Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Bible Text: Matthew 9:13 “Go and find out what is meant by the scripture that says: ‘It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.’ I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts.” Read Matthew 9: 9-13.
Memory Verse: Titus 3:4-5a “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed, He saved us.”
Jesus lived a perfect life while he was here on earth and as Christ followers, when lost, the teachings of Jesus are one which navigates us back on track. I cannot but imagine how much dislike the people of then portrayed, as the bible records they did everything to bring Jesus down because they were not in support of the gospel, but amongst all the noise and distraction, He was able to live a completely perfect life on earth.
Looking at most of His teachings in the new testaments, the message in today’s bible text reads as “Mercy not religion”. Most of the words used by Christ are not unrealistic even though requires understanding! We see Jesus being questioned because He choose to have a meal in a tax collector’s home; someone who everyone sees as a sinner and detests, He moved with various questionable people whose resume will not qualify when weighted for being noble and perfect, yet when challenged for doing so, Jesus always had the right response for the mockers. Indeed, he proved that He has not come for the perfect but to guide and direct the imperfect to the way of perfection.
Some Christians are like the Pharisees, so spiritual that they attend all church functions, can quote a lot of scriptures and even do all to participate in countless church activities but forget to practice what they read from the bible. Christianity is practical and that is simply what Jesus was trying to tell us in Matthew 9:13.
Jesus challenges us to learn the difference between kindness and sacrifice. Examine the things you do and highlight the driver for those things. Do you do things because of what you intend you benefit from it? Or do you show mercy and kindness because the bible teaches you to do so and its imbibed in your way of life? We are called to be imitators of Christ, in more words, aspire to be like Him.
Christians have missed the whole concept of being called a follower of Christ. Jesus tells us to focus on kindness, an act of love which He taught according to the scriptures in Matthew 22:37-39. Don’t be thinking that your sacrifice of time, money and the rest alike are all that is required. Jesus desires for us to move beyond sacrifice to giving our hearts out to people and loving them just like he loved us whiles we were yet sinners. He died for us you know; so we can inherit eternal life and not live all our years in life under the bondage of darkness. His death brings out of that bondage to freedom, out of darkness to light. What manner of love!
I encourage us to understand that while religious activities have its own place, biblical practices as taught by Christ likewise has its place which cannot be interchanged, it goes a long way, even stronger than mare activities. Christ values the practice of his teachings over activities. Definitely we have to work for God because it’s the demonstration of our faith in Him, but we also have to walk with God, an act which involves being a hearer and doer of His word.
Are you ready to be move from religious activities to practical Christianity? Do what king David did in 2 Samuel 9 today, think of someone and show them kindness, then gradually set yourself an action to show kindness to at least one person a day until it becomes a way of life.
Kindness naturally comes from the heart, it shouldn’t be something you have to first see as sacrifice; so build kindness until it becomes a part and parcel of you, something you show out of the blue, it doesn’t mean you are not sacrificing something, it means you do not have to see it as sacrifice before you do it.
PRAYERS:
- Father I thank You for your endless blessings and great plans you have for me
- I receive the grace to show kindness all through this year 2020
- Help me to build myself to show love to others selflessly, help me to be a doer of your teachings.
- Forgive my iniquities Lord and let your mercy prevail over judgement
- Thank you Father and in Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.
I’m reading the YouVersion plan ‘Bible in One Year 2020 With Nicky Gumbel’. Check it out by clicking on the caption below.
