OCTOBER 11, 2021 READINGS... Mark 7:24-30 & Matthew 15:21-28 & Mark 7:31-37 & Matthew 15:29-31 & Mark 8:1-10 & Matthew 15:32-39 & Matthew 16 :1-4 & Mark 8:11-21 & Matthew 16:5-12
Our reading begins today with the story of a Gentile lady whose daughter was possessed by a demon. The lady comes and seeks Jesus’ help in the healing of her daughter. She could have easily become discouraged and walked away when Jesus told her that He was there for the Jews. She could have really become offended and upset when He told her that the food was for the children and not the “dogs”. But in neither case does she give up…she desires her daughter to be healed and is willing to continue to seek the One who could bring the healing, no matter what. This discourse between Jesus and this Gentile lady actually reveals the heart of God for all people groups. Jesus indeed came to the house of Israel, but He did so that they could be a blessing to all nations. The Apostle Paul put it this way in Romans 1:16…” For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek”. How serious are you and I when we come requesting anything from the Lord? We need to have the attitude of both humility and a sincere desire that we need the Lord to move in our lives, and keep asking until we get His answer. Then trust His answer.
Jesus continues with His healing ministry. He also has a second time where He is feeding thousands of people with just seven loaves of bread and a few fish. This time it is 4000 people, and when He is finished feeding them…there are seven large baskets of food left over. Incredibly, even in seeing the miracles that Jesus did in healing, casting out demons, and feeding thousands of people…the Pharisees and Sadducees continue to press Jesus for a miraculous sign to prove Himself. Jesus declares for a second time that He would show them no sign except for the sign of Jonah…Christ’s Resurrection. As we close our reading we have Jesus and His on their boat and the disciples discover that they have only one loaf of bread. They begin to worry and fret that there is not enough food for everyone. Jesus has to remind them to have faith in Him. They saw Him feed both the 5000 and the 4000…He reminds them of how much food was left over in both instances. He challenges them to understand that its more than about bread, but actually the “yeast” of the Pharisees and Sadducees…in other words their deceptive teachings. You see Jesus did not do miracles to prove anything, or even to make people believe in Him. He desired for His followers to understand that He was there to reveal the Father, and to help them see the message of the kingdom.
Please share your thoughts from today’s reading. Keep seeking and humbly asking the Lord…realizing that He is the provider of all we need. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the meaning of the precious words that are shared in the Scripture. By faith keep following Jesus…because He is Lord and Savior.
TOMORROW’S READINGS… Mark 8:22-30 & Matthew 16:13-20 & Luke 9:18-20 &
Mark 8:31-9:1 & Matthew 16:21-28 & Luke 9:21-27 & Mark 9:2-13 & Matthew 17:1-13 &
Luke 9:28-36