Tag Archives: Daily Bible Study

Daily Bible Study

October 18, 2019 Bible Study — True Wealth and True Leadership

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Mark 10-11

I see a connection between Jesus’ interaction with the rich man and His teaching about leadership.   The rich man came to Jesus because he felt that something was missing in his life.  He felt this way despite the fact that he had kept all of the commandments from a young age.  Yet despite the feeling of emptiness he felt, he was unwilling to take that next step.  We usually read Jesus’ instructions to the rich man as being about wealth.  However, in light of Jesus’ teaching about leadership a few verses later, this teaching appears to me to be more about serving others than about wealth.  Actually, that is not true.  Jesus’ instructions to the rich man were to use his wealth to serve others.  Those same instructions apply to all of us.  We should use whatever gifts we have, whether that be wealth, a skill, or something else, to serve others.  We miss that Jesus’ teaching about wealth is really the same as His teaching about leadership.  In order to accumulate wealth as God measures wealth we must use our material resources to help others.  This is the same as Jesus’ teaching about leadership.  Those with authority as God counts it use their authority to serve others.  True leadership is service.  True wealth is giving to others.

Daily Bible Study

October 17, 2019 Bible Study — The Meaning Of Faith

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Mark 8-9

Today’s passage starts with the feeding of the four thousand.  Just a short time earlier, Jesus had fed the five thousand.  This time starts much the same way: with Jesus more or less instructing the disciples to feed the crowd.  Despite having seen Jesus feed the five thousand the disciples responded much the same way they had the first time, “How can we find enough food to feed them here in the wilderness?”  Even after this, they still worried about not having enough food and argued over whose fault it was that they did not have enough with them.  How often are we guilty of the same lack of faith?

After Peter, speaking on behalf of the Twelve, declared that Jesus was the Messiah Jesus began explaining how He would die and rise from the dead.  Perhaps I am reading this wrong, but it seems to me that Jesus was likely explaining to the disciples how His death in this manner and then resurrection was necessary in order to accomplish God’s purpose.  Reading further into the passage, Peter thought that Jesus was saying these things because He thought His ministry was a lost cause and Peter sought to lift His spirits.  I suspect that Peter told Jesus that He should have more faith in His ministry and warned Him that such negative talk would discourage His followers.  Jesus responds to Peter by telling him that Peter’s view goes directly counter to God’s.  Then Jesus gathers His disciples and the crowd to tell them that those who wish to follow Him must be willing to suffer and die to do God’s will.  Often times, serving God will lead to suffering and death.  In fact, sometimes accomplishing God’s purpose in our lives will require us to suffer and perhaps die.  We should embrace those situations as opportunities,  If we believe Jesus’ teaching we will be eager toe experience the suffering which so often accomplishes doing His will. 

Daily Bible Study

October 16, 2019 Bible Study — Focus More On Living Moral Lives Than On Politics

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Mark 6-7

I am not entirely sure what we should make of this, but the first thing which struck me today was that John the Baptist was killed for speaking truth to power.  However, his trouble did not come from confronting Herod over Herod’s policies, or even Herod’s actions as political ruler.  Rather, John the Baptist confronted Herod over his personal moral failings.  Perhaps if Christians today focused their attention on upholding the God’s moral code we would have less need to uphold God’s code of social justice.  I try to limit how much I write about social justice because the topic has become so loaded with terms which don’t mean what they seem to mean.  I strongly believe that we should treat every human being as created in the image of God.  No one is less worthy of respect and honor than myself, and the only degree to which anyone is more worthy of respect and honor is the degree to which they serve others.

I am not quite sure how I am going to tie this together, but I believe that Jesus’ comments about tradition and the sources of defilement relates to what I wrote above.  Jesus tells us that the truly vile things come from within.  We should be concerned with addressing the evil thoughts we have more than with the outward appearance of righteousness. Jesus gives us a list of things which can defile us.  I find it noteworthy that He lists sexual immorality, adultery, and lustful desires: three variations on the same idea.

Daily Bible Study

October 15, 2019 Bible Study — Having Faith To Spread God’s Word

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Mark 4-5

Most of today’s passage focuses on the power of faith and how just a small amount of faith can produce mighty results.  I suspect that today’s blog will be somewhat scattered, sort of like the first parable in the passage.  Let’s start there.  The parable of the farmer sowing seed has a lesson I don’t think I have ever heard anyone comment on and one which I never noticed before.  The parable describes different types of soil, some of which is better for grain to grow on than others and some of which is completely inhospitable.  However, in the parable the farmer spreads his seed equally on all of it.  Which brings us to the point, we should not attempt to only bring God’s word to those we think will be receptive.  We should spread God’s word to all and sunder.  Better to “waste” some of it on the hardened path where it will not root than to miss that small patch of fertile soil in the midst of the beaten down path.

Which brings us to Jesus’ teachings on faith which permeate this passage.  Why should we spread God’s word, even to those we are sure will not listen?  Because we should have faith that God can “plow up the hard ground of their heart”.  The parable of the growing seed goes into this a little more.  Just as the farmer does not need to understand how the seed grows into the plant which produces food, so we do not need to understand (and generally will not understand) how God’s word will work its way into someone’s heart to allow the Holy Spirit to transform them.  Mark’s account of the parable of the lamp gives us insight into how we spread God’s word to those around us.  We put our faith on a stand where everyone can see it.  No hiding it in under a basket or a bed.  Let the light of our faith illuminate everything we do.  That means studying God’s word and listening to His Spirit to determine what He wants us to do, and then doing it.  When we do the things which we understand we will come to understand more.  Finally, Jesus tells us to put into practice what little faith we have, because even a tiny grain of faith will grow into a mighty plant if given the chance.

Daily Bible Study

October 14, 2019 Bible Study — Only Those Who Know They Are Sinners Will Follow Jesus

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Mark 1-3

One of the things I like about the Gospel of Mark is that it is concise and quickly covers each incident before moving on to the next.  Of course, this means it makes a lot of points in a relatively short passage.  My understanding is that in the first century, those Jewish young men who wished further training as the disciple of a rabbi requested that he take them on.  Then the rabbi selected a few students from among those who applied.  However, the account here suggests that Jesus used a different approach, at least for some of His disciples.  We have two accounts here of Him selecting and calling disciples who had not applied for the position.  He called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave their jobs as fisherman to become His disciples.  Later, He called Levi away from being a tax collector to follow Him.  Finally, He called out a number of people to follow Him as He went up on a mountain away from the crowds.  Out of that group He selected twelve to be His Apostles.

So, there are a couple of things here.  Jesus selects His disciples before they select Him.  More importantly, in reaction to the fuss which was created over His choice of Levi the tax collector as one of His disciples, Jesus tells us that He does not call those who think they are righteous.  Rather He calls those who know they are sinners.  This explains why Jesus called His disciples instead of selecting them from among those who requested to be His disciples.  Until He called them< Jesus’ disciples would never have thought that they could be the disciples of a Holy teacher.  Of course, only those who know they are sinners understand the importance of forgiveness.

Daily Bible Study

October 13, 2019 Bible Study — Why Did Judas Betray Jesus

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Matthew 27-28

Matthew’s description of Judas’ actions after Jesus’ arrest shed a different light on Judas than John’s account.  I have heard several speakers examine Judas’ motives.  Matthew’s account leads us to conclude that Judas thought he had reasons other than pure greed for betraying Jesus.  Also, we need to compare Judas’ betrayal to Peter’s denial.  What do we know about Judas’ betrayal?  We know that he did so for thirty pieces of silver and, from today’s passage, that he did not expect Jesus to be executed.  Further we know that Judas was among the Twelve when they were sent out with the power to heal the sick and cast out demons.  This leads us to why I think it important for us to think about Judas’ motives.  He had experienced God’s power first hand.  While I am sure that the money played a role in Judas’ decision to betray Jesus, I am also sure that he justified his betrayal on some other basis.  Perhaps he thought that by betraying Jesus he could force Jesus to start “The Revolution” which would overthrow Rome and bring in God’s Kingdom (as Judas perceived it).  Or, perhaps Judas thought that Jesus was about to start a revolt against the Romans and wanted to keep that from happening by getting Him locked up until after the Passover (after all, the Jewish authorities did not have the authority to execute Him).  Whatever his motive, Judas removed the option of forgiveness by killing himself.  Whatever his motives, Judas’ betrayal reveals a loos of faith and his suicide reveals the deep depression which results from that loss of faith.

Daily Bible Study

October 12, 2019 Bible Study — Not Even Noticing When We Help Others

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Matthew 25-26

Jesus’ last three parables, as recounted by Matthew, give lessons on facing God’s judgement.  The first parable tells us that we need to be prepared and that others cannot prepare for us.  The second parable tells us that being prepared involves making good use of the resources and opportunities which God has given us.  The third parable tells us what “making good use of” means.  The second parable scares me because I feel like I have failed to use the gifts and abilities which God has given me to anywhere near their full potential.  However, the third parable eases some of that fear because it tells us that those who have been doing God’s will don’t know what He is talking about.    When we see others in need and care for them, we are preparing ourselves to face judgement and we are investing God’s resources as He intended us to do.  Every time we pass up an opportunity to help someone in need, we are robbing from both ourselves and from God.  Those whom God rewards did not help others in order to receive a reward.  In fact, they were not even aware that they were doing anything special.  When we reach the point where we help those in need without noticing that we are doing anything noteworthy, we have gotten the point of these parables.

Daily Bible Study

October 11, 2019 Bible Study — Don’t Act So That Others Think You Are a Good Person, Just Be a Good Person

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Matthew 23-24

Jesus continues His condemnation of hypocritical religious leaders.  It would be easy to say that Jesus is pointing at someone else when He says all of this, but we should look at how what Jesus says applies to ourselves.  He condemns them for doing things solely for the purpose of gaining respect and being viewed as righteous.  I don’t know about you, but I want people to view me as a good person who does good for others.  However, what Jesus says here makes me want to BE a good person more than I want to be viewed as a good person.  We all have a tendency to create rules which we use to define what it means to be a good person that are easier for us to follow than those given to us by God.  We think that if we convince others to follow our rules that will make our rules the ones that matter.  

 

 

Daily Bible Study

October 10, 2019 Bible Study — What Authority Will We Accept?

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Matthew 21-22

Jesus tells several parables in today’s passage which all have similar themes.  In a way, that theme begins with Jesus’ driving the money changers and other merchants out of the Temple.  Then when the religious leaders asked Him what authority He had for doing so, He asked them to say whether or not John the Baptist had authority from heaven.  When they said that they did not know, Jesus declined to answer their question.  They were unwilling to say that John had authority from heaven because they were unwilling to put his teachings into practice.  On the other hand, they were unwilling to say that he only had human authority because they were afraid of the crowds who believed in John.  However, that was not why Jesus asked them this question.   Jesus asked because if they accepted that John had authority from heaven, He could show how John had testified to His own calling by God.  On the other hand, if they said that John had only human authority it would reveal to the people that they did not have the righteousness they claimed. I have worded that poorly, but I think as I discuss the parables it will give a clearer understanding of what I was trying to say.

From there Jesus starts telling some parables.  The first parable shows us that saying we want to do God’s will is less important than actually doing it.  In fact, there are those who verbally reject God who do His will.  From there Jesus goes on to tell parables about people who present themselves as righteous, but actually attempt to usurp God’s place.  God will replace those people with those who know they are not in God’s presence because of their own merit, but solely because of God’s grace.  However, the ending of the wedding banquet parable shows us that we have to allow God to change us.

Daily Bible Study

October 9, 2019 Bible Study — What Jesus Teaches About Temptation and About Human Sexuality

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Matthew 18-20

Today’s passage contains many elements which are worth discussion: child-like faith, God’s desire that all be saved, how to approach those who sin, forgiving others, wealth, reward for a righteous life,  and more.  After Jesus tells us that in order to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven we need to be like a child, He warns us against tempting the simple to sin.  We would be better off dying a horrible death than causing someone to sin.  Further, we should go to extreme lengths to avoid things which cause us to sin.  There are two things Jesus emphasizes here.  We should avoid leading others to sin, and we should avoid anything which leads us to sin.  Do not invite others into situations where they may be tempted to sin.  If you know someone has trouble resisting the urge to drink to excess, do not invite them out for a drink.  If someone struggles with temptation for sexual sin, do not bring them into situations where that temptation will be strengthened.  On the other hand, if you struggle with a particular sin, avoid those places, situations, and people who tempt you to commit that sin.

The other point I want to focus on is Jesus’ discussion about marriage and divorce.  Really, He is teaching about human sexuality.  When asked about divorce, Jesus responds that from the beginning God created humans as male and female.  The result of God’s act of creation is that a man leaves his parents and becomes joined to his wife.  The two become one and once joined by God, no one should separate them (see the above about causing others to sin).  So, Jesus says that divorce is only acceptable in the most extreme, special case scenarios (basically, when one partner in the marriage has already separated themselves from the other).  I find the response of Jesus’ disciples to this teaching interesting, “If you can’t get divorced, it would be better to never get married.”  And Jesus does not correct them on that.  Instead He tells them that they are right, but not everyone can handle remaining single.  We need to make note of how He phrases that as well.  Those who choose not to get married are choosing not to have sex.  Not only is living a celibate life and never getting married an acceptable choice for Christ’s followers, it should be the first choice.  Getting married is for those who cannot handle being celibate.