Bible Devotion

Day 1

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 12:1–8

When you read Deuteronomy 23:24-25 and Exodus 31:12-17, do you get a sense that the disciples violated the Sabbath or not? Why?

1. In Jesus’ reply, did He defend the action of the disciples based on the following grounds?
a. Their action did not violate the law of Sabbath

b. The Law of Sabbath no longer was needed
2. The Old Testament Law may be categorized into the following:
a. Ceremonial law that governs the worship and the religious conduct of the people of Israel

b. Civil law that governs the social conduct of the people of Israel in order to maintain law and order, and

c. Ethical conduct that reflects the attributes of God
In general, it is thought that
- Jesus came to fulfill all ceremonial laws

- And as society changes, civil law also changes (such as the monetary penalties necessarily change over time)

- But ethical and moral law never changes
What is the purpose of the law of Sabbath, and if you accept the above categorization, what then would the law of Sabbath fall under?

3. Jesus’ reply comprised several examples with different emphases:
a. Jesus appeared to contradict what the priest said in 1 Samuel 21:4-6: What was Jesus’ point of emphasis?

b. Priests could do what was not permitted on Sabbath. What was His point of emphasis?

c. He is the Lord of Sabbath and is greater that the temple itself: What was His point of emphasis?
4. Jesus again quoted from Hosea 6:6. Can you recall when He quoted this verse not long ago? What was the context of His earlier quote? How similar was its application in both cases?

5. What then is Jesus teaching us about our attitude towards the Law and how should it affect our Christian life today, especially in the church?

6. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
Help Those Who Help Themselves

Leading up to the heated debates in 2012 among the Republican nominees who were to compete with President Obama, social issues received a lesser focus than the economy. Still the two are so intertwined that one politician was caught misquoting the Bible by saying that “God helps those who help themselves.”

To the surprise of many, including Christians, this is not only not in the Bible, but this is actually contrary to the teaching of the Bible. I still remember that the Home for the Blind near my home town in Tokwawan, Kowloon, bore exactly this slogan in its building.

This saying is usually attributed to Ben Franklin, and is quoted in Poor Richard’s Almanac in 1757. In actuality, it originated from Algernon Sydney in 1698 in an article titled Discourses Concerning Government. Whatever the original source of this saying is, the Bible teaches the opposite. God helps the helpless!
Isaiah 25:4 declares, “For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat...”

Romans 5:6 tells us, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
In terms of salvation, we are all utterly helpless. We are all infected by sin (Romans 3:23), and condemned as a result of that sin (Rom. 6:23). Nothing we can do on our own can remedy this situation (Isa. 64:6). Thankfully, God is the helper of the helpless. While we were still sinners, Jesus died for us (Rom. 5:8). Jesus paid the penalty that we were incapable of paying (2 Co. 5:21). God provided the “help” that we need precisely because we could not help ourselves.

This is not an excuse for us not helping ourselves, but if we are true to emulating Christ, our help towards others should not be based on whether those who receive our mercy help themselves or not. That is the difference between God’s mercy and human mercy.

(Source: Some of the information came from www.gotquestions.org)

Day 2

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 12:9–21

1. What was the penalty for breaking Sabbath Law (see Exod. 31:14) and why was it so severe?

2. Who else could have healed the man with a shriveled hand? What kind of a question, then, was it in v. 10?

3. How did Jesus’ reply echo His earlier answer in v. 7?

4. With all the explanations, why did the Pharisees still react the way they did in v. 14?

5. How appropriate was Matthew in quoting Isaiah 42:1-4 in view of this incident? How did Jesus demonstrate the following:
a. He will not quarrel. Is there any reason that He should?

b. He will not cry out and no one will hear His voice in the streets. What kind of a picture was painted of Jesus?

c. A bruised reed He will not break. What is a reed for? What is a bruised reed? Why would one want to break it?

d. A smoldering wick He will not snuff out. What does a smoldering wick represent? What would one do to a smoldering wick normally? What kind of a picture was painted of Jesus?
6. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
Incredible Justice

The famous quote from Isaiah 42 about the bruised reed and the smoldering wick is indeed a powerful one that depicts the astounding mercy of God. But we often overlook that these words were being said within the context of God’s justice (42:1 — He will bring justice to the nations; 42:3 — In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 42:4 — till He establishes justice on earth.)

What is justice? When we think of fairness, impartiality, being right or correct, we also think of giving reward or penalty as deserved. If this is what we have in mind, we are in tune with the Webster Dictionary which goes on to say that it is by “the use of authority and power to uphold what is right, just and lawful.” As a result, the symbol of administering justice is often depicted by a goddess, often blind-folded, holding a set of scales and a sword.

But Webster understands justice beyond this; it refers to justice also as, “the quality of being righteous.” That is closer to the biblical understanding of justice.

God is not simply concerned about righting the wrong and administering punishment in proportion to the wrong committed. Ultimately, God is concerned about establishing a people that will be righteous. This is the mission of Jesus, the Messiah.

But He has come not to establish justice by giving us the punishment we deserve, because if we get what we deserve, we would all go to hell. Therefore, Isaiah declares,
“A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.”
But we often overlook the fact that the bruised reed or the smoldering wick is not so much a victim of injustice, but the very doer of injustice. When Jesus extends His invitation to us to find rest in Him (Matt. 11:28), He is calling sinners to repentance. Thus, in using the analogies of a bruised reed and a smoldering wick, Isaiah is pointing to the mission of the Messiah establishing justice as one of restoration.

Why would one care about a bruised reed? It will die of itself, just like the world; it will bring complete destruction on itself one day. Why would you not snuff out a smoldering wick? It has come to the end of its useful life, and the smoke it exudes is so irritating!

But God sees us not as a reed, of no value, or a wick, simply a tool! No, we are souls as Jesus makes clear in Matthew 11:29, precious souls in His sight. As a result, as He sees that we are sure to die as bruised reed, and we are sure to end as smoldering wick, He has come to take on our bruises, so that we may be healed, and to be snuffed out Himself on the cross that we may be brought back to life, to light!

This is how He has established justice on earth, by making us right before God by taking on the punishment we deserve. Now true justice, the quality of being righteous (as Webster defines it), has been made possible.

Day 3

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 12:22–37

1. After the healing of a man’s shriveled hand, now performed an undeniable spiritual healing — that of driving a demon out as He healed the man’s blindness and muteness. What was the reaction of the crowd? (What did they understand by “the Son of David”?)

2. What would your reaction be if you were there? If you were a skeptic, what might be the possible explanations of such a miracle?

3. On your list of possibilities, does it include what the Pharisees said here?

4. Why did they attribute Jesus’ power as from demons? Did they have any basis to do so?

5. If you were Jesus, what would you do?
a. Rebuke them severely?

b. Perform another miracle to prove yourself?

c. Perform a miracle of punishment?

d. Patiently reason with them, hoping they might repent?
What did Jesus do?

6. In vv. 25-26, what reason did Jesus give to correct them?

7. Now we know that those within Satan’s empire are united. How does Satan’s empire compare with the church of Jesus Christ in this respect?

8. Now, do you know one of the main reasons why the church of today is so weak and without power? What should you do, as a member of the church?

9. Jesus followed with several warnings, as a result:
a. What was the warning in v. 30? Can anyone have a neutral stand toward Jesus? Why?

b. What was the warning in vv. 31-32? Why did He distinguish between the Holy Spirit and the Son of Man?

c. What was the warning in vv. 36-37? Why is the consequence so severe even for “careless” words?
10. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

This sin mentioned in Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29 and Luke 12:10, has caused much unnecessary fear for over-sensitive Christians whose supposed “unforgivable sin” bears no resemblance to the deliberate accusation used by the Pharisees. I have a Christian friend who has suffered from an obsessive compulsive disorder and for decades, he suffered from such fear because he could not control his mind in thinking of “pig” as he thought of God. He was certain that he had committed this unforgivable sin, until his sickness was eventually cured after many, many years.

He was not alone, unfortunately because traditional interpretations have created much confusion. The early Christians distinguished blasphemy as of three kinds: The blasphemy of those who under persecution denied and cursed Christ, the blasphemy of heretics and other profane Christians, and the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Some early Christian interpretation distinguished it into two kinds: The blasphemy against the Son of Man as that of the unbeliever, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as that of Christians, “hence the idea that sin after baptism is unforgivable”. (R.T. France)

In order to quell such fear, some Bible teachers simply interpret the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as the unceasing and continual rejection of the Spirit’s conviction to repent. While their intention was admirable, it goes against both the meaning of the word and the context.

By definition, blasphemy is a speech and the context in all three gospel narratives is clearly about what is being said against the Holy Spirit, a direct insult in words.

And Jesus clearly made a distinction between blasphemy against Him as the Son of Man, and the Holy Spirit. This, though, does not mean that He was making Himself any less or inferior to the Holy Spirit. Rather, He was referring to the failure to recognize Him as who He is, which has led to slandering words spoken against Him; such sin, if repented, can be forgiven. But deliberate slander against the Holy Spirit, fully recognizing who He is, then such a sin is not forgivable.

So, even the Pharisees who spoke against Jesus, if they eventually repented and believed in Jesus, they would have been forgiven, because their blasphemy against Jesus was based on the “incognito” character of Jesus; and we know that there were Pharisees who did turn to Christ eventually. (Acts 15:5)

Even Peter who denied Jesus verbally (Matt. 26:69-75) was forgiven.

Personally, I doubt if any true believer will deliberately and willingly blaspheme the Holy Spirit and I agree with R.T. France that, “Ultimately only God can know when an individual’s (verbal) opposition to his work has reached this stage of irreversible rejection”.

However, it also reminds me that as much as I am very leery about the charismatic movement, I should caution myself not to judge some of the supernatural manifestations as to their origin, lest I make the same mistake of the Pharisees.

Day 4

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 12:38–45

1. You can scan through the previous chapters that we have covered so far and see what kinds of miracle the Pharisees and the scribes had already witnessed. Why then did they ask to see a miraculous sign? What kind of a sign might they have in mind (something that was different from what they had already seen)?

2. Have you seen or experienced miracles in your life? Why would you call them miracles?

3. How did Jesus rebuke them for their request? Why would such a request point to a “wicked and adulterous generation”?

4. Then, Jesus foretold his own miracle of death and resurrection. How similar was it to that of Jonah?

5. Jesus compared His hearers to the people of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba. What reasons did Jesus give that His generation should be judged and condemned? What about ours?

6. Jesus ended His condemnation of the generation, likening them to a demon-possessed person. How did the generation resemble this man in the following ways?
a. It was swept clean of evil spirit.

b. It was unoccupied.

c. It was eventually occupied by even more evil spirits.
7. Is our generation any different? Why or why not?

8. Is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
The Haunted House

William Barclay calls the parable of the seven demons, in Matthew 12:43-45, the parable of the “haunted house,” but his interpretation, I am afraid, fails to capture the severity of the warning by Jesus. Barclay concludes that it speaks of the evil of idleness and thus, “the Church will most easily keep her converts when she gives them Christian work to do. Our aim is not the mere negative absence of evil action; it is the positive presence of work for Christ.”

But Jesus was not speaking about the Church, but the wicked generation of His time where the devil fled in His presence (Lk. 10:18). By rejecting Him, and upon His departure, the prince of this world would take over (Jn. 14:30) and the world’s condition would be even worse than before.

Jesus’ message is one of “no fence sitting” which is being repeated through His ministry. Even in this same chapter, His message in v. 30 was, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”

As a result, anyone who does not receive Christ as their Lord and Savior rejects Him. One who does not make Christ their Lord and King, makes Satan their lord and king.

We like to think that we can be master of our own life. But the cold hard fact is we are either “slaves to sin which leads to death or to obedience (to Christ) which leads to righteousness.” (Rom. 6:16)

You do not have to be a haunted house.

Day 5

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 12:46–50

1. What was Jesus doing when His family arrived?

2. Why did they not come in and listen, and instead want to speak to Jesus?

3. What might be the purpose of their visit?

4. Was Jesus’ reply a little rude? Why or why not?

5. But saying, “Here...my mother” in particular, while pointing to the disciples, was He was not being too impolite to His mother?

6. What was the important point that He was trying to make?

7. What do these words of Jesus mean to you today?

8. Catholics, in general, would use v. 50 to refute Luther’s and Calvin’s claims that salvation is by faith, and say that righteousness is based on work. What is your answer?
a. You may wish to look up John 6:28 for Jesus’ own interpretation of what “work” is; and

b. The Book of Romans and Galatians have much to say in this respect (e.g. Rom. 3:28, 4:1-2, 5:1, and 10:10; Gal. 2:6, 3:1 and 3:24).
9. How do you understand v. 50 then?

10. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
Blood is Thicker than Water

Whether I was in a remote city of British Columbia or Great Britain, in the airport of San Francisco or Hong Kong, or on a tour, once I made known my faith in Christ to fellow believers, there was an instant narrowing of our distance. This is something the world cannot understand.

I still remember the joy of that Christian family from Florida who met my wife and me for the first time on our tour in Italy, how in a few short days we became like old friends, and how they would ask all kinds of biblical questions on a daily basis.

But I remember most those young university graduates who had dedicated themselves in reaching the Muslims in Banda Ache, Indonesia. They confided in me their passion, the danger they faced, and their struggles with their families, completely trusting me, someone whom they met for the first time, but who was a brother in Christ.

Indeed, they are my brothers and sisters, because they are Jesus’ brothers and sisters. We belong to the same family through the purchase of the blood of Jesus Christ. Blood is thicker than water.

Day 6

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 13:1–9, 17–23

1. Does “That same day” mean anything to you?
The fame of Jesus and the size of the crowd grew at the same time, but it appears that Jesus was speaking mainly in parables to them and Matthew selects a few to be retold here. The first one is about the fates of the seeds being sown. Vv. 1-9 tells the parable and vv. 17-23 provides the explanation. It is important to note that in understanding a parable, one has to focus on its central teaching, and not on minor details, unless they are made plain by Jesus himself.
2. In what ways does the use of the sower and sowing seed vividly fit the sharing of the gospel?

3. Can you relate the four outcomes of the seed to people or incidents that you have come across (or are in your own life)?
a. Seeds fell along the path: They are taken away by Satan.
  1. How did Satan do this in a hearer’s heart?
  2. What can the sower do?
  3. What can the “seed” do?
b. Seeds fell on rocky places: They dried up by trouble or persecution.
  1. Since trouble or persecution happens “because of the word”, should you encourage the hearer to keep his or her faith secret to avoid it?
  2. What can the sower do?
  3. What can the “seed” do?
c. Seeds fell among the thorns.
  1. What are the choking factors? What else can choke the growth of one’s faith?
  2. What can you the sower do?
  3. What can the “seed” do?
d. Seeds fell on good soil: There is acceptance and multiplication.
  1. How can the soil be good?
  2. Is there anything the sower can do to make sure the soil of the hearer is good?
4. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
In His Time

As we seek to share the gospel with our friends and relatives, especially those whom we love dearly, we are sometimes frustrated with their lack of interest in spiritual things, and secretly, we wonder if they will ever come to Christ.

As we read Jesus’ parable of the sower, we are far too familiar with those seeds on the wayside, and on shallow rocks. We too are familiar with those who appear to respond favorably to the gospel, only to fall away because of their busyness, their reluctance to give up their ways of life or the objection from their family.

I too remember the long journey it took to see my parents come to Christ. While I thought my mum was a very good person and she went to church at times, I was afraid she did not really know salvation. So, as I truly came to Christ in my late teen-years, I worried about her salvation, and one day, I gathered up my courage to share with her the need to accept Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. It did not go too well, as she basically did not respond to whatever I said (which probably was because I did not do a good job in explaining). But I did not stop praying for her, and I knew that my other born-again siblings would also pray for her.

It would be at least almost 20 years later, when she joined us in Vancouver that she began attending church regularly, and I could see her appetite for things spiritual grow exponentially that she could even recite Psalms 22-24 by memory before a large gathering in the church.

While my mum’s conversion was not too surprising, that of my father was. His relationship with most of us had not been good, and with his macho and smile-less image, none of us would have the courage to share the gospel with him, except to pray for him. I did too, for many years, and God answered our prayers. The pastor of one of my brothers happened to grow up in a small village where my father was stationed for work (I think during the wartime). Thus he could strike up a kinship with my father that no one else could, and eventually he led him to Christ, and my father passed away not too long afterwards. I will never forget the time, when the pastor led our family in prayers at my father’s funeral, before we headed out to the main hall. As I stood there with my eyes closed, I knew it was the light from the ceiling lights, but the light glowed in such a way as if it were from heaven, and my heart felt strangely warm with the inner assurance that, as much as it was hard to believe, my father was received into heaven.

I always wonder how we, as sharers of the gospel, can make the soil of the hearers good. Well, we cannot, only God can; but I believe that through our unceasing intercession, God will cause circumstances to happen to our loved ones to soften their hearts that the seed of the gospel will eventually bear fruits, no matter how long a journey it may be. He does make all things beautiful in His time.


Day 7

Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below.

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 13:10–16

1. In the New Testament, “secret” or “mystery” refers to God’s plan of salvation hidden in the past, but now made plain by the coming of Jesus. Why then did Jesus use parables in many of His public teachings?

2. Jesus was contrasting the disciples with the crowd (the Jews), and in Mark 4:11, Jesus used the words, “on the outside” to refer to the latter.
a. What did He mean by “outside” (outside of what)?

b. As those being inside, what did the disciples have that they would be given more of (more of what)?

c. What did the Jewish crowd have that would be taken away?
3. What had the crowd heard that they never understood? What had the crowd seen that they never perceived?

4. Whose fault was it, according to v. 15?

5. Even so, if they had decided to turn, what would have happened according to v. 15?

6. Tom Rees once made a remark that “the same sun that hardens the clay melts the wax”. How may his remark help you understand the quote from Isaiah 6:9-10 in v. 15?

7. Why did Jesus call the disciples blessed? What about us today, are we blessed less or more? Why?

8. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Meditative Reflection
Oh, the Bitter Shame and Sorrow

Today, I invite you to meditate on the lyrics of this old hymn which has touched the lives of many, including mine.

Comments on this hymn include:

“It takes about three minutes to sing this song through, but I wonder how long it takes to get from verse one to verse four in my experience. What will it take for Him to be all in all?”

“Only an Evangelical preacher can write a hymn like this.”
1
Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Savior’s pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered,
All of self, and none of Thee,
All of self and none of Thee.

2
Let He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on the cursed tree;
Heard Him pray, Forgive them, Father,
And my wistful heart said faintly,
Some of self, and some of Thee,
Some of self, and some of Thee.

3
Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and ah! so patient,
Brought me lower while I whispered,
Less of self, and more of Thee,
Less of self, and more of Thee.

4
Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hath conquered;
Grant me now my heart’s petition,
None of self, and all of Thee,
None of self, and all of Thee.

By Theodore Monod, 1836-1921

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