Friday Thought -- June 29, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  However, as it is written:  ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’ -- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.  The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him?  In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (1 Corinthians 2:8-12)

Who could possibly have thought up the Gospel story?  It is incomprehensible that God Himself, the Creator and Ruler of the universe would become a man, walk on the earth, teach, heal, and do all the things that Jesus did.  No man could have come up with the story of Jesus’ life and all that it meant.  That’s why the world turned against Him, because it just couldn’t understand Him.  They killed Him because they did not know who He was and could not even fathom His real identity.

And what Jesus did here on earth is just the beginning of what God has prepared for those who come to Him!  The life-changing power of the Holy Spirit.  The very presence of God Himself, indwelling us by His Spirit.  The opportunity to reign with God.  The glory and majesty of heaven’s eternity.  An eternity around the throne of God.  The angelic majesties that worship and serve Him there -- and here.  All of these, and much more, cannot be understood by men in all that they mean.  And all of these things, and more, God has prepared for us because we love Him.

Man didn’t make it all up, man couldn’t.  God’s Spirit has revealed these things to us.  His Spirit revealed the Gospel through Jesus.  His Spirit provided the Word.  His Spirit works in each of those who comes to Him to accomplish God’s work in us and through us.  The message doesn't come from man, it comes directly from God.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 28, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

There have been, and are, many people with great wisdom and outstanding oratory skills.  But with Christ it is not the quality of the preacher that makes the difference, it’s the message that is proclaimed that has the power to change lives.

Even with Christ Himself, it was not the quality of His teaching that changed lives.  Christ did teach with out-of-this-world wisdom!  When the Jews heard Him preach they marveled at the authority with which He spoke.  “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” (Matthew 7:28-29)  But it is not the wisdom of Christ’s teaching or His authoritative preaching that changed lives.  It was the power of His cross that changed men and women then and still changes men and women today!

It is only the love, mercy, and grace of the cross of Christ that takes defiled sinners and radically changes us.  Only in the cross is there the power of forgiveness.  Only in the cross is there the opportunity for reconciliation with God.  Only in the cross is there salvation.

The power is in the cross, and in the One who died there!  Don’t marvel at the preacher, marvel at the message of Christ.  Keep looking to Him!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wedneday Thought -- June 27, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.  Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things -- and the things that are not -- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God -- that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  Therefore, as it is written:  ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

The apostles were uneducated Galileans, but God chose them to launch a movement of faith that is still strong and growing today.  No educated group could have been more powerfully used than were these eleven simple men.  Where did they get the power to accomplish what they did?  It couldn’t have come from them, it had to come from the Lord!

Zacchaeus was so small he had to climb a tree to see through the crowd and spot Jesus.  He was an outcast among the people of Jericho, called “a sinner” because of his dishonorable profession.  You can imagine the laughs at his stature that must have happened behind his back.  But something happened that day when he met Jesus.  You can’t explain it through Zacchaeus’s intelligence or his sensitivity to spiritual things.  God did something in Zacchaeus’s heart that was so radical that He is the only explanation.

Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.  A woman can’t get any more disreputable than that.  She couldn’t then, and she still can’t today.  But that prostitute was given the very first glimpse of the Risen Lord.  Only God would have chosen a witness like her.  Man’s wisdom would have chosen someone more upstanding, someone people would have listened to more readily. But God chose one whom He had changed so radically it was almost unbelievable.

The apostles, Zacchaeus, Mary Magdalene, and millions of others are testimonies to God’s power and God's grace.  None of us is a testimony to our own intelligence, abilities, and power.  The only testimony that is worth giving is a testimony to His wisdom, His gifts, and His power.  He deserves the credit and the praise -- all of it!!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 26, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel -- not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.’” (1 Corinthians 1:17-19)

For thousands of years man has been on a futile journey to find the solutions to the problems of our world.  We’ve tried human reason, but the problems of the world are beyond our ability to solve with human reason.  We’ve walked down the path of what we called “moral freedom,” but found at the end of that path just continued emptiness.  Military might hasn’t solved the problems, it’s just opened the way for more and more powerful tyrants.  There used to be hope in psychotherapy, but the more therapy that became available the more problems we’ve uncovered and been unable to cure.  Technology seemed to provide possibilities, but it has failed just as miserably as every other path we’ve tried.  And there are a thousand other paths that have been tried and a thousand other dead ends and incomplete answers.

The place where the answers lie is the one place the people of our world don’t want to look.  In Paul’s day, Christ and His cross were a “stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” (1 Corinthians 1:23)  And they still are in our day, too, not just to Jews and Greeks, but to every nationality of men and women.  We’re too sophisticated and intelligent to think that the answers to man’s problems could be found in something so old and so counter to man’s own independence and abilities.

Yet, Christ is the answer that Paul gave.  The message of God and the experience of man confirm that He is the only real answer available.  A life lived in dependence upon and obedience to Him seems foolish to most, but it’s the power of salvation for those who will trust Him.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 25, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.  My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.  What I mean is this:  One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.’  Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you?  Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:10-13)

Can you imagine anyone arguing over which preacher was better?  They actually did that back then, in Paul’s day.  Apollos, Cephas, Paul -- they were all great preachers.  They were each different.  God used one to reach certain people and another to reach other people.  It’s strange how that works.  And then there was that group of people who refused to put any man on a pedestal.  They thought they were better because they refused to be known as followers of any man.  But their pride was just as bad as the other groups.  Each thought their group was better.  Each thought they had been taught more correctly.  Each group looked down on the other groups as somehow inferior.

Amazing that people could be so shallow back then.  It’s a good thing people today are so much more mature.  Or are we?  Seems like we still do the same thing.  Some people put their current preacher on a pedestal … he’s the best one -- the one with the right teaching.  Others put dead preachers in the place of honor!  We’ll call ourselves by the name of someone from the past and develop pride that our group is better than those others.  And, of course, there’s still a group or two that refuses to say they follow any man.  But their pride still gets in their way.

Oh, if we could just learn that it’s not about pride.  It’s not about exalting ourselves, our leader, or our group.  It’s about all of the followers of Jesus working together, each in his or her own corner of the Kingdom.  All getting along, all complementing each other’s work and cooperating with each other to accomplish more.

That’s God vision of His Kingdom.  It’s mine, too!  I hope it’s yours.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 22, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ -- their Lord and ours:  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:1-3)

The first verses of the first Corinthian letter are pretty standard stuff.  It’s just the beginning of a letter.  They talk about the one writing, they talk about the ones being written to, and they share the goodwill of the author.  It is pretty standard stuff, but it’s pretty significant stuff, too!

This passage speaks of the fact that both the author and the recipients have been called.  Called by God, of course.  That says something about the activity of God.  What they are about is of God’s initiative.  That’s true of you, too.  You aren’t a Christian by your own initiative, but by God’s.  He called you to Himself.  He drew you.  He invited you into a relationship with Him.

And what were the Corinthians called to?  They were called to holiness.  God called them to a changed life.  And God continues to call people to a changed life.  That’s what He’s called you and me to.  He doesn’t want to see us stay the way we were before we met Him.  He wants to see us different, changed, holy, like Him.  Oh, it doesn’t happen all at once, but it does happen.  Bit by bit, small change by small change, sometimes almost imperceptible, but God is changing us, He always changes the people He touches.

He has changed me -- and still is.  If you have a relationship with God then He’s already changed you, too -- and He is still at work changing you even more!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 21, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:16-20)

Last words are usually important.  When someone lies dying, we listen with close attention to their final words.  Their words often represent a clear glimpse of the heart of the one departing.  The words above are some of Jesus’ last words.  They do offer a clear glimpse of His heart, of what He considered important.

Jesus’ last words were a challenge and a command to His followers to take His message to others.  The command was based upon His authority, an authority which cannot be challenged anywhere.  It was all encompassing vision, no nation or people were to be left out.  It is to be fulfilled intentionally, the command is to “go,” not to wait for them to come to us.  It contained a clear focus, He is looking for disciples, those who will follow Him, those who will unashamedly identify with Him in baptism, and those who will long to hear His will and do it.  It offers help to accomplish it, He will be with us as we go.

The Great Commission was deep in Jesus’ heart just before He left this world, and it still is.  There remain nations that have not yet been heard the message of Jesus, and people that have not yet responded to it.  The challenge and command from Jesus is still before us!

God loves you, and He loves the world.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 20, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.  When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’  If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’  So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.  And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” (Matthew 28:11-15)

For an honest person to remain in unbelief he must find a way to deal with the resurrection.  If the resurrection is true, then there really is no choice but to follow Jesus.  But if you can explain away the resurrection, then you can reject Jesus.

The chief priests weren’t honest men.  They didn’t find a way to explain away the resurrection, they created one!  Contrary to all the evidence, they chose to remain in unbelief.  Why would anyone do that?  It comes down to this, what they wanted to believe was more important to them than what was true!

Jesus told Pilate during His trial, “I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37)

Don’t follow Jesus because your parents did, or because your friends do, or because it helps the country.  Follow Jesus because it is true -- He is true!  Jesus said, “I am the truth.” (John 14:6)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 19, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.  The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples:  “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see him.”  Now I have told you.’” (Matthew 28:1-7)

The greatest event in all of human history, and Matthew tells it in just a paragraph or two!   Jesus was crucified, dead, buried.  His followers were grief-stricken, hopeless, coming to care for His body.  But God had other plans!  They should have expected it, even His enemies knew He had predicted it and made arrangements to guard against it.  But it was so unbelievable, so beyond anything imaginable, that until it happened they could not believe it, and even then it was not easy!

It’s not easy for us to believe it, either.  We’ve seen death.  We’ve been to funerals, buried loved ones.  Death is permanent.  People don’t just come back alive again.  But Jesus did!  History records it.  The disciples testified to it.  Changed lives confirm it.  The church proclaims it.  Jesus -- died -- came back to life!

That is the core truth of Christianity.  It is the one act of Jesus that divides people.  Believe it, and you must follow Him, what other choice is there.  Don’t believe it, and you cannot follow Him.  “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.  If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.  But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.” (1 Corinthians 15:14,17,19-20)

Christ has been raised from the dead.  So follow Him!!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 18, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus.  Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.  Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock.  He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.” (Matthew 27:57-61)

Joseph had a lot to risk by becoming a follower of Jesus.  He was a wealthy man and Mark calls him a “prominent member of the Council.” (Mark 15:23)  His power, his position, his wealth, his respectability were all at risk by openly showing himself to be a follower of Christ.  But Joseph was willing.  He couldn’t be a secret follower of Jesus.

Jesus said that the risk was worth it.  Whatever we lose for the sake of the Gospel will be returned many times over.  “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29)

And even more important, if we’re willing to take a public stand for Him, no matter what the risk, He promises to take a stand for us in the presence of the Father!  “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.  But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33)

There may be risks involved in being a public follower of Jesus, but He’ll see that the benefits always outweigh the risks!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 15, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.  About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ -- which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’  When some of those standing there heard this, they said, ‘He’s calling Elijah.’  Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge.  He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.  The rest said, ‘Now leave him alone.  Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.’  And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  The earth shook and the rocks split.  The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.  They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.  When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’” (Matthew 27:45-54)

Jesus lived uniquely:  He spoke with authority.  He accepted worship as God.  He healed the sick.  He raised the dead.  He exercised power over nature.  In these and many other ways, Jesus lived uniquely.

Jesus also died uniquely:

The temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom.  A fitting symbol to say that access to God had been opened to man, and God had done it Himself.  Man did not rip the curtain from bottom to top to force his way in, God ripped it from the top down to allow man into His presence.

An earthquake shook the world.  Many earthquakes cause death, but this was the first death that caused an earthquake (and the last)!!!  His death shook the very foundations of the world.

Tombs of some of the dead opened and they came out alive.  The way to life, eternal life, had been opened by Jesus’ death.  These were but the firstfruits of the many who would be raised to eternal life through His death -- including you and me.

So unique were the things that surrounded Jesus’ death that even the soldier at the cross knew there was something powerful about Him.

But the most unique thing about His death was yet to come.  In just a few days His death would be proven temporary!!!

There is something very unique and very powerful about Jesus!!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 14, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself!  Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!’  In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.  ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself!  He’s the King of Israel!  Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.  He trusts in God.  Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’’  In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.” (Matthew 27:39-44)

The insults hurled at Jesus while He hung on the cross contained elements of truth.  “He saved others, but he can’t save Himself.”  He did save others and they knew it.  But it wasn’t that He could not save Himself – it was that He would not save Himself!  He knew why He was on the cross and despite the pain and torture of what He was going through He kept His resolve to accomplish it.

“The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials.” (2 Peter 2:9)  God does know how to rescue those who are His from suffering.  He has proven His strength to do it in many ways and at many times.  But God does not always rescue His children from suffering, even as He did not rescue Jesus from His suffering.  Sometimes what God desires to accomplish can only be accomplished through the suffering of His children.

Jesus willingly went through the suffering because of the “joy set before Him.” (Hebrews 12:2)  The joy was found in what God would accomplish through His suffering.

I wonder if we are willing to accomplish God’s will if it means suffering in our own lives?  That is the example Jesus set for us to follow.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 13, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.  They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).  There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.  When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.  Above his head they placed the written charge against him:  THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.” (Matthew 27:32-38)

Simon, the soldiers, and the two robbers were just bit parts in the greatest drama of all time.  They had no idea what was happening that day.  They must each have been wrapped up in their own world and their own problems.

Simon was just an innocent bystander.  Was he there as part of the crowd calling for Jesus’ death?  Was he a curious onlooker wondering what all of the excitement was about?  Was he just someone passing by who got caught at the wrong place at the wrong time?  Who knows why he was there or whether he left the scene after he’d done his duty without ever realizing what he had been involved in.  He probably grumbled the whole way about the interruption to his plans.  He was next to the King, carrying His load for Him, and yet Simon may well have never known it.

The soldiers were just doing their jobs.  It was a horrible job, executing criminals, but it was their assigned duty.  Some of the difficulty was eased by the chance to gamble for the clothes of the executed.  Mostly it was just a boring job, filled with cries of agony.  Little did they realize that day that the cries they heard came from the Son of God.

Simon and the soldiers were so close to Deity, but they probably never knew it.  I wonder how often we miss something God is doing around us because we are so wrapped in our in own world and our own problems?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 12, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.  At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.  So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, ‘Which one do you want me to release to you:  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’  For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.  While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message:  'Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.’  But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.  ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ asked the governor.  ‘Barabbas,’ they answered.  ‘What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?’ Pilate asked.  They all answered, ‘Crucify him!’  ‘Why?  What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate.  But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!’” (Matthew 27:15-23)

It was the most horrible miscarriage of justice in the history of the world.  An innocent man was to be executed.  And what made it even worse was that the judge knew the man was innocent and sent him to be executed anyway!

Pilate was a very weak man.  He knew there was no evidence against Jesus.  His wife had warned him about the innocent man.  But Pilate was not willing to make the crowd angry.  He relied too much on the support of the crowd in order to keep his position.  If the crowd turned against him, Caesar might well remove him from his place, or worse.  And so, he gave in to what the crowd wanted.

He was on the judge’s seat.  A judge who pronounced judgment based upon what the crowd wanted.  That’s not the kind of judge I want!

Thank God that we have a Judge who will pay no attention to the crowd.  The only voice He’ll listen to is the One who pleads on our behalf!

And remember, the crowd is often wrong.  But there is One who will never lead you away from what is right!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 11, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death.  They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.  When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.  ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’  ‘What is that to us?’ they replied.  ‘That’s your responsibility.’  So Judas threw the money into the temple and left.  Then he went away and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27:1-5)

As soon as Jesus was condemned to death, Judas realized what a horrible wrong he had committed, an innocent man was going to die.  There is something bold and brave and positive about what Judas did then, he went to the leaders of the Jews, returned the coins, and confessed his wrong.  Perhaps he was hoping they would realize they had been wrong to condemn Jesus.  But the leaders weren’t interested in what was right or wrong, only in taking care of their problem, in getting rid of Jesus.

Failing to set right what he had done wrong, Judas gave up.  He gave up trying to help Jesus.  He gave up on life.  What he had done was too horrible to even go on living!

But it wasn’t!  No sin is too great to exceed God’s capacity to forgive.  Judas turned to the leaders of the Jews, but they couldn’t help Judas’s problem.  Judas wouldn’t turn to the One who could help.  If he had, he would have found forgiveness and compassion, not condemnation.

God would have forgiven Judas.  No matter what our sin, God will forgive us, too.  Don’t despair and run from the only One who can really help.  Don’t run from Him, run to Him!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 8, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him.  ‘You also were with Jesus of Galilee,’ she said.  But he denied it before them all.  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said.  Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, ‘This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.’  He denied it again, with an oath:  ‘I don’t know the man!’  After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, ‘Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.’  Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know the man!’  Immediately a rooster crowed.  Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken:  ‘Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’  And he went outside and wept bitterly.” (Matthew 26:69-75)

Peter was a brave man.  He had already proven that in the garden when he drew his sword and struck one of those who had come to arrest Jesus.  He was willing to fight and die to protect Jesus.  He proved it again just by following Jesus to the house of the high priest and entering the courtyard to be near Jesus and to see if there was some way he could help.

Why was Peter there?  Was he there just to see what would happen to Jesus?  Was he there in case there was an opportunity to free Jesus by force?  I don’t know what motivated Peter to follow Jesus, but I do know that he was brave enough to be there, when most of the other apostles were not.

So why did he deny Jesus?  His courage failed him when he was actually confronted. Or perhaps he was trying to hide his identity in order to be able to stay near Jesus in case he could be of some help.

Whatever the reasoning behind the denials, they were wrong and as soon as the rooster’s reminder of Jesus’ words came, Peter knew he had done wrong.  It’s never right to deny Jesus.  Peter was wrong, even if he was trying to do something right.  God won’t have us accomplish something right by doing something wrong!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 7, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.  ...  The high priest said to him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living God:  Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.’  ‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied.  ‘But I say to all of you:  In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has spoken blasphemy!  Why do we need any more witnesses?  Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.  What do you think?’  ‘He is worthy of death,’ they answered.” (Matthew 26:59, 62-66)

The answer Jesus gave to the high priest is the declaration that separates.

The leaders of the Jews heard that statement, convicted Jesus of blasphemy and put Him to death.  They could not accept the truth of what He said, they were not willing to even consider it.  He did not look like or act like the Messiah they were looking for and they were unwilling to consider that they might be wrong.

For us, however, the same statement inspires faith, confidence and hope.  What Jesus did -- His miracles, His death, His resurrection.  What Jesus taught -- His authority and obviously God-inspired teaching.  How Jesus lived -- His sinlessness and compassion.  All of these things combine to say that what He said to the high priest is not blasphemy, but TRUTH.  He declared it clearly and openly and some accepted what He said and responded in faith and others rejected what He said and responded in horror.

Jesus -- who He was and what He did is a “stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)

It is amazing that people can look at Jesus and come away with such opposite answers about Him.  He is the dividing point of history, the separation point between men.  Stand firmly on His side!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 6, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.  ‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.  Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?  But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?’  At that time Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?  Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me.  But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.’  Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.” (Matthew 26:51-56)

You don’t have to defend God.  I don’t mean that we shouldn’t be willing to stand up for Him.  I mean that He doesn’t need us to defend Him.  God can take care of Himself.  It actually seems kind of strange to me that the apostles who saw Jesus heal the sick, walk on water, raise the dead, and feed the thousands, thought He needed their sword to take care of Himself.  Oh well, I’m not always rational in a crisis either!

Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested.  He allowed Himself to be tried.  He allowed Himself to be killed.  Jesus said, “No one takes it (life) from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” (John 10:18)

No one took His life from Him.  Jesus willingly and intentionally gave it up.  And He did it for you and me!  “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 5, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived.  With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.  Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them:  ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.’  Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him.  Jesus replied, ‘Friend, do what you came for.’  Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.” (Matthew 26:47-50)

Jesus was betrayed by a friend.  Judas had lived with Jesus for three years.  He had heard Jesus teach.  He had seen Jesus work miracles.  He had looked into Jesus’ heart.  He’d felt the pain of Jesus when people turned away from Him.  He’d shared the joy of Jesus when people responded to Him.  How could he now betray Him?

Things weren’t going the way Judas had hoped they would.  They were not going the way he had planned for.  Was he in it all along because he thought he had hitched his wagon to a star?  Was he following Jesus only for what he thought he could get out of it on earth?  That’s certainly possible.  Most Jews did think the Messiah would put Rome in its place and return Israel to prominence.  Judas may have followed Jesus all along because he wanted to be somebody in the new kingdom.

Some think that the betrayal was Judas’ misguided attempt to force the hand of Jesus.  When the opposition came after Jesus, some think that Judas expected Jesus to exercise His power and take the throne that Judas thought He had planned to take all along.

Or perhaps his heart had changed along the way.  Seeing Jesus rejected by the crowds.  Watching the leaders of Israel and their opposition to Jesus.  Perhaps these things were too much for Judas.  Or was it the offer of money?  Was the 30 pieces of silver just too much of a temptation?

Whichever scenario is correct -- whatever was going through Judas’ mind -- the betrayal must have hurt Jesus deeply.  Of course, He knew Judas would betray Him, you can see that at the Last Supper.  But that probably didn’t minimize the hurt.  He was betrayed by a friend!

He endured that for you!!!  It was just the beginning of the deep agony He would go through on your behalf -- and mine.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 4, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.  Stay here and keep watch with me.’  Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will.’  Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.  ‘Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter.  ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’”  (Matthew 26:36-41)

There are things we can learn from the prayer life of Jesus:

Jesus honestly expressed to the Father what He was feeling.  He was sorrowful and troubled and told that to the Father.  Jesus’ prayer life teaches us that there is no need to hold back so as not to shock or offend the Father.  God already knows what we are feeling, to be honest about it with Him is a positive thing.

Jesus asked the Father for what He desired.  He asked that the cup, the agony of the cross that lay ahead, be taken away.  This, too, is a matter of honesty.  Jesus knew what He was asking for was not possible, if He was going to accomplish what both He and the Father wanted, yet He honestly expressed His desire to the Father.  He teaches us to be honest with the Father about our desires -- even if we know they are wrong desires we should own those desires before God and allow Him to do His work on them.

Jesus was willing to accept whatever the Father wanted.  Jesus’ own desires did not take precedence, the Father’s did.  “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”  This is the bottom-line in prayer and in discipleship.  To ultimately and sincerely want what God wants, not what is best for us.

And one more lesson from what Jesus told the disciples when He found them sleeping -- that prayer plays a role in our being able to stand up to temptation.

Jesus’ whole life was lived as an example for us to imitate.  Look closely at His prayer life.  Examine it and imitate it!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 1, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.  When the disciples saw this, they were indignant.  ‘Why this waste?’ they asked.  ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.’  Aware of this, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you bothering this woman?  She has done a beautiful thing to me.  The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.  When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.  I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’” (Matthew 26:6-13)

The woman in this story is Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus (see John 12:3).  What she did for Jesus was extravagant.  The perfume could have been sold for a year’s wages (John 12:5).  Now that’s expensive perfume!  Like the disciples, I, too would struggle with the waste of pouring out perfume that expensive all at once.  Actually, I would struggle to ever buy such perfume for any reason, as I think most of us would.

But I wonder, do I ever do anything extravagant for Jesus?  Do I ever do anything to express my love for Him that costs so much it seems unreasonable.  Maybe it costs me so much money -- maybe so much effort --maybe so much time -- or so much of anything.  If I never do anything that shows extravagance in the way I express my love for Jesus, is it because I really don’t think He is worth it?  Or am I just cheap?

Mary did something extravagant for Jesus and it touched His heart deeply.  He told His disciples that what she did would be preached all over the world.  And it has been!  It was included in Mathew’s Gospel and John’s too.  Jesus was touched by her extravagance.

I just wonder why I hold back!  How about you?

His, by Grace,

Steve