SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/17/2021 11:23 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
“Response to the Sermon”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew
7:28-29
Message of the verses: “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”
(NASB95). “28 The result was that when
Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching; 29 for
He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”
I
was just thinking about those who have “red letter Bibles” and as the Sermon on
the Mount began in Matthew chapter 5 up until the verses that we are looking at
today which is Matthew’s comment to this sermon. What were the responses to this magnificent
discourse? We have to think that some of
the multitudes believed in Jesus, but the number who ten entered the narrow
gate proved what He has said: “few are
those who find it” (7:14). When you
think about what happened after Jesus went back to heaven we can only find 120
people who were true believers up until Peter’s first sermon when 3000 came to
Christ. Very sad indeed!
Not
much was really reported but we do see that “the multitudes were amazed at His
teaching. MacArthur writes “Ekplesso (were amazed) literally means
to be struck out of oneself, and was used figuratively to being struck in the
mind, but is, of being astounded or beside oneself. The crowd was totally dumbfounded by the
power of what Jesus said. They had never
heard such comprehensive, insightful words of wisdom, depth, insight, and
profundity. They had never heard such straightforward
and fearless denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees or such a black and
white presentation of the way of salvation.
They had never heard such a fearful warning about the consequences of
turning away from God. They had never
heard such a powerful and demanding description of true righteousness or such a
relentless description and condemnation of self-righteousness.”
Here
is the most remarkable thing that struck the audience that day: Jesus “was teaching them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes. Macarthur
writes “Authority’ (exousia) has to
do with power and privilege, and is a key word in Matthew’s presentation of
Jesus’ kingship (9:1-8; 21:23-27; 28:18).
In the New Testament it is used for the power that proves and reflects
the sovereignty of Jesus. The ‘scribes’
quoted others to lend authority to their teachings, but Jesus quoted only God’s
Word and spoke as the final ‘authority’ on truth. He spoke eternal truth simply, directly, with
love (in contrast to the bitter hatred of the Pharisees), and without
hesitation or consultation. That
astounded the crowd.”
I have to apologize that this SD is so short today, and it is my desire to finish this section in our next SD, but I have a lot to do this day, preparing for our first prayer meeting for revival in our country and also preparing my Bible study presentation tomorrow, and then for my Sunday school class for Sunday, not to mention my desire to have finished my 2000 mile walk for this year which began on the 26th of March last year as I beat type 2 diabetes, lost 40 pounds in the process. 3/17/2021 11:48 AM
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