 |
|
| |
|
OceanSide church of Christ
Read devotionals for May 2021
June 1, 2021
John 5:23 – That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Thought: Since Jesus is the express image of the Father and does precisely what the Father does, He should have the same honor that the Father has. “All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.” If men fail to do this, then they fail to honor the Father. The two beings are intricately locked together with one another. It is impossible to have one without the other. It is impossible to do away with one without doing away with the other. How do you view and treat Jesus?
John 10:30
June 2, 2021
John 5:24 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Thought: Jesus reveals the benefit of hearing His word and believing in the Father who sent Him. Those who do this have everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation. Two thoughts come to mind. First, Jesus refers to a person who continually hears and believes. He is not referring to one who believes then falls away. Second, he speaks of eternal life as a present possession. It is not. Paul says it is part of our hope (See Tit. 1:2). However, it is so certain Jesus speaks of it as a present reality.
Romans 8:1-2
June 3, 2021
John 5:25 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
Thought: There are two ways to apply Jesus’ words. First, Jesus could be referring to His ability to raise the dead. He had performed many miracles, but He had not raised one from the dead. But, He would soon. Notice that He says that all He has to do is speak the words, “and they that hear shall live.” Second, these words could be applied to those who are spiritually dead. In order for those who are dead in their sins to live, they must hear the words of Jesus. “…and they that hear shall live.”
Ephesians 4:21-24
June 4, 2021
John 5:26 – For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.
Thought: Life is a very unique quality. Man has tried, but has not been able to create it. He never will be able to do it. Why? Only God is the fountain of life. Life is part of His nature. This is how Jesus described it: “…the Father hath life in himself.” In like manner, life is part of the nature of Jesus Christ. Because He has life in Himself, He is able to speak and bring the dead back to life. This one power alone should cause all humanity to bow and give reverence to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Psalm 36:9
June 5, 2021
John 5:27 – And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Thought: If Jesus is God, He must have the power to judge. Jesus affirms that the Father has given Him the “authority to execute judgment.” Judgment involves the ability to weigh evidence, examine the hearts of men, and make decisions objectively, authoritatively, wisely, and with equity. Only God can do this perfectly. One day Jesus will utilize the position of Judge. He will sit upon the throne of His glory. All nations will be gathered before Him. All will be judged according to their works.
Matthew 25:31-33
June 6, 2021
John 5:28, 29 – Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Thought: All men will die and will be put in the grave. But, all men will come forth from the grave. This will happen at the Lord’s Second Coming. He will command the dead to rise. They will break forth from the sod in which they were buried and stand again. Man will fall into two groups when resurrected. Those who have done good, that is, have done the will of God, will be raised unto life. Those who have done evil, that is, have refused to do God’s will, will be raise to damnation.
Romans 2:6-11
June 7, 2021
John 5:30 – I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Thought: Jesus reveals His mindset in this verse. He was committed to doing His Father’s will. This is one of the most difficult things a person can do. We are individuals who have our own desires and our own wills that we long to fulfill. Often, our will conflicts with God’s will. When it does, we must ask: “Whose will am I going to follow?” The choice is ours. God will not force His will on us. Hopefully, we will seek to be like Jesus, who said: “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father…”
Psalm 40:7-8
June 8, 2021
John 5:31 – If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
Thought: Jesus had been affirming that He is the Son of God. Here, He states a simple truth. “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.” If Jesus were the only one testifying, it would not be enough to establish the credibility of His message. Barnes gives this comment on the word “true:” “The word ‘true,’ here, means worthy of belief, or established by suitable evidence” (e-sword). Two or three witnesses were needed to establish truth. Jesus’ words alone would not have been a credible witness.
Deuteronomy 19:15
June 9, 2021
John 5:32, 33 – There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
Thought: Jesus was not the only one who testified that He was the Son of God. There was another, John the Baptist. There was no reason to doubt the veracity of John’s testimony. Jesus knew the Jewish leaders had confronted John and had heard his message about the Christ. These two witnesses, John and Jesus, should have been enough to establish the truth. These religious authorities should have humbled themselves and received the truth. Sadly, they did not want evidence. Dear reader, do you?
John 1:19-27
June 10, 2021
John 5:34, 35 – But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
Thought: Jesus did not need testimony from man. He had testimony from His heavenly Father. Yet, John’s testimony was present. If believed, these Jews could have been saved. Jesus affirms that John was “a burning and a shining light.” He, then, admits a truth that is not often discussed. He says of these Jewish leaders: “Ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.” There was a time when they accepted John as a prophet of God, but when he pointed them to Jesus of Nazareth, they rejected him.
Matthew 11:9-11
June 11, 2021
John 5:36 – But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
Thought: Jesus now points to proofs of His claims that were greater than the witness of John. “…for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me.” Jesus pointed the Jewish leaders to His miracles. They were supernatural. They were powerful. They were undeniable. They were of various types. They were witnessed by many. They were verified. There was no reason to reject them. They definitely proved that Jesus was a teacher sent from God.
John 3:1-2
June 12, 2021
John 5:37 – And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
Thought: Jesus once again affirms that by means of His works the heavenly Father was bearing witness of Him. This spiritual being had never been seen or heard by the Jewish elite. Jesus, on the other hand, had heard and seen the Father. There was a time when he resided in the heavenly realm with Him. It was He who affirmed that Jesus was indeed His Son and was sent into the world by Him. There was no greater witness. The Jews should have affirmed this and accepted the truth.
Matthew 17:5
June 13, 2021
John 5:38 – And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
Thought: If the Word of God had been in the hearts of these Jewish leaders, they would have accepted Jesus. It is interesting that Jesus tells the teachers of the Law that “ye have not his word abiding in you.” It is not enough to read the Law, to study the Law, and to teach the Law. Individuals are to realize and accept the purposes of the Law. One of the purposes of God’s Law was to reveal Jesus. When these rabbis failed to see Jesus for who He was, they proved God’s Word was not in them.
Isaiah 53:1-3
June 14, 2021
John 5:39 – Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Thought: Jesus clearly states that the Old Testament Scriptures testify of the Christ. There are over three hundred prophecies of the Christ in the sacred writings of the Hebrews. Thus, Jesus exhorted these religious men to “search the Scriptures.” These were the writings they trusted to give them eternal life. Thus, they should be honestly studied. If they were, this man from Nazareth would be seen to be the Messiah. Did they believe the Word they so boastfully proclaimed?
Acts 26:22-23
June 15, 2021
John 5:40 – And you will not come to me, that ye might have life.
Thought: Life resides in Jesus. He blesses man with physical life, an animated life, and spiritual life. Too, He can grant eternal life. Yet, the Jewish leaders would not come to the Christ in order to have the life He gives. Stubbornness, selfishness, pride, and ignorance were some of the things stopping the Jews from coming to Jesus. What is it that is stopping you? Is it the things that stopped the elite of the Jews? Or, is it sin? Could it be materialism? If Jesus has life, why wouldn’t you come to Him?
Matthew 23:37
June 16, 2021
John 5:41 – I receive not honour from men.
Thought: Jesus is deserving of man’s honor. However, He did not come to receive man’s approval and applause. The only approval He desired was from the Father. Adam Clarke makes this comment on Jesus’ words: “Your salvation can add nothing to me, nor can your destruction injure me: I speak only through my love for your souls, that ye may be saved” (e-sword). Men believe that they harm Jesus by speaking against Him. They are wrong. They only manifest a lack of one quality, the quality of love.
I Thessalonians 2:6
June 17, 2021
John 5:42 – But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
Thought: Love is the quality that leads men to accept and follow Jesus. The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day did not have the love of God in them. Therefore, they rejected the holy Son of God. Without love in one’s heart for God even the strongest evidence of Jesus’ deity will be rejected. The Jews rejected John’s witness. They also rejected the evidence of Jesus’ miracles. Does your life show that you love God or that His love in not in you? Your acceptance or rejection of Jesus is the key to this question.
John 15:23-25
June 18, 2021
John 5:43 – I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
Thought: Isn’t it interesting that men will reject deity, but will receive another man? Men will reject the truth, but will receive a lie. They will reject the eternal, but will receive the temporal. They will reject holiness, but will receive sin. They will reject Heaven, but will receive condemnation. Man does not know what is best for himself. God attempts to help man see what is good for him through His Word. However, he will not force man to receive it. God wants man to come to him out of love.
John 17:6-8
June 19, 2021
John 5:44 – How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from the Father only?
Thought: A person’s focus in life is important when it comes to his relationship with God. The focus of the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day was upon receiving honor one of another. They would boast about their credentials, accomplishments, and good works. The “good ole boys” were involved in the practice of “you scratch my back and I will scratch yours.” Their focus should have been upon what needed to be done in order to receive honor from their heavenly Father. This they did not seek.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
June 20, 2021
John 5:45 – Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
Thought: The Jews accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. He proved their accusation to be wanting. He now tells them that He will not accuse them to the Father. There was another, Moses, who did this. Clarke tells us: “It was a maxim among the Jews that none could accuse them but Moses: the spirit of which seems to be, that only so pure and enlightened a legislator could find fault with such a noble and excellent people!” (e-sword). Moses accused them by looking forward to Jesus’ coming in his writings.
Numbers 21:8-9
June 21, 2021
John 5:46, 47 – For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Thought: Jesus affirms what we mentioned yesterday. Moses wrote about Jesus. Moses affirmed that a Prophet was coming that was like unto him. When the Jewish leaders rejected the Christ, they rejected their law-giver, Moses. Since they did not believe Moses, it was not surprising that they rejected the words of Jesus. The Jews were in a quandary. Moses gave the Law. The Law affirmed the Christ. To reject the Christ was to reject the Law and the law-giver. How would the Jews handle this?
Luke 16:27-31
June 22, 2021
John 6:1 – After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
Thought: An interesting aspect of the Bible is that it is real history. When the Bible speaks of people and places, they are real. The Sea of Galilee is a fresh water lake, thirteen miles long and about 8 miles wide. It reaches of depth of 141 feet. It is a beautiful lake. It teems with all kinds of fish. This lake had four names in Bible times: the Sea of Galilee, the Sea of Tiberias, Kinnereth, and Gennesaret. This lake feeds the Jordan River. Five of the apostles of Jesus made their living fishing the Sea of Galilee.
Luke 5:1
June 23, 2021
John 6:2 – And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
Thought: The words, “and a great multitude followed him,” were common in the life of Jesus. Jesus was followed for several reasons: His teaching, His claims, and His miracles. On this occasion, He was being followed because of the miracles. There are many who follow Jesus in order to get something from Him. They long to be served rather than serve. They want instead of having a desire to give. Those who have this disposition do not last long. When things get difficult, these are the first to leave.
Matthew 15:30-31
June 24, 2021
John 6:3 – And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
Thought: Jesus would often retreat into a mountain for time with His disciples or for time alone by Himself. These times did not happen very often. Jesus’ ministry involved being with multitudes of people more than not. Jesus realized the necessity of taking time to recoup and to reenergize. He understood the need for rest. He also knew that there were times when He needed to speak to His disciples alone in order to teach them properly. Taking personal time is not selfish. It is a necessity.
Matthew 14:23
June 25, 2021
John 6:4 – And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
Thought: The Jews held three that feasts required the attendance of the males of the nation. One of those was Passover. Passover was held in the first month on the fourteenth day. It commemorated the Lord’s passing over the firstborn of Israel in the land of Egypt. The blood of the Passover lamb was placed on the door posts and lintels of the Jews’ houses. When the Lord saw the blood, He passed over them. Truly, His salvation was something to celebrate. Jesus never forsook one of these feasts.
Deuteronomy 16:1-3
June 26, 2021
John 6:5, 6 – When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
Thought: In the midst of the solitutde, the multitudes came and broke the silence. When Jesus saw them, He asked one of His disciples: “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” They were far from a town and did not have the resources to purchase enough food to feed the multitude. This was a challenging question for the disciple. Jesus asked it for one reason: “And this he said to prove him.” How deep was Philip’s faith? How deep would your faith have been if you were asked that question?
Luke 9:12-13
June 27, 2021
John 6:7 – Philip answered him Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
Thought: Philip told Jesus that even two hundred pennyworth of bread, about $35.00 worth, would not be sufficient for the multitude to each take a little. It was more than the disciples had. Thus, they had a problem. How would they supply the needs of these individuals? The answer was standing in their midst. One wonders if any of the disciples considered Jesus’ abilities in their thought process? Did Philip? Do we when we do not have the necessary resources to supply our needs?
Genesis 22:7-8
June 28, 2021
John 6:8, 9 – And one of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
Thought: The disciples understood Jesus’ desire to feed the multitudes. However, they had no food to feed them. They did happen upon a young lad who had five barley loaves and two small fishes with him. This was equivalent to a few crackers and two sardines. Thus, the disciples asked Jesus: “…but what are they among so many?” This insignificant portion could not feed the masses. It appears that they were not considering Jesus and His wonderful powers. How often we forget as did the disciples.
I Kings 17:8-12
June 29, 2021
John 6:10 – And Jesus said, make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
Thought: After establishing the apparent hopelessness of the situation, Jesus takes control. He tells His disciples to have the men sit down. The number of the men was five thousand. This number does not account for women and children. The number of people present on this occasion could have been between ten to twenty thousand individuals. Now we understand why the two hundred pennyworthy and the five loaves and two fishes were not enough. What was Jesus’ plan? He did have one.
John 6:6
June 30, 2021
John 6:11 – And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
Thought: Jesus held in his hands five pieces of bread that a lad had brought with him to hear Jesus. After He blessed the loaves, He broke them and distributed them to His disciples. He did the same with the two small fish. As he broke these meager provisions, they began to multiply in His hands. They just continued to pour forth in His hands. What came forth was enough to provide food for five thousand men plus the women and children gathered that day. What a sight that must have been!
Matthew 7:7-11
Read devotionals for July 2021