Read
About David's Son
(Mark 12.35-37; Luke 20.41-44)
41While the Pharisees were still there, Jesus asked them, 42“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose family will he come from?”
They answered, “He will be a son of King David.”
43Jesus replied, “How then could the Spirit lead David to call the Messiah his Lord? David said,
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord:
Sit at my right side
until I make your enemies
into a footstool for you.’
45If David called the Messiah his Lord, how can the Messiah be a son of King David?” 46No one was able to give Jesus an answer, and from that day on, no one dared ask him any more questions.
Reflect
The Pharisees had peppered Jesus with questions. Now Jesus turned the focus to them. “What do you think of the Messiah?” he asked.
The Pharisees, despite their religious training and knowledge, believed the Messiah was a descendent of David. While correct, their answer fell short of the complete truth – that he was the son of God – and left them stuck in religious rules and traditions.
This question, asked 2,000 years ago, is still relevant to us today. It sounds basic especially to those with Christian upbringing, but the answer determines everything about us and the direction our lives take.
“What do you think of the Messiah?” is the most important question we’ll ever face. Acknowledging him as the son of God – the perfect, incarnate, risen Savior – ought to leave us awestruck at his love and eternally grateful for the manner in which he expressed it to us. It ought to make us willing servants, eager to do what he says because we recognize our indebtedness to him for forgiveness and freedom. And it ought to fill us with hope in the midst of despair, peace in the midst of chaos, and joy in the midst of pain.
Acknowledging Christ as the son of God should also spur us on to holy living – behaving in a way that honours him rather than seeking to satisfy our selfish desires. It ought to motivate us to make the most of our time and resources, knowing that he’ll return one day and hold us accountable. And it ought to transform the way we think and the words we speak. Head knowledge ought to result in life transformation.
So – what do you think of the Messiah? And how does this impact you today?
Respond
Dear Lord, thank you for revealing yourself as God’s son. Please help me comprehend what that really means. Bring my life into alignment with this amazing truth. Transform and use me so others will come to know that you are the Messiah and enter relationship with you as a result. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Grace Fox
Grace Fox is a popular speaker who has authored twelve books. Together with her husband, she co-directs International Messengers Canada, a ministry that offers short term and career missionary opportunities in 31 countries and growing. Grace lives in Vancouver, BC. She’s been married to Gene Fox since 1982 and has three married children and eleven grandchildren. Publications: 10-Minute Time Outs for Moms, 10-Minute Time Outs for You and Your Kids, Peaceful Moments to Begin Your Day: Devotions for Busy Women, Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman’s Guide to Peace in Every Situation;, Tuck-Me-In Talks With Your Little Ones