Topic: Foolishness of Prejudice [Wednesday September 30, 2015]
Text: Mark 11:27-33
Key Verse: “And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?” (Mark 11:27,28).
There are not many maladies that can so badly impair one’s sense of judgment as prejudice (irrational dislike of somebody). Someone once defined prejudice as, “A vagrant opinion without visible means of support”. It blindfolds, injures and even kills. Its worst victim is often the person who exercises it.
During Christ’s earthly ministry, the priests, scribes and elders had an obsessive, unfounded hatred for Him. They showed it openly and subtly. Today’s text presents one of such occasions of their antagonism. They had watched Him teach in the temple with a mixture of envy and malice, so they queried Him. The intent of their questions was to ensnare or, at best, ridicule Christ by making Him seem like a usurper or blasphemer. But wisdom prevailed. Christ responded with another question that exposed their hypocrisy.
They knew the truth – that both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ derived their authority from God. Even someone of their rank, Nicodemus, had earlier acknowledged Christ as “a teacher come from God”. But here, they would neither openly admit it, lest they should acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah; nor could they discredit John’s ministry as a human design lest they be mobbed by commoners. In their face-saving attempt, they refused to answer Christ’s question. His question therefore, took care of theirs. The gospel has never been so vehemently attacked by people more than men of influence, especially religious people whose interest are threatened by the gospel light.
But how vain it is to antagonize the truth! Often times, the same rod of attack eventually proves to be the instrument of its promotion while its peddlers get confounded. As you step out this day, pray not to be blinded or shackled by prejudice against the truth. Rather, let the boldness and wisdom of righteousness be your strength.
Thought for the day: A prejudicial mind is a shallow and unproductive mind
Bible Reading in one Year: 2 & 3 John
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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