Reading
SAA Notes
The first century Jewish Christians obeyed these words (v.15+) during the terrible events surrounding the two Roman attacks of AD 67 and AD 70. They fled Jerusalem for Petra in the interval between the two attacks and so survived. Over a million Jews perished.
SJA Notes
* Dear God, please show us Jesus today, and our need for Him.
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”
Jesus is teaching us here about biblical scepticism. A healthy and true understanding of man, our sin, the depths to which we will go to achieve our fallen goals and dreams, the lies and mess and fear that can arrive upon us.
It can be easy to poke fun at people who get caught up in a false belief of a specific day and time for the coming of the end of this world, of their ascension into whatever paradise they believe in, the coming of their god.
But complacency and better-than-thou thinking is a strong and inevitable bog, a quicksand that will pull us down.
Look at Jesus’ warning!
“… so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”
There is only one hero, and it can never be a fallen human.
There is only one God, and our worship is for Him alone.
As with yesterday’s passage, to give stature and honor to man that is due only God will only bring sorrow and hurt. To do so is to worship the created image instead of the true Creator God!
Let us not be complacent. Let us not think we are smarter or stronger or better than others we see falling into myths and babble.
Instead, let us hold to Jesus, God’s word written on our hearts each day, His Spirit at work in us moment by moment, drawing us toward glory.
* God Above,
Please keep us from the arrogance of believing we cannot go astray ourselves.
Please mark us as a singularly faithful people, worshiping You and You alone, corporately and in our own lives.
Amen.