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What I did find interesting is verse 5. The fact that is says so long as you remove the speck from your own eye you can see clearly to remove the one from your brothers.
Location: land of quail, bunnies, and red tail hawks
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Chapter 7
I was attracted to the last two verses in this chapter:
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
The gift of teaching is one of my strong points, so this sentence really struck a nerve. Naturally, I don't have the same authority as God (whom I believe Jesus is), but I'm wondering how my teaching presentations differ from those of Jesus. Of course Jesus intimately knew the hearts of the people, so his teaching could always be spot on. But these verses say he taught with authority, unlike others. It makes me wonder if I, as a child of the King, can teach with the same authority.
I do believe there is a noticeable difference between how a person who strives to walk in the Spirit teaches versus one who attempts to do so on his own strength. I've seen the difference in my own life. There's also a difference and motivation between how Christians and non-Christians teach, especially when dealing with spiritual matters. But my question is, "How was Jesus' teaching noticeably different?" What does it mean to teach with authority? And can I do so?
Did the apostles teach with the same authority? It certainly appears they did, indeed, have authority. I definitely believe their recorded words were inspired, accurate, and true. At times I feel the same way about my own teaching, although I would never put it on par with God's Word. But today, I'm stuck on contemplating the meaning of Jesus teaching with authority.
*****
The above comes on the heels of Matthew 4:23:
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Healing seems pretty self explanatory, and I kind of glossed over the teaching aspect when reading that chapter earlier in the week. What struck me then was the preaching that Jesus did. I had similar questions. Just what was the good news Jesus preached? I've always considered the "good news" to incorporate the message of the cross, however the cross wasn't yet an issue. So what was the "good news?" How did his preaching differ from that of the Apostles after the Resurrection?
John the Baptist preached repentance, as did the Old Testament prophets. Most people shy away from the concept of repentance, so I'm not sure they would necessarily consider the concept good news unless there was more to the message. Many people also consider the Old Testament teaching to reflect a God of hate and vengeance rather than one of love.
Jonah, however, puts a different spin on the God of the Old Testament. In Jonah 4:2, he explains his reason for fleeing from the assignment to preach in Nineveh:
I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.
A careful and thoughtful reading of the Old Testament will confirm Jonah's perception of God. That's definitely part of the good news! The fact that Jonah was sent to Nineveh confirms that the good news wasn't just for the land of Israel, but for the peoples of the world. That's good news, too! More good news--his yoke is easy and his burden is light. (Matthew 11:30) The sacrifice God desires is a broken and contrite heart. (Psalm 51:17) Obedience is better than either sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22) or fasting (Zechariah 7). Simple belief and faith are credited as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:5)
Yes, the good news was fulfilled and completed through the cross. However, Jesus hadn't yet gone to the cross. So what good news did He preach? Contemplating the answer to this question makes me realize that I need to be very careful in how I present the good news to others.
Last edited by Blueberry; 02-18-2009 at 05:16 PM..
Reason: Added thought
I'm not understanding your question, effie. I looked at the site and it was links to other sites....can you clarify for me?
true, there's more to google, i meant that D.B. had come to a state of being beyond thinking, meaning a receptive mind, not a "productive" coming up with dreams and schemes to outdo one another.
i will admit the "whereever it takes you" may seem frightening to us and threatening our habitual thinking, but i am personally quite certain this is the way back home to our origins and absolutely compatible with Jesus' words.
What I seemed to gravitate to the most was the last verse. Jesus taught with authority and the crowds were amazed. Jesus is the authority. We can rely on his words. There's comfort in that. It's a feeling of security to know that Jesus is giving us such wisdom and urges us to keep in line with God's will.
Especially when his teachings in this chapter are meant as guides and warnings. Guides to show us the way, as the Good Shepard would, on proper living, the way to live, how to treat others, how to get closer to God. Warnings to those who do not heed his words. Warnings to watch out for false prophets and teachers... those who would gladly lead us astray.
Location: land of quail, bunnies, and red tail hawks
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mams1559
Jesus is awesome
EXACTLY!
That's what I've been pondering and meditating on these past few days. I would have loved to hear and see Jesus teach, preach, and perform healings and other miracles. How would he differ from others I've seen in my lifetime? How would he differ from me? What was it that made people recognize his authority? (I would have thought the scribes would have been pretty authoritative.) How would Jesus differ from others who spoke the truth in love?
Somehow I don't think books and movies come close to depicting the real Jesus, no matter how hard they try, how good the actor, or how Scripturally accurate the script. There's a nuance there that is surely missing from any depiction. I would love to experience that nuance from the perspective of a 21st century Christian.
What was it about Jesus that made the disciples leave their jobs and follow him? Jesus said his sheep would recognize his voice. That sounds so simple. Would I, even for a minute, wonder if he were the real deal? Would I scrutinize his words in an attempt to avoid false teaching? Or would I intuitively (Spirit-led) know?
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Chapter 7
