Scripture
“Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.” Luke 19:47-48 NIV
Observation
Jesus spoke mostly to 2 groups of people: the “religious” people, and the “sinners”.
The interesting is that while the sinners loved the words of Jesus that was speaking to their hearts, the religious people hated Jesus when listening to the same words.
Application
The gospel isn’t a message of condemnation for those outside the church and a message of comfort to those inside.
It is almost opposite. It is a message that comfort those who are far from God to bring them closer and a message that confronts those who seems to be near Him.
The message of the gospel must not attack nor repeal those who don’t know God yet, and it needs to confront us, who already believe in Him, to change our way of thinking and living.
Sometimes we bring the gospel for the non believer trying to confront their way living and we end up just building walls.
Jesus did different. The “sinners” loved Jesus words, loved the message of the Gospel, and the “religious” people hated. Are we doing the opposite today?
- Do I bring comfort when I preach the message of the gospel to the non believer?
- Do I bring confrontation to the believer when I preach?
Prayer
Jesus, help me to follow you example in the way I speak your message. Help me to speak words of comfort and confrontation to the right people. I’m Jesus’ Name, I pray.
