- And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: Matthew 5:2 – After Jesus had been preaching and doing His miraculous work, a great following of people gathered around Him. In chapter 5 Jesus, seeing the crowds, sat down on a mountain and began to teach His disciples and all those who were gathered there with Him. We see in our verse Jesus opened His mouth and taught them, yet Jesus didn’t just teach them with an open mouth but with even with a closed one He taught. True, this message on the mount was a powerful verbal message taught by Jesus, yet Jesus’ life taught His disciples beyond just through His spoken words. How Jesus lived taught, how Jesus remained silent against persecutors taught, and how Jesus demonstrated loving kindness taught. Certainly Jesus was a great teacher with words and did that much of the time, but Jesus also taught with how He lived His life among people. We to must remember that we are teaching others about Jesus with more than just our words. Absolutely we too should be opening our mouths and teaching others verbally about Jesus and how to live for Him, but even when our mouths are shut we can be teaching others about Jesus. First, how often are you opening your mouth to teach about Jesus with your words? Second, what lessons are you teaching about Jesus with the times your mouth is closed? What might a non-believer learn about Jesus by how you live or treat people? Helping people come to know Jesus will take more than just your words, but a life that is devoted to Jesus too. Examine your life today and be honest about the ways you have been living. Could someone be introduced to the love of Jesus through the way you righteously live your life? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3327
- You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. Matthew 5:13 – Since this verse is so familiar, I wanted to unpack really what’s it’s meaning. In a study book I found today it said this means we are to prevent corruption and season the minds of men. So we need to be sharing God’s salvation message as far as we can to help the corruption of sin in people’s lives to cease. We also need to be pouring into the lives of those around us what we know about God to help them be more “flavorful” with the knowledge of God. Let’s not sit around not being used. We see in this verse the worthlessness of salt like that. So today you have my permission, be as salty as you can to everyone you meet today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 859
- But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” Matthew 5:22 – “But I say to you.” This phrase is repeated multiple times in this chapter meaning it’s something we should focus on. The Jewish people of the day had been listening to the scriptures taught by the teachers of the law and pasted down from their parents within their homes. They knew well what they were taught. Jesus though, the writer of the first laws, now steps in to bring about a change in all that. He steps into their world, acknowledges the truth they believe in, then changes the teachings from what they’ve been taught. Yes, this may have frustrated some because they would have questioned what authority does Jesus have to make these changes. We though get it, He’s God, He can do whatever He desires with His teachings. So let’s shift this to our story. You may have some ways of thinking about your life with God that you’ve been taught for years. Jesus though sees the inaccuracies and flaws within that belief of yours and confronts it with His truth. Would you be willing to set aside the false belief you’ve clung to for so long to believe this new message you’re hearing from Jesus? Yes this could be something theological about your faith but it could also be a personal way of seeing yourself. You have your truth, Jesus has His. If they conflict, would you be willing to set your’s aside and pick His up? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1955
Daily DEVO 