Henry: Welcome To Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience.
Day six.
As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home
for a meal, so he went in and took his place at the table.
His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first
performing the hand washing ceremony required by Jewish custom.
Then the Lord said to him, you Pharisees are so careful to clean
the outside of the cup and the dish.
But inside you are filthy full of greed and wickedness.
Fools didn't God make the inside as well as the outside.
So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor and you will be clean all over
What sorrow awaits you, Pharisees, for you are careful to tithe even the tiniest
income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God.
You should tithe yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
What Sorrow awaits you, Pharisees, for you love to sit in the seats of honor
in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces.
Yes.
What sorrow awaits you for you are like hidden graves in a field.
People walk over them without knowing the corruption they're stepping on.
Teacher said, an expert in religious law.
You have insulted us too in what you just said.
Yes, said Jesus.
What?
Sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law for you crush people
with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the
burden what sorrow awaits you for, you build monuments for the prophets your
own ancestors killed long ago, but in fact, you stand as witnesses who
agree with what your ancestors did.
They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments.
This is what God and his wisdom said about you.
I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill
some and persecute the others.
As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of
all God's prophets, from the creation of world, from the murder of Abel, to
the murder of Zechariah who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary.
Yes, it'll certainly be charged against this generation.
What sorrow awaits you, experts in religious law for you?
Remove the key to knowledge from the people.
You don't enter the kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.
As Jesus was leaving the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees
became hostile and try to provoke him with many questions.
They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.
Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about
and stepping on each other.
Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, beware of the yeast
of the Pharisees, their hypocrisy.
The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all
that is secret will be made known to all.
Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light.
And what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from
the housetops for all to hear.
Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body.
They cannot do any more to you after that, but I'll tell you whom to fear.
Fear God who has the power to kill you and then throw you into Hell.
Yes, he's the one to fear.
What is the price of five Sparrows?
Two copper coins.
Yet, God does not forget a single one of them, and the very hairs
on your head are all numbered.
So don't be afraid.
You are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
I tell you the truth.
Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son
of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God's angels.
But anyone who denies me here on Earth will be denied before God's angels.
Anyone who speaks against the son of man can be forgiven.
But anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and
authorities, don't worry about how to defend yourself or what to say
for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.
And then someone called from the crowd Teacher, please tell my brother to
divide our father's estate with me.
Jesus replied friend who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that.
Then he said, beware, guard against every kind of greed.
Life is not measured by how much you own.
Then he told them a story.
A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.
He said to himself, what should I do?
I don't have room for all my crops.
Then he said, I know I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones.
Then I'll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods, and
I'll sit back and say to myself, my friend, you have enough stored away
for years to come now take it easy.
Eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said to him, you fool, you will die this very night.
Then who will get everything you worked for?
Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth, but not have
a rich relationship with God.
Then turning to his disciples, Jesus said, that is why I tell you
not to worry about everyday life.
Whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear
for life is more than food and your body more than clothing.
Look at the Ravens.
They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns for God feeds them and you are
far more valuable to him than any birds.
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
And if worry can't accomplish a little thing like that, what's the
use of worrying over bigger things?
Look at the lilies and how they grow.
They don't work or make their clothing.
Yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.
And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today
and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.
Why do you have so little faith and don't be concerned about
what to eat and what to drink?
Don't worry about such things.
These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but
your father already knows your needs.
Seek the kingdom of God above all else and he will give you everything you need.
So don't be afraid.
Little flock for it gives your father great happiness to give you the kingdom.
Sell your possessions and give to those in need.
This will store up treasure for you in heaven and the purses of heaven.
Never get old or develop holes.
Your treasure will be safe.
No thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
Wherever your treasure is there, the desires of your heart will also be, be
dressed for service and keep your lamps burning as though you are waiting for your
master to return from the wedding feast the Then you'll be ready to open the door
and let him in The moment he arrives and knocks the servants who are ready and
waiting for his return will be rewarded.
I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron
and serve them as they sit and eat.
He may come in the middle of a night or just before dawn, but whenever he comes,
he will reward the servants who are ready.
Understand this, if a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar
was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into.
You also must be ready all the time for the son of man
will come when least expected.
Peter asked, Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?
And the Lord replied, A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can
give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.
If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good
job, there will be a reward.
I tell you the truth.
The master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.
But what if the servant thinks my master won't be back for a while,
and he begins beating the other servants, partying and getting drunk.
The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in
pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.
And a servant who knows what the master wants but isn't prepared
and doesn't carry out, those instructions will be severely punished.
But someone who does not know and then does something wrong,
will be punished only lightly.
When someone has been given much, much will be required in return and
when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
I have come to set the world on fire and I wish it were already burning.
I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy
burden until it is accomplished.
Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth?
No.
I have come to divide people against each other.
From now on, families will be split apart.
Three in favor of me and two against or two in favor, and three against
father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against
daughter and daughter against mother and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and
daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.
Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, when you see clouds beginning to form in
the west, you say, here comes a shower.
And you are right when the south wind blows.
You say, today will be a scorcher, and it is you fools.
You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don't
know how to interpret the present times.
Why can't you decide for yourselves what is right when you are on the
way to court with your accuser?
Try to settle the matter before you get there.
Otherwise, your accuser may drag you before the judge who will hand
you over to an officer who will throw you into prison, and if that
happens, you won't be free again until you have paid the very last penny.
About this time, Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some
people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the temple.
Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all
the other people from Galilee?
Jesus asked.
Is that why they suffered?
Not at all.
And you will perish too unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.
And what about the 18 people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them?
Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem?
No, and I tell you again that in unless you repent, you will perish too.
Then Jesus told this story, a man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again
and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.
Finally, he said to his gardener, I've waited three years and
there hasn't been a single fig.
Cut it down.
It's just taking up space in the garden.
The gardener answered.
Sir, give it one more chance.
Leave it another year and I'll give it special attention
and plenty of fertilizer.
If we get figs next year, fine.
If not, then you can cut it down.
One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, he saw a woman who
had been crippled by an evil spirit.
She had been bent double for 18 years and was unable to stand up straight.
When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, dear woman,
you are healed of your sickness.
Then he touched her and instantly she could stand straight.
How she praised God.
But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus
had healed her on the Sabbath day.
There are six days of the week for working.
He said to the crowd, come on those days to be healed.
Not on the Sabbath, but the Lord replied, you hypocrites, each
of you works on the Sabbath day.
Don't you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the
Sabbath and lead it out for water.
This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held and bondage by Satan
for 18 years, isn't it right that she be released even on the Sabbath that
shamed his enemies, but all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.
Then Jesus said, what is the kingdom of God?
Like?
How can I illustrate it?
It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden.
It grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.
He also asked, what else is the kingdom of God like?
It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread, even though she put only a
little yeast in three measures of flour.
It permeated every part of a dough.
This concludes today's Immer reading experience.
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