I'm writing these comments to and for those at New Song who are following a One Year Bible and involved in a discipleship cell. We're meeting weekly and discussing the texts, not necessarily my comments. We're growing together, learning to become and make disciples who make disciples. We will all be leading others in this process and training them to do likewise.
The comments I'm writing are in no way exhaustive, but meant to give some leading thoughts on how the text applies to us as disciples and to encourage and stimulate our growth in reading the Bible, with the effect that we will grow as disciples and encourage the growth of others as disciples growing in the word.
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is deeper and yet still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew means. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible, in fact, no one in our church reads the version I do, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
Genesis 23:1-24:51
23:1-20
Notice that Sarah lived to be 127. That means she lived to see her son grow for ?? years. That's like another lifetime. As disciples we need to be continually building for the future, building in others. Years are to be lived with Christ, building into the lives of others, not sitting, amusing ourselves or mourning our coming deaths. We'll see this with Isaac, who appears to have prepared for death long before he was buried. God blessed her last ?? years with joy.
Note the humility of Abraham. He was strong, faithful and humble and a witness to his neighbors. May his tribe increase.
24:1-51
There are great lessons for you in this section and I won't say much. I remember having my quiet time one morning in a restaurant at the intersection of I-80 and I-35. It was the Fall of 1987. My car broke down the Sunday evening before and I missed presenting my missionary stuff at a church. Disappointing. So now my car was being fixed and I'd be on my way to GEM's headquarters in IL. When I read this portion regarding God's sovereignty and His mercy to Abraham's servant, I was touched, encouraged and it calmed my heart. Reading the Bible can be valuable. Spending time with your Father over a cup of coffee with His Word: Priceless.
So, if you read your Bible every year, you'd read this section and think back to last year and go, "I know about you!" But if you didn't you won't because you can't. Next year, when you read this and meet Rebecca and Laban again, remember what you learn about them in the next several chapters. It might add some "insight" to their actions here. Obviously, my take on things. There are very few abnormal, "squeaky clean," people in the Bible. Most were just “normal,” sinners with some faith. As disciples we need to live in the Word so that their stories and God's working with them can make an impact on us. That's why He wrote it down for us.
The guy I love here is Abe's servant, ********. You already have read his name, but, if you remember, you'll see it next year (it took me a couple years to remember to look). What a great guy, and blessed to have this kind of faith and to see this kind of answer. A model of what it means to be a disciple (slave, servant, ambassador) of Jesus. It also speaks to the influence of Abraham’s faith and walk. Abraham, the disciple-maker.
Matthew 8:1-17
Matthew will begin to show Jesus' authority over sickness (which attracted insincere followers), over nature and over the spiritual world. Then Matthew will show Jesus claim authority as the king who will reign eternal over Israel and the entire earth. This is the beginning of the build up here.
Lepers were not cleansed every day. It was a miracle miracle. Jesus told the leper to allow his healing to be a sign for Israel. This was Matthew's focus, so he doesn't tell us, like Luke does, that the guy didn't obey. Matthew has a focus.
Now Jesus heals a Roman's slave, most likely a Gentile slave. Jesus finds this amazing faith on the part of a Gentile. The Messiah's healing is extended to Gentiles.
Jesus heals Pete's mother-in-law and then becomes the ER ward for all of Capernaum. Matthew, very focused, gets to his point, that being, the fulfillment of another prophesy of the Messiah. Your job, find that passage and read the entire chapter. As the teacher, so the disciple. We are to model, and live for, what our savior did.
Psalm 9:13-20
One of the repeated lines of reasoning in the Psalms is, "It would be nice to save me because I can't praise you before men if I'm dead." (roughly paraphrased).
For us as disciples, rather than freaking out when "life" happens, we can train ourselves to pray that the Lord would use the experience to give us hearts of praise to express what the Lord has done to those who don't yet know Him and to those who are becoming disciples who are making disciples.
Proverbs 3:1-6
If you haven't memorized Proverbs 3:5-6, make that your meditation and assignment. 'Nuff said.
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