This is the story:
THE Passion. “And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly.” (Luke 22:44 ESV) The Garden. A place where Jesus had come many times before to pray. But this time was different. This time He was in an agony. What’s interesting is that this is the only time this phrase is used in all of scripture. It was not just agony. It was an agony. A battle,a fight,a struggle in deep anguish. “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me…” Lying on His face, prostrate before His Father. Crying out in such deep distress that the capillaries under his skin burst and “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (vs. 44). Typically this kind of agony can cause brain damage, or even death. But Jesus lived on,to die.
THE Punishment. “But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:5 ESV) Being hung on a cross to die was common in those days. But this was different. Before the actual crucifixion, Jesus was brutally beaten. Burly Roman soldiers used their clenched fists and pounded His face over and over again “we esteemed Him stricken” (vs. 4). Handfuls of His beard were yanked out. Onlookers walked up to him, cleared their throats, and spit in His face. A crown of thorns was placed on His head, and then driven deep into His skull with wooden reeds “He was afflicted” (vs. 7). Stripped naked, He was scourged with a cat of nine tails, so named because there were nine strands, and on the end of those nine strands were pieces of metal or bone, designed to dig into the skin and rip it open. Normally a man was whipped with 39 lashes. 39 lashes with 9 strands. Do the math. When they were done Jesus’ lacerated flesh hung from His body in long strips, exposing muscle, sinew and even bone, “with His stripes we are healed” (vs. 5) After all of that, He was then made to carry His own cross “Surely He has born our griefs and carried our sorrows” (vs. 4). Nailed to the cross, the One who knew no sin, became sin for us “and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (vs. 6).
THE Proclamation. Hours of wretched suffering. One last time Jesus pushed up against the nail in His feet to take the pressure off of His diaphragm so He could take His final breath. Burning lungs filled with air, and then from a parched throat, through swollen, broken bleeding lips, the very Son of God cried out, “It Is Finished!” Every Jew within earshot knew those words. They were the words the high priest used every year to proclaim that their sins had once again been atoned for, by the sacrificing of a spotless, unblemished lamb. But this was different. The Lamb of God, the perfect Passover Lamb, who came to take away the sin of the world, (John 1:29) was proclaiming for all to hear, that once and for all, the final sacrifice had been made. “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by the means of the blood of goats and calves, but by the means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12 ESV) Then He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.
THE Promise. A few days before, Jesus had told His disciples that He was about to die. Sensing the fear and anxiety that they were experiencing, He gave them this promise, “I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3 NASV) A dead god could never keep that promise. Surely He couldn’t mean that He would actually die. But then, albeit from distant hiding places, they watched Him do just that, die. Now what? Hopes, dreams and promises dashed upon the stone placed and sealed at the entrance of His borrowed tomb. Hear these words. In them you will find the hope of His promise, “Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James came to the tomb and looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, ‘Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here!!‘” (Mark 16:1-6 NASV) Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph o’er His foes! We do not believe in a God who was once alive and now He is dead. We follow after a God who became a man to dwell among us with the purpose of dying for our redemption and now He is alive. Life is no longer a hopeless end it is an endless hope.
The death, burial and resurrection of Christ was THE moment in time that changed the course of humanity. A perfect offering presented. That which had been spoken of by the prophets in Scripture, fulfilled. God’s gift of love, freely given to all who will receive.
In the great “Resurrection Chapter”, Paul presents the gospel “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15 ESV). These words are not a defense of the resurrection. They are in effect a declaration of the most important words in Christianity. He is risen! Words that turned the world around.
Our response? He is risen indeed! Our opportunity? To “know Him, and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10 ESV)
Happy Resurrection Sunday!
Source:AACC
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Respect
R – E – S – P – E – C – T. This 1967 smash hit by Aretha Franklin quickly exploded up the charts. While it was written by Otis Redding in 1965 as a man’s plea for respect and recognition, the roles were reversed for Franklin’s version. Her rendition was a landmark for the feminist movement, and is often considered one of the best songs of the R&B era. The popularity of this song (she won 2 Grammys in 1968) seemed to voice the general feeling of people everywhere. In 2002, the Library of Congress honored Franklin’s version by adding it to the National Recording Registry.
Rodney Dangerfield developed a whole comedy routine, and ultimately career, with one simple bi-line — “I don’t get no RESPECT!!” His comedy album No Respect also won a Grammy Award.
In her book, For Women Only, Christian author, Shaunti Feldhahn, writes that when men are asked which they would choose, to be alone and unloved, or feel inadequate and disrespected (not that we men would really want either) nearly 75% chose alone and unloved. Think about that. These men would rather be alone with no love, than to be made to feel inadequate and disrespected. What’s interesting is that if you pay close attention to today’s teens, you will hear them express a desire not to be ‘dissed"… slang for disrespected. Often this disrespect comes in the form of insulting put downs, rejection, or dismissive behavior. It seems that everyone yearns in some way for this seemingly innate desire to feel respected.
While in prison, the great Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the believers in Philippi. The overall message of the letter is "joy". Paul is not writing to just the "saints" as he did in Ephesians and Colossians. It is striking that he adds the overseers and deacons (1:1 NASV) to his greeting, as if to make a special effort to include those in leadership. In chapter 2, Paul makes a heartfelt appeal. He asks that all reading his letter would make his joy complete. How? By being intent on one purpose — “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.” (vs. 3 KJV) The ultimate in respect. Each person esteeming every other person better than themselves. Perhaps that is why he added the leadership to his salutation. It’s as if he was saying that status doesn’t negate responsibility. Dignity and worth were to be attributed to every person equally. Could Paul have been remembering what David voiced in Psalm 8, “What is man that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man that Thou dost care for him? Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God (ELOHIM) and dost crown him with glory and majesty.” (vs. 4-5 NASV) If God feels that way about us, then we too ought to hold each other in high regard. If we lived out our lives exhibiting this kind of respect, where each person thinks of everyone else as more worthy than themselves, it just might turn some marriages, families, teens, work relationships, and maybe even counseling sessions around.
Source:AACC, Feldham, Shaunti Christine, (2004) For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishing
Rodney Dangerfield developed a whole comedy routine, and ultimately career, with one simple bi-line — “I don’t get no RESPECT!!” His comedy album No Respect also won a Grammy Award.
In her book, For Women Only, Christian author, Shaunti Feldhahn, writes that when men are asked which they would choose, to be alone and unloved, or feel inadequate and disrespected (not that we men would really want either) nearly 75% chose alone and unloved. Think about that. These men would rather be alone with no love, than to be made to feel inadequate and disrespected. What’s interesting is that if you pay close attention to today’s teens, you will hear them express a desire not to be ‘dissed"… slang for disrespected. Often this disrespect comes in the form of insulting put downs, rejection, or dismissive behavior. It seems that everyone yearns in some way for this seemingly innate desire to feel respected.
While in prison, the great Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the believers in Philippi. The overall message of the letter is "joy". Paul is not writing to just the "saints" as he did in Ephesians and Colossians. It is striking that he adds the overseers and deacons (1:1 NASV) to his greeting, as if to make a special effort to include those in leadership. In chapter 2, Paul makes a heartfelt appeal. He asks that all reading his letter would make his joy complete. How? By being intent on one purpose — “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.” (vs. 3 KJV) The ultimate in respect. Each person esteeming every other person better than themselves. Perhaps that is why he added the leadership to his salutation. It’s as if he was saying that status doesn’t negate responsibility. Dignity and worth were to be attributed to every person equally. Could Paul have been remembering what David voiced in Psalm 8, “What is man that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man that Thou dost care for him? Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God (ELOHIM) and dost crown him with glory and majesty.” (vs. 4-5 NASV) If God feels that way about us, then we too ought to hold each other in high regard. If we lived out our lives exhibiting this kind of respect, where each person thinks of everyone else as more worthy than themselves, it just might turn some marriages, families, teens, work relationships, and maybe even counseling sessions around.
Source:AACC, Feldham, Shaunti Christine, (2004) For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishing
Thursday, April 14, 2011
An Issue of the Heart
Delilah said to him, “How can you say ‘I love you’ when your heart is not with me?. So Sampson told her all that was in his heart… when Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lord of the Philistines… and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair… she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Sampson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had abandoned him. (Judges 16)
Sampson. Powerful and strong. It is interesting that his strength was not really in his hair. His strength was in his heart. He was a Nazirite. The Hebrew word nazir means consecrated or separated. And it was by choice. His mother Manoah had dedicated him to this Nazirite vow before his birth. However, Hebrew law required that when he was old enough to understand, he recommit his life, permanently to this vow. His heart belonged solely to his God. Until he gave it up to Delilah.
In a similar story, Amaziah served as king in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 25:2 records this indictment, “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.” Again, the original Hebrew language gives incredible insight into this verse. The word perfect (shalem), denotes complete full finished. Most of Amaziah’s heart was God’s. But he had saved out a little portion for himself. In the end, he was defeated and captured by Joash.
Could it be that many of the struggles in our Christian walk can be traced back to the same issue that Sampson and Amaziah had? A heart that is not “perfect” toward God. Those tiny areas that we hang onto for ourselves. The hidden parts. It has been said, “You’re only as sick as your secrets”. Perhaps that is why the Psalmist David pleaded “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me.” Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV) Again in Psalm 19:12 “… cleanse thou me from secret faults.” (KJV)
The “grace” piece in all of this, is that God will do just that. He will show you the fragment of your heart that is not His. His Light will shine in the dark places of your heart to reveal the “secret place”. The sin that we cover, He will uncover the sin that we uncover, He will cover. Surrender your whole heart to Him. Without a doubt, it will turn your life around.
Source:AACC
Sampson. Powerful and strong. It is interesting that his strength was not really in his hair. His strength was in his heart. He was a Nazirite. The Hebrew word nazir means consecrated or separated. And it was by choice. His mother Manoah had dedicated him to this Nazirite vow before his birth. However, Hebrew law required that when he was old enough to understand, he recommit his life, permanently to this vow. His heart belonged solely to his God. Until he gave it up to Delilah.
In a similar story, Amaziah served as king in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 25:2 records this indictment, “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.” Again, the original Hebrew language gives incredible insight into this verse. The word perfect (shalem), denotes complete full finished. Most of Amaziah’s heart was God’s. But he had saved out a little portion for himself. In the end, he was defeated and captured by Joash.
Could it be that many of the struggles in our Christian walk can be traced back to the same issue that Sampson and Amaziah had? A heart that is not “perfect” toward God. Those tiny areas that we hang onto for ourselves. The hidden parts. It has been said, “You’re only as sick as your secrets”. Perhaps that is why the Psalmist David pleaded “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me.” Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV) Again in Psalm 19:12 “… cleanse thou me from secret faults.” (KJV)
The “grace” piece in all of this, is that God will do just that. He will show you the fragment of your heart that is not His. His Light will shine in the dark places of your heart to reveal the “secret place”. The sin that we cover, He will uncover the sin that we uncover, He will cover. Surrender your whole heart to Him. Without a doubt, it will turn your life around.
Source:AACC
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Be an Encourager
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” -Plato
Let me add, be an encourager. It has been said that everyone is either in the midst of the battle, just coming out of a battle, or about to enter the battle. At first glance, this is often not visible. A smile often masks deep feelings. The writer of the Proverbs put it this way, “Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be grief.” (Proverbs 14:13 NASV)
God’s directive to Moses in Deuteronomy 3 is very interesting. The children of Israel had finished 40 years in the wilderness. They were about to enter the land of “milk and honey”. The “promised land”. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But God knew that the real battle was just ahead. Amorites, Hittites and all of the other “ites” were waiting to steal, kill and destroy God’s promises to His children. In verse 28 God tells Moses to “charge Joshua,”and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.” (KJV) This “encourage” was not just a “pep talk”. The meaning of the word is to “fasten upon… strengthen to become even stronger… fortify”. I can imagine that this took quite some time. They probably had a few “counseling sessions” as Moses poured into Joshua’s heart, and spirit, the encouragement that it would take to persevere in the days ahead.
“Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together”. We have all heard this admonition to remind us not to miss church. But why? Why do we assemble together? To “stimulate one another to love and good deeds” and “encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NASV). Worship is important. Sermons are wonderful. But could it be possible, that a core reason to meet together is to encourage one another? Something far beyond the “How ya doing?” and “Good to see ya!” platitudes we usually give each other as we pass in the aisle.
Just like the children of Israel, we have an enemy who came to steal, kill and destroy our walk with Christ. Too often we try to fight this battle alone. Remember that the enemy is strong and powerful. Someone once said, “The strength of the wolf is the pack,and the strength of the pack is the wolf”. Sounds like Hebrews 3:13, “But encourage one another, day after day, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” When reminding the church at Thessalonica of the sure return of the Lord, Paul ended with this exhortation, “Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another…” (5:11 NASV).
Everyone you meet is fighting a battle. Encourage them. Fortify them. Pour words of strength and courage into their hearts and spirits. And one more thing, be encouraged yourself. You don’t walk alone. You always have an “audience of one”. He is with you and He has a “Barnabas the Encourager” on the way to encourage you, and to just maybe, help turn your life around.
Source:AACC
Let me add, be an encourager. It has been said that everyone is either in the midst of the battle, just coming out of a battle, or about to enter the battle. At first glance, this is often not visible. A smile often masks deep feelings. The writer of the Proverbs put it this way, “Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be grief.” (Proverbs 14:13 NASV)
God’s directive to Moses in Deuteronomy 3 is very interesting. The children of Israel had finished 40 years in the wilderness. They were about to enter the land of “milk and honey”. The “promised land”. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But God knew that the real battle was just ahead. Amorites, Hittites and all of the other “ites” were waiting to steal, kill and destroy God’s promises to His children. In verse 28 God tells Moses to “charge Joshua,”and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.” (KJV) This “encourage” was not just a “pep talk”. The meaning of the word is to “fasten upon… strengthen to become even stronger… fortify”. I can imagine that this took quite some time. They probably had a few “counseling sessions” as Moses poured into Joshua’s heart, and spirit, the encouragement that it would take to persevere in the days ahead.
“Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together”. We have all heard this admonition to remind us not to miss church. But why? Why do we assemble together? To “stimulate one another to love and good deeds” and “encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NASV). Worship is important. Sermons are wonderful. But could it be possible, that a core reason to meet together is to encourage one another? Something far beyond the “How ya doing?” and “Good to see ya!” platitudes we usually give each other as we pass in the aisle.
Just like the children of Israel, we have an enemy who came to steal, kill and destroy our walk with Christ. Too often we try to fight this battle alone. Remember that the enemy is strong and powerful. Someone once said, “The strength of the wolf is the pack,and the strength of the pack is the wolf”. Sounds like Hebrews 3:13, “But encourage one another, day after day, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” When reminding the church at Thessalonica of the sure return of the Lord, Paul ended with this exhortation, “Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another…” (5:11 NASV).
Everyone you meet is fighting a battle. Encourage them. Fortify them. Pour words of strength and courage into their hearts and spirits. And one more thing, be encouraged yourself. You don’t walk alone. You always have an “audience of one”. He is with you and He has a “Barnabas the Encourager” on the way to encourage you, and to just maybe, help turn your life around.
Source:AACC
Friday, April 1, 2011
Soul Care
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 have been encouraging verses for me for a very long time. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (ESV)
Often in the New Testament, the writers refer to the “God of all grace”… or the “Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Amazing Grace. What’s important to understand is that we sometimes received the Grace of God poured into our lives through the life of others. Strong’s Concordance describes grace (charis) with these words, divine influence upon the heart, and it’s reflection in the life. And don’t miss this, God comforts us in ALL our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in ANY affliction.
Let me paraphrase all of this if I might:
When we are going through hard times, God comforts us with grace, and that grace has a divine influence upon our hearts. Often he uses someone else to help bring that grace to us. And He comforts us in ALL of our trials. Then, further down the road, when we meet someone else who is going through ANY hard time, the grace that God poured into our lives is now reflected into their life, so that further down the road, when they meet someone else who is going through ANY hard time. And on and on it goes.
Life is tough. Struggles, trials and hard times will come. When they do, look around you. God is probably bringing someone along side of you to pour grace into your life. Grace to turn your life around, so that one day you can help turn someone else’s life around.
Source:AACC
Often in the New Testament, the writers refer to the “God of all grace”… or the “Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Amazing Grace. What’s important to understand is that we sometimes received the Grace of God poured into our lives through the life of others. Strong’s Concordance describes grace (charis) with these words, divine influence upon the heart, and it’s reflection in the life. And don’t miss this, God comforts us in ALL our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in ANY affliction.
Let me paraphrase all of this if I might:
When we are going through hard times, God comforts us with grace, and that grace has a divine influence upon our hearts. Often he uses someone else to help bring that grace to us. And He comforts us in ALL of our trials. Then, further down the road, when we meet someone else who is going through ANY hard time, the grace that God poured into our lives is now reflected into their life, so that further down the road, when they meet someone else who is going through ANY hard time. And on and on it goes.
Life is tough. Struggles, trials and hard times will come. When they do, look around you. God is probably bringing someone along side of you to pour grace into your life. Grace to turn your life around, so that one day you can help turn someone else’s life around.
Source:AACC
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)