God's Word for Me Today
Wednesday, January 2, 2002
Unwrapping a Christ-Centered Christmas!
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, I thank You for revealing to me that Jesus, is the Messiah, Your one and only Son! I thank You for the difference know that truth makes in my life, and pray that more and more the truth of knowing Jesus, and the accompanying power and presence of the Holy Spirit will transform me, and make me a useful tool for Your glory. God, just as Peter confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, I pray for boldness to confess Jesus before family members, before, classmates or co-workers, before strangers that You will put in my path today. Let me live fully and completely for You this day, eagerly desiring to fulfill Your will in all that I am and all that I do. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God's Word for Me Today: Luke 9:13-37
18 One day as Jesus was alone, praying, he came over to his disciples and asked them, "Who do people say I am?" 19 "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead." 20 Then he asked them, "Who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah sent from God!" 21 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about this. 22 "For I, the Son of Man, must suffer many terrible things," he said. "I will be rejected by the leaders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. I will be killed, but three days later I will be raised from the dead." 23 Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. 25 And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process? 26 If a person is ashamed of me and my message, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in my glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. 27 And I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you see the Kingdom of God."
Questions for Reflection
What is the most important truth you have ever come to know and understand?
Have you ever been put on the spot in front of a group of people, because people wanted to know something about God that they assumed you would know?
Questions for Exploration
What did Jesus want the disciples to tell Him about himself? (9:18-21)
What did Jesus tell the disciples about the implications of his being the Messiah that would have come as a total surprise to them? (9:21-27)
Questions for Understanding
Why do you suppose that Jesus want the disciples to tell him who the crowds thought he was and who they thought he was?
What is the significance of Jesus’ response to the disciples in 9:21-27
Questions for Application
Consider who Jesus is to you. What will you do differently today, if you take seriously that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God?
What does it mean in your life to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus?
Who Do You Say That I Am?
Jesus was coming to the end of His earthly ministry. In fact, most biblical scholars considered this incident in Jesus’ life as the halfway point in Jesus’ ministry on earth. It was at this point that He asked the disciples the most important of all questions, “Who do you say that I am?” Instead of jumping right into that question, He first asked them who the crowds thought He was. He wanted them to already have given it consideration before He turned the question to them directly. While the crowds thought Jesus was a great prophet. It was Peter who announced that Jesus was the Messiah—God’s anointed deliver—and the Son of the living God. Peter didn’t figure that out, because he was so sharp. God revealed that truth to Him. It is the same with us. Why do some of us know that Jesus is God’s Son, that He is the Lord and Savior of all, while others don’t? It isn’t because we’re so smart and they aren’t. Knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior is a gift from God, a blessing. God offers the blessing of knowing Him, and His Son, Jesus, to us all, but until the “eyes” of our hearts are opened, the truth doesn’t impact or transform us. Peter wasn’t real excited when he found out that Jesus’ messiahship wasn’t going to turn out the way he thought. Peter thought that Jesus would destroy the Romans and establish Israel as the world’s great power. Instead, Jesus told the disciples that he would be rejected and die in order to save the people. That’s a tough “pill” for any of us to swallow. We think that following Jesus ought to be one constant blessing, that knowing him ought to bring us joy, health, material blessing and all our hearts’ desires. While we MAY enjoy all of those things, Jesus wants us to recognize that following Him, that knowing Him and who He is, is the first and greatest blessing! Receiving “stuff” from God is always a joy, but the greater joy is in knowing the joy giver—in knowing God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As we go about this new year of 2002, how great it will be if we recognize both who Jesus is, and what He calls us to do in response to His Lordship in our lives! In the end who we say Jesus is, is certainly important, but living our life as if Jesus really is the Messiah the Son of the living God is far more important for us and for those around us.
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