"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Month: March 2016

“DEATH COULD NOT HOLD HIM DOWN!”

via-dolorosa-706563_960_72019 Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; and they began to come up to Him and say, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and to give Him slaps in the face. Pilate came out again and *said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate *said to them, “Behold, the Man!” So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate *said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.”

Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and *said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate *said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” 12 As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a kingopposes Caesar.”

13 Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he *said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” 15 So they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate *said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

16 So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.

17 They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. 18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece. 24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be”; this was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” 25 Therefore the soldiers did these things.

But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then He *said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, *said, “I am thirsty.”

29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; 33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36 For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. 39 Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

20 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. And so Simon Peter also *came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 And they *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She *said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She turned and *said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus *said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.1

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

 

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“The Prodigal and His Dad” Side 1…

man-1031687_960_720  So the sheep has been found,

and the coin has been found; however, we now have a son who appears to be bent on running away! He has just told his dad, “I want what is due me when you die, but I don’t want to wait for it. So let’s pretend you’re dead, give me my inheritance and I’ll be on my way!” (paraphrased) (Lu.15:3-32NIV).

His name? We know him as the prodigal son.

Which by the way, when broken down, literally means…, wasteful, particularly where money is concerned. It is derived from two Latin root words that, when combined, refers to one who drives his money forward.  Pro, meaning “forth” and agere meaning “to drive”. Drive forth, push away…like oil separating on water, he and his money are parted.

We have looked at two of the three parables in this Fifteenth Chapter of Luke, this being our last. Three parables, three players, one consistent message. Seeking and finding what has been lost.

What caused this son, who represents one that has had relationship with God, to stick his toes into the waters of the world? To turn his back and walk away from a loving Father who has freely provided for His son? Why demand freedom from the arms of loving protection and provision? What caused Him to basically tell His Father to drop dead and give me what I know I’ll get it anyway? Greed…

Listen to how James explains it to us, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas.4:3-4).

Like so many in our churches today, our prodigal is openly irreligious. He has tasted the goodness of the Lord, but felt perhaps like he was still missing out on what was out there, i.e., in the world. Maybe it stemmed from problems at home, maybe early childhood feelings of inadequacy and isolation? Maybe he wasn’t allowed to hang with those he longed to be with, because they did not long to be with him? Maybe it was none of the above and he simply decided that what he saw others doing he wasn’t willing to miss out on, and he figured why not after all, God is full of mercy and grace right?

Our young friend wanted to play the proverbial field. He wanted the best of both worlds and in his sinful, blinding lust for more, in pursuit of this illusive freedom he felt others had and he has been denying himself, he rebelled. He listened to the cunning deceptive words of father of lies who wanted nothing more than to get our young friend alone and away from the protection of His Father and his family. He obviously forgot about what happened to Eve when she listened to him…(Gen.3:1-7). Much like that one sheep in our earlier post, who strayed from the 99, satan wants nothing more than to separate us from God.

His mission according to Scripture is, “To kill, steal and destroy” (Jn.10:10NIV). He is called a thief. He doesn’t want to add to you, or give you anything of lasting value, he simply wants all that you have and then to leave you an empty husk of a person. Useless and frail, no good to yourself and certainly not to others. Talk to any addict and they will share with you the horrors of his deceptive lies. “And through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, and he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, but he will be broken without human agency” (Dan.8:25NIV).

Has there ever been a time in your walk with God that this very urge has bitten you? Caused you to stray too far from God? Brought you to your own personal pig-pen like our young friend? I know it has me…I know I like him have woken up from what seemed a nightmare of epic proportion wondering, how did I fall so far so fast? Our young friend found himself a slave of one who had no real regard for him. Tending his pigs and wishing his ravenous belly had the pods to eat these filthy animals, known back home as, dabhar acheer; “the other things”, had. He was filled with shame and conviction. Yet, here he was living with them, stinking of them, covered in their mess and longing for their pods. He yearned to be home, with his Father…How far the fall when we turn away from God!

Our young friend, through the loving kindness and relentless pursuit our Father demonstrates toward us, was woken-up! He thought to himself, I must go home, what have I done…? but I am ashamed and don’t deserve my Father’s forgives for wishing Him dead and taking from Him what was His to give in His own time. I know that He is a good and kind man who has always loved and shown me forgiveness. I must go back and beg His forgiveness, perhaps, even if He will not accept me back as a son, he will allow me to be as one of His slaves. They at least have good food in plenty, and a clean warm place to lay their head, not like here in this forsaken place amongst these unclean creatures (Lu. 15:17-20NIV)!

Look over there, do you see that man standing in the fine robes gathered securely between his legs? Yes, I know, no self-respecting Jewish Father would be caught dead doing such and undignified thing as lifting his robes and baring his legs in public! it is against protocol and tradition. But He is desperate. His beloved son has been gone so long and he yearns for him to be home again. So he comes here to watch and waits for the slightest glimpse of him. His heart poised at the ready to release all vanity, dignity…, the cares of tradition and what others may say or think. And to run with all his aging legs have in them at the slightest glimpse of his son…

now wait, what is that breaking the crest of that distant hill? A head? Yes, his head! And with that this Fathers heart explodes with joy, empowering His legs with youthful speed as he races to His son.

“My Boy!”, “My Beloved”, he thinks, “He came back!” and this Father hangs onto His son for dear life!

“Father I sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son”.

Now the Fathers servants alarmed after having seen their master run off in a manner unbecoming of his station immediately ran after Him. Stopping just behind him, they too saw the returning son walking toward them, frail and downtrodden. Then they understood why this Father had acted in such a startling manner

“Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Lu.15:22-24).

All ends well for the prodigal it seems, we don’t hear any more about him acting out again in Scripture. He is restored to his Father and family. He is covered in a robe of right-standing, the righteousness that Christs’ death and resurrection offers us all. He wears a signet ring on his finger, a crest of his Father’s family. This gives him authority to place a seal on all he decrees as binding, so long as it is in agreement with the Fathers’ Will (Isa.45:11-12; Matt.16:18-19). And his feet are shod with sandals as it is custom that only slaves walk about barefooted. Children’s feet, as well as all of their needs, are met and assured by the care and provision of the Father.

This journey on the road of rebellion was a long and debilitating one for our young friend. On it he lost his family, home, possessions, dignity, integrity, self-respect, friends, and his inheritance. Can you relate? If so, take heart!

Remember that when he finally came to himself and decided to turn his life around and humbled himself before his Father, not only did he not meet with shame, screaming and rejection. His Father had already been out looking for him. Just waiting for the slightest glimpse of his son’s willingness to return to him and what happened?

The Father ended up chasing the son down, not only welcoming him back home, but throwing a celebration and rejoicing! just as with the man who lost his sheep and our woman who lost her coin!

This is the heart of Father God for the lost. People condemn, God seeks, saves and rejoices. Even when we have let ourselves get covered in the filth of the world (our pain and shame)! Will you return home to your Father today? He’s ready and waiting! “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ‘I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’” (Jer.29:12-14).

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“I’m Coming Back.” Luke 13:6-9

fig-tree-900320__180 Friends, what do the Words of Jesus spoken to a crowd of many thousands of Jews 2000 plus years ago have to do with us today?

Simply put…, “The Word of God is the same yesterday today and forever” (Heb.13:8 NIV).

That is a basic Biblical truth. As such, it makes what Jesus said to that crowd relevant to us also, stated differently… “Heaven and the earth will pass away, but My words will certainly not pass away.” (Mark 13:31 BLB).

I am laying this foundational truth in preparation for our text today which falls under the sub-heading of, “Repent or Perish” (Lu. 13:6-9 NIV). That statement, however unpopular in our current culture, is and will always remain Truth, believe it or not.

Beginning in Chapter 12 of Luke we witness Jesus revealing Truths that will lead us directly into our Scripture. Come along as Jesus teaches these core Truths to those seeking to follow after Him. Notice that He clearly lays out the costs of following Him, as disciples (Lu.14:28 NLT), as well as the promises or gains that being a true disciple afford to those willing to lay-down their life and take up their Cross (1 Cor. 15:52 KJV).

Jesus asks not only his disciples and those standing in that mob of people gathered then, but each of us today, these questions among others:

#1. What motivates you to want to follow Me? To serve Me?…

Are you, like the Pharisees, motivated by the attention and material gain that often accompany those who have taken up the profession of preaching or teaching? Notice I said, taken up, not all those who stand in our pulpits today or call themselves preachers, ministers, and teachers have been called or appointed by God. How do I know this…? Again, Scripture tells us. “Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water” (Jas 3:11 ESV). Put another way the Bible tells us “You will recognize them by their fruit.” Anyone can do anything for a time, but no one can do it for a lifetime unless it is authentic, a calling. (Jer.20:9 NASB).

Unless your heart be consumed with the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ and not only the benefits of salvation in Him, you will be apt to fall away. You’re a counterfeit and when tried, you will be found out. Again, not my words but The Word. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'”(Matt. 7:21-23 NLT).

Do you know Jesus as Lord of your life, or do you recognize Him as Savior alone? The difference in that knowledge is life or death. You must do the will of the Father.

#2. You’re not getting away with anything…!       fig-316141_960_720

Tying into the above statement, we may think that we are getting away with something… Example, we go to church, read our Bibles faithfully, give our tithes regularly and practice charity just like those mentioned in the above Scripture. These were believers who recognized Jesus as Lord but did not do the will of the Father. But in private, in our secret place, away from the eyes of onlookers, we are acting as ungodly as one who is living outside of God! Shame the devil and tell the Truth! I know I have been guilty of this very sin in my walk with the Lord. Thinking that because man didn’t know of my sin, I was okay, I got away with something! Let me share with you the Truth the Holy One hit me with“No creature can hide from him, but everyone is exposed and helpless before the eyes of the one to whom we must give a word of explanation” (Heb.4:3 ISV).

God is Holy and cannot look upon sin. “This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts” (1 Jn 1:5-10 NIV).

#3. Fear the One who cannot only kill the body, but moreover, the One whom when the body is dead can send you to hell.

Jesus was very forthright with those who wanted to run after Him concerning the cost they would pay to have right relationship with Him. Notice I did not say to have salvation alone, but, right relationship. Jesus MUST be not only Savior but our all in all. The only LORD and MASTER over our lives. We must be completely submitted to His will and abandoned our own, this in full recognition of the ultimate price He paid to redeem us (John 3:16 ESV)!

And lastly, #4. Do not Blaspheme the Holy Spirit.   fig-938226__180

The Holy One comes to us in a very thoughtful and gracious manner, never rude or intrusive. Repeatedly, He will knock at the door of our hearts requesting entry. Offering us knowledge of Christ and reconciliation through Him with the Father. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit occurs when we hardheartedly refuse to acknowledge His gracious offer of a life reconciled to God. Jesus tells us that we may sin against Him and be forgiven, but sinning against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable (Matt. 12:32 NIV)!

And why is that?

Because we are repeatedly choosing lawless...After being given opportunities to choose God, we willingly continue in our sins and rebellion and choose to stay opposed to Him. Again, let’s hold this up to our previous Scripture for clarity, “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matt.7:23 ESV).

In closing, stand with me at the entrance of a lush vineyard. Let’s listen to its owner and manager discussing the outcome of a certain fig tree. Listen as the owner of the vineyard is telling his manager to… cut the thing down, it’s worthless! Throw it in the fire! It’s simply taking up the ground space of something else that once planted, will produce fruit…It’s been three years since it was planted and everyone knows if a fig tree is going to produce fruit, it typically happens within the first three seasons. Burn it!

This tree has been well-tended, planted in the riches of soils, watered regularly, and tended with the greatest of care and attention. But nada! Not one single fig…
The owner wants to use it for firewood, but the manager intercedes on its behalf. He has grown to love the little tree and does not want to see its potential ended.

The vineyard owner? God the Father.

The manager, Jesus Christ.

The little fig tree? He who holds anything back from the LORDSHIP of Christ.

Again, don’t take my word for this, let’s look to Scripture for examples. In Acts we have Ananias and Sapphira who thought they could cheat God out of what they freely agreed to give Him (Acts 5:1-11 NKJV)! Remember God does not force us to follow Him, we have free will! And perhaps the best known example of all, Judas Iscariot. Who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver because Jesus was not doing things the way Judas had expected them to be done (Lu.22:3-6 NASB).

But if we say yes… then it must be a resounding YES! A 100% yes! A No holds barred even when I hate it… yes! Even when it hurts… yes!

If we live for God and are the light in this world we cannot remain the same. We must bear the fruit of change. We cannot be like the rich young ruler spoken of in Luke 18. Claiming he had followed the laws since youth and now wanted to know what the next step was in achieving eternal life. Jesus tells Him that he has to sell all that he has and give his money to the poor. Only then could he pick up his cross and follow Jesus and gain eternal life. He had not counted the cost Remember Luke 14:28!

Will you give Him your all today?   ficus-glomerata-300560_960_720

Jesus is returning, believe it or not. If you hear Him knocking on the door of your heart today, RUN to answer it! Time is growing short and no man is promised tomorrow…I’ll turn back here until next we meet leaving you with the Word of Life. Until then, God Bless you and may the Lord keep you…

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.…  (Jn.15:4-6- NKJV).

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