Bible League: Living His Word But Jesus said, "Stop complaining to each other."When the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented to you, how do you respond? Do you respond to it with joy, or do you respond to it in some other way? The Jews of Jesus' day responded by complaining. Jesus came to them proclaiming "I am the bread that gives life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who believes in me will ever be thirsty" (John 6:35). The Jews complained because they did not believe he was the heavenly bread that gives life. They did not believe the gospel message he proclaimed. Jesus said the only reason they followed him was that he fed them earthly bread (John 6:1-15). To complain about the gospel of Jesus Christ is a sin. It arises from unbelief. It arises from the realization that the gospel requires a radical reorientation of life. It arises when a recalcitrant soul refuses to accept the reorientation that is required. When one is confronted by the gospel things cannot stay the same. Instead of following the dictates of the sinful self, one must accept Jesus and begin to follow him. Instead of living life on one's own terms, one must live life for Jesus. For some, this is too much to ask. For some, complaining is the only appropriate response. It's not just unbelievers who may complain. Believers may do it as well. Although we have received the gospel with joy, when confronted with some of its implications we may hesitate and complain. After all, to follow Jesus is to surrender to his will and ways. It means that we cannot have our own way. If Jesus asks us to go here or there, or do this or that, it may not be what we want. It may not jibe with our personal agenda. As a result, we may resist him, we may complain to him. The main problem with complaining is that it keeps us from moving forward in life. Instead of moving forward into the new thing Jesus has for us, we remain stuck where we are. Instead of following the fresh calling, we stagnate in the old calling. The ten spies complained about moving into the Promised Land and they ended up dying in the Wilderness. If you find yourself complaining about something, it might be profitable to ask yourself: am I refusing to follow Jesus? Am I resisting his direction for my life? Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJeremiah 33, 34, 35 Jeremiah 33 -- God Promises to the Captive a Gracious Return and David's Branch NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 34 -- Jeremiah Prophesies the Captivity of Zedekiah; Freedom for Slaves NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 35 -- By the Obedience of the Recabites, Jeremiah Rebukes Judah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Titus 3 Titus 3 -- Godly Living; Final Remarks NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!Insight It seems strange that a man in prison would be telling a church to rejoice. But Paul's attitude teaches us an important lesson: our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our outward circumstances. Paul was full of joy because he knew that no matter what happened to him, Jesus Christ was with him. Several times in this letter, Paul urged the Philippians to be joyful, probably because they needed to hear this. Challenge It's easy to get discouraged about unpleasant circumstances or to take unimportant events too seriously. If you haven't been joyful lately, you may not be looking at life from the right perspective. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 119:53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.My soul, feelest thou this holy shuddering at the sins of others? for otherwise thou lackest inward holiness. David's cheeks were wet with rivers of waters because of prevailing unholiness, Jeremiah desired eyes like fountains that he might lament the iniquities of Israel, and Lot was vexed with the conversation of the men of Sodom. Those upon whom the mark was set in Ezekiel's vision, were those who sighed and cried for the abominations of Jerusalem. It cannot but grieve gracious souls to see what pains men take to go to hell. They know the evil of sin experimentally, and they are alarmed to see others flying like moths into its blaze. Sin makes the righteous shudder, because it violates a holy law, which it is to every man's highest interest to keep; it pulls down the pillars of the commonwealth. Sin in others horrifies a believer, because it puts him in mind of the baseness of his own heart: when he sees a transgressor he cries with the saint mentioned by Bernard, " He fell to-day, and I may fall to-morrow." Sin to a believer is horrible, because it crucified the Saviour; he sees in every iniquity the nails and spear. How can a saved soul behold that cursed kill-Christ sin without abhorrence? Say, my heart, dost thou sensibly join in all this? It is an awful thing to insult God to His face. The good God deserves better treatment, the great God claims it, the just God will have it, or repay His adversary to his face. An awakened heart trembles at the audacity of sin, and stands alarmed at the contemplation of its punishment. How monstrous a thing is rebellion! How direful a doom is prepared for the ungodly! My soul, never laugh at sin's fooleries, lest thou come to smile at sin itself. It is thine enemy, and thy Lord's enemy--view it with detestation, for so only canst thou evidence the possession of holiness, without which no man can see the Lord. Daily Light on the Daily Path Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.Psalm 45:2-4,6 You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. • Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One, In Your splendor and Your majesty! • And in Your majesty ride on victoriously, For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; Let Your right hand teach You awesome things. • Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. Psalm 89:19 Once You spoke in vision to Your godly ones, And said, "I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. Zechariah 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate," Declares the LORD of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones. Isaiah 12:2 "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation." 2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. Jude 1:24,25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, • to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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