Sunday
\nLuke 8 5-15\u201cA sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.6Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.8But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.\u201d When He had said these things He cried, \u201cHe who has ears to hear, let him hear!\u201d9Then His disciples asked Him, saying, \u201cWhat does this parable mean?\u201d10And He said, \u201cTo you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that \u2018Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.\u201911Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.12Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.13But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.14Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.15But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.<\/p>\n
OSB Commentary:<\/p>\n
As the sower in this parable, Christ fulfills the prophecy in Is 55: 10\u2013 13. Note that while some might teach a person is permanently saved at the moment he professes faith\u2014 a view never held by the historic Church\u2014 the teaching of Jesus is clear that it is possible to believe for a while and then fall away (v. 13). 8: 10 Mysteries are not obscure intellectual concepts, but the presence of the Kingdom of God which cannot be defined. A person\u2019s unwillingness to understand Christ\u2019s parables is due to a rejection of His Kingdom. \u201cIf the blindness were natural, it would have been proper for God to open their eyes; but because it was a voluntary and self-chosen blindness, He does not overthrow their free will.\u201d Doing so would have been not only to \u201cno advantage for them, but an even greater condemnation\u201d<\/p>\n
Monday<\/p>\n
Matthew 16<\/strong><\/p>\n 24\u00a0<\/sup>Then Jesus said to His disciples, \u201cIf anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25\u00a0<\/sup>For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26\u00a0<\/sup>For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27\u00a0<\/sup>For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cAssuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.\u201d<\/p>\n 18:2\u00a0<\/sup>Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3\u00a0<\/sup>and said, \u201cAssuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4\u00a0<\/sup>Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5\u00a0<\/sup>Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.<\/p>\n Tuesday<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Matthew 18<\/strong><\/p>\n 6\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cWhoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7\u00a0<\/sup>Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!<\/p>\n 8\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cIf your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it<\/em> from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9\u00a0<\/sup>And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it<\/em> from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.<\/p>\n 15\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cMoreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16\u00a0<\/sup>But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that \u2018by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.\u2019 17\u00a0<\/sup>And if he refuses to hear them, tell it<\/em> to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.<\/p>\n Wednesday<\/p>\n Matthew 18 & 20<\/p>\n 18\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cAssuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.<\/p>\n 19\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cAgain I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20\u00a0<\/sup>For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.\u201d<\/p>\n 21\u00a0<\/sup>Then Peter came to Him and said, \u201cLord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?\u201d<\/p>\n 22\u00a0<\/sup>Jesus said to him, \u201cI do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.<\/p>\n 25\u00a0<\/sup>But Jesus called them to Himself<\/em> and said, \u201cYou know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26\u00a0<\/sup>Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27\u00a0<\/sup>And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave\u2014 28\u00a0<\/sup>just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.\u201d<\/p>\n Thursday<\/p>\n Matthew 22<\/strong><\/p>\n And He said to them, \u201cRender therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar\u2019s, and to God the things that are God\u2019s.\u201d 22\u00a0<\/sup>When they had heard these words,<\/em> they marveled, and left Him and went their way.<\/p>\n 30\u00a0<\/sup>For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. 31\u00a0<\/sup>But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32\u00a0<\/sup>\u2018I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob\u2019? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.\u201d 33\u00a0<\/sup>And when the multitudes heard this,<\/em> they were astonished at His teaching.<\/p>\n 34\u00a0<\/sup>But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35\u00a0<\/sup>Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question,<\/em> testing Him, and saying, 36\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cTeacher, which is<\/em> the great commandment in the law?\u201d<\/p>\n 37\u00a0<\/sup>Jesus said to him, \u201c\u2018You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.\u2019 38\u00a0<\/sup>This is the<\/em> first and great commandment. 39\u00a0<\/sup>And the<\/em> second is<\/em> like it: \u2018You shall love your neighbor as yourself.\u2019 40\u00a0<\/sup>On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.\u201d<\/p>\n Friday<\/p>\n Matthew 24<\/p>\n 3\u00a0<\/sup>Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, \u201cTell us, when will these things be? And what will be<\/em> the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?\u201d<\/p>\n 4\u00a0<\/sup>And Jesus answered and said to them: \u201cTake heed that no one deceives you. 5\u00a0<\/sup>For many will come in My name, saying, \u2018I am the Christ,\u2019 and will deceive many. 6\u00a0<\/sup>And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things<\/em> must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7\u00a0<\/sup>For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8\u00a0<\/sup>All these are<\/em> the beginning of sorrows.<\/p>\n 9\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cThen they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name\u2019s sake. 10\u00a0<\/sup>And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11\u00a0<\/sup>Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12\u00a0<\/sup>And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13\u00a0<\/sup>But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14\u00a0<\/sup>And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.<\/p>\n Saturday<\/p>\n Matthew 24<\/p>\n 15\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cTherefore when you see the \u2018abomination of desolation,\u2019 spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place\u201d (whoever reads, let him understand), 16\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cthen let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17\u00a0<\/sup>Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18\u00a0<\/sup>And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19\u00a0<\/sup>But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20\u00a0<\/sup>And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21\u00a0<\/sup>For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22\u00a0<\/sup>And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect\u2019s sake those days will be shortened.<\/p>\n 23\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cThen if anyone says to you, \u2018Look, here is<\/em> the Christ!\u2019 or \u2018There!\u2019 do not believe it.<\/em> 24\u00a0<\/sup>For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25\u00a0<\/sup>See, I have told you beforehand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sunday Luke 8 5-15\u201cA sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-orthodox-daily-devotional","has_no_thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3797"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3801,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3797\/revisions\/3801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?<\/h3>\n