I was convinced I'd already done this today... Clearly not. So last night I went to see the new Will Ferrell film. I know, I wanted to see a film with Will Ferrell in. It took some getting used to the idea I promise you. However, the minute we got to the desk the woman next to us sold the last ticket. Fun... So we ended up in Tamara Drew which was... ok? It was funny in places and sort of loosely followed the plot of the book that was meant to inspire it but was nothing memorable. I've seen much better British cinema like This is England or even Cemetery Junction. All in all, rent it if there's nothing else to watch. Onto business then.
Today’s readings
Genesis 45:1-47:12
Matthew 16:1-20
Psalm 14:1-7
We're getting close to the end of Genesis now which is quite exciting in a way. Only 65 more books left!! First point that hits me today is not just how Joseph forgives his brothers but how he's so humble in seeing God's work. God can do massive things on a global scale to effect one or two people. Joseph doesn't just see how God's plans saved his life and put him in a place of authority but how he was less important to his brothers being saved and God's people continuing to prosper. Sometimes we forget that the Israelites were still without a home or any real future and this was as much about giving them some security before God moved them on with Moses as it was about making sure that just one man was spared the unjust treatment of his brothers.
And how God worked for them in that situation. Just last chapter we read how it was offensive for an Egyptian to have to eat with a Jew and yet Pharoah himself is desperate for Joseph's family to settle in Egypt on the best land available. This would cause problems later when man's jealousy got in the way but what a huge blessing. Once again God shows that He will bless you out of your hardship even if it takes years for that blessing to come.
Into the New Testament we splash and Jesus is talking in riddles again. So often I have to go back to that promise that if we really rely on God and try to follow His will then the knowledge and wisdom will filter through. First Jesus talks to the Jewish leaders about how they demand signs and miracles but the only sign they'd get is the Jonah sign. What's the mean hmm? Well obviously we'll read Jonah at some point but I think what Jesus is saying is that Jonah's signs from God all tended to be pretty scary and dangerous and Jesus is saying that the Pharissees are being so ignorant and close minded to see the signs and the truth that He is preaching, the only way God will be able to show them anything is by pushing them to the brink of disaster.
Then He talks to his disciples about how they will be worth a lot less to God if they concentrate on the wrong sort of teaching. Now again the disciples just don't get it and Jesus has to make His point over again. The disciples aren't educated guys and these are all brand new ideas that they're hearing. But Jesus isn't always obvious and does challenge what we think and accept as the way things work. I guess the equivalent here would be something like trade justice. The world tells us that big corporations will always abuse their workers and get away with it. But Jesus challenges us with different thinking. That's a big example but it works on the small scale as well. Look at your life and think about what attitudes you might hold that Jesus would challenge the logic or truthfulness of. I know I've got a few and I'm going to have to redress them.
The next bit kind of gets glossed over in the Soul Survivor vlog but I think it's important considering what's just been happening in the country. First Jesus is recognised by Peter as being the Messiah and what's brilliant is that Jesus reinforces that true knowledge is God given. It comes from stepping out in faith. Which of the disciples has done the most to try and get close to Jesus? Literally Peter as he went to Him on the water. And with that risk comes the great reward.
Now Jesus' words that follow are pretty much the sole reasoning behind the role of the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church. I'm not particularly anti Pope though I do think he ought to do more to further equality and justice than he does. What's really tricky with the Pope is that hard line Roman Catholicism teaches that everything a Pope says is true. And that's based on what Jesus says in verse 19. Now ignoring the fact that Jesus only says this to Paul and not that every person who gets Paul's job after him gets all the same perks, and ignoring that the Pope has contradicted previous Popes and changed his mind on several occasions, to me that just isn't what this is saying. I just don't see Jesus, who two seconds earlier was calling out the disciples for not getting what He was saying, deciding that every single thing this person said would be true. I mean that doesn't even hold up in the Bible as Peter denied knowing Jesus yet this wasn't true... To me this is Jesus showing the true potential of the realisation that Peter has had. By accessing that divine knowledge of God we can achieve so much more as we'll be being backed by God and we'll be getting blessings and answers from Him. This isn't a superpower that never leaves us, it's an occasional blessing from God as all his gifts are.
And finally our Psalm is another short one today. David here is echoing what I was saying about challenging the established way that the world teaches us to think. He warns us that by being sheep for a leader on earth will only lead to us coming up short in life. Instead we need to keep fixed on God and His truth, no matter how dangerous or bizarre it might seem. Remember though, the key truth is to be loving. If you're loving God and loving your fellow human then you're doing His will. It shouldn't be so hard to get on with people should it!
And that's your lot for today. Yesterday's answer was Craig David. I refuse to link to it. It upset me just remembering the title. Today's is a great song with a better cover version. Questions, criticisms and comments welcome as always
Jon
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