Thursday, July 30, 2009

Good News and Bad News

Easy street
scripture

John 16:33 “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

observation

Jesus says that he has some good news and some bad news, first here’s the bad news:

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows

Jesus didn’t promise us our “best life now” just take a look at a few examples:
  • John the Baptist- beheaded,
  • Stephen- stoned to death,
  • Paul- stoned just short of death,
  • James the son of Zebedee- beheaded,
  • Philip- crucified.

I have the freedom, so far, to believe and share my belief with anyone without fear of physical harm, but in many places the church is persecuted everyday. Still there is plenty of suffering in our country too, all around people are hurting physically and emotionally, everyone is looking for peace in all the chaos.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Now don’t let the bad news get you down, let’s move on to the good news:
But take heart, because I have overcome the world
1 John 5:4-5 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Despite all the trials and sorrows that Jesus told us that we would have to go through, ultimately this world is not the end for us and a better day is coming, just knowing that we have hope in Christ is all the encouragement that we should ever need to live above our circumstances here.

application

I need to count my blessings! It is necessary to remember that Jesus over came the world and we will too. When it is tempting to allow circumstances to get me down I must remember that I have an awesome life and I have been blessed way beyond what I deserve.

prayer 

Thank you for the hope that we have in you Lord.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Advocates

scripture

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

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

John 16:5 “But now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.

observation

Advocate \ad-və-kət, -kāt\ n 1: one that pleads the cause of another ; specifically : one that pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court 2: one that defends or maintains a cause or proposal 3: one that supports or promotes the interests of another.

If you have ever been to court then you have a great picture of what Jesus is talking about when he mentions having an Advocate. Did you know that you have a representative that stands before God and speaks on your behalf? Actually we all have two of them. Jesus mentions that the Holy Spirit is your Advocate and according to 1John 2:1 you also have another Advocate:

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.Jesus died as the payment of the debt of our sin and stands before God and says to God that sin is covered, I paid for that, what an awesome Savior that we have.

Our other Advocate is the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit begins his work by pointing us to God for forgiveness of our sins (John 16:8) but he isn’t finished when you become a Christ follower in fact that is when his work is just getting started. He is an Advocate that will always be with us (John 14:16). He will be there to lead us into truth, he will teach us and he will remind us of the things that Jesus already taught us (John 14:26).

application

I have help to get me through this journey, thankfully I don’t have to rely on my own wisdom but instead I have the Holy Spirit to guide me.

prayer

Thank you Lord for standing before God as my Advocate, and thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit to help me through each day.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Big Love

scripture

John 15:9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the One who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. 25 This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’

observation

Remain in my love by obeying my commands
Jesus told us that the only way that we can prove our love for him is by being obedient to the commands that he gave us to follow, we can talk all day about how much we love something but until we put it into action there isn’t any proof. Look in the dictionary and you will see that love is a verb.

I loved you as the Father loved me, so love each other in the same way I have loved you
This is a selfless love, one that can give everything away including dying in order to benefit the one that is loved. This is totally opposite of the so called love that the world thinks that they have, the world has a selfish love, one that loves you if you adopt their way of thinking and behave the way that they think is right.

1 John 3:16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.

Jesus wants us to love big, to love radically like he did, our own agenda and welfare shouldn't have any bearing on my desire to love big.

You are no longer part of the world
Jesus said “The world would love you” but it can’t love you because you are not a part of the world, remember that you were bought by Christ and you are supposed to be noticeably different and the world won’t be able to tolerate the difference.

application

I must live each day in appreciation for the love that God had for me that he would make a way for me to have a relationship with him even though I was not his friend he still cared for me. I must follow his example and live selflessly, obeying his commands and helping others along the way.

prayer

Give me the BIG LOVE that you have Lord so that I can love selflessly as you have commanded.

Friday, July 24, 2009

The Lord’s Vineyard


 scripture

Isaiah 5:1-7 Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill.

2 He plowed the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with the best vines. In the middle he built a watchtower and carved a wine press in the nearby rocks. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes, but the grapes that grew were bitter.

3 Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah, you judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?

5 Now let me tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will tear down its hedges and let it be destroyed. I will break down its walls and let the animals trample it. 6 I will make it a wild place where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed, a place overgrown with briers and thorns. I will command the clouds to drop no rain on it.

7 The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the LORD of Heaven's Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence.

observation


God has a vineyard that he planted in a perfect location "on a rich and fertile hill" but before he planted the vine he knew that he would have to prepare the soil. He had the best vines to plant but you know that you are wasting your time planting anything if the soil isn't in good condition. So he broke up the soil with his plow and took the rocks out of the field and then he patiently waited for the vine to grow so that he could enjoy the return for his labor.

What went wrong? Didn't God do everything that he could possibly do to ensure that he would have an abundant harvest of good grapes?

God set his people in a rich and fertile land and he gave them everything that they needed to prosper but his people rebelled against him, he "expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence."
Deuteronomy 13:4 Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.

Joshua 22:5 But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul."
Through the ages God's people have not changed very much, we can be just as rebellious as they were back then. If we could love the Lord without compromise then we would be a prosperous vine in God's garden.

application

Loving the Lord without compromise can only happen if I stay in constant communication with him, I must be talking to him daily and listening for his voice by praying and reading his word daily.

prayer

I want to be a prosperous vine in your garden. I pray that our families, churches and our country will seek to love and serve you without compromise.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Do You REALLY Get It?

scripture

John 14:15, 23-24, 31  "If you love me, obey my commandments.  

23  Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24  Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me.  

31  but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father.

observation

There is a lot of advertising these days for companies that want to help you out by erasing all of your debt. Keep one thing in mind, not a one of them is doing it out of love for you, it would be unthinkable that they are here to save the day just because they think that you are wonderful and you deserve a second chance.

Someone does love you and he did pay off your debt! It is difficult to comprehend the enormous debt that the Lord cancelled, he gave you a bail out of all bail outs, Jesus paid the debt that you could not pay off on your own.

Does it really sink into our heads how much he did?

2 Corinthians 5:15  He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

If you really comprehend what Jesus did then how in the world can you live to please yourself, how in the world can I demand my own way, I must have so much gratitude for the enormous love that was shown to me that I must choose to live the rest of my life for Jesus Christ. I owe him everything and out of gratitude and thankfulness for what he has done for me I should live for him.

If I truly love him and appreciate what the Lord has done for me then I will not find it unreasonable to obey what he has told me to do. He has already proven that he has my best interest in mind so why wouldn't I listen to what he tells me to do.

Philippians 2:5  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6  Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges.

I have a choice to make every day, will I live selfishly and do things my way or will I give up my right to decide for myself what I am going to do. Will I show my love for God my obeying his commands. Jesus said that he was living in obedience to the father so that the world would know that he loved the father. How else will the world know that we love God if we don't listen to what he has to say to us?

Romans 15:3  For even Christ didn't live to please himself.

How extremely selfish we all are when we live for self after what Jesus did for us, he didn't decide to live for himself so what gives me the right to live for my own agenda and my interest?

application

I must live each day in appreciation for the love that God had for me that he would make a way for me to have a relationship with him even though I was not his friend he still cared for me. I must follow his example and live selflessly, obeying his commands and helping others along the way.

Galatians 6:2  Share each others burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3  If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

prayer

Help me to understand how much you did for me Lord. My gratitude should be seen in my obedience to your commandments.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Don't Get Upset

scripture

John 14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

observation

Hard times are coming but its ok, don’t let it upset you, hard times are something that you can count on in this life.

Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the life," new life that is, free of the hard times and struggles that we must endure on this planet. Freedom from pain and tears a place where there won't be any evil, selfishness or greed.

Do you know the one that can give you this wonderful, eternal life? He is the only way to get there, the way to the Father is through Jesus Christ and no other way. My good works and endurance in these struggles on planet Earth will never be good enough to get me to eternal life with the Father.


application

It is really easy to get upset about the trouble that we must go through on this planet and we can forget that this is a temporary assignment. I know the way to the Father where all these problems will be gone. I need to share the good news with someone that needs the hope that God's children have.


prayer

Help me to spread the good news and to always keep my eyes on the eternal where we will be free of pain and sorrow.

Treason!


scripture

John 13:18 "I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, 'The one who eats my food has turned against me.' 19 I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I AM the Messiah. 20 I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me."

21 Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!" 22 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23 The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, "Who's he talking about?" 25 So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, "Lord, who is it?"

26 Jesus responded, "It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl." And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, "Hurry and do what you're going to do." 28 None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can't come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."

36 Simon Peter asked, "Lord, where are you going?" And Jesus replied, "You can't go with me now, but you will follow me later." 37 "But why can't I come now, Lord?" he asked. "I'm ready to die for you." 38 Jesus answered, "Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.

observation

Jesus told the group of disciples that one of them will betray him, yet another of hundreds of prophecies that were fulfilled by Jesus, he made sure to tell them what the prophets had already said so that when it came true their wouldn't be any doubt that Jesus is the Messiah.

Here is a new commandment, well actually it's a familiar old command that is going to go an extra step further, Jesus said that he wants them to love each other to the same extent that Jesus loved each of them. You see the love that the Father and the Son share, Jesus bringing glory to the Father and in return God giving his glory back to Jesus, they are always looking out for each other and displaying their love for each other.

What an enormous amount of love that we are supposed to have for one another! Christ said that just as much love as he has shown to me, I am supposed to have for everybody else, I am supposed to love just as much as Jesus loved me. He loved me enough to leave the glory of heaven and step down to this earth where he would be mistreated worse than I will ever be treated and he still showed his love to me even though I was living in rebellion. There is no better proof that we are Jesus disciples than for us to love him and each other with agape love. What would our churches look like if we had that kind of atmosphere for the world to walk into?

application

I need to be careful not to follow the example of this world, it is easier for all of us to look out for our own interest, but Jesus gave us the ultimate example of giving our lives away and he told me to do the same.

I am more like Peter than I care to admit, how many times in my life have I been a traitor and turned to my own way and taken care of my own interest, it reminds me of the song by Kutless called Traitor:

With my two lips I will praise your name
Then I turn around and only curse and blame
I give in, strength is thin, adding to my shame
Your blood it covered all my sin
You changed a traitor into kin
In this false life something needs to give

Tell me a reason why this isn't treason
Tell me, tell me I'm wrong
I swear I'm back but then it turns out it's only a season
So tell me, tell me I'm wrong

prayer

Thank you Lord for your love that I didn't have to earn, you loved me in spite of who I am and how I have treated you, help me to love as you loved me.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Jesus Leadership Style

scripture

John 13:1 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” 8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” 9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

observation

“Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God”
Jesus had every reason to say "I am not touching those disciples dirty feet" but Jesus never needed to protect his image, he didn't do anything to make sure that everybody knew that he is powerful, he was okay if they saw him as a servant.

The Jews had never seen a leader like this before, whether it was the various governments that they had lived under or if it was the religious leaders that they had to submit to, they all ruled with a heavy hand that made sure that the little people knew who was in charge.

“You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”How true are these words? We all have moments when we would like to ask God what he is up too. The disciples were just as clueless as we are many times. Sometimes we try like Peter did and say "I will never" but God seems to enjoy streching us beyond our "never."

And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.

Remember Simon, the Pharisee that had Jesus over to his house for dinner, he was a teacher but he was not of the same character as Jesus. Simon thought that he was too good to be washing the dusty feet of his guest, but here is Jesus being the humble servant, willing to serve his disciples and show them the type of leaders that they should become.

application

The greatest leader the world has ever know was not afraid to be a servant to everyone. If I am going to be a leader in ministry then I cannot be afraid to be a servant.

prayer

Help me to serve you Lord with humility, I am nothing that you should decide to find me useful for your work.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Keep Your Life For Eternity


scripture

John 12:23  Jesus replied, "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.

24  I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.

25  Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.

26  Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

observation

This must be the only time that Jesus and the religious leaders agreed on anything. The High Priest told the priests and Pharisees that "it is better for one man to die for all the people" (John 11:49-50) and now Jesus is telling the crowd that his death will produce a harvest of new life.

The High Priest was looking out for himself and was interested in the lifestyle that he had grown to love.

The Savior was looking out for the best interest of others, he was the ultimate example of serving others and he showed us that if we give up our life we will have our life returned to us for eternity.

Which one do you want to be like? Jesus said that if you want to be like him then you must follow his example, it may seem difficult sometimes but God "will honor anyone who serves Jesus."

application

I need to be careful not to follow the example of this world, it is easier for all of us to look out for our own interest, but Jesus gave us the ultimate example of giving our lives away and he told me to do the same.

prayer

Help me to always look out for ways to serve others. My life is not my own, it was bought at a high price!

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Power Over Death

scripture

John 12:9  When all the people heard of Jesus' arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. 10  Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, 11  for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.

12  The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors 13  took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, "Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Hail to the King of Israel!"

14  Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: 15  "Don't be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey's colt."

16  His disciples didn't understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.

17  Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. 18  That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign.

19  Then the Pharisees said to each other, "There's nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!"

observation

Jesus arrival at Jerusalem for the Passover celebration leads to the fulfillment of prophecy and it helped the disciples to know that Jesus was the Messiah.

It looks like every time that the Pharisees have a problem their first thought is to kill off the trouble maker. Jesus is getting too many followers because Lazarus was dead but now he is walking around as living evidence that Jesus has the power to give life.

John 14:6  Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

application

If Jesus can raise Lazarus from the grave in this life then I can rest assured that he will rescue me from death and give me the eternal life that he has promised. The grave is not the end, it is a new beginning.

prayer

Thank you Jesus for giving up your life so that I can have eternal life with you, you have proven your power over death as evidence of the hope that I have in you.

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Respect For The Savior

scripture

John 11:55 It was now almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, and many people from all over the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the purification ceremony before Passover began. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, but as they stood around in the Temple, they said to each other, “What do you think? He won’t come for Passover, will he?” 57 Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly ordered that anyone seeing Jesus must report it immediately so they could arrest him.

John 12:1 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

observation

Every good Jew is making their way to Jerusalem for the annual Passover celebration, people are wondering if Jesus is going to be there, would he dare to come around here when all the religious leaders are trying to arrest him.

Jesus is going to the Passover and on his journey he stops at Bethany, just a short distance from Jerusalem, where he is invited to a dinner party at the home of Simon the former leper (Matthew 26:6).

Simon, out of contempt for Jesus had committed some social blunders, he had not given Jesus any water to wash his feet, nor had he given him a drink of water and he certainly didn’t consider anointing his head with oil. As strange as it may sound those were the three things that you do when your guest arrive, David even mentions it in Psalm 23:5:

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

What a contrast in the way Jesus was treated, Simon had no respect for who Jesus is but this lady has complete reverence and respect for who Jesus is and what he is about to do. In the morning when he wakes up he is going to complete his trip to Jerusalem, where he will be arrested, the crowd will sing his praises as he enters the city but later that night he would be arrested and everybody would treat him with the same contempt that Simon had.

application

He is my Savior and he should be treated with enormous respect, don’t forget he is the creator of the universe and he didn’t need to do anything for me.

prayer

 Thank you Lord for loving your creation and for enduring the way that you were treated while you were on this planet.

Monday, July 06, 2009

Show Them Jesus

scripture

John 11:39 "Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man's sister, protested, "Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible."

40 Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believe?" 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me." 43 Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!"

45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. "What are we going to do?" they asked each other. "This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation."

49 Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, "You don't know what you're talking about! 50 You don't realize that it's better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed."

51 He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. 52 And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.

53 So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus' death. 54 As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples.

55 It was now almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, and many people from all over the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the purification ceremony before Passover began. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, but as they stood around in the Temple, they said to each other, "What do you think? He won't come for Passover, will he?" 57 Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly ordered that anyone seeing Jesus must report it immediately so they could arrest him.
observation

Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen

observation

Well who wouldn't believe! This guy was gone for four days when Jesus told him to get up out of that grave, everybody knew he was dead, but now he is stumbling around with these grave clothes on that he isn't gonna need any more. I think that everybody standing there must have been in shock and awe, they just stood there as Lazarus was trying to walk out of the tomb with his face covered and his whole body wrapped, and so finally Jesus had to tell them to do the obvious, "Unwrap him and let him go!"

If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him How anybody could not believe that Jesus is the Messiah after witnessing this event? What are we gonna do? If we allow this Jesus to continue then we are gonna be out of work.

There were such a great number of miracles and there was his teaching that was far beyond what an unlearned man from Nazareth could possibly know, signs that people will read and there is only one thing that they could conclude after taking in all this information. This guy has to be the Messiah!

It is really weird, the Pharisees have witnessed so many miraculous works and they can see that those works are pointing to the obvious fact that Jesus is the Messiah, they know that if Jesus continues that everyone will be convinced, but they still choose to ignore what they see.

You don't know what you're talking about!No Caiaphas, you are the one that doesn't know what you are saying, it was God's plan all along that "one man should die for the people." What an awesome gift that has become available to us through this one man:

Romans 5:15 But there is a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.

16 And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.

17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

application

We need to show Jesus to people so that they will see the evidence and they too will believe, if we can draw people into the church for a peek at who Jesus is then they will believe. Our church needs to be a place where the unchurched can feel comfortable enough to come around and check out Jesus and come to believe in him.

prayer

Help us to do church in new ways that will allow the unchurched people to come around in a natural, comfortable situation so that they can check you out and decide for themselves who you are.

Friday, July 03, 2009

Plans Bigger Than Ours

scripture

John 11:1 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, "Lord, your dear friend is very sick."

4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this." 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7 Finally, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea."

8 But his disciples objected. "Rabbi," they said, "only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?" 9 Jesus replied, "There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light." 11 Then he said, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up."

12 The disciples said, "Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!" 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. 14 So he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I'm glad I wasn't there, for now you will really believe. Come, let's go see him." 16 Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go, too—and die with Jesus."

17 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18 Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask."

23 Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day." 25 Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?"

27 "Yes, Lord," she told him. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God." 28 Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, "The Teacher is here and wants to see you." 29 So Mary immediately went to him.

30 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. 31 When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus's grave to weep. So they followed her there. 32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."

33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34 "Where have you put him?" he asked them. They told him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, "See how much he loved him!" 37 But some said, "This man healed a blind man. Couldn't he have kept Lazarus from dying?"

38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 "Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man's sister, protested, "Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible." 40 Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believe?"

41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me." 43 Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!"

45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.

observation

"Lord, your dear friend is very sick."

A messenger was sent out to find Jesus, this guy had an urgent message, Mary and Martha were sure that if the messenger got to Jesus in time then their brother would be healed and he would avoid death. Jesus is not rattled by the news that his friend is going to die, instead of rushing down to his village, Jesus stays put right where he is at.

Notice the difference in the reaction of the Savior and the reaction of the mere humans in the midst of the crisis. The humans had a plan, it was all going to work out, we just have to control this situation and make this happen and then that will happen and everything will be okay. But there was one major flaw in the sisters plan to get Jesus to come to their house, they couldn't make him come to their house because Jesus had a better idea.

The disciples thought that they knew Jesus plan.
Jesus finally told his disciples that he was going to Bethany to see Lazarus. It is pretty clear that the disciples thought that Jesus wasn't going to help Lazarus because they thought that Jesus was avoiding going back into Judea, our Lord was not avoiding trouble, he was waiting for the "right" moment to go see Lazarus.

John 11:8 But his disciples objected. "Rabbi," they said, "only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?"

There has been a lot of opposition to Jesus lately, there have been attempts to arrest him and they have tried to stone him, the disciples were glad that he wasn't running over to see Lazarus.

"What now, our plan has failed"Martha heard that Jesus was coming and she ran out to meet him and said "Lord, if only" and then later her sister came running out to meet Jesus and she says "Lord, if only" it is clear that they had a plan that didn't work out and now what are they to do? They were saying to Jesus "Lord, you didn't come through"

How often do we make our plans and God doesn't show up and work things out the way that we thought that they should?

We make our personal plans, we decide what the family will do, what the church will do but how much of it is really God's plans?

One of the most difficult things is when God's plan doesn't seem to include the easy answer to your situation. Mary and Martha's plan was the easiest way to make the outcome be the most pleasant, but there is one problem, God had a much bigger plan than they could imagine. It is natural that we want to relieve the situation as pleasantly as possible, we all want to live comfortable and with the least amount of suffering possible but that isn't always the way God wants to work. There are a lot of things that it seems like God should step onto the scene and fix, people that are not healed, violence that goes on against his people around the world, and many other situations that we cannot understand with our limited intelligence.

"Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believe?"

Jesus asked Mary that question, and earlier he told the disciples "I'm glad I wasn't there, for now you will really believe" It seems that Jesus was more interested in strengthening the disciples and the sisters faith. I am pretty sure that my belief in Jesus would be incredibly strong after witnessing my brother's return to life.

God had bigger plans for Lazarus than just healing him of whatever ailed him. Some guys have a war story or a ship wreck story but this guy can top them all with his "I was once dead and gone but now I am alive again" story.

application

I have to be careful that I don't leave God out when I am making plans, in ministry it can be easy to run with an idea without knowing what God's opinion of what we are rushing to do.

There is a lot of struggle in this world and many of us are looking for some relief from our difficulties. We struggle to answer the hard questions that God doesn't give us the answers to but sometimes all we can know is that everything is in control and God has a plan that is being worked out for his glory.

prayer

Give me wisdom Lord to always check my plans with your will for my life, sometimes when things don't turn out the way I planned I need to refrain from blaming you. Help me to see that everything is working out for your glory. Increase my faith.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Consider The Evidence

scripture

John 10:22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23 He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?” 33 They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.”

34 Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’ 35 And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’ 36 why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. 37 Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. 38 But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”

39 Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. 40 He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile. 41 And many followed him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, “but everything he said about this man has come true.” 42 And many who were there believed in Jesus.

observation

How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.
After all this time, after all the evidence, after all the previous assertions that Jesus made…just tell us one more time, maybe this time we will believe you. I don’t think so! Get out a red letter edition of the New Testament and see what he has been saying about himself, he has told them over and over again that he is the Messiah and better yet he has proven himself by his works, one miracle after another.

Talking a good talk is not as important as walking the walk. What you believe affects how you behave, if you believe murder is wrong then you don't murder, if you think that robbing the bank is wrong then you don't do it. If you believe in the teachings of Christ then it has to affect your behavior. Jesus said believe in who I am because of the things that I do, how many times does our behavior testify against who we claim to be as a child of God, Jesus said:

John 10:37 Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. 38 But if I do his work, believe in the evidence

Here is what the problem is, you are not my sheep.
The evidence is there he told them plainly that he is the Messiah, the “I Am” the one that they have been waiting for so long to see. Then Jesus tells them what their real problem is, “I have told you who I am but the real issue is that you have a hearing problem.”

If you can’t hear the masters voice then you must not be his sheep, His sheep hear his voice and they follow him wherever he leads them to with complete trust, they don’t think that there must be a better way or a short cut, he speaks and they follow. If we would just give up control and follow the voice of the shepherd he will lead us to eternal life, and we will never perish.

“John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, “but everything he said about this man has come true.” The question is what did John say?

John1:23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!” Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

26 John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. 27 Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.” 28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31 I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”

application

Can you tell from all the miracles and the testimony that Jesus is the Messiah? The evidence is irrefutable.

Am I acting like a sheep? I need to be faithful in follow Jesus and I have to be careful that my actions don’t refute what I claim to believe.

prayer

Thank you Lord for saving this lost sheep, I want to follow you everyday so that others can see the evidence and there will be proof of what I say that I believe.