Matthew 16.1-12

Reference:  v. 3 “…and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’  You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.” (NIV Bible)

Explore:  In Secondary school I had a brilliant maths teacher.  He was known for his intelligence and as a mathematical genius. As a teacher, however, he was terrible.  He understood maths at such a complex level that he struggled to explain the basic concepts to an average student.  He was so excited by mathematical formula that he struggled to assist those who couldn’t get their heads around algebra.  While he may have been a mathematical genius, he was a below average teacher.
In Jesus’ time the Pharisees and Sadducees were the theological geniuses.  They knew more laws than anyone else, they lived out the rituals daily and their whole lives surrounded the Torah (their scriptures and a lot of our Old Testament).  They were so religiously intelligent that they failed to see God.

Application:  So often we can be the same.  We can get so tied up in church activities, Biblical understandings and religious ways that we fail to see God in our every day.  Don’t hear me wrong, I help facilitate church activities, I delight in Biblical understandings – hence this REAP website! – and I am committed to religious practices.  However, let us not put this thinking in the way of our acting.  If we end up putting law before grace then we are no better than the Pharisees and Sadducees who were scolded by Jesus for their wicked ways.  Jesus’ whole life was based on grace.  He showed love to the outcasts, he gave forgiveness to the downtrodden and he died a gruesome death that we may all be redeemed from our sin.  When we look through scriptures for guidance we must remember that Jesus did not just die for me; Jesus didn’t just die for those who attend church; Jesus died for all humanity.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice.  May I draw on Your love and show it to all others.  Amen.