Prayer – Lord, those pesky Pharisees…they just wouldn’t give up on trying to trick You, but You were terrific and they couldn’t answer Your question! Help me to be like You, always ready with the right words. Please provide me, my family and friends with wisdom not to be deceived…or to not be clear to others when sharing the Gospel…but to be ready when You return.
Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a
question: "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?"
They replied, "He is the son of David." Jesus responded, "Then
why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah
'my Lord'? For David said, 'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor
at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.' Since David
called the Messiah 'my Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?" No one
could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. Matthew
22:41-46
Meditate. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.
The Pharisees, and earlier the Sadducees,
were continually challenging Jesus, trying to trick Him up so that they could
accuse Him of a wrong doing and arrest Him. They were not the sort of people
you’d want to have for friends or to be like. Jesus was recognized as a great
teacher and thought by some to be a prophet…but He was more than that. He was
the Messiah. He even told the women at the well in Samaria that He was the
Messiah. Straight outright in one of His I AM statements.
The
woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ.
When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus told her,
"I AM the Messiah!" John 4:25-26
He didn’t declare to everyone just
Who He Was…she was privileged. She told others in her town of Sychar what He
had told her about herself…and challenged them to consider if He could be the
Messiah. Wasn’t she listening? He told her straight out, "I AM the
Messiah!" If someone told you that, would you believe him? Be careful.
Jesus told His disciples…and us…
"Don't
let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the
Messiah.' They will deceive many. ...Then if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is
the Messiah,' or 'There he is,' don't believe it. For false messiahs and false
prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if
possible, even God's chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of
time. "So if someone tells you, 'Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,'
don't bother to go and look. Or, 'Look, he is hiding here,' don't believe it!
For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be
when the Son of Man comes. Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a
carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.” Matthew
24:4-5, 23-28
So,
be ready. Don’t be deceived and start looking around for Jesus in all the wrong
places. Look for Jesus in the word of God. He is the Word of God—and living in
Heaven at the right hand of God. He’s gone there to prepare a place for us. He
is the Messiah. There is so much to know about Him—read and learn about Him…and
then answer the question…what do you think about the Messiah?
Verse of Salvation ~ For the grace of God has been
revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from
godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with
wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to
that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
will be revealed. Titus 2:11-13
Watch for that day when the glory...
of our great God and Savior,
Jesus Christ,
will be revealed!
Near the Ashley River, north of Charleston, SC
© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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