4-30-20 Today in the Word

OUR SURPRISING SAVIOR
Thursday, April 30, 2020 | Matthew 28:16–20
 
FAITH AND DOUBT

In one parable, Jesus told the story of a man in hell who pleaded with Abraham to send someone back from the dead to warn his brothers of the danger. Abraham refused the man’s request: “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (Luke 16:31).
Jesus’ point was proven after His own resurrection. He had directed the eleven remaining disciples to meet Him on “the mountain” in Galilee (Matt. 28:16). Matthew adds a surprising detail about this encounter with Jesus in verse 17: “some doubted.” Who were these doubters? Some believe they were the eleven. Others think it was a larger group that was present. At first the eleven struggled to accept the testimony of those who had seen the risen Christ (Luke 24:11; John 20:24–27).
There is more to faith than hearing or seeing. We may think that it would be easier for us to believe if we had been eyewitnesses. Yet some saw Jesus after the resurrection and still doubted. There is strong evidence to support the resurrection of Christ. Hundreds saw Him (1 Cor. 15:6). But the Bible teaches that seeing is not essential to faith. Jesus promised a special blessing to those who would believe without seeing: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
Not only is Jesus still alive, He is present with us and has given us authority to act as His representatives. The church’s task is to make disciples by baptizing and teaching. They must then learn what it means to live under the authority of Jesus Christ.
>> As we conclude this month’s study, know that our task, as Christ’s church, is done for Jesus but also with Jesus. He empowers us by His Spirit to bear witness to the truth of His resurrection with our lips and by our lives (Acts 1:8). Go forward today as a bearer of this amazing news!
PRAY WITH US
On this last day of the month, our prayer is that we will grow in our love and commitment to our Savior, will continue to be surprised by Him, and will speak of His truth and love with our lives. Thank you for praying with us!
This month's devotional is written by Dr. John Koessler. Dr. John Koessler, who retired as professor emeritus from Moody Bible Institute, formerly served in the division of applied theology and church ministry. John and his wife Jane enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan. A prolific writer, John’s books include The Radical Pursuit of Rest (InterVarsity), The Surprising Grace of Disappointment (Moody), and True Discipleship (Moody). John is a contributing editor and columnist for Today in the Word.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t...
Read more

9-25-23 The Farm Chronicles: One Christmas

The Farm Chronicles: One Christmas :: By Bill Wilson Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:Bill Wilson, General Articles There are a lot of terrible things going on right now in the world. But we are at the time of the year when we, as Christians, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We can choose to be impacted by the world around us in its dimly lit arena, or we can choose to let our light so shine. I choose the latter. I want to tell you a little about the Christmas that I had growing up on our family farm in Ohio. I was blessed to be born into a horse and cattle farm that has been in our family for some 200 years. And Christmas, especially Christmas Eve, was a wonderful time for our family. December 24 was my Dad’s birthday. And my Dad was well-loved by his neighbors and friends, so we had a lot going on Christmas Eve. I remember one special Christmas Eve. I must have been about four years old. The night was falling, and the wind and snow were whipping across the barny...
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th...
Read more