All the Father Has Revealed

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Reading the Word

Luke 10:21–24 (ESV)

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

Parallel Text: Matthew 11:25-27

Understanding and Applying the Word

We read here that Jesus rejoices as he addresses the Father. The reason for his rejoicing is that the Father had revealed to the disciples, who Jesus refers to as “little children” (v. 21), the arrival of the kingdom and the reality of Satan’s fall (cf. Luke 10:17-18). The wise and understanding (i.e. the Jewish religious leaders) had not seen these things because they had rejected Jesus and the gospel. Therefore, these things were hidden from the religious leaders. The disciples were blessed to see the things that they witnessed. The Old Testament prophets had spoken of these things, but had not witnessed them. The disciples were alive at a unique time in the history of the world.

We too are blessed and live at a unique time in world history. We have the privilege of having God’s completed word readily available to us. Previous generations only had portions of the word and not everyone had easy access to it. Most of us have multiple Bibles in multiple translations in our own language and can read and study all that the Bible says concerning our Savior. We know the historical record and we know the gospel. We know the message of repentance and forgiveness and we know of the resurrection, which gives us hope for the future. Let us rejoice in all the Father has revealed to us!

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Reason for Rejoicing

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Shaped by the Word is a daily, Bible-reading devotional. I do not publish supplemental material on Sundays, but I do include a suggested Scripture reading. Please be sure to subscribe to this page to continue reading along each day. We are reading through the life of Jesus Christ from the four New Testament Gospels in 2019. Thanks for reading!

Reading the Word

Luke 10:17–20 (ESV)

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

The Harvest Is Plentiful

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Luke 102 [widescreen]

Reading the Word

Luke 10:1–12 (ESV)

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Jesus sent out seventy-two of his disciples to preach concerning the kingdom of God. He gave his disciples instructions about how they were supposed to minister. They took a message of peace for all who would receive it, but for those who would not, it would be “more bearable on that day for Sodom” than for those who rejected the disciples’ message.

One of the things that Jesus told his disciples was that the harvest was plentiful, but the laborers were few. The message of the kingdom needed to go to the world, but Jesus was only sending our thirty-six teams of two! How was the message going to reach all who needed to hear it? Jesus urged his disciples to pray for more workers.

We live in a world where there are still many people ready and in need of the gospel message, but there simply are not enough Christians going to them with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We often neglect our responsibility to reach our neighbors and we may also fail to respond to God’s call on us to go to another land as missionaries. There are many reasons why we have many in need of hearing about Jesus, but so few going into the world with the gospel. Whatever the reason, we need to ask if we are doing our part and then we need to commit ourselves to prayer. Pray that God would send more workers into the fields because the harvest is still plentiful.

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Division over Jesus

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John 11 [widescreen]

Reading the Word

John 10:19–21 (ESV)

19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Understanding and Applying the Word

Once again the people were divided over Jesus. Some believed he was demon-possessed and that he was insane because of the things he was saying. This was not the first time he was accused of being possessed (cf. John 7:20 and 8:48). Others questioned how Jesus could teach such things and work great wonders if he was under the influence of a demon. Demons did not have such power. He must be from God.

John’s Gospel was written to give us the evidence of who Jesus was. He was God incarnate (cf. John 1:1, 14; John 20:30-31). As we examine this Gospel, we are not only presented with the evidence for Jesus, but also told of the reasons some resisted him. However, as in these verses, the reasons for doubt quickly fall away when the evidence is examined more closely. “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Take the time to read the four Gospels, especially John. Ask yourself, given all that is recorded for us, who is Jesus?

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The Good Shepherd

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John 1011 [widescreen]

Reading the Word

John 10:1–18 (ESV)

1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Understanding and Applying the Word

In our passage for today, Jesus contrasts himself with the Jewish religious leaders. The leaders had been given the responsibility to shepherd the people of Israel by protecting them from false teaching and leading them to live their lives to the glory of God. They had failed because they ultimately did not care about their sheep. They were only concerned about themselves.

Jesus, on the other hand, is the good shepherd. He leads the sheep to safety and even lays down his life for the sheep in order to keep them secure from harm. The sheep that belong to Jesus recognize him and follow him. The sheep that do not belong to him do not listen to his voice.

Jesus’ love for his people is demonstrated most clearly in his death on the cross. He went to Calvary willingly. He went to the cross to die for all who belong to him so that they could be saved. He gave his life for all who turn to him as their Good Shepherd and trust in him. Do you hear his voice calling to you? Follow.

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Are We Also Blind?

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Reading the Word

John 9:35–41 (ESV)

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

Understanding and Applying the Word

Jesus had healed the blind man and given him physical sight. Now, he also gives him spiritual sight. When Jesus asked the man if he believed in the Son of Man, he replied, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him.” When Jesus revealed that he was the Son of Man, the blind man proclaimed, “Lord, I believe.” He had passed from blindness to Jesus’ true identity to spiritual sight.

Not everyone responds to Jesus in the way this man did. He recognized Jesus. The Pharisees, on the other hand, did not. They wondered why Jesus would say that he had come to judge those who could see (verse 39). “Are we also blind,” they asked? The Pharisees thought they knew everything, especially the truth about Jesus (cf. John 9:16, 24, 29), but they were truly blind. Their hearts were hardened towards Jesus and they were spiritually blind. They did not recognize him for who he was. As a result, Jesus was not their Savior, but their Judge.

Jesus, the Messiah, came into the world to save us from our sin. When we see our sin and recognize our need of a Savior, we can call out to him to save us and he promises to do so. When we deny our sin and deny him as our Savior, we prove to be blind and we will stand before Christ our Judge. Pray that the Lord might open your eyes to know him and your need of a Savior.

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I Was Blind, Now I See

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John 925 [widescreen]

Reading the Word

John 9:13–34 (ESV)

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

Understanding and Applying the Word

The Pharisees interrogated the blind man whom Jesus healed and the blind man’s parents. How was he healed? Was he really blind? Who is Jesus that he could do such a thing? The religious leaders were witness to all of Jesus’ signs and wonders, yet they refused to acknowledge who he was. They sought instead to condemn him. The blind man (now healed) and his parents simply accepted that Jesus was from God. How else could he do such wonderful things. When the Pharisees reached their full frustration, they kicked the healed man out of their midst.

For some, truth is not really what they are after. Some will question, argue, and debate with no intention of actually engaging in a search for the truth. In fact, no amount of truth will matter because their minds are already made up. This was the case with the religious leaders who wanted Jesus killed. It is the case with many today who spend time arguing over Jesus. Their minds are made up and no amount of discussion will ever be enough.

So what are we to do? As the man who had his sight restored, we must simply tell the truth that we know: we once were blind, but now we see. Through Jesus, we have had our eyes opened. We have been born again. Whatever the Pharisees thought of Jesus, they could not deny that the blind man could now see. Whatever people may think of Jesus today, they should see that his followers are changed people because of his powerful work in our lives.

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A Man Born Blind

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John 93 [widescreen]

Reading the Word

John 9:1–12 (ESV)

1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

Understanding and Applying the Word

Once again we read of Jesus performing a miracle. In this instance, he healed a man who had been blind since birth. Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus why the man was blind. Had his parents sinned? Had he sinned? Whose sin was it that caused this blindness? Jesus’ response to his disciples is an important one for us to consider.

In the first century, it was common for the Jewish people to think of life in a cause and effect manner. If a person was good, good things happened. If the person was bad, punishment and bad things happened. So, sickness and disabilities were thought of as a direct result of sin. Jesus corrects this faulty understanding by saying, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Sin was not the reason for the man’s blindness. He was blind so that God’s work could be displayed in him when Jesus healed him. The man’s blindness was not as a result of punishment, but so that God would be glorified through him.

We often interpret the world in much the same way that Jesus’ followers did in this passage. We wonder why bad things happen to us or others. We wonder what we did to deserve some of the bad things that come our way. How often do we stop to consider that the way we handle our troubles and adversities can bring glory to God? Let us find strength and courage in him, knowing that he works all things for his glory. Let us tell of his goodness both in the good things and in the bad, because we know that our troubles are only temporary and one day we will all find healing and restoration in the presence of our Savior.

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The Great I Am

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Exodus 314 [widescreen]

Shaped by the Word is a daily, Bible-reading devotional. I do not publish supplemental material on Sundays, but do include a suggested Scripture reading. We are reading through the life of Jesus Christ in 2019. Please be sure to subscribe to this page so you can follow along every day! Thanks for reading!

Reading the Word

John 8:48–59 (ESV)

48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Who Is Your Father?

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Dad Son Walking

Reading the Word

John 8:39–47 (ESV)

39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Understanding and Applying the Word

Jesus told his opponents that they were not children of Abraham. As Jews, the people did not know why Jesus would say such a thing. After all, they were biological descendants of Abraham. However, Jesus meant that they were not the spiritual children of Abraham because Abraham received the word of God and obeyed it, unlike those who did not believe Jesus and wanted him dead. Instead, Jesus proclaimed, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.” The people’s unbelief and opposition to Jesus showed that they did not belong to God, but instead they belonged to the devil.

Those who belong to God are evident because they seek to hear his voice through his word and they desire to obey. Those who have no desire for the word of God and live their lives in disobedience prove that they do not truly belong to him. The word of God tells us that Jesus came into the world to save us from our sin and that we need to trust in him for eternal life. There is no other way of salvation. Have you trusted in Christ? Are you living according to the world of God? Who is your father?

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