November 7 - Matthew 24: Jesus on His Return

Today’s Reading: Matthew 24

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Jesus wanted His Disciples to keep things ready for His Return.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The Temple impressed the Disciples. Jesus told them it would be destroyed.
"What are the signs?" the Disciples inquired.
Jesus warned, "Many people will claim to be Me. Don't panic. The signs are much greater than war, famine, or earthquakes.
"People will hate you because you carry My Name. Stick with God and spread the Good News.
"When the Temple is destroyed, run. Times will be hard, but God will cut it short.
"My Return will be blatantly obvious. No one—including Me—knows when. Life will be normal right until it happens. Watch carefully and help each other."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Jesus wants His Disciples to care for each other while He is away.

Jesus uses a parable of a servant put in charge of his master's house to show His point. Good servants treat everyone well and keep everything ready for the master's return. This is what Jesus wanted while He was away. Care for each other because our Master, Jesus, will one day return. If we wait until the last minute we may wait too late.

How are you treating your neighbors?

November 5 - Luke 20-21; Matthew 23: Jesus Confronts the Pharisees and Religious Scholars as Frauds

Today’s Reading: Luke 20-21; Matthew 23

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Jesus gives the major issues He has with the religious scholars and Pharisees: they do not walk the talk.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Jesus trapped His opponents when they questioned His Authority.
God would remove Israel from being His sole Chosen People.
Jesus answered the Pharisees and Sadducees. They could not answer His questions.
Jesus praised a poor widow for giving all.
The Pharisees and religious scholars failed to live the Law, prevented entrance to God's Kingdom, taught converts to argue, played games with promises, focused on the visible, and acted arrogantly toward their ancestors.
"Jerusalem, you would not come to Me."
The Temple would soon be destroyed. Although they could see signs of its destruction, they should ignore rumors of His Coming.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The Pharisees taught a high morality but lived a low morality.

Jesus' major problem with the Pharisees and religious scholars was their obsession with making themselves look good while making everyone else seem lesser in comparison all the while having dark hearts. They taught that God's Kingdom was so difficult to get into they discouraged many from even trying. They wanted their degrees and places of importance and were willing to stop at nothing to get it—walking on as many people as possible to get to the top. Beware teachers who have an unobtainable standard for being "righteous".
In the Restoration Movement, we have struggled with these problems for the last few generations. We began, in similar fashion to the Pharisees, attempting to return to the Scriptures. In turn we began codifying more and more beliefs as "essentials". Although we did not do everything the Pharisees did we do have similarities—especially the one about going across the sea and teaching them how to argue.

The Pharisees thought they could game God's System.

What they forgot was God saw their hearts. You cannot game God's Righteousness. Setting things right is the only way to obey Him.

The End will come without signs.

Jesus told His Disciples how to know Jerusalem would be utterly destroyed. However, He wanted to make sure they were not confused into believing He returned, too.

Have you tried gaming God's Righteousness?