Bible Devotion

Day 1

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 24:1–14

The temple that the disciples saw was still under re-construction and was supported by King Herod. Although nowhere near the splendour of the original built by Solomon, still, the stones laid for this temple were massive, and its exterior glistened in the sun as a stunning piece of architecture.

1. What did the temple represent as far as the people were concerned?

2. What did the temple represent as far as God was concerned?

3. What is meant by “Not one stone here will be left on another”?

4. What did such destruction mean to the people and to God when the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 by Titus, the Roman General?

5. The disciples were relating the destruction of the temple also to Jesus’ second coming and the end of the age. Did Jesus dispute their view? Why not?

6. In light of this, list the signs in vv. 5-8.  Consider,
a. What has happened historically

b. What is happening in our days, and

c. What has yet to happen?
7. Do you think we are living in the “end-time”? Why or why not?

8. Preceding His coming, Jesus highlights in vv. 9-12 the signs of persecution. Although the immediate setting was in “local councils” and “synagogues” (according to Mk. 13), it does spread beyond that.

There is a report that there are more martyrs in the last century than any time in the history of Christianity. Name five countries that you know are persecuting believers today (if you have access to the internet, take time to visit www.persecution.org today).

9. Should you be afraid of persecution? (See Lk. 21:19.)

10. In spite of the intensifying of all the signs, what did Jesus cite as the final one before “the end will come”?

11. How then should we live?

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

Meditative Reflection
Indestructible?

The temple in Jesus days, though not comparable, in glamour and quality, to the one built by Solomon, it was still so imposing that one of the disciples said to Jesus,
“Look. Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (Mk. 13:1)
One can only imagine the even more massive stones and greater magnificence of Solomon’s Temple.  No wonder, they could never imagine that God would leave His temple and that it could be destroyed or desecrated by the Gentiles. But it was, by King Nebuchadnezzar. By the mercy of God, some of the exiles were able to return by the order of the Persian King, Cyrus, and the temple was again rebuilt. But it was again destroyed and this time it was desecrated by the infamous Antiochus IV Epiphanes in BC. 167. While King Herod ruled over Jerusalem as a governor for the Roman Empire, he took the trouble to invest a lot of money to restore the temple in order to please or appease the Jews. Its glamour was such that the Jews, once again thought it was indestructible and that God would not leave His temple. History does have a way of repeating itself. The prophecy about its destruction by Jesus once again was fulfilled in AD. 70.

The Jews were not alone in repeating their mistake. Many in the heyday of the Great British Empire thought that the sun would never set on their empire, but it did. The many European countries which once embraced God as their God and prospered, have one by one seen their world dominance dwindle into insignificance.

As much as we can debate about whether many of the founding fathers of the United States were mere deists, it is indisputable that the nation was built by honoring God as its God and it has risen to replace the Great British Empire as the dominating world power. But the trend is also clear that the nation is following the footsteps of the European countries in getting more secularized and running God out of its public life. If we think that the United States will never dwindle into insignificance as a world power, we have not learned from history. The only hope of the nation is to return to God.

Day 2

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 24:15–31

As Jesus continues to foretell of the “Great Tribulation”, it appears that He is addressing different aspects of it:

1. Vv. 15-20: addressing the Jews
a. Who is the main character responsible for the great distress? (You may wish to consult Dan. 7:8, Rev. 19:20, 2 Thess. 2:4-8 etc.)

b. What do you sense about the times conveyed in vv. 16-20?

c. In this section, what might indicate that the Jews are those who are addressed primarily?
2. Vv. 21-28: addressing the entire world
a. How severe will the Great Tribulation be?

b. How does the belief of “pre-tribulation” rapture affect the interpretation of who the “elect” might be in this section? (i.e. if believers are taken up before the Great Tribulation, who might the “elect” be?)
c. If false Christs and false prophets can perform great miracles, how can we tell they are false?

d. How does v. 27 help us in discerning at least the false Christs?
3. Vv. 29-31: Final Signs and His actual coming
a. Try to draw a picture of the final signs

b. While many of the preceding signs might have happened in varying degrees, have these final signs happened yet?

c. Why would all the nations mourn? What would they be mourning over?

d. But to the “elect”, what will that day be like?

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


Meditative Reflection
The Talk of Jesus’ Coming

Martyn Lloyd-Jones once remarked that if you wish to draw a crowd to the church, preach on either holiness or the end-times. He was being sarcastic obviously. The preaching on holiness would definitely be welcomed, as so many Christians are dying to hear truths that are correctly divided, but not necessarily for their self-consumption, but for the rebuke of others. The preaching on the end-times would give them a similar satisfaction, but also for the satisfaction of their curiosity.

Therefore, as a pastor, I have mixed feelings about preaching on the parousia (i.e. the second coming of Christ). On the one hand, I must as a pastor, for it is only biblical to give urgent warning at a time like this. But, on the other hand, the curiosity about the end-times of the average Christian often goes beyond what is healthy.

As one who benefited greatly from the book The Late Great Planet Earth many years ago, and used it as a very effective pre-evangelistic tool, I do hope that preachers will continue to preach and warn biblically about the imminent return of Christ, but with integrity, sticking to what is knowable and avoiding any sensational speculations.

Day 3

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 24:32–39

As Jesus wraps up the foretelling of the signs of the end-time in response to the disciples’ questions in 24:3, He uses the fig tree as an analogy:

1. As you mull over all the signs in the preceding verses, do you get a sense that Jesus is “right at the door”? Why or why not?

2. Why does Jesus emphasize that “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away”?

3. While “this generation” suggests many interpretations or speculations, it is perhaps more natural within the context to assume that it refers to the generation in which all these signs will come together. Will it be our generation?

4. How should we react to the pronouncements of the time of Jesus’ coming from self-proclaimed prophets based on v. 36?

5. Why would our Father God not give us more specific timing to help us better prepare ourselves to face Jesus’ coming?

6. In what ways does His coming resemble that of the flood? Try to analyze your comparisons in detail.

7. What lessons should we learn from the flood?

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


Meditative Reflection
Nor the Son of Man

Many liberal biblical scholars use this remark by Christ that no one knows about that day or hour (of His return), nor the Son (Matt. 24:36), to insinuate that Jesus is a lesser God than the Father. If hypothetically these scholars are right, it begs the question why the Father would deprive the Son of such knowledge. There is simply no reason that the Father would not confide with the Son of an event where the focus is the Son.

This statement by the Son is preceded by Him referring to Himself as the Son of Man, a term that clearly points to the humanity of Jesus Christ in His incarnational and substitutional work of redemption of all humankind. I believe He is referring to the side of His humanness to hammer home the important point that no one should speculate on the day or hour of His coming. Why then would He share in detail all the signs that would happen, leading to His eventual parousia? It is really a common-sense answer in that with these signs happening right before our eyes, we have no excuse not to prepare ourselves for His coming. However, even with a clear statement that the hour and day cannot be known, we have seen so many irresponsible and weird speculations over the centuries; just imagine if such a statement had not been made by the Lord!

Christians should not be obsessed with the precise time of the parousia, because even if Jesus does not come in our lifetime, we all have to die and face our Creator after our short earthly existence. In one way or another, we will see Him and will have to give an account of our life.

Day 4

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 24:40–51

1. Jesus is using another analogy (a farming analogy that His hearers are more familiar with) to get His point across. What is His point? To whom is it directed?

2. Read 2 Peter 3:8-10 to reflect on the words of Peter on the same subject. (Mind you, Peter heard these words by Jesus with His own ears.)

3.  (1) The Unexpected Hour: Analogy of break-in:
a. Have you ever tried to stay awake and yet kept going back to doze? What caused you to doze and how could you have avoided it?

b. How can you apply this (a) to “keep watch” as Jesus has commanded us?

c. In the Bible, “prayer” is often associated with keeping watch and being ready (e.g. 26:41). In what way(s) would prayer help us in terms of being awake and of keeping watch?
4.  (2) The Unexpected Hour: Household servants
a. What are the characteristics of a faithful and wise servant?

b. What challenge will the “delay” of the return of the master pose to any servant?

c. What are the characteristics of the wicked servant?

d. How is this servant different from the faithful one in terms of:
  1. Their relationship with the master
  2. How they look upon their charge
  3. How they look upon fellow workers
  4. Their being “prepared” to face their master and
  5. Their ultimate ‘reward”
e. Who might the “hypocrites” be?
5. What then is the essential message of this warning and how may you apply it in your life?

Meditative Reflection
Face to Face with Christ, My Savior

So many talks about the second coming of the Lord focus on the negatives. Perhaps it should be so, for those who have yet to believe in Jesus. But for those who are believers, it should be a time of great rejoicing, as we will be able to see the One who loves us so much that He has died for us, the One whom we love so dearly. Let’s reflect on this lovely hymn by Carrie E. Breck (1898).
Refrain
Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!

1   
Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face — what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ Who died for me?

2   
Only faintly now I see Him,
With the darkened veil between,
But a blessed day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.

3   
What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain.

4   
Face to face—oh, blissful moment!
Face to face—to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ Who loves me so.

Day 5

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 25:1–13

(3) The Unexpected Hour

In the Old Testament, Israel is often spoken of as the bride of the Lord. Therefore this parable of the virgins may speak to those who think they are surely part of the Kingdom of Heaven within the People of God of Jesus’ days and within the church today.

1. Why are the characters in this parable called “virgins” and what are their roles?

2. In what ways are they being likened to the Kingdom of heaven?

3. How is the use of five versus five similar to 24:40-41?

4. In the parable
a. When should the virgins prepare their lamps?

b. How should they do so?

c. Why would they not do so?

d. Why can’t the foolish ones go and get oil when the bridegroom comes?
e. What is their fate?
5. Since “sleep” is often used to describe death, and all the virgins dozed off as the bridegroom is a long time in coming, and “oil” depicts the Holy Spirit:
a. How should we prepare for Jesus’ coming?

b. When should we do so?

c. Why is it too late, if we have not done so when Jesus comes?

d. What would be our fate?
6. Why would Jesus call five out of all foolish and the others wise?

7. In what way would this parable serve as a warning to the Jewish hearers?

8. What then is the essential message of this warning to you in terms of the “unexpected hour” motif and how may you apply it in your life?

Meditative Reflection
LinSanity

They're calling it “LinSanity” in New York, and it hit fever pitch tonight after Lin’s game winning 3-pointer with less than a second to play in the Knicks win. He finished with 27 points and a career-high of 11 assists.

But despite the “LinSanity”,  he seems to have his head on straight. The Knicks overnight phenom Jeremy Lin quotes from a section of John Piper’s book Don’t Waste Your Life in an online testimony recorded last June:
“God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display His supreme excellence in all the spheres of life.”
Lin then adds the following commentary about his coming to treasure Jesus more than basketball success:
“When Paul wrote in Philippians to press on for an upward prize, he was living for that, and it made his life meaningful (Phil. 3:15). And I realized I had to learn to do the same. I had to learn to stop chasing the perishable prizes of this earth, I had to stop chasing personal glory, I had to learn how to give my best effort to God and trust Him with the results. I have to learn to have enough faith to trust in His grace and to trust in His sovereign and perfect plan. I had to submit my will, my desires, my dreams — give it all up to God and say, ‘Look, I am going to give my best effort, go on the court and play every day for you, and I’m going to let you take care of the rest.’ This is something I struggle with every day. . . Playing for great stats is nice, but that satisfaction — that happiness — is only from game to game. It’s temporary.”

Day 6

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 25:14–30

Apart from the “unexpected hour” motif, another recurring theme of this series of parables is “the journey” of the master or king:

1. Why does Jesus stress the length of “the journey” over and over again through these parables (24:48; 25:5)?

2. What is the basis on which the varying “talents” are given?

3. If the basis is “ability”, then talents cannot be ability (as the word is being coined today). What might it be?

4. Rev. Stephen Chan opined, as a result, “talents” are really opportunities. If this is the case, it means that even if we have the ability (or gifts), we still have to wait for God’s assigned opportunity, timing or task. Do you agree?

5. How much might you be affected by the amount of God’s given ability and task when it comes to our attitude of serving, especially when others have received far less or greater than ours?

6. What are the rewards given to the first two servants? Is there any difference between the two? What is the message being conveyed by Jesus?

7. What reasons are given by  the last servant for not using the talent at all?
a. Is what he says of the master true?

b. By what he says, can you tell his relationship with the master and his attitude toward the task assigned?

c. Do you think his reasons are valid or are they excuses?
8. What is the verdict of the master, and is his verdict justified? Why?

9. How do verses 28-29 play out in real life, that is, when it comes to serving in the church?

10. What kind of a warning is it to the immediate audience, i.e., the Jews?

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

Meditative Reflection
Did Jesus have a change of timetable?

It appears that all Biblical scholars opine that the Apostles and disciples of the first church expected an imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ and they lived and preached in light of this understanding. The natural question appears to be whether the Apostles had the wrong understanding or whether Jesus had a change of plan in terms of the timing of His return.

As we read the many parables in the latter part of Matthew, the repeated motif is not only the unexpectedness of the timing of Jesus’ return, but the much longer wait than anticipated, and so the wicked servant considers his master being away “for a long time” (24:48); and the ten virgins all have fallen asleep as “the bridegroom was a long time in coming” (25:5). These parables point to the fact that the wait will certainly be unusually long. It is true that the early believers did fervently desire the soon return of their Lord, and some, because of the perceived delay, began to doubt. This is perhaps why Peter had to remind them that,
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9)
It is interesting to note that Peter did not say that Jesus was patient with the non-believers who would perish, but with us. That means if there is any delay, it is caused by us, who are too slow to accomplish the Great Commission entrusted to us.

Day 7

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

Scriptural Reflection
Matthew 25:31–46

1. Jesus now turns the focus of His message from the “long journey” to His eventual arrival or return. What is He declaring about His return in vv. 31-32?

2. He then gives us a picture of His judgment over “all the nations”, using a pastoral analogy, that of the division of sheep and goats. Who are the sheep and who are the goats?

3. What is the reward of the righteous? Try to understand what this reward really is and how great it is.

4. What is the “reward” of the cursed? Why are they called the “cursed” and do you get a sense that where they will be sent is not really originally meant for them?

5. What is meant by “one of the least of these brothers of mine”?
a. Why are they called the least?

b. Why are they called His brothers? Can we base our understanding by comparing to Hebrews 2:11?
6. As we seek to understand this passage, what can we observe about the first church in the Book of Acts in this respect?

7. Throughout the New Testament, the clear message of salvation is that of faith in Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16 etc.):
a. What message might you get from this as a stand-alone passage?

b. What message might you understand when taken together with the rest of Scripture?
8. What is the purpose of Jesus giving this sermon as one of His final ones?

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


Meditative Reflection
The Basis of Righteousness

I have to admit that the judgment of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 is a tough passage to understand in light of the apparent basis on which judgment is being pronounced by the Lord at His coming. If based simply on the immediate context and contents of the passage, we have to admit that
(1) this is a judgment pronounced not only on the church of God, but on all nations; and thus the treatment of “the least of these brothers of mine” can be carried out by believers and non-believers alike;

(2) the judgment or reward is pronounced clearly based on the word, “for” in v. 35 and v. 42, and it is based on works of caring for the “least” of His brothers or the lack of which; and

(3) the judgment is clearly eternal fire for the wicked and the kingdom of heaven for the righteous.
However, we do need to interpret scripture with scripture and cannot develop an entirely new theology based on the narrow interpretation of one single verse or, in this case, one single passage.

Thus, if the entire teachings of Jesus are taken as a whole, together with the teachings of the Apostles (which have been learned from the Lord), it is unmistakably clear that
(1) salvation is by grace, through faith in Christ, and not by works, (Eph. 2:8-9);

(2) "there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved;" (Acts 4:12)

(3) Jesus clarifies what “work” means when it comes to eternal life and that is “to believe in the one He (the Father) has sent.” (Jn. 6:29)
So, as much as Jesus points out the reward of those who do not neglect to care for the least of His brothers is to inherit the Kingdom, and calls them the righteous, He does not say that they are declared righteous because of their actions. Rather, given the overall teachings of the Bible, they have obtained righteousness through faith already, but their caring for the “least” invite great reward from the King.

The question that needs to be considered is then: Why would Jesus expound such a teaching in one of His last sermons, apparently without clarifying the important essence of believing in Him as He did in other places.

As Christians, we need to take Jesus’ words seriously and examine ourselves that as we claim that we have truly believed in Him, how come we do not care about the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed with whom Jesus has clearly identified! As James, certainly follows Jesus’ teaching in this respect, powerfully points out, “faith without work is dead.” (Jas. 2:20)

While it is irresponsible for us to care for the body and not the soul, it is also hypocritical for us to care for the soul and not the body.

© Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved Paul M.B. Chan