Weekday Devotionals
Devotional Written by Samantha Mosca
Matthew 16:1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees (priests) came, and to test Him, they asked that He show them a sign from Heaven.
Let us start with a bit of perspective regarding these two groups that came together for all the wrong reasons, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees are religiously conservative, influential with the common people, and are verbally hostile in their stance and teachings to the oppression and rule of Rome. The Sadducees, on the other hand, they are just fine working with Rome. As long as they can stay in power and retain their wealth, and influence. These two groups, they are completely opposed to one another. Except, when it came to Jesus.
My takeaway, Jesus can use His unifying power and bring people together no matter their differences. And, He can use any situation for His glory!
These two completely different groups came together with one purpose, and that was not to see a sign from heaven, or to identify Him as Savior -King of Gods people. No, we all know what they expected, that he was a fraud, and he would fail. They came to test Him. To tempt Him. To bait him.
Jesus has performed many signs and wonders, many miracles. The beginning of his ministry, when He was baptized by John, the sky opened up, the Holy Spirit came upon Him, and God the Father declared “This is my beloves Son with whom I am well pleased”. Before even this, Jesus had been healing in crowds and with individuals. He has preached the most famous sermon in history! Unpacking the wisdom, power, and character of God. He cleansed leapers, cast out demons, brought a girl back from the dead, calmed storms gave sight to the blind, feed thousands-twice, and walked on water.
Let us switch to the present. How are we like the Pharisees and Sadducees? Simple, our willingness to see what is right in front of us. The want for things/life to always be comfortable or even traditional. The problem that we as humans have with Jesus is never a lack of evidence or signs it is always OUR willingness to accept how God has chosen to reveal Himself. We seem to have these expectations of how we want Him to show up for us. We, put the limits on Him. We, put the expectations on Him.
Jesus, God our father, let us not confuse with a genie there are no 3 wishes. No grand finale.
Our hope should not be to discover something new or innovative but to be reminded of something timelessly true and eternally significant.
A virgin birth. A resurrection. A return.
Matt 24:30 Then will appear in Heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and GREAT Glory.
Jesus is the sign given.
Trust Jesus.
- Samantha
Matthew 16:1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees (priests) came, and to test Him, they asked that He show them a sign from Heaven.
Let us start with a bit of perspective regarding these two groups that came together for all the wrong reasons, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees are religiously conservative, influential with the common people, and are verbally hostile in their stance and teachings to the oppression and rule of Rome. The Sadducees, on the other hand, they are just fine working with Rome. As long as they can stay in power and retain their wealth, and influence. These two groups, they are completely opposed to one another. Except, when it came to Jesus.
My takeaway, Jesus can use His unifying power and bring people together no matter their differences. And, He can use any situation for His glory!
These two completely different groups came together with one purpose, and that was not to see a sign from heaven, or to identify Him as Savior -King of Gods people. No, we all know what they expected, that he was a fraud, and he would fail. They came to test Him. To tempt Him. To bait him.
Jesus has performed many signs and wonders, many miracles. The beginning of his ministry, when He was baptized by John, the sky opened up, the Holy Spirit came upon Him, and God the Father declared “This is my beloves Son with whom I am well pleased”. Before even this, Jesus had been healing in crowds and with individuals. He has preached the most famous sermon in history! Unpacking the wisdom, power, and character of God. He cleansed leapers, cast out demons, brought a girl back from the dead, calmed storms gave sight to the blind, feed thousands-twice, and walked on water.
Let us switch to the present. How are we like the Pharisees and Sadducees? Simple, our willingness to see what is right in front of us. The want for things/life to always be comfortable or even traditional. The problem that we as humans have with Jesus is never a lack of evidence or signs it is always OUR willingness to accept how God has chosen to reveal Himself. We seem to have these expectations of how we want Him to show up for us. We, put the limits on Him. We, put the expectations on Him.
Jesus, God our father, let us not confuse with a genie there are no 3 wishes. No grand finale.
Our hope should not be to discover something new or innovative but to be reminded of something timelessly true and eternally significant.
A virgin birth. A resurrection. A return.
Matt 24:30 Then will appear in Heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and GREAT Glory.
Jesus is the sign given.
Trust Jesus.
- Samantha
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