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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
By Whose Authority?
One day Jesus was in the temple area. He was teaching the
people. Jesus told the people the Good News {about the
kingdom of God}. The leading priests, teachers of the law,
and older Jewish leaders came to talk to Jesus. They said,
"Tell us! What authority do you have to do these things? Who
gave you this authority?" Jesus answered, "I will ask you a
question too. Tell me: When John baptized people, did that
come from God or was it only from other people?" The priests,
the teachers of the law, and the Jewish leaders all talked
about this. They said to each other, "If we answer, 'John's
baptism was from God,' then he will say, 'Then why did you
not believe John?' But if we say that John's baptism was from
someone else, {not God,} then all the people will kill us
with rocks. They will kill us because they believe that John
was a prophet." So they answered, "We don't know the answer."
So Jesus said to them, "Then I will not tell you what
authority I use to do these things!"
-- Luke 20:1-8 (ERV)
KEY THOUGHT:
Jesus has now entered the battlefield. Yes, he is in the Temple of God.
However, his opponents are now going to bombard him with questions in
hopes of getting him to commit some heinous religious offense that they
can use to make him seem scandalous. Jesus' agenda, on the other hand,
is to share the Good News. So outwitting his opponents at their own
game, he sends them away with a question they didn't want to answer.
They won't answer him, so he sends them away without an answer to their
question. He is there to minister. He won't get caught up in their
games with the end so near. Let's remember that we must not let
religious games ever take the place of God's mission and ministry
through us.
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Father, forgive me for getting so upset sometimes with religious
questions. I know there are important issues of truth. Please help me
see these. On the other hand, dear Father, I don't want to get caught
up in the religious arguments and miss the opportunity to minister to
others as you would have me do. Please remove any contentious spirit
from me and help me to focus on the things that are matters of your
concern. In Jesus' name. Amen.
>> NEW: Phil's What Jesus Did devotional is now
>> available as a book. Click below to order!
http://images.ultracart.com/aff/ACU9/1414/108/185/575/0/index.html
>> The WJD! web page has related scriptures and the
>> full text of today's key passage. Read it at:
http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/luke/1114-wjd.html
>> For further study of today's passage, use our
>> online Bible study site: SearchGodsWord.org!
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Luke+20:1-8&sr=1&t=erv
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