Luke 24; John 20-21

The Resurrection.  I often look around and question the Egoism of my Faith. Ever question to yourself…how do we know Christianity was the right “religion” to follow?  I mean, c’mon…there’s tons of other ways.  Why is it that we can securely believe in Jesus as “I am the WAY, the Truth and the Life”.  Why not John Smith (Mormons) , or Muhammad, Buddha, Allah ?  How is it that we think we got it right and they ALL have it wrong?  EASY…the Resurrection.  Not only did Jesus completely fulfill EVERY Messianic Prophecy in the entire Old Testament but He Rose from the dead.  Jesus did what NO OTHER FALSE PROPHET CAN DO.

I got into a friendly debate with a person the other day on the “parts of the Bible” that were real.  They are ALL real.  However, if the Resurrection is something you are uncertain about you MUST know in your heart that Jesus Died and three days Rose again.  The entire foundation of Church is based upon that very historical occurence.

The road to Emmaus has always been a powerful read for me.  I blogged about it years ago and what God was revealing to me was his Fellowship with us.  The fact that he communicates with us in our relationship.  For me is it mostly through the Bible I hear Him clearest.  However, the Word and the message never changes, we do,  and in this season of my life, ver 30 and 31 were the ones that God had me mature into.  When they gave Thanks.  When they were in remembrance of Him, their eyes were opened.

Try to pay attention to God  when reading the Bible.  He opens our minds, opens our hearts, He hardens our hearts, blinds us from Truth, uses us where He needs us, even allows Satan to use us (the non-believer).  Not all of it we may understand but our ways are not His ways, but the difference is He is Sovereign and Holy, we are not.

In John: we read the awesome story of doubting Thomas.  (I could talk about that forever!) And He appears to Seven disciples.  Remember John is an Eyewitness so His account will always have more detail than the rest on the actual personally and personal conversations of the Jesus.

The conversation with Peter.  How much do you want me to write about?? Lordy!!  Should we talk about being fishers?  Fishers of Men?  The fact that this was the ”rock” (Peter) the church was founded on? “take care of my sheep”, The 3 times Jesus asked Peter to recount the 3 denials, the different meanings of the words “Love” (Jesus was asking DO you truly love me, DO you Really Love me, Are you even my friend”,  or finally should we break down “Follow Me”.

WOW. 

May I encourage you to go back and Underline one verse.  Out of all that there is one that deserves a little more ink today  John 20:31

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

This is the purpose of the written Gospel.

Luke 23; John 18-19

Luke and John.  Luke will write in detail because it is the nature of Luke to do so, being a physician and all.  John on the other hand,  was THERE and will write according to his eye-witness account so it will be graphic .  But what you can gather from both was there were 6 Stages of Jesus’s trial.

• Preliminary hearing by Annas.  why?? Annas was the Proior  High Priest.  High priests were supposed to hold the position for life but Annas was replaced in 15 A.D. instead.  The Roman’s appointed Annas’s son-in-law into that position named Caiaphas.  remember him?  When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead he said “uhhhhh I think it is time for Jesus to go! he is getting way to politically powerful”.  Annas, according to the Jews,  was still considered the “official” high priest because of law AND the Jewish council also probably considered him in the “Good Ole Boy” club…know what I mean.  BUT Annas was smart enough to pass it on to Caiaphas…..
• Caiaphas.  Still this pre-trial was done at night.   This was yesterday’s reading in Matthew 25:57 when Caiaphas charges him with blasphemy without the proper witnesses and sends him to the Roman Governor Pilot to carry out the death sentence.
• Pilot (Luke 23).  They changed the crime in front of Pilot and declared that Jesus called himself a King, King of the Jews.  This would be treason and against Caesar.  However, Pilot found him not guilty and sent him to Herod.  Who is Herod again??
• Herod.  Still have your Herod Family Tree handout?  This Herod is Antipas, the same one that killed John the Baptist.  Herod was in Jerusalem for the Passover.  He was in charge of  Galilee and Perea.  So Pilot sent him to Herod since Jesus was from Galilee.  The Herod brother who should have been in place to rule Judea was removed years ago from position (Pilot governed instead) so Pilot sent Jesus to Antipas.  Herod may have been a drunk fool but he was not idiot…he sent Jesus away too.
• Back to Pilot.  Pilot tried but eventually hands him over to be crucified.

I guess for me it was the layering of the NT on top of the OT.  Maybe it’s because it is my first time reading all of it together but I love the BIG picture.  I loved figuring out things like the Jews could not enter Pilot’s house because he was a Gentile and they would have been ceremonially unclean.  Or the RUSH to get Jesus off the cross because the sun was setting and you cannot work past sundown.

Finally, how awesome was it to see our seeking friend Nicodemus be so bold now in his Faith.  WOW.  He went from sneaking in the night to caring for his public body.

Luke 22; John 13

Luke, definitely written towards the Greeks having Jesus as the perfect model for a man.  Shows His perfect character, humanity’s highest ideals, and the perfect lamb.  By the way in this book,  Peter is referred to as Simon.

When we read John,  my heart beats so fast.  The way Jesus is described is just incredible.  Here, one of the most touching moments Jesus has (for me) in all the Gospel…  Upon the arguing disciples of “who is the greatest among themselves” (this is a common argument in my church…trust me!) Jesus shows them real humility: Jesus washes the feet of the disciples, even Judas Iscariot.  If you are ever trying to figure out WHAT  the Lord wants from you…don’t think too hard.

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Are you willing to humble yourself to the point of washing others feet? Are you above that?  How is this done in modern idea?  If you are ready to wash some feet…contact your church and find out some needs in the community.  Humble yourself.

Matt 23; Luke 20-21

We are mid week now of Jesus’ final week.  His words are aggressive and very pointed here in Matthew to the Jewish Leaders.  What stood out to me was the great author in which Jesus spoke.   I have heard the people say it in the reading but now, WOW what He talks about is clearly from the Father.  In Matthew 23 much stood out,  but 2 I underlined:

• Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.(23)
• And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation. (35)

The second made me wish I had made a list of every disobedient act His children had done from the first to the last in the Old Testament.  Not as a reminder of how bad the people (us) were but a reminder of how patient, and forgiving, and warning, and saving God was for thousands of years.

Luke 21 starts a whole new message from Jesus.  It starts with the foretelling of the Destruction of the Temple.  Let me make this modern for you.  This is not Solomons temple, this is not the little temple that Cyrus helped rebuild after the exile, this is Herod’s Temple.  It is HUGE and magnificent.  It will take a half a century to build it.  The people in Jerusalem are looking at it AS Jesus says EVERY STONE will be thrown down of it. And they are thinking “Nahhhh, not in my time”.  Well we know that in a single day 40 years later it happens.  Well we turn the page now to Jesus talking about another great event, this is all part of the message called The Great Discourse.  Jesus will talk about His Return, and are we like the Jews? DO you sit here and say “Nahhh not in my time”.

Well the overall message in today’s reading was to live as if it will happen today.  It will happen suddenly and without a moments notice.  Yes,  there will be signs of the times that the end is near (we are living it) but Jesus is very clear to say that NO ONE will be able to predict it and YES it will happen.  Well you best be prepared as if it were today.

Passion?

Nov. 21 (Saturday)  My house.  Passion of the Christ.  Invite  a friend.  Will you come?

Luke 18:15-19:48

Maybe when we read some of this earlier this week you were just absorbing it for the first time.  We read it for knowledge but God Reveals it and gives Wisdom.  This time you will read it crystal clear.  The reading will end with the beginning of Passion Week.  We actually read  into the Sunday and Monday already of Jesus’ last week.  Take the event just before Palm Sunday and just after it. 

Just before He descends down into Jerusalem for his final week,  He still is speaking to the Disciples in private.  Remember, he left Jerusalem when Caiaphas ordered Jesus dead and spent the past month privately teaching the 12 Disciples in Ephraim (Samaria, the Pharisees had no authority over him there John 11:54)  He reminds them at Zacchaeus house His Purpose

For the Son of Man came to Seek and Save what was lost. Luke 19:10

Jesus tells the parable of the 10 Servants.  I can bet that many of you have read this before.  Before today I read this as a “trust” issue. To trust the Lord with our (HIS) money. No, that is not it at all!  This is about the PURPOSE of our money.    This story is about WHAT Jesus’ Followers are to do with money from the time Jesus (the man of Noble Birth in the parable) comes the first time and the time He comes Again (can I get an Amen!).  We are to use the resources He gives us to invest into the Kingdom!  By the way,  some of you were not with us in the Old Testament when we defined the term “wicked”.  Wicked is a person without Faith, Blind, and because of that often bad (in the eyes of the Lord).  ANyone of us, friends or family can be classified as “wicked”

Finally, but far from Least! Palm Sunday.  Something new here.  Jesus looked down and saw ALL the people praising God at the sight of Jesus on the donkey. And Jesus Wept over it. (not tears of joy).  The people were still expecting a Political Ruler to come in and change the “earthly” goings on!  They thought Jesus was coming in to create a nation again out of Jerusalem, from the ROman Empire.  Always remember the audience the Gospel Writer so that the differences make sense.  Click here to re-read overviews if needed.

Luke 17:11-18:14

I know the timeline seems weird but we now go back a little in time(not much) the Luke reading rewind back to Jesus leaving Capernaum and is heading to Jerusalem. Always keep the time in  Luke as to where we are chronologically, it is the only Gospel written Chronologically. (This is why when we can bring ONE translated book to an unreached people group on a Mission trip they usually choose Luke to translate)

When you read this really put all your knowledge together (by the way that is not Wisdom, only God gives that) so that you can get deep on these readings now.  Jesus heals the 10 men.  I think most people only see the part that only 1 man thanks Him.  It’s more than that.  Jesus was here to fulfill the Law and the Prophcy..right? “Go show yourselves to the priests”: Law.  Only a priest can declare someone clean.   He was a Samaritan.  People, we know this is important.  Samaritans are mixed marriage, still practicing pagan worship: Prophecy: ALL nations will be blessed through Abraham.

Jesus teaches about the Coming of the Kingdom.  Ummm. WOW.  Just like the flood or just like the Sodom and Gomorrah day, it will happen SUDDENLY and WITHOUT warning.  If the end day is today, and you think for one minute you will get some time to make amends, or speak to loved ones, you are MISTAKEN!  If you know ANYONE not destined for Heaven talk to them today.  In Ezekiel, the Lord says how one reacts to our words is not our worry, our worry is not proclaiming the Words.  That we will be judged for. 

Let me put it this way…if someone you knew was in a burning house sleeping.  Seriously, and you were outside safe, would you just get in your car and leave or would you be yelling…screaming…telling the firefighters that they were inside…about to burn?  Well?  If you know someone is not a Christian they are in a burning house about to burn alive, it is just a matter of time.

Luke 16-17:10

I feel this sense or urgency, and repeat,  and importance in the voice of Jesus.  Repeating the foundations.  Discounting the Pharisees teachings.  He may be talking to the Disciples BUT know that the Pharisees are right there to hear the message.  Actually, if you look back gradually the crowd was getting larger and larger.  Disciples, tax collectors “sinners”, Pharisees.  Much of these messages were aimed to object to the false teachings that were taught now by the Jewish council.  For example, wealth was a reward from God according to the Pharisees, likewise a disability is caused from a sin.  Anyway, since the Sermon on the Mount was directed at few, we now see Jesus retouching on each point to the masses.

One of the story’s today hit me a few years ago when I was realizing the reality of many of my friends and family’s final destination.  I am not judging anyone’s salvation, I am looking for the fruit of their salvation and upon that I sometimes make a hypothesis on possibility.   Anyway, at the bottom is a blog I wrote a long long time ago about Hell. (nice topic,huh) Anyway, if you feel like reading it…feel free. 

Hell, Talk About it (article)   Click to read

Luke 14 and 15

For some of us today, very familiar reads.  For others,  first time ever.  My challenge to you is to read both chapters as if you NEVER read them before.  Not even heard them at church.  Completely Fresh.  Completely from God.  Don’t skim.  I am not blogging today but I surely want to know which one THIS TIME reading it was the read for YOU.  Here are your choices.  Was it because it was personal, was it a WOA, I have got to think about that…was it Ummm I don’t actually understand what the message is…or WOW after reading that I will be forever changed!

• Jesus heals the man with Dropsy (Swollen Limbs)
• Jesus teaches about  seeking humanity
• Jesus tells the parable of the Great Feast
• Jesus teaches about the cost of being a disciple
• Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep
• Jesus tells the parable of the lost coin
• Jesus tells the parable of the lost son

Luke 12-13

Before I even began reading I looked up the definition for Hypocrisy (hypocrite). 

• a personal who puts on a false appearance of virtue
• a pretender
• trying to appear good when one’s heart is far from God
• knowing the truth and not obeying it
• living a self-serving life

 Some of you have been with me just since the NT and some since Genesis.   When I read the OT I found it easy to write a blog because there was History or a foreshadow to speak about.  I am finding the NT very very difficult to write about because these words are directly to us.   Some of the scriptures are speaking to us as an audience and some is speaking regarding the non-believer but I still find it, well,  so personal.

Here is my encouragement for the day.  As you read,  if there is a part you don’t really understand find out.  So far everything we have read about: being a follower,  we saw Jesus paired US up.  Why? because He knew we would need each other.  I have already spoken to 2 people in my “texting” world regarding 12:10.  I just needed some help with it. 

Jesus speaks against Hypocrisy:  Also the unpardonable sin!!

The parable of the Rich man:  For those who like to find all 10 of the Ten commandments in the NT, this is one of them.  This is no. 10.  And by the way a very big OUCH was written in my margin.

Jesus warns us about Worry.  Notice that Jesus is repeating much of the Sermon on the Mount today.  The sermon on the mount was an attitude check, this seems to be a motive check.

Jesus prepares us about His coming back.  I wrote a blog on this a long time ago…I might go back and try to find it but what would you do if you heard God say to the world ” you have 7 minutes”…what would you do with those 7 minutes?  Would you look around at all the people in your life that would or WOULD NOT be coming to heaven with you?  WHat would you say to them in a last minute attempt?  Well… it could be today.

Jesus warns about Division.  We didn’t need to read this to know this…you don’t even have to turn on the news to see it, most of us have religious division in our own house!

Future Crisis/Looking at the signs of the times. Like Jesus said, we will not know the day He comes back BUT we sure can look at the sign it is near.  You CANNOT do this without knowing scripture.  Cannot.  If you want a good book on this (besides the bible) then read

 By David Jeremiah.  I am thinking about a book club in January…anyone?

Chapter 13:  There was an issue with Pilate killing Galileans, but Jesus didn’t debate the death,  did he…he debated their life.  Their fruit.  The Life.

Jesus heals a cripple woman and Jesus reaches about the Kingdom

Jesus teaches about entering the Kingdom.  If you want my opinion (prob not) , this is the one to dig into today.  listen to me, you could work in a church all your life, preach the Bible, Do His work, but what does Jesus say over and over.  “I don’t know you”.  When you hear a church say “do you have a personal relationship with Jesus, your Lord and Savior?” This is what they are talking about.  Do you know him?  Do you know his desire for you, his personality, his Voice? Like a sheep.  Or let’s go back to the first part of today’s read…Hypocrisy.  Knowing Truth and ignoring it?  Hmmmm.