Daily Encouragement

February 15, 2009 - The Rejected Stone

Meditation on Luke 20

The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the priests and the scribes of the Jewish nation at Jesus' time were the leaders of their nation. They led their nation to reject Jesus. So Jesus told a parable to warn them and predicted God's rejection against them for a long while.

The parable is about a man who planted a vineyard, leased to tenants and went into a far country for a long time. When the vintage time comes, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect some of the fruits of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him up and sent him away empty handed. Several others servants sent by the owner were also treated badly in subsequent trips. Amazingly, the owner still had patience by sending his own beloved son to face the tenants. This time the tenants killed the son thinking they will inherit the vineyard themselves. Certainly the owner will come to destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. (v. 9-16)

Jesus' parable was clear to those leaders then that they were the wicked tenants whom Jesus referred to. They therefore continued to find way to trap Jesus in order to deliver Jesus to the governor for His death. They thought of some of the trickiest questions to ask Jesus which were recorded in this chapter. But Jesus' answers surprised them.

Jesus also said to them, "The stone which the builder rejected has become the chief cornerstone." (v. 17 NKJV)

From this parable and the statement about the stone, we come to understand that the nation of Israel was rejected by God because of their rejection of the Son of God. Therefore God's vineyard has been let out to the Gentiles instead. Many Gentiles today do come to know the Lord. Jesus, the rejected stone has become the chief corner stone of His church which will conquer all nations till Jesus come again. God will also gather the Israelites to His fold again when the time comes. (Romans 11:25-32)

February 16, 2009 - Counted Worthy Before Jesus

Meditation on Luke 21

In our devotions of Matthew and Mark, we have studied the passages on Jesus' prediction of the signs of the times, the end of the age and the destruction of Jerusalem. (Please feel free to go back to our archive for some background.)

This time let us seek to understand what Jesus meant after He talked about all of the above and then said, "Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things are fulfilled." (v. 32 NKJV) Certainly Jesus would not mean the generation at that time though indeed Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD., but He did not come back from heaven yet. There are various interpretations for this statement. I believe the proper one should be the alternate meaning for the Greek word, "generation" (genea γενεά) which is "race". So Jesus was saying that the Jewish race will by no means pass away. It then would be a promise of God for the Jewish people that they will survive the catastrophes at the end time. We can thank God for His protection of His chosen race.

Continually for all of us Jesus admonished this, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." (v. 34-36)

For the Christians who watch and pray always, we have the hope that we will be raptured before the great tribulation will come onto the earth. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) Let us pay much attention to Jesus' warning above on how to live.

February 17, 2009 - The Temporal Hour Of Satan

Meditation on Luke 22

In this passage, Dr. Luke recorded the dark hour in the lives of Jesus and His disciples. First of all, Satan entered Judas' heart. He went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard to discuss how to betray Jesus with money. Then after Jesus mentioned the Kingdom of God during the Passover Feast, the disciples were arguing among themselves who was the greatest. So Jesus had to teach them those who wanted to be great should serve others like He did and that they needed to go through trials like he did too.

Following that incidence, Jesus foretold Peter's denial of Him. He prefaced that by saying, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to shift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (v. 31-32 NIV) The word, "you" after "shift" is in plural. So Satan was shifting the disciples also. There are times that Satan attacks and tempt all of us.

Later that night in Mount of Olive, Jesus was arrested and betrayed by a kiss of Judas. Jesus said to the religious officials, "....this is your hour- when darkness reigns." (v. 53)

During the trial of Jesus at the house of the high priest, Peter denied Jesus three times as Jesus predicted.

Then the guards humiliated and beat Jesus. Next morning, with a mocked trail, the religious officials condemned Jesus.

However, we can learn from Jesus how to face the dark hour of attack from Satan. Before His arrest, He spent special time in prayers. Dr. Luke recorded specially that "An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." (v. 43-44)

When we pray during our tough hour, God will help us. Let us pray more earnestly when we face Satan's attack. God will protect your faith, for Jesus Himself will pray for you. (Romans 8:26, 34)

February 18, 2009 - The King On The Cross

Meditation on Luke 23

When Jesus was delivered to Pilate, He was accused of considering Himself a king. (v. 2) So Pilate asked Him saying, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He answered him and said, "It is as you say." (v. 3 NKJV)

On the cross of Jesus, there was an inscription written in Greek, Latin and Hebrew, "This is the king of the Jews". The Romans soldiers did this for a form of mocker. They said to Jesus that "If you are the king of the Jews, save Yourself." (v. 38)

But one of the two criminals who were crucified with Jesus recognized that he himself was a sinner but Jesus had done nothing wrong. Furthermore he really considered Jesus as king. So he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into your kingdom." It was a desperate nevertheless a marvelous request with insight. Jesus answered him, "Assuredly. I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." (v. 43)

After Jesus had died, a council member, Joseph went to Pilate to request for Jesus' body. The Bible says that this man was also waiting for the kingdom of God. (v. 51) Whether he knew it or not, he was laying in his tomb the body of the King of the universe. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Yes, Jesus the King had died on the cross for us to conquer sins and death. Three days later He would be risen from the tomb. He not only can save Himself, He can save all of those who believe in Him like the thief on the cross. What a KING!

February 19, 2009 - How To See The Risen Lord

Meditation on Luke 24

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus did not recognize the risen Lord though He was walking and talking with them. Later on when Jesus appeared to the eleven apostles, some of them were terrified, frightened and supposed they had seen a ghost. They did not believe that was Jesus at first. Now that Jesus had ascended to heaven, how will we know Jesus? How will we see His power working with us and in us?

The answer lies in two things: First we must pray to have our spiritual eyes opened to see Him working in us. (Ephesians 1:18)

Second, Luke told us the answer. "Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it , and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him;..." ( v.30-31 NKJV) After the two disciples returned right away to Jerusalem, they retold to the apostles what happened on the road to Emmaus, "and how he was known to them on the breaking of bread." (v. 34) What does the breaking of bread represent? Two things: The worship of the Lord in the teaching of God's Word as well as the observing of the Lord's Supper.

Therefore I believe it is in the worship of Jesus as well as the opening of God's Word that we as believers can have our spiritual eyes opened today to sense the presence of Jesus through the Holy Spirit who is with us today. Especially as we observe the Lord's Supper, remembering Jesus' sacrifice of His body and the shedding of blood on the cross, we will understand in our spirit that He is with us.

When we are aware of His spiritual presence, our lives will be changed to be more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ as God has predestined. (Romans 8:29) Therefore it is very important to worship Him and observe His Supper in order to know Christ more.

God's word tells us that one day we shall see Him as He is when He is revealed, for we shall be like Him. (1 John 3:2)

February 20, 2009 - The Word Was God

Meditation on John 1

John 1:1 is a profound and superb message on the origin and status of Jesus. Let us study it phase by phase in the following:

"In (the) beginning was the Word," the Apostle John said. In the original Greek, there was no "the", such designating word. Thus, it pointed to the time of eternity past rather than the beginning of sometimes in the past. The Word was eternal.

"And the Word was with God." This Word that was from eternity past was with God together. And "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.......came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side has made him known." (v. 14, 18) Jesus Christ then was the Word who became the human being who had made known the Father God.

"And the Word was God." Jesus Christ who was at the side of the Father God was also God Himself. This was a most unusual statement by the Apostle John who was a Jew. The Jews were monotheistic. They only believed in one God. So John was telling us that the Father and the Word together was one God. Later on John said, "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30)

Again John emphasized in verse two about the equality of Jesus with God, "He was with God in (the) beginning." Therefore the Word had been existed with God in eternity past. But remember, there was only one God.

The revelation of God was amazing. God wanted to communicate Himself to us. That was why He called His Son, the Word. He sent the Word to make Him known. In eternity past, God the Son had already been designated as the Word who would become flesh!

Not only He was called the Word, He was also called the Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world. (v. 29) He was also called Christ, meaning the Messiah. (v. 41) Furthermore, the disciples recognized that Jesus was the son of God and the King of Israel. (v. 49)

We thank God for His loving and atoning communication to us.

February 21, 2009 - Does Jesus Trust You?

Meditation on John 2

The first miracle that Jesus performed was in Cana of Galilee. Jesus turned water into wine for the wedding party. It showed that Jesus cared for the newly wed. He provided for their immediately need of giving joy to their guests. The Bible also called this as a sign which caused His disciples to believe in Him. (v. 11) There were many others who believed in Jesus when He went to Jerusalem because they saw the signs which He did. (v. 23) "But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men," the Bible also recorded. (v. 24 NKJV)

In other word, Jesus did not trust some of those who professed their faith in Him. He knew what was in man. There were those who did not have genuine faith. They believed Him for the reason of the sign or miracle. But they did not repent of their sins nor fully commit their will to Jesus as the Son of God. So Jesus did not commit Himself to them either.

When people asked Jesus to show them more sign, He said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (v. 19) He meant that the temple of His body will be resurrected after His death. This is the most important sign we must all acknowledge. Those who profess to trust in Jesus must believe that Jesus has risen from the dead. They are the genuine believers whom Jesus would commit Himself to.

How is your level of trust in Jesus today? Do you truly believe that He has died for your sins and resurrected to give you new life? If you still have doubt about His resurrection, then Jesus would not trust you. But when you repent of your unbelief and declare Him as the Lord who is risen from the dead, you are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)