Dr. Rosalie de Rosset has served for decades as a Communications professor at Moody Bible Institute. She specializes in teaching literature and in mentoring. “I love my students,” she says. “I love talking to them about their lives, their struggles, and the way Jesus meets them…God is good. His grace is profound, and my students have made teaching a marvel of an experience.”

Dr. de Rosset lives her life as an ardent follower of the Master Teacher, Jesus Christ. Today’s reading shows the heart of Christ who often taught with parables, using pictures and stories from everyday life. He wanted the meaning to be clear to those listening in faith (Matt. 13:10–17). He was perfectly in tune to the hearts and minds of His audience, and He always taught following the larger “lesson plan” of His Father.

The second story, later revealed to be an allegory, is built around a problem (vv. 24–28): A good man planted wheat, then his enemy came and planted weeds in the same field. This became known only when the plants sprouted. The solution was to sort it out at the harvest (vv. 29–30). Why wait? To make sure the wheat wasn’t harmed.

At the disciples’ request, Jesus explained the meaning (vv. 36–41). The good man is the Son of Man (Himself), while the enemy is the devil. The field is the world. The wheat represents people of the kingdom of God, that is, believers in the Son. The weeds represent everyone else. The harvesters are angels and the harvest is the final judgment. The core lesson here focuses on the two contrasting destinies: Sinners will be punished, while “the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (vv. 42–43).

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Musicians Stuart Townend and Keith Getty wrote the powerful worship song, “In Christ Alone.” The final verse proclaims: “No guilt in life, no fear in death / This is the power of Christ in me. / From life’s first cry to final breath, / Jesus commands my destiny. / No power of hell, no scheme of man, / Can ever pluck me from his hand. / Till he returns or calls me home, / Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.”

There is no other way to the Father than through Christ alone! Jesus made this very clear in today’s reading: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (v. 6). The title Way draws on the common biblical metaphor of a path. Jesus also said: “Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life” (Matt. 7:14). Early Christianity was actually called “the Way” (Acts 9:2). And for us, there is no way to God other than Christ, even while our culture frowns on such exclusive claims.

There is also no other Truth, certainly not “personal truth” or “truth for me” that has become pervasive in our world. John uses the Greek word for “truth” 25 times in his Gospel, always connecting it to Jesus. Sometimes we think Satan has lesser or weaker truths, but the fact is that he has no truth at all—he is the “father of lies” (John 8:44).

Finally, as we’ve seen already this month, there is no other source of Life. In our culture, Jesus’ assertion sounds alarming, but He actually communicated this “I am” statement to offer comfort (v. 1). That’s one reason He put things in relational terms. “The way and the truth and the life” are all about knowing Jesus (vv. 7–10).

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Pondering today’s reading, musician Michael Card wrote the song “Living Stones”: “See, in Zion He is known / As a chosen precious cornerstone / And the ones who come to trust in Him / Will never know the shame / That He bore on that cross when it seems / That all was lost. / He is the Stone that makes men stumble / The Rock that makes them fall. / Living stones, living stones / We are holy, living stones / Built upon the firm foundation that is Jesus.”

What does it mean for Christ to be a Living Stone (v. 4) or a “chosen and precious cornerstone” (v. 6)? In today’s reading, Peter quoted several Old Testament references to show that Jesus was chosen by God but rejected by humans. Christ was the key to God’s plan of redemption. Those who do not believe in Him will trip over Him—their lack of faith will be their stumbling block (vv. 7–8). Those who do believe in Him, on the other hand, will receive God’s mercy (vv. 5, 9–10).

Peter quoted from a Messianic psalm: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (v. 7; Ps. 118:22). He had previously quoted this same verse before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:11). Jesus Himself had also quoted this verse as part of the parable of the tenants, indicating that the Jewish leaders had rejected God’s Chosen One. He further said people who failed to accept Him would be “broken to pieces” and “crushed” (Luke 20:17–19). As God’s “precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (Isa. 28:16), Jesus succeeded despite opposition in His mission of salvation. We, too, are “living stones” who “are being built into a spiritual house” or God’s family (v. 5; Eph. 2:19–22).

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The Sugarfire Smoke House in St. Louis claimed first prize at the Sandwich World Championship. Chef David Molina won the award for his “Cuban Reuben,” which included smoked ham, pulled pork, pastrami, mustard, Swiss cheese, and pickles, all placed between two sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches, which in turn were made with provolone cheese, white American cheese, and horseradish mustard.

Are we making you hungry? The crowds were ravenously hungry when Jesus miraculously fed them loaves and fish (vv. 1–13). But when they came looking for more of the same, He rebuked them for wrong motives (v. 26). They should be looking for “food that endures to eternal life” (v. 27). One food spoils, while the other gives lasting spiritual nourishment.

The crowd asked, in essence, how can we earn such food (v. 28)? The only “work” to do, Jesus responded, is to believe in me (v. 29). Their next question was, why should we believe in you? Apparently, the feeding of the 5,000 wasn’t enough?! They wanted something equal to God’s provision of manna in the wilderness (vv. 30–31). Surprisingly (to the people), Jesus asserted that God had already provided a better bread (vv. 32–33). “Give it to us,” they predictably answered.

Jesus met their deeper hunger by revealing Himself to be the Bread of Life (vv. 35–40). He is the Messiah and source of life, not in a temporal sense but for eternity. All who believe in Him will be accepted and one day resurrected. This is possible because Jesus perfectly obeyed the will of the Father and His plan of redemption. Best of all, He promised that no one who trusted Him for salvation would be lost (v. 39), a promise or doctrine we often call “assurance of salvation” or “perseverance of the saints.”

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Philosopher J. P. Moreland described how Disneyland in California has an entire work crew assigned to do nothing but light bulbs. They keep a record of the park’s thousands of light bulbs, and replace them when they reach 80 percent life expectancy. Are they successful? Never once has he seen a burned-out light there!

Light of the World is one of the most well-known names for Christ. It’s an image associated with knowledge, truth, righteousness, hope, and life. As Isaiah prophesied, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isa. 9:2; see also John 1:4). Today begins our study’s third section: looking at Christ’s attributes in relationship with His people.

When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (v. 12), the Pharisees immediately challenged Him (vv. 13–18). By saying His testimony wasn’t valid, they were essentially accusing Him of lying and pride. Jesus responded that He and the Father together made two witnesses and that the Pharisees were ignorant of His divine identity and origins.

Offended, the Pharisees made a second challenge (v. 19): “Where is your father?” Ironically, they proved their own ignorance, but it might also have been intended as an insult about the circumstances of His birth. If so, Jesus disregarded the insult, instead asserting that to know Him was to know the Father. For the religious leaders of Israel not to understand this was quite an indictment (John 3:19)!

As followers of Christ, we are to be “the light of the world” ourselves (Matt. 5:14) by reflecting His light. How? We are to “walk in the light” and live holy lives (1 John 1:5–7).

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The expression “skin in the game,” often encountered in the world of business and finance, is used when people have a personal stake in reaching a goal. They see their work as much more than “just a job.” They’re risking their own resources or reputation. Their commitment might be emotional, financial, or even physical.

As the Mediator between God and humanity, Jesus most certainly had “skin in the game” because He was and is fully God and fully man. But why was such a mediator needed? Because sin made us enemies of God. We were at war, with no hope of winning, and no offering a sacrifice represented the people before the Lord. But when Jesus came, He became both the priest and the sacrifice.

Christ is the superior Mediator of a superior covenant (Heb. 8:6). He did what He did in the heavenly tabernacle (God’s presence), not its earthly shadow (9:11). His atonement is once-for-all, not repeated. His blood is effectual for forgiveness, unlike the blood of animal sacrifices (v. 12). Those sacrifices made people outwardly clean, but Christ makes us inwardly clean and holy, free to serve God (vv. 13–14).

Jesus not only mediates the new covenant but also guarantees it (v. 15). How does this work? Like a will. Just as a will takes effect only when the one who made it dies, so our inheritance of eternal life took effect because of Jesus’ death (vv. 16–17). While the blood of animal sacrifices only symbolized purification, Jesus’ blood actually accomplished our forgiveness and redemption (vv. 18–22). And while formerly we were set apart for death, now through Christ’s mediation we’re set apart for life. We were God’s enemies but now can be His friends!

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R. A. Torrey, the second president of Moody Bible Institute, explained why Jesus’ sacrifice meets the need of every person: “The gospel, with a crucified Christ at its center, meets the needs of all conditions and classes of men as well as of all races. It meets the need of the millionaire and the need of the pauper; it meets the need of great men of science…and the need of the man or woman who cannot read nor write; it meets the need of the king on the throne and the need of the laborer in the ditch.”

The gospel is good news for everyone! In his first epistle, Paul made clear that the good news of redemption in Christ is for both Jews and Gentiles (vv. 7–9). As God told Abraham, “All nations will be blessed through you” (see Gen. 12:3), a promise here called the “gospel in advance.” God’s plan had always been larger than one nation. The fact is that all who trust in Christ are considered spiritual “children of Abraham.”

Furthermore, redemption is about faith, not works or the Law (vv. 10–12). Since lawbreakers are cursed, and since keeping the Law is impossible, those who rely on it are automatically cursed. Those who rely on faith in Christ, by contrast, stand justified before God. This is not a new truth, since faith was also the basis for Abraham’s justification (v. 6). Anyone who tries to earn salvation will fail.

In short, the gospel is not about what we do but about what Christ did (vv. 13–14; Eph. 1:7). He came under the Law’s curse. He paid the death penalty we owed for sin. Only through faith in Him can we receive the rich blessings of salvation, especially the Holy Spirit.

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Tim Keller wrote about the necessity of Jesus’ resurrection: “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.”

The resurrection changed everything! Today we celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ is our Risen Lord. This is not a metaphor or a symbolic picture, but the literal historical truth. The Resurrection was both a spiritual and a physical event. When Jesus appeared to His disciples, He worked hard to convince them that He was not a ghost (v. 37). Though His glorified body was qualitatively different, He could still show them the scars in His hands and feet (vv. 36-40). He even ate broiled fish (vv. 42–43).

Despite Jesus having told them before the fact (vv. 6–7), His followers had no expectation that He would rise from the dead. The women who discovered the empty tomb had come to anoint His corpse with spices and pay their final respects (v. 1). When they brought the angels’ news to the disciples, it “seemed to them like nonsense” (v. 11). In Luke’s account, only Peter bothered to go and check, and even when he found the tomb empty, “he went away, wondering to himself what had happened” (v. 12). The two disciples on the Emmaus road didn’t know what to make of the women’s story either (vv. 19–24).

That’s why Christ, in His post-Resurrection appearances, taught His followers—that what had happened had been exactly what Scripture prophesied (vv. 25–27, 44–48). He opened their minds so they could realize the incredible significance of the Truth standing before them: redemption and forgiveness of sin!

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