Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Matthew 16 and Psalm 16

In Matthew 13, Jesus told a parable explaining how the Kingdom of God influences and transforms. Just as a tiny measure of yeast in a batch of dough gradually but fundamentally transforms the dough from the inside, the Kingdom of God brings fundamental change to people and communities from the inside out. Slowly, steadily, unseen and unheard, the Kingdom of God exerts its transformative influence.

Here in Matthew 16, Jesus uses the image of yeast again – this time negatively. He warns His disciples that the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees has the yeast-like potential to infiltrate their minds and hearts too, if they do not guard against it. (See v.6 & 12)

Yet, on a positive note, Jesus’ words to Peter (v.17-19) remind us that words of truth have an even greater transformative power. Peter’s confession that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (v.16) is such an important, life-transforming truth that receiving and believing it leads to the establishment of Jesus’ Church, and not even the gates of Hades can prevail against it.

Today’s chapter calls us to ensure that we absorb and completely internalise Jesus‘ teaching of truth, and guard very carefully against blindly accepting truth-claims from other sources. All supposed truth should be tested against the truth that Jesus revealed before we accept it. Failing this, we run the risk of being influenced by the wrong “yeast”.

Life application: Listen with careful discernment to the things people say today. Don’t aim to judge the person, but notice how easily we accept beliefs or viewpoints as true, without first testing them against the Word of God. Notice especially any tendency to do so on your own part.