2021-03-26
Matteus 26:31 DB
Die aand voor sy dood, het Jesus die volgende afkondiging gemaak: ‘…Nog vannag gaan julle almal die rug vir My draai en maak of julle My nie ken nie. Die Skrif sê mos: ‘Ek sal die skaapwagter platslaan en sy skape sal in alle rigtings weghardloop.’ Maar Ek sal uit die dood opgewek word. Dan sal Ek Galilea toe gaan. Julle sal agter My aankom’ (verse 31-32 DB).
Dink daaroor! As die dissipels wat vir drie-en-‘n-half jaar elke oomblik met Jesus deurgebring het hulle rûe kon draai, dan kan enigeen dit doen. Petrus kon sy ore nie glo nie. ‘…Al hardloop almal weg en maak of hulle U nie ken nie, hoef U nie bekommerd te wees nie. Ek sal dit nooit doen nie’ (vers 33 DB).
Dit was nie een van Petrus se fyner oomblikke nie. Hy was arrogant en selfversekerd: ‘Ek sal dit nooit doen nie.’ Petrus se vertroue was in Petrus se krag. Tog sou Petrus se krag hom faal. Jesus het dit geweet: “‘Simon, Simon!’… ‘Let op, die Satan het ernstig geëis om julle soos koring te kan sif, maar Ek het vir jou gebid dat jou geloof jou nie moet begewe nie. As jy weer tot inkeer gekom het, moet jy jou medegelowiges gaan ondersteun'” (Lukas 22:31-32 NLV).
Satan sou Petrus aanval en hom toets. Satan sou hom egter nooit opeis nie. Hoekom nie? Omdat Petrus sterk was? Nee – omdat Jesus sterk was. Hier is ‘n wonderlike waarheid: Jesus bid ook vir jou: ‘…Heilige Vader, bewaar hulle op grond van u Naam wat U aan My gegee het… Ek bid egter nie net vir hulle nie, maar ook vir dié wat op grond van hulle boodskap nog in My sal glo’ (Johannes 17:11,20 NLV). Sal God Christus se gebede vir jou beantwoord? Natuurlik sal Hy!
Sielskos: Job 40-42; Matt 25:31-40; Ps 69:1-18; Spr 8:27-29
Matthew 26:31 NCV
On the night before His death, Jesus made this announcement: ‘Tonight you will all stumble in your faith on account of me, because it is written in the Scriptures: “I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter.” But after I rise form the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee’ (Matthew 26:31-32 NCV). If the disciples who had spent three-and-a-half years walking and talking with Jesus, hearing His messages and seeing His miracles could stumble, then any of us can. ‘You will all stumble.’
But the promise was lost on Peter. ‘Everyone else may stumble in their faith because of you, but I will not’ (v.33 NCV). It wasn’t one of Peter’s best moments. ‘Everyone else may…’ – that was arrogant. ‘…I will not’ – that was relying on self. Peter’s trust was in Peter’s strength. But Peter’s strength would fail him.
Jesus knew it: ‘Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to test all of you as a farmer sifts his wheat. I have prayed that you will not lose your faith! Help your brothers be stronger when you come back to me’ (Luke 22:31-32 NCV).
Satan would attack and test Peter, but he would never claim him. Not because Peter was strong, but because Jesus was. He prayed for Peter, and He prays for us too: ‘Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name…I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me’ (John 17:11, 20 NLT). Let’s acknowledge that we can’t do everything in our own strength, and rely on God’s instead.
Job 40-42; Matt 25:31-40; Ps 69:1-18; Prov 8:27-29
Matthew 26:31 NKJV
On the night before His death, Jesus made this announcement: “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the…flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee” (vv. 31-32 NKJV). Think about it! If the disciples who had spent three-and-a-half years walking and talking with Jesus, hearing His messages and seeing His miracles could stumble, then any of us can. “All of you will…stumble.”
But the promise was lost on Peter. “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble” (v. 33 NKJV). This was not one of Peter’s finer moments. “Even if all…” Arrogant. “I will never be made to stumble.” Self-sufficient. Peter’s trust was in Peter’s strength. Yet Peter’s strength would peter out.
Jesus knew it: “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31-32 NKJV). Satan would attack and test Peter. But Satan would never claim him. Why? Because Peter was strong? No – because Jesus was. “I have prayed for you.”
And here’s a wonderful truth – Jesus prays for you too: “Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name…I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me” (John 17:11, 20 NLT). Will God answer Christ’s prayer on your behalf? What do you think? Of course He will!
Soul food: Job 40-42; Matt 25:31-40; Ps 69:1-18; Prov 8:27-29
2021-03-25
John 10:28 NCV
Our salvation isn’t secured by our achievements, but by Christ’s achievement at the cross. We all have moments we’re proud of and moments we’re ashamed of, but as long as we put our trust in Christ, we’re saved, and we’ll go to heaven.
Jesus said: ‘I give them eternal life, and they will never die, and no one can steal them out of my hand.’ And what’s more, God claims us as His. ‘By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge – a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete’ (2 Corinthians1:22 MSG).
We’ve all done something similar – ever engraved your name on a pencil or ruler when you were in school, or written it on a favourite toy? Even when we get older, one of the first things we do when we get a new phone is to choose an image for the lock screen and select a ringtone we like – we seem to be compelled to personalise things and make it clear they belong to us. And through His Spirit, God puts His Name on us and declares His ownership.
Satan is driven back by the declaration: This redeemed child is Mine! Where there’s no assurance of salvation, there’s no peace. No peace means no joy. And no joy results in fear-based lives. But God’s grace creates a confident soul who declares, ‘I know Jesus, the One in whom I have believed. And I am sure he is able to protect what he has trusted me with’ (2 Timothy 1:12 NCV).
Our salvation and our place in heaven is secure: ‘I write this letter to you who believe in the Son of God so you will know you have eternal life’ (1 John 5:13 NCV). It’s not about our hold on God. It’s about His hold on us.
Job 38-39; Matt 25:22-30; Ps 38:13-22; Prov 8:24-26
Johannes 10:28 NLV
Jou verlossing word nie deur jou optrede gewaarborg nie – maar deur Christus se optrede aan die kruis. Solank as wat jy jou vertroue in Christus plaas, is jy gered en sal jy hemel toe gaan.
Jesus het gesê: ‘Ek sal ook die ewige lewe aan hulle gee, en hulle sal so nimmer as te nooit verlore gaan. Niemand sal hulle uit my hand steel nie.’ Wat meer is, God kies ons om die ewige lewe saam met Hom deur te bring. ‘…Hy het boonop sy amptelike stempel op ons lewe geplaas as die bewys dat ons aan Hom behoort… God het die Heilige Gees aan ons almal gegee as die deposito… om ons te verseker dat sy nuwe wêreld op ons wag’ (2 Korintiërs 1:21-22 DB).
Jy het al iets soortgelyks gedoen: jou naam op ‘n ring of op ‘n stuk gereedskap of ‘n iPad gegraveer. Om iets te stempel beteken dat jy eienaarskap daarvan verklaar. God stempel ons deur sy Gees. Satan word daardeur teruggedryf: ‘Hou jou hande tuis. Hierdie verloste kind is myne!’
Waar daar geen versekering van verlossing is nie, is daar geen vrede nie. Geen vrede beteken geen vreugde nie. Geen vreugde veroorsaak lewens wat op vrees gebaseer is. Genade skep ‘n siel wat met vertroue kan verklaar: ‘…ek ken die Een op wie ek vertrou en ek is seker dat Hy sal bewaar wat Hy aan my toevertrou het, tot op die dag van sy koms’ (2 Timoteus 1:12 NLV).
Jou kaartjie hemel toe is veilig: ‘Ek skryf hierdie dinge aan julle sodat julle met die wete kan leef dat julle nou reeds deel het aan die ewige lewe, julle wat aanhou glo in die persoon van die Seun van God’ (1 Johannes 5:13 NLV). Dit gaan nie oor jou houvas op God nie – maar oor sy houvas op jou!
Sielskos: Job 38-39; Matt 25:22-30; Ps 38:13-22; Spr 8:24-26
