Author: Dave Dishman (Page 269 of 475)

Walking around with Jesus all day presented a challenging dilemma for his disciples. When was Jesus making small talk about lunch, or saying something totally profound about the kingdom of God?

On a boat ride Jesus warned the disciples: Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

His disciples thought Jesus referred to their current lack of bread. But Jesus took them to task, reminding them of the two miraculous feedings of thousands with a few loaves. If Jesus wanted bread, he would just make some. Rather, Jesus warned against the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

What teachings? These religious teachers loved places of honor and showing off. They tithed even from their spice rack, while neglecting justice, mercy and faithfulness. They placed heavy burdens on people without lifting a finger to help.

Jesus eventually confronted this clique: You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are (Matthew 23:15).

Nasty yeast.

Nothing turns people away from the Christian faith more completely than abuse fostered on unwitting followers by religious leaders. We read about it all the time, and many faithful people suffer for their past confidence in deceitful spiritual guides.

I pay attention when Jesus brings up the religious teachers of his day, as I’m a religious teacher myself. It’s sobering to recognize the dueling nature of the yeasts mentioned by Jesus. One yields destruction, and another other brings the aroma of the kingdom of God.

Like the disciples, I’m often slow on the uptake. If I want to lead people toward the kingdom of God, I need to pay careful attention of the type of yeast I sprinkle through my dough.

Matthew 16 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Margaret Jaszowska

As a young biology student at the University of Missouri, I started paying attention to leaves in a whole new way. I studied the process of photosynthesis (in minute detail), learning how green plants convert energy from the sun and in the process split carbon dioxide molecules into carbon and oxygen. Enjoy a deep breath—leaves are why you’re alive.

Many of my professors believed in a godless universe and pointed to evolutionary theory to explain how biological systems came about. They presented theories explaining the development of complexity from primordial soup. I sat in their classrooms year after year carefully studying and evaluating their arguments.

Then I arrived at exactly the opposite conclusion.

The more I contemplated the cross-section of a leaf, or went cross-eyed trying to memorize the Kreb’s cycle, the complexity of it all overwhelmed me. Something greater than a cosmic accident must be behind this complicated, intricate, life-supporting planet.

Many others arrive at the same view. Paul clarified: For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse (Romans 1:20).

David spoke even more bluntly: The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

God left his fingerprints all around us. I found the more I studied, moving on from plants to vertebrate anatomy and embryology and histology, the more I sensed a divine hand in the midst of the wonders of life, and indeed in the midst of my life.

Nature presents as wonderfully, mind-numbingly complex. Pick up a leaf—you hold in your hands powerful evidence of God’s eternal power and divine nature.

Psalm 53 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Annie Spratt

Many people believe in the basic goodness of mankind. They claim babies are born pure, then sour along their way through life. If we tap into our original, pristine nature we bring out the best in all of us.

But the Scriptures approach our basic nature differently.

God looks down on heaven on all mankind so see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

To be honest, no one really expects to find anyone who’s returned to a perfectly good and moral state. We keep our passwords private, we hang up on scammers, we avoid dark alleys, we lock our doors. We expect what life experiences teach us and we react accordingly.

David noticed the same. Even as king he dealt with dark situations and ongoing unease. Of those out to harm him he wrote: evil finds lodging among them (Psalm 55:15).

David begged the Lord for a way out—Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

God answered David’s prayer and salvation indeed surged out of Zion. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).

Are we all basically good and just a nudge away from returning to our original shiny state? No, unfortunately not. But the Lord provides our rescue through Jesus Christ.

Rather than hope in myself and the myth of my basic goodness, I turn to the one who knows me best and provides the way to redemption, truth to live by, and life in his grace.

Psalm 53 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Maria Teneva

Organizing a picnic with all the food and drinks and napkins for twenty-five people is a lot of work. A good host thinks about the people coming, how much food to prepare, and budget constraints. Hot dogs or fried chicken?

Jesus fed thousands and thousands of people on more than one occasion with only a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish. His disciples expressed their worry—where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?

Those with Jesus failed to understand who stood among them. How could they know bread for a crowd barely registered on the creative power residing within Jesus? For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17).

I get lost in the pictures beamed back to us from the James Webb space telescope. The image above shows the five galaxies of Stephan’s Quintet. Ginormous, beautiful, and beyond imagination. The deeper the telescope peers, the more it sees—endless space and stars. Truly the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1).

Jesus made all those galaxies. They hold together by his power. Is it any wonder he threw a good picnic?

Feeding the masses was no problem for Jesus. Providing for me is no problem for Jesus. Working my life toward his ends is no problem for Jesus. The only problem for Jesus? Me and my lack of faith in Jesus.

Look at those images from the telescope, or walk outside and gaze at the stars this evening. As you do, consider the one who put those galaxies in place, and thank him for the bread on your table as well.

Matthew 15 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022