reading for: 8 Sept

Mark 8:27-38

The identity of Jesus as the crucified and risen Lord.

• READ

The passage for today is a popular passage that is recounted in all three of the synoptic gospels. (Matthew 16:13-28,Luke 9:18-27) This passage starts with Jesus and his disciples on the way to Caesarea Phillipi, when Jesus asks his disciples a question while they were on their way.

The question that Jesus asked his disciples is, “Who do people say that I am?” (V27). Mark presents the response of the disciples by responding to Jesus with what they heard the people saying. Some compared Jesus to John the Baptist, some to Elijah and some, one of the other prophets. (V28) Jesus immediately asked his disciples another question, “But who do you say that I am?” (V29) Peter answered Jesus that he is the Christ. (V30) Comparing the answer of Peter recorded in Mark with the one in Matthew, we can see that the answer recorded in Matthew is a fuller answer, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Then there is an exchange where Jesus blesses Peter that this was a revelation given to him by the Father before a similar charge to tell no one. (Matthew 16:17) Mark merely records Jesus charge to tell no one about him. (V30) This is the finest moment of Peter, and Jesus praises him for it. Peter answers Jesus’ question correctly that He was the Christ.

However, the passage leads on to examine in more detail who Jesus is. In other words, what does it mean for Jesus to be the Christ. Jesus tells his disciples plainly in this instance who he is without resorting to parables or analogy. Jesus says in verse 31, “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. “Jesus is the one who must suffer many things be rejected by the leaders of Israel, be crucified and rise again. In short, Jesus is the crucified and risen Lord. This identity of Jesus is rejected by Peter just a few verses down. (V32) Jesus minces no words and rebukes Peter by calling him, “Satan”. Showing us how serious Jesus is about his identity. Either you believe that He is the crucified and risen Lord or you are choosing to follow Satan and the things of man.

Mark continues with Jesus calling his disciples to deny themselves, take up the cross and follow him. He challenges his disciples that whoever would try to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for his sake will save it. (V34-35) Jesus does not want his disciples to be ashamed of his words. (V38) It leads us to wonder what words of Jesus was he referring to. We should not forget that Jesus had just told them that he is the crucified and risen Christ. We are to follow Jesus in the way of the cross by denying ourselves and taking up our cross, yet this way of discipleship is not detached from the identity of Jesus as the crucified and risen Lord.  Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we can follow him in the way of the cross.

• REFLECT

Who is Jesus to us? Many of us answer in different ways. Some see him as the healer, provider, guide or saviour. Some may see him as a miracle worker or as the king. While these answers are part of who Jesus is, Mark presents the identity of Jesus in the words of Jesus. Jesus says this, “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.” This is how Jesus defines himself.

As followers of Jesus, let’s reflect and examine how we view Jesus and seek him to show us more of who he is, how he is the Christ who died and rose again.

reading for: 9 Sept

Isaiah 50:4-9

The identity of Jesus as the servant of God.

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  Today, we read one of the servant poems in Isaiah, where Isaiah describes what it means for a faithful servant to remain true to God’s instructions amid suffering. This poem can be broken into three parts: first, the servant listened and learned from God in verses 4 and 5, the servant’s suffering in verse 6 and the dependence and trust of the servant on God in verses 7 to 9. The following two verses after that contain a challenge for us to follow the example of this servant.

  The Lord taught the servant, and he also taught and sustained others. The servant took what he heard from God and used it to sustain the weary. (V4) He not only has the intention to sustain the weary, but he has the right words to say and encourage them. Morning by morning, this servant is awakened by the Lord God and taught. (V4) His posture is a posture of attentiveness and obedience to the voice of the Lord God, he was not rebellious. (V5) These two verses show us the posture of the servant as an attentive and listening servant,  one that found his teaching from the Lord God and used it to teach and sustain others.

  Verse 6 continues to speak about the servant in this way, “I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.” This speaks of the servant’s suffering, how this servant allowed himself to be tortured and humiliated, giving his back to those who strike and his cheeks to those who pulled out the beard. He allowed himself to face humiliation and did not choose to hide his face.

  Note that this servant was not discouraged by suffering but depended on God. He is aware that because of the help from the Lord, he is not disgraced and will not be put to shame. (V7) He knows that the one that vindicates him is near and that he will not be declared guilty. (V9) The servant was able to choose to depend on God amid the suffering and not be so caught up in the pain and suffering because he knew who he was.

  Who is this servant, whom Isaiah speaks in such exalted terms? It is hard to think of anyone else other than Jesus.

  Firstly, the only person who can listen and obey God fully in this way is the Son of God. This servant did not lose focus but was always attentive to the instructions of his Father and God. Secondly, Isaiah in verse 6 speaks of the servant’s suffering. Though he does not explicitly mention the cross, all three synoptic gospels pick up on the theme of Jesus being spitted and mocked at. (Matt. 26:67; 27:26; Mark 15:19; Luke 22:63) The humiliation that Jesus faced in his suffering leading to the cross shows that this suffering servant is a reference to Christ.

  Thirdly, the servant showed that he had a dependence on God. Even in the suffering, he did not try to vindicate himself but placed his vindication on God. This servant that Isaiah speaks about refers to Christ, how he was attentive and obedient to his Father, enduring suffering. Culminating in the cross and resurrection that brought vindication.

  Isaiah continues in calling us to follow the example of this servant by calling in those who walk in darkness and has no light to trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. (V10-11) This is how Isaiah challenges us immediately after he speaks about the servant’s identity and how it refers to Christ, Isaiah wants us to walk in trust and dependence on God.

• REFLECT

  Jesus is the servant of his Father who was attentive to his Father’s commands and instructions. He endured suffering that culminated in the cross. He was not discouraged but continued to place his hope, trust and dependence on God. 

  Knowing that Jesus is the servant of God is not just a head or mental exercise but a knowledge that must be lived out. May we heed the advice of Isaiah to follow Jesus in learning to trust God and walk in dependence on God.

  Do we know who Jesus is? Do we see Jesus as the servant who is obedient to God, the suffering servant and the one that placed his hope in God that God will vindicate him? Do we desire to follow him, learning to walk in trust and dependence before God?

  Are you going through a very difficult, painful situation that at times makes you discouraged?

  Pray that God will give you a willing heart to learn to trust and depend on him.

reading for: 10 Sept

James 3:1-12

Living out the life that Jesus gives us.Living out the life that Jesus gives us.

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  James is a highly practical and to the point writer, offering much practical advice to his listeners. Today we are reading a portion of his advice to live out the life that Jesus gives to us. This advice concerns the taming of the tongue. Let us look at the wisdom that James offers us in order for us to live out the eternal life that Jesus offers.

  James starts in verse 1 with advice that not many of us should become teachers as teachers will be judged with greater strictness. (V1) James is clear, and he does not exhort all to become teachers of the word but instead warns us to know that teaching others to fall into sin is a sin guilty of greater judgment. James is cognisant of the fact that we all stumble in many ways. (V2) James did not imply that only teachers of the word are guilty of judgment but that teachers face a stricter judgment.

  James then highlights the area of the tongue as a focused reflection on what it means to live out the life that Jesus has given us to live. In the second half of verse 2, “And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” (V2) What James is saying is that if one can control his tongue and not stumble in what he says, he will be able to control his own body and live a life pleasing to God. James uses many examples from the bits in the mouth of the horse, the ship driven and controlled by the rudder to the forest being set ablaze by a small fire. They to show us that though the tongue is a small and seemingly unimportant part of the body, it is essential and guides the whole body. (V3-5). James sees the tongue as a fire that will stain the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, a fire that comes from hell. (V6) The tongue is a significant part of the body that, if not appropriately controlled and tamed, will lead the entire body to be destroyed in all kinds of evil.

  James then speaks of the difficulty of taming the tongue. He again uses analogies to prove his point when he says that every kind of beast can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind but that no human being can tame the tongue, for it is a restless evil. (V7-8)

  So far, James has spoken on the importance of taming the tongue and the difficulty of taming the tongue. Now in the final verses of today’s reading, we return once again to the importance of taming the tongue. He writes in verse 9, “With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.” James tells us that we cannot worship the Lord with the same tongue used to curse others. These things should not be so. (V10) He broadens his point with a series of analogies such as a spring cannot pour forth both salt water and fresh water, or a fig cannot produce olives, a grapevine cannot produce figs. (V11-12)

  What does it mean to live out the life that Jesus gives us? James gives us some encouragement that controlling and taming the tongue is to live out the life that Jesus offers to us. James does not tell us that controlling the tongue is easy, instead paints a picture of the difficulty. Nevertheless, he insists that it is crucial and necessary. Taming the tongue is only possible if the Holy Spirit works in us to produce godly fruit in our lives.  The working of the Spirit in our lives will produce fruit that will be evident to all, and part of that is in the taming of the tongue. 

• REFLECT

  We sometimes regret the words that we have spoken to others. We wished that we could have taken those words back. The truth is that these words spoken sometimes in a fit of anger do hurt the other party. When we say those hurtful words, we need to recognise the necessity of asking for forgiveness and repenting before God.

  However, as necessary as this may be, it is also crucial for us to minimise hurtful words to others. This is what James exhorts us to do in today’s passage.

  Reflect on whether you have spoken hurtful words to others recently or whether you unconsciously cursed others. Share with your LG and pray for each other that we will partner with the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to live out the life that He has given to us. Pray that we will be able to show forth fruit in our lives evidenced by the taming of the tongue.

reading for: 11 Sept

Psalm 116:1-9

Praising God for his goodness and deliverance.

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  Psalm 116 is a thanksgiving psalm that praises God for his goodness and deliverance from a near-death distress. The psalmist starts with declaring his love for the Lord because the Lord has heard his cries for mercy and delivered him. The psalmist declares that because the Lord has heard him, he will call on the Lord for the rest of his life. (V1-2)

  The psalmist then continues from verses 3 to 9 to present a report of the deliverance of the Lord. Verse 3 presents the experience felt in vivid terms. He writes, “The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.” (V3) This experience is severe and threatening and is described as a near-death experience by the psalmist. This leads him to call on the Lord to deliver him. (V4) Verse 5 speaks of the character of the Lord that the psalmist is calling on, he declares that the Lord is gracious, righteous, and merciful. (V5) Finally he describes the deliverance of the Lord through His grace and deliverance. (V6-8)

  This provides the psalmist with a new resolve to walk before the Lord while he is still living. (V9) The psalmist has shown a posture that praises God for his goodness and deliverance but also a posture that will live out the life that God has given him to life. He will walk before the Lord and seek to obey the commandments of the Lord.

• REFLECT

  Remember the times in our lives that we have felt defeated and discouraged. Maybe those times led us to realise that this is it, surely there is no recovery for us. Nevertheless, when we called on the Lord and pled with him for grace and mercy, he showed his faithfulness and goodness to us and delivered us from harm. Let us remember to praise and thank God for his goodness and deliverance. Let us also commit to walking before the Lord in our lives on this earth.