By Dave Benner
In Matthew chapter 13, just after the parable of the soils, Jesus tells the 12 how fortunate they are. He said, “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you heard, and did not hear it.” The 12 were very privileged to be with Jesus, witnessing many miracles and hearing His teachings. Last Sunday, Steve preached about how Judas squandered this advantage for money.
In Hebrews 11, which we often call the “Faith Hall of Fame,” the writer ends the chapter outlining the many tortures endured by God’s faithful. The writer concludes with, “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise.” The writer means that they did not see the Messiah, Jesus. In the next chapter, the writer encourages us to “run the race with endurance” because we have the advantage of knowing the sacrifices of those before us and the sacrifice Jesus made for all on the cross.
Let’s consider how blessed we are as we carry the word of God in our pockets on our phones. We can read it and listen to it whenever we want. We can even listen at twice the recorded speed if we want! At Karns, we have a wonderful library available to all members. We have a preaching school where we can attend classes on every book in the Bible. We have trained men and women who can answer our questions concerning the Bible and its application.
We can argue that we have every advantage, even more than Judas. Let’s not squander it like Judas did!