tangible joy or pleasure. Perhaps the problem lies in the owner’s incessant worrying or anxiety that it might be stolen by robbers or is so concerned about it that he or she counts it all the time to make sure they haven’t misplaced or lost any of it. Whatever the specific reason might be, the principle that Solomon is warning about is to not make money a treasure to be kept hidden and stashed away. Money is meant to be used and to be a blessing for the needs of life that it provides.

SIXTH reason: foolish choices in business can lead to bankruptcy (v. 14).

The problem that Solomon identifies is that a person can’t rely upon wealth for security. It may or may not be there in the future, as it can be lost through some unknown misfortune. The evil that is being attributed here to wealth is the fact that after it was accumulated, it was then suddenly lost. And now there is nothing to pass on to the next generation.

SEVENTH reason: wealth will disappear at death (v. 15).

Death will deprive a person of all their wealth. You might be the wealthiest person alive, but when you die, you go back to being flat broke!

On top of the fact that every person begins and ends their life in the same way, the person who seeks to find meaning in life by earning money is filled with “darkness” and with “much frustration, sickness, and anger” (vv. 16-17). Darkness is likely a metaphor for the gloom of isolation, anxiety, and joylessness that is experienced when money is your goal in life. It is a life wasted in pursuit of nothing, and the years spent running after the dollar will reward you with heartache, disappointment, and regret.

It is probably impossible to paint a more depressing outlook on life, but such is the way that Solomon sees it if you try and squeeze meaning out of money. It will only leave you empty and disillusioned.

The bottom line is that we can’t serve both God and money (Matt 6:24-26), and as Solomon showed, money is a cruel master that will do nothing but disappoint in the end.

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

1. Can you give an example of a time your own pursuit of money (and perhaps what it could buy) left you empty?
2. What do you see as the problems created by money or a chasing after money or loving money?
3. Do your financial decisions reveal that you are loving and serving God or money?

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 3 & 4

Poetry: Ecclesiastes 2

New Testament: Philippians 4:1-4

Solomon continues his investigation of the meaning of life by testing the pleasure of wine, building projects, music, sex, and philosophy. During his inquiry into pleasure and construction, he says that he did this while “wisdom remained with me” (Eccl 2:9).

But what sort of “wisdom” is Solomon espousing as having employed here? The wisdom that Solomon is describing is having his rational faculties still active and functioning. He is not referring to the divine wisdom which the Book of Proverbs is so focused on. Rather, “wisdom” here is Solomon’s maintaining his investigation on proper grounds and with his mind intact. Solomon is not talking about drunkenness or alcoholism. He wished to test enjoyment, but within certain boundaries, without losing himself and thereby preventing himself from acquiring the answer he set out to find.

His investigation was whether pleasure in various forms was a solution to the emptiness of life and the question of ultimate value. And thus, Solomon was seeking to determine if rational indulgence in one’s desire would result in satisfaction and meaning in life.

One question we could ask is why is wine part of pleasure seeking for Solomon but not cheesecake, chocolate, or ice cream? Of course, he didn’t have access to those things, but there is something particular about alcohol that makes it relevant to Solomon’s case.

One of the benefits for why God made wine is that it is said to “make people’s hearts glad” (Ps 104:15). This appears to be the beneficial purpose that Solomon is seeking to test. But ultimately it did not deliver what he was looking for. And the same result was discovered with regard to building, music, sex, and philosophy.

While money can’t buy happiness, it can buy food, fun, and frivolous things.

Why do we sometimes attach such meaning to things, as though if we don’t have them, then life is somehow incomplete, or we are missing out? The funny thing is that people are not likely to say that the meaning of their life is found in the things they own or could own. But practically speaking, many people act in ways that suggest that their money and their belongings play an excessively important role in how they view their success and wellbeing in life.

But money comes and goes and so do things. Can you imagine losing everything? It’s possible. It is possible that one day everything could be gone. Burned, stolen, wrecked, or bankrupt. You could end up with nothing. Would your life feel empty if you lost everything. I am not asking if you would feel loss, of course you would experience loss, everything’s gone. But would you feel empty now that everything you worked for has now vanished, and it is as if you never did any work your whole life. You have nothing to show for the years you labored. I think we all might struggle to not place undue significance on our money and possessions.

And so, after all these considerations Solomon concludes, “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and make his soul enjoy good in his labor” (Eccl 2:24). While Solomon didn’t find the meaning of life in these activities, he did see that there is an enjoyment that a person can have in them. However, that enjoyment is elusive if it is not done from a heart that acknowledges it is a gift that comes from the “hand of God” (Eccl 2:24).

We must recognize that even the simple pleasures of life, while not providing ultimate meaning and lasting value, are still good things that God gives to us. Working hard and partaking of the fruit of our labor, and being able to provide for ourselves, our families, and our friends, can bring joy if done with the proper mindset. “For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy” (Eccl 2:26).

-Jerry Wierwille

Reflection Questions

1. What brings you pleasure? Have you ever felt like, or acted like, these activities or things were the meaning of life? What might that look like?
2. Are there pleasures that don’t come from the hand of God? If so, what are they?
3. What do you think of verse 26?

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 21 & 22

Poetry: Psalm 68

New Testament: Galatians 2

In the beginning of our reading today, we have a strange interaction. If you want to remind yourself, 1 Samuel 21:1-6 is the focus. David is running from Saul, so he goes to the priest, tells him his companions are hungry, and asks if he can have any bread. The priest responds by offering the consecrated, holy bread. David and his companions eat and they are on their way. 

The strangeness comes to play because

David lies about what he is doing, 

David realizes that his interactions with the priests led to their deaths,

and David, nor his men are supposed to eat the bread. 

Time would fail us in trying to understand if David was justified in lying to the priest about his true intention; that is, not to do Saul’s bidding but to run from him. 

David wants to make up for the slaughter of the priest, both by housing the survivor and no doubt by desiring to build the temple after he becomes king. (He had many reasons to desire to build the temple.)

The strange part I want to examine with you is that David and his buddies weren’t supposed to eat the bread. The Bread of the Presence, or the showbread, is commanded to be placed in the temple regularly.(Exodus 25:30) While there are different theories on *why* God commanded there to be bread, the name “bread of the presence” or “presence bread” indicates that it was meant to be set in the presence of God always, to remind the priests that God’s presence is in this place, and God is the one with whom we should wish to dine. Leviticus 24:5-9 describe the use of the bread; it was to be a covenant of the people forever and to be eaten by Aaron and his sons. Yet the priest does not ask David (who he knows is not a priest) if he was a priest, but simply if he was clean. David, who we know has lied before this point, may not have known, but answers in the affirmative. 

Did David sin? Should he be punished for this?

A good question. 

Why did Jesus use this story to justify “working” on the Sabbath?

A *better* question. 

In all three synoptic gospels (Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28, Luke 6:1-5), Jesus and his disciples are going through fields of grain and picking the heads and eating it. The Pharisees declare this is too much work; things like picking up your mattress, lighting a fire, walking more than a set amount, all considered too much work, based on the Torah and later tradition. 

What does Jesus say in response? Yes, my disciples eat grain, but David ate the consecrated bread. And yet, though you would call him unlawful, that is not what God saw. 

See, Jesus says, “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”. (Mark 2:27)

“The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Luke 6:5)

“Something greater than the temple is here.” (Matthew 12:6) 

What do we do with that? Let me give a few quick thoughts. 

The Bible is a strange book. We’ve talked about how it is more complex than we give it credit for, it is also strange. This does not mean there is no application, but you might need to think for a bit to see what God is saying. 

What God is saying through the story of Christ referencing David and his companions becomes clearer we we recognize that we can’t pull stories out of their context. First, Jesus is saying that the laws that were intended to give a nation of slaves rest and worth beyond what they produce were being used by the religious elite to control them. (“The Sabbath was made for man.”) We can only know this by knowing that the pharisees were trying to determine the lawfulness or unlawfulness of any and every action. But more importantly than the cultural context, the written context shapes what we should see in this story: Jesus goes on in every version of this story to heal a man on the Sabbath, a man with a withered hand. It’s pretty clear that “working” on the Sabbath, doing the good things God places in front of us, healing the sick and saving the dying, is not work that takes a back seat, but is the very thing God might be calling us to do. 

Finally, Jesus is Lord, even of the Sabbath. Jesus changes everything. As his follower and apprentice, his interpretation of the Bible is the one I want to use, and his way of living out the commands of God, even if that changes them, is the way I want to live. If Jesus says that doing good is lawful, then I will do good on every day, whether or not it is my Sabbath. 

May you eat the bread of the covenant in the presence of the Lord. 

-Jake Ballard

Reflection Questions

1. The Lies of Abraham, Jacob, and David : Abraham lied about Sarah, Jacob lied about Esau, and David lied about his mission. Why do you think the Bible records the lies and failures of the patriarchs? One of the Ten Commandments is “thou shalt not bear false witness”, the Hebraic equivalent of lying; does the Bible condone it here and prohibit it elsewhere? 
2. Finding Your Sabbath: Saturday is probably not your day of worship, and you might even work on a Sunday. But do you have a Sabbath? Do you take a day away from the hurry of life, from the bustle of doing, completing, competing, overcoming, achieving, and instead find solace in simply being? The Sabbath, the work-and-rest pattern of life, was given by God to man, because humans are worth more than what they produce and what they achieve. How would you like to live out the gift of Sabbath? Pick a day and let it be a day of rest.
3. Lord of the Sabbath: Jesus as Lord lived out the commands of God, but also would change them; he made foods clean and abolished the need for sacrifices as much as he kept kosher and celebrated Passover. Jesus is greater than the temple and than the Sabbath. Have you honored the Lord of the Sabbath by both resting when you need to rest and working when he calls you to work? Have you honored the Lord of your life by living the life he showed you and empowered you to live?

If you would like to know more about rest and about the elimination of hurry and are in your 20s and 30s, consider attending the Young Adult Getaway, June 9-12, in Sevierville, TN. Get more information at http://www.yagetaway.com

Old Testament: Lamentations 1&2

Poetry: Proverbs 30

New Testament: Revelation 3

Waaaay back in 1995, the Christian group, Point of Grace put out a song that would become a permanent resident inside my head. It’s a song that seems to bubble to the surface of my brain when I am tempted to behave in a way that is unbecoming of a representative of Christ. What is Christ going to say about me?

What’s He Gonna Say About Me?

Now and then I must admit I hide behind my shallowness
I must confess I don’t begin to say enough
I’ll tell you of my lessons learned but I may never quite express
That God has blessed me far beyond what I deserve

I often miss the chance to show my faith in Him
By failing to convey what I have seen
And then I wonder while I face eternity
How Jesus ever finds a way to intercede for me

What’s He gonna say about me
When He weighs the works that I have done
Against the words that I have failed to speak
What’s He gonna say about me
When the chaff is sifted from the wheat
Will there be evidence that I believed

After this lifetime will come, the thankfulness that I forget
I will regret when I see clearly who He is
Then I’ll know all I should have said
So I must choose to not neglect
But resurrect the praise for all He is to me

If I confess Him before men
He will confess me before the Father in Heaven

The last line is straight out of Matthew 10:32, but Christ also promises to confess us before God in Revelation 3:5. In today’s reading, Christ is pretty hard on the churches in Asia, because he loves them and wants them to grow and thrive. These admonitions must have worked because here I am 2023 years later (give or take a year) writing to you about them! They spread the gospel…they turned from being lukewarm to setting the world on fire for Christ. While I don’t believe our salvation is predicated on our works alone, others will not be saved if we don’t let them know about the salvation that is freely given! My prayer is that we look for every opportunity to share Christ and our faith
in him. I want Jesus to confess me!

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

1. In Revelation 2 & 3 what does Jesus promise to those who overcome? Do any (or all) of these serve as good motivators for you to be found an overcomer? What does Jesus want you to overcome today?
2. What was your impression of the song, What’s He Gonna Say About Me? Do you often think about what Jesus will (and does currently) say about you?
3. What grade would you give yourself on confessing your faith and spreading the gospel? Can you think of a specific time you could have/should have said something and you didn’t? What do you want to do “next time”? Pray about it.