TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
1 Samuel 22:1-23:29
John 10:1-21
Psalm 115:1-18
Proverbs 15:18-19
1 Samuel 22:5 — Sometimes you’re hurt by people who claim to be Christians, and as a result you want to swear off dealing with Christians ever again. Perhaps in response you just want to deal with “honest pagans.” But even though you can be hurt again, God calls us to fellowship with other believers (Hebrews 10:25) because no matter how much we think our situation is beyond hope, God is in control!
1 Samuel 22:8 — The King of Israel is sad that “there is none of you that is sorry for me.”
1 Samuel 22:18 — If Jesus was comparing the Pharisees to Doeg, Doeg had shed the blood of 85 priests who stood helplessly, as well as the entire city of Nob. What did the Pharisees do to the Son of God?
1 Samuel 23:4 — Notice the patience of the LORD. The same God who was so patient with Gideon, is also patient with David. God spoke to him and promised him victory twice, even though David was afraid.
1 Samuel 23:21 — Blessing people in the name of the LORD for helping you kill your loyal subject that you have made into an adversary … huh?
John 10:1-21 — Notice some of the characters in this parable:
- The thief/robber – introduced in vs. 1
- The hireling – introduced in vs. 12
- The shepherd – introduced in vs. 2
Have you noticed the similarities between this and the parable of the wicked husbandmen (Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-19)?
In John 10:10-11 we see the action. The hireling flees, the thief kills, and the Shepherd dies. Yet, unlike the other parables, we are told the end of the story: in John 10:17-18 the Shepherd rises again!
Some other takeaways from this passage:
- John 10:8, 16 – Who you hear indicates what you are
- John 10:9-10 – Who you follow indicates where you go
Mr. Rogers of PBS fame asked his wife before he died, “Am I a sheep?” On the internet you have two responses (notice which incorporates more Scripture):
John 10:4 — Young Samuel didn’t know God’s voice, but then he had a personal encounter with the LORD. Eventually, he was able to recognize His voice.
John 10:18 — Jesus is prophesying His death and resurrection, and yet the disciples that He loved did not realize this.
Psalm 115:1 — A good admonition against pride.
Psalm 115:13 — If I want God’s blessing, what should I do?
Proverbs 15:18 — Let’s be peacemakers!
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