Through difficult times, through times of struggle, through times of discontent, through times of frustrations, there is always a place we can go for help, for guidance, and for answers. That place is the heart of Jesus. So much can be learned from both His questions and His answers. So much comfort can be received. Let’s tune in – and listen to Him.
Q1 – If a child asks his father for a loaf of bread, will he be given a stone instead? If he asks for fish, will he be given a poisonous snake? (Matt. 7:9–10)
Jesus answers, “Of course not!” It clearly was a redundant question, but He had to ask it anyway – because he had another point to make. And the point was this, “And if you hard-hearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?” (Matt. 7:11)
Commentary
Bread and fish were staples in their diet. A father would never have withheld them from his children. Even sinful men wouldn’t do that. How comforting to know – that through these times – our heavenly Father will not withhold what is good from us.
Q2 – How can Satan drive out Satan? (Mark 3:23)
Jesus answers with a parable, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.”
Commentary
One of the best ways to discredit your enemy is to make him look less human. The Pharisees’ ploy was to suggest Jesus was part of Satan’s realm. Yet, in Jesus’ parable, He shows the people that Satan would not divide his own house, he would not attack his own. Only a stronger man can come into a strong man’s house and subdue him. Only one, who is stronger than Satan, can subdue him. Jesus is that strongman!
Q3 – If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? (Luke 6:32–34)
Jesus answers each of these questions with a statement. He says, (1) “Even sinners love those who love them”; (2) “Even sinners do that”; and (3) “Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.”
Commentary
Following Jesus is not easy. He asks us to do hard things. Even sinners can do the easy stuff. Jesus follows up with a final statement, “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.” << This is a hard thing to do, but Jesus gives us more than enough encouragement with this addition, “Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
Q4 – Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest”? (John 4:35)
Jesus responded, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
Commentary
There is a process to reaping and sowing. It cannot be done too soon. Jesus was quoting a Jewish proverb and teaching them (and us) there is no set process to reaping and sowing those for the heavenly Father. There is no one time to plant the seeds, and no one time to harvest the fields. Some could be planters, sowers, or both. We live in an area that is ripe for the harvest. There is no better time to plant the seeds of the gospel in the people than now. There is no better time to harvest those whose hearts are begging for Jesus than now.
Q5 – Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? (Matt. 7:16)
Jesus responds to His question: “Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” Previous to His question, He said, “By their fruit you will recognize him.”
Commentary
Jesus is telling us to watch out for false prophets. If we watch closely enough and long enough, we can witness who bears good fruit and who bears bad fruit. Jesus puts the responsibility on each of us to make wise choices concerning which tree we take our fruit from. Let’s learn from Adam and Eve’s mistake.
Praying we’ve all been blessed by the Word of God and encouraged by the teachings of Jesus.