The Scriptures Point to Me!!! - Jesus
Psalm 116:1-7
1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!”
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
Reflection: We hear from David in this psalm of his thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness to hear him when he was deeply distressed. We know from David’s life that God delivered him many times from the chains of death, so he could write this from first-hand experience. God used many avenues to deliver David, and in the story below in 1 Samuel, God uses Abigail to prevent him from shedding innocent blood of Nabal and his men, when they don’t return David’s kindness. Abigail comes out to meet him and cool his white hot anger and feeds David’s men. She reasons with him that he will have unneeded guilt on his conscience if he carries out his anger. David quickly sees she is from the Lord and turns away from his anger, and trusts God will justify his cause. Sure enough evil Nabal then suffers some kind of heart attack when Abigail tells him what happened and dies 10 days later. We see David’s listening to Abigail whom God sent to spare all the innocent men’s lives and David’s honor. David learned in many ways that God is gracious and righteous and full of compassion and protects those whom He loves.
1 Samuel 25:18-44
18 Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. 21 David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. 22 May God deal with David be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!” 23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. 26 And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal. 27 And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you. 28 “Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. 30 When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, 31 my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant.” 32 David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.” 35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.” 36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died. 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.” 41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife. 43 David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives. 44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.
Reflection: As mentioned above we see the quick thinking and shrewd actions of Abigail, Nabal’s wife. Upon learning of David’s plan from a servant, she quickly concocts a plan to help save David from eventual unneeded bloodshed. Abigail must be a student of Scripture because she knows that David would eventually be the ruler over Israel. She also knows David has a track of trusting in the Lord rather than his own hands for avenging his foes. By allowing God to avenge this enemy, David shows he is a true king, whose actions are led by the King of kings, not earthly motives and power-lust.
There are two significant things, Abigail’s actions in faith that God would honor her, and David’s ability to see God in the face of this woman whom He sent. For a woman to do this in this culture was a bold and brazen act, and David is able to see that this could only be the hand of God at work!
Do you leave yourself open to the many ways God will help you when you are frustrated by situations and people around you? How quickly to you take into your own hands to avenge yourself when you have been wronged? Do you allow God to act on your behalf in His providence?
John 5:31-47
Testimonies About Jesus
31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true. 33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. 36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
Reflection: This is quite an amazing discourse where Jesus talks about the power of testimony. He acknowledges that He needs no human testimony to authenticate who He is or His mission. I.e. God does not need our testimony, but our acknowledgement is more for us than him. The truth is the truth whether I acknowledge it or not. John the Baptist was a messenger for Jesus and was faithful to proclaim that, “Greater is He that goes before me I am not worthy to untie the thongs of his sandals”.
And then Jesus goes on to say if you will not believe the verbal testimony from people like John, at least you must acknowledge the works that Jesus does that proves He is from the Father. As we have said the signs Jesus does in John’s gospel are a pointer to who He is, and that He is the Messiah. Then, Jesus says something very interesting. He says, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, but yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
Wow! You mean I could read the bible all my life, yet never come to know Jesus! Apparently so. Why? Because the bible is the revelation of who God is, and at the center of this revelation is Jesus Christ who shows us what God is like, and then tells us if we want to know God we must come through Him. Why? Because sin separates us from God and the Law of Moses could never justify us? The Law only condemns? That is why Jesus said, “If you don’t want to accept me and my works go back to Moses and you will see how far you will get!” As Paul says in Romans 3, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” The Law convicts us of how we cannot justify ourselves, but it also puts us into a place where we can accept what Jesus has done for us by faith. These people were experts in the Law, but they could not even see the Son of God right in their midst, and they missed the very One who fulfilled all of the Law in their presence.
What does this mean for us today? It means we can do all sorts of religious activity like reading the bible, going to church, or even pray, but miss the purpose of it all which is to know God through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Then the bible teaches us that as we believe, we are born again and begin to do what the bible asks us to do through His work in us, as God sets us apart to be a living testimony of His goodness. So the good works we do aren’t to gain God’s approval, but because we are approved by God the Father, through God the Son, we start to do them as we are led by God the Spirit in every-day life.
The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. Psalm 98:2 (NIV)
Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen. Acts 28:2
You call us all, Christ, and we hear your voice. We praise you, we thank you, we rejoice in your name. Strengthen us, embolden us and inspire us to share your good news beyond our church walls. In Christ’s name. Amen.
1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!”
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
Reflection: We hear from David in this psalm of his thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness to hear him when he was deeply distressed. We know from David’s life that God delivered him many times from the chains of death, so he could write this from first-hand experience. God used many avenues to deliver David, and in the story below in 1 Samuel, God uses Abigail to prevent him from shedding innocent blood of Nabal and his men, when they don’t return David’s kindness. Abigail comes out to meet him and cool his white hot anger and feeds David’s men. She reasons with him that he will have unneeded guilt on his conscience if he carries out his anger. David quickly sees she is from the Lord and turns away from his anger, and trusts God will justify his cause. Sure enough evil Nabal then suffers some kind of heart attack when Abigail tells him what happened and dies 10 days later. We see David’s listening to Abigail whom God sent to spare all the innocent men’s lives and David’s honor. David learned in many ways that God is gracious and righteous and full of compassion and protects those whom He loves.
1 Samuel 25:18-44
18 Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. 21 David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. 22 May God deal with David be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!” 23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. 26 And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal. 27 And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you. 28 “Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. 30 When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, 31 my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant.” 32 David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.” 35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.” 36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died. 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.” 41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife. 43 David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives. 44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.
Reflection: As mentioned above we see the quick thinking and shrewd actions of Abigail, Nabal’s wife. Upon learning of David’s plan from a servant, she quickly concocts a plan to help save David from eventual unneeded bloodshed. Abigail must be a student of Scripture because she knows that David would eventually be the ruler over Israel. She also knows David has a track of trusting in the Lord rather than his own hands for avenging his foes. By allowing God to avenge this enemy, David shows he is a true king, whose actions are led by the King of kings, not earthly motives and power-lust.
There are two significant things, Abigail’s actions in faith that God would honor her, and David’s ability to see God in the face of this woman whom He sent. For a woman to do this in this culture was a bold and brazen act, and David is able to see that this could only be the hand of God at work!
Do you leave yourself open to the many ways God will help you when you are frustrated by situations and people around you? How quickly to you take into your own hands to avenge yourself when you have been wronged? Do you allow God to act on your behalf in His providence?
John 5:31-47
Testimonies About Jesus
31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true. 33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. 36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
Reflection: This is quite an amazing discourse where Jesus talks about the power of testimony. He acknowledges that He needs no human testimony to authenticate who He is or His mission. I.e. God does not need our testimony, but our acknowledgement is more for us than him. The truth is the truth whether I acknowledge it or not. John the Baptist was a messenger for Jesus and was faithful to proclaim that, “Greater is He that goes before me I am not worthy to untie the thongs of his sandals”.
And then Jesus goes on to say if you will not believe the verbal testimony from people like John, at least you must acknowledge the works that Jesus does that proves He is from the Father. As we have said the signs Jesus does in John’s gospel are a pointer to who He is, and that He is the Messiah. Then, Jesus says something very interesting. He says, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, but yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
Wow! You mean I could read the bible all my life, yet never come to know Jesus! Apparently so. Why? Because the bible is the revelation of who God is, and at the center of this revelation is Jesus Christ who shows us what God is like, and then tells us if we want to know God we must come through Him. Why? Because sin separates us from God and the Law of Moses could never justify us? The Law only condemns? That is why Jesus said, “If you don’t want to accept me and my works go back to Moses and you will see how far you will get!” As Paul says in Romans 3, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” The Law convicts us of how we cannot justify ourselves, but it also puts us into a place where we can accept what Jesus has done for us by faith. These people were experts in the Law, but they could not even see the Son of God right in their midst, and they missed the very One who fulfilled all of the Law in their presence.
What does this mean for us today? It means we can do all sorts of religious activity like reading the bible, going to church, or even pray, but miss the purpose of it all which is to know God through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Then the bible teaches us that as we believe, we are born again and begin to do what the bible asks us to do through His work in us, as God sets us apart to be a living testimony of His goodness. So the good works we do aren’t to gain God’s approval, but because we are approved by God the Father, through God the Son, we start to do them as we are led by God the Spirit in every-day life.
The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. Psalm 98:2 (NIV)
Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen. Acts 28:2
You call us all, Christ, and we hear your voice. We praise you, we thank you, we rejoice in your name. Strengthen us, embolden us and inspire us to share your good news beyond our church walls. In Christ’s name. Amen.
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