The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Matthew 22:15 – 23:39, Mark 12:13-44, Luke 20:20 – 21:4, 13:31-35
Act 3: God’s New Covenant People
Scene 3: Christ’s Deliverance of His People: God’s Work through the Death, Resurrection, and Enthronement of His King
Background Information: Matthew 22:15 – 23:39, Mark 12:13-44, Luke 20:20 – 21:4, 13:31-35
Imagine trying to outsmart Jesus with some verbal trap; that couldn’t possibly go well. The Lord’s responses to each attempt are concise and precise. “Who do we owe devotion to: God or government?” “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” “What will happen to a ridiculously unlucky woman at the resurrection?” “You don’t understand the nature of the resurrection life.” “You’re so smart, pick the greatest of the commands.” “Love God, love people.” Jesus then went completely on the offensive, asking them a question that they could not answer and showing them the utter corruption of their game-playing with matters of eternal importance. They focused on what didn’t matter much at all and missed what mattered the most of all, in order to try and look smart. To try to be impressive and to be impressed by others. To be full of pride and jealousy. To focus on unimportant minutiae and to miss all important realities. None of this matters and is a terrible waste of a life. To love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love others, is what matters the most. In a living object lesson of what truly matters the most, a widow in terrible poverty drops her desperately needed two meager coins into the offering box. Meanwhile, the rich were making a show of putting large sums into the box. It is likely that no one there except Jesus noticed the poor widow. Certainly, no one except him was impressed by her; the others were too busy being impressed with the unimpressive. Be sure of this: since Jesus wants your heart to be fully his, he will be faithful to take you to places where you are like the widow. You will feel like you have very little left to give, and yet he will ask for more. This will not always be about finances. It could just as likely be a poverty of time, energy, forgiveness, courage, or kindness. As you give from your poverty of personal resources, God will prove to be more than enough. In those times of giving from your own need, your heart will become more fully his.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Ask God to move in the hearts of people who do not know him. Ask him for opportunities to have gospel conversations. Ask him to rescue those who are perishing without him. Ask him to give you a heart of the lost and a growing desire for him.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.