Matthew 16:13-18
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
NKJV
WHY was Jesus asking this question? Well, lets look at the passage before His asking the question.
Matthew 16:5-12
5 Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees." 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread." 8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? 9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? 10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? 11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?--but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
NKJV
When Jesus asked them a question, it was concerning how they come to their answers, their thinking about what He was saying compared to that doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. When Jesus asked, He was finding out where they really stood relating to the Word of Truth that He was directing them to.
So if the Lord asks us a question: be certain to know that He is really asking if our going forward is based on His truth or of the doctrine of the world. It is not to be about that we just know it for that should already be a part of the foundation and it should not be about how we are feeling in regard to it, but are we without any doubt. Are we those certain ones that we are backed by the Word of God in stepping into that which God has for us to do? We can not do it just assuming it. We can not do it just because some pastor some years ago mentioned it, that we are the "called" to it and so just do it. NO! We must certainly have a foundation built beneath us and that Cornerstone is Jesus Himself.
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
NIV
So if the Lord asks us a question: be certain to know that He is really asking if our going forward is based on His truth or of the doctrine of the world. It is not to be about that we just know it for that should already be a part of the foundation and it should not be about how we are feeling in regard to it, but are we without any doubt. Are we those certain ones that we are backed by the Word of God in stepping into that which God has for us to do? We can not do it just assuming it. We can not do it just because some pastor some years ago mentioned it, that we are the "called" to it and so just do it. NO! We must certainly have a foundation built beneath us and that Cornerstone is Jesus Himself.
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
NIV
As fellow citizens with God's people and members of His household, we are those who are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the Chief Cornerstone!
The anointing Jesus gives us by the Word of truth, is that which determines when the "bad report" or that "surprise report" comes to us. Then when a question comes, are we wrapped up ..........surrounded, fortified with His love and Word OR are we, by the circumstance ready to throw in the towel like in a boxing match? We certainly are to be trained and ready because the Word is alive in us, powered by the Holy Spirit to make those quick decisions and keep going forward from Step 1 Step 2 to Step 3 of God's plan.
Mark 2:23-28
23 Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" 25 But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: 26 how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" 27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."
NKJV
23 Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" 25 But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: 26 how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" 27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."
NKJV
Take note that Jesus asked the Pharisees a question when He was presented with one as well?
Jesus was pointing to David who was avoiding King Saul, but kept his men fed, he looked for a place of security for them, and when Saul was breathing out his cruelties. Truly the Sabbath was created for man to.........relax from a week's long work, to remember all that God had done for them, and to rest with family and enjoy them!
In reading this passage it is separated by Chapter 3 heading, but they started this one with And He entered..........so this is continued from that of Mark chapter 2!
Jesus was pointing to David who was avoiding King Saul, but kept his men fed, he looked for a place of security for them, and when Saul was breathing out his cruelties. Truly the Sabbath was created for man to.........relax from a week's long work, to remember all that God had done for them, and to rest with family and enjoy them!
In reading this passage it is separated by Chapter 3 heading, but they started this one with And He entered..........so this is continued from that of Mark chapter 2!
Mark 3:1-6
3:1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." 4 Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
NKJV
3:1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." 4 Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
NKJV
Yes, a whole group of people were asked this question. They were that group of religious folk.
"Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?"
It tells us that everyone remained silent.
Jesus spoke to the man with the withered hand...........and said, "Stretch out your hand." And as he did, his hand was restored as whole as the other.
From what we see in Chapter 2 of Mark, is that Jesus was pointing to that day of the Sabbath as the day which was made for man. In truth, the Sabbath was created after man was created. Man was made for God.
Luke 13:10-21
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day." 15 The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound--think of it--for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
18 Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."
20 And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."
NKJV
Notice in verse 12, when Jesus called the woman out, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity"......and then laid hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. God can do miracles on any day. Does not have to be always in church or within that moment of an immediate miracle, but can be done by giving people truth. Jesus was giving truth on the Sabbath and the woman was healed. But at verse 14, we find the ruler of the synagogue indignant. He was mad at Jesus for healing on the Sabbath and even told Jesus the LAW. But Jesus asked "does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, lead it away to water it"? "SO ought not this woman be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"
The people rejoiced, and then Jesus went on to ask another question! "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?" 'It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."
And verse 18:
18 Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."
When God asks us a question, it is not our answering by feelings, or how body feels today. It is not how our spouse is acting or not acting, but it is by being steadfast in the Word of God. It is as Jesus represented to the disciples and to us. Our lives are to be that continually flowing fountain of water springing up that brings to those around that water of life, that Word of God, and that people are being satisfied. Yes, those who have been held in bondage much too long, to a broken body, a broken heart, held by drugs and depression need a long cool drink of the living fountain of Water of the Word of God that gives life and peace! When asked a question today, hopefully our reply is found from that living water...........as we find in John 7, of that which comes from the Holy Spirit.
When God asks us a question, it is not our answering by feelings, or how body feels today. It is not how our spouse is acting or not acting, but it is by being steadfast in the Word of God. It is as Jesus represented to the disciples and to us. Our lives are to be that continually flowing fountain of water springing up that brings to those around that water of life, that Word of God, and that people are being satisfied. Yes, those who have been held in bondage much too long, to a broken body, a broken heart, held by drugs and depression need a long cool drink of the living fountain of Water of the Word of God that gives life and peace! When asked a question today, hopefully our reply is found from that living water...........as we find in John 7, of that which comes from the Holy Spirit.
John 7:37-39
37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
NIV
When God asks us a question, do our words and worship exalt the Lord God or something else altogether? When we have the Holy Spirit residing in us, our words, yes our replies to any question will be words that worship as a witness of who we are following, who we listen to, what we read or keep our focus on, and who we will ultimately confess! Amen.
We are to reply to the One true God, and then follow Him, obedient to all He asks us!
37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
NIV
When God asks us a question, do our words and worship exalt the Lord God or something else altogether? When we have the Holy Spirit residing in us, our words, yes our replies to any question will be words that worship as a witness of who we are following, who we listen to, what we read or keep our focus on, and who we will ultimately confess! Amen.
We are to reply to the One true God, and then follow Him, obedient to all He asks us!
You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV
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