#1057. Jesus’ supremacy makes listening to Him our priority (16/5/24)

This week, in our devotionals, we are focussing on Luke 11:29-32. Today, we reflect on how listening to Jesus is, for the Christian, their most valued source of learning.

Luke 11:29–32

‘The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.’ (Luke 11:31-32)

Luke 11:31–32

Lesson: The sources of our learning reveal whom we worship and the condition of our hearts.

You can listen to this devotional at:

https://youtu.be/GtKuEeBIPAE

If you were to go onto the internet, you would find many very popular podcasters, Youtube channels, Instagram ‘influencers’… People give their time and attention to those they think are worthy in some way. I wonder who you give your attention to? Who do you listen to and learn from? Jesus, in this section of Luke, challenges many of the people of His day who would not listen to Him. He is their promised Messiah, but they will not listen. He condemns them because although they are God’s people and had His promises regarding the coming of The Messiah, they are not prepared to receive Jesus - The Messiah and Son of God - because it would challenge and inconvenience them.

Jesus compares their bad attitude to the the example of ‘The Queen of the south’ (The Queen of Sheba of 1 Kings 10:1-13) and ‘The men of Nineveh’ who, although not a part of God’s people, they listened to God; The Queen of Sheba travelled from modern-day Yemen to meet Solomon and hear him; the Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonah. Jesus tells them that ‘something greater than Solomon is here’, and ‘something greater than Jonah is here’; If the people at that time listened to Solomon and Jonah, how much more should they, and we, listen to Jesus over anyone else that we may give our time and attention to!

1 Kings 10:1–13

Response

A plant or tree will put its roots out toward a water source. By nature, a plant will seek what will sustain it. A dead tree has no desire for water. It won’t put its roots out toward fresh water. To what or to whom are our ’roots’ stretching? The sources of our learning reveal whom we worship and the condition of our hearts.