One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” Luke 23:39
We have hurtled ahead to the moments where Jesus now hangs on a cross. He is placed between two thieves, one who spews venom, one who cries for mercy.
The first thief is traditionally known as Gestas, hanging to the left of Jesus (this according to the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus).
There's not much known or said about these two thieves. But at this one moment in history, we are given a glimpse into the eternal conflict: the punishment versus the redemption. One of these thieves is rushing towards punishment; one toward redemption. One of them mocks the sacrifice of Jesus, the other receives it. It's the common theme of mankind.
Can you imagine hanging next to Jesus, dying basically the same death, and having so much evil in your heart that instead of identifying with him, you mock him? I mean, how many times do you approach something unpleasant - say, a dental visit - and find camaraderie with other patients in the waiting room? You don't say, you're an idiot for being here. No, you commiserate with their misery, as you anticipate your own.
This man's heart must have been so corrupted. And how Satan must have been crowing at this moment. How he must have been mocking Jesus - look!! Son of God!! You hanging like a common man, like a common criminal. And look!! Even the criminal next to you hates you.
Thankfully, this thief is not the end of this story. But this story is the key metaphor for our lives: who will you be like? How will you respond to Jesus?
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Herod Antipas
I've been on vacation . . . I didn't realize we wouldn't have internet access!! Sorry for my absence from here, I'll spend the next couple of days catching up.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies. Luke 23:8-12
Herod Antipas was a wicked, evil man. We know this from the wicked, evil fruits of his life. His attitude toward Jesus should come as no surprise, therefore. Take a look:
Herod Antipas was a son of Herod the Great. He was apparently the youngest son, who should not have had a role in his father's kingdom. In fact, he was not his father's first choice! But as his other sons were eliminated through death and prison (what a family!), Antipas was basically the only choice. Herod the Great ended up dividing his kingdom, and Antipas would rule over Galilee and Parea, as tetrarch instead of king. He governed for 42 years.
Herod was married; however, early in his reign he fell in love with his half-brother's wife, Herodias. He planned to divorce his wife and marry his sister-in-law. This was the first step in Antipas' "war" with John the Baptist, and subsequently, Jesus of Nazareth.
John openly criticized Herod for his actions. By Jewish law, they were considered incestuous (in some way that I don't really understand, Herodias was also Herod's niece). John's popularity with the people also made Herod fearful of rebellion. In Herod's mind, John had to go.
The Gospel of Matthew tells the story of John's beheading, at the order of Herod, by the request of his step-daughter, who was goaded by her mother, Herodias. Whew! What a convoluted chain!
Because Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist, Herod was afraid of him, too! In fact, I think Herod had it backwards - I think he considered Jesus a follower of John! When Jesus was sent to him during his trial, Luke says that Herod was pleased - he had a lot of questions for Jesus. But Jesus would not even dignify him with responses.
Herod was a man driven by passions, not facts. He worked - if you can call it that - to better his own position, never to represent his people. His actions created war, and eventually led to his exile and death.
It's amazing to me how often as human beings we fail to consider long term consequences for short term gain. We tend to settle for what we want now, as opposed to what we know will be best for us in the end.
Sometimes we must hurt in the short term to win in the end. It's kind of like dieting - we must deny ourselves the cookie or the chocolate in order to see loss.
When we don't do this, we become complicit in our own downfall - in fact, we are down right responsible. We must take guard that we do not become like Herod! Sacrificing others so that we can have what we want. Living for the moment instead of eternity. Settling for passions of the flesh instead of spiritual passions.
Live like Herod, die like Herod. Live like Christ - live eternally!
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies. Luke 23:8-12
Herod Antipas was a wicked, evil man. We know this from the wicked, evil fruits of his life. His attitude toward Jesus should come as no surprise, therefore. Take a look:
Herod Antipas was a son of Herod the Great. He was apparently the youngest son, who should not have had a role in his father's kingdom. In fact, he was not his father's first choice! But as his other sons were eliminated through death and prison (what a family!), Antipas was basically the only choice. Herod the Great ended up dividing his kingdom, and Antipas would rule over Galilee and Parea, as tetrarch instead of king. He governed for 42 years.
Herod was married; however, early in his reign he fell in love with his half-brother's wife, Herodias. He planned to divorce his wife and marry his sister-in-law. This was the first step in Antipas' "war" with John the Baptist, and subsequently, Jesus of Nazareth.
John openly criticized Herod for his actions. By Jewish law, they were considered incestuous (in some way that I don't really understand, Herodias was also Herod's niece). John's popularity with the people also made Herod fearful of rebellion. In Herod's mind, John had to go.
The Gospel of Matthew tells the story of John's beheading, at the order of Herod, by the request of his step-daughter, who was goaded by her mother, Herodias. Whew! What a convoluted chain!
Because Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist, Herod was afraid of him, too! In fact, I think Herod had it backwards - I think he considered Jesus a follower of John! When Jesus was sent to him during his trial, Luke says that Herod was pleased - he had a lot of questions for Jesus. But Jesus would not even dignify him with responses.
Herod was a man driven by passions, not facts. He worked - if you can call it that - to better his own position, never to represent his people. His actions created war, and eventually led to his exile and death.
It's amazing to me how often as human beings we fail to consider long term consequences for short term gain. We tend to settle for what we want now, as opposed to what we know will be best for us in the end.
Sometimes we must hurt in the short term to win in the end. It's kind of like dieting - we must deny ourselves the cookie or the chocolate in order to see loss.
When we don't do this, we become complicit in our own downfall - in fact, we are down right responsible. We must take guard that we do not become like Herod! Sacrificing others so that we can have what we want. Living for the moment instead of eternity. Settling for passions of the flesh instead of spiritual passions.
Live like Herod, die like Herod. Live like Christ - live eternally!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The Jewish Leaders - The Pharisees and The Sadducees
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Matthew 26:59-60
Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. Mark 15:1
Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Luke 22:1-2
Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. John 18:28
No matter which gospel you read, you can see that the Jewish leaders were at the heart of the problem. They were looking for a way to get rid of Jesus. They made their plans. They made their deal with Judas, knew how to manipulate the Roman authorities, and set off to take him down.
I find it so ironic that these men who were so spiritually unkempt would not enter the Roman palace, because they did not want to be unclean. Somehow they had allowed Satan to blind them to the fact that they were already unclean!!
If you do some studying on these men, you see how far away they had drifted from God's plan for them. And so rather than summarizing the nature of many articles, I found a good one that I just want to post here in its entirety. I think it gives a very concise yet revealing look into these leaders. It is from gotquestions.org:
The Gospels refer often to the Sadducees and the Pharisees, as Jesus was in constant conflict with them. The Sadducees and Pharisees comprised the ruling class of Israel. There are many similarities between the two groups but important differences between them as well.
The Sadducees: During the time of Christ and the New Testament era, the Sadducees were aristocrats. They tended to be wealthy and held powerful positions, including that of chief priests and high priest, and they held the majority of the 70 seats of the ruling council called the Sanhedrin. They worked hard to keep the peace by agreeing with the decisions of Rome (Israel at this time was under Roman control), and they seemed to be more concerned with politics than religion. Because they were accommodating to Rome and were the wealthy upper class, they did not relate well to the common man, nor did the common man hold them in high opinion. The common man related better to those who belonged to the party of the Pharisees. Though the Sadducees held the majority of seats in the Sanhedrin, history indicates that much of the time they had to go along with the ideas of the Pharisaic minority, because the Pharisees were popular with the masses.
Religiously, the Sadducees were more conservative in one main area of doctrine. The Pharisees gave oral tradition equal authority to the written Word of God, while the Sadducees considered only the written word to be from God. The Sadducees preserved the authority of the written Word of God, especially the books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy). While they could be commended for this, they definitely were not perfect in their doctrinal views. The following is a brief list of beliefs they held that contradict Scripture:
1. They were extremely self-sufficient to the point of denying God's involvement in everyday life.
2. They denied any resurrection of the dead (Matthew 22:23, Mark 12:18-27, Acts 23:8).
3. They denied any afterlife, holding that the soul perished at death, and therefore denying any penalty or reward after the earthy life.
4. They denied the existence of the spiritual world, i.e., angels and demons (Acts 23:8).
Because the Sadducees were more concerned with politics than religion, they were unconcerned with Jesus until they became afraid He might bring unwanted Roman attention. It was at this point that the Sadducees and Pharisees united and conspired to put Christ to death (John 11:48-50, Mark 14:53, 15:1). Other mentions of the Sadducees are found in Acts 4:1 and Acts 5:17; and the Sadducees are implicated in the death of James by the historian Josephus (Acts 12:1-2).
The Sadducees ceased to exist in A.D. 70. Since this party existed because of their political and priestly ties, when Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70,the Sadducees were also destroyed.
The Pharisees: In contrast to the Sadducees, the Pharisees were mostly middle-class businessmen, and therefore were in contact with the common man. The Pharisees were held in much higher esteem by the common man than the Sadducees. Though they were a minority in the Sanhedrin and held a minority number of positions as priests, they seemed to control the decision making of the Sanhedrin far more than than the Sadducees did, again because they had the support of the people.
Religiously, they accepted the written word as inspired by God. At the time of Christ's earthly ministry, this would have been what is now our Old Testament. But they also gave equal authority to oral tradition and attempted to defend this position by saying it went all the way back to Moses. Evolving over the centuries, these traditions added to God's word, which is forbidden (Deuteronomy 4:2) and the Pharisees sought to strictly obey these traditions along with the Old Testament. The Gospels abound with examples of the Pharisees treating traditions as equal to God's Word (Matthew 9:14, 15:1-9, 23:5, 23:16, Mark 7:1-23, Luke 11:42). However, they did remain true to God's Word in reference to certain other important doctrines. In contrast to the Sadducees, they believed the following:
1. They believed that God controlled all things, yet decisions made by individuals also contributed to the course of a person's life.
2. They believed in the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:6).
3. They believed in an afterlife, with appropriate reward and punishment on an individual basis.
4. They believed in the existence of angels and demons (Acts 23:8).
Though the Pharisees were rivals of the Sadducees, they managed to set aside their differences on one occasion - the trial of Christ. It was at this point that the Sadducees and Pharisees united to put Christ to death (Mark 14:53; 15:1, John 11:48-50).
While the Sadducees ceased to exist after the destruction of Jerusalem, the Pharisees, who were more concerned with religion than politics, continued to exist. In fact, the Pharisees were against the rebellion that brought on Jerusalem's destruction in AD 70, and they were the first to make peace with the Romans afterward. The Pharisees were also responsible for the compilation of the Mishnah, an important document with reference to the continuation of Judaism beyond the destruction of the temple.
Both the Pharisees and the Sadducees earned numerous rebukes from Jesus. Perhaps the best lesson we can learn from the Pharisees and Sadducees is to not be like them. Unlike the Sadducees, we are to believe everything the Bible says, including the miraculous and the afterlife. Unlike the Pharisees, we are not to treat traditions as having equal authority as Scripture, and we are not to allow our relationship with God to be reduced to a legalistic list of rules and rituals.
There you go. The leaders of God's chosen people were so far from God. They even looked God the Son right in his eyes and didn't recognize him! That shows just how far they had drifted, yes?
Monday, March 26, 2012
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”
So this is what the soldiers did.
John 19:16-24
John begins and ends this passage with the word, "so." So is probably not a word that we think about often. We say it every day and don't think about what it really means or the implications of it.
According to the dictionary, so means "in that or this manner or fashion." Let's look at the scripture again. Verse 16: "In that fashion, the soldiers took charge of Jesus." "In this manner, this is what the soldiers did."
But in what fashion? In what manner?
To understand these men, who we don't know individually, we must look back historically. We can look at the history of the Roman army, which existed in various forms for over 2,000 years. Originally a loose-knit, farmer-based, volunteer organization whose soldiers showed up for war in the summers, it evolved into a highly paid, well trained military machine.
I would think, in an age where there was no Geneva Convention and brutality was the rule of law rather than the exception, that these soldiers were rough, tough, and didn't take anything from anyone. Jerusalem, especially, was a hotbed of tumultuous activity at this time. I would guess that the Roman soldiers were guarded, sick of being here, sick of these people, and ready for an opportunity to snap.
If you've seen "The Passion of the Christ," you've seen the Roman soldiers portrayed as bloodthirsty and cruel. You've seen how quickly and easily they got caught up in the process of beaten Jesus to - literally - a bloody pulp.
They appear hate-filled.
They appear callous.
They appear greedy.
Sigh.
I keep wanting to change how this story ends. I keep wanting someone to step, to recognize how wrong this violence is, and stop it! I keep wanting someone to say, "This is the Son of God!"
It took the death of Jesus for one of the soldiers to take notice. It took the completion of his agony for this Roman centurion to look at Christ in a different way. It took a powerful deluge - an earthquake, the rending of the temple veil, the raising of the holy dead - of God's sovereignty and grief for this man to say, in Matthew 27, "Surely he was the son of God!"
The Roman soldiers were the worst and the best that day. As are we. It often takes a powerful deluge of tragedy or grief in our own lives before we take notice of God. Before we see him, turn to him.
I keep thinking about one thing through this Easter journey. Each one of these people, at the moment of their death, had to stand before God, and look his son in the eye. As we move closer and closer to the culmination of this Easter story, we see more and more wickedness and evil. The characters just get worse and worse. Do you see it that way?
And one by one, they died. One by one, they appeared before God. And one by one, they looked at Jesus. Finally they believed. Finally they saw him for who he was.
Finally, when it was too late.
I think of these soldiers - dozens, if not more - who stood before God. They that drove spikes into his hands, and thorns into his scalp. They that laughed at his agony. They that mocked him, spit on him, stole his clothing from him.
Now they were looking at him, not with contempt, but with eternal fear. Now they are driven too their knees.
Finally, when it was too late.
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”
So this is what the soldiers did.
John 19:16-24
John begins and ends this passage with the word, "so." So is probably not a word that we think about often. We say it every day and don't think about what it really means or the implications of it.
According to the dictionary, so means "in that or this manner or fashion." Let's look at the scripture again. Verse 16: "In that fashion, the soldiers took charge of Jesus." "In this manner, this is what the soldiers did."
But in what fashion? In what manner?
To understand these men, who we don't know individually, we must look back historically. We can look at the history of the Roman army, which existed in various forms for over 2,000 years. Originally a loose-knit, farmer-based, volunteer organization whose soldiers showed up for war in the summers, it evolved into a highly paid, well trained military machine.
I would think, in an age where there was no Geneva Convention and brutality was the rule of law rather than the exception, that these soldiers were rough, tough, and didn't take anything from anyone. Jerusalem, especially, was a hotbed of tumultuous activity at this time. I would guess that the Roman soldiers were guarded, sick of being here, sick of these people, and ready for an opportunity to snap.
If you've seen "The Passion of the Christ," you've seen the Roman soldiers portrayed as bloodthirsty and cruel. You've seen how quickly and easily they got caught up in the process of beaten Jesus to - literally - a bloody pulp.
They appear hate-filled.
They appear callous.
They appear greedy.
Sigh.
I keep wanting to change how this story ends. I keep wanting someone to step, to recognize how wrong this violence is, and stop it! I keep wanting someone to say, "This is the Son of God!"
It took the death of Jesus for one of the soldiers to take notice. It took the completion of his agony for this Roman centurion to look at Christ in a different way. It took a powerful deluge - an earthquake, the rending of the temple veil, the raising of the holy dead - of God's sovereignty and grief for this man to say, in Matthew 27, "Surely he was the son of God!"
The Roman soldiers were the worst and the best that day. As are we. It often takes a powerful deluge of tragedy or grief in our own lives before we take notice of God. Before we see him, turn to him.
I keep thinking about one thing through this Easter journey. Each one of these people, at the moment of their death, had to stand before God, and look his son in the eye. As we move closer and closer to the culmination of this Easter story, we see more and more wickedness and evil. The characters just get worse and worse. Do you see it that way?
And one by one, they died. One by one, they appeared before God. And one by one, they looked at Jesus. Finally they believed. Finally they saw him for who he was.
Finally, when it was too late.
I think of these soldiers - dozens, if not more - who stood before God. They that drove spikes into his hands, and thorns into his scalp. They that laughed at his agony. They that mocked him, spit on him, stole his clothing from him.
Now they were looking at him, not with contempt, but with eternal fear. Now they are driven too their knees.
Finally, when it was too late.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Barabbas
Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. Matthew 27:15-21
Two men stood before Pilate that day. One, a king. The other, a bandit. One calmed the storm. The other incited riots. One, the life giver. The other, a murderer. One was named Jesus Christ. The other was named Jesus Barabbas.
That's right. Barrabas' name was also Jesus. Can you imagine? Stew on that for just a few minutes.
Moving on . . .
If there is anyone we should identify with during the story of the crucifixion . . . shouldn't it be Barabbas? He was guilty, but he went free. He deserved his punishment, but Jesus took it for him. He deserved death, but received life.
Yes, I think I can identify with that.
I wonder what happened to Barabbas after the crucifixion.
Was his life changed?
Did his encounter with Jesus change his heart?
We never hear from him or about him again. So we don't know.
But we can imagine.
We can imagine that after the bloodthirsty crowd, whom the chief priests incited to demand Jesus' death, after they saw that Jesus was going to the cross, and Barabbas was going home - we can imagine how they shunned him, dropped him.
We can imagine that Barabbas was ignored. Pushed aside.
We can imagine Barabbas at the edge of the crowd at the cross, watching the Marys and John weep and mourn for their loved one.
We can imagine that Barabbas realizes that no one was mourning for him. That no one really wanted him. That now that he was free, he had nowhere to go.
We don't know if any of that is true. But we do know that we can identify with Barabbas. Because like him, we deserve death. Like him, we should be held accountable for our sins.
But like him, we received life. We had a substitute for our sins.
I heard once that justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is getting not getting what we deserve. But grace . . . grace is getting what we don't deserve.
That's what happened to Barabbas. And that's what offered to each of us, if we only say yes.
While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. Matthew 27:15-21
Two men stood before Pilate that day. One, a king. The other, a bandit. One calmed the storm. The other incited riots. One, the life giver. The other, a murderer. One was named Jesus Christ. The other was named Jesus Barabbas.
That's right. Barrabas' name was also Jesus. Can you imagine? Stew on that for just a few minutes.
Moving on . . .
If there is anyone we should identify with during the story of the crucifixion . . . shouldn't it be Barabbas? He was guilty, but he went free. He deserved his punishment, but Jesus took it for him. He deserved death, but received life.
Yes, I think I can identify with that.
I wonder what happened to Barabbas after the crucifixion.
Was his life changed?
Did his encounter with Jesus change his heart?
We never hear from him or about him again. So we don't know.
But we can imagine.
We can imagine that after the bloodthirsty crowd, whom the chief priests incited to demand Jesus' death, after they saw that Jesus was going to the cross, and Barabbas was going home - we can imagine how they shunned him, dropped him.
We can imagine that Barabbas was ignored. Pushed aside.
We can imagine Barabbas at the edge of the crowd at the cross, watching the Marys and John weep and mourn for their loved one.
We can imagine that Barabbas realizes that no one was mourning for him. That no one really wanted him. That now that he was free, he had nowhere to go.
We don't know if any of that is true. But we do know that we can identify with Barabbas. Because like him, we deserve death. Like him, we should be held accountable for our sins.
But like him, we received life. We had a substitute for our sins.
I heard once that justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is getting not getting what we deserve. But grace . . . grace is getting what we don't deserve.
That's what happened to Barabbas. And that's what offered to each of us, if we only say yes.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Claudia, Wife of Pilate
While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." Matthew 27:19
Even though Pilate's wife is not named in the New Testament, Christian tradition refers to her as either Claudia or Procula, or sometimes the combination of Claudia Procula.
Little is known about her specifically, but we can deduce things based on the time and culture. As a Roman woman, as the wife of an official, she would have been educated and wealthy, born into high status. It's possible she sent the message because Pilate was accustomed to seeking her advice; this kind of Roman woman was usually quite powerful behind the scenes.
We know that dreams held tremendous significance in the ancient world. Somehow this dream was upsetting enough to warrant her interference into a volatile situation. Upsetting for us is that we don't know what the dream detailed.
So what can we learn from Claudia Procula?
First, she is the only one in this whole story who sticks her neck out for Jesus. She proclaims his innocence! She defies the local customs and precepts and says what she thinks.
Do we do this? Do we proclaim him as our savior no matter what is going on around us? No matter who it might offend, what danger it may put us in, how volatile the situation?
Do we rebel to the world to conform to God?
Do we risk looking foolish to the world or looking foolish to God?
Who are we living for?
We don't know if Claudia was a Christian, before or after. Did she grow in her love for God? Did she ever choose him?
She might not have. She might have simply been a good woman who cut through the baloney going on around her.
But how wonderful if she loved God. What an inspiration she is to women - to speak! To proclaim God's truth and God's word and the freedom of the Savior!!
We can live this way today. We can stand up for what is right, despite what others say. We can live for truth.
Or we can keep silent.
Which will you do today?
Even though Pilate's wife is not named in the New Testament, Christian tradition refers to her as either Claudia or Procula, or sometimes the combination of Claudia Procula.
Little is known about her specifically, but we can deduce things based on the time and culture. As a Roman woman, as the wife of an official, she would have been educated and wealthy, born into high status. It's possible she sent the message because Pilate was accustomed to seeking her advice; this kind of Roman woman was usually quite powerful behind the scenes.
We know that dreams held tremendous significance in the ancient world. Somehow this dream was upsetting enough to warrant her interference into a volatile situation. Upsetting for us is that we don't know what the dream detailed.
So what can we learn from Claudia Procula?
First, she is the only one in this whole story who sticks her neck out for Jesus. She proclaims his innocence! She defies the local customs and precepts and says what she thinks.
Do we do this? Do we proclaim him as our savior no matter what is going on around us? No matter who it might offend, what danger it may put us in, how volatile the situation?
Do we rebel to the world to conform to God?
Do we risk looking foolish to the world or looking foolish to God?
Who are we living for?
We don't know if Claudia was a Christian, before or after. Did she grow in her love for God? Did she ever choose him?
She might not have. She might have simply been a good woman who cut through the baloney going on around her.
But how wonderful if she loved God. What an inspiration she is to women - to speak! To proclaim God's truth and God's word and the freedom of the Savior!!
We can live this way today. We can stand up for what is right, despite what others say. We can live for truth.
Or we can keep silent.
Which will you do today?
Friday, March 23, 2012
Pilate, the Roman Governor
Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.
Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!"
Matthew 27:11-16, 24
Pontius Pilate was the fifth Prefect (magistrate) of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26-36. Little is known of his history; his primary function would have been military, and overseeing the collection of taxes. He also fulfilled some small judiciary roles. According to wikipedia, "Pilate resided in Caesarea but traveled throughout the province, especially to Jerusalem, in the course of performing his duties. During the Passover, a festival of deep national as well as religious significance for the Jews, Pilate, as governor or prefect, would have been expected to be in Jerusalem to keep order."
The Sanhedrin brought Jesus to Pilate; though they considered him blasphemous, they accused him of sedition before Pilate, so that Pilate would be forced to take action. Pilate found no guilt with Christ, and tried to release him, but the Sanhedrin forced him into irreversible action.
I wonder if Pilate knows he was a puppet for these men. They were using him for their own means. As governor of this smaller, Judaean province, Pilate wasn't high ranking or powerful in Roman circles; he was basically a mid-level bureaucrat.
I think the Sanhedrin knew this and exploited it. They cashed in on Jesus' statement that he was king, challenging Roman rule and the leadership of Caesar. But don't think that Pilate was innocent, or naive. He could have stepped up at any time. He could have stopped the whole nonsense. But just like many of the other characters we've looked at thus far, he didn't want to make waves. He didn't want to offend or cause problems - any bigger problems, that is.
The bottom line is, he was looking out for himself. Keep the people quiet, keep the noise to a minimum, keep the higher ups happy.
He goes so far as to wash his hands, a symbolic show of contempt. An insistence of innocence.
As if that exonerates him.
No, Pilate was every bit the coward that the others were. I don't think we can hold him more accountable or less accountable for Jesus' death. He simply played a role. And he didn't have to.
History shows that Pilate became an antagonizer of the Jews. He was called to Rome to account for his actions, and to be rebuked for them. The ancient Jewish writer Philo writes of Pilate being vindictive and foul-tempered, inflexible and selfish. Was he always that way? Or did he become that way after this incident with Jesus? Did his guilt turn him into a monster?
Some traditions say the Pilate was later exiled and committed suicide. That's quite a life. Or is it?
You know, when God entrusts you with responsibility and status, it's not just so that you can sit around and reap the benefits without doing the work. Whether you're a small, medium, or big fish - God has duties for you. Shirking them, striving for popularity, for the path of least resistance - that is the devil's work. That allows the devil to gain a foothold.
Not hard to see how that happened in Pilate's life, is it?
Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!"
Matthew 27:11-16, 24
Pontius Pilate was the fifth Prefect (magistrate) of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26-36. Little is known of his history; his primary function would have been military, and overseeing the collection of taxes. He also fulfilled some small judiciary roles. According to wikipedia, "Pilate resided in Caesarea but traveled throughout the province, especially to Jerusalem, in the course of performing his duties. During the Passover, a festival of deep national as well as religious significance for the Jews, Pilate, as governor or prefect, would have been expected to be in Jerusalem to keep order."
The Sanhedrin brought Jesus to Pilate; though they considered him blasphemous, they accused him of sedition before Pilate, so that Pilate would be forced to take action. Pilate found no guilt with Christ, and tried to release him, but the Sanhedrin forced him into irreversible action.
I wonder if Pilate knows he was a puppet for these men. They were using him for their own means. As governor of this smaller, Judaean province, Pilate wasn't high ranking or powerful in Roman circles; he was basically a mid-level bureaucrat.
I think the Sanhedrin knew this and exploited it. They cashed in on Jesus' statement that he was king, challenging Roman rule and the leadership of Caesar. But don't think that Pilate was innocent, or naive. He could have stepped up at any time. He could have stopped the whole nonsense. But just like many of the other characters we've looked at thus far, he didn't want to make waves. He didn't want to offend or cause problems - any bigger problems, that is.
The bottom line is, he was looking out for himself. Keep the people quiet, keep the noise to a minimum, keep the higher ups happy.
He goes so far as to wash his hands, a symbolic show of contempt. An insistence of innocence.
As if that exonerates him.
No, Pilate was every bit the coward that the others were. I don't think we can hold him more accountable or less accountable for Jesus' death. He simply played a role. And he didn't have to.
History shows that Pilate became an antagonizer of the Jews. He was called to Rome to account for his actions, and to be rebuked for them. The ancient Jewish writer Philo writes of Pilate being vindictive and foul-tempered, inflexible and selfish. Was he always that way? Or did he become that way after this incident with Jesus? Did his guilt turn him into a monster?
Some traditions say the Pilate was later exiled and committed suicide. That's quite a life. Or is it?
You know, when God entrusts you with responsibility and status, it's not just so that you can sit around and reap the benefits without doing the work. Whether you're a small, medium, or big fish - God has duties for you. Shirking them, striving for popularity, for the path of least resistance - that is the devil's work. That allows the devil to gain a foothold.
Not hard to see how that happened in Pilate's life, is it?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Caiaphas
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. Matthew 26:3-4
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.
Matthew 26:57-66
Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas, and ruled as high priest longer than any other in New Testament times. The Jews under Roman law had to tread very carefully, and vice versa, actually. The Romans didn't want Jewish revolt, and the Jews didn't want Roman tyranny. So they lived in an oxymoron - a tumultuous peace, tiptoeing around each other, trying to have their own ways and autonomy and authority without inciting each other.
Caiaphas was a key, cool manipulator. The Romans would not perform execution over violations of Jewish law, and therefore the charge of blasphemy would not have mattered to them . Caiaphas' legal position, therefore, was to establish that Jesus was guilty not only of blasphemy, but also of proclaiming himself the messiah, which was understood as the return of the Davidic king. This would have been an act of sedition and prompted Roman execution.
In other words, Caiaphas didn't have the courage to kill Jesus himself. So he painted Jesus as the leader of a revolt, a would-be king looking to establish himself over Roman rule. Caiaphas made sure that the Romans had no choice but to execute this traitorous, treacherous man.
I find that as I look at Caiaphas - and his father-in-law, Annas - I have little sympathy and assume impure and sinful motives. I assume that they had lost sight of God and his plan. I assume that only hearts full of greed and corruption could have done what they did.
My assumptions could be wrong. Why can I have sympathy for the disciples and not for these men? Why do I allow my own heart to be influenced by their wealth, power, and standing?
My assumptions could also be correct. As men of wealth, power, and standing - not to mention Jewish education - they could have known. They could have stopped this. They are the ones who plotted Jesus' arrest in the first place!
In John 18, Caiaphas advises the other leaders that it would be good for one man to die for the people.
He didn't have to do that.
Why did he do that?
Why couldn't he just see who Jesus was?
How I wish I could answer that. How I wish I could answer that for all of us.
What can we learn from Caiaphas? I think we can learn that we all have choices, every minute of every day. Those daily choices make our lives. Lives of good, or evil. Lives with consequences, positive and negative.
It appears that Caiaphas never had negative consequences due to what he did to Jesus. He ruled as priest for many years. We see him again in Acts, putting John and Peter on trial. He appears to live a long, wealthy life.
But he had to appear before God at some time. What a conversation that must have been. He had to come face to face with Jesus, too. Now he sees and knows exactly who Jesus is. No questions, not anymore.
Well, this is a long post, and I don't mean it to be. Who knew you could have so much to say about someone with so little written about him? ;0)
Don't be like Caiaphas. Don't stare the truth right in the face, and deny him.
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.
Matthew 26:57-66
Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas, and ruled as high priest longer than any other in New Testament times. The Jews under Roman law had to tread very carefully, and vice versa, actually. The Romans didn't want Jewish revolt, and the Jews didn't want Roman tyranny. So they lived in an oxymoron - a tumultuous peace, tiptoeing around each other, trying to have their own ways and autonomy and authority without inciting each other.
Caiaphas was a key, cool manipulator. The Romans would not perform execution over violations of Jewish law, and therefore the charge of blasphemy would not have mattered to them . Caiaphas' legal position, therefore, was to establish that Jesus was guilty not only of blasphemy, but also of proclaiming himself the messiah, which was understood as the return of the Davidic king. This would have been an act of sedition and prompted Roman execution.
In other words, Caiaphas didn't have the courage to kill Jesus himself. So he painted Jesus as the leader of a revolt, a would-be king looking to establish himself over Roman rule. Caiaphas made sure that the Romans had no choice but to execute this traitorous, treacherous man.
I find that as I look at Caiaphas - and his father-in-law, Annas - I have little sympathy and assume impure and sinful motives. I assume that they had lost sight of God and his plan. I assume that only hearts full of greed and corruption could have done what they did.
My assumptions could be wrong. Why can I have sympathy for the disciples and not for these men? Why do I allow my own heart to be influenced by their wealth, power, and standing?
My assumptions could also be correct. As men of wealth, power, and standing - not to mention Jewish education - they could have known. They could have stopped this. They are the ones who plotted Jesus' arrest in the first place!
In John 18, Caiaphas advises the other leaders that it would be good for one man to die for the people.
He didn't have to do that.
Why did he do that?
Why couldn't he just see who Jesus was?
How I wish I could answer that. How I wish I could answer that for all of us.
What can we learn from Caiaphas? I think we can learn that we all have choices, every minute of every day. Those daily choices make our lives. Lives of good, or evil. Lives with consequences, positive and negative.
It appears that Caiaphas never had negative consequences due to what he did to Jesus. He ruled as priest for many years. We see him again in Acts, putting John and Peter on trial. He appears to live a long, wealthy life.
But he had to appear before God at some time. What a conversation that must have been. He had to come face to face with Jesus, too. Now he sees and knows exactly who Jesus is. No questions, not anymore.
Well, this is a long post, and I don't mean it to be. Who knew you could have so much to say about someone with so little written about him? ;0)
Don't be like Caiaphas. Don't stare the truth right in the face, and deny him.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Annas, the High Priest
They bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. John 18:13
Annas was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Judaea in 6 AD; just after the Romans had deposed Archelaus, Ethnarch of Judaea, thereby putting Judaea directly under Roman rule. (Judaea is a historical term that refers to the Roman province that incorporated Judea, Samaria, and Galilee.)
The High Priest appointment was usually a lifetime deal; however, Annas was deposed by the Roman procurator Gratus for "imposing and executing capital sentences which had been forbidden by the imperial government." [wikipedia.com] Even though he was removed from the office, he remained a man of power, utilizing his five sons and son-in-law as "puppet" priests.
We don't know much about Annas on a personal level, although as a member of the Sanhedrin (probably their leader) we can discern much about his heart. The Sanhedrin were like a supreme court for the Jewish nation. There were local, smaller courts of 23 members; the great Sanhedrin contained 71 members. Their role was to handle criminal and civil matters.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the council "had the exclusive right of judgment in matters of special importance, as for instance the case of a false prophet, accusations against the high priest, the sending out of an army in certain circumstances, the enlarging of the city of Jerusalem, or of the Temple courts, etc.; the few instances mentioned in the New Testament exemplify the cases to which the competency of the Sanhedrin extended; in short, all religious matters and all civil matters not claimed by Roman authority were within its attributions; and the decisions issued by its judges were to be held inviolable."
I explain all this because the Sanhedrin had become an enemy to Christ; they had slipped from unbelief to declaring war on him and his cause. What they didn't understand was that by doing that, they were declaring war on the very God who created them!
We must be careful to not quickly and easily dismiss people, their thoughts and their causes, as they come our way. We must judge them, not in an eternal sense, but through the wisdom of the Bible. God could be sending someone to us, to challenge, edify, or encourage. But if we aren't listening, if we aren't ready, we could miss God's message to us.
Annas wasn't available to hear God's message. He had already decided Jesus' fate, long before Jesus was brought to him. Not much is said about what happened to Jesus in front of Annas, simply that Annas sent him on to the current High Priest, Caiaphas.
But that tells us a lot. Apparently he didn't question, didn't listen, wasn't ready. Wasn't interested at all.
John writes of a plot by the high priests to kill Lazarus. His resurrection was pulling many Jews from "their" side, to Christ. Annas would have certainly been a conspirator of that plot. And, according to 19th century scholars, there is some thought that the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is a concealed reference to Annas (see wikipedia.com). They cite the references to the rich man's five sons, his evil heart, and the reference to Lazarus himself.
When we study to understand Annas' heart, we also understand the mockery of this so-called trial. A trial is a vehicle to get to the truth. And no one was really interested in the truth.
What about you? If your heart was inspected, would your life be a mockery? Or is the truth of your heart the same as the truth of your life?
Don't be like Annas. Be ready to listen, to hear from God. Be ready to see the truth, standing right in front of you.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Malchus, Servant of the High Priest
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” John 18:10-11
When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. Luke 22:49-51
This incident is recorded in each of the four gospels; only John names Malchus as the servant and Peter as the disciple. Only Luke mentions Jesus' healing of the ear.
It's worth noting that the gospel writers, as men, wrote details that were important to them. John, as a devout Jew, knew that power and purpose of names. "Malchus" means counselor or king. So I think John has a strong purpose for sharing Malchus' name. (More on that later.) Luke, as a physician, would have seen the significance in the healing.
Malchus was a servant for the high priest, who we will talk about tomorrow. His presence at the arrest of Jesus, mentioned in a different role than the soldiers, was probably as an observer - really, a spy for his boss. His role was to return to his employer and share who did what, how the arrest went, did Judas really betray him, etc.
His intentions are unclear, his heart status is unmentioned. Did Malchus believe in Jesus once his ear was healed? Did he come to this place with any expectation? Did he want to see this Jesus for himself, this man who declared himself the son of God, this man who had so incensed his boss and fellow leaders?
Or did he arrive with biting instructions on how to feel and react and think ringing in his ear? Perhaps the loss of his ear was symbolic, a spiritual message to him - and to us - to choose carefully what we hear.
Can you imagine the momentary agony that Malchus felt? Blood pouring from his head. I visualize his screaming in pain, dropping to his knees, writhing on the ground. Peter, looking at once both triumphant and horrified. Chaos ensues. Then Jesus steps up. A sharp rebuke to Peter. A gentle touch to Malchus. Sudden, fleeting calm.
I think it fitting and telling that his name means counselor, king. This servant's name means king. At the moment that Jesus personally reveals himself to Malchus in a supernatural way, we understand the meaning of his name, and the reason that John shared his name in the first place. Because at the moment - that sudden, fleeting calm of a moment - when Malchus looks up and makes eye contact with Jesus - I imagine that Malchus suddenly knows his name. Personified, in the man standing before him. The King. The Servant. I imagine that Jesus reaches out his hand and helps Malchus up. I imagine that in an instant, without another word, Malchus believes. Malchus' ears - both of them - are healed.
We can learn a lot from Malchus. We can learn that what we have some control over what we hear. We have control over who we choose to listen to. We can allow Jesus to heal our hearing, and we can listen to him instead of the world.
When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. Luke 22:49-51
This incident is recorded in each of the four gospels; only John names Malchus as the servant and Peter as the disciple. Only Luke mentions Jesus' healing of the ear.
It's worth noting that the gospel writers, as men, wrote details that were important to them. John, as a devout Jew, knew that power and purpose of names. "Malchus" means counselor or king. So I think John has a strong purpose for sharing Malchus' name. (More on that later.) Luke, as a physician, would have seen the significance in the healing.
Malchus was a servant for the high priest, who we will talk about tomorrow. His presence at the arrest of Jesus, mentioned in a different role than the soldiers, was probably as an observer - really, a spy for his boss. His role was to return to his employer and share who did what, how the arrest went, did Judas really betray him, etc.
His intentions are unclear, his heart status is unmentioned. Did Malchus believe in Jesus once his ear was healed? Did he come to this place with any expectation? Did he want to see this Jesus for himself, this man who declared himself the son of God, this man who had so incensed his boss and fellow leaders?
Or did he arrive with biting instructions on how to feel and react and think ringing in his ear? Perhaps the loss of his ear was symbolic, a spiritual message to him - and to us - to choose carefully what we hear.
Can you imagine the momentary agony that Malchus felt? Blood pouring from his head. I visualize his screaming in pain, dropping to his knees, writhing on the ground. Peter, looking at once both triumphant and horrified. Chaos ensues. Then Jesus steps up. A sharp rebuke to Peter. A gentle touch to Malchus. Sudden, fleeting calm.
I think it fitting and telling that his name means counselor, king. This servant's name means king. At the moment that Jesus personally reveals himself to Malchus in a supernatural way, we understand the meaning of his name, and the reason that John shared his name in the first place. Because at the moment - that sudden, fleeting calm of a moment - when Malchus looks up and makes eye contact with Jesus - I imagine that Malchus suddenly knows his name. Personified, in the man standing before him. The King. The Servant. I imagine that Jesus reaches out his hand and helps Malchus up. I imagine that in an instant, without another word, Malchus believes. Malchus' ears - both of them - are healed.
We can learn a lot from Malchus. We can learn that what we have some control over what we hear. We have control over who we choose to listen to. We can allow Jesus to heal our hearing, and we can listen to him instead of the world.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
The Holy Spirit
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:25-27
Why is the Holy Spirit an important character in the Easter story?
Did he play a role?
Was he there?
Yes, he played a role - for those who wanted to see him. Of course he was there - he has always been there. The Holy Spirit has lived in us, through us, and around us since man was created in the garden.
But now he is coming, in a different way than he had before.
So how is he significant in this story?
Isn't it important that Jesus, after being anointed - after beginning the Passover meal, after washing his disciples' feet - isn't it important that he talked about the Comforter now?
Isn't it important that he promised peace . . . now?
The disciples and those who were around him did not fully understand just how bad things were going to get in the next few days. They did not understand the pain, agony and grief they were all going to suffer.
But of course, Jesus did.
The Holy Spirit IS an important part of this story. Because while Jesus knew that he was going to be leaving his loved ones for a little while, he wasn't leaving forever. And he wasn't leaving them alone. Another piece of him, another piece of God the Father, was going to come and stay with them, and offer them peace and comfort. He was coming to live among them, every bit as much as Jesus had lived among them.
Make sure you understand this. The Holy Spirit came to live among us, just as Jesus did. He may be unseen, but he is very real. He is living and breathing, working and sharing, loving and caring. Just like Jesus.
But also, importantly, the Holy Spirit brought comfort and peace to Jesus himself during this time. Could anyone really have gone through what he went through without the comfort of the Holy Spirit? Could anyone have agonized like that without his hope? Without his love? Without his promise?
The Holy Spirit is an intimate part of the Easter story, because he is an intimate part of Christ himself. We'll see how he moves and works throughout these days of Easter. I'll keep coming back to him, and hopefully showing you how important he truly is.
Why is the Holy Spirit an important character in the Easter story?
Did he play a role?
Was he there?
Yes, he played a role - for those who wanted to see him. Of course he was there - he has always been there. The Holy Spirit has lived in us, through us, and around us since man was created in the garden.
But now he is coming, in a different way than he had before.
So how is he significant in this story?
Isn't it important that Jesus, after being anointed - after beginning the Passover meal, after washing his disciples' feet - isn't it important that he talked about the Comforter now?
Isn't it important that he promised peace . . . now?
The disciples and those who were around him did not fully understand just how bad things were going to get in the next few days. They did not understand the pain, agony and grief they were all going to suffer.
But of course, Jesus did.
The Holy Spirit IS an important part of this story. Because while Jesus knew that he was going to be leaving his loved ones for a little while, he wasn't leaving forever. And he wasn't leaving them alone. Another piece of him, another piece of God the Father, was going to come and stay with them, and offer them peace and comfort. He was coming to live among them, every bit as much as Jesus had lived among them.
Make sure you understand this. The Holy Spirit came to live among us, just as Jesus did. He may be unseen, but he is very real. He is living and breathing, working and sharing, loving and caring. Just like Jesus.
But also, importantly, the Holy Spirit brought comfort and peace to Jesus himself during this time. Could anyone really have gone through what he went through without the comfort of the Holy Spirit? Could anyone have agonized like that without his hope? Without his love? Without his promise?
The Holy Spirit is an intimate part of the Easter story, because he is an intimate part of Christ himself. We'll see how he moves and works throughout these days of Easter. I'll keep coming back to him, and hopefully showing you how important he truly is.
The Lamb
[NOTE: This post published too early! It's supposed to be Monday, but it published Sunday. I don't know how to fix it!]
"Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover. On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. Exodus 12:3-13
It's possible that you'll consider my Easter character today might be silly. Today I want to talk about the Passover lamb.
There are several specific links from the Passover animal and Christ.
First, the sacrificial lamb (goats were acceptable too) was a male, one year old, and without blemish. Importantly, when God looked for the ultimate, eternal sacrifice for our sins, there was only one without blemish: his son, Jesus Christ.
Second, in Exodus is says that all the people are to participate in the killing of the lamb. We are all responsible for the death of Jesus, for his sacrifice. We are all part of the system that killed him.
Third, The lamb was to have no broken bones. Christ's legs were not broken on the cross, although that was the custom of the time.
Fourth, the lamb was chosen carefully and set aside for the sacrifice. The sacrifice was the lamb's life purpose. So it was with Jesus. The sacrifice of Jesus' life for our sins was always part of God's plan, and it is why Jesus came to earth.
Finally, the blood of the Passover lamb was shed to give righteousness to the people, to cleanse them from their sins and make them right before God. Jesus' blood was shed to give righteousness to the people, to cleanse them from their sins and make them right before God. But the difference here is that Jesus' blood conquered sin for all eternally; the blood of the lamb could never do that.
I love how God sets eternal plans in motion for generations. Thousands of years before Christ, God set the stage for him by delivering his people, and using a sacrificial lamb. That sacrifice has shown us the way to Christ. In fact, the entire Passover meal is a foreshadowing of the life and death of Christ.
There are many more links between the lamb and the Lamb. I invite you to study them for yourself! It's amazing to me how everything God has done through the millennium has shown us the way to Christ.
From the lamb to the Lamb. What a sacrifice God made for us. What a love he has for us.
"Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover. On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. Exodus 12:3-13
It's possible that you'll consider my Easter character today might be silly. Today I want to talk about the Passover lamb.
There are several specific links from the Passover animal and Christ.
First, the sacrificial lamb (goats were acceptable too) was a male, one year old, and without blemish. Importantly, when God looked for the ultimate, eternal sacrifice for our sins, there was only one without blemish: his son, Jesus Christ.
Second, in Exodus is says that all the people are to participate in the killing of the lamb. We are all responsible for the death of Jesus, for his sacrifice. We are all part of the system that killed him.
Third, The lamb was to have no broken bones. Christ's legs were not broken on the cross, although that was the custom of the time.
Fourth, the lamb was chosen carefully and set aside for the sacrifice. The sacrifice was the lamb's life purpose. So it was with Jesus. The sacrifice of Jesus' life for our sins was always part of God's plan, and it is why Jesus came to earth.
Finally, the blood of the Passover lamb was shed to give righteousness to the people, to cleanse them from their sins and make them right before God. Jesus' blood was shed to give righteousness to the people, to cleanse them from their sins and make them right before God. But the difference here is that Jesus' blood conquered sin for all eternally; the blood of the lamb could never do that.
I love how God sets eternal plans in motion for generations. Thousands of years before Christ, God set the stage for him by delivering his people, and using a sacrificial lamb. That sacrifice has shown us the way to Christ. In fact, the entire Passover meal is a foreshadowing of the life and death of Christ.
There are many more links between the lamb and the Lamb. I invite you to study them for yourself! It's amazing to me how everything God has done through the millennium has shown us the way to Christ.
From the lamb to the Lamb. What a sacrifice God made for us. What a love he has for us.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Peter
Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! John 13:36-38
Peter was a fisherman. He was a devoted follower. He was a leader. He was a rock.
Peter declared Jesus as Christ. He walked on the water. He witnessed the transfiguration.
Peter acted. He jumped out of the boat. He cut off the servant's ear.
He denied him.
Not just once, but three times.
Peter denied knowing Jesus Christ - not as his lord, his savior, his messiah. Knowing him at all. Why? How could he do that?
Some think he was a coward. That at this pivotal moment in history, he gave into his fear the pretended to be a stranger, to save his own skin.
Others think he was a strategist. That in order to save Jesus, he had to remain incognito to give himself a fighting chance to join in the rescue.
We've all heard the first school of thought - that Peter's was the ultimate act of cowardice, abandoning Jesus when he needed him the most.
But this second school is intriguing. The writer of the artofattack.blogspot.com says, "St. Peter realized that Jesus had warned him that He was not the conquering Messiah, Son of David, but the suffering Messiah, Son of Joseph, from Jewish legend who would suffer and die for his people as it said in Isaiah 53. St. Peter was clinging to his messianic dream of monarchy and glory but this was not to be fulfilled at that time."
Peter wept not because of the guilt of his denial, but because of the guilt of his lack of understanding. Jesus had been telling him all along who he had come to be, but none of the disciples had seen clearly. If this line of reasoning is true, then Peter realized this his plan was much different than God's plan. He realized that his plan to rescue Jesus would undo God's plan to rescue man.
Look, I'm not a bible scholar but this rationale is so interesting to me. No matter which "side" you find more compelling, Peter's failure is epic. His failure is not seeing Christ for who he truly, ultimately was.
Christ was not - is not - a one-sided, manipulated superhero here to do our bidding. No. He had a plan, one that continues to this day and will continue to eternity.
One day we will meet Peter and understand exactly where he was coming from. Today we can still learn epic lessons from his life. We can see that we must be willing to accept all of Jesus, if we accept any of him. We must accept that the conquering hero conquered sin, not Rome. We must accept that he died . . . so we live.
Don't be too hard on Peter. Don't define him simply by his failure, his denial.
Remember: the rock.
The leader.
Perhaps most importantly: the follower.
Peter was a fisherman. He was a devoted follower. He was a leader. He was a rock.
Peter declared Jesus as Christ. He walked on the water. He witnessed the transfiguration.
Peter acted. He jumped out of the boat. He cut off the servant's ear.
He denied him.
Not just once, but three times.
Peter denied knowing Jesus Christ - not as his lord, his savior, his messiah. Knowing him at all. Why? How could he do that?
Some think he was a coward. That at this pivotal moment in history, he gave into his fear the pretended to be a stranger, to save his own skin.
Others think he was a strategist. That in order to save Jesus, he had to remain incognito to give himself a fighting chance to join in the rescue.
We've all heard the first school of thought - that Peter's was the ultimate act of cowardice, abandoning Jesus when he needed him the most.
But this second school is intriguing. The writer of the artofattack.blogspot.com says, "St. Peter realized that Jesus had warned him that He was not the conquering Messiah, Son of David, but the suffering Messiah, Son of Joseph, from Jewish legend who would suffer and die for his people as it said in Isaiah 53. St. Peter was clinging to his messianic dream of monarchy and glory but this was not to be fulfilled at that time."
Peter wept not because of the guilt of his denial, but because of the guilt of his lack of understanding. Jesus had been telling him all along who he had come to be, but none of the disciples had seen clearly. If this line of reasoning is true, then Peter realized this his plan was much different than God's plan. He realized that his plan to rescue Jesus would undo God's plan to rescue man.
Look, I'm not a bible scholar but this rationale is so interesting to me. No matter which "side" you find more compelling, Peter's failure is epic. His failure is not seeing Christ for who he truly, ultimately was.
Christ was not - is not - a one-sided, manipulated superhero here to do our bidding. No. He had a plan, one that continues to this day and will continue to eternity.
One day we will meet Peter and understand exactly where he was coming from. Today we can still learn epic lessons from his life. We can see that we must be willing to accept all of Jesus, if we accept any of him. We must accept that the conquering hero conquered sin, not Rome. We must accept that he died . . . so we live.
Don't be too hard on Peter. Don't define him simply by his failure, his denial.
Remember: the rock.
The leader.
Perhaps most importantly: the follower.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Judas' Name
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. John 12:4-6
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. John 13:2
Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. John 18:2-3
So much has been and can be said about Judas. We think of him as the ultimate betrayer. The chief sinner. We wonder how he could do such an awful, horrible thing.
We think ourselves different from him.
We think we would never do what he did.
Judas allowed Satan to gain a foothold in his life, exploiting his frustration and impatience. Scholars believe Judas was a Zealot, one of four sects of Judaism, this one created as a political movement in the first century. Zealots sought to incite the people to action, by force if necessary, to rebel against Rome and other aggressors. According to wikipedia, they are considered the first terrorists.
According to thenazareneway.com: "Though motivated primarily by socio-economic and political factors, the Zealots also had prophetic ideas driving them. They believed that if they turned Israel back to God and incited war against the Romans, the Messiah would arise to lead them and establish His Kingdom. This "understanding"resulted from misinterpreting many prophecies concerning Christ's teachings. In short, the Zealots ignored many of the prophecies regarding His first coming and completely mis-timed those about the second."
I heard a sermon on the radio once that Judas, in a misguided play to force Jesus into the role of the conquering hero of the Jews, betrayed him to simply force his hand. Judas was sure that once the Roman soldiers came to take Jesus, he would call up his mighty angelic forces and conquer the enemy, once and for all.
This pastor thought this was true because of Judas' ultimate end. He went back to the church elders, tried to give back the money he had received for betraying Jesus, and ended up committing suicide out of his intense grief and shame.
So we can look at Judas as the ultimate bad guy. But . . . have you ever tried to force God's hand? Have you ever allowed yourself to think, if I just do this and this, God will have to do that.
I hope you are saying yes. Because it's something we've all tried, and hopefully learned from! Judas did it in an ultimate way, but we can all see ourselves in him. We can also remember that ALL of the disciples, except John, betrayed Jesus by their inaction and denials.
Did you know that Judas' name means "praise"?
Think about that one for a minute!
Did Judas ever have an intimate relationship with God? As a Jew, did he ever live up to his name? Did he live a life of praise?
We may never know. My bible study had an interesting discussion recently - is there a chance that Judas is in heaven? Is there a chance that we may get to meet him someday, to experience his story, to hear about how God's grace forgave him?
I would love to hear that story.
Judas' role, his very life, was accepted by God. God knit Judas together in his mother's womb, just like he did each one of us. Only a God of ultimate love and sacrifice could create a person who could choose to betray him.
Oh. Wait a minute.
He created each one of us with the ability to make the same choice.
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. John 13:2
Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. John 18:2-3
So much has been and can be said about Judas. We think of him as the ultimate betrayer. The chief sinner. We wonder how he could do such an awful, horrible thing.
We think ourselves different from him.
We think we would never do what he did.
Judas allowed Satan to gain a foothold in his life, exploiting his frustration and impatience. Scholars believe Judas was a Zealot, one of four sects of Judaism, this one created as a political movement in the first century. Zealots sought to incite the people to action, by force if necessary, to rebel against Rome and other aggressors. According to wikipedia, they are considered the first terrorists.
According to thenazareneway.com: "Though motivated primarily by socio-economic and political factors, the Zealots also had prophetic ideas driving them. They believed that if they turned Israel back to God and incited war against the Romans, the Messiah would arise to lead them and establish His Kingdom. This "understanding"resulted from misinterpreting many prophecies concerning Christ's teachings. In short, the Zealots ignored many of the prophecies regarding His first coming and completely mis-timed those about the second."
I heard a sermon on the radio once that Judas, in a misguided play to force Jesus into the role of the conquering hero of the Jews, betrayed him to simply force his hand. Judas was sure that once the Roman soldiers came to take Jesus, he would call up his mighty angelic forces and conquer the enemy, once and for all.
This pastor thought this was true because of Judas' ultimate end. He went back to the church elders, tried to give back the money he had received for betraying Jesus, and ended up committing suicide out of his intense grief and shame.
So we can look at Judas as the ultimate bad guy. But . . . have you ever tried to force God's hand? Have you ever allowed yourself to think, if I just do this and this, God will have to do that.
I hope you are saying yes. Because it's something we've all tried, and hopefully learned from! Judas did it in an ultimate way, but we can all see ourselves in him. We can also remember that ALL of the disciples, except John, betrayed Jesus by their inaction and denials.
Did you know that Judas' name means "praise"?
Think about that one for a minute!
Did Judas ever have an intimate relationship with God? As a Jew, did he ever live up to his name? Did he live a life of praise?
We may never know. My bible study had an interesting discussion recently - is there a chance that Judas is in heaven? Is there a chance that we may get to meet him someday, to experience his story, to hear about how God's grace forgave him?
I would love to hear that story.
Judas' role, his very life, was accepted by God. God knit Judas together in his mother's womb, just like he did each one of us. Only a God of ultimate love and sacrifice could create a person who could choose to betray him.
Oh. Wait a minute.
He created each one of us with the ability to make the same choice.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Mary, Sister of Lazarus
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. John 12:1-3
It's less than a week before the Passover. Less than a week before Jesus offers himself to be the sacrificial lamb, the ultimate offering to God for sins.
Jesus knows what is coming. And although he's been telling his disciples and followers what is coming, they have allowed themselves to not hear the truth. They have been deadened to what Jesus is really doing, why he is really here.
But not Mary. Now, don't get wrapped up in the fact that John says this happened at Lazarus' house and other gospels say it was at Simon the Leper's house. Do a little studying and you'll see that these stories aren't conflicting. What we want to focus on today is Mary, and what she is doing for her God, her Savior.
Mary's act of devotion highlights her sincerity and her spiritual insight into what Jesus is about to do. It also shows the indifference of the disciples, whose only reaction is indignation over the cost of the perfume (verses 4-6). John records Judas' reaction, but the other gospels show that Judas was simply the mouthpiece for the other disciples' thoughts.
How could Mary - a mere woman - see what these men could not see? Remember, this is the woman who sat at Jesus' feet instead of helping to prepare food. This is the woman who absorbed Jesus' teachings. Who saw him raise her brother from the dead.
Really, the question is not, how could she believe such things? The question is really, why didn't the others? they all saw the same things. Why did some believe and others not?
The same thing can be asked of us today, and I really don't have an answer! The point is that Mary performed an act of courage and devotion.
Bible.org says that Mary's act revealed three ways she knew Christ:
1. King: Such an extravagant gift(the alabaster oil) was only lavished on a king. This was very appropriate in view of the fact that on the next day He would proclaim Himself the King of Israel through his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
It's less than a week before the Passover. Less than a week before Jesus offers himself to be the sacrificial lamb, the ultimate offering to God for sins.
Jesus knows what is coming. And although he's been telling his disciples and followers what is coming, they have allowed themselves to not hear the truth. They have been deadened to what Jesus is really doing, why he is really here.
But not Mary. Now, don't get wrapped up in the fact that John says this happened at Lazarus' house and other gospels say it was at Simon the Leper's house. Do a little studying and you'll see that these stories aren't conflicting. What we want to focus on today is Mary, and what she is doing for her God, her Savior.
Mary's act of devotion highlights her sincerity and her spiritual insight into what Jesus is about to do. It also shows the indifference of the disciples, whose only reaction is indignation over the cost of the perfume (verses 4-6). John records Judas' reaction, but the other gospels show that Judas was simply the mouthpiece for the other disciples' thoughts.
How could Mary - a mere woman - see what these men could not see? Remember, this is the woman who sat at Jesus' feet instead of helping to prepare food. This is the woman who absorbed Jesus' teachings. Who saw him raise her brother from the dead.
Really, the question is not, how could she believe such things? The question is really, why didn't the others? they all saw the same things. Why did some believe and others not?
The same thing can be asked of us today, and I really don't have an answer! The point is that Mary performed an act of courage and devotion.
Bible.org says that Mary's act revealed three ways she knew Christ:
1. King: Such an extravagant gift(the alabaster oil) was only lavished on a king. This was very appropriate in view of the fact that on the next day He would proclaim Himself the King of Israel through his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
2. Priest: John 12:3 and Mark 14:8 define this as an anointing. As priests were anointed, this is in keeping with the fact that Christ was a Royal Priest and was about to make atonement for His people.
3. The Savior Who Must Die: As He had told the disciples that He must die, so He must have also told her. While they were unable to grasp this, Mary did. She undoubtedly recognized her sin and need of a suffering Savior and did this as an act of faith and devotion. She understood the reason for His death (her sin), and the significance of His death (her salvation).
Mary's act of devotion was a necessary part of the coming week. Through her anointing, she proclaimed Jesus as king, priest, and savior. Her outpouring of love, no matter the cost, not worrying about what others think, shows us the importance of following our hearts, not the demands of others. We must look to him, not the world. We must live for an audience of one, not the approval of many.
Mary loved Jesus in a way that few did at that time. She grasped his role in her life, and she fell utterly and completely in love with him.
Are you in love with Christ? Are you willing to throw yourself at his feet? Can you defy the conventions of this world - even the church - to devote yourself totally to him?
It isn't easy. But it's worth it.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Preparing for Easter
I'm very excited to do a "people" series this Easter, as I did at Easter. Today we begin with a simply overview.
We will begin days before the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. Let's think about what was happening in Jerusalem at that time.
Jews were preparing for the Passover. Passover was - and is - a God-ordained feast to celebrate the day during the plagues of Egypt, when God passed over the homes that had the blood of the lamb on their doors, but entered the homes that did not, and took the first born of each family. The Hebrews exalted God for his mercy; they Egyptians mourned their losses and feared God.
For thousands of years, the Hebrews had been celebrating this festival. And now the most important Passover in history was about to take place. Just think - the Jews had no idea how important this day was going to be for the rest of mankind, for the rest of eternity. And yet this particular feast changed everything.
Tomorrow we'll talk about Mary, and how she helps to begin the passover by anointing Jesus. I hope you'll enjoy this time with me over the next few weeks. I know I'm looking forward to it.
We will begin days before the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. Let's think about what was happening in Jerusalem at that time.
Jews were preparing for the Passover. Passover was - and is - a God-ordained feast to celebrate the day during the plagues of Egypt, when God passed over the homes that had the blood of the lamb on their doors, but entered the homes that did not, and took the first born of each family. The Hebrews exalted God for his mercy; they Egyptians mourned their losses and feared God.
For thousands of years, the Hebrews had been celebrating this festival. And now the most important Passover in history was about to take place. Just think - the Jews had no idea how important this day was going to be for the rest of mankind, for the rest of eternity. And yet this particular feast changed everything.
Tomorrow we'll talk about Mary, and how she helps to begin the passover by anointing Jesus. I hope you'll enjoy this time with me over the next few weeks. I know I'm looking forward to it.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
The 25 People of Easter
Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be starting a new series next week on the 25 People of Easter, similar to what I did at Christmas time. Looking forward to it, and to sharing that time with you!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Love is the Greatest
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
Amen.
Amen.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Love is the Ultimate
But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:8 - 12
This part of the love chapter is really talking about completeness, don't you think?
What does it have to do with love?
I think love is the ultimate completer. Love, as described in this chapter, in relationships, gives us the closest picture of heaven we can get here. That's what Paul is describing here - heaven. Perfection. Completeness.
Perhaps that why, ultimately, love is so important. Because it's heaven on earth. Because it's the ultimate life. Because it's how God designed us.
When we are involved in a truly loving relationship, where we allow God to use us for his ultimate purpose, we are experiencing heaven. Completeness. Perfection.
Find freedom. Love. Love ultimately. Find heaven.
1 Corinthians 13:8 - 12
This part of the love chapter is really talking about completeness, don't you think?
What does it have to do with love?
I think love is the ultimate completer. Love, as described in this chapter, in relationships, gives us the closest picture of heaven we can get here. That's what Paul is describing here - heaven. Perfection. Completeness.
Perhaps that why, ultimately, love is so important. Because it's heaven on earth. Because it's the ultimate life. Because it's how God designed us.
When we are involved in a truly loving relationship, where we allow God to use us for his ultimate purpose, we are experiencing heaven. Completeness. Perfection.
Find freedom. Love. Love ultimately. Find heaven.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Love Never Fails
Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8
And here we come to the point.
Love never fails.
It never ends.
It never grows apart.
Love DECIDES to keep going.
Love DECIDES to honor commitment.
Love DECIDES to keep loving.
It's not easy. It hurts. But love does it anyway. Again, not our love. God's love. We know that God's love never fails, and therefore - logically - if we have God's love in us, we can have a perfected sort of love that does not accept failure.
Love that does not accept failure. That means marriages don't end. Friendships aren't broken. Children aren't abandoned.
Unfailing love is a decision. Not a feeling. You can't do it on your own, neither can I. We can only decide to keep loving the unlovable - ourselves, each other - with him. His love, his life, living in us.
It takes courage to love this way. It takes courage to keep loving when we are hurting. When we aren't accepted, or loved in return. But it's what we are called to do.
We are called to love in a way that never fails. Ever.
And here we come to the point.
Love never fails.
It never ends.
It never grows apart.
Love DECIDES to keep going.
Love DECIDES to honor commitment.
Love DECIDES to keep loving.
It's not easy. It hurts. But love does it anyway. Again, not our love. God's love. We know that God's love never fails, and therefore - logically - if we have God's love in us, we can have a perfected sort of love that does not accept failure.
Love that does not accept failure. That means marriages don't end. Friendships aren't broken. Children aren't abandoned.
Unfailing love is a decision. Not a feeling. You can't do it on your own, neither can I. We can only decide to keep loving the unlovable - ourselves, each other - with him. His love, his life, living in us.
It takes courage to love this way. It takes courage to keep loving when we are hurting. When we aren't accepted, or loved in return. But it's what we are called to do.
We are called to love in a way that never fails. Ever.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Love Always
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:7
Does your love always? Once again, we see just infallible and faulty human love is, and how perfect God's love is, and how much we need his love in us to truly love.
Because my love doesn't always. I think I may be pretty good at protecting the ones I love. But does my love always trust? Does it always hope? Nope.
Why is it important to always? Why is it important to protect, trust, hope, persevere?
Because that is the core of the human experience, don't you think? Our lives move forward when we trust. When we hope. We grow when we persevere. When we protect.
Amazing.
Amazing how much love is a part of who we are.
Love makes the world go round, so the saying goes. And it's true. Can you imagine a world without hope? Can you imagine a world with no protection, no trust?
When we allow God's love to permeate our being, our very selves, then we can love that way. We can have the freedom to trust and hope, and we can accept the responsibility to be someone others can trust and hope in.
Remember, it's not our love. It's his. Only through his love can we truly love.
Does your love always? Once again, we see just infallible and faulty human love is, and how perfect God's love is, and how much we need his love in us to truly love.
Because my love doesn't always. I think I may be pretty good at protecting the ones I love. But does my love always trust? Does it always hope? Nope.
Why is it important to always? Why is it important to protect, trust, hope, persevere?
Because that is the core of the human experience, don't you think? Our lives move forward when we trust. When we hope. We grow when we persevere. When we protect.
Amazing.
Amazing how much love is a part of who we are.
Love makes the world go round, so the saying goes. And it's true. Can you imagine a world without hope? Can you imagine a world with no protection, no trust?
When we allow God's love to permeate our being, our very selves, then we can love that way. We can have the freedom to trust and hope, and we can accept the responsibility to be someone others can trust and hope in.
Remember, it's not our love. It's his. Only through his love can we truly love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)