Tuesday Devo
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Scripture:
Luke 16:16-17
16 “Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. 17 But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.
16 “Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. 17 But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.
Commentary:
16:16 The Law and the Prophets is the old covenant age, now superseded by the kingdom of God. until John. John the Baptist was still part of the old covenant age, so that his ministry served as the culmination of a long history of OT prophecy that looked forward to the coming of the messianic kingdom. Since then (since John’s ministry, which overlapped with the beginning of Jesus’ ministry), the new covenant period has begun. Everyone forces his way into it is a puzzling and much debated statement. Greek biazŠmeans “to use force,†but the verb form here (biazetai) could be either in the middle voice (“everyone is using force†to enter into it) or in the passive voice (“everyone is being forced [or forcefully urged]†to enter into it). The meaning in the ESV text, “everyone forces his way into it,†is possible grammatically and fits the meaning of the same verb when used in Matt. 11:12. By this interpretation, the verse suggests that exercising the faith that brings one into the kingdom and keeps one there involves a kind of holy “violence†toward oneself in the form of repentance and self-denial. Some interpreters object, however, that this view does not fit well in the context, for not everyone is forcing their way into the kingdom and in fact many are rejecting it. In addition, there is arguably some tension between forcing one’s way into the kingdom and the emphasis throughout the Gospels on entering the kingdom of God by faith. These interpreters have favored the meaning in the ESV footnote, “everyone is forcefully urged into it.†The verb takes that sense elsewhere (see Gen. 33:11; 2 Sam. 13:25, 27; parabiazomai has this meaning in Luke 24:29; Acts 16:15). This is similar to the idea of Luke 14:23. On this view, the meaning of biazŠwould be different from its sense in Matt. 11:12, but the verses appear in different contexts and the meaning may be different as well.
16:17 But suggests that Jesus is seeking to correct a possible misunderstanding of v. 16a, showing that the OT moral law still has validity as the Word of God. Those laws will never become void since they reflect the very person and character of God, who will never pass away. (In Luke 21:33, Jesus ascribes to his own teaching the same permanence and authority.)
16:17 But suggests that Jesus is seeking to correct a possible misunderstanding of v. 16a, showing that the OT moral law still has validity as the Word of God. Those laws will never become void since they reflect the very person and character of God, who will never pass away. (In Luke 21:33, Jesus ascribes to his own teaching the same permanence and authority.)
Questions:
- Jesus was letting the pharisees know that even though Jesus came to fulfill the Law, God's moral law still stands. God's Word is absolute truth. Every word, letter, stroke of the pen. From cover to cover. Scripture should be our source of truth in every area of our lives. One question posed on Sunday was, "Where do you get YOUR truth?" Where do you look to construct the guardrails of your life? Do you look to scripture? Sermons? Podcasts? Your own feelings or desires? Culture? Whatever feels good? Where are you turning to sources other that God's Word?
- Brandon talked about the movement within the Church to use scripture to justify things like homosexuality and gender fluidity. Just like the pharisees had done with divorce, it seems to be easy for some to take a scripture or two out of context and misuse it to fit their own evil desires. What we are missing is a proper understanding of God's Word. For the Jesus follower, scripture should inform where we stand on every single issue, value, position or conviction in life. Can you say that this is true in YOUR life? Where has the pull of culture started to dilute the truth?
Pray:
- That God's Word would be your source of TRUTH.
- That you would turn to the Word for every answer you need.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
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