Do and Say

Mark 14 After supper when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He took them to the Garden. How is that they did not notice that Judas was not with them? And, when they saw the contingent of soldiers with Judas, how did they not connect the words of Jesus that one would betray Him? How did Peter not connect the warning to stay alert while Jesus prayed?  How often do I too miss the signs that God gives me? 

The religious leaders willingly chose to seek the death of the Righteous One thinking that if they did it on any other day than the Passover,their hands would be clean? How did they willingly forget the commandment to not murder? Again, how often do I forget the words of the Master and also choose to say and not do?

One thing God hates more than anything else is hypocrisy. I say I am a believer but do my words and actions prove that or do they say and do the contrast? How about you?

Thou Shalt Not Kill

Mark 15, Matt 27 It seems that the religious leaders conveniently forgot this commandment God gave through Moses. They were, as Mark noted, envious of Jesus. They tried in vain to remove Him from leading the people. Interestingly, earlier, the people had tried to make Jesus a king, but He removed himself so that could not happen. Now, the religious leaders sought to use that as their reasoning for his crucifixion, but Pilate did not buy it. Pilate is not as innocent as it would seem on the surface. God providentially placed him before the Truth, but Pilate ignored his heart and yielded to the crowd.

God is long-suffering and not willing any to perish, [2 Peter 3:9] but each is responsible for their decision regarding truth and life. Like the Jewish religious leaders, the LIGHT stood before him, and he rejected Him. They mocked him, forgetting this principle: “Do not be deceived. God is not mocked.” [Gal 6:7] What we sow, we shall also reap. Pilate and the religious leaders sowed to the flesh, and they reaped corruption to their flesh.

When you stand before Christ, what say you regarding who He is and why He came? Is He your KING?

Lost and Found

Luke 15 How do you handle losing something precious? In these three parables, Jesus taught something precious and valuable has gone missing. If that were you, how would you react? The shepherd left the 99 sheep and went looking for that one errant sheep that had gone astray. Sheep were not only precious but, money-wise, expensive!

The woman lost a coin and set about to clean, clean, and clean. She found the coin and told everyone: rejoice with me, for I have found that which was lost.

Again, our question: what do you do when that which was lost is found? The shepherd and the woman rejoiced and shared that news with others.

But, the third parable is about something even more precious that was lost. It was the son of the family. Yet, the father, unlike the shepherd and the woman, did not go searching. He is like God, patiently waiting until the son comes to his senses and realizes his lost condition. The father has been looking for his return and includes others in his rejoicing. All rejoiced with the father…except the older brother. He not only does not rejoice but has a pity party.

Jesus told these parables so that the religious leaders might see their spiritual condition, but they act like the older brother, sadly. How about us? How do we respond when a sinner repents and comes to the family? Are we looking for the lost sheep, the lost coin, or, more importantly, the lost sinner?

The Fly on the Wall

John 7 The brothers of Jesus did not believe in him as Messiah, so they sought to put a guilt trip on him about revealing himself to the crowds. Jesus wisely said it is not my time, so he remained home. What caused him to change his mind is anybody’s guess. But, he set out and walked to Jerusalem secretly. We often say I wish I were a fly on the wall so I could hear or see what others are saying about me. I think that was Jesus in a nutshell. He listened, and then he discerned when it was time. It was time to teach the truth that the religious leaders had not done.

He began to teach in the temple, and then the whispers started. How does He know so much?
He hasn’t been formally taught, meaning he has yet to have religious training by us Pharisees. Amid this, Jesus pointed out to the crowd that none of them was keeping the Law. That struck a nerve to the religious leaders. How dare he say such things, for we keep the Law to the letter, yet Jesus wanted them to recognize it is not the letter but a lack of obedience and love.

If Jesus came today, what would He say to us? What would you see or hear if you were that fly on the wall?

What is True Compassion?

MaTTHew 15 compassion2

The Apostle Matthew, the tax collector, knows true versus false compassion.If there was on Apostle that truly understood rejection by the religious establishment, it is Matthew. That is why it is important that we see this chapter through his eyes and why he intertwines the religious leader’s false faith and the Canaanite woman’s true faith so we might have a heart for those who are seeking mercy and healing.

Do we recognize true faith as Jesus did or are we like the religious leaders who were guided solely by their traditional faith path which says: “Truth is what you’ve always been taught.” (Mark Mittelberg). This is where we all need to learn compassion and Jesus used this lesson to bring that home to their and our consciences.

The disciples were only concerned that Jesus had offended the religious leaders but Jesus wanted them to learn a higher lesson: prejudices and hypocrisy rule those who are blind. To further teach this lesson Jesus takes the disciples to the area of the Gentiles,to the Canaanite area that the Jews so despised. The disciples were concerned that Jesus had offended them but Jesus will teach them that those who are truly seeking will come and not be offended when the truth is revealed. This Gentile Canaanite woman clearly understood one truth that we all need to know:

Jesus is not only the Son of David but He is Lord and He is merciful.

He wanted the disciples to see themselves for who they really were: hypocrites no better than the religious leaders because they allowed prejudice to rule their compassion meter.

How often are we dependent upon our traditions or are ruled by our prejudices? True compassion sees the crack in the heart which needs healing. He who “knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.”[James 4]

Are You Prepared?

frank turek stealing from GodFrank Turek, author of “Stealing from God” wrote:  “the amazing evidence of God’s sovereignty is revealed in how even those who don’t believe in Him call upon Him to remind them of the source that paved the way to their disavowal of belief in His existence.”

Skeptics then and skeptics now are those John wrote about: “You study the scriptures that testify about me,” [Jn 5] yet you deny the evidence. The religious leaders did believe in Jehovah but modern day skeptics are living proof of Romans 1 claiming to be wise but are fools. Then and now they struggle with the evidence before them and so just as Turek says; they steal from God’s domain to seek their own understanding of truth while denying it when it is revealed.

The religious leaders came asking “by what authority do you do these things.” “Do we pay taxes or not?” ”Prove there is a resurrection from the dead.” Instead of a blanket yes/no statement Jesus fired back his own questions. Today we can apply that same principle when asked these types of questions by asking: “What do you mean by that.”  The burden of proof falls upon them. The religious leaders faced a dilemma: believe or deny; and just as the skeptics today they answered, “we don’t know.”

Beloved, you can be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” with those you meet today. Be prepared; hide God’s word in your heart so you can “discern both good and evil.” [Heb 5]

 

Some other books to consider: 

“Tactics” by Greg Koukl; also his website: http://www.str.org/ and articles here on Bible.org

Letters to a Young Progressive” by Mike Adams

 

The True Proverbs 31 Women!

ImageChrist came to “seek and save the lost” and we have seen how that has been accomplished right up to the very moment of his death when he gave the cup of salvation to the criminal beside him. And now behold the women who come first to the tomb where supposedly his body lay interred but what a glorious gift of resurrection awaits: Pro 8:17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

All through Luke we have seen the power of Christ’s love bestowed upon the many and women in particular. It is these who have been shunned; interrogated; castigated by the religious leaders and society that Christ bestows equal status in the kingdom. We saw the woman caught in adultery, the faith of the Canaanite woman, the service offered by the women of the court, those who stood by the cross weeping and now at the tomb seeking to serve once again the Master.

It is with great honor that step by step we walk in the hush of the early morning hours before the dawn of day with these women. They have risen early, prepared their person and the aromatic spices even though their hearts are heavy. They are the true Proverbs 31 women: “She also gets up while it is still night; She begins her work vigorously; She extends her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy; and does not eat the bread of idleness.”  With great anticipation that someone would be ready to assist and help in their time of need, they step forth into the hush of the city streets with resolve to anoint the body of their Lord.  Imagine their shock to see not a sealed tomb but one open! With great bravery they enter and because of their fearless boldness are greeted by two angelic visitors: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” It is only then that their grief is startled and their memories recall the words of Jesus.

Beloved, are we are as bold, resourceful, faithful as these women whom God has honored? Or are we like the disciples on the road to Emmaus who hear from the risen Christ: “You foolish people – how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” May we resolve to pray that our spiritual understanding is awakened in the hush of the early morning hours when we may meet heaven speaking to our hearts. It is these that receive the glorious news.  Oh, Beloved how precious is our Lord to fulfill to us his followers, His love and forgiveness.

 

Who is Jesus—to you?

ImageToday in Luke 5 we will come across the question that is still being asked today. The religious leaders asked: “Who is this man who is uttering blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” The religious leaders were really asking who does he think he is; God? Yes that is precisely who he not only thought he was but went on to prove. He proved that he was and is not only the Son of Man but He was and is God in the flesh. He not only had the power to forgive sins but also to heal. He did the harder, forgiving sin, before he did the easier which was to heal so that those who asked and saw might be without excuse. The miracles of healing and forgiving require supernatural power and Jesus proved he had both.

But, back to the question: Who is Jesus? Is he God? Can he forgive sins or is he just uttering blasphemies as they charged? Over and over through the book of Luke we find the same question being asked by the religious leaders, the political leaders, the disciples and even Jesus himself.  

The religious leaders asked: Luke 5:21 Who can forgive sins but God alone? Luke 7:49 “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

The disciples asked: Luke 8:25 “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!”

Even the political leader Herod asked: Luke 9:9 Herod said, “I had John beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?”

Even Jesus asked: Luke 9:18 Once when Jesus was praying by himself, and his disciples were nearby, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

And lastly Jesus asked the disciples: Luke 9:20 “But who do you say that I am?”

This is the critical question. Who do you say Jesus is? Is he just a baby in the manger or the one who is born king of the Jews? Have you seen his star when it rose and have come to worship him?  Is He just a good man, a good teacher, a prophet or is He the one who “came to call sinners to repentance?” Is He Your Christ who died for your sin on the cross? Your answer will determine not only your now day to day life but your eternal destiny. Jesus had the answer: “I am THE way, THE truth, THE life, no man cometh to the Father but by me.”

Do you know Him? Have you met Him? And if you have met him have you picked up your stretcher, walked home glorifying God?Image

The Parade of Jesus

ImageParades are gaudy and ostentatious but we all seem to love them…even Fido! But aside from dressing up to the fullest some of us just are happy to be merely spectators.

As a spectator, where do you like to stand in a parade?  Do you just enjoy sitting on the curb waiting for the many bands and floats to go by or do you join in and follow the parade? After the parade has finished where are you? Do you just pick up your chairs and go home and this day is forgotten?

Did you know that even Jesus had his own parade?  It is found in Matt 21 and came about so that Zech 9:9 could be fulfilled ” your king is coming on a donkey.”  Just as in our parades to day then there were several spectators who reveal to us of people’s responses to the “Son of David.”

First are the disciples who did Jesus’ bidding and prepared his “float” on which he would ride. They prepared the coverings and joined in the celebration, perhaps even leading the donkey and her colt. Perhaps they moved aside the crowds so Jesus could ride unimpeded.

The crowds: instead of being bystanders, they went ahead and kept shouting “Hosanna “Lord save us” to the Son of David.

The city: thrown into an uproar! They began to question each other…”who is this?” Others in the crowd said “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. We remember what Nathanael had said about this: Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  and later the religious leaders taunted Nicodemus “you will see that no prophet comes from Galilee!”

The blind and lame: came to him in the Temple and were healed. As he was busy there the children began to cry out in the Temple: “Hosanna to the Son of David.”

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The religious leaders: became indignant when they heard the children crying out and questioned Jesus who said “have you never read?” They feared the crowds because they believed John to be a prophet. Jesus asked them if the people believed why had not they? Again after telling two parables to the religious leaders he again said “have you never read the scriptures…” Instead of being repentant, they wanted to arrest him but were afraid of the crowds who now were saying this Jesus was also a prophet.

All of this reminds us the parable of the soils. The four soils are four hearts and so today we have four hearts in our passage. The footpath: some heard and asked “who is this?”  but when the answer came back Satan snatched it away. The rocky soil: the blind and lame came but like many who came and experienced Jesus’ compassion, they did not endure after their healing (to our knowledge). The thorny soil: the religious leaders who heard, saw the evidence but the status of their position and the wealth that they had accumulated, like the rich young ruler, choked out the word. It produces nothing and so Jesus said that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to another. Lastly the cultivated soil : the children with humility proclaimed the Messiah as truly the Son of David. Later, the disciples who have yet to produce will come to realize the whole truth after the resurrection.

ImageSo where are you in the parade of life? Are you merely a spectator or are you a participant? Which soil reflects your heart today? 

 

 

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