Luke 24, John 1

Imagine the emotional chaos in the minds of those distressed followers of Jesus in the wake of His crucifixion. Luke 24 is all about those moments:

The Women

Visiting the grave of Jesus, in the culturally-appropriate acts of mourning, these women were surprised—no, shocked—no, distressed—to find the stone covering removed and the grave empty. Two messengers appeared to them with an intriguing question, “Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery?”

These messengers then proceed with an admonition—“remember”—and an explanation beginning with “He is not here, but raised up.”  Their explanation sparked revelation in the hearts and minds of these early-morning visitors to the cemetery. So much so that they left rejoicing, hurrying to share the news with others.

The Travelers to Emmaus

I love this story! Two followers of Jesus were walking together, in their own solitude, rehearsing as best as they could what had just occurred in Jerusalem. Jesus, out of nowhere, came up and walked with them.  These two explained to Jesus the horrors of the last days in Jerusalem, coupled with the current and confusing story of the women returning from the tomb saying Jesus is yet alive. They were evidently perplexed.

So, Jesus entered into their perplexity and, “starting at the beginning,” explained everything found in Scripture concerning Himself, from Moses through the Prophets. The record of their response to all of this, as they ultimately recognized Him as the Risen Christ, tells us that “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?”  The women at the tomb had not actually seen Jesus. These two travelers knew that they had seen Him—alive!

Now, along with others, they would witness His ascension to the Father. Confirmed in their hearts was the truth of His suffering, His resurrection, salvation through His name, and His return to the Father. No wonder they returned to Jerusalem from that eventful moment of ascension “bursting with joy,” and “praising God.”

Then in John 1, in what is to me one of the most beautiful passages in the entire Bible, we begin the gospel story one more time with the truth of Christ’s incarnation. Perhaps chapter 1 can best be summarized with how Eugene Peterson’s The Message treats verse fourteen of this chapter:

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

Aren’t you glad He brought hope to the “neighborhood?” That hope still has power to transform the “hood” and the neighbors in it! Amen!

Luke 22-23

The last line of today’s reading is almost laughably ironic: “And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.” They rested? After what we just read? This was probably the least restful day they’d ever had in their life! As we continue to connect the dots in The Thread, put yourself in the shoes of Jesus’ followers as they experienced the darkest Sabbath ever.

Finally, the Messiah had come to Israel. The Kingdom was arriving, and God’s people would be free at last, restored! Look at the several references just in today’s reading to the expectation for the Kingdom’s arrival (22:16, 18, 29-30, and 23:42, 51). Jesus’s followers were ready for the Kingdom to arrive, and by all accounts, it sure seemed like it was happening – the lame walked, the blind saw, and the Anointed One was escorted into the holy city, Jerusalem, with people singing His praise (19:29-44). Restoration is imminent – the time has come!

And yet, things start to turn sour. This “king” of Israel enters the city, but He assumes no throne before evil men intervene. The disciples’ final dinner turns dark as talk of betrayal dominates the table discussion. Then, the time arrives: Jesus is arrested by one of His own and led before the Jewish council. From there, it’s a grueling, fear-filled night for Jesus’s followers as their leader is on trial, accused of blasphemy and maybe sedition (22:71, 23:2). Soon, the “king”-talk becomes almost more like a joke: Herod’s soldiers mock Jesus, dressing Him in purple, and then Jesus’s own people, the Jews, scoff at Him on the cross: “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God.” The soldiers follow suit: “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” (23:35-37). Even one of those being executed hurls abuse at Jesus.

And then, He breathes His last. Jesus died. The shock on the faces of Jesus’s followers slowly turns to dazed disbelief. Tears dry on expressionless faces as the numbness of unexpected pain makes everything go cold. The Messiah is dead. But I thought that – but wasn’t He supposed to – ? Words fail. The body of Jesus is laid in the tomb, and the sun sets on Preparation Day. Thus begins the darkest Sabbath ever.

If we don’t experience the sorrow of death, we don’t know the joy of resurrection. Remember, Jesus’ followers didn’t see this coming. He had told them, but they didn’t understand (18:34). From their angle, this was the end. Jesus, who had shown so much promise, of whom it seemed impossible that He not be the Messiah, was dead. All of their hopes were gone, overnight. “And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.” Imagine the pain of that Sabbath day.

This concludes our reading for today. The agony of suffering is a necessary precursor to the joy that tomorrow brings.

Luke 19-21

There are so many wonderful truths that we could focus on, but for today’s passage I want to focus on one incredibly important passage. Focusing on only one theme does not preclude the other themes cited are any less important. In fact, if it is in God’s Word, it is important.

The theme I want to dwell on is that of genuine worship. Oh how we need to ask ourselves if our worship of our God is pure and undefiled. God is not so much concerned about how we worship as much as where is our heart in worship.

In ch. 19, we read the story of Zacchaeus. He is certainly curious about what is happening and because of his stature, he is not able to see Jesus as he is moving through the city. But it wasn’t his physical stature that captured Jesus’ attention. It was the stature of his heart. Jesus recognized the stature of his heart. Without even talking to Zacchaeus about why he was in the tree, or why he felt he needed to see what was going on, Jesus knew his heart and invited himself to stay at Zacchaeus’ house. It’s not what we see on the outward side that qualifies us to worship God but most assuredly what is on the inside. The fact that Zacchaeus was a rich man does not matter to Jesus; what matters to Jesus is his humble yet genuine confession. When coming into the presence of Jesus, Zacchaeus genuinely repents and offers restitution for his sinful ways. This is true repentance. This is what makes his love and worship of Jesus acceptable to God.

Another reminder from the story of Zacchaeus is that of others judging him based on his past rather than his present spiritual status. Ch. 19:6-7, Zacchaeus came down out of the tree and welcomed Jesus to his home (life), but the people started their tongues wagging, “Jesus is staying with a sinner.  Zacchaeus was judged as the man in the tree, but Jesus judged Zacchaeus as the man who came down and welcomed Him. We must always be careful not to judge. Often we question someone’s act of worship because we know their past. Jesus always accepts a person’s worship based on where their heart is now.

The same principles are at work when Jesus comes into the temple and reacts to what He sees happening in the place where people come to meet with God. What He saw was people taking advantage of those coming to worship.  Hucksters, faith peddlers, people who were making a franchise out of faith. Remember, it is not how we worship, it is why we worship. When we come in humble contrition before God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us that is when our worship is acceptable to God. But don’t come with an ulterior motive. God will judge us harshly when we come with any other motive. God will never hold guiltless those who exploit the privilege of worship.

Bottom line, when we come to worship be sure it is for the right reason. God simply wants our hearts pure before him. Even those who still need forgiveness can come to worship God, His Holy Spirit will convict and if the heart responds in repentance and humbleness, God accepts that persons repentance as pure worship. Remember Zacchaeus, he went up the tree a sinner, but came down a believer.

What is our motivation when we attend church or come to worship. Are we coming to really to worship God, or have we come with an ulterior motive. Worship may take many forms, but only what comes from the heart is received. Don’t think that you have the right to judge someone else’s worship just because it does not look just like yours. Remember, it doesn’t matter what people think or say, it is God who judges us when we come. We don’t need any magical formulas to make God happy, what we need is sincerity. Remember, man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart. Where is your heart today? How will God judge your worship. I don’t know about you, but I believe I have a full time job making sure my worship is pure. My neighbors worship will be judged by God, the same as mine.

Pastor David

Luke 15-18

Sinned against whom?

As I mentioned last Friday, the gospels provide for us one moment after another with Jesus, and one teaching after another.  Today’s four chapters are literally filled with many powerful truths! I kept wondering which to highlight with these few thoughts.  It is a reminder again that a key to our consistent reading of God’s Word is to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us what He knows our hearts need at that given moment.

One of many thoughts today was the unfaithful son’s words twice recorded, “I have sinned against heaven and against you.”  This is solid repentance. We sin against God first and foremost, but so many of our sins are against man as well.

I am reminded of David’s great prayer of repentance in Psalm 51, “Against you and you only have I sinned…” I was always left a bit disconcerted over David’s words there. Yet, I think he was so stricken with conviction under God’s Spirit that he was rightly prioritizing his sinfulness before the perfect, holy God. We know truthfully, he had also sinned against Uriah and his wife, Bathsheeba. Yet, both of them were sinners, as was David. God alone is God.  This prodigal recognized his greatest sin was against God.

The prodigal recognized he had also sinned against his father. Though this father represents God the Father in the parable, in story form he was an ordinary, but gracious earthly father. Yet, his son had indeed sinned terribly against him, broken his heart, and potentially severed their relationship for good. Thankfully, the son recognized that not only he had offended a holy God, but also another human being.  Merely considering the Ten Commandments we see six of them deal with human relationships after the opening four deal exclusively with God. We sin against God and man.

In summary today, when asked which was the greatest of all commandments in the Law, Jesus replied: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Our sins are first against God, whom we are to fully love. Yet, also, so often they are against our fellow man, whom we too are to love.

Consider your own heart today. Ask God to reveal to you any ways that you are sinning against Him or those around you. Keep the vertical and horizontal relationships of your life in perspective that you might live a life both pleasing to God and a blessing to man.

Have a great week!

Author: Pastor Jeff

Luke 12-14

Two Teachers
 
When we read sections such as today, we see the genius of Jesus, the Rabbi. If we were to break just these three chapters down into bullet form in number of subjects He addressed in between healing and ministering to people, it would be multiple.

One of the beauties of daily turning to God’s Word in structured reading is our allowing the Holy Spirit to highlight in our hearts certain verses and truths in the text. He, as our ‘other Teacher’ we spoke of last Sunday, and He knows what is needed for our hearts for each and every day.

The subjects were multiple today and so, I turned to my Bible to see how the sections or ‘pericopes’ were divided.  Over three chapters, the headings were fourteen in all, reading: “Warnings and Encouragements,” “The Parable of the Rich Fool,” “Do Not Worry,” “Watchfulness,” “Not Peace but Division,” “Interpreting the times,” “Repent or Perish,” “A Crippled Woman Healed on the Sabbath,” “The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the ‘Yeast,’” “The Narrow Door,” “Jesus’ sorrow for Jerusalem,” “Jesus at the Pharisees House,” “The Parable of the Great Banquet,” and “The Cost of Being a Disciple.” Wow! Such headings help us wrap our minds around the torrent of subjects coming at us as we move from one teaching to another. 
 
Rather than my commenting on what God especially spoke to me this morning, I’d prefer to ask a question of you. “What did the Holy Spirit speak to you about today?”  If your answer is, “Well, I got through my reading,” please go back and read it again more slowly, thoughtfully, prayerfully and invitingly of the Holy Spirit to speak. The Master Teacher promised another Teacher that would speak to our hearts on His behalf, if we are open.  That is what our reading in 2013 is all about!
 
Have a blessed weekend and see you Sunday!
 
Author: Pastor Jeff
 
 
 

Luke 10-11

Of all the significant information and inspiration in these two chapters, I am drawn to a segment which we normally refer to as The parable of the Good Samaritan.

Here’s the scenario :  A lawyer, wishing to test and trap Jesus, approached him with a question.  Here’s the exchange from The Message, chapter 10:25-29:

Just then a religious scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus.  “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?”

He answered, “What is written in God’s Law?  How do you interpret it?”

He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence – and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”

“Good answer!” said Jesus.  “Do it and you’ll live.”

But the scholar didn’t stop there.  Always looking for a way around, he posed an ageless question, one that you and I still need to answer today:  “And just how would you define neighbor?” in verse 29.

Good question!  But one that would bring this scholar – and everyone who, today, will ask it – before an impacting reality, one that can change your life.

Jesus’ answer came in the form of the story of the Good Samaritan.  A wounded, bleeding man lay in the middle of the road, victim of highway robbery.  Three individuals walked by: a priest, a religious man, and a despised Samaritan. Two we would expect by their labels to fulfill their calling and assist this man.  The other, we would expect by his label to cross to the other side and move on.  The opposite happened.  It was the despised Samaritan who 1) moved the man out his place of vulnerability to further harm, 2) bound up his wounds, and 3) provided for his immediate and extended care.

Jesus then allowed his questioner to pinpoint who among the three was the true neighbor.  He pointed to the Samaritan, the one who showed kindness.  Jesus closed the issue by instructing him to go and do likewise.

Who is our neighbor?  Sometimes they are those nice people next door.  Sometimes they are the unfortunate people around us.  Occasionally society would categorize them as the most unlovely, most uncomely, and most unwelcome around us.  Jesus would call them our neighbors.  He would instruct us to find ways to love them.

Author: Pastor Don

Luke 8-9

Power “Struggle”

One story at the beginning of our reading today caught my eye: the Gerasene Demoniac (Luke 8:26-39). This is a classic power struggle between God and the devil, but further examination reveals that it’s not much of a struggle at all.

As soon as Jesus steps foot on the shore and the demon-possessed man sees Him, he falls down before Jesus and cries, ““What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” Jesus one, Satan, zero. The demons can’t even stand the sight of Jesus, let alone stand before Him at all. They beg Jesus not to torment them.

Jesus asks the man’s name, to which he replies, “Legion” – a seemingly ominous sign of the greatness of Satan’s dominion – yet the demons again “begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss” (31). They were imploring Him, earnestly beseeching Him. There is no question who is in control here.

Finally, the demons (again!) “beg” Jesus to let them enter the herd of pigs. And Jesus “gave them permission.” I see Jesus perhaps nonchalantly waving His hand with a simple motion of dismissal, giving a single word, and He allows them to leave the man and enter the swine. Ha! Who is in control here? Is this indeed a “struggle”?

I think we sometimes overinflate the devil’s power. It is great, indeed, and he is a terrible enemy. But an infinite power is infinitely greater than the greatest definite power imaginable. 10 billion is an enormous number. But how much bigger is infinity than 10 billion? Infinitely bigger! It is true that we live in an age in which “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Yes, our struggle is “against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Eph. 6:10). But, what kind of power is that? Or rather, what degree of power is it? It may be great, but God’s is infinitely greater. Don’t forget Whom the demons had to beg not to torment them. Is this a power “struggle”? Not so much.

As you go out into the world today, fraught as it may be with the devil’s power, don’t forget Who has the ultimate authority – the infinitely great authority – over all.

As Paul prays, may you know “the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Eph. 1:19-23).

Author: Pastor Jon

Luke 5-7

Luke, the physician, loves to tell us about the physical healings Jesus performed while He was here on earth.  The stories are varied and each one tells us something more wonderful than the last of the goodness of God toward His followers.

I read the passage of the paralyzed man whose friends, in order to get to Jesus, took him on his mat up to the roof, removed the roof tiles, and let him down in front of Jesus.  All I could see were the many Sunday school lessons and VBS sessions from years ago where the teacher would put the characters on the flannel board and then gradually lower a man on his mat down to the level of the others on the board.  I tell you this because I know my faith was being formed as I heard of the miracles Jesus performed.  Faith does not just happen.  “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” As we grow older the depth of the question of faith gets deeper and deeper.  Who had the faith, the paralyzed man or his friends?  When Jesus spoke, why did He say, “your sins are forgiven?”  That was much more complex than the flannel graph story.

Luke always emphasized how people responded in faith to Jesus. Whether it was the faith of the sick individual or the faith of the friends.  Who had the faith?  Was it the sick or was it the friends? What does it matter?  Faith was being exercised in the presence of the Lord.  This particular miracle Jesus performed spoke very personally to me.  As I read the passage where the paralyzed man’s friends were so determined to help him, I couldn’t help but see a special truth. This paralyzed man could not have come to Jesus without the help of his friends.  He could not have made it to the house or navigate the crowd.  He would have had to give up except for the help of his friends.  Stop and think, have you ever been so low, so sick, so bewildered that without the help of your friends, family or brothers and sisters in the faith, you simply would not have made it to Jesus.  The scripture clearly tells us that we need others to help us when we are down. “If you are sick, call for the elders….” In my ministry, how often I will talk with someone who has been sick, or shut-in and never called for the elders or the church to help them in their time of need.  Friends, we often times need each other, in order to get to Jesus.

To finish out our reading for today, I want to draw your attention to the story of the widow of Nain, in ch.7:11-17.  This miracle Jesus performed stands out because so much more than a miracle was happening.  Jesus was reaching out to a woman who had already experienced the horrendous loss that comes when you lose a loved one to death.  The woman who was walking behind the casket of her child, had already walked that path before.  She walked that path when her husband died.  She walked that path one time more than anyone should ever have to.  If you notice, Jesus ministered to the widow first before raising the son.  His heart was touched with the grief she was carrying.  However, He said something to her that no one else should ever say to someone who is grieving.  He said “don’t cry” or “stop crying.”  Only God can make that request of anyone and that is because He is the only one who can give the reason to stop.  He is the giver of life.  Only He can fill the void in a person’s life where there is such great loss.  After Jesus said “don’t cry,” He immediately touched the coffin and said, “ young man I tell you, get up.”  And life was restored to his body.  Only Jesus can do that. Only He can tell you to stop and only He can raise the dead.

You may say, “Jesus did not give back my _____________.”  However, He has given us the promise of the resurrection.  We know this world is not forever.  But, we do know that heaven is eternal.

Author: Pastor David

Luke 2-4

It’s in the details…continued

Seldom do I listen to our daily reading in the car, but due to starting a week of class at AGTS I did so this morning. I smiled as the reader opened with those classic words of Luke 2, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree…” The reading of this passage has been our family’s Christmas tradition since I was a child.  It was agonizing in those days since it seemed my dad read soooo slowly as the presents and tree lights glistened in the background. I fully intend to torture my grandchildren the same in a few years…

Anchored in those opening words is the truth of the historical Jesus. Luke deliberately sets the historicity surrounding the miraculous event of the birth of the Messiah. He does the same as he introduces the role of John the Baptist in chapter 3, setting it within the context of the political and key religious leaders of that day. Such verses in Scripture can be easily skimmed over, so that we can get on to the ‘important stuff.’  Yet, I see it differently.

Scholars help us sort through some questions about Luke’s list. Commentaries can assist you if you are interested. What I appreciate about this is the style of both Luke’s gospel and the book of Acts. He states at the opening of his gospel, “Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you…so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” Luke’s details were intended to support the veracity for the story of Jesus’ life, so that Theophilus (and all who would read) would know with certainty what they believe!

God’s Word is a spiritual book, inspired by the Holy Spirit and the foundation to our faith. Yet, the reason many Bibles include an archeology section in the back is to remind us that indeed, it is also an historical book. History and science continue to not detract, but enhance the faith of believers in God’s story, the Bible. So, appreciate the details!

Author: Pastor Jeff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luke 1

It’s in the details

I have read both of Bill O’Reilly’s best sellers, Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy. It seemed almost wrong that I would ignore his latest release, Killing Jesus; so I began it last night. Rather than read any reviews, I took advice from a friend who loves Jesus and enjoyed the book. Already my interest was peaked by his statement that the gospel writers came from a spiritual angle, while he and his writing partner desire to come from an historical one. This should be interesting…

In strong contrast to Mark’s gospel, one senses this man Luke is about the details. Actually, our recent reading of the book of Mark was more enjoyable for me, as I have for whatever reason “ranked” his fourth of the four gospels for as long as I can recall. I always have a sense of him almost summarizing his account of Christ’s life and teachings. Just today’s first chapter in Luke sets an entirely different tone of a much more detailed writing.

Luke, the doctor, presents us with a mouthful in his opening words. Note the five things:

• He’s one of many who in that day had written of the life of Jesus.
• Those who actually saw Jesus had led the way in telling His story.
• Luke carefully investigated their claims, starting at Christ’s birth.
• He’s writing for a man named Theophilus (same as he does in Acts).
• He wants Theophilus to be grounded in the faith he shares in Christ.

Who is Theophilus? Only history speculates. Yet, I appreciate the sense of him wanting this man to feel even greater faith as a result of his writing to him. I suppose that is the reason Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all wrote their accounts and yet, the personal nature of Luke’s is interesting.

In today’s details is something I’ll be mentioning in this Sunday’s message. Notice Luke’s incredible noting of the Holy Spirit’s work in the events surrounding Christ’s birth. Already, in chapter one alone, the Holy Spirit is mentioned multiple times and of great interest to us as Pentecostal readers. John the Baptist (while still in the womb), his mother Elizabeth, and father Zechariah are all “filled with the Holy Spirit.” This is significant, as the next time we will see this exact phrase is when Luke writes of the first Church’s experience of Pentecostal power in Acts 2.

We are told the old idiom “the devil is in the detail” originated from an earlier one, “God is in the detail.” Regardless, we know details matter and as you embark on Luke’s account keep in mind the details. This thoughtful man wanted his friend to know the details of Jesus Christ’s life, so that his faith may deepen. It’s a great reason to keep reading.

Author: Pastor Jeff