25At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.
27They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.- P78
28But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.
29The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan."- P78
30Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."- P79
31But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are."
32And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.
- P79
33We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."- P79
The men return from their mission to survey the land of Canaan andent their report to Moses and the Israelite community. They allagree thatthe land is rich and fruitful. To prove it, they show the large cluster of grapesthey have brought. - P80
Yet, despite this evidence of God‘s faithfulness, some ofthe men focus on the challenges of occupying the land. They highlight thestrength of the inhabitants, the size of their fortified cities, and thepresenceof giants, calling themselves "grasshoppers" in comparison. - P80
Caleb, however,
quiets the people and asserts that they will possess the land. Caleb‘s perspective is shaped by faith in God‘s promises rather than fear of the opposition.
- P80
Fear often exaggerates our problems and minimizes God‘s power. - P80
Faith, onthe other hand, strengthens our trust in God‘s words even when the odds are against us.- P80
Dear Jesus, thank you for always walking with us. Help us to becourageouslike Caleb, who trusted You would bring the Israelites victory. - P81
When we face big problems, remind us to rely on You. In Your name, amen.- P81
Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who rented out his vineyard to tenants. At harvest, he sends servants to collect fruit, but the tenants abuse andkill them. - P83
Finally, the owner sends his son, whom the tenants also kill, hopingto seize the inheritance. Jesus explains that the owner will punish the wickedtenants, and the vineyard will be given to others.- P83
There is, of course, nothing wrong with eating egg-shaped chocolates, tak-ing a bite of pastel-colored pancakes, or participating in an egg hunt. However, the absence of anything related to the Christian origins of ResurrectionSunday among these items serves as a reminder that we should be moreaware of how the customs of our culture influence us. - P85
We should stay alert to the state of our hearts and not lose sight of what we know to be true: thegospel of Jesus Christ. - P85
We are not to be like the chief priests, the teachers ofthe law, and the elders in today‘s passage who failed to respond to the truththat God was showing them with repentance.
- P85
The beliefs held by our societies influence us in ways that are both obviousand subtle. During this Passion Week, let us not be easily swayed by whatwe see but be especially focused on the Person we follow. - P85
May we rememberthat the greatest influence in our lives should always be Jesus and the truthfound in God‘s Word.- P85
