Distress

Monday, April 27, 2009: John 16:16, 21–22

“A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
Background: Jesus Christ has just prophesied to the disciples about His death, burial and resurrection.
Can a man experience the anguish before childbirth? No, but the disciples would experience the change from anguish to joy when they would see the resurrected Christ!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009: Romans 2:8–9

but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;
Background: Paul speaks to the Romans about old ways that we had before salvation.
What should a believer do in his new life? Obey righteousness: pleasing God counts now for eternity.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009: Romans 8:35

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Why does Paul mention these negatives? It is a reminder that we’re not of the world and are hated by it.

Thursday, April 30, 2009: 1 Thessalonians 3:6–7

But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you—therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith.
Background: The early Church in Thessalonica was strongly persecuted by unbelievers who forced Paul to leave for Berea in his 2nd missionary journey in 51 AD. He sent Timothy back to check.
What was Paul’s distress and what comforted him? Continued persecution distressed him, but the news of the Thessalonian Church standing firm in their faith brought him comfort.

Friday, May 1, 2009: Galatians 1:6–7

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Background: Paul brought the gospel to Galatia during his 1st missionary journey in 49 AD. No legal requirement, such as circumcision or keeping the law was included: only faith in Christ’s finished work.
What was the perverted gospel? Faith in Christ plus works of the law is salvation.

Reconciliation

Monday, April 20, 2009: 2 Corinthians 5:18–19

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Background: Paul is writing to the Corinthian Church a second time knowing there are those who question his apostleship. Here Paul uses a banking analogy of reconciling accounts.
Whose deposit does God using for our overdrawn checks? Imputing means putting on someone’s account: Christ’s account of payment for sin balances our overdrawn trespasses.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009: 2 Corinthians 5:20–21

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Does God open up a new account for us? Yes, a savings account is opened up as God’s righteousness.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009: Romans 5:10–11

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Background: the analogy used here in Romans is former enemies, now on the same side.
What is the result of Christ’s death and resurrected life in a believer? Christ’s death reconciles us with God as Father; His life brings us into the joy and good of God’s family.

Thursday, April 23, 2009: Romans 11:13–15

For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
What does the writer of Romans hope that the reconciling of those who are not Jews will do? He hopes that some will look at us and turn to Christ.

Friday, April 24, 2009: 1 Peter 2:24–25

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Now that our debt of sin is paid for, what is added to us? What we now live for is doing what is right: now our good works go into a savings account!

Burden

Monday April 13, 2009: Matthew 11:28–30

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Background: The Lord Jesus Christ speaks about removing the load of sin from a repentant soul and the life to follow.
Why is His burden light? He knows what we can bear and will not overburden us as we ourselves do.

Tuesday April 14, 2009: Matthew 23:1–2, 4

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Background: Over the years the Pharisees had added to the law many rules that God gave never Moses.
What was the effect of the additional rules of the Pharisees? The Pharisees interpreted them so they themselves were never in the position of suffering the heavy load.

Wednesday April 15, 2009: Galatians 6:4–5

But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.
Background: These verses are the final bits of advice to the Galatian Church.
Why is it good to examine your own work? Self-examination of your work after it is done provides a great basis for improvement and leads to the joy of a job well done.

Thursday April 16, 2009: Acts 15:28–29a

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.
Background: A letter from the apostles in Jerusalem is going out to Gentiles who have believed in Christ.
What is left out? The Jewish laws and signs, like circumcision.

Friday April 17, 2009: 2 Corinthians 12:13–14

For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!
Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
Background: Paul is defending his apostleship against slander.
What burden did Paul NOT lay on the Corinthian Church? Financial support: he worked as a tentmaker to support himself while he preached Christ to them.

Peter and the Risen Christ

Monday, April 6, 2009: Matthew 26:74

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

Background: When Jesus Christ was awaiting trial, Peter went cautiously to see events as they unfolded. He was recognized as one of the disciples, but denied the accusations.

How did Peter hope to prove that he did not know the Lord? Peter cursed and swore, a trait missing in Christ’s disciples.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009: John 21:6-7a

And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.

Background: After the resurrection, Peter and John made an attempt to go back to fishing and caught nothing all night.

How did John recognize the Lord? John recognized the miracle, not the Man.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009: John 21:18-19

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Background: After asking Peter to ‘feed My lambs,’ Jesus Christ prophesied about Peter’s death.

Did the repentant Peter follow his Lord? Peter, knowing how he would die, nevertheless followed his Lord.

Thursday, April 9, 2009: Acts 2:36

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Background: after the day of Pentecost, Peter addressed thousands. Some of them were the very ones who crucified the Lord.

What was Peter’s change? Peter boldly declared Jesus to be Lord and Christ, the promised Messiah.

Friday, April 10, 2009: Acts 4:10, 12

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Background: Peter healed a lame man who begged at the temple and was brought before the leaders of his people to answer.

What was Peter’s bold declaration? Peter stated that they crucified Jesus Christ, that God raised Him, and in His name the lame beggar was healed.