... a weekly letter of encouragement.
3 June, 1998 - Singapore
Good Morning!
IF YOU WANT TO DIG DEEPER INTO
GOD'S WORD, THEN TRY THIS SIMPLE APPROACH:
Choose a short
passage of Scripture. Then:
I READ the passage:
(We'll use Matthew 9:9-13 for our example)
"As Jesus went on from
there he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's
booth. Follow Me," He told him, and Matthew got up and followed
Him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax
collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this the asked His disciples, `Why does
your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?' On hearing
this, Jesus said, `It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but
the sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not
sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'"
II RECORD the facts:
9 - Jesus tells Matthew to
follow Him. Matthew obeys.
10 - Jesus and His disciples
have dinner with Matthew and his friends: tax collectors and "sinners."
11 - The Pharisees question
Jesus' disciples as to why He ate with such people.
12,13 - Jesus hears about it and
responds:
- The "sick ", not the healthy need a doctor.
- God desires mercy over religious observance ("sacrifice ").
- Christ came not to call the
righteous, but sinners.
III REFLECT on the implications
of the facts for our life:
- "I wonder if I am as immediate and responsive to Jesus' call to discipleship as was Matthew."
- "Do I still have lost friends whom I am introducing to Jesus, as did Matthew?"
IV RESPOND by applying one
of the implications to your life:
" I am convicted that I have not been more active in introducing my lost friends to Christ. Within 2 months 1 will have a dinner party for several of them, and plan to share how Christ has changed my life."
For further practice you may want
to try the following passages: John 18:1-1 l; Psalm 23; Ecclesiastics
5 :18-20; Genesis 3 :1-7; Colossians 3 :12-16; John 18:15-18,
25-27; Revelation 1:12-18
My prayer is that you are having a great week!
1 Coleman Street #02-34, The Adelphi - Singapore 0617
Phone: 337 6498; Fax: 336 9913
© Copyright 1996 Dwight Hill. Unlimited permission to copy or
use is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.
