Today in the Word June 6-10
Today in The Word
Monday June 6, 2022
How are we to think? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Paul states in Romans 12:16:
“…Do not be conceited.”
The word translated ‘conceited’ in this verse is composed of three original words. They are ‘think + wise + alongside.’ Conceit is to have the opinion one is wise alongside others. Conceit is a dangerous game of comparison. We are not to think that we are the smartest, wealthiest, most attractive, or most virtuous person in the room. One reason is obvious: there is always someone ‘more’ than you out there—more clever, more rich, or more sexy. But the second reason comes to us from verse 10:
“…Honor one another above yourselves.”
We are not to view others as competitors to elbow out of the way in a race. We are to honor and promote others. We are to put others ahead of ourselves as a Christian practice. We are to be boosters, not self-promoters. We are to think outside ourselves and help others in the family of God succeed.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Tuesday June 7, 2022
What is the message Philip shared with the Ethiopian in Acts 8? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Acts 8:32 tells us the Ethiopian was reading from Isaiah 53:7:
“…He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Philip helped him to understand what he was reading, and I Peter 2:23 explains further:
“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
Jesus was the Lamb of God who did not retaliate. The world seems to operate on a payback mentality. But when Jesus was before Herod, and then falsely accused before Pilate, he did not defend himself. Jesus, of his own will, laid down his life for us. The accusations against him were ridiculous. But he chose to put his trust in His Father. He left the judging to God.
That sounds like a good model to follow for all of us!
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Wednesday June 8, 2022
What is the message Philip shared with the Ethiopian in Acts 8? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Acts 8:33 tells us the Ethiopian was reading from Isaiah 53:8:
“By oppression and judgment, he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people, he was punished.”
Isaiah prophesies that no one ‘of his generation’ protested Jesus’ unfair treatment. The death penalty charges against Jesus were trumped up. Yet no one came to his defense. In fact, his own disciples dissolved into the dark, or worse, denied they even knew him when confronted.
A key point of the gospel story that Philip needed to get across to his new Ethiopian friend was that the religious leaders used Rome to execute Jesus unfairly. And no one came to his defense. Some of the same crowd that shouted ‘hosanna’ a week earlier seemed quick to go along with a new cry of ‘crucify him.’
Jesus knows what it is like to be unfairly accused. He knows what it is like to be betrayed. He can relate to us at an emotional level. Jesus’ death connects him to the universal human feeling of being excluded. He walked that road to relate to us.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Thursday June 9, 2022
How does Peter help us understand the gospel message contained in Isaiah 53? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Verse 9 reads:
“…though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”
Christ’s example is quoted in I Peter 2:22:
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
Key to the gospel message is the truth that Jesus never sinned. He was tempted by Satan just like we are, but he never gave in to those temptations. Jesus was a perfect sacrifice for us. He was the perfect Lamb—unblemished. Jesus’ perfection makes it possible for him to cover all the evil that is throughout humanity. His is the only acceptable sacrifice.
Jesus’ sinlessness is key to the Gospel message.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Friday June 10, 2022
If Philip was telling the Ethiopian the gospel message (Acts 8) from Isaiah 53, what would be important to emphasize? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Isaiah 53:5 and 12 reads:
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed…For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
I Peter 2:24 explains:
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.””
Isaiah looked ahead to the cross, and Peter looked back to the same. Jesus bore our sins on the cross. Every human is sin-sick. Every human has acted in selfishness and is separated from relationship with God. But Jesus’ crucifixion can heal our sin. Instead of living for our own selfish desires, we can live for righteousness.
The cross answered the sin problem. That is what Philip needed to communicate to the Ethiopian.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.