Salt & Light Blog

Deuteronomy 16:1-17 Three Feasts to Remind us In Christ, We are Signed, Sealed, and Delivered.

3/10/2016

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19

Deuteronomy 16:1-17
In Israel there were several feasts that The Lord had set down to be celebrated. Three of those feasts required every able Jewish man and his household to travel to Jerusalem to the Tabernacle and later the Temple to celebrate together as a nation. They were Passover, The Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths. Moses reminded Israel about Passover first. Verses 1-8 read,
“Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 And you shall offer the Passover sacrifice to the Lord your God, from the flock or the herd, at the place that the Lord will choose, to make his name dwell there. 3 You shall eat no leavened bread with it. Seven days you shall eat it with unleavened bread, the bread of affliction—for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste—that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt. 4 No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any of the flesh that you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain all night until morning. 5 You may not offer the Passover sacrifice within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, 6 but at the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell in it, there you shall offer the Passover sacrifice, in the evening at sunset, at the time you came out of Egypt. 7 And you shall cook it and eat it at the place that the Lord your God will choose. And in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents. 8 For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord your God. You shall do no work on it.”
The Lord did not want Israel to forget that before they had been a nation, they had been slaves whom He had delivered. He didn’t tell them to remember their slavery; He told them to remember their deliverance. The Hebrews left Egypt quickly, and because of that they could not let the bread rise, it was eaten without leaven. At that time and through today, the Lord commanded that all the leaven was cleaned from every house and that for seven days, no leaven was eaten. Leaven is often used as a metaphor for sin in scripture and in the Passover that is what it represents. Every bit of leaven had to be cleaned out, none could be left.
When we are forgiven of our sins, it is every sin, none is left. (Mark 3:28-29). If we hold onto any of it, it will like leaven or yeast contaminate all the dough, spread and grow. Leaven represents the old way of life, slavery to sin by obedience to the law. The unleavened bread is Jesus, sinless and the Way to deliverance. After the feeding of the four thousand the disciples and Jesus crossed over on the boat but had not brought any bread with them, since they had eaten the one loaf they had on the boat (Mark 8:14-21). Here they had the choice to remember the great miracle and have faith that the one loaf of bread they had would be plenty through Jesus or they could worry. Matthew 16:5-12 reads,
“When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Remembering our deliverance allows our faith to increase and helps us walk in Christ rather than the law. In the Festival of Weeks we remember receiving The Word of God, The Holy Spirit who indwells us and writes the Law on our hearts. The Festival of Weeks happened seven weeks, 50 days after Passover it celebrated the giving of the Law, and the culmination of the Hebrews exodus from Egypt to becoming the nation of Israel. Verses 9-12 read,
“You shall count seven weeks. Begin to count the seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain. 10 Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you. 11 And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your towns, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there. 12 You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt; and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.”
This feast was celebrated when Israel came together and brought their tithes. The New Testament refers to it as Pentecost. It like the feasts was a joyful celebration. We celebrate it today by remembering that God kept His covenant with us and changed us. He wrote His law on our hearts and made us new. He gave us His Holy Spirit. We are no longer our old selves, who were slaves to the Law because the Word of God changed us and He continues to change us.
The Feast of Booths is the third feast that required Israel to gather in Jerusalem. This one though invited gentiles to celebrate with them. It celebrated the remembrance of the time in the wilderness and how God provided for them before they took possession of the Promised Land. It looks forward to the day when we will no longer live on this temporary earth but in the Eternal City of New Jerusalem. God authorized or signed Israel to take the Promised Land and provided for them all the way. He signed us to New Jerusalem and provides all along the way. Verses 13-15 read,
“You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress.14 You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns. 15 For seven days you shall keep the feast to the Lord your God at the place that the Lord will choose, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.”
All three of these feasts required a gathering together of the people in Jerusalem at the Tabernacle. While we no longer have to travel to Jerusalem for appointed feasts, because we are the Tabernacle, The Lord God indwells us, He still wants us to celebrate and remember our deliverance through the sacrifice of Jesus, our seal through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and our provision as we live in this temporary world and look forward to our permanent Home. I wholly recommend studying each of these feasts in more depth so that you can see God as Father, Spirit and Son in each. Verses 16-17 read,
“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you.”
Jesus celebrated these feasts too. What Christians often refer to as The Last Supper was the Passover and it I described in all four gospels. It was clear that the disciples and Jesus would not forgo celebrating it for any reason, including the fact that the Pharisees wanted Jesus dead. (Matthew 26). John 7 describes Jesus at the Feast of Booths. And Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the coming of The Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). And we know Paul considered celebrating Pentecost important (Acts 20:16).
While there is no command to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on a specific day each year, it is inferred that we celebrate it on the first day of every week, not as the Sabbath but by gathering together, celebrating the Lord’s Supper and listening to the teachings of the Apostles. Twice Paul refers to gathering on the first day of the week as an expectation of the church (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2).
We don’t have to travel to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts, and we do not have to make sacrifices to celebrate them. But we should still celebrate these times as Christians, signed, sealed, and delivered. We ought to remember how great God is every moment of every day and assigning special times for specific remembrances is one way to do that.

0 Comments

Psalm 22 You May Feel Alone, But God Will Never Forsake You.

6/12/2015

2 Comments

Psalm 22

Psalm 22 is a Psalm with deep significance. It is read aloud each year at The Passover Seder. Every faithful Jewish person knows it, the way every student from my generation knows The Gettysburg Address, or the Pledge of Allegiance. It is the psalm that Jesus quoted as He hung dying on the cross when He gave His life for us. He only had to say that first sentence and every Jewish person in attendance who had just celebrated the Passover Seder remembered the Psalm and couldn’t help but see the prophetic words manifested.

Verses 1-2 read,

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.”

There are times when we feel as if God has left us, when we feel as if we are suffering with no end, crying out to God with no answer. But we know that isn’t true. Abandonment is a lie from the devil. God will never leave us.

Jesus knew God wouldn’t and couldn’t forsake Him. He is God. He took all our sins upon Himself and at that moment He represented the conflict between God and man. God doesn’t forsake us, we forsook Him until we accepted the gift of Salvation. God is Holy and He is good beyond what we can fathom. Man is separated from God by sin. Verses 3-5 read,

“Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.”

The Old Covenant called for a relationship based on laws. It was getting to know who God is by following the law. Israel could trust God because He gave the Law, He led them through the wilderness, He anointed them with the Law, and He delivered them to The Promised Land. The Jewish nation got to know God and could have faith in Him, because when they cried out He answered.

When we cry out to God, when we call on the name of Jesus, He redeems us. He removes our sin. We are no longer sentenced to death. We are destined for eternal life. Romans 8:1-4 says,

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Jesus, the Son of God came to earth and was like us. He experienced life like us, yet He remained sinless through it. He followed the law perfectly but refused to give in to the ritual rules and tradition that the Pharisees worshipped. Jesus completely empathized with us. The religious hated Him. The powerful despised Him.

David cried out about his enemies and haters taunting him. And when he did, He described what was happening to Jesus as He chose to give us His life for the New Covenant which would allow us to know God on a level more intimate than the Law could. Verses 6-8 read,

“But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

Now read Matthew 27:41-43

“So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

Psalm 22:9-13 read,

“Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
10 On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me;
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.”

From before we were born God chose us. He has been sovereign over us, and He makes us His glory. (Romans 8:28-30). The devil, our enemy seeks to destroy us. (1 Peter 5:8-11). He wants to use suffering to hurt us, yet God uses it for our good.

Jesus suffered and His anguish was good for us. His torment on the cross, His death for us, is the crux of the New Covenant. We can suffer horribly. It will never be worse than what Jesus willingly suffered for us. Our suffering is often the consequences of our own poor choices, but Jesus was innocent. He agonized for us. We may feel alone through our tribulations, but we are not. Jesus understands. The Holy Spirit has sealed us for eternal life. Verses 14-18 read,

“I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs encompass me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet--
17 I can count all my bones--
they stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.”

I have felt like that, my heart melted and completely alone in the midst of people who want me devastated. I was not alone. David felt it. You’ve probably felt like that. And my God, Jesus Christ underwent it. Matthew 27:33-36 describes His torment.

“And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.”

God is our Salvation! Jesus our Messiah was pierced for our transgressions! (Isaiah 53:5). We need Him and He answers. He is with us. He never leaves. He understands. He cares. He saved us from Satan. He was hated, yet He loves us. We have been and are hated if we truly are the image of Christ. (Matthew 10:22). He saved us and we respond by glorifying Him, by praising Him, and by testifying to who He is. The devil despises us. God adores us. Verses 19-24 read,

“But you, O Lord, do not be far off!
    O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dog!
21     Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

22 I will tell of your name to my brothers;
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
    and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or abhorred
    the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
    but has heard, when he cried to him.”

Jesus gives us eternal life. Life, not only on this earth, but forever on the New Earth. Salvation is for all of us, none have to be excluded, Jew or gentile, rich or poor. All we have to do is call on Jesus. Verses 25-31 read,

“From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
    May your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before you.
28 For kingship belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations.

29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    even the one who could not keep himself alive.
30 Posterity shall serve him;
    it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
    that he has done it.”

You are not forsaken. God has not and will not abandon you. You have not been rejected. Give your shame to God and let Him make you new. You can trust in Him. He understands. He cares. He loves. He is with you, now and always.

2 Comments

John 19:31-42 Jesus Lamb of God and King of Kings.

1/6/2015

0 Comments

John Chapter 19 Verses 31-42

Jesus died on a Friday just hours before the Sabbath and the Jews were eager to have the men on the crosses buried before High Sabbath of the Passover began. One of the reasons they had been so keen to have Jesus crucified was because it added to their fervor of proving Him wrong. Being crucified or hung to a tree meant He was cursed by God. Deuteronomy 21:22-23 reads,

“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.”

Since death by crucifixion took a very long time, the Jewish leaders asked Pilate to hurry it along by breaking the legs of the men on the crosses. With their legs broken they would not be able to lift themselves up to breath and would suffocate within minutes. Then they could be taken down and buried and the Jewish people could return to their homes and their holiday still ritually pure, untouched by the death of Jesus.

Verses 32-33 read,

“So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.”

Jesus had been cursed, He had become our curse as the perfect Passover lamb. And like the Passover lamb, He had to be without blemish, flawless, and no broken bones. Jesus died that way so that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike could be saved. The Jewish leaders tried to demean Jesus with the Law by making Him cursed and then further defiling Him by breaking His legs. But instead, they proved and highlighted the truth. He is Christ. Galatians 3:12-14 reads,

“But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

The fact that the men on either side of Jesus had their legs broken highlighted the fact that Jesus did not. Maybe some of those watching thought of the Passover lamb. Numbers 9:12 describe rules regarding the Passover lamb this way,

“They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it.”

Maybe Psalm 34:20 came to mind and they realized it was a prophetic scripture just as Psalm 22 had been.

“He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.”

The Jews had tried to disgrace Jesus and in doing so had honored Him. They had tried to negate Jesus claims but had attested to the truth instead.

To ensure Jesus was actually dead and prove it to the crowd one the Roman soldiers, who undoubtedly didn’t know scripture pierced Jesus side. Verses 34-37 describe it.

“But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

The soldier’s actions fulfilled the scripture in Zechariah 12:10.

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.”

When Jesus was pierced blood and water flowed from His side truly making Him the Passover Lamb whose blood covers with grace. His water purifies our hearts.

The Jewish leaders and the Roman soldiers opposed Jesus but their actions highlighted His identity of the Lamb of God, the perfect and ultimate propitiation for our sins. Jesus’ followers actions emphasized His identity as King. Verses 38-42 read,

“After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.”

Nicodemus who was a Pharisee was no longer concerned with what the Sanhedrin or the other Pharisees thought of Him, He had become a follower of Christ. He had previously gone to Jesus at night, secretly asking questions. Now, he no longer deemed his position with the Pharisees as more important than Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea had been a secret follower up to that point, but in giving Jesus honor at his death, when most of His followers had deserted Him, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were outed as Jesus’ followers. They risked their own reputations. Jesus was more important to them, than their standings in the community. They gave Jesus high honor, tribute worthy of a king.

The amount of spices they brought was no doubt expensive. If the perfume Mary had anointed Jesus with was worth a year’s salary how much was seventy five pounds of myrrh and aloes worth? The extravagance of the spices spoke to Jesus’ royalty.

The garden tomb also was something usually given to royalty or the very wealthy. King David had been buried in a garden tomb, the kings Judah were buried in garden tombs. Jesus, the King of kings was buried in a garden tomb.

The Jews tried to disgrace, disprove, and discredit Jesus as Christ, but instead everything they did confirmed His identity and showed He is Messiah, the perfect Lamb of God. They wanted Him cursed and He became a curse for all, so that we could be saved. They tried to take His life, but gave it instead.

Have you accepted the gift of grace Jesus poured out for you on the cross? He loves you. He wants you to be, cleansed, forgiven, and saved. He wants to be your King. He wants you to be His joint heir. He wants to give you the Kingdom of Heaven. All you have to do is ask.

0 Comments

John 19:16-42 Jesus' Crucifixion

1/5/2015

0 Comments

John Chapter 19 Verses 16-42

After His trial Jesus was delivered to be crucified. He bore His own cross to Golgotha, the place here He would be crucified and there in between two other men, He was lifted up. (Verses 16-18). It was customary to have the condemned man’s crime written on a sign and carried for all to see as an added deterrent to wrong doing. So Pilate had a sign written for Jesus and attached it to the cross Jesus carried. Verses 19-22 read,

“Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

The exchange between Pilate and the Jews showed what a childish pathetic man Pilate was. The weak governor could finally stand up to the council since he had given them what they wanted and they could no longer threaten his job. But in his insistence for his own way, every person who would witness the gruesome crucifixion would see, not what Jesus was accused of, but a declaration of who He is. They would bear witness to the crucifixion of the King of the Jews, the King of kings, their Messiah. Pilate, like Caiaphas while working for Satan, was used by God to bring about His will and His glory.

Even the hardened Roman soldiers, many who seemed a bit sadistic and who took a sick pleasure in the grisly events were used by God. Verses 23-24 say,

“When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

“They divided my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.”

So the soldiers did these things,”

It was Passover, and many of the Jews witnessing the crucifixion had already eaten their Seder. During the meal there are many scriptures which are read. One of those is Psalm 22. The first line of that Psalm is “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The gospels of Matthew and Mark both recorded Jesus cry from the cross. “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Immediately Jesus words would have brought the Psalm to mind. Right away they would recall phrases such as verse 14, “I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;” And verses 16-18,

“For dogs encompass me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and fee]--
17 I can count all my bones--
they stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.”

Even on the cross, Jesus was telling them who He was and giving them a chance to believe in Him.

Jesus was giving away His life on the cross which has been recorded as an incredibly horrible and painful way to die. Yet He still cared about people. He looked at His loved ones among the crowd and saw His mother, His aunt, Mary Magdalene, another Mary, and John. He didn’t think of Himself, He thought of His mother. From the cross through His agony He told John to treat His mother Mary as his own mother and told Mary to look at John as a son. Even in through suffering Jesus glorified the Father and carried out His will that we care for widows and orphans and that we love one another. He formed the community and family of the church as is final act before dying.

Verses 28-29 read,

“After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.”

When the soldiers gave Jesus the sour wine they fulfilled the scripture of Psalm 69:21,

“They gave me poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.”

The soldiers didn’t know the scripture, they were enjoying their torture. They didn’t care who Jesus was to the people or themselves, but in their cruelty they continue to serve God’s will. They used a hyssop branch to give Jesus the wine. The same type of branch used to sprinkle sacrificial blood and cleanse and purify in sacramental rites as well as the branch that was used in the first Passover to put blood on the doors of the homes of the people who would be saved from death.

Now that Jesus earthly ministry was done, He could complete it. Verse 30 reads,

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

Jesus declared His ministry and God’s plan finished. God’s plan of course continues but Jesus giving up His life as the perfect lamb was the core of it. Jesus gave up His life. No one took it. He bowed His head in submission to the Father and gave up His spirit, His life’s breath. He was an example for us to follow. We are too submit to the Father and give our lives to Jesus. He did after all pay a hefty price. Matthew 10:39-39 reads,

“And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says,

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Jesus willingly gave up His life so that you could know God and have salvation. Even through His crucifixion He told people He was Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. God made it clear that He was the Messiah. He called people to Him even at that terrible time. He used people who wanted to be used, like John. And He used people who thought they were working against Him like Pilate and the soldiers. He used them all for His glory and for your good.

Jesus paid for your salvation with His life. God loves you so much that He gave up His Son just for you. Pay attention to the call and give your life to the One who created you and paid for you.

0 Comments

John 18:19-John 19:16 The Truth on Trial

1/4/2015

0 Comments

John Chapter 18 Verse 19 through John Chapter 19 Verse 16

Jesus was being questioned after his arrest. First by Annas, Caiaphas the high priest’s father-in-law as a representative of the Sanhedrin. Caiaphas had already decided that Jesus needed to die, he just had to find a way to bring it about. Annas asked questions and tried to get Jesus to incriminate Himself as a false prophet so they could give Him the death sentence they wanted so badly. Jesus answered Annas by saying, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” (Verses 20-21). What He got for His answer was a hit and a reprimand from an officer. But Jesus, didn’t take the bait or get defensive. He said, “I answered truthfully. Why would you hit me for that?” The Sanhedrin had no truth behind their accusations. They couldn’t prove their accusations. But they didn’t care. They were desperate to have Jesus killed. Their eagerness deafened them to the truth. They took Jesus to Caiaphas the high priest and then to Pilate, the governor.

Pilate was not Jewish, and it was Passover so the Sanhedrin wouldn’t defile themselves by entering his house. They followed their ritual laws to the letter while trying to find a way to kill the Son of God by using Roman laws. Pilate wasn’t thrilled about the situation. It was early morning and he had to go between Jesus who had been brought into his home for a trial to the Sanhedrin and a mob of angry Jews outside.

Inside, Pilate asked Jesus “Are you the king of the Jews?” Caiaphas had accused Jesus of claiming to be the Son of God, but to Pilate they used the term “King of the Jews” so that Pilate would have a reason to be try Jesus as a usurper of Roman rule. Jesus responded as He often did with a question to ask the person to examine themselves and find the truth. Verse 34 says, “Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? To Pilate the words sounded like an accusation that he was just doing the Sanhedrin’s dirty work. Pilate didn’t appreciate it, even though he knew it was true. He did not want to execute Jesus. He could see no reason for it. Pilate wanted Jesus to tell him what his crime was. Verse 36 says,

“Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

Jesus had just told Pilate an amazing truth. He told the governor that His kingdom was heavenly and that if He asked, His angel armies would stop all this right away. Pilate couldn’t understand what Jesus said. An otherworldly kingdom with servants who would have fought for him sounded looney. So this guy was guilty of claiming to be a king but still was that worthy of death? Verses 37-38 continue the exchange.

“Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

Pilate, of course was not aware that he spoke a truth, that Jesus is king. He merely asked this calm quiet man to clarify what He had said. Jesus’ answer gave Pilate a chance to accept the truth and receive salvation. But Pilate was not about the truth, he was about himself so he couldn’t hear it.

Pilate went outside to the Sanhedrin and the mob and told them He couldn’t find any guilt in Jesus. He offered them a chance to release Him by pardoning Jesus per a Passover custom. It was either going to be Jesus, accused of claiming to be a King or Barnabas, a robber. The people chose Barnabas. They were desperate to eliminate Jesus. They couldn’t see reason and they couldn’t hear truth.

Pilate might not have thought Jesus was guilty of anything that deserved death, but that didn’t stop him from punishing him. He had Jesus flogged and allowed the soldiers to ridicule Jesus however they chose. The soldiers made a crown out of thorns and pressed it onto Jesus head, derided him and beat Him.

Then Pilate brought Jesus out to the crowd again, wearing the crown and a purple robe. Maybe he hoped that they would see the blood and the disdainful crown and robe and find that punishment enough. But the bloodthirsty crowd was not satisfied. They yelled, “Crucify him!” Pilate didn’t want to crucify Jesus. He told the Sanhedrin to take Him and crucify Him themselves. Chapter 19 verse 7 reads,

“The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.”

When Pilate heard that, he was afraid. He knew they were serious about having Jesus crucified. He saw that they would not be appeased by stoning Jesus to death themselves. Maybe part of Pilate sensed it was true. He knew Jesus was good. And the claim that Jesus was divine made sense with everything Jesus had said to him. Verses 8-11 read,

“When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

Pilate begged Jesus to give him a reason to release Him. Pilate reminded Jesus of who he was and the authority he had over Him. But Jesus said, ‘Nope, the authority you think you have is from above, from my Father and therefore me. I am the one giving my life, you are not taking it.’ Of course Pilate didn’t understand all that, but he did get the gist of it. Jesus claimed to be from above, from God. The Jews had said Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. He wanted nothing to do with crucifying Jesus.

He tried to get out of it by reasoning with the people but they used what was most important to him the world, his position and his power. They would report him to Caesar if he didn’t crucify Jesus. Pilate knew the Jews had no respect for Roman government, they hated it. They hated Caesar. He knew that it was a lie but he needed his position. And so Pilate chose power over truth. Verse 16 reads,

“So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.”

Jesus gave Annas, Caiaphas, and Pilate a chance to hear the truth and believe, but they chose not to hear it for different reasons. They chose blind rage and selfish ambition over truth.

Have you closed your eyes and ears to something God is telling you? He will still accomplish His purpose but if you accept the truth you can be on the side of victory rather than against Him.

0 Comments

John 15:12-17 Friendship with God

12/24/2014

0 Comments

John Chapter 15 Verses 12-17

It was the night Jesus would be arrested, the day before He would lay down His life for the salvation of the world. He was teaching the disciples on the last evening as their Rabbi. Verses 12-13 read,

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Earlier in the evening, before the Seder, Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, told them that the servant wasn’t greater than the master and so they should also be humble and serve. They should wash one another’s feet as He had washed theirs. He then gave this same commandment, “love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34). He gave them the commandment again after supper but instead of talking about servants and masters, He spoke about friendship. His words had to bring back the memory of Jesus, their rabbi, bending down with only a towel on His waist doing the most humble of acts and calling it love.

But now Jesus followed it up by saying, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus showed His love for the disciples by washing their feet, and act of great humility, then told them to love one another as He loved them. Now He told them again to love one another as He loved them but this time He told them the greatest display of love was in laying down one’s life for his friends. He was getting ready to do just that.

The disciples knew that Jesus life was in danger. He had not been able to teach and speak publicly in Jerusalem because the Sanhedrin had decided they wanted Him dead. Jesus had told them He was going to return to the Father. They knew His death was a real possibility but they also still thought He would somehow overthrow the Roman Empire and free Israel. He certainly was about to begin His royal kingdom and free many people from bondage. But it wasn’t going to be the way they imagined. Jesus was preparing them for His death, but they wouldn’t grasp all His words and comfort until afterward.

So Jesus continued to teach, He told them about the unique friendship He offered. Friendship with God. Verses 14-15 say,

“You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

In the old covenant, Israel served God. He had plans and purposes that He didn’t always tell His servants. The faithful served God and sometimes He called them Friend, as in the cases of Abraham and David. Those servants who not only obeyed God but sought a relationship with Him were His friends.

But in the new covenant, Jesus extends friendship to everyone who will accept it. Being in a relationship with God, being friends with Him, God trusts us with the secrets of His Kingdom, He lets us in in the plan, and we partner with Him in it. We serve people to show them God’s love. We serve one another. We work to bring the lost to a relationship with God.

That is awesome. You are God’s friend! You don’t get to choose your family. You are born to them. You love them and they love you and it is a special relationship. But unless you were adopted, your mother and father didn’t choose you. Servants are chosen but there is distance between the master and servant. The servant has no choice in obeying the master if he wants to maintain that relationship. But friendship is special. It is different. You choose your friends. You choose to begin that relationship and maintain it. Friends become partners in life by election. Here is the thing about your friendship with God. He chose you! He said, “I want to be your friend.” Almighty Awesome Holy God picked you to be His friend.

He loves you. He adores you! He appreciates you, and enjoys you. His love is perfect, it is tangible, and it is awesome. Verses 16-17 read,

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

He chose you and expects you to live up to that high calling. He makes it possible because He is with you. You abide in Christ and Christ abides in you. That is how you can bear fruit. You live out the love of Christ in you and His Spirit allows you to work with God to fulfill the Father’s plans. He said you are His friend and all you have to do is ask the Father as Jesus’ representative to the world and He would give it you!

Does He give you what you ask because you are good, because you deserve it, or because you asked in just the right way? No, He gives it to you because He loves you, you are His friend and partner, and because you are loving people as He loves you.

0 Comments

John 14:18-24 You are not alone. God is with you.

12/21/2014

0 Comments

John Chapter 14 Verses 18-24

Jesus continued to teach the disciples at their Passover Seder in the hours before His arrest and crucifixion. Verses 18-21 read,

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

The words Jesus spoke hold great joy and hope. But the disciples couldn’t understand it all because they didn’t realize He was about to sacrifice His life and they didn’t completely understand the resurrection that would take place after. You and I have the benefit of knowing what was about to happen and we have the Holy Spirit, who reveals the truths to us.

Jesus was going to die, but that wasn’t the end of the story. The disciples wouldn’t be without Him. The lost world would think Jesus was gone and that was that. But even after His death, resurrection and ascension, those who followed and loved Jesus would know He is still with them. Do you now that Jesus is with you? Do you know God is always with you? What a wonderful comfort.

Jesus reminded the disciples again that it is by obeying His commandments that we prove our love. In demonstrating our love for God by demonstrating His love for humanity we get to know Jesus more. The Son is in the Father, and you are in Him and He is in you. Meditate on the awesomeness of that. Truly consider it. You are in God and God is in you, and Jesus makes Himself known to you. Then follow that thought and realize that Jesus is the exact image of the Father (Hebrews 1:3) and if He is making Himself known to you, He is making the Father known to you.

The disciples didn’t understand but wanted to. They had been with Jesus as His closest friends, students, and followers for a couple of years but without the Holy Spirit they couldn’t grasp the depth of the mystery that Jesus revealed. Verses 22-24 read,

“Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.”

Notice, that Jesus repeated what He has said several times, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word.” But look what else He says, “and my Father will love him.” He doesn’t mean the Father doesn’t love people who do not love Jesus. He means that the Father has a relationship with those who love Jesus. His love becomes an active relational love in which He interacts and communes with us. Do you get what a big deal it is that you can have a friendship with God? It is awesome in the truest sense of the word. It’s better than being friends with Billy Graham or the President. You can be intimate friends the Creator, the Lord God of Hosts.

And God makes His Home with you. The Father’s house has many rooms. Jesus went to the Father to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2-3). And that place, that home is with you! Believer, God is with you. You are not alone. You are never alone. Jesus didn’t walk the earth, then sacrifice Himself, resurrect and ascend to leave you alone. He did all that so that you could always be with Him. There is no long bridge from here to Heaven. There is no need for a staircase. Jesus brought eternity to you. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6). God (Father, Son and Spirit) are with you here and now. There is no need to be anxious, worried, or afraid. God is with you and within you. Jesus did a marvelous thing for you. He gave His life so that you could live in a relationship with God.

0 Comments

John 13:21-37 Judas Betrayed Jesus, Peter Denied Him. It was the Response that Defined Them.

12/17/2014

1 Comment

John Chapter 13 Verses 21-37

Jesus and the disciples were eating the Passover Seder, it would be Jesus’ last supper before His arrest. Jesus knew that one of his best friends was about to betray Him, and that soon ten more of His friends would abandon Him. He knew that his trial would be a joke and He would be sentenced to death. And He knew that His death would be terrible. But He also knew that the culmination of His life was His death. He wanted to give up His life for those friends who stayed, the friends, who abandoned and those of us who hadn’t been born yet. His hour was mere hours away. Jesus had just taught the disciples that they had to follow His example and serve people in humility. Verse 21 reads,

“After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

The disciples couldn’t imagine that. They all looked at each other wondering who among them it could be. So Peter motioned to John to ask. And John asked. Jesus told them that it would be the one who He gave the bread to after it was dipped. He then gave the bread to Judas.

Today, we take bread and wine and remember Christ’s body and blood which He willingly gave for us. At my church we dip the matzo in the wine. Jesus handed the bread dipped in the wine to Judas. He handed him His Body. He gave Him the choice to follow through on His plan or not.

At that moment Satan entered into Judas because Judas made the choice to give Jesus up to the authorities. (Verse 27). But Judas already had the plan. (Verse 2). He had been playing with the devil and it was in that mulling over the plan and playing with it, that Judas gave Satan the invitation to enter. Jesus told Judas to hurry up and get it over with. Judas didn’t have to betray Jesus. He could have stayed with Him. All it would have taken for Jesus to be arrested would be for Him to go teach in public. The bloodthirsty Jewish leaders would have snatched Him up. Judas had a choice, before, during and after his treason.

When Judas left, the other disciples didn’t know what had taken place. They still had no idea the deceitful heart of their friend. They assumed he was going to buy food or make a donation or some other treasurer’s errand.

When Judas left, Jesus kept teaching. His words would have immense impact on the disciples in light of the events that were to soon follow. Verses 31-32 read,

“When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.”

In other words, Jesus was saying it was His time. People would see Him clearly for who He is and because of that God would be seen too. In Jesus’ crucifixion God would be glorified and Jesus would be recognized. Then He continued in Verses 33-35,

“Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus was about to die for love of the disciples, the world, and you and me. He told them, “You can’t come with me right now, but I want you to love people, to show people who I am by loving people like they have never been loved before me. Love them the way I love you.”

Peter asked Jesus where He was going. And Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Jesus was about to give up His life and though Peter couldn’t follow Him to his own death immediately, Jesus told him, one day He would. Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

Peter’s exuberance for Jesus could sometimes get him a little puffed up, and Jesus deflated his pride. Verse 38 reads,

“Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.”

Jesus predicted two of Peter’s acts in that conversation. First He spoke of an act of utter devotion, when Peter would be crucified and die for his faith in Jesus. Then moments later He foretold Peter would even deny knowing Jesus.

All but John would abandon Jesus that night. John and the closest women who followed Jesus would stay with Him through everything. But every one of the others would hide and disavow Him. Ten of them would also come back, follow Jesus even to the point of death, and spread the truth and love of Jesus to the world.

We are human. We sin. We have times when we choose poorly and choose well. Failure doesn’t have to be the end of your story, it can be the beginning.

Judas chose to betray Jesus and he chose not to come back and ask for forgiveness. He let Satan in and he wallowed in selfish pity and committed suicide rather than turn to God. Peter denied Jesus, not once but three times that night. He had chance after chance not to give in to his fear but he chose to deny Jesus. But Peter turned to God and repented. Peter went onto be the leader of the apostles. He spread the gospel. He lived for Christ and just as Christ prophesied, he gave up his life rather than deny Christ.

Only John didn’t betray Jesus that night. But all except Judas came back, repented and lived glorious effective lives for Jesus. You’ve messed up. You’ve done really bad things. Jesus forgives. Those acts don’t have to be what defines you. Let Jesus be who defines you.

1 Comment

John 13:1-20 Jesus, The King of Kings, Removed His Outer Garments and Washed the Disciples Feet.

12/16/2014

1 Comment

John Chapter 13 Verses 1-20

The disciples were gathered for the Passover Seder. Passover is a very special and significant feast. It is a celebration of life as the blood of a sacrificed lamb covered the people of Israel so that they would not suffer the curse of death that overcame Egypt and allowed them to escape slavery to the Promised Land.

Verse 1 reads,

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”

Jesus was hours away from His arrest and death. One of his closest friends was about to betray Him. And Jesus was the only person in the room who knew that the betrayal would lead to a horrific death. But Jesus’ life wasn’t taken from Him. He freely laid it down. He came into the world for that very reason and He chose to give His life. He kept that purpose in mind and was able to face His looming death with joy and love. But instead of wallowing in what was about to take place, He loved people actively. The passage we read today is about an act of love in the midst of angst. Verses 2-5 say,

“During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

What Jesus did was groundbreaking. During these early centuries people walked the dirty, muddy, or dusty roads in sandals and their feet got filthy. When they would enter a home, if the home had slaves the lowest slaves would wash the dirt and muck from their feet. If there was no slave in the home, the guest would wash his own feet. Never did a person with a higher social standing wash the feet of someone lower than himself. The task was one the most menial of jobs.

The disciples must have been shocked that their Lord and teacher was doing this job that only the bottommost servants ever did. But Peter was the one to voice his amazement. Verses 6-7 describes the exchange.

“He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

Peter loved Jesus intensely and He respected Him deeply. He couldn’t fathom his Lord doing this task removing the most disgusting of dirt from His feet. His feet had walked the dirty streets. His feet were caked with mud made up of dirt, animal waste, and who knows what. His feet were the dirtiest part of him and Jesus was kneeled at them with a towel around his waist like the meekest and lowliest servant to wash him. Verses 8-9 read,

“Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”

I just love Peter’s fervor. If washing his feet meant sharing with Jesus, then he wanted in completely. But Jesus told his friend that he was already clean and only needed his feet washed. After Jesus had washed all their feet, He got redressed and took His place at the table. Verses 12-16 read,

“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

Jesus never asked someone to do something He wasn’t willing to do Himself. He set an example of fundamental service for one another. We are to love one another as Jesus loved us. He loved us in humility and service. His love was active and apparent. It wasn’t a gushy feeling, it was manifest. Jesus continued in verse 17.

“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

You know you are to follow Jesus example. You know you are supposed to love others just the way Jesus loves you. He promises you are blessed if you do that. Not everyone who looks like a follower of Jesus is. Even among the disciples, one of them was not truly a believer. Judas was about to go betray Jesus. Judas who had been a part of every miracle and experience, Judas who had just had his feet washed in a beautiful act of love was about to commit an act of treachery. Jesus told the disciples it was about to happen as well and they probably didn’t understand that one of them could ever do something so traitorous. But Jesus told them so they would know that He was Christ and so they would understand that He willingly gave up His life. It wasn’t Judas who killed Him. It wasn’t the Romans, Pilate, Herod, the Pharisees, the Sanhedrin, or anyone else that took His life. He gave it. He chose to do that act of love just as He chose to love the disciples by washing their feet.

Verse 20 reads,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Jesus had spoken about His unity with the Father many times. In this verse He adds us to the unity. When we love and serve people, we give them the chance to receive the love of Jesus. When they accept us and our acts of love, they are feeling the love of Jesus and so they are experiencing the love of God. You are Jesus representative. You are God’s will put into action. Jesus said in verse 15, “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” So be a follower of Jesus and do what He has done.

1 Comment

John 12:9-19 Lazarus' Testimony was Powerful, so is Yours.

12/13/2014

0 Comments

John Chapter 12 Verses 9-19

Jesus’ impact was becoming greater and greater. People were believing in Him. The Sanhedrin, the chief priests, and the Pharisees were not only uneasy with the situation they were upset. It wasn’t just Jesus speaking anymore. His followers were spreading the word about Him. Lazarus was telling everyone what had happened and all the people who believed because they had seen Jesus call Lazarus out of his tomb were telling people.

Verses 9-11 read,

“When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.”

Your testimony matters. Your testimony is the proof of Jesus in your life. When you tell people the things Jesus has done for you it impacts them. They have a choice to believe or not to believe. They deserve to be given the option.

Lazarus and those who believed because of his resurrection had such an impact that they created an impromptu celebration for Jesus. Maybe they were the first flash mob. Verses 12-15 describe it.

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey's colt!”

They were excited and wanted to show their veneration of Jesus. They didn’t have it all right, but God forgives our imperfections and eventually they would learn and mature. These enthusiastic worshippers still thought that the Messiah would set up an earthly kingdom. They thought He would free them from Roman oppression and re-establish Israel as a nation. That is why they used the palm branches which symbolize military victory and triumph, peace and eternal life. They were sending a message to Rome while they paid tribute to Christ. But their act sends a message to us as well. Jesus gives us victory over sin and death. He reconciles us to the Father and gives true peace. He gives us eternal life. The spontaneous celebration of Jesus was another step of preparation for Jesus death. He was proclaimed king by the people.

While the people were proclaiming Jesus their earthly king, Jesus pointed them back to scripture and directed them to God by sitting on a donkey instead of a more stately horse. He accepted their laud (as He had every right to do) but gave the glory to God.

John and the other disciples didn’t grasp it all that day, but after Jesus was glorified the Holy Spirit reminded them and revealed the truth of it to them. They wrote it down so that you and I could gain the benefit of their testimony.

The people that had believed Jesus had become a crowd, and the crowd kept telling everyone what they had witnessed and experienced. More people were believing that Jesus was the Christ. And the Pharisees were freaking out. Verse 19 reads,

“So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

The Pharisees saw that everything they were trying to do was futile. People were going after Jesus regardless of the risk of excommunication. They were ready to finally arrest Jesus and carry out their threat to kill Him. Jews from everywhere gathered in Jerusalem at Passover and they were going after Jesus. But the Pharisees had spoken prophetically without knowing it.

Jesus came for the whole world. He gave His life for everyone. Your testimony could be the thing that brings someone to an understanding of their need of Jesus, the goodness of the Father, and the power of the Spirit. Your witness could plant the seed or bring in the harvest. Jesus gave His life for you. He gave His life for the guy across the street and for every soul on this earth. If you believe, Jesus has done a great miracle in your life. He brought you to life from death. Shouldn’t you be telling everyone about that awesome miracle?

Lazarus testimony was powerful. Yours is no less formidable. Jesus saved you. That is something worth telling. How can anyone believe if they never hear? How can they hear if you don’t tell?

0 Comments

<<Previous

Deuteronomy 16:1-17 Three Feasts to Remind us In Christ, We are Signed, Sealed, and Delivered.

Psalm 22 You May Feel Alone, But God Will Never Forsake You.

John 19:31-42 Jesus Lamb of God and King of Kings.

John 19:16-42 Jesus' Crucifixion

John 18:19-John 19:16 The Truth on Trial

John 15:12-17 Friendship with God

John 14:18-24 You are not alone. God is with you.

John 13:21-37 Judas Betrayed Jesus, Peter Denied Him. It was the Response that Defined Them.

John 13:1-20 Jesus, The King of Kings, Removed His Outer Garments and Washed the Disciples Feet.

John 12:9-19 Lazarus' Testimony was Powerful, so is Yours.

Donna Campbell

Subscribe to Salt & Light Daily

Archives

Categories