7 Minute Read
Today’s Bible Reading:
Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19
Luke 10:13-37
Psalm 75:1-10
Proverbs 12:12-14
Today’s Bible Verse(s):
Luke 10:16 (NLT): “Then he said to the disciples, ‘Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.’”
Reflections on Today’s Bible Verse(s):
You know what it’s like to ‘know’ something and yet to have a moment where that knowledge goes even deeper, don’t you? It’s like the shades are thrown open, and the sunlight floods the room as you come to a deeper awareness of something you thought you had fully understood.
I had one of those moments last week. I know what the Bible says about how Jesus has come to live inside every Jesus-follower. His Holy Spirit takes up residence inside our bodies at the time we first trust in Him to receive eternal life (John 3:16, John 14:17, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19, Galatians 2:20).
I have read Watchman Nee’s book, “The Normal Christian Life,” and realized that Romans 8 reveals that our individual identities are intertwined with Jesus’ identity. I have studied Ephesians 1-2 and observed how frequently the phrase “in Christ” shows that a believer’s identity is tied up in Jesus’ identity.
Yet, last week as I read Matthew 25:40, that truth went deeper. I heard Jesus say in that Bible passage, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” In that verse, Jesus clearly states that the way we treat a fellow believer is how we treat Him. Wow!
Then, the Lord spoke His Word loud and clearly into my soul this morning. Listen once again to the verse I have chosen for today.
Luke 10:16 (NLT): “Then he said to the disciples, ‘Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.’”
Friend, these verses make it crystal clear that if we are a born again Jesus-follower, then our identity is tied up in Jesus’ identity. When we mistreat a fellow believer, we have mistreated Jesus. If we treat a fellow believer with kindness, we have treated Jesus that way.
This truth is also profoundly personal if we are a Jesus-follower. If we have a poor self-image and engage in negative self-talk, it directly impacts Jesus. When we become convinced that we do not have what it takes to overcome sin or do well in difficult circumstances, just think of what it says about Jesus. The Scripture clearly states in Philippians 4:13, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Let this truth sink deeply into your soul. Reflect on it throughout the moments of your day. Realize that if you are trusting in Jesus for eternal life, then He lives within you, and your identity is now intertwined with His. You will never, ever be alone. God has literally taken upon residence inside of you.
Let that thought inform how you see your self-worth and let it move you to gratitude. Let this truth influence how you view your ability to take on the challenges of each day. And let it inform how you view and treat fellow believers. How you treat them is how you are treating Jesus.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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