Theme of the Week: Following Jesus
Bible Verse: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21
Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:1-11
If we are to follow Jesus well, we need to learn the teachings of Jesus. What are the teachings of Jesus? Some will immediately say, “Those are the ones that are highlighted in red in my Bible.” True, some Bibles have taken the words of Jesus and highlighted them in red. There is even a group who call themselves “Red Letter Christians.” They focus on those words in red and are trying to live according to them. And that is not bad. But it is also not enough. Jesus affirmed all of the Scripture. So learning the teachings of Jesus involves much more than just learning the words in red. It involves learning and applying all of Scripture. When we learn the teachings of Jesus we relate to the Scriptures the way that Jesus did while on earth.
1. Jesus Authored the Scripture
When the apostle Paul says to Timothy: “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16) he is affirming that the Scripture is not just a human book. It has an ultimate author, God. And Jesus, the Son of God, the Word, was intimately involved in that authorship.
2. Jesus Absorbed the Scripture
When it came to Scripture, Jesus was like a sponge. It became so much a part of him that he could not help but quote it and apply it. Jesus knew the Scripture inside and out. Even when he was a child, he was expert in the Scripture (Luke 2:41-47). How is it that a 12-year-old boy knew the Scriptures so well? His parents taught him. The most important teaching that we can give our children and grandchildren is to teach them the Scriptures.
3. Jesus Affirmed the Scripture
For simplicity, Jesus referred to the Scriptures as the Law and the Prophets.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).
Jesus did not replace the Scriptures with his own condensed red letter Bible. If you take the red letters seriously, you will take the whole of Scripture seriously. That is what Jesus did, and that is what we must do as well.
4. Jesus Applied the Scripture
Because Jesus had absorbed the Scripture and affirmed the accuracy and the power of Scripture, he was able to apply the Scripture at the right time and in the right way. Three times during his temptation in the wilderness, he was able to say: “It is written”, then give the perfect response to Satan (Matthew 4:1-11).
5. Jesus Accomplished the Scripture
After the resurrection Jesus met several disciples on the road to a town called Emmaus.
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27)
Everything that the Scripture teaches about God’s plan for the world, from creation to consummation, centers on the person of Jesus. As followers of Jesus we learn the Scripture.
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