THE SEED
“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the Kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” Matthew 23:13 (KJV)
A lot of the time and perhaps unconsciously, we tend to paint an incomplete image of the character of Jesus Christ. It is a perfect truth that Christ is our redeemer, our saviour, who is the full embodiment of love and compassion. However, we must not neglect that whilst on earth, Christ also expressed righteous anger. In this passage, Jesus sternly rebuked the Jewish leaders who were causing people to go astray with their hypocritical actions which were not in line with their words- they would say one thing and then do the exact opposite. From this, we should learn that although God is full of love and compassion for us, He will not be mocked, and He will not allow any rebellion no matter how small. So, we should also be like this: loving when appropriate but fierce and quick to oppose any disobedience to God’s word. The only way to do this effectively is to live a life of truth like Jesus. We cannot afford to be living a non-christlike life, therefore we should make people see the complete Jesus who is loving but also will not spare the rod of discipline against any disobedience or hypocritical way of life, for when we walk in disobedience and others are learning this from our way of life, we are positioning ourselves to experience His wrath, remember His blood was willingly shed for us to reconcile us to the Father.
BIBLE READING: Matthew 23:13-22
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me to fully understand who I am and dare to combat any evil I encounter. Let my heart be on fire for you always, in Jesus Name, Amen.
JESU PIPE
IRUGBIN NAA
“Ṣugbọn egbé ni fun ẹnyin olukọ ofin ati Farisi, agabagebe! Eyin se ijoba orun mo awon eniyan nitori eyin tikara yin ko wole, bee ni eyin ko je ki awon to fe wole o wọlé” Mátíù 23:13.
Pupọ ninu akoko naa ati ninu aimọ ni a nfi, ẹnití ti Jesu Kristi jẹ́ ati àwòrán Rẹ̀ bi aláìpé. Otitọ pipe ni pe Kristi jẹ Olurapada wa, Olugbala ẹniti o jẹ apẹrẹ kikun ti ifẹ ati aanu, sibẹsibẹ, a ko gbọdọ ṣai naani, akoko ti Kristi tun fi ibinu ododo han lori ilẹ. Nínú ẹsẹ yìí, Jésù bá olórí àwọn Júù tí wọ́n ń ṣe ohun tí ó ń mú kí àwọn ènìyàn ṣáko lọ pẹ̀lú àwọn ìwà àgàbàgebè wọn tí kò bá ọ̀rọ̀ wọn mu; wọn yíò sọ ohun kan, lẹhin èyí wọn yio ṣé idakeji rẹ̀. Láti inú èyí, a gbọ́dọ̀ kẹ́kọ̀ pé bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé Ọlọ́run kún fún ìfẹ́ àti ìyọ́nú fún wa, a kì yíò gan-an, kò sì ní gba Ìsọtẹ̀ èyíkéyìí láàyè. Nítorí náà, ó yẹ káwa náà dà bí èyí: onífẹ̀ẹ́ nígbà tó bá yẹ, ṣùgbọ́n ki a ni oju to mú han han, kí a sì máa yára láti lòdì sí àìgbọràn si Ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run. Ọna kan ṣoṣo lati ṣe eyi ni imunadoko ni, lati gbe igbesi-aye otitọ bi Jesu. A ko le gbe igbe aye agabagebe ki a nireti lati fi Jesu Pipe han fun àwọn èniyàn ti o wa ni àyíká wa, eni ti o jẹ́ onifẹ́, ṣugbọn ti kii yíò fa ọpá ibawi sẹhin lodi sì eyikeyi aigbọran tabi igbe aye agabagebe. O fi tinutinu ta ẹjẹ Rẹ̀ sílẹ̀ fun wa lati ba wa laja pẹlu Baba ati nigba ti a ba nrìn ninu aigbọran, awọn miiran n kọ ẹkọ ninu iwa buburu wa. A nfi ara wa han lati jẹ́kí a ri Kristi bi alai dara.
BIBELI KIKA: Matteu 23:13-23
ADURA: Jesu Oluwa, ràn mí lọ́wọ́ láti lóye ẹni tí mo jẹ́ ní kíkún, kí o sì dokojú kọ èyíkéyìí ninu ibi ti mo ba ba pade. Jẹ ki ina emi mimo re kun inu okan mi nigbagbogbo, ni Oruko Jesu, Amin.