Psalm 81

 Psalm 81  "Sing for joy.. Shout joyfully.. Raise a song.. Blow the trumpet.. " These are the sounds of worship.. to honor the Lord, the God of Israel.. who delivered His people out of slavery and bondage.. into a land brimming with promise.. 

Yet, His people would not obey the statutes of God.. they would not listen to His voice.. They would not walk in His ways.. so they forfeited all His benefits..  all the grace that He would have lavished on them.  It is the same problem that plagues our world today.. the same sins that we all are in bondage to.. until He sets us free.. 

Look at what God did for His people and what He will do for all who will call on Him:

v6  He will relieve us from our burdens and free us from our worthless toil.. 

v7  He will hear us when we cry to Him and rescue us from the darkness... 

v8  He will prove us.. test us until we shine.. refine us like silver and gold, removing all impurities.. 

"Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you would listen to Me!"  

O the benefits of LISTENING to God! 

"Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!" v10

"I would quickly subdue [your] enemies, and turn My hand against [your] adversaries." v13

".. I would feed you with the finest of the wheat; and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." v16

But, the people of Israel would not listen nor obey.  "So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart to walk in their own devices." (v11-12)

Paul wrote in Romans 1.. "For this reason, God gave them over to a depraved mind to do those things which are not proper, being filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful.. " This is what happens when people walk "in their own devices".   

We see it plain as day.. in our news reports, in the television shows.. in our neighborhoods.. more and more it seems... 

Father in heaven, if not for Your patience.. for Your great mercy.. none could stand.  We are like Isaiah, crying, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips!"   For, You are holy.. and in You there is no darkness.. only Light!  Hallelujah!  We have all sinned and fallen short.. we freely confess.. but, O praise the Name of Jesus, we have been set free! We have cried out to You and You have heard us and delivered us!  You are at work in us, refining us, proving us.. filling us, feeding us.. satisfying us.  Thank You, gracious God and Father, Jesus Christ, our King, and Holy Spirit, our Mighty Counselor.  Guide us continually into Your Presence, that we might sing for joy, shout joyfully to You.. raising our songs of praise to the glory of Your Name. Amen

Psalm 80

 Psalm 80   Three times, Asaph, the writer of this psalm, utters this prayer:

 "O God, restore us! And cause Thy face to shine upon us, and we will be saved"  It is the plea of his heart and the theme of his song. It is his desire and his most urgent need! It is the heart need of every human being who has ever lived and who will ever be born... 

Verses 1-2  Asaph addresses his prayer to the "Shepherd of Israel"  Only God, the God Of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.. the God of "Joseph".. of" Ephraim and Benjamin and Manassah"; the God who is "enthroned above the cherubim".. can save.   ".. stir up Thy power", the writer asks.  Have we  the faith to ask this way?

In verses 5-16 Asaph uses the image of a vine to describe Israel.  A vine that God had uprooted from Egypt and planted in the promised land. A vine that "took deep root" and "filled the land". But, a vine that had been plundered by beasts.. burned with fire.. and finally cut down.  "O God of hosts, " the writer pleads, "turn again now, we beseech Thee; look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine." (v14)

The psalmist's final request is this.. " Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, upon the son of man whom Thou didst make strong for Thyself. Then we will not turn back from Thee; Revive us, and we will call upon Thy name."  We have the great privilege to know that this prayer was answered in a way the psalmist could not have imagined.. in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of man and the Son of God.  Hallelujah!  He is the Savior!

Father in heaven, we come before You to proclaim the greatness of Your holiness, of Your glory, and of Your amazing grace. Thank You for answering our prayers for salvation.. for restoration.. for the blessedness of Your face that "shines upon us".. bringing us Light.  Thank You for Jesus, the True vine and for grafting us on this vine as "branches".. for bringing forth the fruit of Your Spirit, to the glory of Your holy Name.  We ask that You truly "stir up Your power" once again.. in Israel, to restore them to Yourself... and in us, Your people, the sheep of Your pasture.  May the Name of Jesus be proclaimed in all the earth, that more men and women and children will call upon His name and be saved.  We ask this in faith, believing that all things are possible for You!  Be glorified in Your people today, Lord God, as we go out in Jesus' name. Amen.

Psalm 79

 Psalm 79  In his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, Tozer writes this about the sovereignty of God : "Within the broad field of God's sovereign, permissive will the deadly conflict of good with evil continues with increasing fury. God will yet have His way in the whirlwind and the storm, but the storm and the whirlwind are here, and as responsible beings we must make our choice in the present situation."   In the midst of Hurricane Ian.. I find this statement highly impactful... 

 Tozer goes on to speak of the "law of choice and consequences".  God has made clear that only those who commit themselves to Christ will receive eternal Life.  Those who "love darkness and continue in rebellion against the high authority of heaven shall remain in a state of spiritual alienation and suffer eternal death at last."  He writes, "... whoever is on God's side is on the winning side and cannot lose; whoever is on the other side is on the losing side and cannot win. Here there is no chance, no gamble. There is freedom to choose which side we shall be on but no freedom to negotiate the results of the choice once it is made.  By the mercy of God we may repent a wrong choice and alter the consequences by making a new and right choice. Beyond that we cannot go." 

So, as we approach Psalm 79, this is what I am thinking of..  for the psalmist is lifting his complaint to the Lord.. " O God, the nations have invaded Thine inheritance.. "  A whirlwind indeed... 

The temple was defiled.

Jerusalem was in ruins.

The servants of God were killed. Their bodies devoured by the vultures.. 

The land had become a reproach.

"How long, O Lord? Wilt Thou be angry forever?" the psalmist cries out. ".. Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us; Let Thy compassion come quickly to meet us." 

The consequences of sin had brought Jerusalem to ruin. They had rebelled. They had made a choice and reaped the harvest of their sins.  But, here the psalmist prays and his prayer begins with repentance:

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Thy name; And deliver us, and forgive our sins, for Thy name's sake. Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?'"

The psalmist then makes his request to God.  He prays for the the Lord to avenge the blood of His servants.  He prays for deliverance for the prisoners. He prays for the reproach that Israel experienced be turned back to their enemies. 

Then finally, the psalmist ends his prayer with thanksgiving and praise. "So we Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture will give thanks to Thee forever; to all generations we will tell of Thy praise." 

Father in heaven, we choose You. We choose to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is our Savior and has paid our ransom.. Hallelujah!  We desire to live in surrender and obedience to Your good and perfect will.  Yes, we are "but flesh".. and we often fail to hit the mark of true holiness.. but You have forgiven us and given to us the righteousness of Christ and we are so thankful.  We pray that You will deliver us from whatever whirlwinds that come our way.... that Your will be done in our hearts and minds and wills.  To the glory of Your holy Name.  We are Your people and the sheep of Your pasture.. and we want no other way.  To God be the glory and honor and power and praise. Amen

Psalm 78

 Psalm 78

"Listen, O my people, to my instruction... " the psalmist begins.  For 72 verses Asaph writes a song.. remembering the history of Israel, from the deliverance from Egypt to the reign of David.. God had been gracious.. and Israel had failed to remain faithful.  There is a lesson that needed to be taught.  A lesson that needed to be handed down from one generation to the next.  Do "not conceal them from [your] children.." those words of God.. His commandments and His works. What a vital message! We must be more faithful than ancient Israel.. to teach our children well!

What an important thing for us to remember.. to put into action as much and as often as we can! To "tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done." ( v4)  God commanded Israel to teach their children.. who in turn would teach their children. "That they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments." 

Failure to teach the Truths of God would result in "a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God. "(v8) And we see this truth with our own eyes in our own generations.. 

The rest of this psalm is a history of Israel - a reminder of what exactly it was that they needed to remember and teach their children.. the things that bring them back to the fear of God.. to obey His commands and find Life in Him:

The miracles that brought them out of Egypt.. the divided sea.. the cloud that led by day and the fire by night.. the manna from heaven.. the quail that fell like rain on their camp.. the water from the rock.. the plagues and the the provisions. 

God "being compassionate, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; and often He restrained His anger and did not arouse His wrath.." (v38)...  even though Israel complained.. failed to believe.. rebelled.. and forgot Him.. over and over and over again.  "They did not remember His power.. " verse 42 says.. and perhaps that is something that we also need to think on once again. 

When we truly trust Him.. He will lead us, like He did His people.. "like sheep".. to  guide us "in the wilderness like a flock".. to "safety, so that [we] do not fear".  He gave His people David.. to shepherd "them according the the integrity of his heart, and [guide] them with his skillful hands", the psalmist concludes.  And we are reminded of the Good Shepherd, who leads us to still waters.. to green pastures.. through valleys of shadows.. and will lead us finally and forever Home.  Hallelujah!

We must remember His power!

Father in heaven, Holy God and Righteous King, we come to You once again, to lay down our lives.. to take up our crosses and to follow Jesus.. our Good Shepherd.  He laid down His life for us!  He rose again from the grave.. conquering every enemy.. hallelujah!  He has all authority in heaven and on the earth.. and He is on our side!  You move mountains.. You part the waters.. You heal the blind and set the prisoners free.  You are compassionate and forgiving.. You know that we are "but flesh".. weak and often fickle.. forgive us.  Come, Holy Spirit, and lead us into Your Truth once again.. fill our hearts and our minds with Your Word.  You are our strength..  May we be faithful to tell the next generation of Your mighty works and never.. ever.. forget Your power. Hallelujah.. nothing is impossible for our God! Praise the Lord! Amen. 

Psalm 77

 Psalm 77 The first part of this psalm, verses 1-10, tell of the great anguish of the writer.  He is greatly troubled. 

He cannot sleep. His prayers feel in vain.

He can't find comfort in his normal approach to God.. not in prayer.. not in songs.. not in his memories. 

"Then I said, " It is my grief, that the right hand of the Most High has changed." 

He is confessing his wrong thinking.. 

Then the psalmist makes a deliberate decision to change focus.. to "meditate on all Thy work..." To turn his thoughts fully towards remembering the great ways and deeds of God.

"Thy way, O God, is holy;" (v13)  

Always a good place to start .. a statement of faith!   Tozer wrote, "We trust in what God is. I believe that this alone is true faith."   The courage of the psalmist is revealed in these words..in the midst of impossible circumstances.. he turns his eyes to the God of the impossible.  This is what God IS.. He is holy and His way is holy. 

"What god is like our God?" he asks.. and we need to remember too!

He works wonders!

He redeems people!

He parts waters!

He sends a whirlwind to do His bidding!

He lights up the world!

He makes the earth to tremble!

He can walk through the deepest ocean.. and

He leads His people! 

This is the God we serve.  Yes, there may be a hurricane coming..but we have a God who is bigger than a hurricane! In fact, it is completely in His control. No matter what happens.. whether a physical storm or a financial storm... an emotional upset or a crisis of any kind.. we can turn our anxious thoughts over to Him.. make our requests.. knowing with confidence that He hears us.. even if we don't feel it.. and we can find comfort in the God who moves mountains!  Hallelujah!

Father in heaven, You are holy.  Your ways are holy. Your Name is to be hallowed.. may it be so in all the earth. Keep us walking in faith, believing that You are who You say You are.. and resting in that Truth. Be glorified in our lives.. the life that You have given to us in Christ Jesus. our blessed Lord. Be near to us today in what ever storms are heading our way and may we find that You are indeed here with us.. always!  Amen. 

Psalm 76

 Psalm 76  Once again I return to the Old Testament.. to finish the last half of the book of Psalms.  This Psalm proclaims the majesty and might of our God.  "God is known in Judah;" the writer begins... and this is the Truth that is vital to us also.. that we could join our voices and say.. "God is known to me.. ." Oh what grace!  Only because He revealed Himself to us.. only because He chose to love us.. only because He purposed to redeem us.. all because of His marvelous grace!

"His name is great in Israel." the psalmist adds.  And this brings to mind Psalm 145:3 "Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."  Jesus teaches us to pray..  "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name."  His Name is great.. whether we call Him Adonai.. Jehovah.. Almighty God, or Father.. we are hallowing.. honoring His great Name. Acknowledging that there is no other Name.. no other God that is great like our God. 

Verse 2 tells of one way that God is great.. He established His dwelling place.. in Jerusalem.  He came to be in the center of His people. He made a way for them to know Him and to worship.  He stopped the arrows , the swords, and the "weapons of war".  Great is our God. He has established.. in our hearts.. a dwelling place too.. to be in the center of all who call on the Name of Jesus. Hallelujah!

v4 "Thou art resplendent, more majestic than the mountains of prey."  Resplendent - dazzling - magnificent, shining..glorious... worthy of high praise. 

The Lord judged those who came against His people.. they were "plundered" and they died. They were "rebuked" and destroyed.  Our God is a God to be feared by those who do evil. They will not stand in His presence in their sin and arrogance.  His judgement is fierce in His anger.. and it will cause the earth to fear and be still. (v5-8)

All of this, the psalmist continues, is because He came to "save all the humble of the earth."  Hallelujah! Therefore.. we must praise Him!  We must fulfill our vows to Him. We must bring Him gifts.. sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.. even our very selves..  (v9-11)

We serve a God who judges the princes and kings of this world.  He is the Judge of the dictator and the elected officials.  He is the judge.. and therefore to be feared. 

Father in heaven, we hallow Your Name.  May Your Name be honored and kept sacred in this world. We praise You, Father, for making Yourself known to us through Jesus Christ. We thank You for the grace that has been lavished on us.. for how else could we ever stand before You?  Thank You for redeeming us from the pit.. and saving us from our enemy.  May we ever commit ourselves to You with whole hearts.. May we walk in faith that Your grace.. Your power.. Your love will be seen in our lives this day.  Use us according to Your will, that the darkness be overcome by the Light of Your majesty. In the Name of Jesus, our Lord and King, we pray. Amen

Matthew 27-28

 Matthew 27:57-8:20:   Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and secured permission to take the body of Jesus for burial.  With, what I imagine, great love and care, he washed the matted blood away and wrapped linen cloth around Him. He took the body of Jesus to his own tomb, set Him in the place that he had prepared in the rock.. and rolled a great stone against the entrance. What a gracious and humble deed to honor the One that he loved. 

Mary Magdalene... and the "other Mary".. watched carefully.. planning to return after the Sabbath to complete the anointing of the body.  But, when they came back.. the stone was rolled away!  The angel proclaimed the resurrection! And, filled with "fear and great joy".. they ran to tell the disciples!

The chief priests and Pharisees.. knowing that Jesus had spoken clearly of His resurrection wanted the tomb sealed and guarded for those 3 days..  They claimed that the disciples might come and steal the body...huh!  The guards were dispatched.. but when the angel appeared to them, they "shook for fear.. and became like dead men."  They were paid to lie about everything and spread the rumors that the body had been stolen. 

The disciples.. mourned in the upper room.. until the women came to tell them that Jesus had risen, JUST LIKE HE SAID!  They finally believed.. although some still doubted until they saw Him.  

Matthew skips straight to the final commission that Jesus leaves with His disciples.. "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. " 

Four responses.. 

The humble graciousness of Joseph.

The loving devotion of the women.

The suspicious manipulations of the priests and Pharisees.

The fearful unbelief of the disciples.. 

What is our response? 

 " Come, let us worship and bow down!  Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker! For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.. " " ( Psalm 95:6-8a) 

Father, You have given us the Word of Life, the Beloved Son, to be our Lord and King. We have been given  a great commission to tell others of the Truth that they may also become disciples of Jesus.  You have given us the work and will enable us to do it! We need to be strong in the Lord, using the weapons of righteousness to push back the darkness.. to stand firm in this evil age.. to plunder the enemy of our Lord. By Your great power and boundless might.. raise up the church of Christ to answer the call, believing with all our hearts the Jesus is with us always!  Even to the end of the age!  Hallelujah! What a Savior!  Amen and amen!

Matthew 27

 Matthew 27:33-56    "... when they had come to a place called Golgotha.. " We call it "Calvary".. both words mean "skull".   Perhaps because of the executions carried out there.. perhaps for some other reason. Jesus was led to the place where He would be crucified.  Matthew quickly records it.. "they gave Him wine to drink mingles with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink. And when they had crucified Him..." 

They cast lots for His clothes.

They kept watch.

They put the sign up.. "This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews."

They brought the two robbers.. 

Those "passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads."

They taunted and mocked.. and tested Him.

They insulted and ridiculed Him.. until...

"Now about the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour.." Jesus called out to the Father ... "Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?"  Then, crying out one more time, He "yielded up His spirit." 

The veil was torn.

The earth shook.

The tombs were opened.

The "saints who had fallen asleep were raised.." 

And the centurion and the guards trembled.. "Truly this was the Son of God." 

The women watched..

And.. the world would never be the same again.. 

"It's Friday.. But Sunday's coming!"  Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Father in heaven, gratefully we bow before You, knowing that if this had not happened.. if Christ had never been crucified.. if He had not done Your will.. drank the cup.. given up His spirit.. We would still be lost in sin, with no hope of salvation... no hope of eternal life.. no hope for life of any kind.  Thank You Jesus! Thank You that this is not the end of the story!  Thank You for revealing these truths to us so that we can know You and become Your children.. forever Yours. Hallelujah! Amen. 

Matthew 27

 Matthew 27:11-32  Jesus was beaten up by the guards at the high priest's house and then transported to stand before Pilate, the governor.  The Jews would have gladly killed Jesus themselves, but they could not.. so they bullied Pilate into doing it for them.  Pilate tried to get out of it. 

He tried to get Jesus to say something in His own defense.

He tried to release Him according to his custom to release one prisoner during Passover. 

He tried to convince the Jews that their accusations were not enough to warrant a death sentence. 

He tried washing his hands of the matter. 

But.. he finally gave in to the demands.."Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified."

The Jewish leaders pushed and hounded and "persuaded" the crowd to do their will.. they even took the responsibility for the death of their Messiah.. "His blood be on us and on our children."

No sadder words could ever be spoken. 

Jesus was mocked. 

He was stripped and covered by a scarlet robe.  

A crown of thorns pierced His head.

A reed was put in His hands.

He was spit on. 

He was beaten again.  

The blood soaked robe was pulled from His body.

And He was led away to be crucified. 

Father in heaven, did Your heart break? Did the anguish of Your Beloved Son bring tears? Did the angels stop singing? Was there silence in the heavens?  Oh how marvelous is Your grace! For this was the plan for our salvation.. the sacrifice that would bring about the full redemption of all who will believe!  Once again.. we bow before You.. in awe.. in adoration.. of the love poured out for us by the precious Lamb of God.  Oh Jesus!  We love You. We thank You for coming for us.. for doing what we can never do.. for paying the full price for our forgiveness. May we live every moment in the light of Your goodness and grace. Amen!

Matthew 26-27

 Matthew 26:69-27:10  Two men.. both disciples of Jesus.. both guilty of turning away from Him at a time of His greatest trial... 

Peter had followed John to the high priest's courtyard.  He had entered in to watch. But, when confronted with his relationship with Jesus.. he denied it.  Denied that the Man he loved.. the Man he had proclaimed was the Christ.. the Man that he had sworn to die for.. was even someone he knew.  When the rooster crowed.. Peter remembered the words of Jesus.. he remembered that Jesus already knew that this would happen and that he would fail.. "And he went out and wept bitterly." 

Judas "saw" that Jesus had been condemned and sentenced to death.  He "felt remorse".  He so regretted his actions that he took the 30 pieces of silver and gave it back to the chief priests and elders.  He even confessed his sin.. "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."  But, he could not take back the motion that he started... it had already gone too far.  He threw the silver into the sanctuary of the temple "and he went away and hanged himself."  

The chief priests and elders play a part in this scene too.. They don't care about Judas.. or his guilty conscience .. they don't even care about the money. They consider it "the price of blood".  Right there, they confess their guilt of murdering the Lord.  Their  actions.. to take the silver and buy the Potter's field, Matthew says, is a fulfillment of prophecy. Although Matthew credits Jeremiah with these words, they are actually found in Zechariah 11:13  "Then the Lord said to me, 'Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.' So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord." 

Betrayal, denial, murder, and suicide.. and this is only precedes the greatest sorrow of all.. the crucifixion of the Lord.  I am always reminded as I read this account.. of the words of the preacher, S.M. Lockridge,  "It's Friday.. but Sunday's coming!"  Hallelujah !

Father in heaven, we are so thankful for Your plan of salvation fulfilled in Jesus Christ the Beloved Son. Oh the grief and sorrow.. but Oh! How marvelous the result! Such love! Such grace! How can we ever thank You enough?  Keep these truths in our hearts.. that Jesus, willingly paid the price for our sins.. that we might become Your children as we place our faith in Him.  Blessed be the Name of our Lord. Amen. 

Matthew 26

 Matthew 26:57-68  They had come with swords and clubs to seize the One who had sat teaching in the temple.. who stood alone, who acknowledged His identity.. Who offered no resistance.. who healed the servant's ear right there in their midst.. and they led Him to Caiaphas, the high priest. 

The council of scribes and elders had gathered.  Peter had quietly followed. The false witnesses had been brought in.. but none could testify of any deadly sins.  Then, two came and told of the statement that Jesus had made.. and even then they misquoted Him.. "This man stated, ' I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days."  What Jesus actually said was, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." ( John 2:19)  It was the answer to the Jews who wanted a sign.  John tells us clearly, "But He was speaking of the temple of His body." ( v21) He would not destroy the temple or Himself.. but they would kill Him and the temple would soon be destroyed anyway.

Even then, Jesus said nothing. But, when the high priest said, " I adjure You ( charge you under an oath),  by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God."  Then... Jesus answered to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Jesus mixed two Old Testament prophecies here.. Psalm 110:1 "The Lord says to my Lord; sit at My right hand until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet."  and Daniel 7: 13 "... and behold, with the clouds of heaven, One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory, and a kingdom.. " These passages testify to the position and authority of the Christ.. and Jesus is truthfully saying that this is speaking about Him...

The high priest reacted with total unbelief.. tearing his robe and accusing Jesus of blasphemy.. which holds the penalty of death. With (un)-righteous indignation the council unanimously pronounces the execution of the holy Son of God.  They unleashed the mob to punch and slap and spit on the innocent Lamb, who would willingly lay down His life for them in a few short hours. 

Father in heaven, be glorified!  Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man.. we long to see that day when You come "on the clouds of heaven" and forever reign!  As we think about the events on that day before the condemning council.. we wonder at their blindness and their hardness of heart.. how they could not see that the One they prayed and longed for.. had come.  But, we are thankful at the same time.. for what they did.. took You to the cross where our ransom was paid.. where are sins were atoned.. and where we were set free from the dominion of darkness.. so that we can look forward the Your eternal kingdom. Hallelujah! What a Savior! Spirit, lead us once again.. to Calvary.. "lest [we] forget Thine agony.. lest [we] forget Thine love for [us]." For it is in the Name of our great and precious Savior that we pray, Amen.

Matthew 26

 Matthew 26: 47-56  Now they came,  Judas, the betrayer.. the temple  guards with "swords and clubs" - representing the "chief priests and elders".. the Roman cohort with its officers.. they all came armed and ready for a battle.. 

Jesus said, ".. do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" A gang of thugs and a Roman cohort numbering at 600 could not stand against 1 angel.. let alone 12 legions.. 72,000 angels!  But, Jesus did not call for the angels.. He had already submitted to the Father's will and was prepared to drink the cup that He alone could take.. 

Judas came with a kiss.  I never noticed before but read in a commentary that Judas addresses Jesus as "Rabbi".. never "Lord".  Jesus still.. in the center of this betrayal.. calls Judas "friend"... a comrade.. even though he was not a true friend. 

Jesus attests that everything that happened in that moment was to fulfill the Scriptures. Zechariah 13:7 says, "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the man, My Associate, declares the Lord of hosts. 'Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered.. "  Isaiah 53 is  perhaps the greatest of the Messianic prophecies. Verse 3 "He was despised and forsaken of men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from home men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." 

"Then all the disciples left Him and fled." 

Heavenly Father, if Jesus had called upon the angels.. if He had not taken the cup.. if He had not died on that cross, shedding His blood for our forgiveness.. we would never be able to call on You.. let alone call You "Father".  Your love and grace and peace have been provided to us because of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God.. the Shepherd of Your people. Jesus, King of glory, we give You thanks and praise and bless Your holy Name.  Lord, we are Yours and we want to abide in You always with hearts full of love and gratitude. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth.. in us.. as it is in heaven.  Amen. 

Matthew 26

 Matthew 26:30-46   The small group leaves the upper room and moves toward the Mount of Olives.  On the way, Jesus tells His disciples once again that He will be leaving them... that they would be scattered, but they would see Him again after He is raised.  We see in the book of John that there is much more that Jesus talked to His disciples about on that walk.. chapters 14-17 to be exact.  But here, Matthew only mentions the conversation with Peter, who, along with the others promised to "never fall away" and never "deny Him".

But, only a short time later, while Jesus is praying.. in obvious agony and grief.. Peter, and the others, cannot even keep their eyes open for an hour.  Jesus gently chastises them.. "So, you men could not keep watch with Me one hour?"  Oh the frailty of this human flesh... 

The substance of Jesus' prayer is at once precious and heart-rending.. it is honest and humble.. "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt." (v39) 

The second time, Matthew records, Jesus prays.. "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Thy will be done." 

Mark records it this way, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for Thee; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what Thou wilt."  

And Luke wrote, "Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done."  

Interestingly, John, who was present in that garden, does not record this at all.. but tells of the arrival of Judas with the Roman troops, and when Peter uses a sword to cut off the ear of Malchus, Jesus says, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

I'm drawn by the progression of these words.. 

"if it is possible"

"if it cannot pass"

"All things are possible...if Thou art willing.. "

"... the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

Of course, the most important lesson that we gain from Jesus' prayer is the lesson of submission to the Father's will.. Jesus leads us always by example...  How often we must learn this lesson!  The Father's will is always the greatest good.. for it accomplishes His perfect and holy and amazing purposes. 

Jesus was strengthened for the brutal and horrid punishment that would break His body and shed His blood.. as He fully yielded to the Father's will.  The "cup" would not pass.. unless Jesus drank it.. If He did not take it.. we would all have to..  Jeremiah wrote this, "For thus the Lord, the God of Israel, says to me, 'Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.'"  And Psalm 75:8 says, "For a cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams; It is well mixed, and He pours our of this; Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs." 

Our Father, Great and Holy God, Creator of all, and Lord of all.. we exalt You!  This cup of wrath.. that we rightly deserve has been given to the Lord Jesus, who yielded Himself to take if for us. Oh, Hallelujah!  What a Savior!  Father, how can we do anything but praise You?  Thank You for this amazing grace.. that comes from the greatness of Your love. "... a mighty love that has no beginning and can have no end.." ( Tozer).   You have made us objects of Your delight.. How marvelous it this love to me.. May my love grow deeper and stronger and give You even more pleasure. Teach me.. teach us.. to submit and surrender to Your good and perfect will.. always! We ask in Jesus' Name.. Amen

Matthew 26

 Matthew 26: 26-29  "The Lord's Supper".. or the "Last Supper" - the final Passover meal that Jesus shared with His disciples before His crucifixion.. the observance that we practice in church-to remember anew and continually the significance.. the greatness of His sacrifice for our "forgiveness of sins." 

"... Jesus took some bread and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.'" The Complete Jewish Study Bible says that the "blessing" would be the traditional  "b'rakhah" - the bread - unleavened, according to the Passover laws; The breaking of the bread, not unusual .. but His words, "this is My body"..  would take on even more meaning when He was beaten and bruised.. and nailed upon that tree.   Remember this, He seems to be saying .. remember the sacrifice.. the surrender.. the cost of your salvation. 

"And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. "  - A traditional cup and a traditional blessing.. most likely, according to the CJSB "Blessed are you, Adonai, our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine."  But.. a new covenant - sealed, not with the blood of a lamb, but with the blood of the Lamb of God.  Remember this, He seems to say.. and His disciples would.. as they saw the blood run down His face from the crown of thorns.. down His back from the cruel lashes.. from His hands and His feet as the nails were driven in.. 

"But, I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."  This would be the last Passover that Jesus would observe on earth. He would die, be resurrected, and ascend into heaven before the next year would come.  No more blood would need to be shed for the salvation of mankind.. for...  "It is finished"! Hallelujah! 

Father in heaven, "Blessed are You !" Great are Your ways and Your will!  May You be forever praised. How we look forward to that day when we will be forever in Your Kingdom.. to sit at the table.. to share the cup with our Lord Jesus.. Oh what a day that will be.  How can we ever thank You enough for this gift of salvation.. purchased with the broken body and poured out blood of Your Anointed One?  "Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."  (Psalm 145:3) Keep us in Your Love, abiding in the fellowship of Your Spirit, to the glory of Jesus' name. Amen

Matthew 26:1-25

Matthew 26:1-25  This chapter opens with Jesus plainly telling His disciples.. "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be delivered up for crucifixion."  He knew that the time had come. He prepared them the best He could. The events were set in motion... 

The chief priests and elders decided their course.. 

The woman anointed Him for burial.. 

Judas made his bargain.. 

The  Passover meal began.. 

The betrayer was revealed.. 

Yet, they all still seemed unaware that this was really going to happen.  

They were indignant at the woman "wasting" the expensive perfume.. 

They were concerned about where the passover meal would be served.. 

They were each afraid that they themselves might betray Jesus..

Luke tells us that Jesus said, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.. " He also tells us that the disciples were still arguing about who among them was the greatest!  

John slows us down from Matthew's quick recap of the events.. sharing the intimate details of this last supper. 

He tells of the way the Teacher washed the feet of His disciples.

He tells of the moment that Judas left the room..

He tells of the denial of Jesus that Peter would make in a few short hours.

He tells of the comfort Jesus offered to them.. of the prayer He prayed for them.. of the promises He made to them.. and then they went out.. to Gethsemane. 

Father in heaven, as we remember that night.. as we think of all the significance of those last hours before Jesus was crucified.. we bow before You, humbled, contrite, amazed.. and so very thankful! You who made everything, the One that all creation depends on for life.. sent Your Son.. the Word became flesh.. and gave Himself to die on a cross.. for us.  Hallelujah, What a Savior!  Father, may we hear Your voice today.. and do Your will.. in word and in action.. in oneness with our Savior and King.. to the glory of Your Name. Amen. 

Matthew 25:31-46

Matthew 25:31-46   Jesus concluded His teaching on His future return with this.... "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne."  Oh, Hallelujah! What a day that will be! 

Yet, this time will also be a time of judgement for the nations..."And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."

There will be a  final separation.. sheep from goats.. wheat from tares.. foolish slaves from faithful slaves.. the prepared virgins from the unprepared.. the productive servants from the lazy ones..  righteous from evil... believers from unbelievers.  Jesus gives us a clear directive on His standard of judgement.. 

He says to the "sheep" at His right hand, "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.."   Those who fed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty, invited the stranger in, clothed the naked, visited the sick and the prisoners... "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." 

The "goats" on the King's left are told, "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.. "  They gave nothing.. they helped no-one.. they failed to act in kindness or mercy to even "one of the least of these".  

It is, as always, an issue of the heart.  A heart that has yielded to Jesus, cleansed by His blood, transformed by His Spirit.. will love God and love his brothers. We will reach out to the best of our ability to help those in need, using whatever the Lord has leant us to sow into the souls of others. Our lives will reflect the love and joy and peace and grace of our Father and of our Brother Jesus. 

But, a heart that is hardened.. self-centered.. greedy.. malicious.. judgmental..bitter..  and sin-filled ..will be seen by the lack of compassion and kindness and truthfulness....

 ...And, this is where we all stand until we understand our need for a Savior who can and will and delights to make us new!  We do not have to stay "goats".. for Christ came to set us free! He alone can save. Oh Hallelujah!  What a Savior!

Father in heaven, we long for the coming of our King!  To see Him in His glory.. to enter the inheritance that You have prepared for us..  Yet, we also grieve for the lost, for those who refuse to turn to You as well as those who have never heard the Word of Truth. Once again, we bring our prayer.. Send forth workers into the harvest, Lord!  For we ask this in Jesus' wonderful, powerful Name. Amen. 

Matthew 25:14-30

Matthew 25:14-30  Jesus is still speaking to His disciples about His return.. He has told them the signs to be aware of; the perils that were ahead; the unexpectedness of His coming; and the need to be alert and prepared.  This next parable emphasizes again the point of being found faithful.. 

The kingdom is like a man who is going on a great journey and he leaves 3 of his slaves in charge of his estate.  To the first he leaves 5 talents.. to the second - 2 talents.. and to the third - 1 talent.  

Now, we need to understand that a talent is money - silver to be specific.  A talent of silver =75-88 pounds of silver!  At todays rate that is about $290 a pound.. or $21,720 per talent.... so the first slave got $108,600 worth of silver to work with; the second had $43,440; and the third still had $21,720!  

We also need to look at the word "traded" - "Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents."  The Greek word used here is ergazomai - meaning to toil ( as a task, occupation, etc.) ; be engaged in or with - to commit, do, labor for, minister about, trade by work. The root word "ergon" denotes work..effort.. labor.  

So, the first two men.. according to their "own ability" - immediately set to work.  This would not have  been an instant, easy, magical trade.  They worked hard with the master's money and they turned a profit for him.  They were "good and faithful" servants.  They were rewarded for their work - "You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master!"  The master delighted in his servants and invited them into his joy!

But, the third slave took the one talent - $21,720 worth of silver - and buried it.  He did no work. He made no effort.  The Bible Knowledge Commentary suggests that perhaps he thought the master would not return and he could keep it for himself then.  If he had put it in the bank as he should have - it would have been registered as belonging to the master.  His excuse the master is lame - "Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid and went away and hid your talent in the ground; see, you have what is yours."  If he really believed that.. he would have worked harder!   The master saw right through this guy.. "You wicked, lazy slave.. ."  The talent was taken away and he was" cast out ..into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 

The time of Christ's return is not known to us.. but we see the signs and know it could be any time! Jesus is telling us that we need to be alert.. we need to be prepared.. and we need to be faithfully working with whatever he puts in our hands. We want to be good and faithful servants.. not wicked and lazy ones!  Thankful that He helps us to do whatever He asks us to do!

Father in heaven, we thank You for the grace that is sufficient for us in every part of our lives.. in the good times and in the hard times.. in our work and in our rest.  You are our God who holds time in Your hands - You see the beginning and the end at the same time!  You are infinite and endless and perfect.  And beyond all of that.. You see us.. each of us.. our abilities and our failures.. our faithfulness and our lack thereof..and You love us greatly!  Father, strengthen us by Your Spirit, that we might serve You well today.  May Your will be done. Amen

Matthew 25:1-13

 Matthew 25:1-13  Jesus  continues to teach His disciples about His return.  This parable again emphasizes the vital necessity of being prepared for that day.  "Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour." (v13)

Jesus said that "the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom."   The bridegroom was coming.. on his way.. but the time was unknown. So, the bridal party did what they did in those days.. they went out to wait. Not knowing the hour, they brought oil lamps with them.  But, five were "foolish" and were not prepared for an extended wait.. so they didn't bring extra oil.  The other five were "prudent" and came prepared with flasks of extra oil.  As the night continued on they all slept a bit.. until they heard the shout, "Behold the bridegroom!" It was midnight and the lamps were running low on oil.. so the prepared women refilled their lamps and kept their lights shining, while the foolish ones had to return to the store and buy more. Since it was midnight, they probably had to wait a while...  By the time they returned, the bridegroom had come, the door was shut and it was too late. 

Too late..  such tragic words. Too late to repent. Too late to find the free salvation offered to all by our gracious God. Too late to live a life of light and love and grace. Too late to find forgiveness and peace.. with God and with others. Too late...  Oh how that saddens my heart when I think of loved ones who have passed away without knowing Jesus.  There is no greater pain, I think.  Imagine how much it hurts the Lord's heart too... 

Father in heaven, truly You are great and mighty and holy!  Your Word is Truth and Your ways are righteous and just. Thank You for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ the Lord. Thank You that we can come into Your Kingdom before it is "too late".  Father, still, our hearts are burdened for the lost ones.. foolishly wandering here and there, not knowing that the time is coming when Christ shall return and it will be too late for them to change their minds.  Oh Father, send forth Your workers into the harvest!  Spirit of God, move in the lives of our unsaved loved ones.. for we are pleading for Your mercy on their behalf.  You are the God who does the impossible.. move the mountains of unbelief and doubts and fears, Lord! We ask this in the wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 24:42-51

 Matthew 24:42-51 Jesus gives two more illustrations for us to think about in regard to His glorious return to reign forever.  

Verses 42 tells us to be on the alert, "for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.." and verse 44 tells us.. "be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not think He will.. "  Both of these statements emphasize 2 important facts... 1) we need to be prepared and 2) His return will be a surprise.  

In between these 2 statements is the illustration:  The head of a household and the thief.  If we knew when someone was planning to come break into our house in the night.. I'm sure we would be prepared! We would definitely "be alert" and "ready".   We would watch through the windows.. we would listen for a rustle of the bushes or a quiet footstep outside the door.. We would be on high alert!  But, unfortunately, we don't know when someone is coming to break into our house. We are usually not as careful as we should be... and it is then that the thief takes us by surprise. 

The next illustration continues with this thought using a different scenario: The owner of a large household leaves a slave in charge while he goes somewhere.  His return date is unknown. There are two possible outcomes when he returns home:

1)  The slave is "faithful and sensible" doing all that he has been charged to do.. he has taken care of the household properly.. so, when the master returns unexpectedly... he is so pleased with the work of the slave that he gives him a huge promotion and puts him in a place of honor. 

2)  The slave is "evil". He takes advantage of the master's absence to do whatever he wants.  He beats his fellow slaves. He eats and drinks "with the drunkards".. So, when the master returns unexpectedly.. he is outraged...and the slave is put to death and assigned to hell.. where there is "weeping.. and the gnashing of teeth." 

Again we are reminded of the need to be alert and prepared.. but also, Jesus tells us we must be faithful as we wait.  ".. faithful and sensible.. "   We cannot be truly ready unless we are living according to God's holy word that "shall never pass away".  We do not know the day or hour. but we do know what He desires for us to be doing until He comes.. loving Him and loving others.  

Father in heaven, we love Your graciousness and kindness to us.. We love that You love us.. that You sing over us.. that You enjoy fellowship with us.  We love Your light that shines on us.. like the sun.. day in and day out.. on cloudy, rainy days as well as clear ones.  You have delivered us out of darkness by sending the Light of the World to be our Savior and King.  Help us to be ready.. faithful and alert.. prepared for the greatest surprise that will ever come.  Father, send forth workers into Your harvest.. to gather more lost sinners that they might turn to Jesus and be saved from the wrath to come.  Bring salvation that Your Name will be praised more and more in all the earth.  In Jesus' name we ask this. Amen. 

Matthew 24:32-51

 Matthew 24: 32-51  Jesus is still answering the disciple's question.."..when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming?"   He has given them some warnings.. don't be mislead and don't be frightened.. and He has revealed the grim reality of that time. Now He gives them 4 illustrations to teach them even more... (covering 2 of those today)

The fig tree -  This parable reminds us of the way of nature as God created it.. The tree's branches become "tender".. it "puts forth its leaves" and by this we can recognize that summer is near.   Jesus says that this illustrates how we can recognize His coming is imminent.. all that He has said will lead up to His return.  There will be false christs and false prophets.. there will be wars and tribulation.. there will be famines and earthquakes.. there will be horrible abominations in the holy place of God.. there will be lives taken and darkness..  These are the things that will happen before the end of the age.  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away."  Jesus assures us.  

 But, the times are in the Hands of the Father alone.. 

Noah - Here, Jesus gives us a picture of what life on earth will look like before He comes, "For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark."  Looking back to Genesis 6 we get a clear picture of those days:

Verse 1 "Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose." 

Verse 5 "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." 

Verse 6 -"And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart." 

We can't even begin to fathom how wicked people were in those days that God would be sorry He made them!  Our world today seems pretty dark and filled with so much evil that it grieves us.. but, it must not be to the point of destruction.. yet. But, as then, it is now- in that life just goes on and people do what they want without much consideration to what God made them for.. fellowship with Him!  Wickedness abounds.. evil fills so, so many hearts.. and the righteous are few and far between.  Only Noah and his family entered the ark.. only those who enter the shelter of Jesus Christ will be saved. 

Father in heaven, You are infinite in patience, mighty in power, and transcendent above all.  We bow before You in worship.. humbled by the wonder of Your grace.. that You have not treated us as we deserve, but You have given us a Savior, who has taken away our sin.  Thank You! Lead us in truth, Lord and righteousness, and faith. Surround us with Your love and fill us with Your Spirit.  May we be ready for the day of Christ's return and may we be ambassadors for the gospel while we are waiting. Amen. 

Matthew 24:15-31

Matthew 24:15-31  Jesus is answering the disciple's question... " when will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"  In this part of the passage He describes the severity of those days, beginning with the "abomination of desolation" that Daniel spoke about in Daniel 9:27)  When there is filthy, detestable things that bring destruction and waste into the holy place of God.. then, Jesus says.. know that it has begun. 

Those in Judea are told "to flee to the mountains;"  Those at home on their rooftops need to run without taking anything with them. Those in the field must not even go back for their coats.  Women who are pregnant or have young babies will be especially in dire straits.  If it happens in winter, it will be worse.. so Jesus urges us to pray that it will not be so. 

This severity of tribulation will be so great, Jesus says, that it has " not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall ."   Think of that!  Worse than all the wars this world has seen.. worse than the nuclear bombs dropped on Japan.. worse than the holocaust.. worse than the flood that wiped out all except for Noah and his family. Only the grace of God prevents "all life" from being cut off. "...for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short." 

Again, the danger of false christs and false prophets will challenge even the "elect" of God. Be ready, He warns us.. don't be mislead, but know that when the Son of Man comes it will not be mistaken by anyone.. "For just as the lightning comes from the east to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be."

"Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures gather".   This is a grim picture of the aftermath of this great tribulation..  In Job 39:30 God is speaking to Job about His creation and says this about the eagles - "His young ones also suck up blood; and where the slain are there is he."  And in Ezekiel 39:17-18 He says this, "... Speak to every  kind of bird and to every beast of the field, 'Assemble and come, gather from every side to My sacrifice for you, as a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood. You shall eat the flesh of mighty men, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, as though they were rams, lambs, goats, and bulls... "

And then.. He comes!  The sun, moon, and stars will go dark. ".. the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory."  The trumpet will sound and the elect will be gathered "from one end of the sky to the other." 

What a day that will be!  

Father in heaven, we lift our heads and look up.. waiting for the day when Christ will call us home.. whether by death or rapture.. in anticipation of this final day when Christ will come to reign for ever.  This tribulation that is coming is beyond our imaginations.. yet we know that You have given us these truths so that men and women will understand that they need Jesus to save them from the wrath to come and the judgement that we deserve..  May we endure.. we may not be lulled into complacency and compromise.. may we sense again the urgency to proclaim the Truth of the gospel of Christ to a world of lost sinners for whom He was slain. Send Your word across the land.. let it run rapidly and be glorified so that more souls will find life in Jesus. It is in this marvelous Name that we pray. Amen