September 12, 2022

Peachtree Church is reading through the Bible together in 2022 with Quest: Exploring God’s Story Together. Devotionals are sent by email three days each week. Monday’s email includes additional background, history, and cultural information to help us better understand the texts. On Tuesday and Thursday you will receive a devotional based on one portion of the texts for this week.

Texts for this week

Mark 10:35-12:44

Matthew 12; 15; 18:1-20; 22-23

Luke 14; 17:1-10; 18

John 2; 13.31-35

Psalm 122

Introduction to the Texts

Here we go again! Working your way through these readings from the gospels feels like walking through a county fair, with so much action going on, so many things happening, so many people speaking, so many miracles happening, that it is enough to make your head spin!

Along with a number of relatively familiar parables, we read many of Jesus’ familiar teachings: what He has to say about greatness (He turns things upside down!); what the cost of being a disciple really looks like; His prediction of His own death; and Peter’s denial. Jesus also talks about the pull of worldly wealth on our lives against the value of following Jesus.

We see Jesus clear the Temple; we read about Him turning water into wine; we see Him healing blind men and feeding the 4000 (again).

At the risk of oversimplifying the readings this week, we discover Jesus yet again to be a Master Teacher (well, He IS God, you know), the Master over the physical world (He DID create it, remember), and the Master of past, present, and future. (You know, He DID step out of eternity to save us.)

Enjoy the readings, even when they repeat the same story in different gospels; and look for the similarities and differences in those stories!

Devotional

In Mark 12:41-44, we read a little story that appears in several of the gospels in one form or another. It is a story about Jesus and his disciples hanging around outside the Temple, watching people put money in the Temple treasury. There were trumpet-shaped vessels into which people would toss money as they entered (somewhat like we used to toss quarters in the baskets as we hit the toll booths on GA 400). Jesus watched, then pointed out what we imagine to be an aged widow putting in a couple of tiny coins. Jesus pointed out to his disciples that her offering, proportionally, was significantly larger than all the others.

Years ago, I was in Jerusalem, and leaving the Western Wall (the portion of the foundation of the ancient Temple where faithful Jews go today to pray). As we were leaving, I watched an older woman, crippled by osteoporosis and shuffling along on a walker, stop as she came to a beggar. So many people had passed this man that he had to feel embarrassed. This lady stopped, reached for her purse, dug into it, and pulled out some money, handed it to the beggar, then shuffled on.

As I watched this interaction take place, I immediately thought of this passage from the gospel, and the simple sacrificial faith of the widow. It humbled me then, and reading the passage today, it humbles me again.

And I feel invited to live out a similar radical sacrificial faith.

For Reflection

What do you usually feel when an offering plate comes by you in church?

Why do you give to support God’s work?

Do you think it is possible to out-give God?

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the simple, trusting faith of people who trust You with their daily needs. Thank You for teaching me to pray for “daily bread.” Help me today to lean into Your goodness and generosity, and to live faithfully in all I do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.