Psalm of the Day: Psalm 118:1-15
Wisdom of the Day: Job 31:14-30
Scripture Reading: Luke 9:18-22
Let us notice the singular knowledge and faith displayed by the Apostle Peter. We read, that when our Lord said to His disciples, "Whom do you say that I am? Peter answered, "The Christ!"
This was a noble confession we can hardly realize the full value. To estimate it aright we should place ourselves in the position of our Lord's disciples. We should call to mind that the great, and wise, and learned of their own nation saw no beauty in their Master, and would not receive Him as the Messiah. We should recollect that they saw no royal dignity about our Lord; no crown, no army, no earthly dominion. They saw nothing but a poor man, who often had no place to lay his head. And yet it was at this time, and under these circumstance that Peter boldly declares his belief that Jesus is the Christ of God! Truly, this was a great faith! It was mingled, no doubt, with much of ignorance and imperfection. But such as it was, it was a faith that stood alone. He who had it was a remarkable man, and far in advance of the age in which he lived.
We should pray frequently that God would raise up more Christians of the stamp of the apostle Peter. Erring, and unstable, and ignorant of his own heart as he sometimes proved that blessed apostle was in some respects one in ten thousand. He had faith, and zeal, and love to Christ's cause when almost all Israel was unbelieving and cold.
We need more men of this sort. We need men who are not afraid to stand alone, and to cleave to Christ when the many are against Him. Such men, like Peter, may err sadly at times, but in the long run of life, will do more good than any. Knowledge, no doubt, is an excellent thing; but knowledge without zeal and warmth will never do much for the world.
Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, please help to worship you because of who you are.
Action Plan: Do you think you would have recognized Jesus as the Messiah? Why or why not? How does Jesus identity change your behavior now?
This devotional was taken from The Gospel of Luke by J.C. Ryle published in 1858
and adapted by Pastor Tim Lewis of New England Shores Baptist Church.
