Bedtime Bible Boys TJH

Tough reading on this episode, but we get through it and find encouragement and hope in what the Lord Jesus had to tell his disciples as he finished sending them off. 

Tonight we read the details Jesus gave the disciples concerning the mistreatment they would face as they went through Israel and gave the commission for which He sent them. We concluded that standing firm to the end was a message for the disciples at that time, and an encouraging promise for them and not a threat to our right standing with God through the work of Jesus Christ. 

The Lord offers his first commission to His disciples in this reading. We discuss what was unique about this first commission, what message they were supposed to carry and miracles they were to provide. This episode helps setup the context for the remaining instruction the disciples would receive. Jesus finishes with this - be innocent. Don't get entangled in improper places and behaviors. 

Maybe nature to our flesh, or perhaps nurtured legalism but it can be very easy to read the things Jesus had to say to the people He was talking to in the time period He was talking to them and assume that He was meaning to continuously reprimand us for some recent behavior. In this reading we see Jesus give the invitation to those who are willing to join Him in the harvesting of followers and we discuss how we believe Jesus is often comforting those he was speaking to and inviting them - not threatening and discouraging them. 

We continue our reading through Matthew chapter 9 and see Jesus, between miracles, having time for the people who came to Him. It reminds us that He always has time for us while challenging us to find time for those around us. We call these "divine interruptions" and they are gifts even though we often think of them as nuisances. 

Tonight we where Jesus told those questioning Him that His disciples were practicing a new wine - they weren't putting new patches on old clothes (mixing what Jesus had to bring with the old covenant) they were having a relationship with Him - the Father. We conclude with an affirmation to the children that all they did to be children is be born. After having been born they are always my children, no matter what.