Category: Scripture Journal

HIGHLIGHT

Matthew 20:26–28 (ESV): 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

EXPLAIN

The buildup to this teaching is fascinating. At the beginning of Matthew 19, Jesus answered the Pharisees’ question about divorce, taking a much stricter stance than seemingly anyone was ready for.

Jesus then, by example, taught the disciples the value of children by blessing them instead of refusing them time.

Next, the rich young man came seeking eternal life, but went away sad because he was unwilling to give away all his possessions to follow Jesus.

Matthew 20 begins with a story about laborers in the vineyard and a master who continued hiring workers, even up to one hour before quitting time, and then paying them all the same wage.

Jesus foretold his death a third time, which may have prompted James and John’s mother to come with her sons to Jesus, seeking high positions for them in his kingdom. After denying this request, Jesus had to quell the uproar among his other disciples, and taught them this highlighted truth.

Interestingly, Jesus practiced his teaching in the very next few verses as two blind men approached him, asking to be healed, and he did so willingly.

APPLY

Following Jesus and being part of his kingdom is not about perks, status, power, or position. Rather, Jesus calls us to serve, as he has served. The way of the King is down, not up. But by becoming less, we become greater.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, make me a servant, humble and meek. Lord, let me lift up those who are weak. And by so doing, may I glorify your name and please you with my stewardship of the life you have given me, Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Matthew 17:5 (ESV): 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

EXPLAIN

Jesus had taken the inner 3 of his disciples up a mountain. There, Moses and Elijah appeared and Jesus was transfigured before them.

Peter began to babble, saying that he would make tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah so they could stay up on the mountain where this amazing experience of worship was happening.

But God the Father spoke and said that instead of talking and planning, they should be listening… to the Son.

APPLY

It is not necessarily wrong to want to continue to bask in God’s special presence. But it is not necessarily helpful. Life is not lived only on the mountaintop. What is most important is to listen to Jesus to know what, how, when, where, and why we should live and serve him.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for the wonderful experiences of worship that you provide for us from time to time. But help me to recognize that worship is not about me, not about how I feel, but rather about preparation for my heart to be in tune with your heart. Help me then to listen and to follow your will. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Matthew 16:27 (ESV): 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

EXPLAIN

Jesus had taken his disciples to the outskirts of Israel. He asked them who people said he was. Then, Jesus asked his disciples who they believed him to be. Peter answered with the great confession that Jesus is the Messiah.

Jesus responded by saying that upon this confession he would build his Church and Hell could withstand her. Furthermore, he delegated his authority to the disciples.

Jesus then continued to teach the disciples about his coming death. Peter did not like the sound of that and Jesus rebuked him. Then, Jesus went on to say that his disciples must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him.

Jesus concluded this teaching by talking about values. Is it more important to gain everything in this world, but lose one’s soul?

It was then that Jesus spoke of returning with his angels and rewarding everyone according to their works.

APPLY

Salvation is by grace through faith. We do not gain heaven by our good deeds. Yet there is a reward according to our deeds.

The wicked will be punished for their evil deeds. The righteous will stand forgiven for their sins by the blood of Christ. Yet the believer will also be rewarded for their faithfulness to Christ.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Help me to live worthy of you so that I might hear your welcome as a good and faithful servant when I enter into eternity. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

2 Kings 7:2 (ESV): 2 Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned said to the man of God, “If the Lord himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” But he said, “You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”

EXPLAIN

In the midst of telling various mighty miracles of Elisha is the story of the Syrians besieging Samaria. There was a great famine in the city and things barely considered edible were sold for high prices.

A woman approached the king and told him a terrible story. She and her friend had determined to eat their own sons. They ate her son the first day, but now her friend had hidden her son.

The king was outraged and determined to kill Elisha. When the king arrived, however, Elisha told him that in 24 hours food prices would be extremely cheap. The king’s captain responded with the words highlighted.

As we continue reading, we find that God caused the Syrians to hear a great sound that made them think they were being attacked by other nations. They fled, leaving everything behind.

When the Israelites learned their enemy was gone, the people rushed out to gather the spoil. The king’s captain was manning the gate and was trampled by the crowd. And food was once again so plenteous that the prices became cheap, just as Elisha had said.

APPLY

When we look at our situation and take stock of our resources, we have reason to despair. But with God, impossibilities become possible. We must not doubt, so that we may enjoy his miraculous deliverance.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for providing a way when there is no way. Help me to trust you and believe you fully, following your direction. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

2 Kings 4:2 (ESV): 2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.”

EXPLAIN

2 Kings 4-5 tell story after story of amazing miracles God worked through the prophet Elisha. In this story, the wife of a prophet’s son came to the prophet. Her husband had died with great debts and the creditors were threatening to enslave her sons.

All she had was a jar of oil. But Elisha commanded her to borrow jars from others and begin pouring oil. Soon, every available jar was filled with oil. She then sold the oil to pay off her debts and to live on the rest.

APPLY

Sometimes we think we have very little to offer God. We think we have very little assets by which to live or to serve. But God can take our little and use it for his glory.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for your loving care. I offer what I have to be used of you for your glory. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Matthew 9:37–38 (ESV): 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

EXPLAIN

Matthew 9 is filled with stories about people with little or no hope: a paralyzed man whose sins were forgiven and then healed, a tax collector who becomes a disciple and invites his unacceptable friends to a party featuring Jesus, disciples who don’t follow proper religious protocol, a woman with an discharge of blood for 12 years, a dead little girl, two blind men, and a demon-oppressed mute man.

Each received grace from King Jesus. But while Jesus had compassion on the people, he saw the overwhelming need and commanded his disciples to pray.

APPLY

Jesus did not command his disciples to work harder, although that may have been a good response. Jesus did not command them to recruit more workers, although that was necessary.

Jesus told his disciples to ask the Father to send more workers into the harvest. Are we faithful to pray for more workers to aid us in discipling disciple-makers?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, you see our desperate need for more workers to share the Gospel, minister to the needy, and disciple people to become disciple-makers. Please provide for this need, Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Matthew 8:3 (ESV): 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

EXPLAIN

This story immediately follows Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus came down from the mountain, a leper approached him and said that if Jesus were willing, he could make him clean.

This story is followed by the centurion asking Jesus to heal his servant. Again, Jesus said, “I will” as he planned to go and heal the man. The centurion amazed Jesus with faith that did not need Jesus to go with him.

Jesus then went to Peter’s house and healed many while he was there, including Peter’s mother-in-law.

APPLY

I’m afraid that many times we approach God expecting him to say, “I won’t”, “I don’t know” or even “I can’t.” But God loves to say, “I will.” And he definitely has the power to provide for our needs.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for your love. Grow my faith so that I will recognize your willingness to provide is greater than my desire or expectation of your provision. Help me then to trust you for greater things. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Matthew 6:26 (ESV): 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

EXPLAIN

This is from the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jesus began this message by stating a counter-cultural idea of what the good life is – that of seeking God and His will. He continued to correct misunderstandings about God’s Word and God’s desire for us.

In the latter half of Matthew 6 Jesus applied his teaching by talking about our values. Will we seek treasure in Heaven or treasure on earth? Jesus said that we must not worry about the things of this life, for our Father in Heaven will provide for us.

APPLY

It is freeing to remember and to believe that God cares for us, much more than he cares for birds or the lilies of the field. It can be difficult to trust him, but he truly does provide for our needs.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to trust you daily, moment by moment for every need. May I not get caught up in a pursuit of the things of this world, but rather seek after you. Amen.

When do you see God at work?

HIGHLIGHT

1 Kings 17:24 (ESV): 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

EXPLAIN

1 Kings 17 begins with the prophet Elijah announcing a coming famine to wicked King Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel.

Elijah went into hiding at the brook Cherith, but eventually had to leave when the brook dried up. He then stayed with a widow and her son. Elijah told her that God said that if she gave him a little cake of food first, instead of eating what she had left and then planning to die, she would always have enough to eat.

A lesser known part of that story is that her son later became ill, to the point that he had no breath in him. The widow despaired, but Elijah prayed on her behalf. It was then that she said the words highlighted above.

APPLY

One might think the daily provision of food by God should be plenty of proof that Elijah was a man of God. But such daily provision might be explained away otherwise. Such a miraculous deliverance from death, however, could not be explained otherwise.

How readily do we recognize God at work in our lives?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to recognize you at work in life quickly and trust you implicitly. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Revelation 22:4 (ESV): 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

EXPLAIN

Beginning with Revelation 21, John described life in the new heavens and the new earth. Revelation 22 pictures a river of the water of life that flows from God’s throne and gives life to all. Nothing will be accursed, but God’s people will worship him, seeing God and having his name on their foreheads.

APPLY

God’s name on our foreheads is in direct contrast to the mark of the Beast on the foreheads of those who rebel against Christ during the Great Tribulation.

God’s name on our foreheads signifies ownership, security, and intimacy.

This scripture also calls to mind 1 John 3:1-3…

1 John 3:1–3 (ESV): 1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for the promise that one day we will see you face to face and for the confidence that we belong to you and that you are in the process of molding us to be the people you want us to be. Amen.