Scripture

“I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you do, for John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did.”

Observation.

The religious leaders demand to know by whose authority Jesus does things. Jesus answers them with a question: Did John’s authority come from heaven, or from people?

The religious leaders are stuck on a dilemma. If John’s authority came from God, then they will have to explain why they did not believe him. But if they say it was human, they will be mobbed by the crowd who believe he was a prophet.

Jesus says that because they refuse to heed John’s message tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of Heaven before they do.

Application

Salvation is not about believing a set of beliefs or saying a prayer. Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God, which is not a political entity as such but the people who together walk in the ways of King Jesus.

Repentance, that is turning away from our selfish ways to live God’s way, is important. We must recognise that God’s way for our life is very different from our own self-directed ways.

Jesus told the religious leaders that God would judge them because they refuse to pay attention to John the Baptist’s message. They were worse than the worst of sinners because at least some of those tax collectors and prostitutes heard John’s message and repented of their sins.

True faith, true religion, is to find out what God wants of us and then, in humble obedience, to go and do it.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, please help me to turn away from all selfishness and to obey you in all things. Amen.

Scripture

Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.

Observation

Jesus goes to the temple and clears out the merchants and money changers. He says to them, “My Temple will be called a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

The blind and the lame come to Jesus and He heals them. Children sing His praises.

The next morning. Jesus looks to a fig tree to see if there are any figs. When there are none to be seen, he curses the fig tree, and it withers straight away.

Jesus tells the disciples that if they have faith and do not doubt, they can move mountains with faith. We can pray for anything and receive it.

Application

Where does doubt come from? Is it just that we find it hard to believe that God can do things? We know in our hearts that God can do anything. The test is to believe that He will do this one thing.

It is not always lack of faith in God’s ability, so much as we fail to believe in His willingness.

We wonder if our motives are right, or if we are worthy to receive from God. We fear our prayers are wrong.

There are many reasons to doubt. We have just one reason to believe, and that is the nature of God. He has promised to give us good things. He is able to keep his promises and willing to answer our prayers.

So we can boldly pray, taking faith to believe the answer, then trust God for the result.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you tell us to believe and do not doubt. Please give me that kind of faith. Amen.