TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 6:1-15
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life. - John 6:27
TODAY IN THE WORD
Any politician can testify that the quickest way to thin out a crowd of supporters is to address tough, unpopular issues, and to take stands on issues that are against the wishes of the majority. ""Give the people what they want"" may make for a vote-getting campaign strategy, but it makes for poor policy.

Jesus Christ did not come to give people what they wanted, but what they needed. And since what people need is often not what they want, Jesus thinned out His large crowd of would-be supporters with lightning-like quickness. We'll talk about this process today and tomorrow, because the Twelve were intimately involved in these events.

It all began with a wonderful miracle, the only one recorded in all four Gospels. Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee to spend time with the disciples. But it was impossible for Him to get away, because a large crowd of people had seen His miraculous healing power and were ready to go as far as necessary to be near this miracle-worker.

Jesus saw the crowd and knew the people had traveled a long way and were hungry. The other Gospels note that it was late in the day, and the place was remote. Jesus put the problem squarely in the disciples' laps.

Philip did some fast calculations and realized they didn't have nearly enough in the group's treasury to feed this crowd with about five thousand men, plus women and children. Andrew found a boy with a lunch, and did the only thing he knew to do. He brought the boy to Jesus.

The miraculous feeding followed as Jesus blessed and distributed the fish and bread. Those who ate saw the abundance of food and realized they had found the leader they were looking for. This man could not only heal the sick; He could produce food!

So in John 6:14-15 we read about the shortest ""nominating convention"" in history. The people decided Jesus was the one to lead them against Rome, and they were ready to force the issue. We don't know what the Twelve thought about this incredible scene, but they and the people were about to learn a hard lesson about discipleship; namely, Jesus' agenda is not our agenda.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
By the time this miracle meal was finished and the disciples had gathered up the leftovers, it was obvious that all of this could only be accounted for by the power of God.

Is there something about your life that cannot be explained apart from the power of God at work in you? This is a good follow-up question to yesterday's application, because as disciples of Jesus Christ our lives should reflect His touch. Renew your prayer that God will show His power through you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 6:41-71
Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of
eternal life. - John 6:68
TODAY IN THE WORD
We learned yesterday that at one point in His ministry, Jesus attracted a popular following that would be the envy of any candidate for public office. The throngs of people who saw His healings and ate by His power were utterly captured by this miracle-worker. They saw in Jesus God's long-awaited Prophet (John 6:14), the King they needed to lead a coup against Rome.

The crowd was right about Jesus' identity but badly mistaken about His mission. They wanted to hear about miracles and full stomachs, not partaking of the body and blood of the Lord. But Jesus refused to be drawn into their plan. The day after the miraculous feeding, the people came back for dinner. What they got was the true bread, the word of God from Jesus' lips.

But this was not what they wanted to hear. The people were first confused and then indignant at Jesus' teaching that they could not know God or have eternal life unless they appropriated Him as the source of that life.

By the time Jesus had completed His teaching, even many of those who considered themselves His disciples were saying, ""This is too hard for us. We didn't count on this"" (see v. 60). They began to grumble (v. 41), and wound up deserting Jesus.

So much for the easy road of discipleship! Jesus, who twenty-four hours earlier was the most popular man in Israel, was left alone with the Twelve. What a dramatic moment it must have been when Jesus turned to them and asked, ""You do not want to leave too, do you?"" (v. 67).

Evidently the Twelve had already discussed this subject. They had watched the crowd thin out as Jesus taught the truth concerning eternal life. Proving that they had been drawn to Jesus by God the Father (see v. 44), they declared their loyalty through Peter.

Jesus rejoiced in their faithfulness, yet added the terse warning that they had a traitor in their midst. This was the last ""hard teaching"" that He had to offer that day (v. 70).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you have been a Christian for very long, you know that being Christ's disciple does not guarantee you will understand everything God says in His Word or does in your life.

Are you struggling in a particular area right now? Maybe you are undergoing a difficult trial that has you puzzled and confused. Although easy answers don't work in times like these, God wants us to come to Him with genuine humility. The Twelve had each other to lean on. This may be a good time for you to call on a Christian friend to share the burden.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 15:29-39; 16:5-12
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. - Matthew 7:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
The death of President Franklin Roosevelt in April 1945 suddenly

thrust his vice president, Harry Truman, into a difficult position. He would be the person to lead U.S. negotiations with Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin as Germany was defeated and World War II was brought to a close. British leader Winston Churchill was shocked that Roosevelt had not allowed Truman to become involved in the great wartime conferences and decisions up to that time. The result was that, according to one historian, Truman undertook his enormous responsibility ill-prepared and naive.

When it came to receiving ""hands-on"" experience, the disciples of Jesus had no reason to fear that they would be left out and ill-prepared for ministry. Jesus' method of making disciples included plenty of real-life training for the Twelve.

As He faced five thousand hungry people (see the July 6 study), Jesus had placed the responsibility of feeding the crowd directly on the disciples. They immediately discovered their inability to meet the need and set out to find a solution. Eventually, they came back to Jesus--which is where they needed to be all the time.

A very similar thing happened on this occasion. The crowd was a little smaller, but the miracle Jesus performed was just as big. This part of the story is straightforward; but it's the follow-up discussion that we need to focus on today.

After the feeding, the Pharisees and Sadducees challenged Jesus to prove Himself by performing a miracle on demand (16:1- 4). Jesus condemned their unbelief and then got into a boat with the Twelve.

The conversation on that boat ride is as important for us as it was for the disciples. When Jesus mentioned yeast, they immediately thought of their failure to pack bread for the trip. He had to remind them that providing bread was no problem for Him. The real struggle was spiritual.

In other words, the Lord was telling the disciples to get their minds off their stomachs and start paying attention to what was spiritually happening around them. Their problem was not an empty lunch box, but rather a lack of spiritual awareness that could cause them to fall prey to false teachers.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's pretty typical for us to think of our physical needs first when God wants to equip us for spiritual warfare.

Jesus taught the disciples that their heavenly Father already had their physical needs well under control. What He wants to see from His children is a priority commitment to the concerns of His kingdom. Today, we suggest you take a brief ""refresher course"" on these issues by reading Matthew 6:25-34. Then pray that God will help you to put Him first this week.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 12:46-50
Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.
- Matthew 12:50
TODAY IN THE WORD
Last summer an interesting newspaper report said that scalpers were making illegal profit by selling White House tour passes to tourists for as much as $50 each. The tickets are given out free each morning by the National Park Service, and each person who stands in line is allowed as many as four tickets. This means that visitors who don't receive tickets but want to tour the White House are often at the mercy of scalpers with tickets to spare--for a hefty price.

This situation is a good illustration of something that often happens in the spiritual realm. Admission into God's family isn't something that just anyone can buy. It's actually free to anyone who receives Jesus Christ by faith and trusts Him for the forgiveness of sin. But in Jesus' own day the religious leaders of Israel, particularly the Pharisees, thought they held all the admission tickets into the kingdom. Anyone who wanted to enter had to meet their price.

But Jesus set the record straight the day He pointed to His disciples and declared them to be part of God's true family. With Jesus, spiritual relationship takes precedence over human relationships--even those of one's immediate family.

Jesus wasn't being cruel or rude to His family. He was simply making clear the boundaries of genuine discipleship. As the Son of God, He has every right to decide who will be admitted into His Father's family. The good news for the Twelve, and for us, is that membership in the family of God is not dependent on meeting manmade requirements.

This close relationship with the Lord is one of the benefits of being Jesus' disciples. We are not simply His students; we are family to Him.

The author of Hebrews explained this further when he wrote, ""Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers"" (Heb. 2:11). No spiritual ""scalper"" can put a price tag on that!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Everyone knows there are benefits that come with being a member of a family.

That's true for us as disciples of Jesus Christ, as well. The apostles who walked the earth with Jesus benefited from His comfort when they were afraid, His correction when they strayed, and His wise counsel when they needed direction. Because Jesus is the same today, these blessings are yours as well. Which of these speak to your need today? Don't hesitate to approach the Savior, your ""older Brother,"" to ask for the resources you need.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 14:22-33
Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid. - Matthew 14:27
TODAY IN THE WORD
If you have ever tried to tread water, you know how much effort it takes to stay in one place. Now scientists have confirmed this fact by testing not swimmers, but birds. Special gauges implanted in the wings of black-billed magpies revealed that it took twice as much energy for the birds to hover than for them to fly normally.

It's hard for people to hover spiritually, too. We want to keep flying, but sometimes God wants us to pause long enough to learn a lesson. High-flying disciples aren't much good if they never stop to look and listen to the Lord.

Jesus wanted the Twelve to ""hover"" occasionally, but it wasn't easy to get their full attention. So one memorable night, He put them in a situation where they had no choice but to stop, look, and finally listen to what He was teaching them. In fact, the disciples were not only hovering in that boat on the stormy Sea of Galilee, they were losing ground as the waves battered them.

This famous incident followed immediately after the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus went to a mountain to pray while the Twelve started rowing for the far shore of Galilee. The storm hit, and it hit hard. Matthew doesn't say the disciples were afraid because of the storm. They must have been edgy, though, because the sight of Jesus walking toward them filled them with terror.

It would make a nice, neat story if it ended with Jesus' words of comfort. But then we would miss the great lesson Peter learned. When he took his eyes off Jesus, Peter's faith blew away with the wind and his fear returned. But we should credit the apostle for knowing where to get help. ""Lord, save me!"" (v. 30) has to be the shortest prayer in the Bible--and the most effective!

Jesus' rebuke of Peter, and the miracle of the sea becoming calm, reinforced the lesson the Twelve should have learned from the miraculous feeding just hours earlier. Jesus is firmly in control of every circumstance. Therefore, His disciples have no reason to doubt or to be afraid.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Notice that after Jesus came on board, the boat arrived at its original destination.

In other words, Jesus didn't send the Twelve out on the lake so they could drown in the middle. He had something better in mind for them all the time. But they didn't find that out until they were forced to wait for Him to show up.

If you're in the middle of a storm today, maybe it's time to stop, look, and listen. And if things are calm for you right now, share this lesson with a friend who's battling high winds.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 12:1-12
Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many
sparrows. - Luke 12:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
General Lew Wallace was a military hero and a writer who published a novel in 1873. He wrote a new story about the birth of Christ, but put it in a drawer until 1876, when he had a life-changing encounter with Robert Ingersoll, the famous agnostic who lectured widely against Christianity.

Wallace's thoughts were stirred after he heard Ingersoll's views; and he picked up his book project, carrying it through to the crucifixion of Christ. The novel was published in 1880 under the title Ben Hur. It has become a classic, and writing it led Wallace to personally accept the claims of Christ and to commit his life to the Lord.

Sometimes, an encounter with powerful unbelievers can be used to bolster, rather than to destroy, faith. That seems to be the case in today's reading, as Jesus used the unbelief and blasphemy of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law (Luke 11:53) to teach His disciples an important lesson about faith and boldness in witness.

Jesus often used the words and actions of His opponents as teaching tools with the Twelve. A good teacher can refute the arguments of the opponent, making the opponent work to his or her advantage. Jesus was a master of this teaching technique.

Jesus began this instructional period by warning the disciples against hypocrisy. Not only was it evil, it was useless. Why? Because the God who rules over heaven and hell hears every word spoken and knows every secret of the heart.

Instead of hypocrisy, Jesus' disciples need to live in the fear of God, who is not only all-powerful but also a loving Father to those who fear Him. Jesus' promise of God's infinite care (vv. 6-7) must have been particularly comforting to the Twelve considering His warning that they could be hauled into court for His sake.

This persecution did happen to the apostles in the early days of the church (Acts 4 and 5), and they responded the way Jesus had taught them. They acknowledged Jesus before their human persecutors, and Jesus fulfilled His promise to give them the words to speak. We can trust in that same provision when we are courageous to speak up for Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We admire fearless witnesses for Christ, those people who don't seem to be intimidated by any person or situation.

Most of us, however, have at least one place where we find it hard to witness--whether at work, in the neighborhood, or even at home. Where are you most likely to be pressured into silence? Why not step out in faith and ask God for an opportunity to witness for Him in that area before the summer is over? Then be ready for the answer.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 16:13-20
You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God. - Matthew 16:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1432 the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck produced his well-known masterpiece called ""Adoration of the Lamb."" Christ is portrayed in the painting as the Lamb of God, with blood pouring from His wounds. Worshipers are gathered all around Him. Yet the Lamb is not lying on the altar near death, but standing tall and straight, alive in triumph and splendor.

Over the centuries, many artists, sculptors, authors, and others have created magnificent portraits of Jesus Christ. Yet no one has ever drawn a more compelling or accurate picture of Jesus than the portrait the apostle Peter drew with just ten simple words.

In a secluded region about twenty-five miles north of the Sea of Galilee, the words Peter uttered revealed that the disciples had been wrestling with the question Jesus had asked them: ""Who do people say the Son of Man is?"" (v. 13).

This was an all-important question, especially in light of the authority that Jesus would confer on the disciples and the knowledge He would reveal about His approaching death (see tomorrow's study). If the disciples were going to minister in Jesus' name and follow Him to the cross, they must be convinced of His identity.

Other people had various ideas about Jesus' identity. But He wanted to know where the disciples stood on the issue. Peter rose to the occasion with his great confession. Jesus responded with a blessing for Peter and a promise that the church would be built on the rock of Peter's confession.

Then came the tremendous promise of kingdom authority to the Twelve, symbolized by the keys Jesus would give them. The book of Acts tells how Peter himself used the keys to open the kingdom of heaven to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and to Gentiles in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10).

Clearly, the apostles had authority we do not possess--an authority that ended when the last of the Twelve died. But in one important sense, we as Jesus' disciples can open the kingdom of heaven to people when we tell them about the Son of God. When we know in whom we believe, we have a message to tell!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Every day, our lives are painting a portrait of Jesus to other people. Let's think about the picture we are giving others of Him.

One important example is our speech, an area where we stumble often (James 3:9-12). Are our words representing Christ and His love to those around us? Think back over the past week and see if you can recall words of encouragement to a friend, an expression of appreciation to a roommate or a family member, or a sincere compliment to a co-worker for work well done. How do you rate on the speech test?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 16:21-28
Be selfcontrolled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around
like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. - 1 Peter 5:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
It's impossible to talk about the disciples of Jesus for very long without mentioning Simon Peter. He was clearly the first among equals. This fisherman is almost always mentioned first, even among the inner circle of the Twelve that included James and John. Judging by what we read in the biblical narrative, Peter was the most forceful and opinionated of the disciples. At times he was courageous and daring, but on other occasions he was guilty of very bad judgment.

Peter's attempt to talk Jesus out of the Cross may be the best example of the apostle at his worst. Some people have suggested that at least Peter's motive was good; he didn't want Jesus to suffer and die.

But Jesus didn't react to Peter's rebuke as merely a well-intentioned mistake. The Lord stunned Peter into silence with a stinging rebuke. Jesus knew there was only one person in the universe who wanted to prevent Him from going to the Cross to redeem humankind. Satan was the culprit behind Peter's rebuke. The apostle needed to understand that he was unwittingly allowing himself to be used as Satan's mouthpiece.

Actually, it's possible that Peter's sentiments were not that much different from those of the other disciples. The Gospels tell us over and over again that the Twelve did not fully comprehend Jesus when He announced His impending death, and they were usually afraid to ask Him what He meant.

The Scripture hints at several reasons for their reluctance, and for Peter's insistence that Jesus would not die. The disciples were counting on Jesus to bring in God's kingdom and overthrow the hated Romans. Even at Jesus' ascension, they were still asking about the kingdom (Acts 1:6).

A second possible reason for the disciples' unwillingness to consider Jesus' death was the threat it represented to them. If a leader is put to death, his followers are in danger of losing their lives too. Thomas suggested as much in John 11:16.

Peter's thinking revealed a severe misunderstanding of the nature of discipleship. In verses 24-26, Jesus set the record straight: the Cross is the cost of being Jesus' disciple.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Verses 23 and 25 pinpoint two mistakes we can make as followers of Christ.

The first involves our tendency to evaluate things from the standpoint of earth instead of heaven. The second is our desire to ""save"" our lives--to seek our preferences and desires at the cost of God's will for us. Here are biblical antidotes for each problem: Colossians 3:2 and Galatians 2:20. We suggest you commit these two verses to memory this week.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 10:32-45
The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. - Mark 10:45
TODAY IN THE WORD
Yesterday we suggested that Peter was not the only disciple who was capable of tuning out what Jesus had said about His suffering, death, and resurrection. Today's account is proof that the rest of the Twelve didn't want to talk about death and suffering either. They had a more glamorous agenda in mind.

James and John weren't too bashful in their younger days. Jesus had given the fiery brothers a nickname when He chose them: ""Sons of Thunder"" (Mark 3:17). Since they were ready to destroy a village that refused to receive Jesus, we can assume they didn't want to think about Jesus' submitting to arrest and execution at the hands of the Jewish authorities and the Romans (v. 33).

The request these brothers made shows that the Twelve did not yet understand the nature of true discipleship. They wanted glory, but Jesus told them that in His kingdom suffering precedes glory. That was fine with them, James and John answered. They were ready to drink from Jesus' cup of suffering.

This answer may have come from overconfidence on the brothers' part, but Jesus indicated that it was actually an accurate prediction of what awaited James and John. James would be the first apostle to be martyred (Acts 12:2). The apostles would share in Christ's sufferings, but not in the redemptive way that He experienced them.

This request irritated the other ten disciples. Their indignation with James and John gave Jesus a chance to teach a lesson, an opportunity He never missed.

Verses 42-45 are a classic statement of the nature of Christian discipleship. Jesus' principle of serving others rather than lording it over them applies to all of His disciples. In God's kingdom, the way to the top is to start at the bottom.

James and John wanted to reign beside Christ in His kingdom. Though that privilege was not Christ's to give, the bigger issue He addressed was how disciples can gain greatness in God's program. It comes by wielding a towel in service (John 13:1-17), not by waving a sword or a scepter.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Most believers will nod quick agreement to the principle of humble service Jesus taught here. After all, it just sounds right.

But agreeing to be a servant in principle, and actually serving others are two very different things. Do you find it hard to serve others, especially when your service doesn't seem to be appreciated? Then recall Jesus' ultimate act of service for you. He gave His life to buy you out of sin. Given that, is there anything you can't do for someone else?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 18:15-30
What is impossible with men is possible with God. - Luke 18:27
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the famous novel Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, the main character Jean Val-Jean escapes from prison, trying to make a new life for himself. Little did he know that he would meet a man so full of forgiveness and compassion that the prisoner's life would change forever. As a result of this surprising encounter, the former prisoner turned from his ways to become a man of compassion.

The disciples also had a few surprises in store for them. After their initial encounters with Jesus, and leaving everything behind to follow Him, their lives--and their outlooks--would be dramatically changed. One surprise came after the disciples' reaction to a group of children and their parents who were, in their minds, distracting Jesus.

Because the Twelve saw these children as interruptions to the important work of the kingdom, they scolded the parents for bothering Jesus. What a surprise it must have been to the disciples when Jesus turned the tables on them! He scolded them by saying, in effect, ""Leave these children alone, and get out of their way.""

Of course, Jesus wasn't just being testy or impatient. The disciples had an important lesson to learn about entrance into God's kingdom, but their own impatience was blinding them to that lesson. So once again, Jesus set the record straight.

In fact, when a rich man approached Jesus, the Twelve got an immediate opportunity

to apply the truth they had just learned.

What a contrast he must have presented to the disciples! Unlike children, who were powerless and penniless, this man was rich and powerful. He was also law-abiding, according to his own testimony. He would make a useful addition to their numbers.

But what a surprise it must have been when the man turned away. He lacked the child-like faith required to do something that appeared to make no sense: give up his wealth to follow a man who had no visible means of support. The disciples had given up everything for Jesus, and that brought their next surprise. God knew all about their sacrifice, and they hadn't lost anything.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The rich man of Luke 18 let his earthly possessions get between him and the eternal life Jesus was offering.

That's tragic. But sometimes, even those of us who know the Lord can allow things to block our full devotion to Him. Only you know if that's the case in your life. Here's one exercise that may help point out any problem. Jot down the things you value most, and ask yourself whether you could give them up if God asked for them. If you're honest with yourself as you go over each item, you'll have a pretty good idea where you stand.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 17:1-13
This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. - Matthew 17:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
The legendary missionary-explorer David Livingstone was the first European to see Africa's great Victoria Falls, the world's largest waterfalls. Christian History magazine quoted from Livingstone's description of the awesome sight: ""Five columns of smoke [i.e., mist] arose....The whole scene was extremely beautiful...scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.""

It's hard for us to imagine the scene Livingstone witnessed when he first came upon the mighty waterfalls. He had to borrow heavenly imagery in his attempt to convey the effect the experience had made on him.

In much the same way, the Gospel writers drew on the loftiest language they could think of to describe a scene so dazzling that no earthly experience can compare. Jesus was transfigured in the presence of Peter, James, and John. Something of His eternal nature was revealed as these three disciples saw a preview of Jesus' future glory.

Mark said that Jesus' clothes became dazzling, ""whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them"" (Mark 9:3). Add to this the appearance of Moses and Elijah and the voice of God speaking from heaven, and the disciples were so overwhelmed they fell on their faces.

For the disciples, the Transfiguration was an unforgettable testimony to the deity of Jesus Christ and the truth of His claims. God knew these men would need this heavenly witness in future days. When Jesus was gone, they would be called to bear witness for Him in the face of suffering and persecution.

It's hard to blame Peter for wanting to stay on this mountain of glory--especially when, as we will see tomorrow, the real world with all its problems waited below.

Years later, Peter drew on the Transfiguration to verify the truth of the message the apostles preached (2 Pet. 1:16-18). This event had to be especially reassuring for him, coming just a few days after Jesus' stinging rebuke (Matt. 16:23, 17:1). As Jesus' disciples, if we learn and grow from His rebukes, we too will be all the more ready to share in His glory.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Every parent knows that rebuke is a painful but necessary part of discipline. The joy comes in the reassurance of love that needs to follow.

If you are a parent, does your discipline reflect this balance of correction and affirmation? Too much of either one without the other can leave children either frustrated and uptight or lacking in proper boundaries. Let's pray today for God's help in dealing with children the way He deals with us, balancing firm correction with reassuring love. And if you're not a parent, is there someone in your life who needs a word either of correction or affirmation right now? Ask God to help you meet that need in a way pleasing to Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 17:14-20
I do believe; help me
overcome my unbelief! - Mark 9:24
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Great Depression of the 1930s forced large numbers of people to take drastic measures. Thousands of hungry, unemployed individuals and families took to the rails and highways of America in a desperate search for work--only to find that in many cases, employers were as destitute as they were. One man spent a day unloading coal, only to discover to his dismay that his wages were two tomatoes. Another man worked for a farmer all day and was handed fifteen cents. He gave it back, figuring the farmer was in worse shape than he was.

When two impoverished people try to make something happen financially, the result is likely to be disappointing. We could say the same thing about the spiritual realm. Today's text illustrates this principle.

Matthew simply notes that Jesus, Peter, James, and John encountered a crowd as they came down from the mountain where Jesus was transfigured. While Jesus and the three disciples were gone, the remaining disciples got into an argument with some teachers of the law over their inability to cure a demon-possessed boy (Mark 9:14).

Here was a classic case of the impoverished trying to help the impoverished. Nothing happened when the disciples tried to cast out the demon, because their faith ""account"" was seriously tapped out (Matt. 17:20). According to Mark, the boy's father also lacked faith at first, although he did cry out in the words of today's verse when Jesus challenged him. And the religious experts obviously had nothing to add to the discussion. So Jesus took matters into His own hands and healed the boy.

Imagine the disciples' frustration and embarrassment at being powerless in the face of this boy's need. They had been commissioned and empowered by Jesus to deal with situations just like this. Why did they fail?

""Because you have so little faith,"" Jesus said (v. 20). Maybe the disciples took the situation too lightly, assuming that the power resided in them and all they had to do was snap their fingers. If that was their thinking, Jesus quickly corrected it.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In the midst of this massive poverty of faith, Jesus made one of the most astounding faith promises in all the Bible!

Read the last part of verse 20 again. Our faith, lined up with God's will and drawing on His power, can move mountains! Although some people use promises like this to teach a gospel of health, wealth, and prosperity, let's not make the opposite mistake of discounting what Jesus actually said. Does your heart long for greater faith, even mountain-moving faith? Echoing the prayer of today's verse may be a good place to start.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 13:1-17
I have set you an example that you should do as
I have done for you. - John 13:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
Beginning with today's Scripture, we are going to ""fast forward"" to the most crucial few days in the lives of the Twelve--the Last Supper, the betrayal, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus.

The church rightly regards the upper room experience as a holy moment in time. This was Jesus' last meal with His chosen men before His suffering and death.

It's worth stopping here to note that in His deepest anguish, Jesus sought the companionship of His closest disciples. And God is still seeking hearts that are true to Him.

One of the defining events of the Last Supper was Jesus' act of servitude in washing the disciples' feet. His love was in sharp contrast to the treachery of Judas, which John says was already well underway (v. 2).

This is the record of an eyewitness. John was one of the Twelve whose feet Jesus washed. It isn't hard to imagine the awkwardness they felt. First, they weren't used to a master taking the place of a servant. Jesus had said that this kind of thing doesn't happen in the unbelieving world (Mark 10:42).

Second, the disciples may have felt uncomfortable because they were feeling guilty. One of them could have taken the initiative and done what Jesus was doing: a basic act of courtesy and welcome to a house guest. At this point they were still more interested in their rank in the kingdom than in serving one another. But Jesus commanded them to do as they had seen Him do.

Predictably, it was Peter who broke the uneasy silence. His refusal to allow Jesus to wash his feet was probably prompted by love, but it was still misguided. All it took was Jesus' word of possible exclusion (John 13:, and Peter was ready for a bath!

Dr. Charles Ryrie says that in His exchange with Peter, Jesus was speaking of spiritual cleansing. The disciples, except Judas, were ""clean"" because of their faith in Christ. They needed to be cleansed of the sin they had accumulated as human beings. In light of what would happen in a few hours, Jesus wanted to reassure the disciples that they belonged to Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
John made an interesting comment in verse 3 concerning Jesus' assurance of His identity and place in God's plan.

We can't claim what Jesus could claim, but think about the connection here. It was out of absolute security in who He was that Jesus was able to perform the lowliest form of service. If you are secure in your identity as a child of God, being a servant will be no threat to you at all. But if you are worried about losing your place when you go to serve others, you'll be reluctant to serve. Which is true of you today?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 13:18-30
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. - 2 Corinthians 13:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
During the early years of the Communist regime in Russia, a monastery on an island in the White Sea was used as a Soviet labor camp. Recently, a photograph of this monastery was chosen by designers of Russian currency to adorn the face of the country's new 500ꯠ-ruble bill. Unknown to the designers, however, the photograph they chose was taken during the time when this monastery was actually a prison.

The life of Judas was a lot like that photograph. Things on the inside weren't what they appeared to be on the outside.

If someone had taken a picture of Judas and we could see his face today, chances are he would look pretty normal. He didn't have horns or anything like that. In fact, the other members of the Twelve must have thought Judas had it together, since they made him their treasurer (v. 29).

But his outward appearance only masked an evil heart in this man Jesus called a ""devil"" (John 6:70). The spiritual picture of Judas that emerges from the Bible is an enigma.

For example, the Word makes it clear that in the eternal counsels of God, Judas was foreordained to be Jesus' betrayer. Judas was the one ""doomed to destruction."" And both Jesus and Peter said the betrayal fulfilled prophecy (John 17:12; Acts 1:16-17).

Still, it is hard to get our minds around the idea that one of Jesus' own disciples would be a double agent for the devil. Why God chose Judas to play this part in the drama of salvation is something we won't fully understand until we get to heaven.

But we can draw lessons from Judas's life today. His outward allegiance but inward treachery is a warning to us of the slippery nature of the human heart. Any one of us is capable of being unfaithful when the pressure is on. Human weakness alone makes our path slippery sometimes. But the devil is there too, always ready to toss a banana peel under our feet.

A more serious warning Judas's life gives us is the danger of being a disciple of Jesus in name only. Paul's admonition to the Corinthians (see today's verse) suggests that we can be in the church, yet not be in the faith.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Here's another warning from Paul: ""If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"" (1 Cor. 10:12).

How many times have you heard a Christian say in reference to some sin or failure, ""Oh, that could never happen to me""? Maybe you have said that yourself. If so, it's time to beware. Satan loves to get us thinking we're immune to sin, because that's when we may be the most vulnerable. If you have any ""nevers"" on your list, try replacing them with this mindset: ""By God's grace, I am committed to be faithful to Him in this area.""

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 14:15-21
He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. - John 14:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
For a few minutes, try to put yourself in the place of an older teenager who comes home one day to find his parents sitting at the kitchen table. They announce that they have something important to say, then proceed to explain that they must leave in a few days on urgent business. While he's processing that thought, they tell him they will not be back in the way he sees them now. But they assure him that he will not be left orphaned, because soon they will be sending someone just like them to love and guide him.

In that situation, how do you think you would feel? If the words ""confusion,"" ""uncertainty,"" and ""fear"" come to mind, you're in good company. The disciples of Jesus experienced all of these emotions that night in the upper room.

Several times, Jesus had told the Twelve that He was going to be crucified. But they were not ready to hear anything about their beloved Master's dying. Now, however, they were face to face with the reality that Jesus was going to leave them.

What a swirl of emotions that meal must have produced in the Twelve! Putting together all the Gospel accounts of the evening reminds us that Jesus shocked eleven of the disciples by announcing His betrayal. While they were still grieving over that, He told them that He was leaving them and that they would all forsake Him before the night was over.

No wonder Jesus said later, ""Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief"" (John 16:6). But despite the disciples' temporary grief, Jesus also had great things to tell them.

His reminder of the importance of obeying Him signaled the fact that He still had a ministry for these men to accomplish. And the coming Holy Spirit would fill them with all the peace and power they would need for the days ahead. Jesus even promised His disciples that they would live as He lives--forever.

The Twelve, except for Judas, would realize these great promises ""on that day"" (v. 20), most likely a reference to the Day of Pentecost when the gift of the Holy Spirit was given.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jesus also promised the disciples, ""Your grief will turn to joy"" (John 16:20). That's a great word of comfort to us today.

For the Twelve, the joy Jesus referred to was still to come--His resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit. For us, both of these blessings are reality, and they can never be taken away from us!

So we need to ask today, are you distressed by something temporary, such as financial pressures or trouble at home or work? We don't want to minimize life's problems, but it helps to see them in light of the promises Christ has given us. Why not spend a few minutes praising God for His gifts which can never be taken from you?