Sufficiency

The Greek for sufficient is also large enough, worthy, sufficient in ability, meeting qualifications.

Monday, March 9, 2009: Luke 3:16

John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Background: John the Baptist was asked if he was the promised Messiah.
What does ‘loosen a sandal strap’ mean? It means that John considered himself to be the lowest of servants compared to Messiah.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009: Luke 7:6–7

Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Background: Romans were hated as the occupying rulers; Centurions, who commanded 100 soldiers were also feared. But this Centurion cared about his servant!
What showed that the Centurion had more faith than the Jews? He had heard enough to believe that Jesus Christ had God- given authority to heal the sick without regard to distance.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009: Matthew 28:12–13

When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’
Background: The body of Jesus Christ was inexplicably NOT in the tomb.
Why did the Jewish leaders have to bribe the Soldiers with a rather large sum of money? The alternative was acknowledging that Christ had risen from the dead and was the Messiah.

Thursday, March 12, 2009: 2 Corinthians 3:5–6

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Background: Paul defends his apostleship as being from God after starting out as a persecutor of Christians.
Why does Paul link sufficiency as a minister of the new covenant with killing as opposed to life-giving? The law of the old testament only show that we cannot fulfill it; faith in Christ not only fulfills the law but gives the believer power from God.

Friday, March 13, 2009: Colossians 1:12–14

giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Have we earned an eternal inheritance? No, it is God who qualifies the believer by the blood of Christ’s sacrifice paying the qualifying price.