Enough faith to believe 

Like many I used to question the miracles in the Bible. But Jesus’s resurrection confronted me & became the defining moment of my faith. Was it true or not? Did decay cease & life renew supernaturally at the molecular level? If God could do this, did He do everything? 

My questioning ended because the Holy Spirit & His word gave me enough revelation of truth about Him. And His love & grace built up my faith to believe it. He is the truth & all the things He did are true (real). What we believe does not change the truth. So, yes it makes perfect sense to me that He could & did create & alter molecules & cells for His purpose’s, just like He changes hearts & minds. The stone was large enough to need many men to move it, but it was not moved to let Jesus out. It was moved for us to see in. So the evidence could be experienced.

The glorious power of the resurrection answers all the questions & makes all things possible in Christ Jesus. 

 The Centurion

Several years ago a lent devotional I was using encouraged me to think about the response of the Centurion who witnessed the crucifixion. Certainly he must of seen, even supervised many crucifixions. It’s not likely that the blood & the anguish were the reason for his statement. Perhaps he was involved with the handling of Jesus through the various trials including his sentence by Pilate. It says in Matthew the darkness, the earth shaking, & the commotion really got his attention. Maybe Jesus’s behavior on the cross also revealed to him that there was something different about this man. As I reflect on the words of the centurion, I think it is the same for you & me. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth we see & hear about Jesus. Then we like the centurion declare “Surely He is the Son of God”

 That night in Jerusalem 

In Jerusalem it’s almost sundown. The horrific deeds of the day would have been done & the tomb is about to be sealed. Do you suppose it would have been a sleepless night for many? Certainly for the sorrowful, & the fearful. But beginning the Sabbath having also witnessed events like midday darkness, & the torn temple curtain, everyone would have been affected. Do you suppose anyone there had any idea that they were participating in a 72 hour drama that would change the world & so many people since? Most people believe that historically Jesus was a real person who probably died like this. The real question is not did it happen, but what we believe it means for us. Is it a gift that brings life, peace, & hope? Or is it foolishness? 

 The Bread & The Cup

It was a week long confrontation with religious leaders, some whom had already plotted His death. Yet there was love & tenderness towards the people & to his disciples. Very special times of profound teaching & serving. We need to consider the whole story of this special week.

 One of those special times was his instruction at the Passover meal. A practice His followers still do today to remember His rejection & brokenness that purchased our redemption.  His atonement & covenant that will cover us forever. We can experience & walk upright in His kingdom because of the power of His resurrection. We can say blessed is the King who lives among us.

 Women witnesses 

The women who followed Jesus were given a unique view to the unfolding drama of Jesus’s death & resurrection, both the agony & the Glory.

They were able to witness his crucifixion.

They witnessed his body being removed & placed in the tomb that was sealed.

The women watched the stone being rolled away by the angel to reveal the empty tomb. 

The angel spoke to the women declaring that Jesus was not dead.

The women were the first to see & interact with Jesus the risen Lord.

He dispatched the women to go tell His disciples. 

The whole resurrection account is built on the testimony of women. In those days women were not allowed to give testimony in legal matters because they were not viewed as credible witnesses. Yet here they are, essential to believing the most significant event ever. Some think they were chosen by God to help us believe precisely because if it was a made up story they wouldn’t have chosen women to be witnesses. I tend to think it’s another example of Jesus demonstrating his kingdom where the last will be first. I am grateful for their testimony, because in my case believing the resurrection was the threshold i needed to cross to receive Jesus.

 Cleansing the Temple 2

The story of Jesus cleansing the temple has always been intriguing to me. I’m sure there would be a very mixed reaction to it today, just as there was then. 

For those who had no access to the portion of the temple designed for them to worship, & those who were being fleeced so badly by the corrupt temple economics, what Jesus did was a breath of fresh air. The Messiah taking jurisdiction over & renewing His house should not have been unexpected.

What about us today? Since each of us are His temple, how badly do we need cleansing? How badly have we denied others access to Jesus by our actions? Shouldn’t we expect him to disrupt our lives & our churches to bring corrections to what he expects of us? This week reminds us to examine our own hearts for corruption. The power of the resurrection brings both freedom & renewal, may it be so with us today.

 Jesus Cleanses the Temple 

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise’?”

 The Triumphal Entry

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,  saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

 Going up to Jerusalem 

Imagine what it was like to go up to Jerusalem that Sunday.

The scale of the Passover feast-national holiday was the equivalent of Christmas & 4th of July for us. It was a required feast for the Jews with all its required stuff. Maybe 250,000 people in the city during this festival. A very crowded 400 acres with a huge amount of activity.

Imagine Pilate riding into Jerusalem. Nothing like a parade to bring out the politicians.The city would have had many Dignitaries & prominent visitors. Full display of leaders  & power.

 Messianic expectation was particularly present. Because of a history of false messiahs & nationalistic rebellion the festival was always a concern for the Romans. Soldiers were at the ready & lots of people were talking. Was he already here? Was he coming? Would this year be different? Is this Jesus different? Something is, for Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead a few days before.

A lot going on, a lot of excitement, a lot of expectation, a lot of tension.

What timing for the unfolding of such a profound event that would change history forever.

 From death to life 

Jesus’ death & resurrection is a gift so glorious that it’s hard to fully comprehend it. They are the events that form the very foundation of our faith. The God who kneels down & serves is astounding, & sets Jesus apart from any other. That people could mock at the horror of the cross stuns me. That someone’s love would endure it all for me is overwhelming. As I remember what happened then, & how profound of change it has created in me, I must humble myself & respond with this. I was once dead in my sin, but now I am alive in Christ.

 A simple question really 

Liar? Lunatic? Or is Jesus who He said He was? Is His Resurrection the narrow gate He  talked about? It seems that if you can't believe His resurrection is true, in the face of really compelling evidence, than how can you believe anything else He did or said is true. On the other hand, if we believe it, He said we can enter into new life in His Kingdom.

It's quite a simple question really, are you going to believe the claims of a man who was raised from the dead, or the claims of ones who have not?

 The most important event 

Jesus’ death & resurrection are the most important events in history. Through them Christ made it possible for us to enter His kingdom. I’m not a big fan of keeping the church calendar, But it is good for us to reflect each year, not just to rejoice that we know the messiah, not just for what he has done for us, but also to review what tripped people up back then. What they missed and make sure none of those things are keeping us from true kingdom living. Holy Week is not far off, Can I encourage us to read the Gospel accounts to refresh our understanding?

Let’s think about what obstacles remain for us to submit all of ourselves to Jesus as our king. And let’s ask the Holy Spirit to give us the heart of a faithful subject of His kingdom.

 The 10 lepers

Luke 17:11-19 Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  Luke 17:11-19 NIV

We can plainly see that one was not only heeled, but was transformed by this encounter with Jesus. But what about the nine others? Did Jesus waste the kindness on some who did not fully appreciate who it was that did this for them? What do you get from this story?

For me there are several things:

1. They all recognized him & knew He could heal them, & He honored their faith.
2. He loved them all even though he knew only one would love him back.
3. The nine had to go show themselves to the priests who would surely ask how this thing happened. Then likewise when they returned to their families & villages they would likely ask the same question. So the name of Jesus, his power, & his mercy went out even if there wasn’t the hoped for response.
4. Likewise for us as His followers, our love, kindness, & caring bring Him Glory even if we don’t always experience the gratitude we might expect.

 Love God & Love your Neighbor 

Love initiates relationships, opens the possibility of gospel sharing & making disciples. Eight times this royal law (James) is mentioned in the scriptures

Mark 12:28-34 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. 

Matthew 22:35-40 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” 

Leviticus 19:18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. 

Matthew 19:19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

Luke 10:25-29 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

Romans 13:8-10 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. 

Galatians 5:13-15 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. 

James 2:5-9 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. 

Love initiates relationships, opens the possibility of gospel sharing & making disciples.

In Matthew 25 Jesus states very clearly that on the day of judgement, if we haven’t recognized him in the needs of our neighbors, we will have no place in His kingdom.

Matthew 25:37-40 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ 

Our devotion to God is authenticated by our love for others.

 Confirming our identity in Christ. 

Are we really Jesus followers? Does the king of Glory live in our hearts? Does what we do & say look like we are really His disciples? 

In today’s world there is a lot of interest in identity. Who we identify as & with speaks like a language. For some people identity has become quite fluid & for others quite confusing. Because so many words & labels do not mean what they originally did, we should be thoughtful about the words we use & impressions we leave.

Unfortunately being identified in certain ways, or with certain groups, may put up barriers to any kind of fruitful interaction with some people. Sometimes with the very people we are trying to reach with the Gospel. Even now I am choosing my words carefully. I’m not mentioning any specific organizations as  examples  

Though it is important to be authentic in who we really are, I’m suggesting trying to avoid being labeled or choosing to identify with anything or anyone inconsistent with our King, His Kingdom, & our mission.