REACTION TO CHRIST

“But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant” (Matt. 21:15 NKJV).

The reaction of a person towards the Lord Jesus Christ reveals the condition of that person’s soul and predicts their destiny. In our verse, we have the reaction of the chief priests and scribes. These men were the religious leaders of the day, yet they rejected the Lord Jesus Christ in spite of His goodness. Thus, we want to note the performance of Christ, the praise for Christ, and the provoking by Christ.

Performance of Christ - “Wonderful things.” The time is a few days before the crucifixion. The Lord Jesus has made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem and has cleansed the Temple the second time. Everything that the Lord Jesus Christ did was indeed “wonderful.” There was nothing in the performance of the Lord Jesus Christ that could condemn. As we are told in mark 7:37, “He has done all things well.”

Praise for Christ - “The children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David” What an amazing thing to have children praising the Lord Jesus Christ. He certainly deserved the praise because of the “wonderful” things He did. If there were more children praising the Lord Jesus, there would be a lot less juvenile delinquency. Our problem today is that children are praising Hollywood stars, sports stars and political stars who do not deserve praise. Instead, they should be praising the “Star out of Jacob” (cf. Num. 24:17). He deserves praise more than anyone else.

Provoking by Christ - “They were indignant.” In spite of the performance of Christ and the children praising Christ, these religious leaders were “indignant.” The Lord Jesus Christ and His Word are a great blessing and are the best help for our children. But the powers that be get all upset if the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word are exalted in any way. But being provoked about the performance of Christ and the praise for Christ invites judgment.

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 2)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Christ is never fully valued, until sin is clearly seen. We must know the depth and malignity of our disease, in order to appreciate the great Physician!”

J C Ryle (1816 – 1900)

English Evangelical Anglican Bishop

Word Study

Exalt

In Jam. 4:10 we read, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (NASB).

Exalt is the Geek word hupsóō (ὑψόω = hoop-so'-o). It means to lift up, to raise high, to raise to dignity, honor and happiness. Metaphorically, it means to raise to the very summit of wealth and prosperity. Figuratively, it can describe lifting one up to a place of honor, fame, power, or position. A person can either exalt himself or allow God to exalt him. However, only those who allow God to exalt them will be declared righteous. Those who exalt themselves and count on their own righteousness will be humbled by God.

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, My servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen” (Isa. 44:2 KJV).

Did You Know…

The Book of Revelation is the only book of the Bible that begins with a blessing on all who read, hear and keep the words written in the book (Rev. 1:3).

Bible Quiz

In the Book of Revelation, what are the four beasts round the throne covered in?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: When the Lord Jesus sent the disciples out to minister on their own, what were they to do if a town did not accept them? “Shake off the dust under your feet” (Mark 6:11).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“JUST ONE”

"Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth!” (Acts 22:14 NKJV).

1. Meaning – JUST ONE speaks of the Lord Jesus as the Righteous One, Holy One in opposition to the Jews, who crucified Him as a malefactor (evildoer, criminal).

2. Insights – “Just One” or “Righteous One” is a reference to the Messiah (cf. Acts 3:14; 7:52), and a name the Jews would have recognized from Jer. 23:5 where God had prophesied, “I will raise to David a Branch of Righteousness,” (cf. Jer 33:15). The name “Righteous One” is used in Isaiah, for instance, Isa. 53:11 says, “By his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many.” On the road to Damascus, Paul saw the resurrected Lord Jesus and heard His voice. This was important because it qualified Paul to be an apostle.

Did You Know – Christian History

Tiyo Soga was born in 1829, at Mgwali on the eastern frontier of the Cape Colony (now in South Africa). He was a Xhosa journalist, minister, translator, missionary evangelist, and composer of hymns. Xhosa are a Bantu ethnic group whose traditional homeland is primarily the Cape Provinces of South Africa.

As a young man, Soga’s skills were very low when he began to teach other South African children. This obviously led to him being humiliated. Earlier, Scottish missionary James Stewart had founded a mission station called Lovedale, which was dedicated to teaching Africans practical skills. Lovedale offered a competitive exam. Soga’s teacher, the Rev. Chalmers decided to enter the young man into the competition. Given a simple subtraction problem, Soga stared in dismay at the figures on the chalkboard. The examiner felt sympathy for the young man. “Take away the lower line from the upper,” he suggested. Soga brightened. This he understood! He moistened his thumb in his mouth and then erased the bottom line! He was sent back to Tyumi to explain his failure.

However, Chalmers was convinced that Sago was above average in moral and spiritual qualities. He convinced the head of Lovedale to admit Sago despite his dismal performance. Chalmers would be vindicated as Sago, by hard and steady application, rose to second place in each of his classes - except arithmetic. In due time, he also studied in Scotland where his spiritual life and academics were far above expectation.

Back in Africa, Sago labored to the point of breaking his health: teaching, preaching, raising money for church building. Days were spent walking the trail, preaching the gospel, and confronting godless chiefs. Under the strain of work and poor living conditions, Sago contracted tuberculosis. Despite failing health, he took on new tasks for the sake of the souls of Africans. Sago worked on a translation of Pilgrim’s Progress into Xhosa, adapting the story to fit his people’s daily experiences. His translation and adaptation of Pilgrim’s Progress has been called “the most important literary influence in 19th Century South Africa after the Bible.” He also worked to translate the Christian gospels and served on the advisory board to revise the Xhosa Bible.

Soga died of tuberculosis in August 1871. He was the first black South African to be ordained and considered to be the first major modern African intellectual. The many hymns composed by Soga were very popular in the 19th Century and are still sung in South African churches today.

A Little Humor

The church usher was carrying out the tradition of escorting parishioners to their seats before the service began. As he returned to the entrance of the sanctuary to escort the next party, he greeted two strangers and asked where they would like to sit. Looking confused, the young man smiled and said, “Nonsmoking, please.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Hope in Christ is the anchor that holds us steady during life’s storms!”