Tag: confrontation

Mark 8:11-13 – Prove It!

Read Mark 8:11-13

The Pharisees continue to surprise us. I get the sense that they have a bit of an attitude. They clearly feel pressure because of what Jesus is doing and all the attention he is getting. What were they trying to prove by picking a fight with Jesus and demanding he prove himself worthy of their respect?

How do you think Jesus or his disciples felt? Did they feel sorry for the Pharisees who had stooped so low to demeaning Jesus in an attempt to exalt themselves? These were the religious leaders who they had respected.

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Luke 20:1-19 – Jesus Teaches Us

Read Luke 20:1-19

Jesus final days were spent teaching in the Temple. There were so many lessons left to share; Jesus had to be wondering how he could fit them all in. These teachable moments were often interrupted by confrontation.

Today we see how the religious leaders were trying to trip up Jesus and interrupt the flow of his teaching. Because they were so offended by his popularity, they had to know who had given Jesus the authority to speak and preach as he had been. What other motives may they have had? We see how brilliantly Jesus turns the inquisition around so the leaders are left speechless. But they didn’t walk away. They stayed and listened.

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Judges 11:12-28 – The Negotiation

Read Judges 11:12-28

The words "War" and "Peace" are spelled out in block letters in a crossword fashion on a white background. On this image, "Peace" is falling apart, possibly signifying that peace talks have fallen apart. There is plenty of copy space available.

What a negotiator! Despite the fact Jephthah was known as a brilliant warrior, he used his words first. He was not trying to avoid action but to begin the action. You might think of it as setting the stage. If you can avoid unnecessary bloodshed that is still a victory. We can tell early on in the negotiations that the Ammonites were set on getting their revenge on the Israelites.

Jephthah was not afraid to use other means when the verbal attempt failed. He had done his best to recount the history of the Israelites travels to put them in the best light possible. In fact, it was actually God who had orchestrated the events that had the Ammonites so upset.

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