Be. Become. Do. - Day 21
Day 21 - Monday, October 09
Read Matthew 24
Highlight
Let’s just say it directly - Matthew 24 is confusing. Many of the passages in Scripture that describe the parousia (The Second Coming of Jesus) are confusing because they are filled with imagery and metaphors. We can find some comfort in the fact that the disciples themselves were also confused, so the verse we should focus on in Matthew 24 is the “bottom line” that Jesus gives them.
Verse 36 says, “No one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” The gist of the verse is clear enough: the disciples (and through them, us) are encouraged to repress all desires to know what no one knows but the Father.. Not even Jesus himself. Instead we are meant to follow Jesus’ own example to trust in all things to our Heavenly Father’s wisdom and goodness. We should strive to obey his clearly revealed will while we trust him with the things that are not clearly revealed.
Finally, it’s very interesting to consider Jesus’ divinity and his ignorance at the same time. How can he be divine and yet not know the time of His own return? Scholars believe that this is part of Jesus’ humiliation/incarnation that involved him “emptying himself” as described in Philippians 2:7. There is a divine mystery here, but the answer lies in the fact that to incarnate, to become both fully man and fully God, Jesus voluntarily emptied himself of at least a portion of His omnipotence.
Reflection & Prayer
For this reading plan we will be using a tool to guide our study of Scripture that’s called the S.O.A.P. Method. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. We recommend you use a journal with this method and write out your thoughts on each of these areas for each day of reading. It doesn’t have to be long-winded and you don’t need a fancy journal. But for anyone that has not journaled before, the benefit is that it often helps us focus and avoid distractions during prayer and Bible study.
S.O.A.P. Method
Scripture - Pick a verse or two that stood out to you and write it in your journal. Be looking for a “Holy Spirit Highlight.” What did you read and think “I needed to hear that” or felt like it was written just for you?
Observation - Now write some observations about the verse(s) or passage. What is this passage or verse saying? About God? About people? How is Jesus revealed in these verses?
Application - Now write a few sentences on how this passage applies to your life. Is there truth about God that you are to believe? A promise to receive? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something you need to do or stop doing in light of God’s truth?
Prayer - Now write out a prayer to God in response to this Scripture. This is a way to turn God’s Word to you back to Him. Be honest and express your heart to Him. God always listens and He delights in your prayers. (Psalm 34:15; Proverbs 15:8)
Read Matthew 24
Highlight
Let’s just say it directly - Matthew 24 is confusing. Many of the passages in Scripture that describe the parousia (The Second Coming of Jesus) are confusing because they are filled with imagery and metaphors. We can find some comfort in the fact that the disciples themselves were also confused, so the verse we should focus on in Matthew 24 is the “bottom line” that Jesus gives them.
Verse 36 says, “No one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” The gist of the verse is clear enough: the disciples (and through them, us) are encouraged to repress all desires to know what no one knows but the Father.. Not even Jesus himself. Instead we are meant to follow Jesus’ own example to trust in all things to our Heavenly Father’s wisdom and goodness. We should strive to obey his clearly revealed will while we trust him with the things that are not clearly revealed.
Finally, it’s very interesting to consider Jesus’ divinity and his ignorance at the same time. How can he be divine and yet not know the time of His own return? Scholars believe that this is part of Jesus’ humiliation/incarnation that involved him “emptying himself” as described in Philippians 2:7. There is a divine mystery here, but the answer lies in the fact that to incarnate, to become both fully man and fully God, Jesus voluntarily emptied himself of at least a portion of His omnipotence.
Reflection & Prayer
For this reading plan we will be using a tool to guide our study of Scripture that’s called the S.O.A.P. Method. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. We recommend you use a journal with this method and write out your thoughts on each of these areas for each day of reading. It doesn’t have to be long-winded and you don’t need a fancy journal. But for anyone that has not journaled before, the benefit is that it often helps us focus and avoid distractions during prayer and Bible study.
S.O.A.P. Method
Scripture - Pick a verse or two that stood out to you and write it in your journal. Be looking for a “Holy Spirit Highlight.” What did you read and think “I needed to hear that” or felt like it was written just for you?
Observation - Now write some observations about the verse(s) or passage. What is this passage or verse saying? About God? About people? How is Jesus revealed in these verses?
Application - Now write a few sentences on how this passage applies to your life. Is there truth about God that you are to believe? A promise to receive? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something you need to do or stop doing in light of God’s truth?
Prayer - Now write out a prayer to God in response to this Scripture. This is a way to turn God’s Word to you back to Him. Be honest and express your heart to Him. God always listens and He delights in your prayers. (Psalm 34:15; Proverbs 15:8)
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