Moravian Daily Texts for The Day 1/20/12
• Psalm 14
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm14&version=NIV
• Genesis 22
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis22&version=NIV
• Matthew 8:5-22
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew8&version=NIV
Psalm 14
1 The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the LORD.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
The psalmist says the God looks down to see if there are any who understand and seek God. He concludes that all have turned away, and there is no one who does good. Paul picks up on this theme in Romans 3:11, and concludes in Romans 3:28, “We have all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. “
You might say wait a minute “I’m a good person”, and you probably are in some respect, but what is your standard? God’s standard is perfection and if we are true and look into it through that lens, we will see we all fall short of perfection. That is the definition of the word “sin”, missing the mark, not hitting the “bulls-eye” every time. We all miss the mark. But at the end of the psalm, the psalmist expresses hope that God will restore His people and salvation for Israel (and for us!) will come out of Zion (another name for Israel in its redeemed state!)
Genesis 22
Abraham Tested
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied, “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
It is impossible to imagine what this must have been like for Abraham to offer his only and long awaited son, the son of the promise of God. As Abraham prepared for the burnt offering with the wood and the fire, Issac speaks these chilling words, “The fire and wood are here, but where is the burnt offering?” I am sure Abraham choked out his answer, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering!”
You can imagine the horror in young Issac’s eyes as his dad ties him on top of the wood. Then, as he draws the knife to offer His son in sacrifice the angels breaks in and says, “Abraham, Abraham!” One can’t conceive how glad Abraham is to hear those words. As the angel applauds his incredible faith, a ram is caught in the thicket for the sacrifice instead of his son. This is a foreshadowing of the Lamb of God, who will be our substitute on the altar of wood that formed the cross. Abraham shows complete, radical trust in God’s covenant to provide, and God affirms through the angel that Abraham’s descendants will be as numerous as the sands of the seashore and the stars in the sky.
Matthew 5:5-The Faith of the Centurion
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
As Jesus finishes the Sermon on the Mount, where he taught on what the kingdom of God looked like and how we as his followers might enter into a kingdom kind of life. Now he demonstrates it through healing and deliverance of those who are sick and demon possessed. We see the faith of the Roman Centurion, who was mid-level leader in the Roman army of about 100 soldiers (though century can also mean “tribe” or “troup”). Though he was a man well acquainted with authority, he recognized the supreme authority of Jesus and had faith to say, “Just say the word and my servant will be healed.”
We see healing happening on two levels here. The healing of the man who has come to faith in Jesus, and also his servant, who is healed as a result of his faith and trust in Jesus’ word. Without even being there or touching the servant, Jesus heals him in that moment.
Today we see that although none of us are necessarily good, we can receive God’s approval through faith and trusting in God’s promises like Abraham and this Roman Centurion. One of them a Jew the other one a Gentile, but both justified by faith in God and Jesus! What are you relying on for your justification? Have you come to realize you fall short of the glory of God? As we put our trust and believe in Jesus we will be healed in that very moment too!
Prayer for the Day: Christ, you taught us to pray and to forgive. Our weak desire to forgive
can sometimes undermine our prayers. Teach us the ministry of mercy so our prayers before you can give us life. Amen.
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm14&version=NIV
• Genesis 22
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis22&version=NIV
• Matthew 8:5-22
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew8&version=NIV
Psalm 14
1 The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the LORD.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
The psalmist says the God looks down to see if there are any who understand and seek God. He concludes that all have turned away, and there is no one who does good. Paul picks up on this theme in Romans 3:11, and concludes in Romans 3:28, “We have all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. “
You might say wait a minute “I’m a good person”, and you probably are in some respect, but what is your standard? God’s standard is perfection and if we are true and look into it through that lens, we will see we all fall short of perfection. That is the definition of the word “sin”, missing the mark, not hitting the “bulls-eye” every time. We all miss the mark. But at the end of the psalm, the psalmist expresses hope that God will restore His people and salvation for Israel (and for us!) will come out of Zion (another name for Israel in its redeemed state!)
Genesis 22
Abraham Tested
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied, “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
It is impossible to imagine what this must have been like for Abraham to offer his only and long awaited son, the son of the promise of God. As Abraham prepared for the burnt offering with the wood and the fire, Issac speaks these chilling words, “The fire and wood are here, but where is the burnt offering?” I am sure Abraham choked out his answer, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering!”
You can imagine the horror in young Issac’s eyes as his dad ties him on top of the wood. Then, as he draws the knife to offer His son in sacrifice the angels breaks in and says, “Abraham, Abraham!” One can’t conceive how glad Abraham is to hear those words. As the angel applauds his incredible faith, a ram is caught in the thicket for the sacrifice instead of his son. This is a foreshadowing of the Lamb of God, who will be our substitute on the altar of wood that formed the cross. Abraham shows complete, radical trust in God’s covenant to provide, and God affirms through the angel that Abraham’s descendants will be as numerous as the sands of the seashore and the stars in the sky.
Matthew 5:5-The Faith of the Centurion
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
As Jesus finishes the Sermon on the Mount, where he taught on what the kingdom of God looked like and how we as his followers might enter into a kingdom kind of life. Now he demonstrates it through healing and deliverance of those who are sick and demon possessed. We see the faith of the Roman Centurion, who was mid-level leader in the Roman army of about 100 soldiers (though century can also mean “tribe” or “troup”). Though he was a man well acquainted with authority, he recognized the supreme authority of Jesus and had faith to say, “Just say the word and my servant will be healed.”
We see healing happening on two levels here. The healing of the man who has come to faith in Jesus, and also his servant, who is healed as a result of his faith and trust in Jesus’ word. Without even being there or touching the servant, Jesus heals him in that moment.
Today we see that although none of us are necessarily good, we can receive God’s approval through faith and trusting in God’s promises like Abraham and this Roman Centurion. One of them a Jew the other one a Gentile, but both justified by faith in God and Jesus! What are you relying on for your justification? Have you come to realize you fall short of the glory of God? As we put our trust and believe in Jesus we will be healed in that very moment too!
Prayer for the Day: Christ, you taught us to pray and to forgive. Our weak desire to forgive
can sometimes undermine our prayers. Teach us the ministry of mercy so our prayers before you can give us life. Amen.
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