ESOCS Devotional 26 August 2024 – The Reason for Wrongdoing
MEMORY VERSE: “Jesus answered them, ‘How wrong you are! And do you know why? It is because you don’t know the scriptures or God’s power.’” Mark 12:24 GNV
TEXT: MARK 12:18-44
Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”
24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”
28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
But after that no one dared question Him.
35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’
37 Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”
And the common people heard Him gladly.
38 Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and [h]for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two [i]mites, which make a [j]quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
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The reason we go against the will of God is because we either do not know what the Bible teaches about a particular conduct or though we know what the Bible says, we do not understand or agree that the power of God is so high as to be able to hold us accountable for wrong doings. No man will wilfully throw himself into a burning fire. This is because we know the destructible power of fire. But God’s power is more powerful than the fire we know.
This is the reason we should learn the ways of God through the scriptures. The Bible has teachings that are life principles and traditions with which Christians can build their lives and live to please God (Psalm 115:104). Those who are wise and have the fear of God learn and adopt the life-changing principles and traditions, which the word of God reveals in the Bible (Romans 1:16, 17).
But ignorance of the scripture messages and disrespect for the power of God today has resulted in enormous disregard for divine traditions and principles and high rate in indulgence in immorality and corruption in our society.
One of such is the ignorance pervading in our society about the futility of abundant earthly possessions. Men acquire wealth and properties through ungodliness, as if they intend to make eternal use and enjoyment of them. But alas, their survivors and onlookers realize the nothingness in it when the wealthy man dies and his family fight over what is left or in some cases, you see them waste the resources left for them. This is the case with all earthly possessions, especially when they are acquired through unholy ways. The desire of a God-fearing Christian is his daily need and daily bread, and whatever is left is used for the service of God and humanity (Mark 12:29-31).
Let our focus, therefore, be where will be our place when we die (Mark 12:24-27). In so doing, the principle is to give all of what you have for the purpose of which God has kept you alive (Mark 12:44).
- Why do people disregard the ways of God?
- Father, let there be a burning desire in me to know and follow you, in Jesus name. Amen.
Further Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-end; Proverbs 1:20-end; Acts 15:1-31
ESOCS Devotional 26 August 2024
