Today’s Reading: Luke 10:38-42, 12:13-21

There is something unique in our relationship with our siblings. We grow up playing together, belly laughing with one another, and sometimes even fighting with each other. In today’s passages of scripture, we see two encounters Jesus had with siblings having a difficult time getting along — two sisters and two brothers.

TWO SISTERS

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:38-42

Focus on self — Martha started out doing a good thing but became distracted by the good she was doing instead of focusing on WHO she was doing the good thing for.

Focus on others — Martha then became distracted by the lack of work that her sister was doing. Even though Martha was the one who had invited Jesus into her home, she had expectations of the other people around her. Her focus was on what other people were not doing instead of the good thing she had decided to do.

Focus on Jesus — It was not enough that Martha had invited Jesus into her home. It was not enough that Martha was working hard for Jesus. What Jesus desired of Martha was for her to spend time with him — for her to sit at his feet, as Mary was doing, and listen to all he wanted to teach her. Jesus wanted her to sit in his presence and focus on him and, by doing so, build her relationship with him.

TWO BROTHERS

Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12:13-21

Focus on self — How much can I accumulate? How much can I gain? How comfortable can I make myself? Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own” (Luke 12:15).

Focus on others — How much more does he have than I have? It’s not fair! She has more than I do! Look what they are doing with their money. This is what I would do if I had that kind of money…

Focus on God — I recognize that I am rich in God and in my relationship with Him. I choose to take my focus off of earthly gain and allow the Spirit to guide the desires of my heart towards that which has eternal value.

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12:21

God, create in me a desire to want more of you and only you. May the luster of earthly treasures lose its shine where my heart is concerned. Create in me a heart that is generous and not greedy. May I be so filled with your Spirit that I only wish well for others. May I be more concerned about sitting at your feet and storing up a rich relationship with you than I am about anyone or anything else around me. May my focus today be on you, God, and may that focus show me the needs of others around me so that I can be used by you. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Luke 10:25-37

If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed. Freedom from whom the world wants us to be, freedom from whom others define us to be, and freedom from our past mistakes and sins. And when we offer the same forgiveness that we have received from the Son to those who have sinned against us, we once again experience freedom.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” – Matthew 5:7

What does our life look like if we consistently let forgiveness flow and let mercy show? Mercy is, by definition, forgiveness. Merriam-Webster defines mercy as compassion, especially towards someone who has offended you, or compassionate treatment of someone in distress. If we want to experience mercy in our lives, we need a heart that is merciful toward others.

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

Not one of us is perfect. We have all sinned and we are all in need of a Savior – of mercy extended beyond what we deserve. It is this mercy that allows us entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven and the opportunity to begin experiencing eternal life right here on earth — mercy extended to us because we have a heart that extends mercy toward others.

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

The man answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” – Luke 10:25-29

The man understood that he was to love God and he knew who God was. That part was easy. But the man wanted clarification on who Jesus defined as his neighbor — the people who live next door, coworkers, family members, other Christians, nonbelievers? The man was essentially saying to Jesus — define for me who my neighbor is so that I can, by process of elimination, understand who is not my neighbor.

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.” – Luke 10:31-32

If either of these men who worked in the temple came in contact with a dead body, they would be considered “unclean” and temporarily unable to serve in the Temple and offer sacrifices to God. Helping this man who was so close to death was risking ritual impurity.

Do I help the one if it means I cannot help the masses? How often do we use this as an excuse for not reaching out to someone in need? God, I’m so busy reaching out to those to whom you have called me. You must plan for someone else to help this person in desperate trouble because you have already given me this other call. We excuse ourselves from responding to one person by reminding ourselves of how much good we are doing in the lives of other people. We give ourselves permission to turn our back on one person’s needs in order to focus on the ministry we prefer. Lord, forgive me. I am so guilty of this.

“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, “Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

The man replied, “The one who showed mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” – Luke 10:33-37

To truly be a follower of Jesus, we must be willing to go where He leads and do as He tells us to do. It is in those moments when we choose restoration and LET FORGIVENESS FLOW that Jesus draws us closer to Him. It is in those moments when we choose compassion and LET MERCY SHOW that we learn what it means to truly love our neighbor. It is in those moments when we stop seeing the reflection of past mistakes and sins, that we truly will LET FREEDOM RING.

Today’s Reading: John 8

Let’s keep in mind that the Pharisees and Jewish leaders knew who Jesus’ mother was when we consider what they did next. They probably knew she was found to be with child before she was married to Joseph. John tells us that these teachers of the law were trying to trap Jesus when they brought to him a woman who had been caught in adultery. They were waiting to see if Jesus would be faithful to the law of Moses, which demanded she be stoned.

…but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

“No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” – John 8:6-12

YOU DON’T HAVE TO WALK IN DARKNESS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE LIGHT THAT LEADS TO LIFE.

We continue today to judge one another by where we came from, who our parents are, and by the sins of our past. The enemy wants to define us by these things so that he can convince us that we belong to the sinful world and not to our Heavenly Father. If he can convince us of this, it is easier for him to convince us that sinning is simply a part of who we are and where we came from.

But Jesus says – I know who you are and what you have done. Go and sin no more. You don’t have to continue to walk in darkness if you follow me, for I am the light of the world. If you will walk in my light, you will truly experience life; if you follow my teachings, you will experience true freedom.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” – John 8:31-32,34-36

YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.

Freedom from whom the world wants us to be, freedom from whom others define us to be, and freedom from our past mistakes and sins.

In anger, the people asked Jesus, “Who do you think you are?” They also asked him where his father was and then made the statement, “We are not illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father” (8:53,19,41). Oh yes, they knew what they were doing when they brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery. What they didn’t know is who Jesus truly was and to whom he truly belonged.

When others try to define you by where you came from, or try to condemn you with what is in your past, remember who you truly are. You are a child of God, forgiven and set free from sin. When the enemy tries to pull you back into a life of sin, remember who you truly are. You are no longer a slave to sin but a part of God’s family forever. You have been set free from the past, you are no longer in bondage to sin, and you are a faithful follower of Jesus.

Lord, thank you for the reminder this morning that we can experience true freedom from sin. We do not have to live in captivity to our old habits and strongholds, but we can allow your Spirit to do a new work in us. We can live in victory over who we used to be in order to be who you created us to be. Thank you for the salvation we can experience because of what you did on the cross for us, thank you for the work you are daily doing in us, and thank you for the privilege of being a vessel of what you want to do through us. We are praying for healing from past hurts and freedom from the accusations of the enemy — for us and for those we love. May we live today with confidence that we are no longer slaves to sin. Amen.

Today’s Reading: John 7

Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him. — John 7:3-5

In some ways it is surprising that the brothers of Jesus did not accept that he was the Messiah, but it also makes sense that it would be harder for them to believe. They had grown up around him, played games with him and worked alongside him in the family business. To them he was just Jesus.

Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. You go on. I’m not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” — John 7:6-8

Jesus knew what others were saying about him. He knew that his brothers were mocking him in unbelief and he knew there were many others who hated him; he knew there were some who were even plotting to kill him. Perhaps he knew that they would be looking for him among his brothers and it would be safer for them if he was not seen with them. So either the Spirit prompted Jesus to go ahead and attend the festival or he simply planned to leave after his family headed to Jerusalem because it was in their best interest.

The Jewish leaders were so caught up on where Jesus had come from and from whom he was born that they were missing who Jesus was and from whom he had been sent. They tried to use this information to prove that he was not the Messiah. They knew where Joseph and Mary were from and they knew that Jesus had grown up in Galilee so they assumed he was also born in Galilee. They actually used the argument that Jesus would have been born in Bethlehem, as the prophets foretold, if he was truly the Messiah. They were making accusations without having all the information, something I am afraid I have been guilty of at times.

While Jesus was in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know Him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” – John 7:28-29

Jesus attended the festival but stayed out of public view. Many were talking about Jesus: some were asking where he was, some were saying he was a good man and others were calling him a fraud. Halfway through the festival he began teaching in the temple and many were amazed at how much he knew. Others accused him of being possessed by a demon when he made the comment that there were some trying to kill him. Many believed in him saying, “Would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?” (John 7:31b)

While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. – John 7:28-30

If Jesus knew that the Jewish leaders had plans to arrest him, and that many of them were trying to kill him, why did he attend the Festival of Shelters? Jesus was there because he had mercy on sinners. He was willing to give his life so that we can be forgiven of our unbelief — so that we can experience freedom from our sins. This festival was in remembrance of the forty years the Israelites spent wandering in the desert; it was a celebration of the Lord’s protection and provision even while they were suffering the consequences of their own sins. The God of Moses had a plan to free them from the wilderness so that they could experience the land he had promised to them, and Jesus’ presence was God’s plan of salvation for all of us in need of freedom from our sins.

So on the last day of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowd: “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7:37b-38).

JESUS OFFERED LIFE TO THOSE WHO WERE CURIOUS AND TO THOSE WHO WERE COMBATIVE.

In spite of all the grumbling about him, despite the hateful plots against him, Jesus still extended the gift of life to all those who were willing to come to him. He said, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” This was not only an invitation to those who believed he was the Messiah, but also to those who were convinced he was not. This is what forgiveness looks like; this is what freedom feels like. Let us consider the freedom we experience when we choose forgiveness and mercy over bitterness and hatred. What would our lives look like if we consistently let forgiveness flow and mercy show? What would our lives sound like if we lived from a place of freedom from our hurt and pain?

Jesus said to the people who believed him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32

Father God, open my heart to areas in which I need to allow forgiveness to heal my hurts. Spirit, reveal in me any unforgiveness or hatred toward others. Work in my life in such a way that I experience freedom from my opinions, my attitudes, and my agendas. Fill me with your mercy so that forgiveness flows readily from me. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 19:13-15, 20:20-34; Psalm 28

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left. – Matthew 19:13-16

The disciples had this idea that Jesus could not be bothered by the littles in the crowd — those who were seen as the least. They still had so much to understand about this man; they had so much more to learn from Jesus. Thankfully Jesus had plans to continue to disciple his twelve, daily helping them to gain the understanding and wisdom they would need when he was no longer walking alongside them each day. Today is the day for a lesson in mercy — for the disciples and for us.

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

“Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.

But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him. – Matthew 20:29-34

These two men cried out for mercy and Jesus responded from the heart of a merciful God. While those around them were annoyed by the volume of their needs, Jesus was touched by the strength of their faith. They were treated by their community as the least, but Jesus had something to teach all who would listen — a lesson in how to respond with mercy.

“But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” – Matthew 19:30

“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” – Matthew 20:16

When the mother of James and John was bold enough to ask if her sons could sit on either side of Jesus in His Kingdom, the disciples began to argue with each other.

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:25-28

We can see in Jesus’ words the reflection of the heart of God. Just as he was responding in mercy to the needs around them, God responds in mercy to our needs today; just as Jesus led from the desire to serve others, we should also humble ourselves in a willingness to serve those around us.

THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.

Lord, teach us what mercy looks like in our lives. May we live in response to the mercy we have received, willing to extend mercy to others with the same generosity you have shown us. Give us confidence in who you have called us to be, while making us humble in the way we respond to the needs of others. May we define importance through the lens of mercy, and continue to learn what it means to be a true follower of Christ. Amen.

Praise the Lord!
For he has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. – Psalm 28:6-7

Today’s Reading: Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!” – Matthew 18:21-22

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

When we forgive those who have sinned against us, we experience freedom. We give the situation to the Lord and pray for Him to extend mercy both to us and to those who have hurt us — over and over again. Jesus went on to explain this repetition of forgiveness.

“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold – along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned – to pay the debt.

“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.” – Matthew 18:23-27

How relieved this servant would have felt! He owed so much and had no way to pay his debt to his master. Can you feel the weight of this impossible situation? Have you ever been in trouble financially and wondered how it would impact your family? How relieved he would have felt when the king forgave him his debts!

When we have experienced forgiveness from our Lord and Master, you would think that our first response would be to quickly forgive others. But instead, the man in Jesus’ story left the king’s presence and went straight to a fellow servant who owed him just a few thousand dollars. He physically assaulted the man and demanded he receive what was owed to him. The man who had received forgiveness refused to show mercy to someone else, but instead had the man arrested and thrown into prison.

How messed up is that? How could one who had received such generosity from one person refuse to be generous towards someone else? It’s easy to cast judgment here, but how often do we walk away from our time in God’s presence only to embrace our right to be angry with someone who has wronged us or owes us in some way. Let’s listen to the rest of Jesus’ parable as if we had never heard this story before, asking God to reveal any likeness in our own life.

“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” – Matthew 18:31-35

Jesus lived out this kind of forgiveness. He knew he was going to be betrayed by one of his closest followers, one of the Twelve. He knew he would be handed over to those who were plotting against him. He knew he would be killed, and how significant his death and resurrection would be to the forgiveness of all. Knowing this, he still lived the example of being a good citizen, paying the Temple tax to those who were going to be instrumental in his coming death.

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

Father, reveal in me any unforgiveness. Strengthen my faith to believe that you will be with me in any attempt I make to restore a relationship or extend a hand of forgiveness. May the words coming out of my mouth reflect a heart of forgiveness — not bitterness, unforgiveness or gossip. Make me uncomfortable with any relationship or situation in which you want me to seek restoration. Transform my mind, precious Lord. May my life be described as FORGIVEN and FORGIVING.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:15

Today’s Reading: Matthew 18:15-20

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” – Mark 11:22-25

There are so many powerful statements packed in these four verses. If we want our prayers to be answered, we must have faith in God. We must REALLY believe, choosing not to entertain doubt but cling to faith. Then, if you believe it, you will receive it. But there is one more crucial step — we must forgive.

At times we lack the faith for our prayers to be answered, and at times unforgiveness blocks the path between our requests and God’s answer. We are to let go of the grudges and stop clinging to our right to be wounded. If our prayers are not being answered, we should consider whether or not we need to forgive someone who has hurt us. Perhaps we have forgiven them before but we find ourselves in the habit of picking up the pain instead of fully releasing it to God.

As we start a new day, let us consider the relationship between forgiveness, freedom and mercy. What freedom do we experience when we choose forgiveness and mercy over bitterness and pride? What would life look like if we consistently LET FORGIVENESS FLOW and mercy show? What would it sound like to truly let freedom ring?

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two or three witnesses. If the person refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” – Matthew 18:15-20

Again Jesus coupled the issue of forgiveness and restoration with the idea of our prayers being answered. UNFORGIVENESS BLOCKS OUR PRAYER LIFE. God’s plan is for us to actively forgive others, bringing restoration into relationships that are strained or in need of resolution. We are to walk into these situations in strong faith that God will be in the middle of it all, that He will be with us through our attempts at restoration. Our own forgiveness depends on our commitment to forgive others, not just in our hearts but through necessary conversations.

If our attempts at restoration with another believer are unsuccessful, Jesus instructs us to treat that person as a pagan or corrupt tax collector. And how did Jesus model our treatment of sinners? He ate with them in their homes and even called Matthew to be one of his disciples. Jesus said he didn’t come to call those who think they are righteous, but he came for those who know they are sinners (Luke 5:32). When we recognize that we are sinners who have been saved by grace, we are postured to forgive those who have sinned against us.

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

When we forgive those who have sinned against us, we experience freedom. When we humbly recognize our own capacity to sin, we can then have mercy on those who have sinned against us. We give the situation to the Lord and pray for Him to extend mercy both to us and to those who have hurt us.

“Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:9-15

Lord, forgive us our sins. Forgive us for lacking the humility and mercy you have called us to display to those who have sinned against us. Thank you for the Matthew 18 principle of forgiveness that models how restoration can take place. Help us to release the pain inflicted by others in order to experience healing from the trauma of yesterday and hope for the reconciliation of today. May there be nothing left behind that blocks our ability to lay our requests before you, believing you can answer our prayers. And help us to genuinely pray for your will to be done, resting in your perfect wisdom and in your eternal plan. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 18:1-14

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. – Matthew 18:1-5

UNLESS YOU TURN FROM YOUR SINS.

The disciples asked a great question, but I am guessing that they were not expecting the answer Jesus gave them. The greatest is the humblest. The greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is the one who humbly turns from their sinful past in order to receive the future God has planned for them. And when we welcome the one who has a messy past, recognizing that God has a beautiful future for them, we are representing well the One who died for their salvation. We are humbly acknowledging that we also have a sinful past; we, too, are sinners in need of a Savior.

“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. – Matthew 18:6

So if the greatest in God’s Kingdom is the one who humbly repents of their sin, and Jesus is calling us to welcome them on his behalf, consider this contrasting statement. Jesus gave a strong warning to never be the one who causes someone to walk away from Jesus and into a life of sin. We are to help them find their way toward salvation without pushing them away from all God has for them; we are to welcome the one who has turned from their sin.

But when we encourage a new believer to remain in their sin, or when we redefine sin in order for them to feel affirmed in their rejection of the righteousness to which God is calling all of us, it would be better for us to die than to live. Jesus died to set them free from their sin, not to live in bondage to it. And we must be careful that we are not doing anything to keep them enslaved to their sin by rejecting them from entering the fellowship of believers. If we fail to welcome the “little child” who is seeking salvation, we are failing to welcome Jesus into our midst.

IT’S BETTER TO THROW IT AWAY.

“What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into the eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” – Matthew 18:7-10

Precious Father, may our hands and feet be your instruments today. May we be expressions of your love to those around us; may we be the voice of truth to one another. May we never become so arrogant that we believe we have the right to reinterpret your words in order to widen the way to salvation. Show us how to extend your grace while honoring your truth, fully aware of our need for salvation and helping others find their way to repentance. May our faith help others to find you, and may we never do anything that would cause someone else to stumble in their journey towards you. Amen.

Jesus went on to ask a question that reveals his love for the lost. When the one wanders away from the shepherd, the man does not leave that one stumbling in the dark. He also doesn’t take the whole flock with him or encourage them to also wander away. No, he goes in search of the one in order to bring it back to the fold. The shepherd celebrates that the lost one has been found and is therefore no longer lost.

GO OUT AND SEARCH FOR THE ONE WHO IS LOST.

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.” – Matthew 18:12-14

My heart is grateful this morning that I serve the Great Shepherd — the One who cares enough when I am lost to pursue my heart in order to bring me back to the fold. Lord, I praise you for loving me enough to provide for my salvation on the cross. Forgive me for the moments in which I have lacked the compassion and the humility to care about the lost. I want my heart to reflect the desires of your heart, responding with both grace and truth to others. Guide my thoughts and give me a fresh infilling of your Spirit so that I can welcome the “little children” to the family of God! Amen.

Today’s Reading: Mark 9:42 – 10:16; Psalm 9

The disciples were not perfect; they did not always get it right the first time. Earlier in Mark chapter 9, we read of a man bringing his son to Jesus. The disciples had been unable to cast out the evil spirit that was inside of the boy, so Jesus had the father bring his son to him (9:17-18). Fast forward to verse 38 and the disciples were upset that others are casting out demons in the name of Jesus. They stopped others from the good they were doing because they perceived them to be unauthorized or unworthy. Perhaps the disciples were acting out of fear and even influenced by their own insecurities.

BUT HE’S NOT ONE OF US!

Jesus’ response to the disciples was clear — do not do that again. Anyone who is not against us is for us. And here is the consequence of causing someone who trusts in me to lose faith:

“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’

“For everyone will be tested with fire. Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.” – Mark 9:42-50

GOD CAN USE WHOEVER HE WANTS TO USE.

Who are we to say that someone is not worthy of the calling God has placed on their lives. If God is working through them, we need to trust that He is also working within them. They may not be at the same place in their walk with Christ as we are after years of studying and learning from God’s word, but they are on a Journey of Grace and we need to be careful not to discourage or discount the work that God is accomplishing through them.

In 2023, the world watched as revival broke out among the students of Asbury University. Christians traveled hundreds of miles to join the worship and to experience the revival explosion the Church had been praying for. Others scoffed and looked for fault in the theology of the institution or in the methods of worship. But I imagine Jesus was saying, “Don’t stop them!” I can use whoever I want to use; I can show up wherever I want to show up.

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. – Mark 10:13-16

LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME! DON’T STOP THEM!

Now let’s go back to the passage skipped in Mark 10:1-12. In the context of the passage before and the passage after, what is God calling us to do with the issue of divorce? God’s desire of permanence for marriage is clear — let no one split apart what God has joined together. But God’s gift of grace and His willingness to use a sinner who has surrendered in repentance is the same for those who have divorce in their story as it is for those who have kept their marriage covenant.

So if God works miracles through someone who is divorced and remarried, are we to stop them from the good that God is doing through them? No, Jesus instructed us to have the qualities of salt among ourselves and live in peace with each other (9:49-50). We cannot be quick to forget our own shortcomings, but also slow to forgive others.

“For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?” – Matthew 7:2-4

God will test the heart of every person with fire; He is the judge of sincerity and authenticity, not us. Who are we to question what God wants to accomplish through another person, another church, or another denomination? We are to celebrate when a child of God approaches Jesus, just as we are to remain humble in our own pursuit of an authentic relationship with God.

Precious Father, test our hearts this morning and burn away all that is not from you. Purify our attitudes, and free us of our fears and insecurities. May our hands and feet be your instruments today. May we be expressions of your love to those around us. Empty us of any arrogance or thoughts of what WE can accomplish so that we can humbly kneel before you and believe in faith that today YOU will do great and miraculous things among us! May our faith help others to find you and may we never do anything that would cause someone else to stumble in their journey to you. We pray all of this in your precious and holy name, Amen.

But the Lord reigns forever,
executing judgment from his throne.
He will judge the world with justice
and rule the nations with fairness.
The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. – Psalm 9:7-10

Today’s Reading: Mark 9:33-41; Luke 9:46-62

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” – Luke 9:23

IF YOU WANT TO SERVE GOD, YOU MUST STOP BEING SELFISH.

What great advice for the disciples and what great advice for us today. The disciples did not get this lesson the first time they heard it, just as we struggle to overcome our own selfish tendencies day after day. Why is it that we are in the habit of getting in our own way of fully surrendering to the Lord?

Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” – Luke 9:46-48

IF YOU WANT TO SERVE GOD, YOU MUST NOT THINK TOO HIGHLY OF YOURSELF.

Before you dismiss this thought too quickly, take time to allow the Holy Spirit to remind you of the last time you assessed someone before really getting to know them. We often judge others by their appearance or their financial situation or their family heritage. This mindset of considering ourselves to be better than other people can and will get in the way of us truly following Jesus.

John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.” But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.” – Luke 9:49-50

We cannot pick and choose WHERE we go if we are sincerely following Jesus wherever He is at work.

We cannot pick and choose WHO we minister to if we are sincerely following Jesus to whomever He leads.

We cannot pick and choose WHAT we do if we are sincerely responding to what Jesus asks to do.

We cannot pick and choose WHEN we follow Jesus so that it only fits conveniently into our schedule.

IF YOU WANT TO SERVE GOD, IT MUST BE ON HIS TERMS.

As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

He said to another person, “Come follow me.”

The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”

But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”

Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say goodbye to my family.”

But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:57-62

Yes, but first. Has that ever been your response to God’s instructions? Why is it that we are willing to do what God asked us to do, but in our own time within our own parameters?

Today is a great day to stop and do a heart check. Am I willing to love, to serve, to go, to lose? Am I truly following Jesus wherever, whenever, to whomever? Is my heart prepared to say yes to the next thing God asks me to do? No strings attached, no boundaries to my obedience. If I want to be a follower of Christ, I need to stop thinking too highly of myself and my own plan; I must be ready to serve God on His terms.

Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal in me today any selfishness or pride. I pray that I will recognize the moments when I think too highly of myself or put my own comfort ahead of the needs of others. I long for complete surrender so that I will joyfully follow you wherever you may lead — to whomever you may lead. Align my heart with yours so that I desire what you desire, freeing my heart to be fully available to you today. Amen.