In ancient Israel, a lamp was a lighted wick in a clay bowl that was full of oil. The lamp was not lit and then put under a closed place. Instead, the lamp was lit and placed on a stand, where its light will shine and illuminate the room. Jesus continued his use of parables. Although the truth may be hidden or secret for a while, it will not remain so. One day the truth will be brought to light. This could refer either to Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (when his followers would fully understand Jesus’ words) or the Second Coming. Jesus’ followers did not understand everything about Jesus at that time, but all their questions would be answered one day.
Because the stories are so important in what they teach, Jesus warned the people to pay attention to his words. We must treasure the words of Jesus. A person’s openness and perception of the Kingdom message will bring great rewards. Ultimately, believers will receive eternal blessings in heaven. The people who listen and understand are those who are open to Jesus’ teaching. To them God will give more understanding. They will continue to grow because they let God’s word make a difference in their lives. In contrast, those who are not listening will lose whatever they had.
This story about the Kingdom of God, recorded only by Mark, reveals that spiritual growth is a continual, gradual process that is finally consummated in a harvest of spiritual maturity. We can begin to understand the process of spiritual growth by comparing it to the slow but certain growth of a plant. Even though the farmer did not understand the actual process of growth, his ignorance does not stop it from happening—the seeds sprouted and grew. In the same way, the Kingdom of God begins in a person’s life with a seed of understanding that takes root in the good soil of a ready heart. That seed sprouts and grows into strong faith. But how that happens is God’s responsibility.
The farmer lets the seed grow in the fields and goes about his other work, but as soon as the grain is ready, he has work to do. The farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle. Likewise, the time will come when God will intervene decisively into the world’s affairs. The story of the growing seed illustrates the growth rate of the Kingdom of God. The story of the mustard seed illustrates the surprising size of the growth from such a small beginning.
Jesus prepared again to explain the Kingdom of God in a story. No one story could completely describe God’s Kingdom in all its aspects, so Jesus employed several of them. The crowds, and even some of the disciples, were expecting the Messiah to be a political leader who would free Israel from Rome. The only “kingdom” they could picture was an earthly one. So Jesus attempted to clarify his Kingdom even further for them.
From this very tiny seed would grow a large shrub—the largest shrub among all the herbs that the farmer would plant in his garden. A mustard shrub could grow ten to twelve feet in just a few weeks. Jesus’ point was that just as a tiny seed can grow into one of the largest of plants, so God’s Kingdom can begin with a few people who truly believe and grow into such greatness that, upon Christ’s second coming, it will overpower the entire earth and rule supremely forever.
Mark then shares a series of miracles that demonstrated Jesus’ power over the natural elements, the spiritual realm, and the human body. He presented a strong case for Jesus’ startling uniqueness and divine nature. Saying we believe that Jesus can help us takes on a whole new meaning when we actually depend on him for help.
We read that Jesus suggested that He and the disciples cross to the east side of the Sea of Galilee. The boat probably belonged to one of the fishermen in the group, most likely to Peter. For Peter to set sail in the evening was not unusual because he was used to fishing at night. Fishing was best then; storms usually came in the afternoon. Thus, when Jesus finished speaking, the disciples pulled up the anchor and set sail. Jesus’ ministry was never without purpose. He was crossing the sea in order to enter a new area of ministry. Along the way, the disciples would be taught an unforgettable lesson about his power.
A fierce storm came blowing in on the the little boat that Jesus and the disciple were in. While this was happening, Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat. How Jesus could sleep during this storm indicates his complete exhaustion and reveals his human nature. That the noise, the violent rocking of the boat, and the cold spray of the water didn’t awaken him gives us a glimpse of the physical drain on Jesus throughout his earthly ministry.
They woke him and asked, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are going to drown?” Their words were more of a criticism than a call for help. How easy it is for us to complain and criticize God for not coming to our aid, rather than making our request and then trusting him to answer.
Although the disciples had witnessed many miracles, they panicked in this storm. Added to that, they revealed that they completely misunderstood their teacher. They had seen Jesus perform great miracles of compassion, but they dared to ask if he cared about them at all. Their question was rude; their misunderstanding was deep.
Standing in the stern of the rocking ship, Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the water, “Quiet down!” The disciples’ were shocked at the power of their teacher to speak and control the ocean waves. But they should not have been surprised. The storm was out of control, their fears were out of control, but Jesus was never out of control. He has power over all the forces of nature, and he listens to the appeals of those who love him.
Despite their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, the disciples still had not grasped that Jesus was himself God, given God’s power and authority over all of creation, as betrayed by their question, “Who is this man?” They should have known because this miracle clearly displayed the truth of Jesus’ divine identity. Being with the human, compassionate Jesus was fine; being with the powerful and supernatural Son of God was terrifying.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
The disciples of Jesus rocked the world. Through their obedience to preach the Word and be His witnesses, the gospel spread throughout the world. Lord, may you do the same thing here at COV. Change the world through the obedience of the men and women and students and children. One life at a time. One family at a time.
"But as Scripture says: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (GW)
Lord, raise up folks at COV who desire to do your will more than anything else in their life. Give them the courage and boldness to stand up and to speak up and to go it alone if necessary.
"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God's powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way." Romans 1:16 (LB)
PRAYER
Lord, work in hearts today. Even now, Lord, begin drawing people here to COV for Sunday morning to hear Your message. Watch over the folks of COV today. Bless them, protect them, provide for them. Give them peace.
"My eyes will watch over them for their good, to bring them back to this country, to build them up and not to break them down, to plant them and not to uproot them."
Jeremiah 24:6 (NJB)
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
DAY #58: February 27, 2009 - Mark 4:1-20
Jesus often used parables when teaching the crowds. A parable compels listeners to discover truth, while at the same time conceals the truth from those too stubborn or hard hearted to see it. In this passage, Jesus told a parable that His audience could easily relate to—a farmer planting seed. In ancient Israel, seed was sown by hand. As the farmer walked across the field, he would throw handfuls of seed from a large bag slung across his shoulders. No matter how skillful, no farmer could keep some of his seed from being scattered among rocks and thorns, or from being carried off by the wind. So the farmer would throw the seed liberally, and enough would fall on good ground to ensure the harvest.
Some of the seeds fell on a footpath. The hard and compacted soil of the road made it impossible for the seed to penetrate. So it sat on top, as tempting morsels for the birds that came and ate the seeds. Some of that seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprang up quickly in the shallow soil, but the sun took the moisture out so rapidly that the young plants wilted. Some of the farmer’s seed fell among thorns. Thorns rob the sprouts of nutrition, water, light, and space. Thus, when the thorns grew up, the good seed was choked out.
However, some of the seed landed in fertile soil. This seed had the depth, space, and moisture to grow, multiply, and produce a crop. Those willing to really listen and hear the truths that were taught and act upon what they heard were the good soil. Some people in the crowd were only curious about Jesus, a few were looking for evidence to use against him, and others truly wanted to learn and grow. Jesus’ words were for the honest seekers. Those who honestly seek God’s will have spiritual hearing, so they will be able to listen and understand.
The farmer was God. The seed that is sown is the word of God. The story reveals people’s varying responses to the gospel message. The attitude or condition of their hearts would govern their response. The word makes no impression on the “hard-path” people. Satan comes at once and takes it away. Perhaps the person feels no need in his or her heart, no desire for anything other than this life, no guilt of sin or need of forgiveness.
The “rocky-soil” people hear the message and receive it with joy. These people receive the Good News of the gospel because of the promises offered. They initially show some promise of growth. These people understand some of the basics but do not allow God’s truth to work its way into their souls and make a difference in their lives—their roots don’t go very deep and thus they wilt. When the storms of life come their way, they fall away.
“Thorny-ground” people hear and accept the Good News and allow it to take root in their hearts, giving hope of a harvest. But “thorns” grow up and choke out the growing seed—distractions and conflicts rob new believers of time to reflect on and digest God’s word in order to grow. Jesus described the thorns: cares of this life, lure of wealth, and desire for nice things. Worldly cares (no matter how important or how minor), the false sense of security brought on by prosperity, and the desire for material things (including anything that serves to distract a person) plagued first-century disciples as they do us today. Daily routines overcrowd and materialistic pursuits distract believers so no crop is produced.
But other people are like the good soil—they hear and accept the authority of God's word and produce a huge harvest. These are the true disciples—those who have accepted Jesus, believed his words, and allowed him to make a difference in their lives.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I am more passionate today about growing true disciples than ever before in my life. Disciples that have hearts to grow and hearts to serve and hearts to persevere through whatever suffering/trials that come their way. Lord, grow the people of COV. Give them a heart for You. Give them a heart to what is right. Protect them from the evil that is so prevalent. Protect them from the ravenous wolves that would drag them down and pull them away from You. Teach them about spiritual warfare and putting on the armor of God - daily.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)
PRAYER
Lord, teach our people how to be discerning when it comes to their friendships. Guard their hearts and minds. Protect their purity and innocence.
"Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
Lord, teach our people the principle of G.I.G.O. = Garbage In - Garbage Out. Be careful little eyes what you see.
Some of the seeds fell on a footpath. The hard and compacted soil of the road made it impossible for the seed to penetrate. So it sat on top, as tempting morsels for the birds that came and ate the seeds. Some of that seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprang up quickly in the shallow soil, but the sun took the moisture out so rapidly that the young plants wilted. Some of the farmer’s seed fell among thorns. Thorns rob the sprouts of nutrition, water, light, and space. Thus, when the thorns grew up, the good seed was choked out.
However, some of the seed landed in fertile soil. This seed had the depth, space, and moisture to grow, multiply, and produce a crop. Those willing to really listen and hear the truths that were taught and act upon what they heard were the good soil. Some people in the crowd were only curious about Jesus, a few were looking for evidence to use against him, and others truly wanted to learn and grow. Jesus’ words were for the honest seekers. Those who honestly seek God’s will have spiritual hearing, so they will be able to listen and understand.
The farmer was God. The seed that is sown is the word of God. The story reveals people’s varying responses to the gospel message. The attitude or condition of their hearts would govern their response. The word makes no impression on the “hard-path” people. Satan comes at once and takes it away. Perhaps the person feels no need in his or her heart, no desire for anything other than this life, no guilt of sin or need of forgiveness.
The “rocky-soil” people hear the message and receive it with joy. These people receive the Good News of the gospel because of the promises offered. They initially show some promise of growth. These people understand some of the basics but do not allow God’s truth to work its way into their souls and make a difference in their lives—their roots don’t go very deep and thus they wilt. When the storms of life come their way, they fall away.
“Thorny-ground” people hear and accept the Good News and allow it to take root in their hearts, giving hope of a harvest. But “thorns” grow up and choke out the growing seed—distractions and conflicts rob new believers of time to reflect on and digest God’s word in order to grow. Jesus described the thorns: cares of this life, lure of wealth, and desire for nice things. Worldly cares (no matter how important or how minor), the false sense of security brought on by prosperity, and the desire for material things (including anything that serves to distract a person) plagued first-century disciples as they do us today. Daily routines overcrowd and materialistic pursuits distract believers so no crop is produced.
But other people are like the good soil—they hear and accept the authority of God's word and produce a huge harvest. These are the true disciples—those who have accepted Jesus, believed his words, and allowed him to make a difference in their lives.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I am more passionate today about growing true disciples than ever before in my life. Disciples that have hearts to grow and hearts to serve and hearts to persevere through whatever suffering/trials that come their way. Lord, grow the people of COV. Give them a heart for You. Give them a heart to what is right. Protect them from the evil that is so prevalent. Protect them from the ravenous wolves that would drag them down and pull them away from You. Teach them about spiritual warfare and putting on the armor of God - daily.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)
PRAYER
Lord, teach our people how to be discerning when it comes to their friendships. Guard their hearts and minds. Protect their purity and innocence.
"Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
Lord, teach our people the principle of G.I.G.O. = Garbage In - Garbage Out. Be careful little eyes what you see.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
DAY #57: February 26, 2009 - Mark 3:13-35
Jesus did not take volunteers; he chose and called those he wanted. Jesus wanted these men; so he called them, and they came to him. They did not hesitate to obey. Jesus had many disciples (learners), but he selected twelve of them to be his regular companions, calling them apostles (messengers). The apostles were Jesus’ inner circle.
He gave them special training, and he sent them out with his own authority. From the hundreds of people who followed Jesus from place to place, he especially selected these twelve to receive the most intense training. We see the impact of these men throughout the rest of the New Testament, for they started the Christian church. The choice of twelve men is highly symbolic. The number twelve corresponds to the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28), showing the continuity between the old religious system and the new one based on Jesus’ message.
Jesus did not choose these twelve to be his disciples because of their faith—it often faltered. He didn’t choose them because of their talent and ability—no one stood out with unusual ability. The disciples represented a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, but apparently they may have had no more leadership potential than those who were not chosen. The one characteristic they all shared was their willingness to obey Jesus.
The first disciples name recorded was Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter. Jesus gave him a name in addition to the one he already had—he did not change Simon’s name. Sometimes Peter is referred to as Cephas. “Peter” is the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic Cephas—a word meaning stone or rock. Peter had been a fisherman . He became one of three in Jesus’ core group among the disciples. He also confessed that Jesus was the Messiah.
James and John had also been fishermen. James would become the first martyr for the Christian faith (Acts 12:2). John would write the Gospel of John, the letters of 1, 2, and 3 John, and the book of Revelation. These brothers were nicknamed Sons of Thunder. Scripture gives glimpses of these men, revealing that they were somewhat short-tempered and judgmental; for example, they wanted to call fire down from heaven on an inhospitable Samaritan village (Luke 9:52-56). Thus Jesus gave them an appropriate name.
Andrew was Peter’s brother and also a fisherman. Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist. He left John to follow Jesus, and then brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. Philip was the fourth to meet Jesus. Philip probably knew Andrew and Peter because they were from the same town, Bethsaida. Philip then brought Bartholomew (also called Nathanael) as recorded in John 1:45-47.
Bartholomew at first rejected Jesus because Jesus was from Nazareth. But upon meeting Jesus, his attitude changed (John 1:49). Matthew was also known as Levi. He had been a tax collector (Mark 2:14). He had been a despised outcast because of his dishonest career, but he abandoned that corrupt (though lucrative) way of life to follow Jesus. He would later write the Gospel of Matthew. Thomas is sometimes called “Doubting Thomas” because he doubted Jesus’ resurrection (John 20:24-25). But he also loved the Lord and was a man of great courage (John 11:16).
Thomas was tough and committed, even if he tended to be pessimistic. Thus, when the other disciples said that Jesus was alive, Thomas didn’t believe them. However, when Thomas saw and touched the living Christ, doubting Thomas became believing Thomas. James is designated as son of Alphaeus to differentiate him from James the son of Zebedee (and brother of John). Thaddaeus is also called “Judas son of James” (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13). Simon was probably not a member of the party of Zealots, for that political party did not appear until a.d. 68. Most likely the word Zealot used here indicates zeal for God’s honor and not extreme nationalism; it was an affectionate nickname.
The name Iscariot is probably a compound word meaning “the man from Kerioth.” Thus, Judas’s hometown was Kerioth in southern Judea , making him the only one of the Twelve who was not from Galilee. It was Judas, son of Simon Iscariot , who betrayed Jesus to his enemies and then committed suicide. Mark presents a paradoxical picture of the disciples. They doubted and they failed, yet they were used to build the church. Some died for him, one betrayed him. The message is, what kind of disciple will you be?
Although God permits Satan to work in our world, God is in control. Jesus, as God, has “tied up” Satan; Jesus is able to drive out demons and end their terrible work in people’s lives. As such, every exorcism was a binding of Satan; one day Satan will be bound forever (Revelation 20:10).
Jesus had just been accused of being in league with Satan and had soundly refuted those charges. Here he had a few words for these so-called teachers of religious law, the Jewish leaders.
First he made the incredible promise that any sin can be forgiven, including blasphemy. Too often people miss this promise and worry about the warning in the next verse. But the fact is, those who believe in Jesus will be forgiven of all sins (evil acts, wrong actions, good actions not done, evil thoughts, evil motives, etc.) and of all blasphemies (evil words said against God). When there is confession and repentance, no sin is beyond God’s forgiveness.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Lord, I've got to spend more time investing in the men I am discipling. I see in them so much leadership and a heart for You and Your people. Lord, help them see what You see and what I see in them. Give them a God sized vision for their life. Build their faith and their boldness. And Lord, use me, however you would, to teach, model, inspire, correct and encourage them to greatness in building Your Kingdom. Use them to impact their families and their wives and their world and our church. Lord, use them to turn the world upside down.
"But the unbelieving Jews were aroused to jealousy, and, getting hold of some wicked men (ruffians and rascals) and loungers in the marketplace, they gathered together a mob, set the town in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring [Paul and Silas] out to the people. But when they failed to find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also..." Acts 17:5-6 (AMP)
PRAYER
Lord, raise up disciples all over our church. Men and women who will follow you and obey you. Men and women who will love you with all of their heart and soul and mind and strength. Men and women who are committed to Your word and committed to biblical reconciliation. Men and women who are the same in private as they are in public. Men and women who are humble. Men and women who are genuine servants. Lord, do this work to build Your kingdom. All for You and Your glory.
He gave them special training, and he sent them out with his own authority. From the hundreds of people who followed Jesus from place to place, he especially selected these twelve to receive the most intense training. We see the impact of these men throughout the rest of the New Testament, for they started the Christian church. The choice of twelve men is highly symbolic. The number twelve corresponds to the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28), showing the continuity between the old religious system and the new one based on Jesus’ message.
Jesus did not choose these twelve to be his disciples because of their faith—it often faltered. He didn’t choose them because of their talent and ability—no one stood out with unusual ability. The disciples represented a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, but apparently they may have had no more leadership potential than those who were not chosen. The one characteristic they all shared was their willingness to obey Jesus.
The first disciples name recorded was Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter. Jesus gave him a name in addition to the one he already had—he did not change Simon’s name. Sometimes Peter is referred to as Cephas. “Peter” is the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic Cephas—a word meaning stone or rock. Peter had been a fisherman . He became one of three in Jesus’ core group among the disciples. He also confessed that Jesus was the Messiah.
James and John had also been fishermen. James would become the first martyr for the Christian faith (Acts 12:2). John would write the Gospel of John, the letters of 1, 2, and 3 John, and the book of Revelation. These brothers were nicknamed Sons of Thunder. Scripture gives glimpses of these men, revealing that they were somewhat short-tempered and judgmental; for example, they wanted to call fire down from heaven on an inhospitable Samaritan village (Luke 9:52-56). Thus Jesus gave them an appropriate name.
Andrew was Peter’s brother and also a fisherman. Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist. He left John to follow Jesus, and then brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. Philip was the fourth to meet Jesus. Philip probably knew Andrew and Peter because they were from the same town, Bethsaida. Philip then brought Bartholomew (also called Nathanael) as recorded in John 1:45-47.
Bartholomew at first rejected Jesus because Jesus was from Nazareth. But upon meeting Jesus, his attitude changed (John 1:49). Matthew was also known as Levi. He had been a tax collector (Mark 2:14). He had been a despised outcast because of his dishonest career, but he abandoned that corrupt (though lucrative) way of life to follow Jesus. He would later write the Gospel of Matthew. Thomas is sometimes called “Doubting Thomas” because he doubted Jesus’ resurrection (John 20:24-25). But he also loved the Lord and was a man of great courage (John 11:16).
Thomas was tough and committed, even if he tended to be pessimistic. Thus, when the other disciples said that Jesus was alive, Thomas didn’t believe them. However, when Thomas saw and touched the living Christ, doubting Thomas became believing Thomas. James is designated as son of Alphaeus to differentiate him from James the son of Zebedee (and brother of John). Thaddaeus is also called “Judas son of James” (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13). Simon was probably not a member of the party of Zealots, for that political party did not appear until a.d. 68. Most likely the word Zealot used here indicates zeal for God’s honor and not extreme nationalism; it was an affectionate nickname.
The name Iscariot is probably a compound word meaning “the man from Kerioth.” Thus, Judas’s hometown was Kerioth in southern Judea , making him the only one of the Twelve who was not from Galilee. It was Judas, son of Simon Iscariot , who betrayed Jesus to his enemies and then committed suicide. Mark presents a paradoxical picture of the disciples. They doubted and they failed, yet they were used to build the church. Some died for him, one betrayed him. The message is, what kind of disciple will you be?
Although God permits Satan to work in our world, God is in control. Jesus, as God, has “tied up” Satan; Jesus is able to drive out demons and end their terrible work in people’s lives. As such, every exorcism was a binding of Satan; one day Satan will be bound forever (Revelation 20:10).
Jesus had just been accused of being in league with Satan and had soundly refuted those charges. Here he had a few words for these so-called teachers of religious law, the Jewish leaders.
First he made the incredible promise that any sin can be forgiven, including blasphemy. Too often people miss this promise and worry about the warning in the next verse. But the fact is, those who believe in Jesus will be forgiven of all sins (evil acts, wrong actions, good actions not done, evil thoughts, evil motives, etc.) and of all blasphemies (evil words said against God). When there is confession and repentance, no sin is beyond God’s forgiveness.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Lord, I've got to spend more time investing in the men I am discipling. I see in them so much leadership and a heart for You and Your people. Lord, help them see what You see and what I see in them. Give them a God sized vision for their life. Build their faith and their boldness. And Lord, use me, however you would, to teach, model, inspire, correct and encourage them to greatness in building Your Kingdom. Use them to impact their families and their wives and their world and our church. Lord, use them to turn the world upside down.
"But the unbelieving Jews were aroused to jealousy, and, getting hold of some wicked men (ruffians and rascals) and loungers in the marketplace, they gathered together a mob, set the town in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring [Paul and Silas] out to the people. But when they failed to find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also..." Acts 17:5-6 (AMP)
PRAYER
Lord, raise up disciples all over our church. Men and women who will follow you and obey you. Men and women who will love you with all of their heart and soul and mind and strength. Men and women who are committed to Your word and committed to biblical reconciliation. Men and women who are the same in private as they are in public. Men and women who are humble. Men and women who are genuine servants. Lord, do this work to build Your kingdom. All for You and Your glory.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
DAY #56: February 25, 2009 - Mark 2:18-3:12
The Pharisees fasted as a show of piety; the disciples of John the Baptist fasted as a sign of mourning for sin and to prepare for the Messiah’s coming. But, like Jesus’ disciples, they did not need to fast because the Messiah was with them! To be with Jesus the groom is as joyous as a wedding feast. Wedding guests do not mourn or fast; a wedding is a time of celebration and feasting. Likewise, Jesus’ coming was a sign of celebration, not mourning and fasting.
While Jesus walked the earth, his presence was a cause for celebration—the Messiah had come! The people did not need to mourn, they needed to rejoice. But Jesus knew that soon he (the groom) would be taken away from them. Jesus’ arrival on earth ushered in a new time, a new covenant between God and people. The new covenant called for a new way of expressing personal faith. This new covenant could not be combined with the religion of Judaism any more than a piece of unshrunk cloth should be used as a patch on a worn-out garment. When the garment is washed, the patch will shrink, pull away from the old garment, and leave a bigger hole than before.
In Bible times, wine was not kept in glass bottles, but in goatskins sewn around the edges to form watertight bags called wineskins. New wine expanded as it fermented, stretching its wineskin. After the wine had aged, the old wineskin (that had gotten brittle with age and couldn’t stretch anymore) would burst if more new wine was poured into it. New wine, therefore, needs new wineskins. Like old wineskins, the Pharisees and indeed the entire religious system of Judaism were too rigid to accept Jesus, who could not be contained in their traditions or rules.
Jesus always seemed to be doing something against the rules of the Pharisees on the Sabbath.
Jesus and the disciples were walking through some grainfields. As they walked, they began breaking off heads of wheat to eat. The Pharisees pointed out that they were breaking the law against harvesting grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees had established thirty-nine categories of actions forbidden on the Sabbath, based on interpretations of God’s law and on Jewish custom.
Harvesting was one of those forbidden actions. The disciples, who were not farmers, were not doing their daily work on the Sabbath. Neither were they stealing grain, for God’s law allowed for this kind of sharing among his people (Deuteronomy 23:25). Thus, though they may have been violating the Pharisees’ rules, they were not breaking any divine law. The Pharisees, however, could not see beyond their legalisms.
The Pharisees knew the Scriptures thoroughly, yet Jesus’ question, “Haven’t you ever read,” reveals their ignorance of the true meaning of the Scriptures that they claimed to know so well. Yes, they had read this story many times, but they had obviously not discerned or applied its meaning. The Pharisees, having added all kinds of restrictions for the Sabbath, had completely forgotten God’s purpose in creating the Sabbath. God mercifully provided the Sabbath as a day of rest for his people—a day to set aside the normal duties of the workweek and spend time resting and worshiping. But the Pharisees had only succeeded in making the Sabbath an impossible burden. Jesus made clear that the Sabbath was made to benefit people by providing them a day of rest. God did not create people in order to place impossible restrictions and burdens on their lives.
Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath. As Jesus entered, he noticed a man with a deformed hand. Jesus’ reputation for healing preceded him, but would he dare heal on the Sabbath with the Pharisees watching? God’s law prohibited work on the seventh day of the week; thus, the religious leaders allowed no healing to be done on the Sabbath unless the person’s life was in danger. Healing, they argued, was practicing medicine, and a person could not practice his or her profession on the Sabbath.
To Jesus it didn’t matter that this man’s life was not threatened by the condition of his hand; it didn’t matter that he could have waited until the next day to perform this healing legally. If Jesus had waited until another day, he would have been submitting to the Pharisees’ authority, showing that their petty rules were equal to God’s law. God is a God of people, not of rules.
Up to this point, Jesus had been aggressively confronting the Pharisees’ hypocrisy. Then he decided to withdraw from the synagogue before a major confrontation developed, because it was not time for him to die. Jesus had many lessons still to teach his disciples and the people. So he went out to the Sea of Galilee, followed by a huge crowd.
While Jesus was drawing fire from the religious leaders, he was gaining great popularity among the people—they came literally from all directions. Some were simply curious, some sought healing, some wanted evidence to use against him, and others truly wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah. Most of them could only dimly guess at the real meaning of what was happening among them.
Mark described a second encounter between Jesus and evil spirits. Ironically, the demons recognized who Jesus was; the people didn’t. Jesus warned the evil (unclean) spirits not to reveal his identity because he did not want them to reinforce a popular misconception. The huge crowds were looking for a political and military leader who would free them from Rome’s control, and they thought that the Messiah predicted by the Old Testament prophets would be this kind of man. Jesus wanted to teach the people about the kind of Messiah he really was, because he was far different from what they expected. Christ’s Kingdom is spiritual. It begins, not with the overthrow of governments, but with the overthrow of sin in people’s hearts.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
We have to put he ministry to people before programs and tradition. In the one act of healing healing the man with the deformed hand, Jesus made this distinction. Lord, today, help me put the needs of others before my agenda and before my "to do list".
"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 13:35 (NIV)
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
While Jesus walked the earth, his presence was a cause for celebration—the Messiah had come! The people did not need to mourn, they needed to rejoice. But Jesus knew that soon he (the groom) would be taken away from them. Jesus’ arrival on earth ushered in a new time, a new covenant between God and people. The new covenant called for a new way of expressing personal faith. This new covenant could not be combined with the religion of Judaism any more than a piece of unshrunk cloth should be used as a patch on a worn-out garment. When the garment is washed, the patch will shrink, pull away from the old garment, and leave a bigger hole than before.
In Bible times, wine was not kept in glass bottles, but in goatskins sewn around the edges to form watertight bags called wineskins. New wine expanded as it fermented, stretching its wineskin. After the wine had aged, the old wineskin (that had gotten brittle with age and couldn’t stretch anymore) would burst if more new wine was poured into it. New wine, therefore, needs new wineskins. Like old wineskins, the Pharisees and indeed the entire religious system of Judaism were too rigid to accept Jesus, who could not be contained in their traditions or rules.
Jesus always seemed to be doing something against the rules of the Pharisees on the Sabbath.
Jesus and the disciples were walking through some grainfields. As they walked, they began breaking off heads of wheat to eat. The Pharisees pointed out that they were breaking the law against harvesting grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees had established thirty-nine categories of actions forbidden on the Sabbath, based on interpretations of God’s law and on Jewish custom.
Harvesting was one of those forbidden actions. The disciples, who were not farmers, were not doing their daily work on the Sabbath. Neither were they stealing grain, for God’s law allowed for this kind of sharing among his people (Deuteronomy 23:25). Thus, though they may have been violating the Pharisees’ rules, they were not breaking any divine law. The Pharisees, however, could not see beyond their legalisms.
The Pharisees knew the Scriptures thoroughly, yet Jesus’ question, “Haven’t you ever read,” reveals their ignorance of the true meaning of the Scriptures that they claimed to know so well. Yes, they had read this story many times, but they had obviously not discerned or applied its meaning. The Pharisees, having added all kinds of restrictions for the Sabbath, had completely forgotten God’s purpose in creating the Sabbath. God mercifully provided the Sabbath as a day of rest for his people—a day to set aside the normal duties of the workweek and spend time resting and worshiping. But the Pharisees had only succeeded in making the Sabbath an impossible burden. Jesus made clear that the Sabbath was made to benefit people by providing them a day of rest. God did not create people in order to place impossible restrictions and burdens on their lives.
Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath. As Jesus entered, he noticed a man with a deformed hand. Jesus’ reputation for healing preceded him, but would he dare heal on the Sabbath with the Pharisees watching? God’s law prohibited work on the seventh day of the week; thus, the religious leaders allowed no healing to be done on the Sabbath unless the person’s life was in danger. Healing, they argued, was practicing medicine, and a person could not practice his or her profession on the Sabbath.
To Jesus it didn’t matter that this man’s life was not threatened by the condition of his hand; it didn’t matter that he could have waited until the next day to perform this healing legally. If Jesus had waited until another day, he would have been submitting to the Pharisees’ authority, showing that their petty rules were equal to God’s law. God is a God of people, not of rules.
Up to this point, Jesus had been aggressively confronting the Pharisees’ hypocrisy. Then he decided to withdraw from the synagogue before a major confrontation developed, because it was not time for him to die. Jesus had many lessons still to teach his disciples and the people. So he went out to the Sea of Galilee, followed by a huge crowd.
While Jesus was drawing fire from the religious leaders, he was gaining great popularity among the people—they came literally from all directions. Some were simply curious, some sought healing, some wanted evidence to use against him, and others truly wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah. Most of them could only dimly guess at the real meaning of what was happening among them.
Mark described a second encounter between Jesus and evil spirits. Ironically, the demons recognized who Jesus was; the people didn’t. Jesus warned the evil (unclean) spirits not to reveal his identity because he did not want them to reinforce a popular misconception. The huge crowds were looking for a political and military leader who would free them from Rome’s control, and they thought that the Messiah predicted by the Old Testament prophets would be this kind of man. Jesus wanted to teach the people about the kind of Messiah he really was, because he was far different from what they expected. Christ’s Kingdom is spiritual. It begins, not with the overthrow of governments, but with the overthrow of sin in people’s hearts.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
We have to put he ministry to people before programs and tradition. In the one act of healing healing the man with the deformed hand, Jesus made this distinction. Lord, today, help me put the needs of others before my agenda and before my "to do list".
"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 13:35 (NIV)
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
PRAYER
Lord, strip me of me once again today. JOY = Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. Help me practice that today Lord. Build this into Emily and Drew and Katie. Build this into our marriage and into our church. Lord, give me the power to go home after a long work day and serve Sharon. Help me be more like You today.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
DAY #55: Fevruary 24, 2009 - Mark 1:40-2:17
Leprosy was a terrifying disease because of the social rejection and the devastating impact it had on its victims. Because the law said that contact with any unclean person made that person unclean too, some people even threw rocks at lepers to keep them at a safe distance. Even the mention of the name of this disabling disease terrified people because they were afraid of catching it. Lepers lived together in colonies outside their community. Most would remain there until they died. Sometimes, however, leprosy would go away. Then the person could return to the priest and ask to be declared “clean” before returning to the community.
That this man with leprosy came to Jesus reveals the man’s great courage; that he knelt reveals his desperation and his humility; his words to Jesus reveal his faith. The priest would declare him clean, but only Jesus could make him clean. “If you want to” reveals the man’s faith in Jesus’ authority in this matter of healing. What this man wanted was to be made well, a huge request.
Mark revealed Jesus’ heart of compassion. While all people shunned lepers, Jesus touched this man covered with a dreaded, contagious disease. The fact that Jesus’ touch precedes his pronouncement of healing indicates that Jesus disregarded the Jewish law not to touch a leper (Leviticus 5:3; 13:1-46; Numbers 5:2). We are not told the stage of this man’s leprosy—he may already have lost portions of his body to the disease. But when Jesus spoke, the man’s health was restored completely. When a leper was cured, he or she had to go to a priest to be examined. Jesus adhered to these laws by sending the man to the priest. Jesus wanted this man to give his story firsthand to the priest to prove that his leprosy was completely gone so that he could be restored to his family and community. This would be done as proof of his healing.
Jesus also told the man: “Don’t talk to anyone along the way.” Why would Jesus ask this man not to tell anyone about his healing? Wouldn’t this have been great advertising for Jesus, bringing more people to hear his message? While we might think so, Jesus knew better. Jesus’ mission was to preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God. If crowds descended on him to see miracles accomplished or to benefit from his power, they would not be coming with the heart attitude needed to hear and respond to the gospel. Jesus did not want to be a miracle worker in a sideshow; he wanted to be the Savior of their souls.
The man disobeyed Jesus’ strong warning. Mark recorded that Jesus couldn’t enter a town anywhere publicly—probably crowds of people pressed on him, all seeking special favors. So Jesus had to stay out in the secluded places. But that did not hinder people in need of healing or desiring to see this healer. They still came to him there. Jesus then returned to Capernaum, which had become his base of operations while he was in Galilee. Everyone in Capernaum had been looking for him, so when the people heard that he was back, they packed the house.
Instead of healing, however, this time he preached the word to them. The basic message remained the same: The long-awaited Messiah had come to break the power of sin and begin God’s personal reign on earth. As Jesus was preaching, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man. The crowd had filled the house and the doorway, so the group couldn’t get to Jesus. But these friends would not be deterred. Determined to get their friend to Jesus, they dug through the clay roof above his head. Obviously, several minutes were spent as the crowd watched these men take apart the roof above them. But Jesus saw their faith acted out in their determination. If they could but get their friend within Jesus’ touch, they knew their friend would be restored.
Jealous of Jesus’ popularity and power, the relgious leaders hoped to find something to criticize or even condemn in Jesus’ teaching. When they heard Jesus tell the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven, they were shocked. For Jesus to claim to forgive sins was considered blasphemy, defined as claiming to be God or to do what only God can do. In Jewish law, blasphemy was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16). Unfortunately, it did not occur to these Jewish leaders that perhaps this man was their Messiah.
Jesus knew what they were discussing, and their hostility and anger at Jesus’ words could not be hidden. Jesus asked them, “Why do you think this is blasphemy?” Would the teachers of religious law respond, or did they too believe this man to be the Messiah? Jesus knew the teachers’ dilemma and offered to prove his authority. He wanted to show that he had the power to forgive sins by showing that he had the power to make a paralytic pick up his mat and walk.
By recording this incident, Mark hoped to prove to his audience beyond any doubt that Jesus was the Messiah. The Son of Man has the delegated authority of God the Father to forgive sins. The paralyzed man did not doubt Jesus’ words; when Jesus told him to get up, he did so—before the stunned onlookers including Jesus’ critics. The healing unmistakably showed Jesus’ power and authority. While the religious leaders questioned and debated, the people recognized God’s power and realized that Jesus had been given authority by God.
The next clash between Jesus and the religious leaders revolved around the company he kept. Not only had Jesus not separated himself from distasteful characters, he sought them out. Jesus was charged with befriending sinners. Just as Jesus entered the world to save sinners, he still enters sinful human lives to rescue those he loves.
Levi (also called Matthew, and later the author of the Gospel of Matthew) was a Jew who worked for the Romans (specifically for Herod Antipas) as the area’s tax collector. He collected taxes from the citizens as well as from merchants passing through town. The tax-collection booth was an elevated platform or bench. Everyone knew who Levi was, and anyone passing through the city who had to pay taxes could find him easily. Levi’s tollbooth taxed commercial goods being transported from the sea to land routes. This was probably not the first time Jesus saw Levi, for Jesus walked these shores many times.
Mark’s words emphasize the brevity of Jesus’ call and Levi’s radical obedience. Jesus’ words, “Come, be my disciple,” are in the imperative mood, meaning this was a command, not an invitation. Levi recognized that Jesus wasn’t inviting him; Jesus was calling him. So Levi got up and followed. Levi’s radical obedience is amazing for the change it would effect in his life. Already ostracized by family and friends, following Jesus probably made no difference in this regard. But Levi was probably very wealthy—tax collecting was a lucrative occupation. Levi had been an outcast; now he was wanted as a member of a group. But he would have to learn to live in poverty.
Levi responded, as Jesus would want all his followers to do; he followed his Lord immediately, and he called his friends together to meet him too. He held a dinner for his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners so they also could meet Jesus.
When Jesus sat down to a meal with these “scum,” the Pharisees were quite surprised. Here was a man who seemed to have the entire law at his fingertips, who taught with great authority, yet who stooped to the level of the poor, unlearned, common people (even sinners!). Thus the Pharisees pulled his disciples aside and asked why Jesus did this. This question made its way to Jesus’ ears, and Jesus had an answer for the self-righteous, religious leaders. The first part of Jesus’ answer was from a common proverb on the healthy and the sick. People who are well don’t seek out a physician; the physician’s waiting room is filled with people who are sick. They recognize their need and come to the one who can make them well. Jesus carried the proverb a step further and explained his messianic mission. Jesus did not come to call those who think they are already good enough (used ironically—those, like these Pharisees, who thought they were righteous) to repentance, for the self-righteous did not recognize their sinfulness. But these sinners saw their need. This was Jesus’ audience.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
So much is packed in this passage. The compassion of Jesus in healing the man with leprosy. We serve and follow a compassionate, loving God. The faith of the four friends in doing whatever it took to make sure their friend found Jesus. Would to God that in this generation, I and all the folks at COV would do whatever it took to make sure the people in their world find Jesus.
Once again we see the crippling and debilitating hypocrisy of the religious leaders. These pretentious showboats could care less about helping people find salvation. They were only interested in power and position. Lord, protect me from this. Protect my children and our congregation. Rid us of any "religious" spirit.
Finally, you see the mission of Jesus was to reach everyone, everwhere. Regardless of their status and social psotion, Jesus wanted to reach them. Lord, break my heart with the lostness of people. Move me to action. Move our people to action.
Everybody needs Jesus. People without Christ go into a Christ-less eternity. This is a fact for me that is almost unbearable. As long as there is one person within driving distance of this church, who does not know that their sins can be forgiven, that they can have a purpose for living, that they have a home in heaven, and that God can be their friend, Lord, help us to keep reaching out. I am haunted by the question: Will anybody be in heaven because of me?
PRAYER
Father, I want to thank You for letting us in on Your great plan. Thank You for saving us with Your grace when we didn’t deserve it. But sometimes we forget that many of the people around us haven’t got in on your plan yet. Help us to build bridges of love to the people that You’ve placed around us. Lord, use me.
That this man with leprosy came to Jesus reveals the man’s great courage; that he knelt reveals his desperation and his humility; his words to Jesus reveal his faith. The priest would declare him clean, but only Jesus could make him clean. “If you want to” reveals the man’s faith in Jesus’ authority in this matter of healing. What this man wanted was to be made well, a huge request.
Mark revealed Jesus’ heart of compassion. While all people shunned lepers, Jesus touched this man covered with a dreaded, contagious disease. The fact that Jesus’ touch precedes his pronouncement of healing indicates that Jesus disregarded the Jewish law not to touch a leper (Leviticus 5:3; 13:1-46; Numbers 5:2). We are not told the stage of this man’s leprosy—he may already have lost portions of his body to the disease. But when Jesus spoke, the man’s health was restored completely. When a leper was cured, he or she had to go to a priest to be examined. Jesus adhered to these laws by sending the man to the priest. Jesus wanted this man to give his story firsthand to the priest to prove that his leprosy was completely gone so that he could be restored to his family and community. This would be done as proof of his healing.
Jesus also told the man: “Don’t talk to anyone along the way.” Why would Jesus ask this man not to tell anyone about his healing? Wouldn’t this have been great advertising for Jesus, bringing more people to hear his message? While we might think so, Jesus knew better. Jesus’ mission was to preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God. If crowds descended on him to see miracles accomplished or to benefit from his power, they would not be coming with the heart attitude needed to hear and respond to the gospel. Jesus did not want to be a miracle worker in a sideshow; he wanted to be the Savior of their souls.
The man disobeyed Jesus’ strong warning. Mark recorded that Jesus couldn’t enter a town anywhere publicly—probably crowds of people pressed on him, all seeking special favors. So Jesus had to stay out in the secluded places. But that did not hinder people in need of healing or desiring to see this healer. They still came to him there. Jesus then returned to Capernaum, which had become his base of operations while he was in Galilee. Everyone in Capernaum had been looking for him, so when the people heard that he was back, they packed the house.
Instead of healing, however, this time he preached the word to them. The basic message remained the same: The long-awaited Messiah had come to break the power of sin and begin God’s personal reign on earth. As Jesus was preaching, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man. The crowd had filled the house and the doorway, so the group couldn’t get to Jesus. But these friends would not be deterred. Determined to get their friend to Jesus, they dug through the clay roof above his head. Obviously, several minutes were spent as the crowd watched these men take apart the roof above them. But Jesus saw their faith acted out in their determination. If they could but get their friend within Jesus’ touch, they knew their friend would be restored.
Jealous of Jesus’ popularity and power, the relgious leaders hoped to find something to criticize or even condemn in Jesus’ teaching. When they heard Jesus tell the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven, they were shocked. For Jesus to claim to forgive sins was considered blasphemy, defined as claiming to be God or to do what only God can do. In Jewish law, blasphemy was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16). Unfortunately, it did not occur to these Jewish leaders that perhaps this man was their Messiah.
Jesus knew what they were discussing, and their hostility and anger at Jesus’ words could not be hidden. Jesus asked them, “Why do you think this is blasphemy?” Would the teachers of religious law respond, or did they too believe this man to be the Messiah? Jesus knew the teachers’ dilemma and offered to prove his authority. He wanted to show that he had the power to forgive sins by showing that he had the power to make a paralytic pick up his mat and walk.
By recording this incident, Mark hoped to prove to his audience beyond any doubt that Jesus was the Messiah. The Son of Man has the delegated authority of God the Father to forgive sins. The paralyzed man did not doubt Jesus’ words; when Jesus told him to get up, he did so—before the stunned onlookers including Jesus’ critics. The healing unmistakably showed Jesus’ power and authority. While the religious leaders questioned and debated, the people recognized God’s power and realized that Jesus had been given authority by God.
The next clash between Jesus and the religious leaders revolved around the company he kept. Not only had Jesus not separated himself from distasteful characters, he sought them out. Jesus was charged with befriending sinners. Just as Jesus entered the world to save sinners, he still enters sinful human lives to rescue those he loves.
Levi (also called Matthew, and later the author of the Gospel of Matthew) was a Jew who worked for the Romans (specifically for Herod Antipas) as the area’s tax collector. He collected taxes from the citizens as well as from merchants passing through town. The tax-collection booth was an elevated platform or bench. Everyone knew who Levi was, and anyone passing through the city who had to pay taxes could find him easily. Levi’s tollbooth taxed commercial goods being transported from the sea to land routes. This was probably not the first time Jesus saw Levi, for Jesus walked these shores many times.
Mark’s words emphasize the brevity of Jesus’ call and Levi’s radical obedience. Jesus’ words, “Come, be my disciple,” are in the imperative mood, meaning this was a command, not an invitation. Levi recognized that Jesus wasn’t inviting him; Jesus was calling him. So Levi got up and followed. Levi’s radical obedience is amazing for the change it would effect in his life. Already ostracized by family and friends, following Jesus probably made no difference in this regard. But Levi was probably very wealthy—tax collecting was a lucrative occupation. Levi had been an outcast; now he was wanted as a member of a group. But he would have to learn to live in poverty.
Levi responded, as Jesus would want all his followers to do; he followed his Lord immediately, and he called his friends together to meet him too. He held a dinner for his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners so they also could meet Jesus.
When Jesus sat down to a meal with these “scum,” the Pharisees were quite surprised. Here was a man who seemed to have the entire law at his fingertips, who taught with great authority, yet who stooped to the level of the poor, unlearned, common people (even sinners!). Thus the Pharisees pulled his disciples aside and asked why Jesus did this. This question made its way to Jesus’ ears, and Jesus had an answer for the self-righteous, religious leaders. The first part of Jesus’ answer was from a common proverb on the healthy and the sick. People who are well don’t seek out a physician; the physician’s waiting room is filled with people who are sick. They recognize their need and come to the one who can make them well. Jesus carried the proverb a step further and explained his messianic mission. Jesus did not come to call those who think they are already good enough (used ironically—those, like these Pharisees, who thought they were righteous) to repentance, for the self-righteous did not recognize their sinfulness. But these sinners saw their need. This was Jesus’ audience.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
So much is packed in this passage. The compassion of Jesus in healing the man with leprosy. We serve and follow a compassionate, loving God. The faith of the four friends in doing whatever it took to make sure their friend found Jesus. Would to God that in this generation, I and all the folks at COV would do whatever it took to make sure the people in their world find Jesus.
Once again we see the crippling and debilitating hypocrisy of the religious leaders. These pretentious showboats could care less about helping people find salvation. They were only interested in power and position. Lord, protect me from this. Protect my children and our congregation. Rid us of any "religious" spirit.
Finally, you see the mission of Jesus was to reach everyone, everwhere. Regardless of their status and social psotion, Jesus wanted to reach them. Lord, break my heart with the lostness of people. Move me to action. Move our people to action.
Everybody needs Jesus. People without Christ go into a Christ-less eternity. This is a fact for me that is almost unbearable. As long as there is one person within driving distance of this church, who does not know that their sins can be forgiven, that they can have a purpose for living, that they have a home in heaven, and that God can be their friend, Lord, help us to keep reaching out. I am haunted by the question: Will anybody be in heaven because of me?
PRAYER
Father, I want to thank You for letting us in on Your great plan. Thank You for saving us with Your grace when we didn’t deserve it. But sometimes we forget that many of the people around us haven’t got in on your plan yet. Help us to build bridges of love to the people that You’ve placed around us. Lord, use me.
Monday, February 23, 2009
DAY #54: February 23, 2009 - Mark 1:14-39
Mark mentioned the arrest of John the Baptist as merely a signal for the ministry of Jesus into Galilee, his home region. Luke explained that John was arrested because he publicly rebuked King Herod for taking his brother’s wife. John’s public protests greatly angered Herod, so he put John in prison, presumably to silence him. The family of Herods were renowned for their cruelty and evil; it was Herod the Great who ordered the murder of the babies in Bethlehem.
The Kingdom of God began when God entered history as a human being. But the Kingdom of God will not be fully realized until all evil in the world has been judged and removed. Christ came to earth first as a Suffering Servant; he will come again as King and Judge to rule victoriously over all the earth. The Kingdom was as near as people’s willingness to make Jesus king over their lives. Jesus began his ministry with the very words people had heard John the Baptist say: Turn from your sins. The message is the same today.
The first pair of men Jesus called to follow him were brothers, Simon and Andrew. This was not the first time Simon and Andrew had met Jesus. Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist who, when introduced to “the Lamb of God,” turned and followed Jesus. Andrew then brought his brother Simon to Jesus. These men understood and believed who Jesus was.
Jesus told Simon (Peter) and Andrew to leave their fishing business, come and be his disciples, and fish for people to also follow Jesus. These disciples were adept at catching fish, but they would need special training before they would become able to fish for people’s souls. Jesus was calling them away from their productive trades to be productive spiritually by helping others believe the Good News and carry on Jesus’ work after he was gone.
Not far down the beach was another pair of brothers, James and John, Simon Peter’s partners. These men were sitting in their moored boat mending their nets. The weight of a good catch of fish and the constant strain on the nets meant that the fishermen had to spend a lot of time keeping their nets repaired and in good shape. John had met Jesus previously. In his Gospel, John records his own and Andrew’s discipleship with John the Baptist and then their turning to follow Jesus. James probably knew about Jesus from his brother, John. These men were ready for Jesus’ call.
Both sets of brothers immediately left behind the lives they had known and embarked on an incredible adventure. Surely the impression Jesus made upon them must have been great, and the certainty of their call must have been strong for them to follow without hesitation.
Earlier in chapter 1, Satan attacked Jesus in the wilderness. Then Mark directed our attention to Jesus’ counterattack. He carried the spiritual warfare into the domain of Satan, to those controlled by evil spirits. As will be the case repeatedly, the battle took place in a synagogue on the Sabbath. Perhaps this shows that Satan can be active even in our houses of worship.
Capernaum, located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, was the largest of the many fishing towns surrounding the lake. Jesus had recently moved to Capernaum from Nazareth. Capernaum was a thriving town with great wealth as well as great sin and decadence. Because it was the headquarters for many Roman troops, heathen influences from all over the Roman Empire were pervasive.
The people were completely amazed by Jesus’ teaching. The Jewish teachers of religious law often quoted from well-known rabbis to give their words more authority. But Jesus didn’t have that need. Because Jesus was the Son of God, he knew exactly what the Scriptures said and meant. He was the ultimate authority. The people had never heard such teaching.
Evil spirits, or demons, are ruled by Satan. They work to tempt people to sin. They were not created by Satan, because God is the Creator of all. Rather, the evil spirits and demons are fallen angels who joined Satan in his rebellion and thus became perverted and evil. The evil spirit had entered the man’s body and possessed him. Though not all disease comes from Satan, sometimes demons can cause a person to become mute, deaf, blind, or insane.
While the people in the synagogue were astounded at Jesus’ teaching and wondered who this man could be, the demon knew. At this time, people believed that to know a person’s precise hidden name was to be able to gain control over the person. Thus the demon’s first attempt against Jesus was to state his divine identity in public. By including this event in his Gospel, Mark was establishing Jesus’ credentials, showing that even the spiritual underworld recognized Jesus as God’s Son.
Jesus simply and sternly commanded the demon to be silent. To silence the demon was not enough, for Jesus wanted to free the man possessed by the demon. So Jesus next commanded, “Come out of the man,” again demonstrating his power and authority over Satan and his demons. Without any recourse except to submit to a higher authority, the evil spirit left the man. But first, to show its anger and protest, the evil spirit screamed and threw the man into a convulsion. This could have been a severe spasm or a blow that thrust the man to the ground. With a final shriek, the demon left.
Jesus’ display of his authority in the showdown with a demon caused amazement in the people. With a simple and stern command, the evil spirit obeyed and the possessed man was set free. The people called Jesus’ teaching new; his teaching challenged them. Jesus taught with authority; he spoke to the powerful underworld with authority. Surely this man was someone to watch closely.
The people who left the gathering in the large synagogue in Capernaum had witnessed an authoritative and captivating new teacher with unheard-of power. The news spread quickly across the region of Galilee. After ending his clash with the demons in the synagogue, Jesus immediately healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever. By the time evening arrived, there were many sick and demon-possessed crowding to Jesus for attention. Mark noted that Jesus was commanding the demons not to identify him. His goal was not to draw attention to himself, but to meet the real needs of others.
As the crowd hurriedly dispersed from the synagogue or continued talking among themselves, Jesus and the four disciples left for their own lodgings. They arrived at Simon and Andrew’s home. Jesus and the disciples probably stayed in this home during their visits to Capernaum.
Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning with a high fever. Jesus went to the mother-in-law’s bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her to sit up. Jesus’ touch on the woman’s hand brought instant and complete healing—the fever suddenly left. She went and prepared a meal as she had probably planned.
Jesus had just spent a Sabbath in feverish activity. Early in the morning of the next day, he set aside a time of prayer by himself. By the time the disciples found him, he was ready to face the next challenge. We must follow Christ’s example by making time for personal prayer. Those who help and serve on Sunday especially need to set aside time with God to restore their strength. Our ability to serve will be hindered if we neglect times of spiritual replenishment.
Before the sun came up, Jesus went out alone into the wilderness to pray. During his ministry on earth, Jesus was in constant prayer with the Father. Mark recorded three of these times of prayer: (1) after the successful ministry in Capernaum with the healing of many sick and demon-possessed people; (2) after the miracle of feeding more than five thousand people; (3) in Gethsemane, just prior to his arrest, trial, and crucifixion.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have heard today?)
I am again impressed with the immediate obedience of Peter, Andrew, James and John. The call of God on a life is a powerful thing and His call is to always be heeded immediately. Lord, give me a heart to follow and obey ALL of Your commands, decrees and precepts. Lord, give me a heart to follow and obey (as the old hymn goes, "for there is no other way") Today, I want to follow You Lord - wholeheartedly and passionately. I rededicate my life to fulfill Your call and purpose for my life.
"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV)
"So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert..." Hebrews 3:7-8 (NIV)
PRAYER
Lord, work in the hearts of our people at COV. Renew their hunger and passion for You every day, oh Lord. Raise up men and women who will love You more than they do their own lives. Raise up people who will follow You and obey You and live for You. Lord, thank you for the people of COV. Watch over them and guide them and protect them today. Overwhelm with You presence today.
The Kingdom of God began when God entered history as a human being. But the Kingdom of God will not be fully realized until all evil in the world has been judged and removed. Christ came to earth first as a Suffering Servant; he will come again as King and Judge to rule victoriously over all the earth. The Kingdom was as near as people’s willingness to make Jesus king over their lives. Jesus began his ministry with the very words people had heard John the Baptist say: Turn from your sins. The message is the same today.
The first pair of men Jesus called to follow him were brothers, Simon and Andrew. This was not the first time Simon and Andrew had met Jesus. Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist who, when introduced to “the Lamb of God,” turned and followed Jesus. Andrew then brought his brother Simon to Jesus. These men understood and believed who Jesus was.
Jesus told Simon (Peter) and Andrew to leave their fishing business, come and be his disciples, and fish for people to also follow Jesus. These disciples were adept at catching fish, but they would need special training before they would become able to fish for people’s souls. Jesus was calling them away from their productive trades to be productive spiritually by helping others believe the Good News and carry on Jesus’ work after he was gone.
Not far down the beach was another pair of brothers, James and John, Simon Peter’s partners. These men were sitting in their moored boat mending their nets. The weight of a good catch of fish and the constant strain on the nets meant that the fishermen had to spend a lot of time keeping their nets repaired and in good shape. John had met Jesus previously. In his Gospel, John records his own and Andrew’s discipleship with John the Baptist and then their turning to follow Jesus. James probably knew about Jesus from his brother, John. These men were ready for Jesus’ call.
Both sets of brothers immediately left behind the lives they had known and embarked on an incredible adventure. Surely the impression Jesus made upon them must have been great, and the certainty of their call must have been strong for them to follow without hesitation.
Earlier in chapter 1, Satan attacked Jesus in the wilderness. Then Mark directed our attention to Jesus’ counterattack. He carried the spiritual warfare into the domain of Satan, to those controlled by evil spirits. As will be the case repeatedly, the battle took place in a synagogue on the Sabbath. Perhaps this shows that Satan can be active even in our houses of worship.
Capernaum, located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, was the largest of the many fishing towns surrounding the lake. Jesus had recently moved to Capernaum from Nazareth. Capernaum was a thriving town with great wealth as well as great sin and decadence. Because it was the headquarters for many Roman troops, heathen influences from all over the Roman Empire were pervasive.
The people were completely amazed by Jesus’ teaching. The Jewish teachers of religious law often quoted from well-known rabbis to give their words more authority. But Jesus didn’t have that need. Because Jesus was the Son of God, he knew exactly what the Scriptures said and meant. He was the ultimate authority. The people had never heard such teaching.
Evil spirits, or demons, are ruled by Satan. They work to tempt people to sin. They were not created by Satan, because God is the Creator of all. Rather, the evil spirits and demons are fallen angels who joined Satan in his rebellion and thus became perverted and evil. The evil spirit had entered the man’s body and possessed him. Though not all disease comes from Satan, sometimes demons can cause a person to become mute, deaf, blind, or insane.
While the people in the synagogue were astounded at Jesus’ teaching and wondered who this man could be, the demon knew. At this time, people believed that to know a person’s precise hidden name was to be able to gain control over the person. Thus the demon’s first attempt against Jesus was to state his divine identity in public. By including this event in his Gospel, Mark was establishing Jesus’ credentials, showing that even the spiritual underworld recognized Jesus as God’s Son.
Jesus simply and sternly commanded the demon to be silent. To silence the demon was not enough, for Jesus wanted to free the man possessed by the demon. So Jesus next commanded, “Come out of the man,” again demonstrating his power and authority over Satan and his demons. Without any recourse except to submit to a higher authority, the evil spirit left the man. But first, to show its anger and protest, the evil spirit screamed and threw the man into a convulsion. This could have been a severe spasm or a blow that thrust the man to the ground. With a final shriek, the demon left.
Jesus’ display of his authority in the showdown with a demon caused amazement in the people. With a simple and stern command, the evil spirit obeyed and the possessed man was set free. The people called Jesus’ teaching new; his teaching challenged them. Jesus taught with authority; he spoke to the powerful underworld with authority. Surely this man was someone to watch closely.
The people who left the gathering in the large synagogue in Capernaum had witnessed an authoritative and captivating new teacher with unheard-of power. The news spread quickly across the region of Galilee. After ending his clash with the demons in the synagogue, Jesus immediately healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever. By the time evening arrived, there were many sick and demon-possessed crowding to Jesus for attention. Mark noted that Jesus was commanding the demons not to identify him. His goal was not to draw attention to himself, but to meet the real needs of others.
As the crowd hurriedly dispersed from the synagogue or continued talking among themselves, Jesus and the four disciples left for their own lodgings. They arrived at Simon and Andrew’s home. Jesus and the disciples probably stayed in this home during their visits to Capernaum.
Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning with a high fever. Jesus went to the mother-in-law’s bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her to sit up. Jesus’ touch on the woman’s hand brought instant and complete healing—the fever suddenly left. She went and prepared a meal as she had probably planned.
Jesus had just spent a Sabbath in feverish activity. Early in the morning of the next day, he set aside a time of prayer by himself. By the time the disciples found him, he was ready to face the next challenge. We must follow Christ’s example by making time for personal prayer. Those who help and serve on Sunday especially need to set aside time with God to restore their strength. Our ability to serve will be hindered if we neglect times of spiritual replenishment.
Before the sun came up, Jesus went out alone into the wilderness to pray. During his ministry on earth, Jesus was in constant prayer with the Father. Mark recorded three of these times of prayer: (1) after the successful ministry in Capernaum with the healing of many sick and demon-possessed people; (2) after the miracle of feeding more than five thousand people; (3) in Gethsemane, just prior to his arrest, trial, and crucifixion.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have heard today?)
I am again impressed with the immediate obedience of Peter, Andrew, James and John. The call of God on a life is a powerful thing and His call is to always be heeded immediately. Lord, give me a heart to follow and obey ALL of Your commands, decrees and precepts. Lord, give me a heart to follow and obey (as the old hymn goes, "for there is no other way") Today, I want to follow You Lord - wholeheartedly and passionately. I rededicate my life to fulfill Your call and purpose for my life.
"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV)
"So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert..." Hebrews 3:7-8 (NIV)
PRAYER
Lord, work in the hearts of our people at COV. Renew their hunger and passion for You every day, oh Lord. Raise up men and women who will love You more than they do their own lives. Raise up people who will follow You and obey You and live for You. Lord, thank you for the people of COV. Watch over them and guide them and protect them today. Overwhelm with You presence today.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
DAY #53: February 22, 2009 - Matthew 28:11-Mark 1:13
We end the book of Matthew today and start the Gospel of Mark.
The religious leaders’ worst fears had been realized —Jesus’ body had disappeared from the tomb! Instead of even considering that Jesus’ claims had been true and that he truly was the Messiah risen from the dead, the leaders decided to bribe the soldiers in order to explain that Jesus’ disciples came during the night and stole his body. This may have seemed like a logical explanation, but they didn’t think through the details. Why would Jesus’ disciples, who already had run off on him at his arrest, risk a return at night to a guarded and sealed tomb in an effort to steal a body—an offense that could incur the death penalty? And if they had done so, would they have taken the time to unwrap the body?
If this had occurred while the guards were sleeping, how could the guards possibly have known what had occurred? If this truly happened, why didn’t the religious leaders arrest the disciples in order to prosecute them? The story was full of holes and the guards would have to admit to negligence on their part, so getting them to spread this rumor required a bribe. The story circulated and many people believed the lie—also apparently not thinking through the information long enough to ask the obvious questions.
Jesus made several appearances to various people after his resurrection. The eleven disciples refers to those remaining after the death of Judas Iscariot. They went to Galilee, as Jesus had previously directed them. Among the eleven who saw Jesus there were some who still doubted. Matthew may have been reporting some of the doubts and concerns still lingering in the minds of the eleven chosen disciples. Of course, they would all eventually be fully convinced and believe.
When someone is dying or leaving us, we pay close attention to his or her last words. Jesus left the disciples with some last words of instruction. God gave Jesus complete authority over heaven and earth. On the basis of his authority, Jesus told his disciples to go and make disciples as they preached, baptized, and taught. (Church of the Valley's MISSION) “Making disciples” means instructing new believers on how to follow Jesus, to submit to Jesus’ lordship, and to take up his mission of compassionate service. Baptizing is important because it unites a believer with Jesus Christ in his or her death to sin and resurrection to new life.
Whereas in previous missions Jesus had sent his disciples only to the Jews, their mission from here forward would be to go to all the nations. This is called the Great Commission. The disciples had been trained well, and they had seen the risen Lord. They were ready to teach people all over the world to obey all the commands that Jesus had given. This also showed the disciples that there would be a lapse of time between Jesus’ resurrection and his second coming. During that time, Jesus’ followers had a mission to do—evangelize, baptize, and teach people about Jesus so that they, in turn, could do the same. The Good News of the gospel was to go forth to all the nations.
The first verse in the Gospel of Mark, begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, acts as both a title to the book and a summary of its contents. No mention is made of the author, generally considered to be John Mark. Mark was not one of the twelve disciples of Jesus but probably knew Jesus personally.
Mark gave no genealogy because he presented Jesus as the servant. A servant needs no pedigree, but demonstrates his validity by the worth of the service he provides. The book portrays Jesus as a man who backed up his words with actions that proved he was the Son of God. Because Mark wrote the Gospel for Christians in Rome, where many gods were worshiped, he wanted his readers to know that Jesus was the one true Son of God. He is coeternal with God—and is himself God. He alone was fully man (Jesus), God’s Anointed One (the Messiah), and fully divine (Son of God).
Some people thought John himself was the Messiah. John spoke like the prophets of old, saying that the people must turn from their sin to avoid punishment and turn to God to experience his mercy and approval. This is a message for all times and places, but John spoke it with particular urgency—he was preparing the people for the coming Messiah.
John preached in the wilderness in the area near the Jordan River, but he did more than that. He urged his listeners to be baptized. While it was customary for Gentiles to be baptized in order to become Jews, John was demanding that Jews be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. John’s baptism was immersion, and it was a visible sign that a person had decided to change his or her life, giving up a sinful and selfish way of living and turning to God. It was a public action signifying that a person had been cleansed of sin through repentance and had chosen a new way of life.
After Christ’s death and resurrection, baptism became an outward sign for identifying with Christ and his resurrection and for signifying entrance into the Christian community. (Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Baptism did not give forgiveness; baptism was a visible sign that the person had repented and received God’s forgiveness for his or her sins.
Although John was the first genuine prophet in four hundred years, Jesus the Messiah would be far greater than he. John saw himself as even lower than that slave in comparison to the coming Messiah (John 3:30). What John began, Jesus finished. What John prepared, Jesus fulfilled.
John’s baptism with water indicated immersion in the water of the Jordan River. John’s baptism demonstrated repentance, humility, and willingness to turn from sin. This was the beginning of the spiritual process. To be effective, it had to be accompanied by an inward change of attitude leading to a changed life.
Mark proceeded to describe Jesus’ baptism by John. The signs of the voice and dove from heaven affirmed Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and showed the uniqueness of Jesus’ baptism. But the words of God the Father’s declaration clearly signified who Jesus was. If John’s baptism was for repentance from sin, why was Jesus baptized? Although Jesus didn’t need forgiveness, he was baptized for the following reasons: (1) to confess sin on behalf of the nation (Isaiah 6:5; Nehemiah 1:6; Ezra 9:2); (2) to inaugurate his public ministry to bring the message of salvation to all people; (3) to identify with the penitent people of God, thus with humanness and sin; (4) to give us an example to follow.
This temptation by Satan shows us that though Jesus was human and subject to temptations such as we are, he was also divine because he overcame Satan and was ministered to by angels. Jesus’ temptation was an important demonstration of his sinlessness. He faced temptation and did not give in. As his servants, we will also be prepared for discipleship by testing. Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, takes the offensive against the enemy, Satan, by going into the lonely and desolate wilderness to fight temptation. The word for compelled is very forceful in the Greek, conveying the meaning of “thrown out” or “cast out.” This does not imply that Jesus was reluctant, but rather that God’s Spirit was intensely motivating him to go. As with Jesus’ disciples, the Spirit may have in mind to test us in order to prepare us for greater service.
From Jesus’ temptation we can learn that following our Lord could bring dangerous and intense spiritual battles. It warns us that we won’t always feel good; there will be times of deprivation, loneliness, and hostility. It also shows that our spiritual victories may not always be visible to the watching world. Above all, it shows that we must use and rely on the power of God to face temptation, and not try to withstand it in our own strength.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Our mission is to make disciples. Lord, help me be about that mission everyday of my life. Lord, I pray for my disciples today. Work in them. Continue to refine them and build them into the men of God You desire. Lord, use me to help shape them, encourage them and inspire them. Lord, help them make it over the long haul. Protect their hearts and minds. Help them stand in times of temptation and trials. Mature them and build their character. God, build a church at COV, where evangelism and discipleship are the values of every member.
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:6-8 (NIV)
"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." 2 Timothy 2:2 (NIV)
The religious leaders’ worst fears had been realized —Jesus’ body had disappeared from the tomb! Instead of even considering that Jesus’ claims had been true and that he truly was the Messiah risen from the dead, the leaders decided to bribe the soldiers in order to explain that Jesus’ disciples came during the night and stole his body. This may have seemed like a logical explanation, but they didn’t think through the details. Why would Jesus’ disciples, who already had run off on him at his arrest, risk a return at night to a guarded and sealed tomb in an effort to steal a body—an offense that could incur the death penalty? And if they had done so, would they have taken the time to unwrap the body?
If this had occurred while the guards were sleeping, how could the guards possibly have known what had occurred? If this truly happened, why didn’t the religious leaders arrest the disciples in order to prosecute them? The story was full of holes and the guards would have to admit to negligence on their part, so getting them to spread this rumor required a bribe. The story circulated and many people believed the lie—also apparently not thinking through the information long enough to ask the obvious questions.
Jesus made several appearances to various people after his resurrection. The eleven disciples refers to those remaining after the death of Judas Iscariot. They went to Galilee, as Jesus had previously directed them. Among the eleven who saw Jesus there were some who still doubted. Matthew may have been reporting some of the doubts and concerns still lingering in the minds of the eleven chosen disciples. Of course, they would all eventually be fully convinced and believe.
When someone is dying or leaving us, we pay close attention to his or her last words. Jesus left the disciples with some last words of instruction. God gave Jesus complete authority over heaven and earth. On the basis of his authority, Jesus told his disciples to go and make disciples as they preached, baptized, and taught. (Church of the Valley's MISSION) “Making disciples” means instructing new believers on how to follow Jesus, to submit to Jesus’ lordship, and to take up his mission of compassionate service. Baptizing is important because it unites a believer with Jesus Christ in his or her death to sin and resurrection to new life.
Whereas in previous missions Jesus had sent his disciples only to the Jews, their mission from here forward would be to go to all the nations. This is called the Great Commission. The disciples had been trained well, and they had seen the risen Lord. They were ready to teach people all over the world to obey all the commands that Jesus had given. This also showed the disciples that there would be a lapse of time between Jesus’ resurrection and his second coming. During that time, Jesus’ followers had a mission to do—evangelize, baptize, and teach people about Jesus so that they, in turn, could do the same. The Good News of the gospel was to go forth to all the nations.
The first verse in the Gospel of Mark, begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, acts as both a title to the book and a summary of its contents. No mention is made of the author, generally considered to be John Mark. Mark was not one of the twelve disciples of Jesus but probably knew Jesus personally.
Mark gave no genealogy because he presented Jesus as the servant. A servant needs no pedigree, but demonstrates his validity by the worth of the service he provides. The book portrays Jesus as a man who backed up his words with actions that proved he was the Son of God. Because Mark wrote the Gospel for Christians in Rome, where many gods were worshiped, he wanted his readers to know that Jesus was the one true Son of God. He is coeternal with God—and is himself God. He alone was fully man (Jesus), God’s Anointed One (the Messiah), and fully divine (Son of God).
Some people thought John himself was the Messiah. John spoke like the prophets of old, saying that the people must turn from their sin to avoid punishment and turn to God to experience his mercy and approval. This is a message for all times and places, but John spoke it with particular urgency—he was preparing the people for the coming Messiah.
John preached in the wilderness in the area near the Jordan River, but he did more than that. He urged his listeners to be baptized. While it was customary for Gentiles to be baptized in order to become Jews, John was demanding that Jews be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. John’s baptism was immersion, and it was a visible sign that a person had decided to change his or her life, giving up a sinful and selfish way of living and turning to God. It was a public action signifying that a person had been cleansed of sin through repentance and had chosen a new way of life.
After Christ’s death and resurrection, baptism became an outward sign for identifying with Christ and his resurrection and for signifying entrance into the Christian community. (Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Baptism did not give forgiveness; baptism was a visible sign that the person had repented and received God’s forgiveness for his or her sins.
Although John was the first genuine prophet in four hundred years, Jesus the Messiah would be far greater than he. John saw himself as even lower than that slave in comparison to the coming Messiah (John 3:30). What John began, Jesus finished. What John prepared, Jesus fulfilled.
John’s baptism with water indicated immersion in the water of the Jordan River. John’s baptism demonstrated repentance, humility, and willingness to turn from sin. This was the beginning of the spiritual process. To be effective, it had to be accompanied by an inward change of attitude leading to a changed life.
Mark proceeded to describe Jesus’ baptism by John. The signs of the voice and dove from heaven affirmed Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and showed the uniqueness of Jesus’ baptism. But the words of God the Father’s declaration clearly signified who Jesus was. If John’s baptism was for repentance from sin, why was Jesus baptized? Although Jesus didn’t need forgiveness, he was baptized for the following reasons: (1) to confess sin on behalf of the nation (Isaiah 6:5; Nehemiah 1:6; Ezra 9:2); (2) to inaugurate his public ministry to bring the message of salvation to all people; (3) to identify with the penitent people of God, thus with humanness and sin; (4) to give us an example to follow.
This temptation by Satan shows us that though Jesus was human and subject to temptations such as we are, he was also divine because he overcame Satan and was ministered to by angels. Jesus’ temptation was an important demonstration of his sinlessness. He faced temptation and did not give in. As his servants, we will also be prepared for discipleship by testing. Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, takes the offensive against the enemy, Satan, by going into the lonely and desolate wilderness to fight temptation. The word for compelled is very forceful in the Greek, conveying the meaning of “thrown out” or “cast out.” This does not imply that Jesus was reluctant, but rather that God’s Spirit was intensely motivating him to go. As with Jesus’ disciples, the Spirit may have in mind to test us in order to prepare us for greater service.
From Jesus’ temptation we can learn that following our Lord could bring dangerous and intense spiritual battles. It warns us that we won’t always feel good; there will be times of deprivation, loneliness, and hostility. It also shows that our spiritual victories may not always be visible to the watching world. Above all, it shows that we must use and rely on the power of God to face temptation, and not try to withstand it in our own strength.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Our mission is to make disciples. Lord, help me be about that mission everyday of my life. Lord, I pray for my disciples today. Work in them. Continue to refine them and build them into the men of God You desire. Lord, use me to help shape them, encourage them and inspire them. Lord, help them make it over the long haul. Protect their hearts and minds. Help them stand in times of temptation and trials. Mature them and build their character. God, build a church at COV, where evangelism and discipleship are the values of every member.
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:6-8 (NIV)
"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." 2 Timothy 2:2 (NIV)
PRAYER
Lord, draw people to Church of the Valley this morning. Speak to every heart and every mind. Lord, burden me, burden our people with the lostness of people and birth within them a desire to grow spiritually. All for you Lord. Only what's done for Christ will last. Lord, comfort the Lindberg family. Heal Pastor Dave. Heal all the folks impacted by this flu bug.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
DAY #52: February 21, 2009 - Matthew 27:57-28:10
The Sabbath began at sundown on Friday and ended at sundown on Saturday. Jesus died just a few hours before sundown on Friday (at about three o’clock). It was against Jewish law to do physical work or to travel on the Sabbath. It was also against Jewish law to let a dead body remain exposed overnight (Deuteronomy 21:23). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea asked for Jesus’ body so he could give it a proper burial. Arimathea was a town about twenty-two miles northwest of Jerusalem. Although an honored member of the Council, Joseph was one of Jesus’ followers. Thus, not all the Jewish leaders hated Jesus. In the past, Joseph had been reluctant to speak against the religious leaders who had opposed Jesus; at this time he went boldly to Pilate and Pilate released Jesus’ body to him.
As evening and the Sabbath approached, Joseph had to hurry. Fortunately he had help. John wrote that Nicodemus, another member of the Council, brought spices in which to wrap Jesus’ body. Joseph brought a long linen cloth. The body was carefully taken down from the cross, washed, wrapped in layers of cloth with the spices in between, and laid in a tomb. Jesus was given a burial fit for a king. This new tomb was unused (some tombs were large enough to hold several bodies). It had been carved out of the rock, so it was a man-made cave cut out of one of the many limestone hills in the area around Jerusalem. It was large enough to walk into. Joseph and Nicodemus placed Jesus’ body in the tomb and rolled a great stone across the entrance. A wealthy person’s tomb would often have a groove sloping down into the doorway, and a stone slab a yard in diameter would be rolled into it. The stone would be easy to roll in, but it would take several men to roll it up the slope to open the tomb.
Two of the women who had been at the cross, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, followed Joseph and Nicodemus as they carried Jesus’ body to the tomb. No mourning was permitted for those executed under Roman law, so they followed in silent grief. They wanted to know where the body would be laid because they planned to return after the Sabbath with their own spices to anoint Jesus’ body. Apparently, the leading priests and Pharisees knew where Jesus was buried. Jesus may have died, but they remembered that he had said he would be raised from the dead. The religious leaders did not believe Jesus’ claims, but they were afraid of fraud—after all, the body had been taken down by two followers of Jesus. The Pharisees wanted Pilate to seal the tomb until the third day to make sure that no one would steal Jesus’ body and claim he had risen from the dead.
So they made sure the tomb was sealed and guarded. The tomb was made secure by stringing a cord across the stone that was rolled over the entrance. The cord was sealed at each end with clay. Pilate gave them permission to post guards at the tomb as a further precaution. These may have been some Roman soldiers or the Temple police who were at the Jewish leaders’ disposal. With such precautions, the only way the tomb could be empty would be for Jesus to rise from the dead. The Pharisees failed to understand that no rock, seal, guard, or army could keep them secure, nor could any power prevent the Son of God from rising again.
The women could not make the trip to the tomb until early on Sunday morning after the Sabbath. As dawn approached, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to see the tomb. Both of them had been at Jesus’ cross and had followed Joseph so they would know where the tomb was located. Mark explained that they had gone back to the tomb to bring spices and perfumes to anoint Jesus’ body because they had had no time to do so before the Sabbath. Anointing a body was a sign of love, devotion, and respect. Bringing spices to the tomb would be like bringing flowers to a grave today.
Again a supernatural event took place: a great earthquake occurred as an angel of the Lord came down from heaven. Mark records that the women were concerned about how they would get into the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. They had seen Joseph put the stone at its entrance, although they may have been unaware of the sealing of the stone and of the guards who had been posted. When they arrived at the tomb, they saw that the large stone had already been rolled aside. An angel was sitting on the stone, whose face shone like lightning and clothing was as white as snow. For fear of him, the guards fell into a dead faint.
The angel spoke reassuringly to the frightened women. They were looking for Jesus, the human being who had been crucified on the cross. But Jesus was not there; he had risen. The angel invited the women to look into the inner burial chamber and see where his body was lying. Jesus had been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen.The women who had come to anoint a dead body were given another task—proclaiming the Resurrection to the frightened disciples. The disciples had deserted Jesus in the hour of trial, but the angel’s words held hope of renewal and forgiveness. The disciples had deserted Jesus, but they were directed to meet Jesus in Galilee. This was exactly what Jesus had told them during the Last Supper.
The women ran quickly from the tomb realizing that they had seen the results of an awesome miracle in the empty tomb and had been in the presence of an angel. This revelation from God had filled them with a mixture of fear and joy. They obeyed the angel’s command and rushed to the eleven disciples with the good news. As the women ran from the tomb, in their path appeared Jesus himself! The women held his feet and worshiped him, giving homage to their Savior, Lord, and King. Jesus told the women to pass a message on to the disciples—that they should leave for Galilee as he had previously told them. But the disciples, filled with fear, remained behind locked doors in Jerusalem. So Jesus met them first in Jerusalem and later in Galilee.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I am reminded today of the importance of the Resurrection. Why is the Resurrection so important? Because of the Resurrection, we know that death has been conquered and that we, too, will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ. The Resurrection gives authority to the church’s witness in the world. The Resurrection helps us find meaning even in great tragedy. No matter what happens to us as we walk with the Lord, the Resurrection gives us hope for the future. Without the resurrection, the Christian life has no power. The Resurrection proves that Jesus was who He said He was.
PRAYER
Lord, as we build towards Easter, build and awareness into our people about the immensity of the Resurrection. Build into them an understanding of the uniqueness and power of the Resurrection. Give everyone of us a burden to invite folks to Easter at COV - where they will hear the love and hope of a life rooted in Jesus Christ.
As evening and the Sabbath approached, Joseph had to hurry. Fortunately he had help. John wrote that Nicodemus, another member of the Council, brought spices in which to wrap Jesus’ body. Joseph brought a long linen cloth. The body was carefully taken down from the cross, washed, wrapped in layers of cloth with the spices in between, and laid in a tomb. Jesus was given a burial fit for a king. This new tomb was unused (some tombs were large enough to hold several bodies). It had been carved out of the rock, so it was a man-made cave cut out of one of the many limestone hills in the area around Jerusalem. It was large enough to walk into. Joseph and Nicodemus placed Jesus’ body in the tomb and rolled a great stone across the entrance. A wealthy person’s tomb would often have a groove sloping down into the doorway, and a stone slab a yard in diameter would be rolled into it. The stone would be easy to roll in, but it would take several men to roll it up the slope to open the tomb.
Two of the women who had been at the cross, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, followed Joseph and Nicodemus as they carried Jesus’ body to the tomb. No mourning was permitted for those executed under Roman law, so they followed in silent grief. They wanted to know where the body would be laid because they planned to return after the Sabbath with their own spices to anoint Jesus’ body. Apparently, the leading priests and Pharisees knew where Jesus was buried. Jesus may have died, but they remembered that he had said he would be raised from the dead. The religious leaders did not believe Jesus’ claims, but they were afraid of fraud—after all, the body had been taken down by two followers of Jesus. The Pharisees wanted Pilate to seal the tomb until the third day to make sure that no one would steal Jesus’ body and claim he had risen from the dead.
So they made sure the tomb was sealed and guarded. The tomb was made secure by stringing a cord across the stone that was rolled over the entrance. The cord was sealed at each end with clay. Pilate gave them permission to post guards at the tomb as a further precaution. These may have been some Roman soldiers or the Temple police who were at the Jewish leaders’ disposal. With such precautions, the only way the tomb could be empty would be for Jesus to rise from the dead. The Pharisees failed to understand that no rock, seal, guard, or army could keep them secure, nor could any power prevent the Son of God from rising again.
The women could not make the trip to the tomb until early on Sunday morning after the Sabbath. As dawn approached, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to see the tomb. Both of them had been at Jesus’ cross and had followed Joseph so they would know where the tomb was located. Mark explained that they had gone back to the tomb to bring spices and perfumes to anoint Jesus’ body because they had had no time to do so before the Sabbath. Anointing a body was a sign of love, devotion, and respect. Bringing spices to the tomb would be like bringing flowers to a grave today.
Again a supernatural event took place: a great earthquake occurred as an angel of the Lord came down from heaven. Mark records that the women were concerned about how they would get into the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. They had seen Joseph put the stone at its entrance, although they may have been unaware of the sealing of the stone and of the guards who had been posted. When they arrived at the tomb, they saw that the large stone had already been rolled aside. An angel was sitting on the stone, whose face shone like lightning and clothing was as white as snow. For fear of him, the guards fell into a dead faint.
The angel spoke reassuringly to the frightened women. They were looking for Jesus, the human being who had been crucified on the cross. But Jesus was not there; he had risen. The angel invited the women to look into the inner burial chamber and see where his body was lying. Jesus had been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen.The women who had come to anoint a dead body were given another task—proclaiming the Resurrection to the frightened disciples. The disciples had deserted Jesus in the hour of trial, but the angel’s words held hope of renewal and forgiveness. The disciples had deserted Jesus, but they were directed to meet Jesus in Galilee. This was exactly what Jesus had told them during the Last Supper.
The women ran quickly from the tomb realizing that they had seen the results of an awesome miracle in the empty tomb and had been in the presence of an angel. This revelation from God had filled them with a mixture of fear and joy. They obeyed the angel’s command and rushed to the eleven disciples with the good news. As the women ran from the tomb, in their path appeared Jesus himself! The women held his feet and worshiped him, giving homage to their Savior, Lord, and King. Jesus told the women to pass a message on to the disciples—that they should leave for Galilee as he had previously told them. But the disciples, filled with fear, remained behind locked doors in Jerusalem. So Jesus met them first in Jerusalem and later in Galilee.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I am reminded today of the importance of the Resurrection. Why is the Resurrection so important? Because of the Resurrection, we know that death has been conquered and that we, too, will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ. The Resurrection gives authority to the church’s witness in the world. The Resurrection helps us find meaning even in great tragedy. No matter what happens to us as we walk with the Lord, the Resurrection gives us hope for the future. Without the resurrection, the Christian life has no power. The Resurrection proves that Jesus was who He said He was.
PRAYER
Lord, as we build towards Easter, build and awareness into our people about the immensity of the Resurrection. Build into them an understanding of the uniqueness and power of the Resurrection. Give everyone of us a burden to invite folks to Easter at COV - where they will hear the love and hope of a life rooted in Jesus Christ.
Friday, February 20, 2009
DAY #51: February 20, 2009 - Matthew 27:33-56
Golgotha is the Hebrew word for “skull.” The familiar name “Calvary” is derived from the Latin calvaria (also meaning “skull”). Thus, it became known as Skull Hill, although some say its name was derived from its appearance, a hill with a stony top that may have looked like a skull. Golgotha may have been a regular place of execution. It was prominent, public, and outside the city along a main road. Executions held there served as examples to the people and as a deterrent to criminals.The drink offered to Jesus was wine mixed with bitter gall. But Jesus refused to drink it. He would suffer fully conscious and with a clear mind.
Crucifixion, instituted by the Romans, was a feared and shameful form of execution. The victim was forced to carry his cross along the longest possible route to the crucifixion site as a warning to bystanders. There were several shapes for crosses and several different methods of crucifixion. Jesus was nailed to the cross; condemned men were sometimes tied to their cross with ropes. In both cases, death came by suffocation as the person would lose strength and the weight of the body would make breathing more and more difficult.
A signboard stating the condemned man’s crime would be placed on his cross as a warning. Because Jesus was never found guilty, the only accusation placed on his sign was the “crime” of calling himself the King of the Jews. This sign was meant to be ironic. A king, stripped and executed in public view, had obviously lost his kingdom forever. But Jesus, who turns the world’s wisdom upside down, was just coming into his Kingdom. Few people reading the sign that bleak day understood its real meaning.
When James and John had asked Jesus for the places of honor next to him in his Kingdom, Jesus had told them that they didn’t know what they were asking. Here, as Jesus was preparing to inaugurate his Kingdom through his death, the places on his right and on his left were taken by two criminals (Isaiah 53:12). As Jesus had explained to his position-conscious disciples, a person who wants to be close to Jesus must be prepared to suffer and die as he himself was doing. The way to the Kingdom is the way of the Cross.
Insult was literally added to injury when it came to public crucifixion. The people passing by shouted abuse. They taunted Jesus that if he could boast of building the Temple in three days, surely he had the power to save himself from the fate of the cross. Ironically, Jesus was in the very process of fulfilling his own prophecy. His body was being destroyed, but in three days he would rise again. Because Jesus was the Son of God who always obeyed the will of the Father, he did not come down from the cross to save himself. If he had done so, he could not have saved us. Their words, “if you are the Son of God,” recall Satan’s temptations, revealing that Satan was still at work attempting to get Jesus to give in to the suffering and fail to accomplish God’s will.
Apparently some religious leaders had followed the executioners out to Golgotha, eager to see their evil plot finally completed. Not content to have brought him to an unjust death, they also mocked him, that though he could save others, he couldn’t save himself. The religious leaders had twice before asked Jesus to give them a miraculous sign so that they would believe in him, but Jesus had refused. Here again they were saying, “Give us a sign,” as they taunted, “come down from the cross.” Their words echo Psalm 22:8. But Jesus would not renounce his God-appointed path. The lesson for all believers is that faith cannot be based on visible demonstrations of power; instead, faith is belief in things not seen.
Jesus had been put on the cross at nine o’clock in the morning. Death by crucifixion was slow and excruciating. Three hours passed while Jesus put up with abuse from bystanders. Then, at noon, darkness settled over the land for three hours. We do not know how this darkness occurred, but it is clear that God caused it. Nature testified to the gravity of Jesus’ death, while Jesus’ friends and enemies alike fell silent in the encircling gloom. The darkness on that Friday afternoon was both physical and spiritual. All nature seemed to mourn over the stark tragedy of the death of God’s Son.
Jesus did not ask this question, “Why have you forsaken me?” in surprise or despair. He was quoting the first line of Psalm 22, a prophecy expressing the deep agony of the Messiah’s death for the world’s sin. Jesus knew that he would be temporarily separated from God the moment he took upon himself the sins of the world because God cannot look on sin (Habakkuk 1:13). This separation was the “cup” Jesus had dreaded as he prayed in Gethsemane. The physical agony was horrible, but the spiritual alienation from God was the ultimate torture. Jesus suffered this double death so that we would never have to experience eternal separation from God.
The bystanders misinterpreted Jesus’ words and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. Because Elijah had ascended into heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11), a popular belief held that Elijah would return to rescue those suffering from great trouble (Malachi 4:5). John records that Jesus said he was thirsty. In response, one man soaked a sponge with sour wine. This was not the same as the drugged wine offered to Jesus earlier, but a thirst quencher that was there, probably for the soldiers to drink. This man, either in an act of kindness or further mockery, put the sponge on a long stick and held it up in order to reach Jesus’ lips (again fulfilling prophecy.
The crowd, however, resuming its taunting, thought Jesus had called for Elijah, and said not to give Jesus any relief for his thirst, but instead to wait and see if Elijah would come and save him. Jesus’ loud cry may have been his last words, “It is finished!”. This cry climaxed the horror of the scene and showed his sudden death after over six hours on the cross. Usually crucifixion caused a person to lapse into a coma from extreme exhaustion. Jesus, however, was completely conscious to the end, and then he gave up his spirit.
Some significant events symbolized what Christ’s work on the cross had accomplished. The Temple had three main parts—the courts, the holy place (where only the priests could enter), and the most holy place, reserved by God for himself. It was in the most holy place that the ark of the covenant rested. The room was entered only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, by the high priest as he made a sacrifice to gain forgiveness for the sins of all the nation (Leviticus 16:1-34). The curtain in the Temple was between the holy place and the most holy place.
Symbolically, that curtain separated the holy God from sinful people. By tearing the curtain in two, from top to bottom, God showed that Jesus had opened the way for sinful people to reach a holy God. The opening of the tombs and people being raised from the dead revealed that by Jesus’ death, the power of death was broken. A Roman officer had accompanied the soldiers to the execution site. He probably had done this many times. Yet this crucifixion was completely different. These Gentiles realized something that most of the Jewish nation had missed: “Truly, this was the Son of God!” Whether they understood what they were saying, we cannot know. They may simply have admired Jesus’ courage and inner strength, perhaps thinking that he was divine, like one of Rome’s many gods. They were terrified because of the other events (darkness and earthquake) that had surrounded this particular crucifixion, which they attributed to the wrath of God (or a god). They certainly recognized Jesus’ innocence. While the Jewish religious leaders were celebrating Jesus’ death, a small group of Gentiles were the first to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God after his death.
There had been many people at the cross who had come only to mock and taunt Jesus or, like the religious leaders, to revel in their apparent victory. Some of Jesus’ faithful followers were at the cross as well. Among the disciples, only John was there, and he recorded in his Gospel in graphic detail the horror he observed. Many women were also there, watching from a distance.
Mary Magdalene was from Magdala, a town near Capernaum in Galilee. She had been released from demon possession by Jesus. Another Mary is distinguished by the names of her sons who may have been well known in the early church. Zebedee’s wife was the mother of the disciples James and John. Her name was Salome, and she was probably the sister of Jesus’ mother. These women had been faithful to Jesus’ ministry, following him and providing for his material needs. John wrote that Jesus’ mother, Mary, was present and that, from the cross, Jesus spoke to John about taking care of Mary.
These women could do very little, but they did what they could. They stayed at the cross when the disciples had not even come; they followed Jesus’ body to the tomb; they prepared spices for his body. Because these women used the opportunities they had, they were the first to witness the Resurrection. God blessed their devotion, initiative, and diligence. As believers, we should take advantage of the opportunities we have and do what we can for Christ.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I am speechless. I am completely broken by our Lord's sacrifice. Lord let this passage linger in my heart and mind today. Live through me and help me be like You.
Crucifixion, instituted by the Romans, was a feared and shameful form of execution. The victim was forced to carry his cross along the longest possible route to the crucifixion site as a warning to bystanders. There were several shapes for crosses and several different methods of crucifixion. Jesus was nailed to the cross; condemned men were sometimes tied to their cross with ropes. In both cases, death came by suffocation as the person would lose strength and the weight of the body would make breathing more and more difficult.
A signboard stating the condemned man’s crime would be placed on his cross as a warning. Because Jesus was never found guilty, the only accusation placed on his sign was the “crime” of calling himself the King of the Jews. This sign was meant to be ironic. A king, stripped and executed in public view, had obviously lost his kingdom forever. But Jesus, who turns the world’s wisdom upside down, was just coming into his Kingdom. Few people reading the sign that bleak day understood its real meaning.
When James and John had asked Jesus for the places of honor next to him in his Kingdom, Jesus had told them that they didn’t know what they were asking. Here, as Jesus was preparing to inaugurate his Kingdom through his death, the places on his right and on his left were taken by two criminals (Isaiah 53:12). As Jesus had explained to his position-conscious disciples, a person who wants to be close to Jesus must be prepared to suffer and die as he himself was doing. The way to the Kingdom is the way of the Cross.
Insult was literally added to injury when it came to public crucifixion. The people passing by shouted abuse. They taunted Jesus that if he could boast of building the Temple in three days, surely he had the power to save himself from the fate of the cross. Ironically, Jesus was in the very process of fulfilling his own prophecy. His body was being destroyed, but in three days he would rise again. Because Jesus was the Son of God who always obeyed the will of the Father, he did not come down from the cross to save himself. If he had done so, he could not have saved us. Their words, “if you are the Son of God,” recall Satan’s temptations, revealing that Satan was still at work attempting to get Jesus to give in to the suffering and fail to accomplish God’s will.
Apparently some religious leaders had followed the executioners out to Golgotha, eager to see their evil plot finally completed. Not content to have brought him to an unjust death, they also mocked him, that though he could save others, he couldn’t save himself. The religious leaders had twice before asked Jesus to give them a miraculous sign so that they would believe in him, but Jesus had refused. Here again they were saying, “Give us a sign,” as they taunted, “come down from the cross.” Their words echo Psalm 22:8. But Jesus would not renounce his God-appointed path. The lesson for all believers is that faith cannot be based on visible demonstrations of power; instead, faith is belief in things not seen.
Jesus had been put on the cross at nine o’clock in the morning. Death by crucifixion was slow and excruciating. Three hours passed while Jesus put up with abuse from bystanders. Then, at noon, darkness settled over the land for three hours. We do not know how this darkness occurred, but it is clear that God caused it. Nature testified to the gravity of Jesus’ death, while Jesus’ friends and enemies alike fell silent in the encircling gloom. The darkness on that Friday afternoon was both physical and spiritual. All nature seemed to mourn over the stark tragedy of the death of God’s Son.
Jesus did not ask this question, “Why have you forsaken me?” in surprise or despair. He was quoting the first line of Psalm 22, a prophecy expressing the deep agony of the Messiah’s death for the world’s sin. Jesus knew that he would be temporarily separated from God the moment he took upon himself the sins of the world because God cannot look on sin (Habakkuk 1:13). This separation was the “cup” Jesus had dreaded as he prayed in Gethsemane. The physical agony was horrible, but the spiritual alienation from God was the ultimate torture. Jesus suffered this double death so that we would never have to experience eternal separation from God.
The bystanders misinterpreted Jesus’ words and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. Because Elijah had ascended into heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11), a popular belief held that Elijah would return to rescue those suffering from great trouble (Malachi 4:5). John records that Jesus said he was thirsty. In response, one man soaked a sponge with sour wine. This was not the same as the drugged wine offered to Jesus earlier, but a thirst quencher that was there, probably for the soldiers to drink. This man, either in an act of kindness or further mockery, put the sponge on a long stick and held it up in order to reach Jesus’ lips (again fulfilling prophecy.
The crowd, however, resuming its taunting, thought Jesus had called for Elijah, and said not to give Jesus any relief for his thirst, but instead to wait and see if Elijah would come and save him. Jesus’ loud cry may have been his last words, “It is finished!”. This cry climaxed the horror of the scene and showed his sudden death after over six hours on the cross. Usually crucifixion caused a person to lapse into a coma from extreme exhaustion. Jesus, however, was completely conscious to the end, and then he gave up his spirit.
Some significant events symbolized what Christ’s work on the cross had accomplished. The Temple had three main parts—the courts, the holy place (where only the priests could enter), and the most holy place, reserved by God for himself. It was in the most holy place that the ark of the covenant rested. The room was entered only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, by the high priest as he made a sacrifice to gain forgiveness for the sins of all the nation (Leviticus 16:1-34). The curtain in the Temple was between the holy place and the most holy place.
Symbolically, that curtain separated the holy God from sinful people. By tearing the curtain in two, from top to bottom, God showed that Jesus had opened the way for sinful people to reach a holy God. The opening of the tombs and people being raised from the dead revealed that by Jesus’ death, the power of death was broken. A Roman officer had accompanied the soldiers to the execution site. He probably had done this many times. Yet this crucifixion was completely different. These Gentiles realized something that most of the Jewish nation had missed: “Truly, this was the Son of God!” Whether they understood what they were saying, we cannot know. They may simply have admired Jesus’ courage and inner strength, perhaps thinking that he was divine, like one of Rome’s many gods. They were terrified because of the other events (darkness and earthquake) that had surrounded this particular crucifixion, which they attributed to the wrath of God (or a god). They certainly recognized Jesus’ innocence. While the Jewish religious leaders were celebrating Jesus’ death, a small group of Gentiles were the first to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God after his death.
There had been many people at the cross who had come only to mock and taunt Jesus or, like the religious leaders, to revel in their apparent victory. Some of Jesus’ faithful followers were at the cross as well. Among the disciples, only John was there, and he recorded in his Gospel in graphic detail the horror he observed. Many women were also there, watching from a distance.
Mary Magdalene was from Magdala, a town near Capernaum in Galilee. She had been released from demon possession by Jesus. Another Mary is distinguished by the names of her sons who may have been well known in the early church. Zebedee’s wife was the mother of the disciples James and John. Her name was Salome, and she was probably the sister of Jesus’ mother. These women had been faithful to Jesus’ ministry, following him and providing for his material needs. John wrote that Jesus’ mother, Mary, was present and that, from the cross, Jesus spoke to John about taking care of Mary.
These women could do very little, but they did what they could. They stayed at the cross when the disciples had not even come; they followed Jesus’ body to the tomb; they prepared spices for his body. Because these women used the opportunities they had, they were the first to witness the Resurrection. God blessed their devotion, initiative, and diligence. As believers, we should take advantage of the opportunities we have and do what we can for Christ.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I am speechless. I am completely broken by our Lord's sacrifice. Lord let this passage linger in my heart and mind today. Live through me and help me be like You.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
DAY #50: February 19, 2009 - Matthew 27:11-32
Today's passage begins with Jesus standing before Pilate. Jesus had been charged with treason, so Pilate asked Jesus directly if he claimed to be the King of the Jews. Jesus’ answer was basically “yes” but with a qualification attached. Jesus did claim to be a king—to remain silent would be like denying it. But he wasn’t claiming kingship in any way that would threaten Pilate, Caesar, or the Empire. Jesus’ kingship was spiritual. Pilate could sense that the Council’s case was embarrassingly weak and that the solemn rabbi standing before him was unlikely to lead a revolt against Rome.
The Jewish leaders had to fabricate new accusations against Jesus when they brought him before Pilate (Luke 23:1-5). The charge of blasphemy would mean nothing to the Roman governor, so they accused Jesus of three other crimes: tax evasion, treason, and terrorism. Pilate knew that the charges were preposterous, and he expected Jesus to defend himself, but Jesus remained silent. Jesus’ silence had been prophesied in Scripture (Isaiah 53:7). It would have been futile to answer, and the time had come to give his life to save the world. Jesus had no reason to try to prolong the trial or save himself. If Jesus did not answer, Pilate would have to judge him guilty. Recognizing the obvious plot against Jesus, Pilate wanted to let him go. John recorded, in detail, Jesus’ final answer to Pilate regarding the nature of his messiahship (John 18:33-38). These words made Pilate realize that Jesus was innocent of any crime against Roman law.
In the custom of pardoning a criminal during Passover, Pilate saw an opportunity to avoid responsibility for the death of a man whom he perceived to be innocent. Each year, during the Jews’ Passover celebration, Pilate had made it a custom to release one prisoner they requested. Pilate may have instituted this custom to be on better terms with the people. The notorious criminal currently held was Barabbas, who had taken part in a rebellion against the Roman government. Ironically, Barabbas was guilty of the crime of which Jesus was accused. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent of political sedition, so he sought a way to be free of the guilt of killing an innocent man. His custom of releasing one prisoner at Passover seemed like an obvious way out.
Pilate knew very well that the Jewish leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy, so he suggested that Jesus, who is called the Messiah, be set free. Pilate thought the crowd would favor Jesus, a popular teacher, over a murderer. The religious leaders went among the crowd, persuading the people to call for Barabbas to be released. Faced with a clear choice, the people chose Barabbas, a revolutionary and murderer, over the Son of God. Faced with the same choice today, people are still choosing “Barabbas.”
Pilate asked what to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah. Perhaps Pilate hoped to let Jesus go as well, in an extra special offer at this Passover. Luke records that Pilate said he would punish and then release him (Luke 23:15-16). But the crowd shouted, “Crucify him!” This was a remarkable request—crucifixion was the Roman penalty for rebellion and abhorrent to the Jews. In their eyes, crucifixion would demonstrate that he was under God’s curse (Deuteronomy 21:23).
In trying to excuse himself and place the responsibility for an innocent man’s death on them, Pilate exclaimed, “The responsibility is yours!” In making no decision, Pilate made the decision to let the crowds crucify Jesus. Although he washed his hands, the guilt remained.
The Jewish leaders willingly took responsibility for Jesus’ death. Pilate desired only to satisfy the crowd, so he rationalized in order to salve his conscience. For a leader who was supposed to administer justice, Pilate proved to be more concerned about political expediency than about doing what was right. So he released Barabbas and then ordered Jesus flogged.
The flogging that Jesus received was part of the Roman legal code, which demanded that flogging precede capital punishment. The Romans did it to weaken the prisoner so that he would die more quickly on the cross. The usual procedure was to bare the upper half of the victim’s body and tie the hands to a pillar before whipping the victim with a lead-tipped whip. The continued lashing with these sharp instruments tore at the victim’s skin, even baring the bones. After the flogging, Pilate handed Jesus over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him (Isaiah 53:6-12).
Only the Romans were allowed to carry out execution, so the Roman soldiers took him from the post where he had been flogged and led him, beaten and bleeding, back inside their headquarters. Someone found a scarlet robe, probably one of the scarlet cloaks worn by the soldiers, and threw it around the shoulders of this supposed “king,” pretending that it was a royal color. Someone else, with a brutal sense of humor, twisted some long, sharp thorns into a crown that was then jammed onto Jesus’ head. They spit on him and beat him. Such mockery of condemned prisoners was common. This event, however, was fulfilling prophecy (Isaiah 50:6; 52:14–53:6).
In being led out to be crucified, condemned prisoners (who had already been flogged) would carry the crossbeam of their own cross. This crossbeam weighed about one hundred pounds and was carried across the shoulders. The heavy crossbeam was placed on Jesus’ already bleeding shoulders, and he began the long walk out of Jerusalem. Usually execution sites were outside of the city. Jesus started to carry his cross, but, weakened from the beatings he had received, he was physically unable to carry it. Roman soldiers had the power to enforce people to do tasks for them, so Simon, on his way into the city, was picked out of the crowd by the soldiers to carry Jesus’ cross.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I am so very humbled by the reading today. Humbled that Jesus went to the cross and endured the shame and pain of the cross for MY sin. Humbled by the loneliness of the blatantly rigged trials and the inhumane beatings that went along with the cross. I am humbled by the disgrace and humiliation attached to the cross. Lord, may I never forget the cross. I am so very proud that we serve a God who went the distance for all of us.
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14 (NIV)
PRAYER
Lord, you hate pride. But, You love a humble heart. May you develop a humble heart in me and my family. I want to serve You Lord. And if that means to serve in anonymity, I will serve. If that means to serve with no recognition, I will serve. If that means to serve with no human success, I will serve. May you develop this same heart for service in the people of COV. Lord, thank you moving in our peoples hearts to give towards the nursery and the scholarships for camps. Similarly Lord, move in all of our hearts when it comes to our giving and service.
The Jewish leaders had to fabricate new accusations against Jesus when they brought him before Pilate (Luke 23:1-5). The charge of blasphemy would mean nothing to the Roman governor, so they accused Jesus of three other crimes: tax evasion, treason, and terrorism. Pilate knew that the charges were preposterous, and he expected Jesus to defend himself, but Jesus remained silent. Jesus’ silence had been prophesied in Scripture (Isaiah 53:7). It would have been futile to answer, and the time had come to give his life to save the world. Jesus had no reason to try to prolong the trial or save himself. If Jesus did not answer, Pilate would have to judge him guilty. Recognizing the obvious plot against Jesus, Pilate wanted to let him go. John recorded, in detail, Jesus’ final answer to Pilate regarding the nature of his messiahship (John 18:33-38). These words made Pilate realize that Jesus was innocent of any crime against Roman law.
In the custom of pardoning a criminal during Passover, Pilate saw an opportunity to avoid responsibility for the death of a man whom he perceived to be innocent. Each year, during the Jews’ Passover celebration, Pilate had made it a custom to release one prisoner they requested. Pilate may have instituted this custom to be on better terms with the people. The notorious criminal currently held was Barabbas, who had taken part in a rebellion against the Roman government. Ironically, Barabbas was guilty of the crime of which Jesus was accused. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent of political sedition, so he sought a way to be free of the guilt of killing an innocent man. His custom of releasing one prisoner at Passover seemed like an obvious way out.
Pilate knew very well that the Jewish leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy, so he suggested that Jesus, who is called the Messiah, be set free. Pilate thought the crowd would favor Jesus, a popular teacher, over a murderer. The religious leaders went among the crowd, persuading the people to call for Barabbas to be released. Faced with a clear choice, the people chose Barabbas, a revolutionary and murderer, over the Son of God. Faced with the same choice today, people are still choosing “Barabbas.”
Pilate asked what to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah. Perhaps Pilate hoped to let Jesus go as well, in an extra special offer at this Passover. Luke records that Pilate said he would punish and then release him (Luke 23:15-16). But the crowd shouted, “Crucify him!” This was a remarkable request—crucifixion was the Roman penalty for rebellion and abhorrent to the Jews. In their eyes, crucifixion would demonstrate that he was under God’s curse (Deuteronomy 21:23).
In trying to excuse himself and place the responsibility for an innocent man’s death on them, Pilate exclaimed, “The responsibility is yours!” In making no decision, Pilate made the decision to let the crowds crucify Jesus. Although he washed his hands, the guilt remained.
The Jewish leaders willingly took responsibility for Jesus’ death. Pilate desired only to satisfy the crowd, so he rationalized in order to salve his conscience. For a leader who was supposed to administer justice, Pilate proved to be more concerned about political expediency than about doing what was right. So he released Barabbas and then ordered Jesus flogged.
The flogging that Jesus received was part of the Roman legal code, which demanded that flogging precede capital punishment. The Romans did it to weaken the prisoner so that he would die more quickly on the cross. The usual procedure was to bare the upper half of the victim’s body and tie the hands to a pillar before whipping the victim with a lead-tipped whip. The continued lashing with these sharp instruments tore at the victim’s skin, even baring the bones. After the flogging, Pilate handed Jesus over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him (Isaiah 53:6-12).
Only the Romans were allowed to carry out execution, so the Roman soldiers took him from the post where he had been flogged and led him, beaten and bleeding, back inside their headquarters. Someone found a scarlet robe, probably one of the scarlet cloaks worn by the soldiers, and threw it around the shoulders of this supposed “king,” pretending that it was a royal color. Someone else, with a brutal sense of humor, twisted some long, sharp thorns into a crown that was then jammed onto Jesus’ head. They spit on him and beat him. Such mockery of condemned prisoners was common. This event, however, was fulfilling prophecy (Isaiah 50:6; 52:14–53:6).
In being led out to be crucified, condemned prisoners (who had already been flogged) would carry the crossbeam of their own cross. This crossbeam weighed about one hundred pounds and was carried across the shoulders. The heavy crossbeam was placed on Jesus’ already bleeding shoulders, and he began the long walk out of Jerusalem. Usually execution sites were outside of the city. Jesus started to carry his cross, but, weakened from the beatings he had received, he was physically unable to carry it. Roman soldiers had the power to enforce people to do tasks for them, so Simon, on his way into the city, was picked out of the crowd by the soldiers to carry Jesus’ cross.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I am so very humbled by the reading today. Humbled that Jesus went to the cross and endured the shame and pain of the cross for MY sin. Humbled by the loneliness of the blatantly rigged trials and the inhumane beatings that went along with the cross. I am humbled by the disgrace and humiliation attached to the cross. Lord, may I never forget the cross. I am so very proud that we serve a God who went the distance for all of us.
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14 (NIV)
PRAYER
Lord, you hate pride. But, You love a humble heart. May you develop a humble heart in me and my family. I want to serve You Lord. And if that means to serve in anonymity, I will serve. If that means to serve with no recognition, I will serve. If that means to serve with no human success, I will serve. May you develop this same heart for service in the people of COV. Lord, thank you moving in our peoples hearts to give towards the nursery and the scholarships for camps. Similarly Lord, move in all of our hearts when it comes to our giving and service.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
DAY #49: February 18, 2009 - Matthew 26:69-27:10
Today's passage begins with the story of Peter disowning Jesus. The servant girl that is mentioned in this passage was actually guarding the gate to the inner courtyard (John 18:16). She had seen Peter enter and take a seat outside in the courtyard of the palace and recognized him as one who had been with Jesus the Galilean. This put Peter in a difficult position. Standing among the soldiers and servants right there in enemy territory, Peter did not necessarily want to be identified with the man in an upstairs room on trial for his life. So Peter made an impulsive response—he lied.
Peter gave the answer that Jesus had predicted: He denied knowing Jesus. Temptation came when Peter least expected it, and this serves to warn us to be prepared. Peter had been ready to fight with a sword but not to face the accusations of a servant. Later in the evening, another servant girl noticed him. She didn’t question him directly, rather she told those standing around that Peter was with Jesus of Nazareth. The accusation scared Peter, so once again he lied, this time with an oath, meaning he had invoked a curse on himself if he were lying. This was Peter’s second denial. About an hour passed (Luke 22:59), and another bystander noticed Peter’s Galilean accent.
While Peter may have hoped to seem a natural part of the group by joining in the conversation, instead he revealed, by his speech, that he did not belong there. This was too much for Peter, so he decided to make the strongest denial he could think of by denying with an oath, “I don’t know the man.” Peter was swearing that he did not know Jesus and was invoking a curse on himself if his words were untrue. He was saying, in effect, “May God strike me dead if I am lying.” This was the third denial.
Immediately upon Peter’s final words, the rooster crowed. When Peter heard the rooster crowing and saw Jesus look down at him from the upper story where the trial was being held (Luke 22:61), he was reminded of what Jesus had said to him earlier. Peter had indeed denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. Peter went away, crying bitterly, realizing he had denied his Lord, the Messiah. Fortunately, the story does not end there. Peter’s tears were of true sorrow and repentance. Later, Peter would reaffirm his love for Jesus, and Jesus would forgive him (Mark 16:7; John 21:15-19).
Very early the next morning, the Council made it official that Jesus was worthy of death. The Jewish leaders had arrested Jesus on theological grounds—blasphemy; because this charge would be thrown out of a Roman court, however, they had to come up with a political reason for Jesus’ death. Their strategy was to show Jesus as a rebel who claimed to be a king and thus a threat to Caesar. The charge against Jesus in the Roman court was treason. Jesus was bound like a common criminal and sent off to Pilate.
The religious leaders had no other way to get rid of Jesus than to go to him. So they imposed this on him early Friday morning, bringing a man whom they accused of treason against the hated Romans! The stories of Peter and Judas provide a dramatic contrast. We see in Peter the weakness of humanity and in Judas the guilt and spiritual consequences of rejecting Christ. Peter wept, repented, and was restored; Judas had remorse, but killed himself. Forgiveness was available from the Master, but Judas did not pursue it.
Judas, filled with remorse at having betrayed Jesus, went back to the leading priests. Jesus had been condemned to die, and Judas realized his sin, but it was too late. The religious leaders had Jesus where they wanted him, and they replied, “What do we care?” What a response from the religious leadership! The priests’ job was to teach people about God and act as intercessors for them, helping them turn from sin and find forgiveness. Rather than helping him find forgiveness, however, the priests didn’t care. At that, Judas threw the money onto the floor of the Temple. Judas then hanged himself. Acts 1:18 says that he fell and burst open. Evidently, the limb from which he was hanging broke, and the resulting fall split open his body.
These chief priests felt no guilt in giving Judas money to betray an innocent man, but when Judas returned the money, the priests couldn’t accept it because it was against the law to accept money paid for murder. True to character, they refused to break certain laws while overlooking their own gross sins as they planned the murder of an innocent man! Because they could not put the money into the Temple treasury (it was considered “unclean” money), they decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. Graveyards and tombs were considered by the Jews to be “unclean” places, so this appeared to be a perfect use for this “unclean” money. This fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 11:12-13.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I have always kind of seen myself as a "Peter" of our generation. Loud, loyal, speak before I think - sometimes, impulsive, a leader. When I read this passage, I recognize in me the same thing that was in Peter - self. Self pride, self-centeredness, self-will, selfishness.
Thank You Lord, for your forgiveness and mercy. Thank you Lord, that You were capable and ready to forgive even Judas. Thank you for being the God of second and third and fourth and 100th chances. Thank you Lord for seeing in me - what I can become, and not what I am. Lord, give me that gift as well today. Help me to encourage people and lift them up and help me to build them in such a way so they see all that You have planned for them, and all that You have created them for. Help that message of Hope come though in this next message series on Building Bridges.
"Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (AMP)
Peter gave the answer that Jesus had predicted: He denied knowing Jesus. Temptation came when Peter least expected it, and this serves to warn us to be prepared. Peter had been ready to fight with a sword but not to face the accusations of a servant. Later in the evening, another servant girl noticed him. She didn’t question him directly, rather she told those standing around that Peter was with Jesus of Nazareth. The accusation scared Peter, so once again he lied, this time with an oath, meaning he had invoked a curse on himself if he were lying. This was Peter’s second denial. About an hour passed (Luke 22:59), and another bystander noticed Peter’s Galilean accent.
While Peter may have hoped to seem a natural part of the group by joining in the conversation, instead he revealed, by his speech, that he did not belong there. This was too much for Peter, so he decided to make the strongest denial he could think of by denying with an oath, “I don’t know the man.” Peter was swearing that he did not know Jesus and was invoking a curse on himself if his words were untrue. He was saying, in effect, “May God strike me dead if I am lying.” This was the third denial.
Immediately upon Peter’s final words, the rooster crowed. When Peter heard the rooster crowing and saw Jesus look down at him from the upper story where the trial was being held (Luke 22:61), he was reminded of what Jesus had said to him earlier. Peter had indeed denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. Peter went away, crying bitterly, realizing he had denied his Lord, the Messiah. Fortunately, the story does not end there. Peter’s tears were of true sorrow and repentance. Later, Peter would reaffirm his love for Jesus, and Jesus would forgive him (Mark 16:7; John 21:15-19).
Very early the next morning, the Council made it official that Jesus was worthy of death. The Jewish leaders had arrested Jesus on theological grounds—blasphemy; because this charge would be thrown out of a Roman court, however, they had to come up with a political reason for Jesus’ death. Their strategy was to show Jesus as a rebel who claimed to be a king and thus a threat to Caesar. The charge against Jesus in the Roman court was treason. Jesus was bound like a common criminal and sent off to Pilate.
The religious leaders had no other way to get rid of Jesus than to go to him. So they imposed this on him early Friday morning, bringing a man whom they accused of treason against the hated Romans! The stories of Peter and Judas provide a dramatic contrast. We see in Peter the weakness of humanity and in Judas the guilt and spiritual consequences of rejecting Christ. Peter wept, repented, and was restored; Judas had remorse, but killed himself. Forgiveness was available from the Master, but Judas did not pursue it.
Judas, filled with remorse at having betrayed Jesus, went back to the leading priests. Jesus had been condemned to die, and Judas realized his sin, but it was too late. The religious leaders had Jesus where they wanted him, and they replied, “What do we care?” What a response from the religious leadership! The priests’ job was to teach people about God and act as intercessors for them, helping them turn from sin and find forgiveness. Rather than helping him find forgiveness, however, the priests didn’t care. At that, Judas threw the money onto the floor of the Temple. Judas then hanged himself. Acts 1:18 says that he fell and burst open. Evidently, the limb from which he was hanging broke, and the resulting fall split open his body.
These chief priests felt no guilt in giving Judas money to betray an innocent man, but when Judas returned the money, the priests couldn’t accept it because it was against the law to accept money paid for murder. True to character, they refused to break certain laws while overlooking their own gross sins as they planned the murder of an innocent man! Because they could not put the money into the Temple treasury (it was considered “unclean” money), they decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. Graveyards and tombs were considered by the Jews to be “unclean” places, so this appeared to be a perfect use for this “unclean” money. This fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 11:12-13.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I have always kind of seen myself as a "Peter" of our generation. Loud, loyal, speak before I think - sometimes, impulsive, a leader. When I read this passage, I recognize in me the same thing that was in Peter - self. Self pride, self-centeredness, self-will, selfishness.
Thank You Lord, for your forgiveness and mercy. Thank you Lord, that You were capable and ready to forgive even Judas. Thank you for being the God of second and third and fourth and 100th chances. Thank you Lord for seeing in me - what I can become, and not what I am. Lord, give me that gift as well today. Help me to encourage people and lift them up and help me to build them in such a way so they see all that You have planned for them, and all that You have created them for. Help that message of Hope come though in this next message series on Building Bridges.
"Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (AMP)
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for the people of COV. What an honor to be their pastor. Lord, You know how unworthy I feel at times to be in this leadership role. Lord, build our people and encourage our people and strengthener our people. Lord, help them see what You see. Help them see their potential and calling. In those days when they feel like giving up and compromising. In those days when they feel like a failure or maybe they don't measure up, remind them and remind me of your great capacity to love and forgive.
"Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get Christ, we are included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us." Romans 6:6-10 (MB)
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
DAY #48: February 17, 2009 - Matthew 26:47-68
The mob came for Jesus in the middle of the night when most of the people were asleep, so they could arrest Jesus without commotion. Although there were no crowds to worry about, Jesus was surrounded by eleven loyal followers who might put up a fight, so they came armed with swords and clubs in addition to lanterns and torches to light their way (John 18:3).
Judas had told the crowd to arrest the man whom he would kiss. A kiss on the cheek or hand was a common form of greeting in the Middle East, so this was not unusual. According to John 18:10, the person who pulled out a sword was Peter, who slashed off the right ear of the high priest’s servant named Malchus. Peter was demonstrating his loyalty as well and possibly preventing what he saw as defeat. He wasn’t going to let this crowd arrest Jesus without putting up a fight. Luke 22:51 records that Jesus immediately healed the man’s ear and prevented any further bloodshed. Jesus told Peter to put away his sword and allow God’s plan to unfold. Peter didn’t understand that Jesus had to die in order to gain victory.
Jesus’ words here, recorded only by Matthew, stress the difference between people’s tendency to take matters into their own hands (and suffer the consequences) and God’s more far-reaching actions. The reason for putting the sword away was that those who use the sword will be killed by the sword. To take revenge with one’s own hands is to set oneself against the will of God. Jesus clarified this by stating that he could call on his Father who would at once make available to him thousands of angels. Jesus was stating that he was in control—thus, everything was happening with his permission.
If Jesus were to call for protection from legions of angels, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen? Jesus’ suffering would be necessary to God’s plan; no one must stand in the way of God’s will. Jesus pointed out the ridiculous tactics of these people who had come to arrest him. They did not need to come against him with swords and clubs, for he voluntarily surrendered himself. Jesus was not a dangerous criminal; he was a religious teacher who had been teaching in the Temple every day during the past week. Instead, they came at night for fear of the crowds.
The trial by the Council had two phases. This first phase occurred during the night; then another meeting was held early in the morning to satisfy a law that allowed trials only during the daytime. That meeting was a mere formality held at daybreak, during which the verdict was given and Jesus was led off to the Roman procurator for sentencing. A death sentence had to be authorized by the Romans (John 18:31). By then it was very early Friday morning, before daybreak. Jesus was taken under guard from the garden back into Jerusalem to the home of Caiaphas, the ruling high priest.
The high priest’s residence was a palace with outer walls enclosing a courtyard. Although most of the disciples had fled when the soldiers arrested Jesus, two of them, Peter and another disciple (perhaps John) returned to where Jesus had been taken (John 18:15). Upstairs in the high priest’s palace, the leading priests and the entire high council had assembled before dawn. They wanted evidence to convict Jesus of a crime deserving death, but they did not find any. The obvious conclusion should have been that Jesus was innocent of any crime. But this was not a trial for justice; it was a trial to accomplish an evil purpose.
There was no shortage of witnesses; the problem was in finding two testimonies that agreed. During a trial, each witness would be called upon separately to give his testimony. But the stories these witnesses gave did not agree in the details. According to Moses’ law, no one was to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness (Numbers 35:30); there had to be two or three agreeing witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). This must have been exasperating for the desperate religious leaders. They weren’t going to let Jesus get away on a technicality!
Finally, two men were found who claimed that Jesus had said he could destroy the Temple of God. However, Jesus had not spoken in the first person (“I will destroy”); nor had he said anything linking his words with the Temple building. Instead, Jesus had spoken in the second person plural, issuing a command, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Jesus, of course, was talking about his body, not the building. Ironically, the religious leaders were about to destroy Jesus’ body just as he had said, and three days later he would rise from the dead.
The legal code required that a defendant answer his accusers, so Caiaphas was getting frustrated. His only hope was to get Jesus to say something that would give them evidence to convict him. Caiaphas tried to make up in intimidation what was lacking in evidence. He asked Jesus to answer his accusers and then to explain the accusations against him. Jesus had nothing to say to the group of liars who had spoken against him, so he remained silent. This had been prophesied in Scripture (Isaiah 53:7). With Jesus’ silence, the court proceedings ground to a halt. But Caiaphas had another tactic up the sleeve of his priestly robe. He decided to ask Jesus point-blank, “Tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” The Council must have held its collective breath in anticipation. Would Jesus outrightly claim to be the Messiah?
To the first questions, Jesus made no reply because the questions were based on confusing and erroneous evidence. Not answering was wiser than trying to clarify the fabricated accusations. But if Jesus had refused to answer this question, it would have been tantamount to denying his deity and his mission. So Jesus answered without hesitation, “Yes, it is as you say.”
Then Jesus gave a startling prophecy. The words the Son of Man, sitting at God’s right hand refer to Psalm 110:1, and coming back on the clouds of heaven recall Daniel 7:13-14. The “clouds” represented the power and glory of God. Both verses were considered to be prophecies of the coming Messiah, and Jesus applied them to himself. As the one sitting at the right hand of power, he would judge his accusers, and they would have to answer to him.
The high priest recognized Jesus’ claim and exclaimed to the Council, “You have all heard his blasphemy.” Blasphemy was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:15-16). “Why do we need other witnesses?” asked Caiaphas without expecting any answer. They needed no more false witnesses. Jesus had finally said what Caiaphas needed, so he asked for the group’s decision. They condemned him to die. Then some of the members of the Council acted in a most brutish way. To spit in someone’s face was the worst insult possible (Numbers 12:14), but these religious men weren’t content to stop at that. While Jesus was blindfolded, they took turns hitting him and then asking him to tell who it was that hit him. Yet even this had been prophesied in Scripture (Isaiah 52:14). Jesus suffered great pain, humiliation, and brutality to take away our sin.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I have already spoken of my anger regarding the immoral behavior of the Pharisees and other religious leaders, No sense in venting more frustration and astonishment at the ugly, repulsive and evil behavior of these supreme hypocrites. Today, I am moved once again at the singular sense of purpose that Jesus had. In the face of evil, Jesus kept His composure. He kept His dignity and He finished His mission.
I am in awe of Jesus. He is my hero. Would to God I would not let any person, any accusation, any sort of evil keep me from my mission and life purpose. To my discredit, how many times have I cried out like David, to God, asking for help and rescue from those who would oppose me and the work of God. How many times have I cried out for justice to be done to those who have sought to hurt me and defame me. There have been days, along the way, when I have lost sight of why God put me here and what He has called me to accomplish. Lord, give me the dogged determination of Jesus. Give me the tenacity of Jesus. Give me the single-mindedness of Jesus.
PRAYER
Lord, I want desperately to pass down a godly heritage to my children. I want desperately to finish well. Lord, I need Your strength and Your endurance to finish my race. Lord, fill me today with Your spirit. Renew my energy and give strength to my feeble legs and arms. When the opposition arises, Lord, you go before me and defend me and Your church. Help me to stay focused on the task at hand. Lord, build this same character into the fiber of every person at COV. Lord, I love these people. Work in them and through them.
Judas had told the crowd to arrest the man whom he would kiss. A kiss on the cheek or hand was a common form of greeting in the Middle East, so this was not unusual. According to John 18:10, the person who pulled out a sword was Peter, who slashed off the right ear of the high priest’s servant named Malchus. Peter was demonstrating his loyalty as well and possibly preventing what he saw as defeat. He wasn’t going to let this crowd arrest Jesus without putting up a fight. Luke 22:51 records that Jesus immediately healed the man’s ear and prevented any further bloodshed. Jesus told Peter to put away his sword and allow God’s plan to unfold. Peter didn’t understand that Jesus had to die in order to gain victory.
Jesus’ words here, recorded only by Matthew, stress the difference between people’s tendency to take matters into their own hands (and suffer the consequences) and God’s more far-reaching actions. The reason for putting the sword away was that those who use the sword will be killed by the sword. To take revenge with one’s own hands is to set oneself against the will of God. Jesus clarified this by stating that he could call on his Father who would at once make available to him thousands of angels. Jesus was stating that he was in control—thus, everything was happening with his permission.
If Jesus were to call for protection from legions of angels, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen? Jesus’ suffering would be necessary to God’s plan; no one must stand in the way of God’s will. Jesus pointed out the ridiculous tactics of these people who had come to arrest him. They did not need to come against him with swords and clubs, for he voluntarily surrendered himself. Jesus was not a dangerous criminal; he was a religious teacher who had been teaching in the Temple every day during the past week. Instead, they came at night for fear of the crowds.
The trial by the Council had two phases. This first phase occurred during the night; then another meeting was held early in the morning to satisfy a law that allowed trials only during the daytime. That meeting was a mere formality held at daybreak, during which the verdict was given and Jesus was led off to the Roman procurator for sentencing. A death sentence had to be authorized by the Romans (John 18:31). By then it was very early Friday morning, before daybreak. Jesus was taken under guard from the garden back into Jerusalem to the home of Caiaphas, the ruling high priest.
The high priest’s residence was a palace with outer walls enclosing a courtyard. Although most of the disciples had fled when the soldiers arrested Jesus, two of them, Peter and another disciple (perhaps John) returned to where Jesus had been taken (John 18:15). Upstairs in the high priest’s palace, the leading priests and the entire high council had assembled before dawn. They wanted evidence to convict Jesus of a crime deserving death, but they did not find any. The obvious conclusion should have been that Jesus was innocent of any crime. But this was not a trial for justice; it was a trial to accomplish an evil purpose.
There was no shortage of witnesses; the problem was in finding two testimonies that agreed. During a trial, each witness would be called upon separately to give his testimony. But the stories these witnesses gave did not agree in the details. According to Moses’ law, no one was to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness (Numbers 35:30); there had to be two or three agreeing witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). This must have been exasperating for the desperate religious leaders. They weren’t going to let Jesus get away on a technicality!
Finally, two men were found who claimed that Jesus had said he could destroy the Temple of God. However, Jesus had not spoken in the first person (“I will destroy”); nor had he said anything linking his words with the Temple building. Instead, Jesus had spoken in the second person plural, issuing a command, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Jesus, of course, was talking about his body, not the building. Ironically, the religious leaders were about to destroy Jesus’ body just as he had said, and three days later he would rise from the dead.
The legal code required that a defendant answer his accusers, so Caiaphas was getting frustrated. His only hope was to get Jesus to say something that would give them evidence to convict him. Caiaphas tried to make up in intimidation what was lacking in evidence. He asked Jesus to answer his accusers and then to explain the accusations against him. Jesus had nothing to say to the group of liars who had spoken against him, so he remained silent. This had been prophesied in Scripture (Isaiah 53:7). With Jesus’ silence, the court proceedings ground to a halt. But Caiaphas had another tactic up the sleeve of his priestly robe. He decided to ask Jesus point-blank, “Tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” The Council must have held its collective breath in anticipation. Would Jesus outrightly claim to be the Messiah?
To the first questions, Jesus made no reply because the questions were based on confusing and erroneous evidence. Not answering was wiser than trying to clarify the fabricated accusations. But if Jesus had refused to answer this question, it would have been tantamount to denying his deity and his mission. So Jesus answered without hesitation, “Yes, it is as you say.”
Then Jesus gave a startling prophecy. The words the Son of Man, sitting at God’s right hand refer to Psalm 110:1, and coming back on the clouds of heaven recall Daniel 7:13-14. The “clouds” represented the power and glory of God. Both verses were considered to be prophecies of the coming Messiah, and Jesus applied them to himself. As the one sitting at the right hand of power, he would judge his accusers, and they would have to answer to him.
The high priest recognized Jesus’ claim and exclaimed to the Council, “You have all heard his blasphemy.” Blasphemy was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:15-16). “Why do we need other witnesses?” asked Caiaphas without expecting any answer. They needed no more false witnesses. Jesus had finally said what Caiaphas needed, so he asked for the group’s decision. They condemned him to die. Then some of the members of the Council acted in a most brutish way. To spit in someone’s face was the worst insult possible (Numbers 12:14), but these religious men weren’t content to stop at that. While Jesus was blindfolded, they took turns hitting him and then asking him to tell who it was that hit him. Yet even this had been prophesied in Scripture (Isaiah 52:14). Jesus suffered great pain, humiliation, and brutality to take away our sin.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I have already spoken of my anger regarding the immoral behavior of the Pharisees and other religious leaders, No sense in venting more frustration and astonishment at the ugly, repulsive and evil behavior of these supreme hypocrites. Today, I am moved once again at the singular sense of purpose that Jesus had. In the face of evil, Jesus kept His composure. He kept His dignity and He finished His mission.
I am in awe of Jesus. He is my hero. Would to God I would not let any person, any accusation, any sort of evil keep me from my mission and life purpose. To my discredit, how many times have I cried out like David, to God, asking for help and rescue from those who would oppose me and the work of God. How many times have I cried out for justice to be done to those who have sought to hurt me and defame me. There have been days, along the way, when I have lost sight of why God put me here and what He has called me to accomplish. Lord, give me the dogged determination of Jesus. Give me the tenacity of Jesus. Give me the single-mindedness of Jesus.
PRAYER
Lord, I want desperately to pass down a godly heritage to my children. I want desperately to finish well. Lord, I need Your strength and Your endurance to finish my race. Lord, fill me today with Your spirit. Renew my energy and give strength to my feeble legs and arms. When the opposition arises, Lord, you go before me and defend me and Your church. Help me to stay focused on the task at hand. Lord, build this same character into the fiber of every person at COV. Lord, I love these people. Work in them and through them.
Monday, February 16, 2009
DAY #47: February 16, 2009 - Matthew 26:26-46
As we continue in Matthew, we see Jesus and the disciples were eating. Jesus took the loaf of unleavened bread, asked God’s blessing on it, and broke it in pieces. Jesus took two traditional parts of the Passover meal, the passing of bread and the drinking of wine, and gave them new meaning as representations of his body and blood. He used the bread and wine to explain the significance of what he was about to do on the cross. Jesus told the disciples to take it and eat the bread for it was his body. Jesus portrayed the sacrifice he would make and the spiritual benefit that would be passed on to those who had a personal relationship with him. This was Jesus’ pledge of his personal presence with all his disciples whenever they would partake of this meal.
As with the bread, Jesus spoke words in figurative language. “This is my blood” means “this wine represents my blood.” Jesus’ blood, shed on behalf of the sins of many, began a covenant between God and people. In Old Testament times, God had agreed to forgive people’s sins if they would bring animals for the priests to sacrifice. When this sacrificial system was inaugurated, the agreement between God and human beings was sealed with the blood of animals (Exodus 24:8). But animal blood did not in itself remove sin, and animal sacrifices had to be repeated day by day and year after year.
Under this new covenant, Jesus would die in the place of sinners. Unlike the blood of animals, Jesus’ blood would truly remove the sins of all who would put their faith in him. And Jesus’ sacrifice would never have to be repeated; it would be good for all eternity (Hebrews 9:23-28). The old covenant was a shadow of the new, pointing forward to the day when Jesus himself would be the final and ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Rather than an unblemished lamb slain on the altar, the perfect Lamb of God was slain on the cross, a sinless sacrifice to forgive sins once and for all. Jesus explained that his blood would be poured out, referring to a violent death. Those who accept Christ’s sacrifice and believe in him receive forgiveness. Now all people can come directly to God through faith because Jesus’ death has made us acceptable in God’s eyes (Romans 3:21-24). The Lord’s Supper commemorates Christ’s death on the cross in our place, paying the penalty for our sins, and it points to the coming of his Kingdom in glory. When we partake of it, we show our deep gratitude for Christ’s work on our behalf, and our faith is strengthened.
Jesus then predicted once again that the disciples would turn away from him. Jesus would go to the cross alone. Jesus himself explained that the disciples’ desertion would also occur just as it had been predicted in Scripture, specifically Zechariah 13:7. In Zechariah, God commanded that the Shepherd be struck down. As a result, the sheep would be scattered. Without a shepherd, the sheep would go through a period of great trial and be refined. The refining process would strengthen them and create a new, faithful people for God. The disciples would be staggered by what would happen to Jesus, but his death would ultimately produce their salvation and regather the sheep.
After predicting the disciples’ desertion, Jesus predicted their reunion after his resurrection. Jesus promised that he would go ahead of them to Galilee and meet them all there.
Although all the disciples protested Jesus’ words, Peter, always ready to speak up, declared that his allegiance to Jesus would prove to be much stronger than that of all the other disciples. He knew that Jesus had said to him, “Upon this rock I will build my church”, and may have assumed that he would be immune to such faithlessness.
Jesus’ words to Peter were solemn. Instead of being the only loyal disciple, Peter would in fact prove to be more disloyal than the other ten. Not only would he desert Jesus, but he would also deny him three times before the night was over, that is before the rooster crowed at dawn’s first light. Peter did not think it possible for him to actually deny any relationship with Jesus. Not only Peter, but all the disciples, declared that they would die before denying Jesus. A few hours later, however, they all would scatter.
After eating the meal, the disciples left Jerusalem and went out to a favorite meeting place. This gardenlike enclosure called Gethsemane, meaning “olive press,” was probably an orchard of olive trees with a press for extracting oil. The garden was in the Kidron Valley just outside the eastern wall of Jerusalem and just below the Mount of Olives. Jesus told eight of the disciples to sit down and wait, probably near the garden’s entrance, while he went farther in to pray. The disciples must have been physically and emotionally exhausted from trying to comprehend what would transpire. Instead of watching, they gave in to their exhaustion and fell asleep.
Jesus then took the other three disciples, Peter, James, and John, farther into the garden with him. To these closest friends, Jesus revealed that he was filled with anguish and deep distress over his approaching death because he would be forsaken by the Father, would have to bear the sins of the world, and would face a terrible execution. The divine course was set, but Jesus, in his human nature, still struggled (Hebrews 5:7-9). As the time of this event neared, it became even more horrifying. Jesus naturally recoiled from the prospect.
Jesus went still farther into the garden to be alone with God. He threw himself on the ground before God in deep spiritual anguish, praying that this cup of suffering might be taken away. In the Old Testament, “cup” stood for the trial of suffering and the wrath of God (Isaiah 51:17). So Jesus referred to the suffering that he must endure as the “cup” he would be required to drink. This was a bitter cup. The physical suffering would be horrible enough (Hebrews 5:7-9), but God’s Son also had to accept the cup of spiritual suffering—bearing our sin and being separated from God.
Yet Jesus humbly submitted to the Father’s will. He went ahead with the mission for which he had come. Jesus expressed his true feelings as a human being, but he was not denying or rebelling against God’s will. He reaffirmed his desire to do what God wanted by saying, “Yet I want your will, not mine.” God did not take away the “cup,” for the cup was his will. Jesus got up from his prayer to return to the three disciples. He had told them to stay and keep watch. But instead of showing support for Jesus by remaining awake with him and praying for strength in the coming hours, they had fallen asleep.
Jesus told the disciples that this was the time to keep alert and pray, for very soon they would face difficult temptations. Jesus was not only asking that they pray for him, but also that they pray for themselves. Jesus knew that these men would need extra strength to face the temptation ahead—temptation to run away or to deny their relationship with him. The disciples were about to see Jesus die. Would they still think he was the Messiah? The disciples would soon face confusion, fear, loneliness, guilt, and the temptation to conclude that they had been deceived.
Jesus added, “Though the spirit is willing, the body is weak.” Their inner desires and intentions would be, as they had previously boasted, to never deny Jesus and to die with him. Yet their human inadequacies, with all their fears and failures, would make it difficult to carry out those good intentions.
Jesus left the three disciples and returned to his prayer time with the Father. After much time in prayer, Jesus was ready to face his time, which conveyed that all he had predicted about his death was about to happen (John 12:23-24). Now he was prepared to face his betrayer and those who were coming to arrest him.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I have read this passage so many times, and my initial reaction is always the same. How could these guys fall asleep on Jesus in his time of need? How could they be such flakes? How could they be so undisciplined? So lazy? How could they have so little focus?
Then I wonder, how many times is this me? How many times have I fallen asleep at the switch? Missed an opportunity to love someone for Christ? How many times have I missed the heart of Jesus? Failed to be there for Him? I don't want to sound like Peter Lord, but by Your grace and mercy, help be true to you all the way to the last day that I draw breath.
PRAYER
Lord, today, I pray that you will find me faithful. I pray that you will find me standing with you to the end. Lord, help us build a church where people get this. Build a church at COV where folks will be there to the end. Solid, mature, people of faith who are not tossed back and forth by life's circumstances. Folks who are solid, not fickle.
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