Read Mark 15:21-32, John 19:16b-30
When I was little and I did something wrong (lie, get in fights with my siblings, etc), my mom would sometimes say that I was “nailing Jesus to the cross all over again.” She had a valid point that I understood back then, but she might have been more right than she realized. On reading different accounts of the crucifixion in the gospels, I see a plethora of different people and they all were involved in the crucifixion of Christ. Let’s take a brief look at where they all were:
Disciples Herod Pilate Mob
Simon of Cyrene Pilate’s Wife Women Soldiers (Roman)
Guards ( temple) Criminals Joseph Nicodemas
Scribes Pharisees Barabas Sanhedrin council
And brief list is not even including Judas, the high priest’s servant, the girl accusing Peter, or the random guy in Mark that ran away naked. It’s a lot of people and quite varied at that. Some of their roles were more passive, while some had a direct hand in his death. Are they any different from us? If Christ were “crucified” today would you be a passive onlooker watching from the convenience of your tv or youtube? Would you have been the follower who ran away and hid so people wouldn’t link you two together? Would you be the helpless committed that watched on the side as he died? Would you be the unconcerned trying to nab a piece of Jesus memorabilia while you still could? Would you be the mob crying out for his death because your leaders told you to? Or would you be the one watching on the side secretly congratulating yourself that you’d rid the world of a menace to the social order? Sometimes I think we can judge those involved a little too harshly, we expect them to somehow act differently or better than us, when it comes down to the fact that everyone involved in Christ’s death was fallen, as are we without Christ. While we were not actually there, our sin did put him there, each and every one of them; and not just the ones that we have already committed, but the ones we will do today and every other day until we die. Everyone of those is another nail, another thorn, another splinter in the already marred flesh.
Fellowship
So how do we respond? All of us are involved in Christ’s death, but those of us who find our life in Christ are also involved in the body of Christ and our new life in him. I remember Michael Card saying something at a meeting where I heard him speak that has stayed with me, “When God gives a gift, he wraps it in a person.” God’s gift to us for salvation was wrapped in Christ. God’s gifts through the Holy Spirit to the body of Christ are each wrapped in Christians. People are created for community, and when we get together we can either do something terrible, or as Christians we can accomplish the will of God. Reflect today on how you’re working communally with the body of Christ. Are you allowing God to give his gifts to the body of Christ through you? Are you accepting the gifts he is sharing through others?
O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace:
give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions.
Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one body and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may henceforth be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Jesus Lifted on the Cross
If you were asked to summarize Jesus’ death on the cross, explaining its complete significance, and put it into a nice, concise, and understandable paragraph or so, could you do that? That was a rhetorical question by the way. As much as we know of Jesus’ sufferings for all of us, I don’t think we can ever write a summary as well worded and packed with imagery as the prophet Isaiah did. So let’s read what exactly did this prophet say about Jesus.
Read Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12
Whoa. That was my initial reaction to reading this. Now the words used in this “servant song” may seem familiar to you – and they should – because many are quoted in the New Testament. In fact, by reading this entire passage, you essentially have the whole gospel of Jesus. Isaiah walks the audience through the rut of Jesus’ mission to the eventual glorification of it. I know you probably already know the majority of this passage so let’s focus on some key aspects of Jesus’ death.
Look at verse 15: “so will he sprinkle many nations…” The word sprinkling is often used to describe ceremonial cleansing and/or consecration seen in the Old Testament. Okay, so what? The significant part of this verse is the “many nations” part. So put those two together and you get Jesus cleansing many nations. Many times, people take for granted that Jesus died for everyone. We say it so often, but do we really grasp that concept? Jesus purified all nations, which means everyone is included – even the looked-down-upon gentiles in the old days. Gentiles, during this time, were basically segregated from the Jews. They weren’t the “chosen ones,” so they had less rights to worship God than the Jews. But with Jesus’ sprinkling death, everyone is included. The arms that were spread wide upon that cross covered all nations.
So what does this mean to me? Well, simply stated, Jesus died for everyone. Yes, I know that’s extremely general, but can you put those words into action? Are you kingdom-minded, in that you seek to grow God’s kingdom with everyone and not just the people you like? Remember, Jesus’ death welcomed the nations, regardless of who the inhabitants were.
Pray and ask God to be help you be kingdom-minded. Pray that you would make disciples of all nations. The more genuine our prayers are in wanting to be kingdom-minded, the clearer God’s kingdom here will be shown.
Read Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12
Whoa. That was my initial reaction to reading this. Now the words used in this “servant song” may seem familiar to you – and they should – because many are quoted in the New Testament. In fact, by reading this entire passage, you essentially have the whole gospel of Jesus. Isaiah walks the audience through the rut of Jesus’ mission to the eventual glorification of it. I know you probably already know the majority of this passage so let’s focus on some key aspects of Jesus’ death.
Look at verse 15: “so will he sprinkle many nations…” The word sprinkling is often used to describe ceremonial cleansing and/or consecration seen in the Old Testament. Okay, so what? The significant part of this verse is the “many nations” part. So put those two together and you get Jesus cleansing many nations. Many times, people take for granted that Jesus died for everyone. We say it so often, but do we really grasp that concept? Jesus purified all nations, which means everyone is included – even the looked-down-upon gentiles in the old days. Gentiles, during this time, were basically segregated from the Jews. They weren’t the “chosen ones,” so they had less rights to worship God than the Jews. But with Jesus’ sprinkling death, everyone is included. The arms that were spread wide upon that cross covered all nations.
So what does this mean to me? Well, simply stated, Jesus died for everyone. Yes, I know that’s extremely general, but can you put those words into action? Are you kingdom-minded, in that you seek to grow God’s kingdom with everyone and not just the people you like? Remember, Jesus’ death welcomed the nations, regardless of who the inhabitants were.
Pray and ask God to be help you be kingdom-minded. Pray that you would make disciples of all nations. The more genuine our prayers are in wanting to be kingdom-minded, the clearer God’s kingdom here will be shown.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The Contradiction of the Cross
Read: John 12:20-32
Also read: John 19:1-2, 13-15.
John’s gospel is a very murky gospel for Jesus often says things that aren’t clear. But the great thing about John is that the murkiness clears away eventually, revealing the glory of Christ in the process! An example of this is Jesus’ trial before Pilate. In John 19:13, we read that Pilate brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat (the bema). But in the original Greek, the word for “sat down” could mean that Pilate sat Jesus down on the judgment seat. Can you imagine the supreme irony of the situation? Here is Jesus, crowned with thorns and wearing a purple robe, sitting on the judgment seat before the chief priests and all. The chief priests think that they’re the ones casting judgment on Jesus, when in reality it was Jesus who is judging them at that very moment. Any king with a crown and purple robe on a judgment seat gets accolades of “Hail to the King!” but Jesus gets (in 19:15), “Crucify him!” What a strange contradiction! The King of all Universe sits in judgment of those He created, and the response was not praise, but an angry call for his crucifixion.
But we see the greatest contradiction in the Cross, the instrument of execution reserved only for traitors and enemies of the Roman empire. It’s interesting to note that only in John’s gospel did he not record Jesus as having taken off his purple robe. Thus, the Cross was not a mere execution instrument, but Jesus’ throne; his crucifixion was not his execution, but his coronation. At the Cross will the world know who Christ is!
Crucifixions – or, executions in general – are public events. Parents bring their children to crucifixions to tell them not to be like the people who are on the cross. But Jesus’ crucifixion was different. The Cross no longer was a place where people come to shame the crucified, but the Cross became a place where people come to experience forgiveness and grace from the Crucified One. It is a place where we – we, who have put Jesus on the Cross – come on our knees and beckon to our Crucified Christ because we know that no matter our estate, only Jesus will never turn us away. It is a place where we are reconciled to God, not because we want it to happen, but because He wants it for us. What a King! What a Savior! What a Friend, who desires nothing more than to wipe the tears of shame away from our faces so we can look towards the sun and glorify God!
And, having all our shames washed away, we can honestly look at our neighbors in the eye and truly love them as God taught us to. That is why the Cross is a place of reconciliation. That is why we cannot truly love God and love our neighbors unless we are kneeling at the foot of the Cross.
Spend some time in thought. Imagine that you and your youth groupies are kneeling at the foot of a huge cross with Jesus on it, with his purple robe and crown of thorns. This is a holy place where God reconciles all to Him and to each other. Maybe we feel little compared to our brothers and sisters because they get all A’s, and we only get A-‘s. Maybe we feel distant from God because we feel cast aside, alone. Maybe we feel that our sins are so manifold, God can’t possibly accept us. Or maybe we feel like we don’t need to be at the foot of the cross because we’ve got our stuff together. May God reveal to all of us the utter depravity of our natures, but at the same time show us that the unfathomable nature of his love and grace covers a multitude of sins. May He wipe our tears of pride or shame which cloud our eyes, so that we can see and behold His glory.
Also read: John 19:1-2, 13-15.
John’s gospel is a very murky gospel for Jesus often says things that aren’t clear. But the great thing about John is that the murkiness clears away eventually, revealing the glory of Christ in the process! An example of this is Jesus’ trial before Pilate. In John 19:13, we read that Pilate brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat (the bema). But in the original Greek, the word for “sat down” could mean that Pilate sat Jesus down on the judgment seat. Can you imagine the supreme irony of the situation? Here is Jesus, crowned with thorns and wearing a purple robe, sitting on the judgment seat before the chief priests and all. The chief priests think that they’re the ones casting judgment on Jesus, when in reality it was Jesus who is judging them at that very moment. Any king with a crown and purple robe on a judgment seat gets accolades of “Hail to the King!” but Jesus gets (in 19:15), “Crucify him!” What a strange contradiction! The King of all Universe sits in judgment of those He created, and the response was not praise, but an angry call for his crucifixion.
But we see the greatest contradiction in the Cross, the instrument of execution reserved only for traitors and enemies of the Roman empire. It’s interesting to note that only in John’s gospel did he not record Jesus as having taken off his purple robe. Thus, the Cross was not a mere execution instrument, but Jesus’ throne; his crucifixion was not his execution, but his coronation. At the Cross will the world know who Christ is!
Crucifixions – or, executions in general – are public events. Parents bring their children to crucifixions to tell them not to be like the people who are on the cross. But Jesus’ crucifixion was different. The Cross no longer was a place where people come to shame the crucified, but the Cross became a place where people come to experience forgiveness and grace from the Crucified One. It is a place where we – we, who have put Jesus on the Cross – come on our knees and beckon to our Crucified Christ because we know that no matter our estate, only Jesus will never turn us away. It is a place where we are reconciled to God, not because we want it to happen, but because He wants it for us. What a King! What a Savior! What a Friend, who desires nothing more than to wipe the tears of shame away from our faces so we can look towards the sun and glorify God!
And, having all our shames washed away, we can honestly look at our neighbors in the eye and truly love them as God taught us to. That is why the Cross is a place of reconciliation. That is why we cannot truly love God and love our neighbors unless we are kneeling at the foot of the Cross.
Spend some time in thought. Imagine that you and your youth groupies are kneeling at the foot of a huge cross with Jesus on it, with his purple robe and crown of thorns. This is a holy place where God reconciles all to Him and to each other. Maybe we feel little compared to our brothers and sisters because they get all A’s, and we only get A-‘s. Maybe we feel distant from God because we feel cast aside, alone. Maybe we feel that our sins are so manifold, God can’t possibly accept us. Or maybe we feel like we don’t need to be at the foot of the cross because we’ve got our stuff together. May God reveal to all of us the utter depravity of our natures, but at the same time show us that the unfathomable nature of his love and grace covers a multitude of sins. May He wipe our tears of pride or shame which cloud our eyes, so that we can see and behold His glory.
Darkness, Death, and a Shattered Door
Read Luke 23:44-49 and Mark 15:33-41.
These are parallel accounts of the same scene. They are written like a movie – you can see the whole scene in your mind: the lighting, Jesus at the center, the people close by and those standing farther away. Now, did you notice that there is one verse that is obviously designed to stand out? It says, “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”
This verse stands out because it does not fit the “movie scene.” It jumps us away from the scene for a moment to a completely different location. It seems like this verse shouldn’t be there, but it is. Why?
This verse is designed to explain the meaning of the whole scene. It’s very significant. It explains why this scene matters – to us.
Until that moment in history, you could never be close to God. You might even go to the temple where God was present, but you still could not go into His presence. There was a curtain that separated the place where God was present and the place where you were allowed to come. Only one person was allowed inside that curtain and that person was not you. Ever. So, you and I – even if we had gone to the temple – would still have been outsiders to God.
But the passages we are reading today say that when Jesus died, God ripped that curtain open. He literally ripped it apart, from his side in heaven down to earth. This is a demonstration that through Jesus’ death, God removed the barrier that stands between Him and us. There’s no more curtain. We are potentially no longer outsiders to God.
Now, if you are standing outside a locked door without a key, it makes sense that you don’t step inside. But if the owner of the building comes up next to you, says “Excuse me,” and proceeds to rip the door off its hinges and toss it aside, that seems like a pretty clear invitation to step inside. God is saying in this passage: “I’ve ripped the door open for you. What’s stopping you from being with me?”
The centurion – remember that he was there in the scene to kill Jesus – stepped through that open doorway when he put his faith in Jesus and said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
Pray: Think of yourself as having a conversation with God. God has initiated the conversation by saying to you the things in Luke and Mark. Now he’s finished talking (for now) and there’s an awkward pause while He waits to see if you’ll say anything in response. So, say something. Tell Him what you heard Him saying. Tell Him what you think it means and how you feel about it.
These are parallel accounts of the same scene. They are written like a movie – you can see the whole scene in your mind: the lighting, Jesus at the center, the people close by and those standing farther away. Now, did you notice that there is one verse that is obviously designed to stand out? It says, “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”
This verse stands out because it does not fit the “movie scene.” It jumps us away from the scene for a moment to a completely different location. It seems like this verse shouldn’t be there, but it is. Why?
This verse is designed to explain the meaning of the whole scene. It’s very significant. It explains why this scene matters – to us.
Until that moment in history, you could never be close to God. You might even go to the temple where God was present, but you still could not go into His presence. There was a curtain that separated the place where God was present and the place where you were allowed to come. Only one person was allowed inside that curtain and that person was not you. Ever. So, you and I – even if we had gone to the temple – would still have been outsiders to God.
But the passages we are reading today say that when Jesus died, God ripped that curtain open. He literally ripped it apart, from his side in heaven down to earth. This is a demonstration that through Jesus’ death, God removed the barrier that stands between Him and us. There’s no more curtain. We are potentially no longer outsiders to God.
Now, if you are standing outside a locked door without a key, it makes sense that you don’t step inside. But if the owner of the building comes up next to you, says “Excuse me,” and proceeds to rip the door off its hinges and toss it aside, that seems like a pretty clear invitation to step inside. God is saying in this passage: “I’ve ripped the door open for you. What’s stopping you from being with me?”
The centurion – remember that he was there in the scene to kill Jesus – stepped through that open doorway when he put his faith in Jesus and said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
Pray: Think of yourself as having a conversation with God. God has initiated the conversation by saying to you the things in Luke and Mark. Now he’s finished talking (for now) and there’s an awkward pause while He waits to see if you’ll say anything in response. So, say something. Tell Him what you heard Him saying. Tell Him what you think it means and how you feel about it.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Jesus’ Death for Eternal Life
Read John 10:1-22
Sheeps. They’re fluffly and cute, they make funny noises and look really silly when they run. They’re also about as sharp as mashed potatoes. I guess so are we since God sees fit to mention that people are like sheep repeatedly in scripture. I think it interesting to note in this passage Jesus makes reference to himself in two different ways. One primary way we see Jesus is as the Good Shepherd. Jesus as the Good Shepherd lays down his life for a bunch of sheep. These sheep, by the way, might not even comprehend the significance of the sacrifice of the Shepherd; because they’re so busy going about their business of being sheep. Only the Shepherd is wise enough to find the good pastures for the sheep, find the places of quiet waters for their drinking, keep predators away, save them if they foolishly run off or fall in a pit and break a leg. Sheep don’t see this, they just see each other and the things right in front of their face, and yet Christ, the Good Shepherd with all authority lays down his life on behalf of his sheep. This implies that there was something so deadly coming at the sheep they didn’t even see, and the Shepherd in his wisdom realized the significance and in an act of sheer love lost his own life to save the herd. The other way Jesus speaks of himself in this passage is as the Gate. The Shepherd is the one who uses the Gate, it is his field, his sheep. The sheep don’t typically leave the pen by jumping over the fence though I’m sure a few silly sheep try. No, they generally leave by the gate when it’s opened for them. Likewise, Jesus is the one who leads us, and he is the only way through. If we try to go hop over the fence by ourselves we get lost without our Shepherd, we are isolated from our fellow sheep, and an easy target for any predator looking for a meal. The pasture is Eternal life, and only through the sacrifice of Jesus can we as sheep be lead by the Shepherd safely into sharing in it. As a person, I may not like the implications of this kind of reference, but in a very real way we are often the same as these sheep, and our Shepherd has used his authority as Shepherd to sacrifice himself on our behalf so that we with him might shared in the redemption of Eternal life which he has come to lead us into. Are you hearing the Shepherd as He’s calling you?
Reflection on the Discipline of Chastity
You might be asking yourself what any of this has to do with the spiritual discipline of Chastity? We as believers participate in the Eternal Life through Christ; because we live in Christ and he also lives in us. While some view this as a largely spiritual connection, I think that many times we overlook the physical connection of our bodies with Christ. When God says that we are one body as the church, it is very physical words he uses.
My Mom, who grew up Catholic, was able to give me a better perspective on this, since Catholics tend to have a longer tradition and richer understanding of the practice of Celibacy. As a result of these talks with my Mom, at an early age (middle school) I began to fantasize about becoming a nun. In my mind I would be like St. Clare of Assisi forsaking the promise of a wealthy future for a life of devotion to God. Now, I realize this concept might sound quite foreign to a number of you, but follow me here. What I realized from these dreams is there is a whole lifetime full of the Divine romance in whatever capacity you serve. Being single allows us to participate in the Divine romance in a way we are not capable of doing if we are married. Likewise our perception of the Divine romance changes if God brings us into a marital relationship. Wherever you find yourself now, remember that we are all called to purity in Christ. This purity is one of the thought life and the body. It’s a purity that is internal and interpersonal. Since through Christ we are made pure, let us not defile one another by the way we treat and view them.
Prayer
God, to you I come at this hour. I earnestly wish to be pure in thought, word, and deed in imitation of your own holy purity. Obtain for me, then, a deep sense of modesty which will be reflected in my external conduct. Protect my eyes, the windows of my soul, from anything that might dim the luster of a heart that must mirror only Christlike purity. Help me to understand the nature of the Divine romance in Eternal Life through Christ. Amen.
Sheeps. They’re fluffly and cute, they make funny noises and look really silly when they run. They’re also about as sharp as mashed potatoes. I guess so are we since God sees fit to mention that people are like sheep repeatedly in scripture. I think it interesting to note in this passage Jesus makes reference to himself in two different ways. One primary way we see Jesus is as the Good Shepherd. Jesus as the Good Shepherd lays down his life for a bunch of sheep. These sheep, by the way, might not even comprehend the significance of the sacrifice of the Shepherd; because they’re so busy going about their business of being sheep. Only the Shepherd is wise enough to find the good pastures for the sheep, find the places of quiet waters for their drinking, keep predators away, save them if they foolishly run off or fall in a pit and break a leg. Sheep don’t see this, they just see each other and the things right in front of their face, and yet Christ, the Good Shepherd with all authority lays down his life on behalf of his sheep. This implies that there was something so deadly coming at the sheep they didn’t even see, and the Shepherd in his wisdom realized the significance and in an act of sheer love lost his own life to save the herd. The other way Jesus speaks of himself in this passage is as the Gate. The Shepherd is the one who uses the Gate, it is his field, his sheep. The sheep don’t typically leave the pen by jumping over the fence though I’m sure a few silly sheep try. No, they generally leave by the gate when it’s opened for them. Likewise, Jesus is the one who leads us, and he is the only way through. If we try to go hop over the fence by ourselves we get lost without our Shepherd, we are isolated from our fellow sheep, and an easy target for any predator looking for a meal. The pasture is Eternal life, and only through the sacrifice of Jesus can we as sheep be lead by the Shepherd safely into sharing in it. As a person, I may not like the implications of this kind of reference, but in a very real way we are often the same as these sheep, and our Shepherd has used his authority as Shepherd to sacrifice himself on our behalf so that we with him might shared in the redemption of Eternal life which he has come to lead us into. Are you hearing the Shepherd as He’s calling you?
Reflection on the Discipline of Chastity
You might be asking yourself what any of this has to do with the spiritual discipline of Chastity? We as believers participate in the Eternal Life through Christ; because we live in Christ and he also lives in us. While some view this as a largely spiritual connection, I think that many times we overlook the physical connection of our bodies with Christ. When God says that we are one body as the church, it is very physical words he uses.
My Mom, who grew up Catholic, was able to give me a better perspective on this, since Catholics tend to have a longer tradition and richer understanding of the practice of Celibacy. As a result of these talks with my Mom, at an early age (middle school) I began to fantasize about becoming a nun. In my mind I would be like St. Clare of Assisi forsaking the promise of a wealthy future for a life of devotion to God. Now, I realize this concept might sound quite foreign to a number of you, but follow me here. What I realized from these dreams is there is a whole lifetime full of the Divine romance in whatever capacity you serve. Being single allows us to participate in the Divine romance in a way we are not capable of doing if we are married. Likewise our perception of the Divine romance changes if God brings us into a marital relationship. Wherever you find yourself now, remember that we are all called to purity in Christ. This purity is one of the thought life and the body. It’s a purity that is internal and interpersonal. Since through Christ we are made pure, let us not defile one another by the way we treat and view them.
Prayer
God, to you I come at this hour. I earnestly wish to be pure in thought, word, and deed in imitation of your own holy purity. Obtain for me, then, a deep sense of modesty which will be reflected in my external conduct. Protect my eyes, the windows of my soul, from anything that might dim the luster of a heart that must mirror only Christlike purity. Help me to understand the nature of the Divine romance in Eternal Life through Christ. Amen.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Jesus' Death for Human Sin – Fasting
Let’s take a trip back to the time of Jesus, imagine yourself standing over one of your sheep. You’ve been waiting for it to give birth for a while now and the moment has finally come. A young lamb is born before you and over the next few weeks you watch it struggle to walk and grow. It is beautiful and wonderful display of God’s creation and life; the best of your livestock. One day you get up and lead your little lamb down to the temple. You must hand this young beauty over to the hands of the priest. Before your eyes the life is taken from this world, slaughtered upon the alter, its blood taken for your sin and impurity. You watch the death of this little lamb you’ve raised knowing that your sin is the cause of it. A vicious cycle that never ends: a life for your sin.
Read Hebrews 7:18-28
The priests were responsible for interceding between God and His people. One day a year the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies, the place in the temple where God’s presence dwelled. A rope would be tied around their ankle, if they were found impure before God they would die and have to be dragged out. Priests were still human and subject to the law of death and sin. (Look at verses 23 and 27-28 again). In their weakness they served God but it was never enough for they were humans bound in their impurity and unable to save the people. All they could do was offer sacrifice, perform rituals, and pray on the people’s behalf.
Hebrews 7 reminds us that the priests could not ultimately save people, but because our God is merciful he provided a priest that was free from the law of death and sin. In Jesus we find no weakness that He should be unable to save us. Read verse 24-25 again. He stands before God interceding for us now at this very moment! But perhaps the key verse is verse 27: No more daily sacrifices but one death removes all sin past, present, and future! We no longer bring a lamb to be slaughtered because Jesus was slaughtered on the cross. Read Jn 1:29, 36; Mark 14:22-24. Take a few moments to reflect on these verses.
Although we no longer offer sacrifices and God does not require them (because they don’t save us, only Jesus) we must remember that which is said in Heb 12:28-13:17, Romans 6:12-15 and Ps 51:16-17. Many of you may know that Lent started last week (if you don’t know it Google it), a season of fasting. Fasting is an important spiritual discipline, not to give something up as a sacrifice to God, but instead to keep our focus on Him and our hearts broken and contrite. This is the time when we join our brothers and sisters in preparing our hearts for Easter, for remembering what Jesus’ death really was. Fasting is not just for the few weeks before Easter but anytime when you want to humble yourself and refocus on God by removing something in your life (not just food!) that is distracting or more important to you than God. I encourage you to look at verses related to fasting and let God teach you more about fasting from his Word. (http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=fasting&version1=31&searchtype=all)
Dear God, I humble myself before you knowing you are a wonderful merciful God who first humbled yourself on the cross and became my High Priest, forever interceding on my behalf. Help me now to have a broken and contrite heart before you and bring to my mind anything that I desire more than you. Help me set those aside and if necessary enter a time of fasting to refocus on you. Amen.
Read Hebrews 7:18-28
The priests were responsible for interceding between God and His people. One day a year the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies, the place in the temple where God’s presence dwelled. A rope would be tied around their ankle, if they were found impure before God they would die and have to be dragged out. Priests were still human and subject to the law of death and sin. (Look at verses 23 and 27-28 again). In their weakness they served God but it was never enough for they were humans bound in their impurity and unable to save the people. All they could do was offer sacrifice, perform rituals, and pray on the people’s behalf.
Hebrews 7 reminds us that the priests could not ultimately save people, but because our God is merciful he provided a priest that was free from the law of death and sin. In Jesus we find no weakness that He should be unable to save us. Read verse 24-25 again. He stands before God interceding for us now at this very moment! But perhaps the key verse is verse 27: No more daily sacrifices but one death removes all sin past, present, and future! We no longer bring a lamb to be slaughtered because Jesus was slaughtered on the cross. Read Jn 1:29, 36; Mark 14:22-24. Take a few moments to reflect on these verses.
Although we no longer offer sacrifices and God does not require them (because they don’t save us, only Jesus) we must remember that which is said in Heb 12:28-13:17, Romans 6:12-15 and Ps 51:16-17. Many of you may know that Lent started last week (if you don’t know it Google it), a season of fasting. Fasting is an important spiritual discipline, not to give something up as a sacrifice to God, but instead to keep our focus on Him and our hearts broken and contrite. This is the time when we join our brothers and sisters in preparing our hearts for Easter, for remembering what Jesus’ death really was. Fasting is not just for the few weeks before Easter but anytime when you want to humble yourself and refocus on God by removing something in your life (not just food!) that is distracting or more important to you than God. I encourage you to look at verses related to fasting and let God teach you more about fasting from his Word. (http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=fasting&version1=31&searchtype=all)
Dear God, I humble myself before you knowing you are a wonderful merciful God who first humbled yourself on the cross and became my High Priest, forever interceding on my behalf. Help me now to have a broken and contrite heart before you and bring to my mind anything that I desire more than you. Help me set those aside and if necessary enter a time of fasting to refocus on you. Amen.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Jesus: the Fulfillment of God's Purpose – Celebration!
We’re nearing the middle of the week, which has probably been filled with its ups and downs and twists and turns. Perhaps you’ve been under a lot of stress, or just collapsing under the weight of this world. However, take heart! God reminds us that He always fulfills his promises and that He will surely deliver us from this world.
Read Isaiah 61.
Even in this relatively short chapter, there’s a lot to take in. This passage focuses on how Jesus fulfills God’s promise to us. The first three verses details the Annointed One’s mission aka Jesus’ ministry: to preach good news, proclaim freedom for the captives, proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance, and to comfort those who mourn.
In fact, Jesus even read a part of this passage in Luke 4:18-19. It’s interesting that He stopped reading in the middle of the sentence, after the word “favor”. Why would He only quote half of it? By doing this, Jesus was showing that His work would be divided into two parts: He has already fulfilled the things mentioned in verses 1-2a during His time on earth.
In His second coming, He will do the things mentioned in verses 2b-3. When the Messiah comes, He will bring judgment on unbelievers, which is the “day of God’s vengeance”. However, the Messiah will also comfort Israel. When He returns, He will change Israel’s sadness to joy! There are a lot of shifts in imagery in this passage, such as wearing a crown instead of ashes, which is usually placed upon one’s head as a sign of mourning. The remaining eight verses of this chapter talks about God’s promises of restoration, glory and prosperity for Israel in the future. During this time, Jews and Gentiles will live together in harmony and peace. Well, what does this mean for us?
God truly cares about the broken, the lonely, the weak, the depressed, the outcasts, the prisoners, etc. These are not just empty words: God restores and then sends out those who have been redeemed to rebuild the ruins–other lives that are also broken. He sent Jesus to rescue us and demonstrate His love, kindness, and grace. Just as Christ has restored us, we should go out and be lights in the world, rejoicing and proclaiming to all what He has done for us.
In verses 10-11, the author speaks for the redeemed people who will rejoice in response to God’s blessings! He praises God for His message, His active presence, and His faithfulness to His chosen people. He is just overflowing with praise and thanksgiving!
Should we not rejoice as well? God has clothed us in garments of salvation and in robes of righteousness. This picture of joy is also shown in the jewels the bride wears and the bridegroom’s fancy clothes. We are no longer shackled by sin; rather, we have been set free in Christ! Take comfort in what God’s plan, and what is to come in the future. God has kept His promise by sending His Son to complete His mission on earth, and surely, God will continue to fulfill all of His promises.
Take a few moments to reflect on this passage. Remember that the Lord is our comfort and salvation. He can create beauty out of ashes, and joy out of our sorrow and mourning!
Read Isaiah 61.
Even in this relatively short chapter, there’s a lot to take in. This passage focuses on how Jesus fulfills God’s promise to us. The first three verses details the Annointed One’s mission aka Jesus’ ministry: to preach good news, proclaim freedom for the captives, proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance, and to comfort those who mourn.
In fact, Jesus even read a part of this passage in Luke 4:18-19. It’s interesting that He stopped reading in the middle of the sentence, after the word “favor”. Why would He only quote half of it? By doing this, Jesus was showing that His work would be divided into two parts: He has already fulfilled the things mentioned in verses 1-2a during His time on earth.
In His second coming, He will do the things mentioned in verses 2b-3. When the Messiah comes, He will bring judgment on unbelievers, which is the “day of God’s vengeance”. However, the Messiah will also comfort Israel. When He returns, He will change Israel’s sadness to joy! There are a lot of shifts in imagery in this passage, such as wearing a crown instead of ashes, which is usually placed upon one’s head as a sign of mourning. The remaining eight verses of this chapter talks about God’s promises of restoration, glory and prosperity for Israel in the future. During this time, Jews and Gentiles will live together in harmony and peace. Well, what does this mean for us?
God truly cares about the broken, the lonely, the weak, the depressed, the outcasts, the prisoners, etc. These are not just empty words: God restores and then sends out those who have been redeemed to rebuild the ruins–other lives that are also broken. He sent Jesus to rescue us and demonstrate His love, kindness, and grace. Just as Christ has restored us, we should go out and be lights in the world, rejoicing and proclaiming to all what He has done for us.
In verses 10-11, the author speaks for the redeemed people who will rejoice in response to God’s blessings! He praises God for His message, His active presence, and His faithfulness to His chosen people. He is just overflowing with praise and thanksgiving!
Should we not rejoice as well? God has clothed us in garments of salvation and in robes of righteousness. This picture of joy is also shown in the jewels the bride wears and the bridegroom’s fancy clothes. We are no longer shackled by sin; rather, we have been set free in Christ! Take comfort in what God’s plan, and what is to come in the future. God has kept His promise by sending His Son to complete His mission on earth, and surely, God will continue to fulfill all of His promises.
Take a few moments to reflect on this passage. Remember that the Lord is our comfort and salvation. He can create beauty out of ashes, and joy out of our sorrow and mourning!
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