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Prepare: We too are often very slow, even blind to what God is doing. Pray today for eyes open to what God might be doing in your life.
Being alert
God warned Israel in Deuteronomy 8:3 that even bread is not enough (compare Matthew 4:1–4). What really matters is being alert to what God is doing.
The Israelites needed spiritually attuned sight and hearing. Their successors, the Pharisees and Herodians, are both blind and deaf and their attitude is like bad yeast which spreads its baleful influence through the whole loaf of bread. It is a matter of hard hearts.
Spiritual dullness
The spiritual dullness of the disciples is similar to that of Jesus’ opponents. They fail to pick up the symbolism of numbers and are unresponsive to the patterns which God lays down in history. We saw yesterday that the number seven is often used in Scripture to suggest perfection or completion following God’s rest at the end of his act of creation. Twelve seems to be the number for the people of God – tribes of Israel, apostles.
Certainly we have no grounds on which to be judgemental. But perhaps we should find solace in the fact that these first followers of Jesus were prey to exactly the same stupidity as we are. Certainly between the ascension and Pentecost the disciples had understood and decided that their full number should be re-established following the betrayal of Judas (Acts 1:12–26).
Respond: Pray for God’s insight and wisdom to recognise his activity in our lives today.
http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-09-11
Being alert
God warned Israel in Deuteronomy 8:3 that even bread is not enough (compare Matthew 4:1–4). What really matters is being alert to what God is doing.
The Israelites needed spiritually attuned sight and hearing. Their successors, the Pharisees and Herodians, are both blind and deaf and their attitude is like bad yeast which spreads its baleful influence through the whole loaf of bread. It is a matter of hard hearts.
Spiritual dullness
The spiritual dullness of the disciples is similar to that of Jesus’ opponents. They fail to pick up the symbolism of numbers and are unresponsive to the patterns which God lays down in history. We saw yesterday that the number seven is often used in Scripture to suggest perfection or completion following God’s rest at the end of his act of creation. Twelve seems to be the number for the people of God – tribes of Israel, apostles.
Certainly we have no grounds on which to be judgemental. But perhaps we should find solace in the fact that these first followers of Jesus were prey to exactly the same stupidity as we are. Certainly between the ascension and Pentecost the disciples had understood and decided that their full number should be re-established following the betrayal of Judas (Acts 1:12–26).
Respond: Pray for God’s insight and wisdom to recognise his activity in our lives today.
http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-09-11
Scripture
About this Plan
WordLive provides a daily slice of Bible reading and commentary that, over four years, covers most of the Bible. The commentary encourages the reader to engage with the Bible passage in order to deepen their relationship with God, through reflection and practical application. The WordLive website offers further multimedia content and group Bible study, while registration offers a daily email, journal and bookmarking, and community tools.
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We would like to thank Scripture Union England & Wales for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: www.wordlive.org/youversion
