Daily Gospel Devotional 2013: Spirit and power

Matthew 17:10-13 / Mark 9:11-13…

The Old Testament closed with a promise (Malachi 4:5-6), and some 400 years later, that hope, God’s promise, is now fulfilled. The one like Elijah has come. After the Transfiguration, the disciples ask Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” They had just seen Elijah and wondered about this prophecy. Jesus was saying that the modern “Elijah” is John the Baptist. His preaching was powerful and made many others ready to come to Christ. He comes and ministers under opposition and hatred from the religious leaders, and this modern day Elijah will be the launching pad of Jesus’ ministry.

The angel Gabriel had already announced that John the Baptist was not actually Elijah in person, but in type (Luke 1:17). John denies that he is actually Elijah in person (John 1:21), but Jesus calls him Elijah in spirit (Malachi 3:1 / Isaiah 40:3). John was trying to turn a nation. During the time of Elijah, the people had turned away from the Lord, choosing instead to embrace paganism and a worldly lifestyle. It was the role of Elijah on Mount Carmel to lead the people back to God (1 Kings 18:37-39).

In the same way, John pointed the people to Jesus, “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The spirit of Elijah brings repentance (to make ready a people prepared for the Lord), unity (turn the heart of fathers to children), and intercession (1 Kings 18:41-46 / James 5:17-18). This is the message we need today before the second coming of Jesus Christ.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

Daily Gospel Devotional 2013: The glimpse and the grind

Matthew 17:1-9 / Mark 9:2-10 / Luke 9:28-36…

Jesus sometimes brings us to a “mountaintop experience”, and we see and hear wonderful things. We want to stay there and glory in His presence, yet we must come back down to earth, as it were. When we do we find difficulty again. This is why we didn’t want to come back down in the first place. It is no wonder, the person who meets Jesus as glorious has a taste for heaven. Yet we must bring our bodies back to the natural day to day scene.

However, that is what Jesus wants to do for us, to transfigure our sight, to change our daily lives, to reflect the Light we have seen (Philippians 2:15). We see a true glimpse of the big picture, and we are transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18). Surely we must still go back to the grind, but after a glimpse of glory that light should affect our sight. We see that the grind is actually grand when given this grace (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The Transfiguration shows the glory of Jesus. It gives us a hint of that glorious kingdom that is yet to come. The voice of the Father confirms it. Yet while this great event, this mountaintop experience, this bright shining moment is wonderful, this experience isn’t the goal. It simply prepares us for that other mountain, called Calvary, where Jesus does what He really came to do, die for sinners like us.

The Transfiguration, a picture of glory, actually points us away from such glory to the darkness and scandal of the cross. This is God’s kind of glory, power made perfect in weakness, salvation through suffering, life through death. You must see Jesus on both these mountains to more fully understand what real glory is all about. The glimpse is to help you get through the grind. We will be glorified like Him (Philippians 3:20-21), but by grace we must go through the grind to finally get the full picture (1 John 3:2-3). 

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

Daily Gospel Devotional 2013: If anyone would come after me

Matthew 16:24-28 / Mark 8:34-9:1 / Luke 9:23-27…

Jesus connects His unique sufferings and death with the life that He expects His disciples to live. In doing so He tells us what we should do and why we should do it.   

Discipleship is about self-denial not self-discovery. Denying ourselves means we renounce our passions for power, position, possessions, and prestige. Taking up our cross means we must be ready to bear up under the afflictions God sends our way as discipline to conform us to the image of Christ. Following Jesus means we look to His obedience and example as our pattern for life.

Those whose first interest is their self will never find full satisfaction. Conversely, those who seek the Lord will find Him, and find life (Psalm 37:4 / Matthew 6:33).

No temporal gain can compare to the loss of the soul. If you will not deny yourself now, you have by that very choice denied yourself for eternity.  The rewards that are worth having are the rewards to come. Live for today by having an eye for tomorrow.

The Son will judge according to the principle of self-denial. We are not saved because we deny ourselves, salvation is by grace. However, we are rewarded in the next life for obedience in this life (1 Corinthians 3:10-15, 4:5, 9:25 / 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 / 2 Timothy 4:8 / James 1:12 / 1 Peter 5:4). Naturally we all want to be rewarded now, but we are to delay our expectations. When we are rewarded, it will be greater than anything we could possibly expect. In that regard, Jesus tells them that some will get to see a glimpse of this glory before they die, and a few days later Peter, James, and John see the glorified Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.

The principle of spiritual life is self-denial. If you are not going after Jesus, you’re going the wrong way (Galatians 6:7-8).

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©