Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 May 2024 Matthew 23:12.

09 May 2024 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 23:12.       And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased (humbled); and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (lifted up).

So we’ve rolled into Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, but in the background we are busy with all the preparations for the celebration of Mother’s Day this weekend. And hopefully it will be a grand old time for the many wonderful mothers in our world. Anyway I’m chuckling here, because I don’t know how many of you realized that I went off on a tangent yesterday on the subject of pride, when I really meant to deal more with Jesus words on the subject of servant hood. But let’s see if we can do that today nuh. (smile) 

As Jesus says in yesterday’s Bit: ‘If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, the servant of all.’ (Mark 9:35) And apparently, according to Matthew, this question came up after the mother of Zebedee’s children, James and John, came to Jesus with a request: ‘Grant that these two my sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 

They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with (His suffering and death): but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren (brothers).’ (Matt. 20:21-24) 

Yuh see people, life back then was no different to what it is now; everybody’s seeking self-aggrandizement by whatever means they can, even to the level that two of the disciples get their mother to go and ask Jesus to make them His right hand people. The Bible then tells us: ‘But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion (lord it) over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 

But it shall not be so among you: but whosever will be great among you, let him be your minister (servant). And whosoever will be chief (first) among you, let him be your servant (slave): Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (served), but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.’ (Matt. 20:25-28) 

Yes friends, the whole purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to be crucified and to show us a servant like attitude in our dealings with each other and the world, which He desires to see from His followers. We see that in His words after washing the disciples feet on the night before he was crucified. ‘If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you.’ (John 13:14-15) 

And Bruh Paul immortalized those words in his own way, when he wrote to the Philippians: ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (emptied himself of his privileges): And being found in the fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Wherefore God also exalted him, and given him the name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:5-11) 

That says it all friends! Despite being deity, Jesus humbled Himself to come to earth and walk amongst mankind as an ordinary, compassionate human being, then sacrificing His sinless life to pay for our abominable sins. And because of that humility and sacrifice, the Father exalted Him above everyone else! Now that corroborates these fateful words of Jesus to the Pharisees when He denounced hypocrisy. ‘But he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased (humbled); and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (lifted up).’ (Matt. 23:11-12) 

Yes my fellow believers, humility is the watchword of Christ’s ministry. Now, that doesn’t mean we have to allow others to use and abuse us, but we don’t have to put on unnecessary airs and graces either, and try to show off and boast of our earthly wealth and power. We simply need to get down and dirty whenever it’s called for, to daily pick up our crosses and follow Jesus, wherever He may lead us; knowing that He will never lead us astray. And I sincerely hope that today’s lesson will reverberate very positively in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds and help us deny the foolish boastfulness, power hungry, self-seeking and greedy attitudes of this ungodly and evil world. 

Now let’s declare (awright!!!) and thus activate our Thursday Blessings, so generously given to us by the Lord to do His earthly work. As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having acknowledged those blessings, it now behooves us to go out and use them to help others, in the same generous manner as our great God, so that they can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…without humility…a Christian’s witness is a lie…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   6 April 2023 Matthew 26:28.

06 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 26:28. For this is my blood of the new testament (covenant), which is shed for many for the remission (forgiveness) of sins.

And then it was Thursday; Maundy Thursday. And we wish you all a Happy Maundy Thursday! It might not have been such a happy day in Jesus’ life, neither in ours right now, as we contemplate the next few days of tragic happenings, but it was indeed a special one, where He set certain parameters in our faith, and left us several examples to follow. Maundy Thursday was the day in Jesus’ life when, as we say, everything came to bump, meaning that He had finally reached the stage when there’s no turning back. 

On that Thursday, certain things happened that reminds us of the passionate moments of Jesus’ life. And we are invited to remember and celebrate these four events: the Last Supper, the Washing of the Apostle’s Feet by Jesus, Christ’s agony and prayer in Gethsemane, and the arrest of Jesus. At the Last Supper, He offered Himself as the sacrificial Lamb, with such humility and selflessness that makes Him the perfect example of those attributes. 

Now this was a time of the celebration of the Passover Feast in Jerusalem, one of the most sacred days in the Jewish Calendar, reminding them of that time during their slavery in Egypt, when the Angel of Death passed over Egypt and killed every first born son, but spared the Jews, because of the lamb’s blood on the lintel of their doors. (Ex. 12) 

On that night Jesus sat with His twelve disciples celebrating. ‘And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord is it I? And He answered and said, he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had never been born. Then Judas which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He (Jesus) said unto him, Thou hast said (it).’ (Matt. 26:21-24) 

Oh my people, can you imagine the consternation, the doubt and grief engendered by Jesus’ comment that one of His closest supplicants would betray Him. And the scholars explain:  ‘Jesus’ reply to Judas Thou hast said means “yes.” He that dippeth reveals the personal and intimate nature of the betrayal.’ But that was only the first of several eye-opening occasions on that fateful evening. 

After that, the Good Book tells: ‘And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup (of wine), and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it (drink from it all of you). For this is my blood of the new testament (covenant), which is shed for many for the remission (forgiveness) of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ (Matt. 26:26-29) 

Right there we have it friends, the celebration of what we call ‘The Eucharist, or Holy Communion,’ as a memorial of the death and resurrection of Jesus, in response to his words at the final meal he shared with his disciples, ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’ (Luke 22:19 ) Thus, when we receive communion, we remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us, and we grow in LOVE for one another as Jesus commanded us. 

And what do the scholars say about Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper. As per ‘Jesus took bread: The head of the Jewish household was accustomed to doing this during the Passover feast. Jesus gave a completely new significance to the action.’ Then, as per ‘This is my body: During the Passover feast the Jewish householder took bread in his hand and said, This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt,’ meaning, of course, that one represented the other. By His words the Lord changed the whole significance and emphasis of the feast from looking back to the typical redemption from Egypt to faith in the redemption from sin accomplished by His death. 

The bread and wine were only outward symbols of our Lord’s death. Nothing in the gospels indicates that these were to be viewed as a means of grace, sacraments, or that they were physically necessary for one’s salvation.’ Meanwhile, as per ‘The cup: Three cups were passed around by the Jewish householder during the Passover meal; the third, which is probably the one referred to here, being known as “the cup of blessing.” 

And ‘My blood of the new testament taken from the Greek Septuagint version of Exodus 24:8, with allusions to Jeremiah 31:31 and Zechariah 9:11. The covenant in Exodus 24: 8 was sealed with blood. Now, as per ‘Shed for many the remission of sins: Here is a clear statement that the death of Jesus was necessary to enable God to forgive sins. It, in fact, made it right or morally justified for Him to do so.’ 

Ah friends, so much happened on that penultimate day of Jesus’ life that we don’t have time nor space to recount it all in detail. But we do know that after supper Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, (John 13:2-17) which was another eye-opener for the disciples; their Master doing a slave’s job. And when Peter refused, Jesus simply told him: ‘If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.’ (John 2:8) It was a powerful example as Jesus told them. ‘If I then, your Lord and Master (Teacher), have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.’ (John 2:14) That’s a picture of the humility and selflessness we were talking about earlier. 

Then Jesus told them about their being offended by the things that were going to happen to Him, but Peter as usual refused to accept Christ’s words, claiming he would never be offended or leave Jesus. At which point, Jesus told Peter about his denying Him thrice before the cock crowed twice. (Matt. 26:31-35) Then they went into the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus, with heavy heart and sorrowful soul prayed for a reprieve from His Father, but none was forthcoming. (Matt. 26:36-46) 

Finally, Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, and all the disciples fled the scene. (Matt. 26:47-57) Then while Jesus was being questioned by the high priest Caiaphas, Peter denied knowing him three times before the cock crowed twice, and the Lord just looked at him, with an ‘I told you so’ look. And Peter went outside and wept bitterly. (Matt. 26:69-75) Yes my fellow saints, Maundy Thursday was indeed a busy and important day for our Lord and Saviour. But you’ll notice that though His soul was burdened, He nonetheless stepped up to the plate and batted the most wonderful innings ever played! 

Now that is a most worthy example for us to follow, especially since we’ve been generously granted what we call our Thursday Blessings, of which we’re not worthy, but have been bestowed them to help us do Christ’s work here on earth. So, let’s declare (yesss!!!) them so that they can be activated. Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! 

I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

Now it’s time for us to go out and do the work that we’ve been so generously blessed to do! Much LOVE!

…though also God…in His humanity…Jesus was indeed…a man amongst men…a class act…no doubt about it… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ