Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Matthew 11:20-24.

“Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.  “Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you?  You will descend to Hades;  for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day.  Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”  Matthew 11:20-24.

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“… From everyone who has been given much, much will be required;  and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”  Luke 12:48.

Many of us have received so much good Reformed Doctrine preaching and teaching.  We have been given much.  And so, much will be required from us.

Do we believe, repent, and act upon it?

Or, do we put off believing, repenting, and acting upon it?

“And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?  Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.  Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.  But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;  the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.  And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few.  From everyone who has been given much, much will be required;  and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”  Luke 12:42-48.

Today’s devotion comes from Matthew 11:7-19.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“But to what shall I compare this generation?  It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;  we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’  Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”  Matthew 11:16-19.

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There are those who falsely stereotype and mock Christians as “teetotalers” (who completely abstain from alcohol and maybe are also prudish or stuffy).

And, there are those who falsely stereotype and mock Christians as gluttons, drunkards, and even adulterers.

Even the same people flip back and forth between the two opposite accusations:  “and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;  we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'”  Verse 17.

The temptation for Christians is to change our behavior just to please them.  But, they will not stop and be satisfied with us no matter what we do.  They are not concerned with godliness;  they just want to belittle Christians, often to make themselves look better.

Instead, we should be concerned about wisdom.  What does God want?

But, good as the Law is, due to sin within us, we should also recognize the inability of the Law to make us righteous.  Romans chapter 7.

We should trust the Holy Spirit to transform us from within to produce such wise deeds.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;  for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.  Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:16-23.

Today’s devotion comes from Matthew 11:1-6.

“When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see:  the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.  And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”  Matthew 11:1-6.

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Why would any one take offense at Jesus?!

People do not take offense at the jesus of their imagination who only does limited things for them according to their desires and who above all recognizes and rewards them for their own works of righteousness.

But, many take offense at the Jesus of Scripture Who “did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  Matthew 9:13.

We noticed in today’s Scripture that Jesus only helped the hopeless, those who were blind, lame, lepers, deaf, dead, and the poor, all of whom did no works of righteousness to receive such mercy.

Likewise, in the following the Scripture, we notice that Jesus is called “A ROCK OF OFFENSE” and that those who pursued righteousness based on works stumbled over Him, “A ROCK OF OFFENSE”.

“What shall we say then?  That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith;  but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.  Why?  Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works.  They stumbled over the stumbling stone, just as it is written,

“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE,
AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”  Romans 9:30-33.

Other doctrine also is offended by the Jesus of Scripture Who does not honor their works of righteousness nor their wisdom nor their alleged free-will.

But, Reformed Doctrine has faith in the Jesus of Scripture and joyfully embraces Him Who does everything for the salvation of God’s elect, knowing that all men are dead in sin deserving no honor and are incapable of contributing anything to their salvation.

“Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father;  that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death;  should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing;  and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.”  SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby of Canons of Dordt.

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

Today’s devotion comes from Matthew 10:24-39.

“24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.  25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master.  If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!

26 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.  27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light;  and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.  28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul;  but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?  And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  31 So do not fear;  you are more valuable than many sparrows.

32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.  33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth;  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  35 For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW;  36 and A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.

37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me;  and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”  Matthew 10:24-39.

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Many go to a particular church and continue to stay there primarily just because their family goes there even though the preaching and teaching is not what it should be.  In the language of verse 37, they love their son or daughter more than Christ.

Many preachers and teachers hide or obscure or minimize or ignore the preaching and teaching of the pure doctrine of the gospel to either please and not offend their congregation and new seekers rather than, in the language of verse 27, proclaiming the truth on the housetops.

Today’s Scripture continues the recent theme of the sharp focus, singular devotion, and supreme cost of following Christ that we see in Matthew Chapter 7 and other Scriptures.

“Enter through the narrow gate;  for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14.

“And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?”  And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door;  for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”  Luke 13:23-24.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again;  and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  Matthew 13:44-46.

Today’s devotion comes from Matthew 9:18-38.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+9&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.  Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”  Matthew 9:35-38.

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Other doctrine focuses on man and what man should do.

But, Reformed Doctrine focuses on God and what God does.

When other doctrine reads verses 37 and 38 (“Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”), other doctrine focuses on man’s alleged free-will to go out into the mission field.

But when Reformed Doctrine reads these verses 37 and 38, Reformed Doctrine first meditates on God with delight:  “Here is Scripture which teaches more about Who God is!  God is “the Lord of the harvest”!!  What does that mean?”

“The Lord harvests souls for His kingdom.  He must be a good Harvester!  He must be the Perfect Harvester!”

Then, Reformed Doctrine meditates on God’s “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP”, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:37-39.

Today’s devotion comes from Matthew 9:14-17.

“Then the disciples of John *came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”  And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they?  But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.  But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment;  for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.  Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins;  otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined;  but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”  Matthew 9:14-17.

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What is the common theme of these three illustrations:  fasting, repairing, and preserving?

We do not fast like the Pharisees, because like the disciples, we are with Christ, and even more, we are joined to Christ and filled with the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit.

We are not repaired by the “unshrunk” patch of the inflexible Law so to speak, because we are released from the Law and we are sanctified, repaired so to speak, by the Holy Spirit.

We are preserved by the Holy Spirit, because we died to the Law and have become new creatures in Christ, being filled with the Holy Spirit and serving in newness of the Spirit.

“Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.  For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.  But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”  Romans 7:4-6.

Today’s devotion comes from Matthew 9:9-13.

“As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth;  and He *said to him, “Follow Me!”  And he got up and followed Him.

Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples.  When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?”  But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.  But go and learn what this means:  ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  Matthew 9:9-13.

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The Pharisees, thought they were righteous, deserving to be saved by their sacrifices, wisdom, or will.  But, Jesus was not attracted by their sacrifices or anything else that they did.

The tax collectors and sinners, knew they were sinners.  But, Jesus was motivated only by His compassion on them to save them.

Like the Pharisees, other doctrine focuses on their sacrifices, wisdom, or will, thinking their contributions will motivate Jesus to save them.

But, like the tax collectors and other sinners, Reformed Doctrine knows that all who are saved are sinners, not at all righteous, but rather subject to “Total Depravity”.  Reformed Doctrine knows there is no one who is righteous or otherwise attractive by their contributions (sacrifices, wisdom, or will) that motivates Jesus to save them.  Reformed Doctrine knows that the only reason that anyone is saved is if Jesus had compassion on that person, because he or she is part of God’s elect.

Therefore, what this means:  ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” is that God is motivated to save by His compassion, not motivated by sacrifices or anything else done by man.

“For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”  Romans 9:15-16.

“The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”  Deuteronomy 7:7-8.

“… I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion,
And I will say to those who were not My people,
‘You are My people!’
And they will say, ‘You are my God!’”  Hosea 2:23.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-9.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:26-31.