SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/1/2016 7:12 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
His Source of Knowledge
Bible Reading &
Meditation Reference: John 7:15-16
Message of the verses: “15 The Jews then were astonished, saying,
"How has this man become learned, having never been educated?" 16 So
Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent
Me.”
We have the
advantage of knowing who Jesus Christ is, the Son of God, the very God who came
to show us the Father, but many in that day, and sad to say in this day did,
and do not know who He is, and that is the most important thing in all of the
earth to know. These Jews were
astonished at His teachings and at this time we will look at several portions
of Scripture where others were also astonished at His knowledge. Matthew 7:28-29 is given at the end of the
Sermon on the Mount: “28 When Jesus had
finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29 for He was
teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” Next we look at Mark 1:22 which takes place
in Capernaum “They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one
having authority, and not as the scribes.”
Next we look at Matthew 13:54 which takes place at His hometown of Nazareth
“He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that
they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and
these miraculous powers?” Lastly we look
at John 7:44-46 “44 Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on
Him. 45 The officers then came to the
chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, "Why did you not bring
Him?" 46 The officers answered,
"Never has a man
spoken the way this man speaks."”
Yes that statement is true as no one has ever spoken like Jesus,
something I want to dwell on.
I think
that it was probably those Jews who did not care for Jesus who asked this
question “How has this man become learned, having never been educated.” Jesus knew the Scriptures better than anyone
for He wrote them and they are about Him, so it is no surprise to us that He
knows them like He did when He was on earth, but the problem with the Jews then
and today is that they don’t see that the Scriptures are about Jesus Christ,
for instance they say then and today that Isaiah, the last part of chapter 52
and all of 53 speak of the nation of Israel, and when you read those verses the
only correct way to understand them is to see that they speak of the Messiah,
but because of their narrow-mindedness against Jesus they asked this question
in a sarcastic way. They did not think
that Jesus was ignorant but just that He did not get His knowledge from their
schools. I suppose that D. L. Moody went
through the same things from the “learned” theologians of his day as he did not
have great education, but God used him in wonderful ways as many came to Christ
both in the United States and England.
D. L. Moody knew his limitations of not having a good educations and so
he began schools for students to learn things he did not know and those schools
are still around today.
Jesus
answered those who gave this question with “My teaching is not Mine, but His
who sent Me.” MacArthur writes “It was
true that His knowledge was not derived from any human institution and His
teaching opposed that of the teachers in Judaism. But that did not mean that it was merely His
own personal opinion, as the authorities implied; in fact, it came directly
from God the Father who sent Him.” John
8:28 says “So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will
know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the
Father taught Me.” Then John
12:49-50 “49 “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself
who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50
“I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I
speak just as the Father has told Me."”
We will conclude
with the fact that the Old Testament prophets were also sent from God and had
the authority of God in their teachings, but they would say “Thus saith the
Lord, “ while Jesus also came from the Father but because He is the Lord, there
was no reason for Him to say that.
“Spiritual meaning for my life today: I wish to think about what those officers
said to their leaders when they were sent to arrest Jesus as they told them “never
has a man spoken like Him.” As I read
His Word I have to think about Hebrews 1:1-3 “1 God, after He spoke long ago to
the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He
appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory
and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by
the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at
the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Why would I not want to listen to what He says to me through His Word
and through His Spirit.
My Steps of Faith for
Today: To better listen to what
Jesus has to say to me.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible question: “Judah” (Hebrews 7:14).
Today’s Bible question:
“Why did the rich young ruler fail to follow Jesus?”
Answer in our next SD.
5/1/2016 7:46 AM
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