The First 15

Monday September 26, 2022

by Jan Davis

Today is Monday, September 26 and we are praying through the Sermon on the Mount.

Opening Prayer

Jesus invites me to come to Him and find rest for my soul, take His yoke upon me and learn from Him, drink from the well of Living Water and be filled, and sit at His feet and hear His voice.

Pause and Pray

My Lord Jesus, in the early moments of the dawning day, I come to You as invited. I come with a quiet spirit, bearing the weary burdens of my soul to rest in the joy of Your presence and abide in the glory of Your love. Amen.

Scripture Reading

I praise God for the greatness and glory of His enduring Word citing the ancient Psalm 119.

Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. Psalm 119:89-91

Pause and Pray

In the second Century, there were some Christians like Marcion who disparaged the Old Testament. Marcion made his own bible. He eliminated the entire Old Testament. He combined a truncated version of Luke’s Gospel with selectively edited versions of Paul’s epistles. When all the cutting and pasting was finished, Marcion had the Christianity he wanted – a God of goodness without power, an inspiring message of moral encouragment and none of those uncomfortable references to wrath and hell. Marcion’s ideas may still be appealing to some Christians today. Why bother with the Old Testament?It seems like the Old Testament (consisting of the ancient writings of the Law and the Prophets) has little value or current relevance. Perhaps all we need is the New Testament. But what did Jesus have to say about this?

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:17-18

Reflection

Throughout my faith journey, I have often found myself gravitating toward the New Testament. I sometimes find the Old Testament difficult to understand. Here in Matthew, when Jesus talks about the Law and the Prophets, he means the Old Testament, particularly the moral Laws of Moses like the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20 and the writings of the Prophets including Isaiah and Jeremiah. If Jesus says he is not abolishing these parts of scripture, but has come to fulfill them, who am I to undervalue or limit their contribution to my faith or anyone else’s faith?Who am I to ignore, reject, skip over, or omit the scriptures of the Old Testament?Perhaps there is an opportunity to study more deeply and find greater understanding.

Ask: Why do I gravitate toward the texts and stories of the New Testament?How have I limited the influence or resisted study of the Old Testament?

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord Jesus, help me grow in knowledge and understanding. Open the scriptures to me and reveal how You have fulfilled the ancient writings, established God’s moral Law and completed the prophecies preserved in the Old Testament of my Bible. Help me hear God’s Word in a new light and open my mind to comprehend the mysteries of the ages through the power of the Holy Spirit. I read Matthew again, listening for the message You have for me today.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:17-18

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage?What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

God wants me to find my story in the story of scripture – in both the Old and the New Testament. God endeavors to speak to me through the words of this one book, the only book I will truly ever need – the Holy Bible. What is God speaking to me today about Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law of Moses and the Prophets?Perhaps God wants me to gain a fresh understanding and take some new steps in my study of scripture. Maybe God wants to reveal something new that I have not yet learned or understood about the Bible. Jesus is my Teacher and the Holy Spirit is my guide.

Pause and Pray

Blessed Lord Jesus, come and speak Your wisdom and truth into my life. I invite You to be my teacher and I sit at Your feet eager to learn. Explain the scriptures to me as only You are able to do. Open my mind to understand the fullness of God’s plan for the redemption of the world since the beginning of time. Amen.

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:25-27

Closing Prayer

I leave this time of prayer seeking to understand God’s great rescue plan for a broken humanity. I go to demonstrate His great love to everyone I meet.

Amen

The First 15

Sign up to receive an email notification whenever a new devotional is posted to The First 15.