The Crux of the Matter.

John 18:2-14, 19-23

"If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I'm speaking the truth, why are you beating me?” – John 18:23 NLT

Jesus has been arrested. His hands have been tied and He has been dragged before Annas, the father-in-law of the high priest, Caiaphas. Annas had been high priest and was still afforded the respect of that title, even though his son-in-law had replaced him as the official high priest. Upon Jesus arrival, Annas began to question Him, asking about His followers and what He had been teaching them. As usual, this is an attempt on the part of the religious leadership to try to get Jesus to say something for which they could accuse of Him of blasphemy, or better yet, insurrection against the Roman authorities. But Jesus doesn't give them the pleasure of an answer. He simply responds, "Everyone knows that I teach. I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple, where the people gather. I have not spoken in secret. Why are you asking me this question? As those who heard me. They know what I said" (John 18:20-21 NLT). In other words, Jesus makes it clear that nothing He has done has been secretive or clandestine in nature. He has been up-front and honest about everything He has taught. But His response was viewed as disrespectful to one of the Temple guards, who slaps Jesus in the face for His seeming disrespect for the high priest.

Jesus' response, while short and to the point, speaks volumes. He replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I’m speaking the truth, why are you beating me?” (John 18:23 NLT). This statement is the central issue here. The burden of Jesus' guilt was solely on the religious leaders. They were going to have to prove that what Jesus had been teaching and doing was wrong. It was up to them to testify regarding the invalidity or inaccuracy of Jesus' ministry. But the reality was, there was no justification for the way He was being treated. His arrest was uncalled for. He had done nothing wrong. The only thing for which Jesus was "guilty" was for being exactly who He claimed to be: The Messiah. Jesus was speaking the truth, and had been from the very beginning. But the religious leaders considered Him to be a liar and a blasphemer. They viewed Him as a troublemaker and a threat to their way of life.

It's interesting that when they arrested Jesus in the garden, He asked them who it was they were looking for. Their response was, "Jesus the Nazarene." Their view of Jesus was that He was a virtual nobody who hailed from nowhere significant. He was a Nazarene after all, and nobody had much respect for the place or its inhabitants. All the way back at the start of His ministry, when Jesus had met Phillip for the first time, Phillip had told Nathanael, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth" (John 1:45 NLT). Nathanael's response was typical of the view most Jews had of Jesus' home town: "Nazareth! Can anything good come from Nazareth?" (John 1:46 NLT).

But Jesus was far more than a Nazarene. He was the Son of God and the Savior of the world. He was the long-awaited Messiah. He was the way, the truth, and the life. He was the key to the restoration of mankind's relationship with God the Father. He was sent from God and spoke the truth of God. His miracles had validated His message. His words had been proven true over and over again. But Caiaphas and his cohorts refused to believe in Him. To them He was nothing more than a nuisance from Nazareth, and they were about to do whatever it took to see that He was neutralized. The fact that they would be unable to disprove His words or invalidate His claims was inconsequential to them. He was a threat and He had to be eliminated. But they would never find a single thing to accuse Jesus of, except for being exactly who He had always claimed to be. His only guilt would be for being the Son of God and the Messiah. Jesus would die for speaking the truth and for being the Son of God. His divinity would be His undoing. His very role as Savior would result in His own death. But that is the way God had planned it from the start. It was the way it had to be. Their rejection of Jesus would pave the way for our redemption. But God is not done with Israel. Their rejection of Him, while significant, will not be permanent. Paul makes this clear when he writes, "Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share then they finally accept it" (Romans 11:11-12 NLT). In spite of their rejection of Jesus, God will restore them one day. He will show them mercy just as He has done for us. What an incredibly gracious God we serve.

Father, it is so easy to paint the Jews as hardheaded and stubborn. But as Paul reminds us, "Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves…" (Romans 11:28 NLT). Thank You for Your incredible mercy and grace that You shower on Jew and Gentile alike. You are not a respecter of persons. You sent Your Son to die for all men. Your Son's gift of His life is available to any and all. And Your promises are unbreakable, even to the Jews.  Amen.

No Other Way.

Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53

"But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” – Matthew 26:56 NLT

It had to happen this way. The moment had finally arrived for Jesus to be arrested and turned over the authorities. This would set in motion a chain of events that would usher in His death. To the disciples it was a nightmare come true. It was their worst fears realized. Their Messiah was being arrested and, to make matters worse, it was at the hands of the religious leaders. The men who had come to arrest Jesus were not Roman soldiers, but members of the Temple Guard who answered to Caiaphas, the high priest. They were shocked at what they witnessed happening. They offered to put up a fight. One of them even took a sword and attacked a slave of the high priest, slashing off his ear. We know from John's account, that this was Peter, always the impulsive one. It's interesting that he attacked the one person there who was probably unarmed. Peter didn't go after one of the members of the Temple Guard. But his action reveals how he felt about what was going on. This was not what he or the other disciples were expecting. It was not how they had dreamed this grand adventure with Jesus was going to turn out.

But Jesus viewed the night's events from a different perspective. He told Peter to put away his sword and assured him that He didn't need His help. "Don't you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?" (Matthew 26:53 NLT). To Peter's shock and dismay, Jesus was revealing that this was NOT a case of helplessness or powerlessness. Jesus was not being caught off guard or left with no other options. No, this entire evening was exactly as it was meant to be. Jesus could have called down the angelic forces to defend Him, but that was NOT part of God's plan. Remember, just a few minutes before in the garden, Jesus had prayed three different times, "Yet I want your will to be done, not mine" (Matthew 26:39 NLT). Every single aspect of this night's events were part of a well-orchestrated plan by God. They had been prophesied by God centuries earlier. The prophet Isaiah wrote, "He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before his shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away" (Isaiah 53:7-8 NLT). Jesus made it clear that if He chose to call down angels and wipe out those who had come to arrest Him, it would prevent the fulfilling of the plan. "But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?" (Matthew 26:54 NLT). Even the timing of His arrest was part of God's plan. They had had every opportunity to arrest Jesus before, but it was meant to happen on this night and in this manner. "But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures" (Matthew 26:56 NLT).

From this moment on, every single aspect of Jesus' arrest, His trials, beatings, crucifixion and death, were all in fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. This was not a last-minute, knee-jerk reaction on God's part. He was not responding out of desperation or attempting to counter the actions of the religious leaders. He was not caught off guard. He was behind every move being made, including the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. What was about to happen in the coming hours was fully under the control of our all-powerful, all-knowing God. He had planned the following sequence of events from before the time when the world was made. Because He knew this would be the only way to redeem mankind to Himself. Once mankind had sinned against Him, there would be no other way to restore them to a right relationship with Himself, unless a high price was paid. His perfectly holy, righteous and sinless Son would have to take on human flesh, live among those He had created and yet who had turned against Him, and then die in their place on a cross. He would take on their sins and the punishment they deserved at the hands of a fully just and righteous Judge, providing them with a way to be reconciled with God. It had to happen this way. As repulsive and repugnant as it all seems to be, it was the one and only solution to man's dilemma. And Peter had tried to stop it. This was not the first time he had tried to stand in the way of God's plan. From the first moment Jesus had begun to tell the disciples that He was going to have to die, Peter had taken Him aside and reprimanded Him. He had told Jesus, "Heaven forbid, Lord. This will never happen to you!" (Matthew 16:22 NLT). And Jesus responded angrily, "Get away from me Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's" (Matthew 16:23 NLT). By attempting to prevent what was clearly part of God's plan, Peter was playing into the hands of the enemy. Satan would love nothing better than to prevent Jesus from fulfilling His God-given ministry. But Satan, because he is not all-knowing, had no idea that killing Jesus was part of God's plan. He thought the demise of Jesus would be the end of the story. But even he had become a pawn in the divine plan of God. It had to be this way. It had to happen just as God had ordained it to happen. There was no plan B. And Jesus knew that His arrest was simply the first stage of the plan. There would be more to come. It would get worse before it got better. But it WOULD get better. Because God had a plan.

Father, it is so easy to forget that You ALWAYS have a plan. You are never caught off guard or surprised by anything that happens on this planet. You are in full control and are never in heaven wringing Your hands in worry. Never let me forget that. Give me the ability to see world events through Your eyes and not my own. Don't let me be like Peter and see things from merely a human point of view. Help me see Your perspective.  Amen.

Not My Will.

Matthew 26:30, 36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” – Matthew 26:39 NLT

Jesus was just hours from death. And not just any kind of death. He was going to go through the extraordinarily excruciating torture of the Roman cross. It was designed to bring about a slow and especially painful death, one that could last not only hours, but days. But even before that, He would be beaten and whipped beyond recognition. He would be abandoned by the very ones who claimed to love Him. And Jesus knew that, as part of His Father's plan, it would be necessary for Him to take on the sins of all mankind and bear the righteous wrath of God. So as Jesus kneeled that evening in the garden, He was overcome with grief and emotion. I think these passages reveal the humanity of Christ like no other place in the entire Gospels. In these three simple prayers that flowed from the lips of Jesus, we get an undeniable glimpse into His humanity and deity. He was the God-man. Fully human, but fully God. Inexplicable, but undeniable in its truth. The human side of Jesus was repulsed and revolted by the thought of what was ahead. His humanity wanted to avoid what was coming at all costs, but His divinity knew that God's will must supersede and supplant His own. Three times Jesus prayed, "I want your will to be done, not mine." This was not done for the benefit of the disciples. They were sound asleep. It was the soon-to-be-Savior of the world sharing His heart with His Father.

As I read those words, it strikes a chord with me. I can't help but think how often I have prayed to my heavenly Father, but my words have reflected a different attitude. Far too often, when I have found myself in difficult times, I have prayed, "Not Your will be done, but mine!" Granted, those weren't my exact words, but that was the intent of my prayer and the true reflection of my heart. In those times, I came to God with MY will clearly lined up. I knew what I wanted Him to do for me. But Jesus was intent on doing what the Father wanted. He knew what was in store for Him, but was willing to face it because He trusted His heavenly Father. He knew that God's will was the only proper path for His life – no matter how difficult it may have appeared to be. Unlike us, Jesus knew exactly what was coming. He was fully aware of just how difficult the next few hours were going to be, and He still prayed that God's will be done. What dedication. What a picture of obedience. Paul describes it this way: "When he appeared in human form,he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross" (Philippians 2:7-8 NLT). A huge part of submitting to the will of God is our own humility. It is placing our will and our way at His feet and subjecting ourselves to His plan, trusting that He knows what is best. Paul goes on to say, "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him" (Philippians 2:13 NLT). God gives us the strength and determination we need to do His will. Why? Because our human nature will do everything in its power to protect and preserve us. It will demand its own way. It will fight for its autonomy. When Jesus returned after praying the first time and found the disciples sleeping, He warned Peter, "Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” (Matthew 26:41 NLT). Too often our will is driven by the flesh, or our own sinful nature. And in those moments we will find that what we want or desire is counter to what God's will is for us. Paul tells us, "The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions" (Galatians 5:17 NLT). Whenever our will begins to overshadow God's will for us, we need to step back and assess what is really going on. The greatest prayer we can every prayer is the one Jesus prayed three times in the garden on that fateful night. "I want your will to be done, not mine." Our flesh will fight and resist it. Our natural man will want to prevent those words from ever leaving our lips. Fear will rise up in us, causing us to doubt the wisdom of praying such a prayer. But Jesus reminds us that God's will does not always bring with it an easy road, but it always leads to the proper destination. His will is not necessarily pleasant for the moment, but we can trust that He knows what He is doing and that He has our good and His own glory in mind. His will is worth seeking. His will is worth praying for. His will is worth doing. His will always works.

Father, I fear Your will at times. Because I can't see the outcome, I wonder whether it is going to turn out the way I hope it will. At the heart of my fear is doubt. I don't trust You. I tend to think that I know what is best. I want my will to be done, even though my will has ended up disappointing me so many times in the past. Give me the strength to humbly obey You. I want Your will to be done, not mine! Amen.

What Would Jesus Pray For You?

John 17:1-26

"My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory." – John 17:9-10 NLT

Think about it. If Jesus were to pray for you, what would He say? What would He ask the Father for on your behalf? Just imagine what it would be like to have the Son of God lift you up in prayer. Actually, you don't have to imagine it, because His prayer for you is recorded in John 17. It's often referred to as His High Priestly Prayer. What's fascinating about this particular prayer is that it appears that Jesus prayed it right in front of the disciples. On so many other occasions, we see Jesus getting away by Himself for extended times alone with God in prayer. But in this case, right in the middle of a discussion with the disciples, He stops, looked up into heaven and prayed this prayer. They would have heard every word of it. And the vast majority of it contains requests from Jesus to the Father on their behalf. But Jesus made it clear that this prayer was not just for the disciples. "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message" (John 17:20 NLT). That includes you and me.

Now, what does He pray? What kinds of requests does He make to God on our behalf? This ought to get our attention. What we discover here should give us a very solid understanding about what Jesus regarded as important for as lives as His followers as we live on this planet. He made it clear that He was leaving, but His followers were staying. He was leaving them behind, fully knowing that they no longer belonged to the world in which they were staying. As His followers they would be aliens living in a strange land. They would be outsiders and outcasts in this world because of their faith in Him. Jesus made it clear that His prayer was for His followers only. He was not praying for the world, but for believers, both present and future. "My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory" (John 17:9-10 NLT). And while this prayer is packed with all kinds of significant truths regarding the Church, a few things jump out.

First, Jesus prays for our protection. He asks God to protect us by the power of His name (Verse 11). The name of God is synonymous with the very character of God. His name represented who He was. It reflected His glory, greatness, love, mercy, power, faithfulness, steadfastness, holiness, grace, righteousness, and justice. To ask the Father to protect us by His name was to guarantee the outcome. God is faithful and true. He cannot do anything that would contradict His character or bring shame to His name. But why does Jesus ask the Father to protect us? What is He asking the Father to protect us from? "…so that they will be united as we are" (John 17:11 NLT). This theme of unity and oneness runs throughout His prayer. He is asking God to protect us so that we might remain unified in the midst of a world that was going to try and destroy or unity. If you study the letters of the New Testament, one of the central themes had to do with division within the Body of Christ. The early Church was a composite organism made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life. There were Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, male and female, rich and poor – all gathered together into this new thing called the Body of Christ. As a result, there were tensions, disagreements, disputes, and the constant possibility of the unity of the Body being destroyed. The Church was new. There was no common doctrine, no New Testament yet, little in the way of qualified leadership, and the constant pressure from the outside world. So Paul and the other authors of the epistles that would eventually make up the majority of our New Testament, wrote to instruct these new believers and to warn them about the danger of division.

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. – 1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them! –Romans 16:17 NET

Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member, so that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another. – 1 Corinthians 12:24-25 NET

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28 NLT

Jesus went on to pray that the unity of believers would reflect the unity that He and His Father shared. This miracle on unity among so many people of diversity would reveal that it was all the work of God. When we live as one, He gets glory. Jesus prayed, "May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me" (John 17:23 NLT). Our unity is proof of Christ's deity and of God's love for us.

But Jesus was not done. He went on to pray that God would keep us safe from the evil one (John 17:15). Satan hates us and wants to do everything in his power to destroy our unity. He loves to cause divisions within the Body of Christ. That's why the early Church put such a high priority on removing all those who threatened unity and tried to stir up division. Disunity in the Body is one of the greatest turn-offs to the lost.

Jesus also asked that the Father would make us holy. The word He used has to do with sanctifying us or setting us apart. But He is specific in His request. He says, "Set them apartin the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:17 NLT). Remember, there was no New Testament at this time. The truth Jesus seems to be referring to is the reality about who He is and why He had come. He had revealed the truth of His identity to the disciples and they had believed that truth. So Jesus asks the Father to set them apart in that truth. Let that be their identifier and distinctive. Our holiness or otherness in this world must be based on the truth of Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

Jesus asked God to protect you so you could live in unity. He asked God to keep you safe from Satan. He asked His Father to make you holy, to set you apart and make you distinctive based on the truth about who Jesus is and what He has done. Obviously, if Jesus asked these things of the Father on your behalf, they must have been important to Him. So how important are they to you? How much weight do you put on unity within the Body of Christ or with other believers? Do you strive for it and do everything in His power to avoid division? How about the enemy? Do you recognize his reality and understand his unbridled passion to destroy you? What about your holiness or set-apartness? How important is it to you? Is what makes your life distinctive and different your belief in who Jesus is and what He has done for you? These things were important enough for Jesus to pray on our behalf. So they should be important enough for us to make them a high priority in our own lives, and to pray them on behalf of one another.

Father, may these requests be what we pray daily for ourselves and for one another. We desperately need Spirit-empowered unity so that the world might sit up and take notice. We need protection from the enemy, because he is alive and active all around us, trying to destroy us an individuals and as a community. Finally, we need to live distinctive, set-apart lives that reflect our uniqueness based on our belief in who You are and what You have done for us. Amen.

Take Heart!

John 16:16-33

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." – John 16:33 NLT

The clock is ticking. With each hour that passes, Jesus is one step closer to His final destiny. All the teaching, miracles and messages He gave will mean nothing if He does not complete the task for which He came. And as this moment draws nearer, Jesus continues to try and prepare His disciples for what is to come. He tells them, "In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again" (John 16:16 NLT). This statement did little but confuse the disciples. It sounded like a riddle to them. We understand it because we have the benefit of being on this side of the resurrection. But to them, it would have made little to no sense, and would have provided little in the way of comfort. Jesus sensed their confusion and attempted to make His meaning clearer. "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy" (John 16:20 NLT). I can't help but imagine the looks on the faces of the disciples as Jesus spoke. They had to be looking at one another with looks of confusion, wondering how what Jesus was saying was supposed to clear things up for them. How would their weeping be turned to joy? How would their grieving turn into rejoicing?

Jesus continued to explain what He meant using the metaphor of childbirth. There would be a period of pain followed by a moment of sheer joy and excitement. There was going to be a time of extreme sorrow followed by unbridled happiness and abundant joy. Not only that, they would have direct access to God. They would be able to ask anything from Him, and as long as they did so in Jesus' name, God would answer their requests. "Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God" (John 16:26-27 NLT). Jesus was letting them know that the future was going to be bright for them. Yes, it was going to get dark for a time. He was going to suffer and die. They would even abandon Him in His darkest moment. But He was going to rise from the dead and appear before them in His resurrected state. Their sorrow and grief would be turned in joy. But I think this passage is also letting them know that Jesus would leave them again. This time to ascend to His Father in heaven. And when He did, there would be a time of sorrow as well. The disciples would feel abandoned this time. But their sorrow would be turned to joy once again when the Holy Spirit descended on them at Pentecost. It would be at that time when they learned the truth of Jesus' statements. They would ask of the Father in Jesus' name and watch as He answered their requests in miraculous, powerful ways.

Jesus closes His little talk with them by saying, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NLT). He is trying to prepare them for all that is to come. Not only in the next few hours, but in the years to come. He warns them that they were going to have many trials and sorrows. Life was not going to be easy. But He tells them to take heart and assures them that not matter how bad things may appear, they are to remember that He has overcome the world. This is an interesting statement, because as of that moment, He had yet to die. But Jesus spoke with certainty and confidence because He knew that He was going to do what He came to do. He was going to overcome the world. With His death, He would pay the penalty owed to God for the sins of mankind. With His resurrection, He would defeat the power of death and provide a glimpse of the transformative power of God available to all men through belief in Him. If God could literally raise His own Son from the dead, He could raise spiritually dead men and women to new life. Jesus can and did overcome the world. And we need to be reminded of that fact. Here on earth we face many trials and sorrows. We encounter all kinds of difficulties. We suffer because we live in a sin-filled world. But Jesus reminds us to take heart. He assures us that He has overcome the world. The word Jesus used was "conquered." It was a military term. Jesus is saying that, with His death, He has won a military victory over the forces of this world. It will still hate us and attempt to destroy us. He made that clear in chapter 15. But we need to live with an attitude of victory. We are on the winning side. What Jesus accomplished on the cross has sealed the future and guaranteed our success. It will not be easy. There will be difficulties. But we can cry out to the Father in Jesus' name and He will hear and answer us. He will guide us through His Holy Spirit. He will teach us through His written Word. He will protect us with His powerful hand. He will preserve us and one day send His Son to return for us.

Paul gives us encouragement with these words: "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT).

Father, Thank You for these encouraging words this morning. Sometimes this world really can be filled with all kinds of grief and sorrow. It can become overwhelming at times. But keep reminding me that whatever I suffer here on this earth is nothing compared to the joy I will experience in heaven. Give me an eternal focus. Help me to fix my gaze on those things that I can't see. Give me the ability to take heart, knowing that Jesus truly has overcome the world. Amen.

Better Off Without Him.

John 16:1-15

"But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocatewon’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment." – John 16:7-8 NLT

The more Jesus talked about His coming death, the more confused and depressed the disciples seemed to get. Jesus saw it and commented about it: “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you" (John 16:5-6 NLT). And it made sense. They had just spent the last three years of their lives following this man and now He was telling them that He was going to die. Their concept of death, like ours, was permanent. In their understanding of things, once Jesus was dead, He was gone. In spite of all His talk about coming back. That part was a mystery to them. So Jesus somewhat muddies the waters by telling them, "it is best for you that I go away" (John 16:7 NLT). That had to have sounded so strange to the disciples. How in the world could His leaving them be best for them? But Jesus knew something they didn't know. He knew that when He ascended back to heaven, God the Father was going to send the very Spirit of God to be with the disciples. And that could not happen until Jesus left. For the last three and a half years they had enjoyed the presence of God in the form of Jesus. He was God in human flesh. He had lived with them, talked with them, done miracles among them, and taught them the truth of God on a daily basis. But when the Holy Spirit came they would not only have God with them and among them, but in them. They would be empowered by the very Spirit of God. This was going to be a game-changer for the disciples and for the world, mainly because of the three things Jesus said the Spirit would do when He arrived.

The NET Bible translates verse 8 this way: "And when hecomes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin andrighteousness andjudgment." The very presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers would be proof that the world's view of Jesus was wrong. It was their rejection of Him as Messiah that was their most condemning sin. The Holy Spirit would also convict the world about righteousness because He would only indwell those who had placed their faith in Christ and not on their own self-righteousness. In other words, the Spirit proves that man's righteousness before God depends not on his own efforts but on Christ’s atoning work for them. Finally, the Spirit would convict the world concerning judgment, because His very presence would prove that Jesus had conquered sin and death by His resurrection and glorification. The Spirit's presence in the world in the lives of believers would be proof that Satan had already been defeated. His was a lost cause. And the fact that the Spirit of God only lives within the people of God, is a daily judgment on all those who refuse to believe in Jesus. The presence of the Holy Spirit is our guarantee of salvation and as Paul puts it, our down payment on the future promises of God. "…and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us" (2 Corinthians 1:22 NLT).

So when Jesus told the disciples that they would be better off once He was gone, He knew what He was talking about. Jesus was limited to the restraints placed upon Him by a human body. He could not be everywhere at once. He could not indwell His disciples. He had all the limitations we suffer from as humans. His coming to earth was for one purpose and that was to act as the perfect sin substitute. He came to die. But the Spirit came to indwell, empower, convict, and teach. Jesus told the disciples, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future" (John 16:13 NLT). He would teach them, enlighten them, encourage and empower them. They would perform miracles in His power. They would preach and teach in His power. They would spread the Gospel around the world by His power. Not only would the disciples be better off when Jesus returned to the Father, the world would be too. The rapid expansion of the Gospel message immediately after the Holy Spirit's coming at Pentecost is proof of this fact. Thousands would come to Christ daily and the Good News of Jesus Christ would spread around the world like wild fire. We, as modern believers, are the beneficiaries of the Holy Spirit's convicting presence in the world. We should be grateful Jesus came, but also thankful that He left and sent the Holy Spirit to live within us. His presence and power are proof of Christ's resurrection and the reality of our own salvation.

Father, what more can I say than, "Thank You for the Holy Spirit"? I would not be who I am without Him. I would not have proof of what Jesus has done for me without the presence of the Holy Spirit within me. Thank You! Amen.

Out of This World.

John 15:18-27

"The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you." – John 15:19 NLT

Let's face it. We love to to be loved by this world almost as much as we enjoy loving all that it has to offer. The world can be an attractive place and there's something inside us that makes us want to be attractive in return. Worldliness, once the bane of the Christian's existence and a temptation to be avoided at all costs, has become not only acceptable, but fashionable. It is in to be of this world. Even as Christ-followers, we have this innate desire to be known by the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the homes we live in, the schools our kids attend, the country clubs we belong to, and even the churches we attend. To many of us, being worldly isn't a sin, it's just good business. It's how you get ahead – in this world. But Jesus gives us a sobering warning in this passage. He blatantly informs us that the world hates us. Why? Because we don't belong here anymore. When He chose us, He called us out of this world. Oh, sure, He left us here. We still have to live in this world, but this is not where we truly belong anymore. We have a home reserved for us elsewhere. Jesus told the disciples, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am" (John 14:1-3 NLT). Jesus never intended for us to make ourselves at home here. Getting comfortable and cozy with the world can be dangerous to our spiritual health.

Peter echoed this idea long after Jesus had ascended back into heaven. "Dear friends, I warn you as 'temporary residents and foreigners' to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world" (1 Peter 2:11-12 NLT). Did you notice what he said? It is worldly desires that wage ware against our souls. John gives some much-needed advice that our generation could stand to listen to: "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever" (1 John 2:1-17 NLT). Take a second to think about what he is saying here. If we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us. That's a pretty strong statement, and one we tend to gloss over fairly easily. Loving God and loving this world are not only incompatible, they're completely contradictory. As believers, we have three mortal enemies: The world, the flesh and the devil. Cozying up with any of the three is a sure way to threaten your spiritual health and destroy your effectiveness as an instrument in the Redeemer's hands.

In the Garden just before His betrayal and arrest, Jesus prayed to the Father, asking Him, "They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth" (John 17:16-17 NLT). That phrase, "make them holy" can also be translated, "sanctify them." It simply means to set them apart of consecrate them for a specific use or purpose. Jesus is asking the Father to not only set the disciples apart, but those who would be His followers in the generations to come. He goes on to pray, "Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth" (John 17:18-19 NLT). Again, Jesus knows that they are going to be left behind when He leaves. But He was not going to leave them alone or unequipped. Goud was going to provide them with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. "But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you" (John 14:26 NLT). They were going to be left in the world, but they would be far from alone and far from defenseless. But they would have to constantly fight the temptation to blend in with and grow comfortable being like this world. Compromise and complacency are both dangerous tendencies that the believer must avoid at all costs. The risk of falling in love with this world is a constant reality for the believer. Our sinful flesh craves it. Our eyes are naturally attracted to all the shiny trinkets it places in front of us. James reminds us that the problem lies within us, not outside of us. "Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away" (James 1:14 NLT). Our sinful human flesh wants what the world has to offer. Like a fish that can't control its insatiable appetite, we are easily lured to our deaths by the things of his world that look so beguiling and appealing. But James warns us, "These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death" (James 1:15 NLT). The world is out to kill us, just like it did Jesus. The enemy is out to destroy us, just like he tried to do to Jesus.

In his book, The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis chronicles the correspondence between a senior demon and a demon-in-training. This mentor provides his young charge with some interesting and enlightening insights into the methods for destroying Christ-followers. “Prosperity knits a man to the World. He feels that is ‘finding his place in it,’ while really it is finding its place in him. His increasing reputation, his widening circle of acquaintances, his sense of importance, the growing pressure of absorbing and agreeable work, build up in him a sense of really being at home on Earth, which is just what we want. You will notice that the young are generally less unwilling to die than the middle-aged and the old.” That is exactly what Jesus was warning His disciples about. And it applies to us just as much today as it did more than 2,000 years ago. Being at home here is not our objective. The apostle Paul sums it up well. "Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ" (Philippians 1:27 NLT).

Father, I echo the prayer of Jesus. Keep me from this world. Don't let me fall in love with all that it offers. Help me keep my distance and maintain my perspective. This world is not my home, I'm simply passing through. Let me live with an eternal perspective, not a temporal one. May I reflect my heavenly citizenship while I'm here – each and every day of my life. Amen.

Fruitfulness and Friendship.

John 15:1-17

"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mind that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more." – John 15:1-2 NLT

Not only does Jesus desire that His followers fully know Him, and understand the significance of His deity and sovereignty, but He wants them to comprehend their complete dependence upon Him. Here Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine and the branches to help the disciples understand both the intimacy and dependency of their relationship with Him. He illustrates that relationship with the image of a vine and its branches. He repeatedly encourages them to "remain" or "abide" in Him. He lets them know that, just as a branch cannot bear fruit apart from the vine, so they cannot bear fruit apart from Him. But fruitfulness requires abiding or remaining. The greater the degree of intimacy and dependency, the more fruitful the branch will be. The vine will produce fruit through the branch. The branch doesn't produce the fruit on its own – it simply bears the fruit.

Jesus warns His disciples that constant attachment is required for fruitfulness to occur. Those who choose to disconnect themselves from the life-giving power of Jesus will find themselves living fruitless lives. And eventually, God will prune them from the vine. This is not speaking of a loss of salvation, but sadly, a loss of usefulness. You can be in Christ, yet useless to Him. You can be saved, but refuse to be sanctified, remaining satisfied with the current state of your spiritual life, and neglecting to grow in Christ. But when we remain in Him, He produces His fruit through us. And God, the faithful gardener, prunes and cleanses us in order that we might produce even more fruit. It is when we refuse to remain in and depend on Christ that we lose our fruitfulness. We become severed, so to speak, from the vine and lose our ability to bear fruit. I branch that becomes separated from the vine will never bear fruit, because it has lost its connection with the source of fruitfulness. Jesus said, "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 NLT). And it is our fruitfulness that reveals or proves the reality of our relationship with Christ.

Jesus makes it clear that one of the greatest expressions of our fruitfulness is our love for one another. In other words, we can't love the way He requires unless that love is produced by Him through us. Which is why He tells the disciples to "remain in my love" (John 15:9 NLT). Remaining in His love requires remaining that we remain attached to Him, so that He can love through us. A big part of remaining or abiding in Christ is reflected in our obedience to Him. And obedience is a willing submission to His will for us. It is not so much about rule keeping as it is about trust that He knows what is best, and obeying what He tells us to do. Even the capacity to obey Him comes from Him. When Jesus said, "When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love" (John 15:10 NLT), He was not teaching that His love is contingent upon our obedience. In other words, Jesus' love for us is not conditional. No, our obedience is a reflection of His abiding love for us, flowing through us, creating in us a desire to obey. It also creates in us a desire to love others. "This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you" (John 15:12 NLT). When we abide in Him, His love flows through us and is to be shared with those around us. One of the interesting things about fruitfulness is that it is other-oriented, not self-centered. The fruit produced by a branch is not for the benefit of the branch, but is for others. My fruitfulness is not for me, but for the benefit of others. Think about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – none of these things are self-directed. They are to be outwardly focused and exist for the good of others. Fruitfulness is about otherness. It is about loving others as we have been loved by Christ. Abiding in Him will result in our ability to love like Him. Even to the point of laying down our lives like He did for us. As branches, we exist for the vine and, ultimately for the gardener. It is God who prunes us in order that we might be increasingly more fruitful. Our job is to remain or abide. We don't produce the fruit, Jesus does. We simply have to be ready and willing for Him to flow through us. What we end up producing is His work and belongs to those He brings into our path. For the believer, fruitfulness is a non-negotiable. Fruitlessness results in uselessness. A fruitless branch is a useless branch. And we must understand that our fruitfulness is simply the result of our willful desire to remain intimately attached to Jesus so that He can do through us and in us what we could never do on our own.

Father, I want to be fruitful. But I don't want to try and produce that fruit in my own effort. I want it to be a natural outflow of my intimate relationship with Your Son. I want His love to flow through me. I want His fruit produced as a result of me abiding in Him. I want the fruit of my life to be proof of my relationship with Him. Help me abide. Help me remain completely dependent on Jesus each and every day of my life. Amen.

The Advocate.

John 14:15-31

"But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative – that is, the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you." – John 14:26 NLT

In the midst of all the doom and gloom that Jesus seemed to share during His last days with the disciples, there was a bright light. A very bright light. Not only was He going to return, but the Father was going to send them an advocate. The Greek word Jesus used is paraclete and it can be translated, "comforter, helper, counselor or assistant." All of these words have limitations and do not do the original Greek word justice. But the basic idea is that Jesus is promising the disciples that, even though He will be leaving them, He is not going to leave the alone. The Father will send the Holy Spirit – the very Spirit of God – to not only be with them, but live in them. Jesus makes it clear that the Holy Spirit had been there all along. "But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you" (John 14:15 NLT). The Spirit of God is the very presence of God with us. The disciples had witnessed His presence through the life of Jesus, on whom the Spirit of God descended at His baptism in the Jordan. The Spirit of God had been guiding and directing Jesus from that moment forward. The Holy Spirit had been active in and around the disciples all through the years they had been with Jesus. But Jesus was letting them know that with His departure, the presence of God would remain with them, in the form of the indwelling Holy Spirit. This should have been good news to them. But as usual, the disciples probably did not fully understand the magnitude of what Jesus was telling them. They had no real context on which to base what Jesus was saying.

But Jesus lets them know that the Spirit, when He comes, would lead them, teach them, and remind them of all that Jesus had taught them over the years. All those obscure, difficult to understand truths encapsulated in the parables of Jesus would become clear for the first time. They Holy Spirit would help them connect the dots and make sense of all the madness that surrounded those last days of Jesus' earthly life. He would teach them and remind them all that Jesus had told them over the years. As a result, the Holy Spirit would bring them peace of mind and heart. His presence, the very presence of God Himself, would result in peace, even in the midst of the storm. And Jesus told them that this gift of the Spirit would be permanent. "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you" (John 14:16 NLT). The Spirit of God would be a permanent presence in their lives. He would never leave or abandon them. His presence would be a constant reminder of Jesus' love for them. The apostle Paul would later refer to the Holy Spirit as a "down payment" from God. The Greek word "denotes the first payment or first installment of money or goods which serves as a guarantee or pledge for the completion of the transaction" (NET Study Bible notes). The Holy Spirit's presence in our lives reminds us that there is more. His presence in the midst of this earthly life should remind us that we are spiritual beings who have a spiritual future ahead of us. Paul says, "For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee" (2 Corinthians 5:4-5 NLT). While we live in these earthly bodies, we will suffer trials and difficulties, but the Holy Spirit lives with us, providing us with power and assurance of the love of God. He is not done yet. There is more to come. The Spirit provides us with the peace of mind we need to live in this fallen world without giving in to despair or becoming distracted and losing our focus. We have an advocate, a helper, comforter, teacher, friend, counselor and source of divine power that sets us apart from all those who do not believe. His presence in our lives is what sets us apart from the rest of the world and proves that what we say we believe is true. The greatest evidence of the reality of Jesus' message is the life-transforming presence and power of the Holy Spirit. He is our guarantee that the message of Jesus was real and the promises of Jesus are completely reliable.

Father, I can't thank You enough for sending Your Spirit to live in my life. I know I don't always listen to Him or obey Him. I know I often ignore Him and refuse to take advantage of the power He makes available to me. But I know He is there, guiding me, teaching me, strengthening me – because I feel His presence each and every day. He reminds me that what I say I believe is true. Amen.

Knowing Jesus.

John 14:1-14

Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am?" – John 14:9 NLT

Jesus had just informed Peter that he would deny Him three times, then He says, "Don't let your hearts be troubled" (John 14:1 NLT). Really? For the last few hours, He had been talking continuously about being betrayed, denied, having His body broken, His blood shed, and that He was going away, and where He was going they couldn't go. So how could He tell them to not be troubled? There is much the disciples do not understand. And they would not understand it until some time after Jesus left and the Holy Spirit came. So until then, Jesus tried to assure them that, in spite of all the fear building up inside themselves, they could trust Him. In fact, He encouraged them to trust in God AND to trust in Him. Why? Because He and His Father were one. This was a joint plan, involving both the Son and the Father, and so the disciples had nothing to fear. Jesus assured them that He was going away, but that He was also returning for them, and when He did, He would take them to be with Him.

Thomas speaks up, expressing his confusion and concern. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" (John 14:5 NLT). You can sense the growing anxiety in Thomas' reaction. He doesn't understand WHERE Jesus is going or WHY He has to go. He can't comprehend what is happening and what it is that Jesus seems to be inferring. This is NOT what he and the disciples had expected. But Jesus tells Him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 NLT). With this one statement, Jesus summed up His entire ministry and message. It had always been about access. Jesus came to provide a way for men and women to be made right with God and to restore them to fellowship with Him. Sin had compromised their relationship with God. Sin had alienated them from God. The Law had showed them God's holy standard and sin had caused them to rebel against it, preventing them from keeping His law perfectly. Jesus had come to remedy that. He had come to do what they couldn't do: Keep the law perfectly. He came to live a sinless, holy, obedient life, so that He might be the perfect sin substitute and die in their place on the cross. In doing so, He would satisfy the just demands of a holy, righteous God. Jesus would take on our sin and suffer our punishment, and in return, we would receive His righteousness and God's approval. So when Jesus told Thomas and the disciples that He was the way, the truth and the life and that no one could come to God any other way than through Him, this was radical news to them.

If You Had Known Me

Jesus followed this bombshell by bringing up the subject of the knowledge of Him. He said, "If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is" (John 14:7 NLT). This had to have offended the disciples. Hadn't they just spent the last three and a half years of their lives with Jesus, and now He was insinuating that they didn't know Him? But in reality, they didn't know Jesus. Up until that point, they hadn't known Him as the way, the truth and the life. They knew Him as the Messiah, the healer, the Son of God, the teacher, rabbi, parable teller, and miracle worker. But there was so much they still didn't know about Him. But Jesus assured them that even with their limited knowledge of Him, they knew God, because He was revealing God to them through His life and actions. He really was the way, the truth and the life. And He really was going to provide access to the Father through His coming death on the cross. It would all make sense to them eventually.

Philip, hearing all this talk of knowing God, asked Jesus to show the Father to them, and then they would be satisfied. Once again, Jesus responds with a statement that had to have deeply hurt Philip. "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am?" (John 14:9 NLT). The inference is that Philip still did not know or comprehend the deity of Jesus. He knew Him, but He didn't know Him. His knowledge of Jesus was limited. Jesus told him, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? (John 14:9 NLT). What Jesus wants Philip and the other disciples to grasp is that He and the Father are one. He is not just a representative of God, He is God in human flesh. He is divine. Seeing Him is as good as seeing the Father. Hearing from Him is as good as hearing from the Father. "The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me" (John 14:10 NLT). This was news to the disciples. This intimate connection between Jesus and the Father had been unknown to them up until this point.

The main focus of this entire exchange between Jesus and the disciples seemed to be their knowledge of Him. Because ultimately, their belief about Jesus would need to be based on what they knew about Him. If their knowledge of Jesus was limited, so would their faith be. Jesus wanted them to know exactly who He was, so that they could believe. "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the seame works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with my Father" (John 14:12 NLT). The belief Jesus spoke of had to be based on His identity as the Son of God. His unity with the Father was to be the foundation of that belief. And ultimately, the disciples would do greater works than Jesus. This is not talking about greater miracles, but it is speaking about the scope and reach of their ministry. Jesus' ministry was limited to a specific geographic area and only impacted a limited number of people, but the disciples would be responsible for helping spread the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world. Their efforts, when based on the name of Jesus, would be backed by the power of God and would therefore be unlimited. But it all began with their knowledge of who Jesus was.

And the same is true for us today. We must fully understand and grasp the significance of who Jesus is. For many of us, He is simply our Savior, which is important. But we must also recognize Him as our God and Sovereign. If we limit our understanding of Jesus, we will limit our belief in Jesus. If we fail to see Him as God and fully deserving of our full obedience, worship and honor, then our belief will be limited. Jesus came to provide us with more than just a ticket to heaven. He has given us access to God. We can know God through Him. We can experience the power of God because of Him. He is still the way, the truth and the life. It is still true that no one can come to the Father except through Him. No one can know the Father, but through Jesus. So the greater we grow to know Him, the more we will know God. And our belief will increase exponentially.

Father, help my unbelief. Help me to grow to know Jesus better and better every day. Open my eyes to the reality of who He is, the significance of His deity, His sovereignty and majesty. I want to know Him better so that I might know You more. Amen.

A New Covenant.

Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20

After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people – an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you." – Luke 22:20 NLT

Those words, "A new covenant," would have sounded strange to the ears of the disciples, because, as God's people, they already had a covenant with God. It had been given by God to the people of Israel through Moses. We find it recorded in Exodus 24. "Look, this blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these instructions.”  God had made a covenant with His people, confirmed by blood. It was to be a binding agreement. And according to the definition of a covenant, the people could accept or reject it, but could not alter it. So to hear Jesus talk of a new covenant would have probably seemed odd and even a bit sacrilegious to them. As with a lot of things Jesus seemed to say to them, it would have made little or no sense. For us, as Christ-followers, living on this side of the resurrection, it has a meaning all its own, but it probably lacks a proper foundation. In other words, because we do not fully understand the old covenant, we fail to fully appreciate the new one.

So, in order to understand just what Jesus said that night and what that new covenant should mean to us, we need to take a look at the historical and spiritual significance of just what was happening. As stated earlier, a covenant was an arrangement made by one party, which the other party involved could accept or reject but could not alter. It was NOT a contract agreed upon and signed by two co-equals. This covenant was authored by God and was not something to be taken lightly.

To see the old covenant in its full context, take a look at Exodus 24:1-8.

Then the Lord instructed Moses: “Come up here to me, and bring along Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders. All of you must worship from a distance. Only Moses is allowed to come near to the Lord. The others must not come near, and none of the other people are allowed to climb up the mountain with him.”

Then Moses went down to the people and repeated all the instructions and regulations the Lord had given him. All the people answered with one voice, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.”

Then Moses carefully wrote down all the Lord’s instructions. Early the next morning Moses got up and built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He also set up twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent some of the young Israelite men to present burnt offerings and to sacrifice bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. Moses drained half the blood from these animals into basins. The other half he splattered against the altar.

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.”

Then Moses took the blood from the basins and splattered it over the people, declaring, “Look, this blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these instructions.” – Exodus 24:1-8 NLT

God had made a covenant with the people and confirmed it with the shedding of blood. This "book of the covenant" contained God's written laws for living life in this world on His terms. It contained the Ten Commandments, but a list of other rules and regulations regarding human conduct. This old covenant revealed the holiness of God by articulating His righteous standards and requirements for human interaction. And this was a bilateral, conditional covenant. In other words, it placed requirements on both parties. It required obedience on the part of the people. “Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me” (Exodus 19:5 NLT).

God told the people that as long as they obeyed it, they would be blessed (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). But if they chose to disobey it, they would be cursed (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). This old covenant was what the Israelites had lived under for generations. It was demanding and difficult. It was impossible. So why did God give them a set of rules they could never keep? Why did He demand from them what they couldn’t deliver? Why would He give them a law they couldn’t obey? This is key to understanding all that goes on in the New Testament. It is essential to understanding all that took place during Jesus’ 3-1/2 years of ministry.

Over in Romans 7, Paul gives a better understanding of just why the law or old covenant was given by God.

Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good. But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes. So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. – Romans 7:7-14 NLT

The law, which is holy and righteous, produced unholiness in men. The law, or old covenant, revealed God's standard. It established a non-negotiable criteria for acceptance with God. Because God is holy, He demands holiness from His people. The law made holiness measurable and God’s standards for holiness tangible. The law was good, but our sin used it against us. Sin is rebellion against God. Sin is refusing to live life according to God’s standards or law.

The Promise of God

There is another important aspect of God's plan that we need to understand. Long before God gave Moses the covenant, He had made a promise to Abraham. We find it recorded in Genesis 12:7: "And the Lord came to Abram, and said, I will give all this land to your seed; then Abram made an altar there to the Lord who had let himself be seen by him" (Genesis 12:7 BBE). The apostle Paul helps us understand the significance of this promise. "Dear brothers and sisters,here’s an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say ‘to his children,’ as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says ‘to his child’— and that, of course, means Christ" (Galatians 3:15-16 NLT). God had made a promise to Abraham that would be fulfilled through his "offspring" – singular, not plural. Paul makes it clear that this was a reference to Jesus. He goes on to say, "This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise. For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting God’s promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise" (Galatians 3:17 NLT). The original covenant was based on the promise of God and would be fulfilled through the Son of God. If man could have kept the law, the promise would have been unnecessary. If the people could have kept the law and EARNED the inheritance, Jesus would never have come. But He did. So why was the law given? GREAT QUESTION! And Paul has a great answer.

Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. – Galatians 3:18-20 NLT

The new covenant would be a unilateral covenant, NOT a bilateral one. This covenant would be based on God’s grace, mercy, and faithfulness, not man’s obedience.

Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises?Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. – Galatians 3:21-22 NLT

The law was never intended to save us. Keeping it could not make us right with God, because we could not keep it.

Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.  And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. – Galatians 3: 23-24 NLT

The law was our guardian or tutor. It revealed the righteousness of God. It articulated the expectations of God. "But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children" (Galatians 4:4-5 NLT). This was the new covenant in a nutshell. God was going to fulfill the promise He had made to Abraham. When He had told Abraham that "all the families on earth will be blessed through you," He was speaking of His own Son. Jesus, was born of a woman and, as a result, was subject to the law. He came to do what no other man had ever done or would ever be able to do – He kept God's law perfectly and completely. Which meant that He was unblemished and sinless, and therefore was the perfect sacrificial "lamb" to shed His blood for the sins of mankind. This new covenant would be based on His blood. His death would guarantee our life. This new covenant in His blood would eliminate the need for the old covenant. Jesus' death would provide a new way for men to have access to God and a new means by which they might be restored to a right relationship with God. No more works-based righteousness. No more attempting to earn favor with God through human effort. But was we read earlier, "If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ" (Galatians 3:21-22 NLT). Jesus was going to pour out His blood as a sacrifice and, as a result, mankind could be made right with God based no His obedience, not our own. That is the significance of the new covenant. It was a new ballgame. It was a new day. The old was passing away and the new had come. The disciples didn't understand it at the time, but they would. And it is on this new covenant that the Church has been built. It is our foundation, hope, and the heart of the Gospel we believe, teach and share.

Father, I can't thank You enough for the new covenant. It is only as I realize that without it, I would be living under the weight and requirement of the law, unable to save myself anymore than the people of Israel could. But because Jesus came, lived, died and rose again, I have eternal life through His shed blood. I live because He died. I am covered in His blood and purified by His obedient, sinless sacrifice. Thank You! Amen.

Ken Miller Grow Pastor & Minister to Men kenm@christchapelbc.org

Ready To Die.

Matthew 26:21-25; Mark 14:18-21; Luke 22:21-23; John 13:21-30

"But why can't I come now, Lord?" he asked. "I'm ready to die for you." – John 13:37 NLT

I love the impetuousness of Peter. He was a speak-before-you-think kind of a guy. Too often he put his mouth in gear before his brain was engaged. And this was another one of those times. Peter was constantly speaking up. He wasn't afraid to share his views or speak his mind. And it oftentimes got him in trouble. Jesus knew that this last days were going to be difficult for the disciples. As He drew nearer to the culmination of His ministry here on earth and His divine appointment with the cross, the pressure on the disciples was going to increase dramatically. So He warned Peter, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and returned to me again, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22: 31-32 NLT). This statement had to have hit Peter like a fist to the stomach. It took the wind out of him and sent him reeling in confusion. He immediately defended himself and denied that he was a liability or a potential quitter. He responded, "Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you" (Luke 22:33 NLT). It all sounded so good. Not only was Peter NOT going to do anything worthy of needing repentance, he was willing to give his life for Jesus. Or so he said. But Jesus knew better. He knew Peter better than Peter knew himself. He regretfully, but accurately informed Peter exactly just how he was going to deny Him. "Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny me three times that you even know me" (Luke 22:34 NLT). Again, Peter speaks before he thinks. He doesn't stop and consider that Jesus, the Messiah and the Son of God, might know something he doesn't know. Instead, he vehemently denies Jesus' words, in essence, calling Him a liar to His face. "No! Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!" (Mark 14:31 NLT). The others heartily agreed with Peter, not wanting to look like they were any less committed than he was.

But Jesus had already told them that they would all desert Him in His hour of greatest need. He quoted from Zechariah 13:7, "God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered" (Mark 14:27 NLT). They would all scatter like cockroaches in the sudden glare of light. This would be a wholesale desertion of Jesus by the disciples. In fact, the only one we know for certain was at the site of the crucifixion during Jesus' final moments, was John. No one else was anywhere to be found. But Jesus told Peter He was praying for him. He told him that, in spite of his denial, he would repent and return to Jesus. He would also serve as a source of encouragement to the other disciples.

One of the most encouraging stories in all of Scripture is the one that reveals the depths of Peter's denial and the joy of his return. What Peter did that night in the garden was indefensible. It was incomprehensible. But it was forgivable. Peter would ultimately deny that he even knew Jesus. Not once, but three times. The man he claimed he would die for, he denied even knowing. His human nature would get the better of him. In the face of fear and possible death, he would forget all about his promise to die with Jesus and run for his life. But Jesus understood. He was gracious and kind, merciful and forgiving. Peter would be given a second chance. The real key to service for Jesus is not in our ability to remain steadfast and faithful, never failing or falling, but in our willingness to repent and return to Him. We will let Him down. In spite of the greatest of intentions, we will let sometimes end up denying the very one we way we love and to whom we have committed our lives. But just as Jesus had prayed for Peter, He has prayed for us. "I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify themin the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:14-17 NLT). Jesus knows we live in a difficult environment, surrounded by a world that hates us. He knows that because we belong to Him, we are no longer of this world. So He has asked God to protect us and to sanctify us with the Word. Jesus does not expect perfection from us. He knows we will struggle and sometimes stumble and fall. But each time, when we repent and return we will find forgiveness and restored usefulness.

Father, like Peter, I sometimes talk a bold game, but then fail to come through in the clutch. I can come across as super-faithful in the good times, but when things get a bit tough, I can easily turn and run. But thank You that there is always forgiveness each time I return and repent. I can never wear out my usefulness to You, as long as I never stop remembering my complete dependence on You. I can't live this life on my own. I can't remain faithful on my own. I need Your strength, Your Spirit, Your Word, and the body of Jesus Christ, Your Church, to help me. Keep me dependent and repentant. Amen.

God's Perfect Plan.

Matthew 26:21-25; Mark 14:18-21; Luke 22:21-23; John 13:21-30

Jesus responded, "It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl." And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him." – John 13:26-27 NLT

It is easy to read the account of Jesus and His disciples having their Passover meal together and treat each of the various elements as separate incidents. We see the washing of the feet as one scene. Then we see Jesus breaking the bread and giving it to His disciples as another. The revealing by Jesus that one of them would betray Him is yet another separate scene in our minds. But they are all part of a whole. This was one solitary evening that revolved around the Passover meal. In and of itself, this was a significant occasion, one that held great value in the hearts and minds of the disciples. But on this particular evening, it had taken on much greater significance because of what was about to happen. There is a tension in the room that, for the most part, goes unnoticed by the disciples. They are oblivious to all that is happening behind the scenes on both an earthly and spiritual level, that will bring this week and Jesus' life to a climax.

It is important to remember that this was a spiritual battle. It had been since the day Jesus was born. Satan had been out to destroy Jesus from the moment He arrived in Bethlehem as a baby. You recall the efforts of Herod when he received news from the Magi that a king of the Jews had been born. This would have been up to two years after Jesus' birth. As the Roman-appointed king of the Jews, Herod took this news badly and had all the baby boys two-years and younger living in the vicinity of Bethlehem killed. Who was driving his actions? Satan. Because he knew who Jesus was and he was desperate to eliminate Jesus. At the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, immediately after His baptism, He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where He spent 40 days and nights fasting. At the end of that time, weakened by thirst and hunger, Satan showed up. His mission was to convince Jesus to give up His mission. He offered Him alternatives. He appealed to His senses, His vanity, His pride. All things any normal human being would have given in to. But Jesus was the God-man, and would not listen to the lies of the enemy. Eventually, Satan left Him, but he never gave up his quest to eliminate Jesus. He used the religious leaders to attack Him. He attempted over and over again to discredit Him. And finally, Satan would put it into the hearts of men to destroy Him. He believed that by killing Jesus he could destroy God’s plan. By eliminating the messenger, he could stop the message. You see, even Satan had a limited perspective. He didn't know the end of the story.

It was in the middle of the Passover meal that Jesus chose to reveal the sobering news that one of their own would betray Him. “But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. For it has been determined that the Son of Man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him.” (Luke 22:21 NLT). This news was shocking to the disciples. John records, "The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean" (John 13:22 NLT). Peter got John's attention and had him ask Jesus who He was talking about? They wanted to know who it was who would do such a thing. A few even asked if it was them. Jesus responded, "It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl" (John 13:26 NLT). This is significant.

There are many elements to the Passover meal that carried special significance and meaning. Everything had a purpose and was a symbol that was meant to communicate a spiritual truth. At this point in the meal, Jesus more than likely took a piece of unleavened bread, wrapped in around a small portion of the sacrificial lamb and then dipped it into a solution made with bitter herbs. Each of these elements on their own would have carried specific symbolism related to the release of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. The lamb represented the innocent, spotless lambs the people had killed and whose blood they had sprinkled on the door posts and lintels of their homes in order to turn away God's wrath in the form of the death angel. The unleavened bread had always represented the haste by which the people departed Egypt. They had no time to add yeast to their flour. But during the meal, Jesus would state that the unleavened bread now represented His own body, which was going to be broken for them. The bitter herbs were symbolic of the suffering of the people. Do you catch the symbolism as it relates to Jesus? The broken body of the sacrificed lamb, wrapped in sinlessness and dipped in suffering.

It says that Jesus took the bread, dipped it into the bowl and handed to it Judas. What is amazing is that Judas ate it. You would have thought that he would have rejected it and vehemently denied that he was the one. But instead, he took the bread, wrapped around the small piece of lamb, dipped in the bitter herbs and ate it. And John makes it clear that it was at this point that Satan entered into him. He had already made up his mind to do what he was going to do long before Satan entered into him. But Satan is an opportunist and he sought to utilize Judas' hardened heart to his advantage. The deal between Judas and the high priest had already been struck. Now it was just a matter of following through on his commitment. "So Judas left at once, going out into the night" (John 13:30 NLT). The sinless, innocent Son of God, was about to have His body broken and undergo the most severe suffering known to man. Satan thought this was all his doing. He thought he had come up with the perfect plan, but little did he know that this was all the preordained work of God Himself. Peter makes this point clear in his sermon preached immediately after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Addressing the predominantly Jewish audience, he said, "But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed" (Acts 2:23 NLT). This was all part of God's perfect plan. It all happened just as God had orchestrated it, long before the foundation of the world. We don't know what Judas was thinking or what his motivation was. But he had a limited perspective. So did Satan. He is not omniscient or all-knowing. He truly believed this was the beginning of the end of Jesus, but he would prove to be so wrong. This was beginning, but of the end of him. Jesus was going to conquer sin, death and Satan with His actions. His betrayal was part of the plan. It had to happen just the way it did. And Jesus had to die in just the way He did. It was all part of God's perfect plan of redemption.

Father, I can't thank You enough for what You planned and Your Son accomplished. At no point were you ever out of control. There was never a moment when Satan had the upper hand. You were working Your plan to perfection, down to the last detail. And so I should trust that You are still working Your perfect plan perfectly today. Amen.

An Example To Follow.

Matthew 26:20; Mark 14:17; Luke 22:14-16, 24-30; John 13:1-20

"I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you." – John 13:15 NLT

There is so much going on in this scene. As Jesus eats the Passover meal with His disciples one last time, the occasion is overflowing with symbolism. Here was Jesus, the real Passover Lamb, taking this meal one last time with His disciples. He knows what lies ahead, and it is an emotion-filled time for Him. He knew that He was the fulfillment of all for which the Passover celebration stood. In just a few short hours, He would be offering up His life as a sinless sacrifice. He would be shedding His blood. He would be dying for the men who were sharing that last meal with Him. Jesus had a mission to accomplish. He had a final task to perform before His job was complete. "Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God" (John 13:1-3 NLT).

One of the things we must recognize in order to understand the significance of this event is the critical nature of purity and holiness to the Passover celebration. A great emphasis was placed on cleansing. The two disciples who were sent to prepare for the meal would have spent a great deal of time ceremonially cleansing the room in which they were to take the Passover meal together. Everything in the house would have been cleansed. All leaven would have had to have been removed from the house. Each man would have had to ceremonially wash his hands before eating the meal. But the disciples had evidently missed one thing: No one had washed their feet. Why? More than likely because there was no household servant to do it. They were in a borrowed room. Normally, a household servant or slave would have performed this demeaning task. So when they entered the room, they simply overlooked this detail. More than likely because each of them were too prideful to do it themselves. That's what makes what happened next so significant. "So he [Jesus] got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him" (John 13:4-5 NLT).

Jesus did what they would NOT do. Here was their leader and master, their teacher and their self-confessed Messiah, stooping down to do the one task that none of them would do. He humbled Himself and slowly, methodically went from disciple to disciple, washing their filthy feet. Peter, probably embarrassed, tried to keep Jesus from washing his feet. He protested, “No, you will never wash my feet!” (John 13:8 NLT). But Jesus told him, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me” (John 13:7 NLT). Upon hearing this, Peter demands that Jesus wash his hands and head as well! But Jesus told him that was unnecessary. His feet were what needed washing and Jesus was taking care of that neglected, but essential oversight. Purity, cleanliness and holiness were essential to the Passover meal, but these men had neglected something important. All out of pride.

Peter didn’t understand. None of the disciples did. This was an illustration. Jesus was acting out for them what it was He was about to do for them in just a few hours. He was going to serve them in death. He was going to sacrifice Himself on their behalf. All so that they might be fully clean. Jesus was demonstrating for them the kind of attitude or mindset that He wanted them to have. He was showing them the true nature of His Kingdom. It would be one of servant leadership. It would be marked by humility and not pride. It would be characterized by humble, sacrificial service. Paul reminds us, "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross" (Philippians 2:3-8 NLT). Jesus Himself had said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NLT).

Jesus came to serve. He came in humility. He came to sacrifice Himself on behalf of others. He came to provide cleansing. He came to make us righteous and acceptable before God. The true significance of what Jesus was doing would hit them later. “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important that the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them” (John 13:12-17 NLT).

All of these men, except for Judas, would eventually do just as Jesus did. They would end up serving others. Fifty days after Jesus death, resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit would descend and fill these men with power, equipping them to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. They would suffer greatly for the cause of Christ. They would sacrifice their time, energy and talents to make sure that the Good News was spread around the known world at that time. They would be persecuted, misunderstood, arrested, beaten and, in time, each of them would end up sacrificing their lives so that others might be cleansed. They would end up as martyrs for the cause of Christ. They would do as Jesus had done. This was not about the washing of feet. It was about humility and selfless service for the cause of the Kingdom. It was about purity, cleansing, and holiness. It was about the need to ensure that all men received the cleansing made available to them through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We cannot afford to let our pride get in the way. We can't let embarrassment or ego prevent us from doing what needs to be done. We must have the mind of Christ. We must share His attitude of selfless, sacrificial service and an unflinching willingness to do the will of our Father.

Father, I want to have the same attitude that Christ had. I want to see my pride increasingly diminish so that I might do as Jesus did. I want to learn to serve selflessly, even doing those things that no one else will do. I want to serve in ways that mean I don't get any credit and I don't receive any accolades. Jesus did the unthinkable. He did the distasteful. He lowered Himself and did what no one else could or would do. May I be willing to do as He did. Amen.

My Time Has Come.

Matthew 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13

"As you go into the city," he told them, "you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’" – Matthew 26:18-20 NLT

The timing of Jesus' triumphal entry, betrayal, trial and crucifixion was no fluke. The fact that this all happened during the celebration of Passover was no coincidence. This was the high holy week for all Jews and the city of Jerusalem would have been filled to capacity with pilgrims coming from all over the known world at that time. Luke tells us in Acts that there were "Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabs" (Acts 2:9-11 NLT). The city would have been a melting pot of different nationalities, consisting of all those who had converted to Judaism. Passover was a seven-day celebration that was followed 50 days later with the celebration of Pentecost, which commemorated the giving of the Law on Sinai. The energy level within the city would have been at an all-time high. People were everywhere. It was a festival and celebration, that would have had a holiday feel about it, much like Christmas does for us.

As the day for the celebration of the Passover meal approached, the disciples went to Jesus and asked Him where He wanted them to prepare the meal. This would not have been the first time they had celebrated Passover together. Ever since Jesus chose them as His followers, they would have made their way to Jerusalem each year, and eaten this meal together, much like a family, with Jesus as the head of the household. What the disciples didn't know was that this particular Passover meal was going to be a radical departure from all those they had participated in before – all the way back to their childhoods. The entire last week of Jesus' life, commonly referred to as Passion Week, was filled with significant allusions to the Old Testament celebration of Passover, most of which would have escaped the notice of the disciples. In Jesus' instructions to His disciples, he said, "My time has come…" Jesus fully grasped the significance of what was about to happen and what it had to do with the Passover. He knew He was about to play the part of the innocent lamb, sacrificing His life in order that men might escape the grasp of death – just as in the days of the original Passover in Egypt.

His time had come. The climax of His earthly life was fast approaching. And as He sent the two disciples to make preparations for what would be His last Passover meal, His mind had to be swimming with thoughts regarding what was about to take place in the days ahead. Meanwhile the disciples who had been tasked with the preparations for the meal would have had their hands full. In reading the different accounts of this story in the Gospels, it appears as if all they had to do was procure a room. But there were extensive rituals to be performed. There was an unblemished lamb to purchase, sacrifice and prepare. In fact, these two disciples would have been the ones to actually take the life of the lamb they had chosen. There in the Temple grounds, along with thousands of other pilgrims, they would have watched as the life blood of their lamb was drained into a vessel, and then poured out at the foot of the altar. Then the lamb was "skinned, and cut open, the fat, the kidney's, and liver, set apart for the altar; the rest wrapped in the skin, and carried home from the Temple.… As the new day approached, at sunset, the carcass was trussed for roasting, with two skewers of pomegranate wood, so that they formed a cross in the lamb. It was then put in an earthen oven of a special kind, resting, without bottom, on the ground, and was roasted in the earth" (J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ).

Prior to this, they would have had to prepare the house in which they would be taking their meal together. They would have had to have removed all leaven, fermented grain or liquid, and anything that might defile the house. All the vessels to be used in preparation of the meal had to be painstakingly cleansed. This would have been an all-day affair. A blast from the silver trumpets in the Temple would have announced to all Jerusalem that the Passover had arrived. The time had come, just as it had over the years. But this time it was going to be different. This time there would be a new Lamb. This would be the final Passover. Once this week ended, there would never be a need for another lamb to ever be sacrificed again. No more blood would need to be shed. No more sacrifices would need to be made. A new covenant was going to be instituted. And while all of this escaped the notice of the disciples, Jesus was fully aware of what was going on and the eternal significance of the role He was about to play. It was for this moment He had come and the time had come for Him to do what only He could do.

Father, it is difficult to understand what these final days would have been like for Your Son. It is impossible to grasp what was going through His mind and heart as He drew closer to those final moments of His life. What He did, He did willingly. He was not forced or coerced. He was not made to die in our place. He did it gladly and out of love for us – in spite of our unlovableness. Thank You for sending Him to die in my place. Jesus, thank You for being willing to be obedient, even unto death – just for me. I know I didn't deserve. I know I had done nothing to earn it. But You did it anyway. And I am eternally grateful. Amen.

Betrayed.

Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6

"Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them." – Luke 22:3-4 NLT

Judas Iscariot. He is one of the most infamous characters in all of history. He is forever labeled as the dark-hearted, evil individual who betrayed the innocent Son of God and sealed His death. No one names their son, Judas. In fact, his very name is so synonymous with betrayal, that to be called "a Judas" would be an insult to most of us. Yet, this man was hand-picked by Jesus Himself. He was one of the original twelve Jesus chose to follow Him. Of course, he comes at the end of each of the gospel writer's lists of disciples, and always with the disclaimer, "who later betrayed him." At what point Jesus knew that Judas would be His betrayer, we are not told. We only know that this man was chosen along with the others, spent more than three years of his life living with and learning from Jesus. He became friends with the disciples. He was the official treasurer for the group and handled all their funds. It would not be until the latter part of His life that Jesus would begin to discuss His coming betrayal, and He spoke of it in fairly vague terms, saying, "we're going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law" (Mark 10:33 NLT). He didn't say who would betray Him or how. We're not told whether He knew or not. I have a suspicion that, because of His divine nature, and the fact that Jesus had exhibited the ability to look into the hearts of men on previous occasions, He probably knew that Judas was the one. But Judas had no idea. He was oblivious to the fact that the role of betrayer was out there in his future.

I truly believe that Judas followed Jesus with many of the same intentions and aspirations as the other disciples. He had hoped that Jesus truly was the Messiah. But, like the others, he had a very narrow understanding of what that meant. Their view of the Messiah was based on the concept of a conquering king and military emancipator. He was to be a warrior like David who would lead his people to victory over the Romans and reestablish the might and majesty of the Jewish nation. He would expand the borders of Israel once again. They would become a force to be reckoned with in that region of the world once again. But when Jesus failed to exhibit the characteristics of a king or do anything about gathering an army or planning an insurrection, the disciples became confused. Judas became impatient. Perhaps he did what he did in an attempt to force Jesus' hand. We are not given the motivation behind his actions. Luke alone tells us that "Satan entered into Judas Iscariot." Which could easily lead us to believe that Judas was an innocent pawn in the hands of the enemy. But his heart had become fertile ground for Satan's influence. This was probably not the first time that Satan had entered into Judas. When Mary anointed Jesus with the costly perfume, John records that it was Judas who spoke up and complained that this was a wasteful extravagance and that the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor. But John states, "Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself" (John 12:6 NLT). Judas had a heart that had been hardened over time. He had heard the teachings of Jesus, but had failed to listen to them. He was dishonest, self-centered, self-seeking and seemed to have been interested in only one thing: Living his life according to his own terms and for his own sake.

The Scriptures make it clear that what Judas did was in fulfillment of prophecy. After Jesus' ascension, as the disciples waited in a closed room as Jesus had commanded them to dt, Peter spoke up and said,

“Brothers, the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us."(Judas had bought a field with the money he received for his treachery. Falling headfirst there, his body split open, spilling out all his intestines. The news of his death spread to all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.”)Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’" – Acts 1:16-20 NLT

In this little speech, Peter refers to a passage in Psalm 41 written by David that he believed to be a prediction of what Judas had done. It reads, "Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me" (Psalm 41:9 NLT). So even the disciples believed that the actions of Judas were a part of God's foreordained plan. The night Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples for the last time, He stated, "One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born" (Matthew 26:23-24 NLT). Interestingly enough, Judas asked Jesus the question, "Rabbi, am I the one?" And Jesus told him, "You have said it." I think this was simply an attempt on Judas' part to see if Jesus knew who it was who was going to do the dirty deed. He had already made his plans and negotiated his payment with the religious leaders. Now it was just a matter of timing. Judas was destined to betray Jesus. But it was not an act outside of his control. He knew full well what he was doing. He was a willing, active participant in the process. His meeting with the religious leaders was not motivated by Satan. He came up with that plan all on his own. He determined to profit off of his relationship with Jesus. If He wasn't going to declare Himself King and whisk His disciples into roles of leadership and power, Judas was going to make the best out of a disappointing situation.

It would be easy to vilify Judas and make him the poster boy for evil. But if you think about it, all of us betray Jesus on a daily basis. That word "betray" seems so harsh and violent. But the word can actually be translated "to turn over" or "deliver up." Judas turned over Jesus. He handed Him over so that he could gain a profit. He let Jesus go just so he could gain. Did he fully understand what he was doing and what the end result of his actions would be? Probably not. When he saw how his betrayal impacted the life of Jesus, he attempted to return his ill-gotten gain and repent of his actions. He ultimately took his own life. But the bottom line is that he was willing to deliver Jesus up, turn Him over, and sacrifice his relationship with Him, just out of selfish greed. How many times have you turned over your relationship with Jesus just so you could get a promotion, have a good time, make a little extra money, enjoy a little "forbidden fruit," or dabble in some pleasure that He might deny you?

As evil as Judas' actions may appear to us, the truth is that each of us betray Jesus daily – in little, seemingly insignificant ways. We deny Him. We hand Him over to the enemy, and in exchange we get some benefit that ends up being short-lived and that fails to deliver what we had hoped. When we refuse to spend time in the Word, because we would rather work, sleep, or play, we turn Jesus over. We exchange Him for something else that we deem to be of greater value. For Judas, 30 pieces of silver had greater value than his 3-year relationship with Jesus. He sacrificed Jesus for money. Don't we do the same thing? When we would rather work than worship? When we would rather make money than spend time with Jesus? When we would rather play and be entertained than sit at His feet?

Judas had spent more than three years in the company and companionship of Jesus. But when it all came down to it, his desire for worldly things far outweighed his love for and appreciation of Jesus. What would you be willing to exchange for Jesus? What do you want so badly that you would turn over Jesus just to have it?

Father, betrayal seems like such an ugly term. But the reality is that I betray Your Son every day of my life in so many subtle and seemingly simple ways. Any time I give something else in my life greater value than my relationship with Him, I betray Jesus. I turn Him over in order to get what I want in return. Help me to see my heart. Don't let me make a villain out of Judas and fail to see my own guiltiness. Help me hold on to Jesus and to never exchange Him for anything, no matter how valuable it may appear. Amen.

Anointed For Death While Alive.

Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8

"She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time." – Mark 14:9 NLT

There has always been a fascinating story to me. It is full of interesting turns and twists and raises more than just a few questions. One of the most intriguing things about this passage is a statement by Jesus. It is one that I overlooked for years. After having been anointed and hearing the protests of Judas about the wastefulness of this action, Jesus responds by saying, "I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be remembered and discussed" (Mark 14:9 NLT). I can't help but read that statement and ask, "Was He right?" Have the actions of this woman been remembered and discussed wherever the Good News has been preached? There is no doubt that this passage has been preached and the events contained in it have been discussed, but I really question whether her deed has been remembered and discussed. I am not saying that Jesus was wrong, but I am suggesting that we have perhaps missed the significance of the moment as Jesus saw it. His statement suggests that the actions of Mary were not to be overlooked or misunderstood. The disciples, especially Judas, saw what she did as wasteful and unnecessary. It seemed extravagant and a tad over-zealous on Mary's part. But Jesus said that what she did should be remembered and discussed among all believers everywhere for all time. Why?

I think there are several things going on here. First of all, it is just days before Jesus' trial, crucifixion and death. He has told His disciples what is going to happen in Jerusalem, but they are refusing to believe it. Jesus has His attention focused on the task at hand – His sacrificial death for the sins of all mankind. The disciples are focused on the Kingdom. They are still anticipating that Jesus is going to establish His earthly Kingdom and they are going to rule and reign at His side. They have no room in their plans for a suffering Savior or a martyred Messiah. Jesus is fully aware of all that is about to happen to Him. He knows Judas is going to betray Him. He is painfully aware that Peter is going to deny Him. He knows that every one of the disciples will desert Him. So when He walked into the home of Simon the leper in order to attend a special dinner held in His honor, His mind was on the events that faced Him in just days. But this dinner was a celebration. Simon, the host of this event, had been healed from leprosy by Jesus. In attendance was Lazarus, who Jesus had miraculously raised from the dead just days before. Along with him are his sisters, Mary and Martha. This was a joyous occasion, and all in attendance were celebrating the life, health, and wholeness of these two men: Simon and Lazarus. Jesus was the center of attention, because He had made it all possible. It was a feast, complete with fine food and good wine. And then, in the middle of it all, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, stood up and took a bottle of costly perfume and poured it on Jesus' head and feet. This would have been a stop-down moment. The smell would have been overwhelming, as the pungent aroma of essence of nard filled the room. All eyes would have been riveted on Mary as she knelt at Jesus feet, weeping and wiping up the excess perfume with her own hair. Jaws would have dropped. Whispers would have been passed back and forth. Mark tells us that some at the table were indignant at what they saw. Judas, the treasurer of the disciples, spoke up and commented on the wastefulness of it all. "That perfume was worth a year's wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor" (John 12:5 NLT).

But why did Mary do what she did? Jesus seemed to indicate that Mary knew what she was doing. He said, "Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial" (John 12:7 NLT). But I don't think that was Mary's intent. I don't believe she anointed Jesus, aware that He was going to be dead in just a few days. Her action was purely out of gratitude for what Jesus had done for her brother. He had raised Lazarus from the dead, and she was overwhelmed with gratitude. So she took the best that she had and gave it to the Lord. She blessed Him for having been a blessing to her. Unknowingly, she was anointing Jesus for burial – while He was still alive. The fragrance of that perfume would have been with Jesus even when He hung on the cross. The oil from the essence of nard would have mixed with His blood as He was scourged by the Roman guards. It would have mingled with His sweat as He hung on the cross, enduring the physical pain and the verbal abuse of the religious leaders. And as Jesus breathed His last breath, the smell of that perfume would have filled His nostrils.

This selfless, sacrificial gift would last much longer than the meal or the accolades of the guests. Even the shouts of "Hosanna" that had accompanied Jesus' entry into Jerusalem that previous Sunday would soon be changed to screams of "Crucify Him!" The people at that dinner were there because they had either seen or heard about Jesus' miraculous raising of Lazarus from the dead. Jesus was a celebrity. He was a rock star. But none of them went out of their way to sacrificially thank Him for all that He had one. One person, Mary, took the time and sacrificed her resources, to express gratitude to Jesus for His ministry in her life. And her thankful actions were seen by Jesus as a preparation for His coming death.

Jesus was on His way to die – on their behalf. The disciples were busy planning for the Kingdom, even debating who would have the highest positions in Jesus' new administration. The people were thinking that things were looking up. The Messiah was here and, once He claimed His rightful throne, He was going to get rid of the Romans once and for all. But Mary could think of nothing else than expressing thanks for what Jesus had already done in her life. She expressed gratitude.

Jesus made a point of saying that what Mary had done for Him should be remembered and discussed among believers everywhere and for all time. Why? Because she alone expressed the proper response to Him. She was not asking for more. She was not demanding that He set up His Kingdom. She was not wanting Him to perform more miracles or prove Himself in any other way. He had already done more than enough for Mary and she showed Him just how grateful she was. And in doing so, she helped prepare His living body for His coming death. Her action of gratitude would have more impact than even she intended. She did what she could. She gave what she had. She showed how she felt. And she should be remembered.

Father, how quickly we blow past this story. Or we get hung up on the wrong things. This woman's simple, sacrificial act of thanksgiving to Jesus would have a long-lasting impact on Him. He would remember what she did in the days ahead as the aroma of the perfume helped encourage Him during the darkest moments of His life. She anointed for death while He was still living by expressing her love and gratitude for what He had already done. May I learn to do the same. Amen.

The King And His Kingdom!

Matthew 25:1-26:5; Mark 14:1-2; Luke 22:1-2

"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne." – Matthew 25:31 NLT

One of the themes of the Gospels that most of us seem to overlook or simply ignore is that of the Kingdom of Heaven. When we think of the Gospels, we tend to concentrate on Jesus as the Savior of the world. Because we are 21st-Century believers living in a western context, the whole idea of a King and a Kingdom does not resonate with us. But we have to remember that the New Testament is in harmony with and a fulfillment of the Old Testament. Jesus was the one who had been promised by God to Abraham. "And the Lord came to Abram, and said, I will give all this land to your seed; then Abram made an altar there to the Lord who had let himself be seen by him" (Genesis 12:7 BBE). That word translated "seed" is important. It can be translated "seed, offspring, or even descendants." So it would be natural to assume that God is promising the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants. And that would be a right assumption. But Paul gives us an even better understanding of this passage. He writes, "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ" (Galatians 3:15-16 NASB). In other words, when God made His promise to Abraham, He was saying that, ultimately, He was going to give the land to Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, but also the Son of God and the King of kings. The land would belong to Him as its rightful ruler.

The Gospels are full of references to the Kingdom. In fact, when Jesus came into the world He was a fulfillment of countless Old Testament prophecies that predicted and promised the coming of a King, a descendant of David, who would sit on his throne forever. God had promised David, “Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you – a dynasty of kings!…Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for al time, and your throne will be secure forever” (2 Samuel 7:11, 16 NLT). But it had been hundreds of years since a descendant of David had ruled from a throne in Jerusalem. In fact, since their return from exile in Babylon, Israel had had no king at all. Then there was a 400 year period of oppression under a string of different countries, most recently Rome. The king who sat on the throne when Jesus was born was Herod, an Edomite, and not a descendant of David. But Jesus WAS a descendant of David. The lineage of Jesus found in Luke traces His line back to David through Mary. This establishes Jesus’ legal claim to the throne. The lineage found in Matthew traces the line of Jesus through Mary. This establishes Jesus’ hereditary claim to the throne. When Mary and Joseph obeyed the decree to go to their ancestral home for taxation purposes, they went to Bethlehem. "And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home" (Luke 2: 4 NLT). Jesus was of royal pedigree.

What did the angel tell Mary when he announced to her God's plan? “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1:31-33 NLT). Her son would be a king. He would rule just like David did, but His kingdom would be everlasting. Some time after Jesus' birth, even the magi came looking for a king. "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:1-2 NLT). At the birth of John the Baptist, his father, Zechariah prophesied about the royalty of Jesus even before He was born. "Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David” (Luke 1:67-68 NLT).

Why is this so important? Because Jesus was not just born to be our Savior, but to be King. The reality is that, one day, He will be King over all mankind whether they believe in Him or not. Paul reminds us, "Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11 NLT). But we will not all worship Him in the same way. Some will be His loyal subjects. Others will bow in subjugation. Some will be citizens. Others will be slaves – the captives of war. Some will be welcomed into His presence. Others will be cast out. Jesus' redemptive work on the cross, made it possible for men to be restored to a right relationship with God, so that we might live in His eternal Kingdom, under the righteous rule of Jesus Christ, forever. He will be our Savior AND our King. In fact, He is our Savior and King even today. But the problem is that, too often, we want to welcome Jesus as Savior, but refuse to let Him rule in our lives. We accept His gracious offer of eternal life, but we want to be the ones who rule and reign over our own lives.

Jesus spent a great deal of time teaching about the Kingdom. It was going to be drastically different than the one the Jews were anticipating. They were looking for a conquering king who would establish His kingdom on earth and set them free from subjugation to Rome. But Jesus came to establish a different kind of Kingdom. He came to set them free from slavery to sin. He came to release them from captivity to Satan and to release them from the condemnation of death as rebels against God. So much of what Jesus said about the Kingdom had to do with His future return. He was going to come back. And when He did, He would set up the kind of Kingdom the Jewish people had long been waiting for. Jesus taught about His eminent return as King. But it would not take place until He had suffered and died, paying the penalty for the sins of mankind. He would have to redeem mankind before they would accept His rule over them. Without His offer of salvation, we would never accept Him as sovereign. But the whole story of the Bible is about the righteous rule and reign of God over His creation. Jesus was born as King and He was crucified as King. At His trial, the soldiers mocked Him as King. "They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove a thorn branch into a crown and put it on his head. Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” (Mark 15:17-18 NLT). On the cross, the sign that was nailed above His head carried the charge, "The King of the Jews." As He hung on the cross, the religious leaders mocked Him as King. "He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe in him!” (Mark 15:31-32 NLT). Jesus died because He was King. But He is coming again because He is King.

The Return of the King!

Jesus had taught His disciples that He would die, but He would rise again. He also told them that He would go away, but He would return some day. And when He did, He would establish His Kingdom once and for all. The Messianic Kingdom they anticipated would come, but not when they expected it.

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.” –  Matthew 25:31-34 NLT

The Gospels record the arrival of the King and the beginning of His Kingdom. They record Jesus’ teaching regarding the Kingdom. They contrast the false view with the true image of the Kingdom. They establish Jesus as the King. It was for His claim to be King that He died. And it will be as a King that He returns.

Father, too often I am more than willing to acknowledge Jesus as my Savior, but refuse to let Him be my King. I take on that responsibility, attempting to rule my life according to my own standards and in an effort to live life on my own terms. But He died that I might live, and do so as His subject, a citizen of His Kingdom, submitting myself to His righteous rule over my life. Show me how to live, not just because of Him, but for Him. Amen.

Watch Out!

Luke 21:5-26

"Watch out! Don't let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don't let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man." – Luke 21:34-36 NLT

This is Luke's account of the very same message given by Jesus and recorded by Matthew and Mark. So rather than go back over the content that I covered the last two days, I want to concentrate on how Jesus closed His teaching to His disciples. It is clear that some of what He told them was going to take place within their lifetimes, once He had been crucified, resurrected and ascended. He had warned them of this before. When Jesus had sent them out two by two, He had told them, "Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time" (Matthew 10:16-19 NLT). If you read further in Matthew's account, you realize that none of this took place while they were out ministering, so Jesus was talking about some future time. It would all be fulfilled once they began their ministry in His absence. The book of Acts records the death of the apostles James and of Peter's imprisonment. "About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover" (Acts 12:1-4 NLT).

Church history records that most, if not all, of the apostles died martyr's deaths. So what Jesus told them did come to pass. But in this passage in Luke, Jesus is telling them about things that were going to happen long after they were gone. And yet, He closes His message to them with the words, "Watch out!" He tells them to be alert. Why would He tell them to "pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man"? (Luke 21:36 NLT) The fact is that every generation will suffer their fair share of trials. Jesus had told the disciples, "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NLT). James wrote, "Dear brothers and sisters,when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing" (James 1:2-4 NLT). Paul echoed the same theme: "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits arebeing renewed every day.For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT).

Trials are part of life. Difficulties will come. Persecution may be our lot in life. But Jesus told His disciples to watch out. He told them to keep alert. He told them to pray for strength. They were to keep their eyes on the end. They were to live like Jesus was going to come back any day. They were to be prepared for His appearance. Their lives were to be marked by an attitude of anticipation. That's why He told them to not let their hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness. There is no time to get distracted or have your senses dulled by the things of this world. It's interesting that he adds to the somewhat negative acts of carousing and drunkenness, the worries of this life. Jesus had earlier told the disciples, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25 NLT). Then He went on to say, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of Godabove all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need" (Matthew 6:31-33 NLT). It is so easy to let the worries and cares of this life get us off task and distract us from what we are really to be doing. We can lose sight of our true purpose as God's people and begin to live as if this is all there is. Rather than live for His coming Kingdom, we try to establish our own little sovereignties right here on earth, with ourselves serving as king and lord of our own domain.

But Jesus said, "Don't let that day catch you unaware" (Luke 21:34 NLT). We are to live in a state of readiness, as if Jesus could appear any day. We need to be alert and diligent. We can't afford to fall asleep at our post or get distracted by the cares of this world. Paul told his young protege, Timothy, "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them" (2 Timothy 2:3-4 NLT). Paul wanted Timothy to be ready. He wanted him to take his role seriously as a servant of Jesus Christ. He had been commissioned for service by the Lord Himself, and Paul wanted Timothy to serve well. That is what Jesus wants from each of us who call ourselves His followers. The world is going to try to distract us. The enemy is going to try and discourage us. Our own sin nature is going to attempt to defeat us. But we must watch. We must remain alert. And we must pray for strength. But we must also remind one another and encourage each other of the reality that Jesus is coming again. This is NOT all there is. He is not done yet. We have been saved. We are being sanctified. But one day we will all be glorified. Jesus Christ is going to come again and complete what He has begun. That is our hope. That is where we need to keep our focus. One day we will stand before the Son of Man, and all of this will have been worth it all.

Father, thank You that You are not done. Help me to keep my eyes focused on the end. Give me the strength to stand firm, remain alert, to keep my eyes open and to stay faithful. Don't allow me to get distracted by this world. Don't let me get dulled by all that this life offers than can take my eyes off of the hope of Christ's return. Amen.

False Idols.

Matthew 24

Jesus replied, "Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!" – Matthew 24:44 NLT

temple_1355295i

Chapter 13 of Mark parallels chapter 24 of Matthew, which I covered in yesterday's blog. So today I want to concentrate on the brief exchange between Jesus and the disciples that set up the whole end times teaching by Jesus. As they were leaving the Temple grounds, the disciples comment on the beautiful buildings. "Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls" (Mark 13:1 NLT). They were obviously impressed by the architectural wonder of the Temple. Watch the following video from the History Channel for a little bit better idea of the magnitude and magnificence of the Temple and its courtyards.

The structure about which the disciples were commenting was actually the third Temple. The original one, built by Solomon, the son of David, was destroyed in 586 B.C. by the Babylonians as part of God's judgment for the unfaithfulness of the people of Judah. Prior to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Solomon's Temple, God had warned the people that He was going to judge them. "The Lord said to Jeremiah: ‘Stand in the gate of the Lord’s temple and proclaim this message: "Listen, all you people of Judah who have passed through these gates to worship the Lord. Hear what the Lord has to say. The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says: Change the way you have been living and do what is right. If you do, I will allow you to continue to live in this land. Stop putting your confidence in the false belief that says, ‘We are safe! The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here!’ You must change the way you have been living and do what is right. You must treat one another fairly. Stop oppressing foreigners who live in your land, children who have lost their fathers, and women who have lost their husbands. Stop killing innocent people in this land. Stop paying allegiance to other gods. That will only bring about your ruin. If you stop doing these things, I will allow you to continue to live in this land which I gave to your ancestors as a lasting possession”’” (Jeremiah 7:1-7 NLT). God was calling for a change of heart. He was calling the people of God to repentance, much like Jesus had been doing in His day. Yet, they believed they were exempt from judgment because they had the Temple of the Lord. In other words, as long as the Temple was around, so was God. After all, it was His earthly dwelling place. The Temple had become their guarantee of God's abiding presence. But God warned them to change their ways. They were unfaithful, unrighteous, dishonest, corrupt, and an embarrassment to the name of God. They had made an idol out of the Temple and worshiped it more than they did the God who they believed dwelt within it. It reminds me of the story of the capture of the Ark of the Covenant recorded in 1 Samuel 4. The Israelites had no king at this time. They were surrounded by various groups of people who constantly harassed the attacked them. One of their greatest enemies during those days were the Philistines. On this particular occasion, the Philistines attacked the Israelites and killed 4,000 of their men. After regrouping from their defeat, the Israelites come up with the idea to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh were it was kept in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle. The top of the Ark was called the Mercy Seat, and it was here that the presence of God dwelt within the Tabernacle. This was long before the construction of the Temple by Solomon. The Ark was never to leave the Holy of Holies, but the Israelites disregarded this fact and brought it to the battleground, in the hopes that it would bring them victory. When all the Israelites saw the Ark arrive in their camp, they shouted for joy. Even the Philistines heard all the commotion and became fearful. But when the battle took place, the Israelites were defeated again, this time losing 30,000 men. Not only that, the Ark was captured by the Philistines.

In both of these stories, we see a people who had made false gods out of the Temple and the Ark. These two things were never intended to be worshiped or idolized. They were never meant to replace having awe for God and obedience to His commands. They were no guarantee of His presence or His pleasure. God allowed the Ark to be captured and the Temple to be destroyed. He would later arrange for the recapture of the Ark and the rebuilding of the Temple, but the people would continue to live in disobedience and unfaithfulness. By Jesus day, with a relatively new Temple provided by Herod, the Israelites were feeling pretty good about themselves once again. It was a beautiful structure that was a drastic improvement on the second Temple built after the return of the people from exile. It was a magnificent structure and was the pride of the Hebrew people. But Jesus warns the disciples that this building would be destroyed just like the first Temple. Why? Because nothing had changed. The people of God were still unfaithful. They were religiously zealous, but failed to recognize the Son of God standing in their midst. They fully believed that their attempts at keeping the law, coupled with their special designation as God's chosen people and the presence of the Temple, would protect them. But Jesus told them, "How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation" (Luke 19:42-44 NLT).

In 70 A.D. the words of Jesus would be fulfilled as Titus marched against Jerusalem and destroyed the city and the Temple. More than 6,000 Jews lost their lives and the once beautiful Temple would be leveled and left as a pile of rubble.

For the disciples, this news would have been disturbing and unbelievable. How could God allow His Temple and the city of David to be destroyed? Even they failed to remember that this had all happened before. They didn't recognize the similarities between ancient Israel and their own generation. They were convinced that the Temple was a sign of God's favor. It had become an idol in their lives, replacing reverence for and obedience to God. They believed their keeping of the Law and their adherence to the sacrificial requirements were all that they needed to keep on good terms with God. But on more than one occasion, God had warned the people of Israel that it wasn't sacrifices that He wanted.

"I am sick of your sacrifices," says the LORD. "Don't bring me any more burnt offerings! I don't want the fat from your rams or other animals. I don't want to see the blood from your offerings of bulls and rams and goats. Why do you keep parading through my courts with your worthless sacrifices? The incense you bring me is a stench in my nostrils! Your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath day, and your special days for fasting -- even your most pious meetings -- are all sinful and false. I want nothing more to do with them. I hate all your festivals and sacrifices. I cannot stand the sight of them!" – Isaiah 1:11-14 NLT

But God would also make it clear what He really wanted from them.

"Wash! Cleanse yourselves! Remove your sinful deeds from my sight. Stop sinning!Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord. “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool." – Isaiah 1:16-18 NET

Heart change. That was what God wanted. And it is still what He wants from us. It is what Jesus was teaching to His disciples. He had come to make a new covenant with the people of God. A covenant that would not be based on the law. Jesus had come to set us free from the keeping of the law. Paul reminds us, "So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law" (Galatians 5:1 NLT). He goes on to say, "For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace" (Galatians 5:5 NLT). Jesus came to provide another way, a better way, to be made right with God. But the people of His day could not stop worshiping their religion and rituals. They were obsessed with earning favor with God. It was all up to them. It was all tied up in the Temple and with the sacrificial system. But with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, the sacrificial system would be eliminated. There would no longer be a Temple or a Holy of Holies. There would be no altar on which to sacrifice unblemished lambs for the forgiveness of their sins. But God had provided an alternative.

The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christcame into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer.You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin.Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—as is written about me in the Scriptures’” – Hebrews 10:1-7 NLT

The Temple would be destroyed, but it would not eliminate man's access to God. The sacrificial system would cease to exist, but a final sacrifice had been made. God had provided a way for men to be made right with Him through the death of His own Son. His own body would be destroyed, but God would raise it up again three days later, defeating sin and death once and for all. In just a matter of days, the disciples would witness all of this. And their lives would be transformed forever by the power of the Holy Spirit. Their message would no longer contain praise for the Temple and admiration for the sacrificial system. They would preach Christ crucified and glorified. They would tell of salvation by faith through Christ alone. They would spread the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the known world. And we are the beneficiaries of their efforts.

Father, thank You that we don't have to try to earn our favor with You. That we don't have to go through some kind of overwhelming impossible religious rituals to gain access into Your presence. We don't need a Temple or a priesthood. We have full access to You because of what Jesus has done for us. Amen.