Tag: Relationships

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The Humility of John the Baptist Explained (John 1:19-20)

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

(19) And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? (20) And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. John 1:19-20

Explanation

John the Baptist is in view here. He was experiencing significant ministry success and attracting attention from many people during this time. It had been 400 years since God had spoken through a prophet. There was a religious establishment—priests, Levites, and Pharisees—but John was the first person to show up as a prophet, as we see in this passage.

He was asked a question that, if he wasn’t spiritually grounded, could have been tempting. The Jews were looking for a Messiah. Part of what created this expectation was that they had been conquered and were subjugated by Rome. The Jewish people had a heightened awareness and curiosity about all things related to the Messiah. They wanted the Messiah to come so they could stop being dominated and conquered. They longed for the days of having their own king like David.

When someone came along who seemed to have God working in and through him—someone outside the establishment speaking prophetically and speaking truth to power—the regular people were excited about the possibility of him being the Messiah. That was part of John’s ministry success.

In verse 19, we see that priests and Levites were sent by the Jews (later we’ll see the Pharisees were involved too). Their basic question was: “Identify yourself. Who are you? Are you the Messiah?”

If you or I were asked such questions—“Are you thinking about being president? Governor? Do you have ambition for this office or that?”—the fact that you might even be considered could easily get to your heart and head. But John passed this test. John was very clear on who he was and who he was not. He confessed and denied not, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

Application

John had a role, and it was a very important role connected to the Messiah, but he wasn’t the Messiah himself. He was announcing the Messiah and was a sign that the Messiah would come within his lifetime (as we’ll see later in the passage).

The application for us is this: We should be humble about who we are and who we are not when we do ministry and work for the Lord. When God blesses us with results—when people show up and attend something we’re doing, when people convert under our ministry, when people repent and transform under our ministry—we must remember that although we may be used by God, we are not the ones causing what’s happening.

The Holy Spirit, through the Word and through the power of the Lord, is what changes hearts and changes lives. We are a conduit to be used by all those things, but we are not the thing doing the changing or transforming.

It’s very important that we do not take the glory for what God is doing and for what God wants to do. It’s very important that we understand who we are and who we are not.

John gives us a good example here. He says, “I am not the Christ. I am not the Messiah.” While that was obviously true to him in the moment, it wasn’t obviously true to everybody else—they were asking the question.

Response

  1. When are you tempted to take credit for what God is doing and for who God is?
  2. Is God using you? How is God using you?
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Luke- Week 5- Day 5

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

(52)  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Luke 2:52

Explanation:

This week we saw Jesus exhibiting maturity through his actions in this narrative passage.  We saw him showing maturity in what He prioritized.  We saw Him exhibit maturity through a moderate, gentle, and reasonable answer to His mother.  We saw Him exhibit maturity through His submission to the authority of His parents that God the Father had placed Him under.

In today’s text, Luke 2:52, we see the results of the maturity that produced those kinds of responses. 

This same kind of verse came before the narrative.  Notice Luke 2:40:

(40)  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. 

Luke 2:40

In verse 52 we see the Bible describe the growth of Jesus. Three words describe the areas of growth:

He grew in wisdom.

This meant that He was growing intellectually and in discernment. 

He grew in stature.

This meant that He was growing physically.  Again, although He was God, He was no less human, and went through all the things that we go through.

He grew in favor.

This word translated “favor” is the same word, “charis”,  found in verse 40.  The idea is that His relationships with those around Him were good.  What kind of relationships?  The verse tells us.  He had favor both vertically and horizontally.  His relationship with God was marked by favor, as well as man.

Here we experience some of the mystery of the incarnation.  Jesus never stopped being God.  Yet, He took on flesh and in so doing went through the growth process that we must go through as well.  He did it without sin, and in doing so is a great example to us of how we should live as well.

Application:

What an incredible statement for what we want our kids to be and how we want them to develop!  What an incredible statement of how we ought to grow ourselves!  As we grow in our discernment, our ability to prioritize, our moderation, our ability to respond appropriately, and in our submission to God’s authority and the human authority we are placed under, there will be blessings in our relationship with God and with those around us.  Spiritually mature people enjoy the results of that maturity in their relationships with God and others.

Response:

Is your life marked by an appropriate level of maturity?

  • Are you discerning in prioritizing the eternal?
  • Are you reasonable, gentle and moderate in your dealings with others?
  • Are you submissive to the authority that is in  your life?
  • Are you growing in favor with God and man?
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Luke- Week 5- Day 2

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

(48)  And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

Luke 2:48

Explanation:

Maturity is displayed in our ability to function well in and maintain relationships.  We see this exemplified in Jesus here as he had to respond in his relationships with his parents.  When they finally found Him in the temple, they responded two ways.

First, they responded in amazement.  Were they amazed that he was in the temple?  Were they amazed at what He was doing there?  It was more than likely a little bit of both. 

Second, they responded in exasperation. Mary questioned Jesus as to why he was there and not with them.  “Why hast thou thus dealt with us?”  Her question has an accusatory tone, as if he was doing something to them.  She says that their search had caused them to be “sorrowing”.  The word here translated as sorrowing could also be translated as “in torment.  She uses the word for a deep kind of sorrow.

Jesus, of course, meant no such torment, as his next statement would indicate.  Jesus had the normal human relationships that we have while he was on the earth, and even those in authority over Him sinned against him and questioned His motives.  If anyone should have known that Jesus was not sinful or hurtful in his decision making at this time it should have been Mary and Joseph.

Application:

In today’s text, verse 48, we do not see Jesus respond, yet.  We see him being questioned.  We see him being accused by those who love Him.  A good thought for today is that Jesus has been through what we have been through.  There are times when my motives have been right and yet I have been questioned and accused. There have been times where people have been doing the right thing, and it appeared to me that they were trying to “torment” me.  Jesus has experienced all of this.    Hebrews tells us this about Jesus’ experience while He was on the earth:

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.   

Hebrews 4:15

Response:

Is there someone you are assuming is wrong that may be right?

What is the right way to respond when you are falsely accused?

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Physical & Emotional Distance- Song of Solomon- Week 13- Day 1

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

Song of Solomon 5:6

Explanation:
The key factor in interpretation is authorial intent. What did this mean to the author and to the original audience? One of the factors that governs and impacts this question is the genre of the scripture we are are reading. Poetic literature like the Song of Solomon is different than didactic literature like the epistle to the Romans. A poem uses metaphor, simile, and figurative language to convey ideas and emotions.

This being the case means that taking a conclusive definitive stand on what every word means to the author and his audience in this passage is difficult. Yet there are some principles and applications that we can draw from these verses.

This passage mirrors the dream passage of 3:1-5 that we studied last week. She opens the door to her bedroom thinking that her husband is there, but he is gone. She had heard him speak, but when she opened the door he was gone.

Similarly to the last dream, she sought passionately for her husband, but she could not find him. It is clear that she missed her husband. It is also clear that she reveres her husband. She uses dramatic language to describe the effects of his words and his absence on her.

Application:
The husband and wife relationship should be one that is close and intimate. One of the dangers that happens in marriage is when there is an emotional distance. Husbands can pour themselves into their work or their hobbies and can become distant from their spouses. Wives can focus on the children and lose the passion for their marriage. Either spouse can lose passion for their mate when they allow for romantic intimacy in some other relationship. All kinds of things can rob us of intimacy. Entertainment, Social Media, Smart Phones, TV’s, Hobbies, and the like all vie for our time and attention.
Husbands must not let these pursuits stop them from continuing to pursue their wives romantically. Wives must continue to revere and respect their husbands and long to be with them.

Response
• Are you available to your spouse?
• Are you pursuing your spouse?
• If you are single, are you maintaining your relationships well, or focused on your own personal satisfaction to the exclusion of others?