HALLEUYAH! HALLELUYAH!! HALLELUYAH!!!
RELEASE DATE: January 31, 2022
WEEK 5: (January 31– February 6, 2022)
WEEKLY BIBLE READINGS:
Matthew 11: 22 – 24 (NIV)
22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
INTERPRETATION
After Paul explains the truth of God’s endless grace, he gives us Romans 6: 1-3 so that we will not abuse grace: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”
Prior to the death of Jesus Christ while he walk on earth, abusing grace was in existence but not in the form of sinning more thinking we have been covered by God’s gift of salvation. In today’s text, Jesus denounced cities that had not repented, juxtaposing cities (Capernaum and Bethsaida) that witnessed His miracles first hand on one hand and on the other hand, cities (Tyre and Sidon) full of gentiles and did not witness the miracle of our Lord Jesus Christ. He explained that the unrepentant in Capernaum will suffer more compared to the unrepentant in Tyre and Sidon. In addition to the foregoing, the men of Tyre and Sidon will be punished for their many abominable sins but the inhabitants of Capernaum and Bethsaida, having rejected the Messiah against all the evidence of miracles and convictions of their own mind, will have greater condemnation and their punishment be more intolerable. Why? They have refused to do what is right despite the knowledge and grace they have received. Simply put, they have abused God’s grace.
All sins are not alike nor will the punishment of them be the same; there will be degrees of torments in hell and which the justice of God requires.
By interpretation, the passage revealed that Christians will be more strictly punished on judgment day than those from other faiths, priests more than an ‘ordinary’ church member, since the greater degrees of grace and knowledge given from God the more the responsibility to make use of them.
This passage clearly demonstrates again that our decisions about Jesus, his identity and lordship and our obedience to his word all have eternal consequences. However, the Lord exercises his almighty power yet he punishes none more than they deserve and never withholds the knowledge of the truth from those who long after it.
This is a reminder to truly embrace what is right, living a just and holy life, not rejecting God by abusing God’s grace because to reject God brings judgment.
PRAYER
Jehovah, Jesus Christ, Holy Michael, thank you for your word. Father, we pray you to forgive us of our iniquities. Grant us your holy spirit that will help us pursue good at all times. Strengthen us to resist the devil and its handiwork. Help us to be firm in our commitments to you and faithful in our service so we will not fall under your judgment. Give us divine inspiration to communicate and exhibit your love, grace and salvation in Jesus. This and many more we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thank you and God bless. Shalom.
Footnote: “A life without Christ is full of crisis but life in Christ is a great life full of peace. Let that be your Guide & Guard”
Isaiah 59:1 – Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear”