One Year Bible Readings and Commentary for Friday, March 25th
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In chapter 4 Moses urges the Israelites to obey the Lord. He gives them many reasons for doing so. The fact that God is God and asks us to do something should be enough for us. After all, if God created us and all that exists it might make sense to listen to him. After, He knows us better than we know ourselves. In addition, Moses gives them the following reasons to obey.
1. So that they might live and enter the Promised Land, which God had promised to them. The generation before had not trusted God and died in the wilderness because of their unbelief.
2. When they went into the new nations they would display God's wisdom and intelligence.
3. The nations will wonder who their God was that He would be so near to them and listen to them.
4. They would wonder what nation has laws which are so righteous and fair.
God doesn't give us laws to obey because he is on a power trip. He gives us these laws because he loves us. As we obey God's laws it will show the world what the true God looks like, as our lives prosper under his blessing. On the flipside when we disobey God's laws, he allows the natural consequences of our disobedience to occur.
God did not make us robots, but gives us the choice to trust him or not. We trust in God when we live our lives according to the plan He has given us. Of course, we all fall far short of obeying God's commands, but the Good News is God even provided a way out of our sinful nature. He sent us His only Son to die for us, so that we would not have to pay for our sin. He who knew no sin took our sin upon himself. He paid a debt he didn't owe for we who had a debt we could not pay.
Luke today also talks about the benefits of obedience. But first of all he warns of being a judgmental person. Usually people who are the most judgmental have plenty of sin in their own lives they should be worrying about. Maybe this is why they are so judgmental of others, because they don't want to look in the mirror.
Jesus also wanrs today that just saying to him, "Lord, Lord", does not mean you are a true follower of his. Jesus said it would be better to listen to his teaching and do what he says. You will be like a person who built his home on a firm foundation. When the rain and winds come that house will stand firm becuase it is built on the rock. We might say Jesus' commands are "rock solid".
Finally, Luke tells the story of a Roman Centurion. He was in charge of many people. Roman military officers were despised by the Jews. But apparently this centurion he was unusual as he had a special relationship with the Jews. He helped build their local synagogue, so they told Jesus he should help him. Also, we see he was a different kind of leader because he is concerned about his slave at home. When he asks for Jesus and Jesus comes, he tells Jesus not to come to his house because he doesn't deserve for Jesus to come in.
Then he says the important word to Jesus, "But just say the word an dmy servant will be healed." Jesus didn't have to come to his house to lay hands on his servant, all he needed to say the word wherever he was at. He had authority to tell his soldiers when to come and when to go, and Jesus could tell sickness when to come and go.
You see there is a relationship between faith and obedience. Between what we say we believe and how we act. Why? Because if you believe you WILL act on God's promises. The Roman centurion, who wasn't Jewish, had the one thing the Jewish leaders did not have, faith. In humility, the centurion thought little of himself and much of Jesus!
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