Notes to the Lord: Looking at the Key and not Knowing it

Scripture Reflections:Matthew 22

41While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42"What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" "The son of David," they replied.

Lord Jesus--You were walking these men right up to the essential question that they needed to answer.

These men may have been thinking that it was possible that you were the Christ. Yet, they were rejecting the possibility by the way that they were framing their questions. You took the risk to ask them who they thought the Christ would be.

Whose son would the Christ be...son of David... son of Joseph...son of God? I am sure that they had made their investigations of your life and history Lord Jesus. They had heard the stories of a birth that was "premature" at the very least and the questions of your birth.

So whose son the Christ might have been playing in the back of their minds. As they saw the people healed...the blind seeing and the lame walking again, it may have come back to their thoughts like waves of questions. Who is this guy and how does he do this?

43He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, 44" 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." ' 45If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?"

This passage comes out of Psalm 110. I wonder if these men, who clearly are trying to identify who you are in the scope of God's revelation, were reading this psalm as referring to the messiah. Did they remember the rest of the Psalm...were their lips moving to the remembered words even as you were talking? Did they remember the priest, king and judge that it describes?

46No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Up Close and Personal:
I have dropped my keys before...I have missed the key that would unlock the door right in front of me. A thousand times if not once....I have been in the place these men who were questioning You found themselves.

I dare not judge...no room to talk about them. My prayer today is to be able to see the essentials that you are teaching me right now and not miss the theme that you are working to drive home in my heart right now.

What is that theme? That you are Lord of all the pieces that make up my life...that you are in control...that you will lead, guide and control the events and stream of this life that you have pushed me into. I just need to keep swimming.