Daily Archives: August 14, 2016

Daily Bible Study

August 15, 2016 Bible Study — Those Who Speak God’s Word Will Face Opposition

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Jeremiah 26-27.

    Jeremiah prophesied that the Temple and all of Jerusalem would be destroyed if the people did not turn from their sins. Rather than support him the priests and prophets, the religious leaders, accused him of treason and demanded that he be put to death. I will be perfectly honest, as I read this I was a little confused as to who wanted to have Jeremiah killed and who defended him. However, it seems to me that those who wanted to be perceived as religious (the prophets, priests, and the people who were in the Temple at the time) were outraged that Jeremiah suggested that God had withdrawn His protection from Jerusalem. Some of the secular authorities intervened and saved Jeremiah from the mob. However, at the end of this portion of the passage, we are told that another prophet speaking the same message as Jeremiah (or, at least a very similar one) was killed on the orders of the king. The most important part of this passage, in my opinion, is the reminder that calling sinners to repentance can be dangerous, especially when those sinners perceive themselves to be righteous.

Bible Study

Parables of The Lord’s Return

Every week I receive the bulletin for the upcoming Sunday worship service in my email. It contains the announcements and the Scripture reading which our pastor is going to base his sermon on. One Sunday while listening to the sermon, it occurred to me that I saw a something in the passage which was not part of Mark’s (our pastor) sermon. It then occurred to me that I should write a blog entry on the passage for upcoming service as a way to prepare for Sunday morning worship. Finally, this week I decided to give it a try.

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    These two parables are often treated separately. Yet, they are part of the same lesson from Jesus. Both of them warn us to be ready when Jesus returns. And both of them warn us that His return will be unexpected. The first one tells us that if He finds us doing the tasks to which He has set us we will be rewarded. However, in the first one there is also a warning against abusing others, thinking we will not be held accountable. This parable is directed primarily to those whom God has called to positions of authority. If we fulfill the task for which we have been given authority, we will be greatly rewarded. On the other hand, if we abuse the authority we have been given, we will be severely punished. This applies to authority in the Church, at our job, in politics, and in any groups of which we may be a part.
    The second parable is a reminder that it is not enough not to do wrong. Even if we do not abuse our authority (perhaps because we do not have any), still we need to be prepared at all times for when we will be called to account. It is not enough to accept Christ as our Savior and then go to “sleep”. We cannot say to ourselves that we will do more later. We must seek the tasks which God has set for us and eagerly be about accomplishing them.