Old Testament reading Nehemiah 5-7
Great leaders come from curious places. Though a slave and cupbearer for the king, the character and example marking Nehemiah’s leadership is nothing short of remarkable. He rebuked the nobles for taking advantage of their brethren (5:1-13), which account is followed by his great example in generosity (5:14-19). A true leader never asks of others what he himself is unwilling to do. Nehemiah 6:15 tells us the wall was completed in 52 days, which shows us what we can accomplish when “the people have a mind to work” (4:6). You will likely scan or be tempted to pass over chapter 7, but if you do, you might miss a great lesson in 7:61-65 (which you might have missed earlier doing the same thing in Ezra 2:59-63). Those who could not identify their father’s house or trace their lineage “were excluded from the priesthood as defiled.” In like fashion, Christians are God’s priests on earth today (1 Pet 2:5, 9). One becomes a Christian by obeying the gospel (cf Mark 16:15-16). Only those with proper credentials are fit to serve God and offer spiritual sacrifices to him.
New Testament reading: Matthew 1-4
Matthew 2 provides the account of the visit by the “wise men from the East.” This visit took place some space of time after that of the shepherds, for the shepherds found Jesus still in the manger (Luke 2:8-20), while the wise men visited Him in a house (Matt 2:11). Though generally regarded as being three in number, there is also no mention of how many wise men visited Jesus. Of particular note is the account of their actions upon finding Jesus in Matthew 2:11. The text says “they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.” There is not a word concerning any veneration or exaltation of Mary. These men knew the proper object of worship, and Jesus’ mother was not among them. It is also worthy to note that Jesus was worthy of worship even as an infant! Today’s reading also affirms that the Lord God alone is worthy of worship (Matt 4:10). Neither man (Acts 10:25-26; 14:8-18) nor angel (Rev 22:8-9) are worthy of worship. Our Jehovah Witness friends hold Jesus as some manifestation of Michael the archangel, yet this cannot be so if Jesus was worthy of and received worship (John 9:38). Jesus is Divine!
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