I Corinthians 5:6-8
Any bread-makers reading this? I have made various fruit breads before, such as banana bread and cranberry bread. However, I have never made any yeast breads before. My children and I frequently watch classic TV shows, and one of our favorites is I Love Lucy from the 1950’s. One hilarious episode is when Lucy accidentally puts way too much yeast in a loaf of bread she is making, and what happens then. In our brief Scripture passage today, the Apostle Paul speaks about leaven, or yeast, and what it signifies in our life. Let’s take a look and see what we can learn today.
I Corinthians is a letter that Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, and a significant part of the letter is spent attempting to correct some serious sins and problems the Corinthians had allowed in their lives. This was very necessary, as sin, left unchecked, will spread and become worse and more destructive. As our passage opens, Paul is warning the Corinthian believers that this is something they need to take seriously, since it seems that some of them were even bragging about some of the sins that various members of their congregation were involved in (vs. 6). Paul begins to compare sin to something most of them would be familiar with - leaven.
Leaven, better known today as yeast, is referenced in Scripture to represent influence, and in most cases it refers to an evil influence. If we make bread, and add yeast to it, the yeast permeates the whole loaf. When we tolerate sin in our lives, and in our local church, that sin will permeate our whole life and being, and it will also corrupt the local church. If someone sees one person doing something wrong or sinful, and nothing is done to correct them, then they might think that this behavior is okay. If speed limits are never enforced on certain roads, then rather quickly speed limit signs mean nothing, and everyone goes however fast they want to. This holds true with any behavior. With no correction, the behavior gets worse and worse. Ask anyone who has taken in some foster children who have not been raised with any firm rules, discipline, and guidance.
Blatant sin left uncorrected in our life, or in the church, will permeate it and corrupt it, just like the bit of yeast added to the dough. Very soon it has spread through it. It is just like a small bit of mold that very quickly destroys a whole loaf of bread. The same is true with cancer in the body. If nothing is done, it can spread to other organs and put one’s life in danger. It must be removed (vs. 7). We cannot tolerate it, or else it will jeopardize the spiritual health of ourselves or the church. We cannot sin a little without it tarnishing our witness. We cannot sin a little without it diminishing our power. We cannot sin a little without sowing curses and death for ourselves.
When the Jews left Egypt, being set free from the bondage of slavery, they used unleavened bread at the Passover ceremony. Bread with no leaven or yeast symbolized being freed from the bondage of sin. The Church today is to be “unleavened”, separated from the power of sin and death by Jesus, the perfect Passover Lamb (vs. 7). We are to remove everything sinful in our lives, and that of the church, being separated from our old life. Jesus Christ is our Passover Lamb, the perfect sacrifice for sin. Because He has delivered us from the slavery of sin, we should have nothing to do with the sin of our past, the “old leaven” (vs. 8).
As believers, those who have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus, our life is to be unleavened. We need to get the sin out of it. We get the leaven out of it by replacing it with sincerity and truthfulness, (vs. 8), with honesty, integrity, and God’s Word. If we see anything corrupting something, we make sure that we get it out, just as a doctor will cut in and remove a cancer. Before sin eats deeper into our souls, we need to ask God to excise it so that we can become spiritually sound and healthy.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Monday, April 13, 2020
When The Mountains Skipped
Psalm 114
Have you ever seen something so spectacular that you just wanted to jump up and shout out your excitement? Perhaps it was at a sports event, and your team just made an unbelievable score, winning the game against tremendous odds. Maybe you heard an astounding rendition of a favorite symphony, and you wanted to heartily applaud the orchestra, or a wonderful performance on stage. It’s especially moving if your child or loved one took part in the performance. How about when it is God we want to cheer? Our short psalm for today speaks of all of nature giving God a cheer for what He has done.
Our unknown Psalmist began his psalm telling of the greatest event to that date in the nation of Israel’s history, the greatest thing that God had done for His people, which was His deliverance from bondage in Egypt, and the parting of the Red Sea (vs. 1). God brought the people across the wilderness, and gave them the land of Canaan, the land that He had promised their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (vs. 2). Not only was this land the land that He gave to His people, it was the land where the Temple was, and where His Presence dwelt.
The psalmist used very poetic language throughout his writing to describe all he felt about God and the great things He did. Verse 3 described God having parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), and then 40 years later when He parted the Jordan River for the people to enter the Promised Land (Joshua 3:13-17). He described both the Red Sea and the River Jordan as taking a look at mighty Yahweh, and fleeing back, parting at His command (vs. 3, 5). When the people came into their promised land and heritage, he again used very poetic language to describe the mountains and hills like lambs and rams frolicking and skipping (vs. 4, 6). I have seen some cute videos of little baby goats skipping and frolicking around. They look so happy and playful! That is the way the psalmist described that natural land, as if they were rejoicing and happy at what Yahweh had done, skipping in delightful praise to Him.
The psalmist then spoke to the physical earth, telling it that it should tremble at the presence of the Lord God (vs. 7). We sometimes tremble when we are afraid. Trembling in the Bible describes genuine fear in the overwhelming presence of God. To tremble at God’s presence means to recognize God’s complete power and authority, and our frailty by comparison. Mankind can tremble in fear of God because of their sinfulness. After we have accepted Jesus as Savior, our fear becomes a worshipful reverence, and praise for God’s glory. That fear can also bring a trembling. Believers can find joy in God’s presence, which will lead us to fall before Him in adoration and worship.
We can sometimes see, as we look around, the world tremble at the presence of the Lord. Mount Sinai trembled before God when He appeared there to give Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19:16-18). When we see the majesty of nature, we should, like the mountains, oceans, and all of creation, give praise and glory to God’s greatness.
The psalmist concluded this short psalm in verse 8 with a reference to when God brought water out of the rock for the people (Exodus 17:5-6, Numbers 20:7-11). This was an additional example from nature where God did something great and astounding that the psalmist wanted us to remember. There is nothing drier than a rock or boulder in the desert wilderness. Yet God brought water out of a rock to quench the thirst of multitudes.
Today, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, can point to His death on the cross for our sins, and His resurrection from the dead as the greatest event in human history. Just as the Jewish people were set free from slavery at the Exodus from Egypt, those who have placed their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior have been delivered from the power of sin and death. Just as the waters looked at the power of God and parted at His command, the rock covering Jesus’ tomb rolled away. All of nature can again rejoice like frolicking lambs at the knowledge that He’s alive! Let us, with nature, rejoice in our amazing and extraordinary God.
Have you ever seen something so spectacular that you just wanted to jump up and shout out your excitement? Perhaps it was at a sports event, and your team just made an unbelievable score, winning the game against tremendous odds. Maybe you heard an astounding rendition of a favorite symphony, and you wanted to heartily applaud the orchestra, or a wonderful performance on stage. It’s especially moving if your child or loved one took part in the performance. How about when it is God we want to cheer? Our short psalm for today speaks of all of nature giving God a cheer for what He has done.
Our unknown Psalmist began his psalm telling of the greatest event to that date in the nation of Israel’s history, the greatest thing that God had done for His people, which was His deliverance from bondage in Egypt, and the parting of the Red Sea (vs. 1). God brought the people across the wilderness, and gave them the land of Canaan, the land that He had promised their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (vs. 2). Not only was this land the land that He gave to His people, it was the land where the Temple was, and where His Presence dwelt.
The psalmist used very poetic language throughout his writing to describe all he felt about God and the great things He did. Verse 3 described God having parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), and then 40 years later when He parted the Jordan River for the people to enter the Promised Land (Joshua 3:13-17). He described both the Red Sea and the River Jordan as taking a look at mighty Yahweh, and fleeing back, parting at His command (vs. 3, 5). When the people came into their promised land and heritage, he again used very poetic language to describe the mountains and hills like lambs and rams frolicking and skipping (vs. 4, 6). I have seen some cute videos of little baby goats skipping and frolicking around. They look so happy and playful! That is the way the psalmist described that natural land, as if they were rejoicing and happy at what Yahweh had done, skipping in delightful praise to Him.
The psalmist then spoke to the physical earth, telling it that it should tremble at the presence of the Lord God (vs. 7). We sometimes tremble when we are afraid. Trembling in the Bible describes genuine fear in the overwhelming presence of God. To tremble at God’s presence means to recognize God’s complete power and authority, and our frailty by comparison. Mankind can tremble in fear of God because of their sinfulness. After we have accepted Jesus as Savior, our fear becomes a worshipful reverence, and praise for God’s glory. That fear can also bring a trembling. Believers can find joy in God’s presence, which will lead us to fall before Him in adoration and worship.
We can sometimes see, as we look around, the world tremble at the presence of the Lord. Mount Sinai trembled before God when He appeared there to give Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19:16-18). When we see the majesty of nature, we should, like the mountains, oceans, and all of creation, give praise and glory to God’s greatness.
The psalmist concluded this short psalm in verse 8 with a reference to when God brought water out of the rock for the people (Exodus 17:5-6, Numbers 20:7-11). This was an additional example from nature where God did something great and astounding that the psalmist wanted us to remember. There is nothing drier than a rock or boulder in the desert wilderness. Yet God brought water out of a rock to quench the thirst of multitudes.
Today, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, can point to His death on the cross for our sins, and His resurrection from the dead as the greatest event in human history. Just as the Jewish people were set free from slavery at the Exodus from Egypt, those who have placed their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior have been delivered from the power of sin and death. Just as the waters looked at the power of God and parted at His command, the rock covering Jesus’ tomb rolled away. All of nature can again rejoice like frolicking lambs at the knowledge that He’s alive! Let us, with nature, rejoice in our amazing and extraordinary God.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
The Risen Savior Calls Your Name
John 20:11-18
Great grief and sorrow can blind us to what is right in front of our eyes. This can be especially true if we have gone through a very traumatic, perhaps violent and brutal event. Oftentimes the mind will draw the person back behind a protective shell for a while, as they try to cope with what has happened. There are several different accounts of events connected with the Resurrection of Jesus, giving several different people’s perspectives of what they saw, felt, and believed that morning. Today we’ll look at the account of one of Jesus’ most devoted followers, Mary Magdalene.
There were many women among Jesus’ followers. Jesus treated them all with dignity and as people of worth, unlike the culture of His day. Mary Magdalene was a woman who was tormented by many demons in her life, seven to be exact. Her life must have been sheer misery when she came to Jesus, and He cast them out of her (Mark 16:9). (Legends have said that she was a prostitute, but there is no Scriptural evidence of this.) Mary Magdalene had followed Jesus from the early days of His ministry. She was present at the crucifixion, and was one of the several women who were going to anoint Jesus body early Sunday morning. Jesus honored her love and devotion by appearing to her first, and entrusting her with the first message of His resurrection.
Mary Magdalene had gone with the other women to anoint Jesus’s body, but when they all saw the tomb open, they fled to tell the other disciples. Mary’s feelings of grief and loss, along with possible wondering what really and truly had happened, drew her back to the tomb. She, along with all of the disciples, must have heard Jesus say that He would rise again.
When she returned, Mary looked inside the tomb and saw the angels, one at the head of where Jesus had lain, and the other at the feet (vs. 11-12). This was a symbolic picture of the two cherubim that covered the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:22). That was where the blood, on the Day of Atonement. was brought by the High Priest for the atonement of the sins of the people. Only the High Priest could go there and see the Mercy Seat. Jesus was in reality the Lamb of God, and His Blood was poured out for our atonement. Here, where His Body had lain, was symbolic of the Mercy Seat, and the two angels pictured those two other angels at the Mercy Seat. Now, an ordinary woman has come, showing that Jesus’ Blood has opened the way for us to come to the throne of God and obtain mercy (Hebrews 4:16).
The angels came to shed light where there was darkness. They came to bring glory where there was death. The angels at the tomb signified that God approved of Jesus’ sacrifice by raising Him to life. God’s righteous demands for atonement had been fulfilled.
When Mary Magdalene turned around, leaving the tomb, she saw Jesus, though she did not recognize Him (vs. 14). The vivid memories of Jesus’ bruised and broken body were still etched in her mind. Jesus’ resurrection appearance in a glorified body was so dramatically different, that she failed to recognize Him. However, the moment He spoke her name Mary recognized Him. She was a true and faithful follower and believer. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27).
Mary Magdalene didn’t want to lose Jesus again (vs. 17). Her understanding was not full. Jesus did not want to be detained at the tomb. If He did not ascend into heaven, the Holy Spirit could not come. Jesus had important work to do, and so did Mary Magdalene. She needed to go forth and spread the Good News of Jesus. It was also here that Jesus called the disciples “brethren” for the first time. Because of Jesus’ work on the cross in place of sinners, this new relationship with Jesus was made possible.
Mary Magdalene did not meet the risen Savior until she discovered the empty tomb. She then responded with joy and obedience by going to tell the disciples. We cannot meet Jesus until we discover that He is alive, and His tomb is empty. Then we are to share the Good News. Mary Magdalene didn’t at first recognize Jesus. Her grief had blinded her. She couldn’t see Him because she didn’t expect to see Him. Jesus spoke her name, and immediately she recognized Him. Jesus is calling your name. Can you, like Mary Magdalene, regard Him as your Lord?
Great grief and sorrow can blind us to what is right in front of our eyes. This can be especially true if we have gone through a very traumatic, perhaps violent and brutal event. Oftentimes the mind will draw the person back behind a protective shell for a while, as they try to cope with what has happened. There are several different accounts of events connected with the Resurrection of Jesus, giving several different people’s perspectives of what they saw, felt, and believed that morning. Today we’ll look at the account of one of Jesus’ most devoted followers, Mary Magdalene.
There were many women among Jesus’ followers. Jesus treated them all with dignity and as people of worth, unlike the culture of His day. Mary Magdalene was a woman who was tormented by many demons in her life, seven to be exact. Her life must have been sheer misery when she came to Jesus, and He cast them out of her (Mark 16:9). (Legends have said that she was a prostitute, but there is no Scriptural evidence of this.) Mary Magdalene had followed Jesus from the early days of His ministry. She was present at the crucifixion, and was one of the several women who were going to anoint Jesus body early Sunday morning. Jesus honored her love and devotion by appearing to her first, and entrusting her with the first message of His resurrection.
Mary Magdalene had gone with the other women to anoint Jesus’s body, but when they all saw the tomb open, they fled to tell the other disciples. Mary’s feelings of grief and loss, along with possible wondering what really and truly had happened, drew her back to the tomb. She, along with all of the disciples, must have heard Jesus say that He would rise again.
When she returned, Mary looked inside the tomb and saw the angels, one at the head of where Jesus had lain, and the other at the feet (vs. 11-12). This was a symbolic picture of the two cherubim that covered the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:22). That was where the blood, on the Day of Atonement. was brought by the High Priest for the atonement of the sins of the people. Only the High Priest could go there and see the Mercy Seat. Jesus was in reality the Lamb of God, and His Blood was poured out for our atonement. Here, where His Body had lain, was symbolic of the Mercy Seat, and the two angels pictured those two other angels at the Mercy Seat. Now, an ordinary woman has come, showing that Jesus’ Blood has opened the way for us to come to the throne of God and obtain mercy (Hebrews 4:16).
The angels came to shed light where there was darkness. They came to bring glory where there was death. The angels at the tomb signified that God approved of Jesus’ sacrifice by raising Him to life. God’s righteous demands for atonement had been fulfilled.
When Mary Magdalene turned around, leaving the tomb, she saw Jesus, though she did not recognize Him (vs. 14). The vivid memories of Jesus’ bruised and broken body were still etched in her mind. Jesus’ resurrection appearance in a glorified body was so dramatically different, that she failed to recognize Him. However, the moment He spoke her name Mary recognized Him. She was a true and faithful follower and believer. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27).
Mary Magdalene didn’t want to lose Jesus again (vs. 17). Her understanding was not full. Jesus did not want to be detained at the tomb. If He did not ascend into heaven, the Holy Spirit could not come. Jesus had important work to do, and so did Mary Magdalene. She needed to go forth and spread the Good News of Jesus. It was also here that Jesus called the disciples “brethren” for the first time. Because of Jesus’ work on the cross in place of sinners, this new relationship with Jesus was made possible.
Mary Magdalene did not meet the risen Savior until she discovered the empty tomb. She then responded with joy and obedience by going to tell the disciples. We cannot meet Jesus until we discover that He is alive, and His tomb is empty. Then we are to share the Good News. Mary Magdalene didn’t at first recognize Jesus. Her grief had blinded her. She couldn’t see Him because she didn’t expect to see Him. Jesus spoke her name, and immediately she recognized Him. Jesus is calling your name. Can you, like Mary Magdalene, regard Him as your Lord?
Friday, April 10, 2020
Judas The Betrayer
Matthew 26:1-5, 14-25
As Holy Week draws to a close, I thought we would take a look at one character who played an important role in this tragic drama, Judas Iscariot. We all know him to be the one who betrayed the Lord Jesus to the Jewish High Priest and the Sanhedrin (the Jewish court of ruling elders). As we look into Judas’ story, let us see if there is anything we can learn from his life to help change our lives more to the better.
Early in the Gospel accounts we read that Judas was one of the twelve disciples that Jesus had personally selected. From all outward appearances he seemed just like any of the others. In all probability, throughout most of Jesus’ ministry, no one would have suspected anything different or sinister about Judas from any of the others. The other disciples gave Judas the job of treasurer, managing the group’s finances. Though he gave pious words about giving money to help the poor, the apostle John mentions in his Gospel that Judas would help himself to the money he was in charge of (John 12:5-6). This would indicate that, though Jesus’ teachings were often slow to sink into the hearts of the other eleven disciples, they never really reached Judas’ heart. He did have a greed for money, and no real trust in God to provide for him, as he would dip into the petty cash box for his own purposes. Also, Judas must have made excuses in his mind for this behavior, thinking that little amounts, little sins, now and then don’t really matter.
Judas, like many people at this time, expected the Messiah to bring deliverance to Israel from their enemies, and particularly now, from the Romans. As Jesus became more popular, they were hoping that He would start a rebellion and overthrow the powers from Rome. Many scholars believe that Judas was one who felt this way. As one of the hand-picked twelve, he possibly felt that in this new order he would have an important position. During the last weeks, however, Judas realized that the kingdom Jesus kept talking about was not physical or political, but spiritual. He came to see that Jesus was not going to rally an army and defeat the Romans, as he, and many were hoping. Perhaps Judas thought, if he forced Jesus’ hand, He might do as he desired. So Judas made the free decision to betray Jesus to the Jewish chief priests and Sanhedrin (vs. 14-16). Then, he hopefully thought, Jesus would give the cry, and all of His followers would rally around and kick the Romans out.
This, though, was not God’s plan, and it was not what happened. Judas had gone to the chief priests and received the betrayal sum of 30 pieces of silver for the promise that he would betray Jesus to them at a given time and place. 30 pieces of silver was the Old Testament price given for the cost of a slave (Exodus 21:32, Zechariah 11:12-13). 30 pieces of silver would be worth around $200 in present-day value. Judas thought so little of Jesus, that he sold Him for nearly nothing. So little for the price of the Blood of the Savior. Jesus was betrayed with contempt.
Judas allowed his political and patriotic desires, and his greed to place him in a position where Satan could manipulate him. Evil plans and motives leave us open to being used by Satan for even greater evil. Judas could have backed out, changed his mind, and not gone through with the betrayal. Once he opened the door for Satan in his life, though, Satan came and took possession of him (John 13:26-27).
Though this betrayal of Jesus was one of the greatest crimes in the history of mankind, God was still in total control. God had chosen the time of the Passover for Jesus, the Son of God, to die His sacrificial death. Jesus was foreshadowed and represented by the Passover lamb which was sacrificed. Jesus died to pay for the sins of mankind. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. God’s plans and purposes are worked out, even in the worst of possible events.
As we look at the path Judas chose to go down, we need to think about our commitment to God, and the presence of God’s Spirit within us. Are we true disciples, or are we uncommitted pretenders? Have the teachings of Jesus sunk into our hearts, or gone in one ear and out the other, like with Judas? Are our own plans and desires more important to us than those of God’s? Let’s check to be sure our commitment to the Lord Jesus is strong and sure.
As Holy Week draws to a close, I thought we would take a look at one character who played an important role in this tragic drama, Judas Iscariot. We all know him to be the one who betrayed the Lord Jesus to the Jewish High Priest and the Sanhedrin (the Jewish court of ruling elders). As we look into Judas’ story, let us see if there is anything we can learn from his life to help change our lives more to the better.
Early in the Gospel accounts we read that Judas was one of the twelve disciples that Jesus had personally selected. From all outward appearances he seemed just like any of the others. In all probability, throughout most of Jesus’ ministry, no one would have suspected anything different or sinister about Judas from any of the others. The other disciples gave Judas the job of treasurer, managing the group’s finances. Though he gave pious words about giving money to help the poor, the apostle John mentions in his Gospel that Judas would help himself to the money he was in charge of (John 12:5-6). This would indicate that, though Jesus’ teachings were often slow to sink into the hearts of the other eleven disciples, they never really reached Judas’ heart. He did have a greed for money, and no real trust in God to provide for him, as he would dip into the petty cash box for his own purposes. Also, Judas must have made excuses in his mind for this behavior, thinking that little amounts, little sins, now and then don’t really matter.
Judas, like many people at this time, expected the Messiah to bring deliverance to Israel from their enemies, and particularly now, from the Romans. As Jesus became more popular, they were hoping that He would start a rebellion and overthrow the powers from Rome. Many scholars believe that Judas was one who felt this way. As one of the hand-picked twelve, he possibly felt that in this new order he would have an important position. During the last weeks, however, Judas realized that the kingdom Jesus kept talking about was not physical or political, but spiritual. He came to see that Jesus was not going to rally an army and defeat the Romans, as he, and many were hoping. Perhaps Judas thought, if he forced Jesus’ hand, He might do as he desired. So Judas made the free decision to betray Jesus to the Jewish chief priests and Sanhedrin (vs. 14-16). Then, he hopefully thought, Jesus would give the cry, and all of His followers would rally around and kick the Romans out.
This, though, was not God’s plan, and it was not what happened. Judas had gone to the chief priests and received the betrayal sum of 30 pieces of silver for the promise that he would betray Jesus to them at a given time and place. 30 pieces of silver was the Old Testament price given for the cost of a slave (Exodus 21:32, Zechariah 11:12-13). 30 pieces of silver would be worth around $200 in present-day value. Judas thought so little of Jesus, that he sold Him for nearly nothing. So little for the price of the Blood of the Savior. Jesus was betrayed with contempt.
Judas allowed his political and patriotic desires, and his greed to place him in a position where Satan could manipulate him. Evil plans and motives leave us open to being used by Satan for even greater evil. Judas could have backed out, changed his mind, and not gone through with the betrayal. Once he opened the door for Satan in his life, though, Satan came and took possession of him (John 13:26-27).
Though this betrayal of Jesus was one of the greatest crimes in the history of mankind, God was still in total control. God had chosen the time of the Passover for Jesus, the Son of God, to die His sacrificial death. Jesus was foreshadowed and represented by the Passover lamb which was sacrificed. Jesus died to pay for the sins of mankind. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. God’s plans and purposes are worked out, even in the worst of possible events.
As we look at the path Judas chose to go down, we need to think about our commitment to God, and the presence of God’s Spirit within us. Are we true disciples, or are we uncommitted pretenders? Have the teachings of Jesus sunk into our hearts, or gone in one ear and out the other, like with Judas? Are our own plans and desires more important to us than those of God’s? Let’s check to be sure our commitment to the Lord Jesus is strong and sure.
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
The Lord's Supper
I Corinthians 11:23-32
The Thursday prior to Resurrection Sunday (the day before Good Friday) is called Maundy Thursday. The name Maundy comes from the Latin word “mandatum”, which means “command”, and the name was given to this day because of the new commandment that Jesus gave His disciples on the night of the Last Supper, to love one another as He loved us (John 13:34). Maundy Thursday is a holy day for Christians, as it commemorates the institution by the Lord Jesus of the Last Supper. The three synoptic Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) give accounts of the Last Supper, and the Apostle Paul gives an account, as well. Today I thought we would take a look at his account of that sacred meal.
Most Christians are familiar with the accounts of the Last Supper given in the Gospels. Paul’s account is just a bit different, in that he doesn’t just relate the particular details of what happened, but also gives instructions of how we are to observe this sacrament. Jesus had commanded His followers to keep the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Him and His sacrifice for us. However, it seems that even in the very early church, believers had forgotten the solemnity of what this commemorated, and were beginning to take it for granted and without thought. In our passage, Paul gives instructions of how this sacrament is to be commemorated.
Just as the Passover celebrated the deliverance from slavery in Egypt, the Lord’s Supper celebrates the deliverance from sin by Christ’s death. It looks back to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins, and should be remembered with praise and thanks. It also looks ahead for when He comes again (vs. 26).
Different Christian traditions believe different interpretations about the Lord’s Supper. Some believe the bread and wine actually become Jesus’ Body and Blood. Some believe the bread and wine remain unchanged, but Jesus is spiritually present. Others believe the bread and wine are only symbolic of Jesus’ Body and Blood. All would agree, however, that the Lord’s Supper is an important sacrament of the Christian Faith. The bread points to the offering of Jesus’ Body “which is broken for you” (vs. 24). This shows the substitutionary nature of Christ’s death on the Cross. The cup of wine points to Christ’s Blood, shed for the forgiveness of our sins (Leviticus 17:11).
Paul instructs us that the Lord’s Supper should not be treated casually in attitude or behavior. It is to remind us of our need for forgiveness. We are told to examine ourselves for any known and willful sins. We are also told to “discern the Body of Christ” (vs. 29). Believers should recognize the sacred nature of the meal. Paul tells us to examine ourselves for sin, and correct it before coming under God’s discipline (vs. 27-32). We should confess our sins, and turn from them in repentance. Delaying this invites God’s discipline. Sin is not something that we can sweep under the rug and ignore. The Blood of Jesus is a symbol of our repentance from sin, and an acceptance of Jesus as our Savior.
The worship of God in His presence should not be taken lightly or casually. The Lord’s Supper should not be allowed to become a routine ritual. We should always remember what Jesus did for us, dying for our salvation. The sacrament should be held thoughtfully, worthily, and with reverence, done orderly, and in a dignified and worshipful manner. Paul warns that if we don’t, we are guilty of sinning against Jesus’ Body and Blood, sharing the guilt of those who crucified Him (vs. 27, 29). An unworthy manner would be in an indifferent manner, an unrepentant heart, a spirit of bitterness, where it has become a meaningless ritual. The Lord’s Supper is a serious sacrament.
The Lord’s Supper should be the meal we desire the most because of what it represents. It gives us continual spiritual nourishment. Eating the bread tells us that Jesus was our substitute. His Body was broken to pay for our sins. Drinking the wine reminds us of His Blood that was shed for our sins. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, whether it is every week, once a month, or however often our church tradition celebrates it, let us remember exactly what our Lord Jesus did for our salvation.
The Thursday prior to Resurrection Sunday (the day before Good Friday) is called Maundy Thursday. The name Maundy comes from the Latin word “mandatum”, which means “command”, and the name was given to this day because of the new commandment that Jesus gave His disciples on the night of the Last Supper, to love one another as He loved us (John 13:34). Maundy Thursday is a holy day for Christians, as it commemorates the institution by the Lord Jesus of the Last Supper. The three synoptic Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) give accounts of the Last Supper, and the Apostle Paul gives an account, as well. Today I thought we would take a look at his account of that sacred meal.
Most Christians are familiar with the accounts of the Last Supper given in the Gospels. Paul’s account is just a bit different, in that he doesn’t just relate the particular details of what happened, but also gives instructions of how we are to observe this sacrament. Jesus had commanded His followers to keep the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Him and His sacrifice for us. However, it seems that even in the very early church, believers had forgotten the solemnity of what this commemorated, and were beginning to take it for granted and without thought. In our passage, Paul gives instructions of how this sacrament is to be commemorated.
Just as the Passover celebrated the deliverance from slavery in Egypt, the Lord’s Supper celebrates the deliverance from sin by Christ’s death. It looks back to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins, and should be remembered with praise and thanks. It also looks ahead for when He comes again (vs. 26).
Different Christian traditions believe different interpretations about the Lord’s Supper. Some believe the bread and wine actually become Jesus’ Body and Blood. Some believe the bread and wine remain unchanged, but Jesus is spiritually present. Others believe the bread and wine are only symbolic of Jesus’ Body and Blood. All would agree, however, that the Lord’s Supper is an important sacrament of the Christian Faith. The bread points to the offering of Jesus’ Body “which is broken for you” (vs. 24). This shows the substitutionary nature of Christ’s death on the Cross. The cup of wine points to Christ’s Blood, shed for the forgiveness of our sins (Leviticus 17:11).
Paul instructs us that the Lord’s Supper should not be treated casually in attitude or behavior. It is to remind us of our need for forgiveness. We are told to examine ourselves for any known and willful sins. We are also told to “discern the Body of Christ” (vs. 29). Believers should recognize the sacred nature of the meal. Paul tells us to examine ourselves for sin, and correct it before coming under God’s discipline (vs. 27-32). We should confess our sins, and turn from them in repentance. Delaying this invites God’s discipline. Sin is not something that we can sweep under the rug and ignore. The Blood of Jesus is a symbol of our repentance from sin, and an acceptance of Jesus as our Savior.
The worship of God in His presence should not be taken lightly or casually. The Lord’s Supper should not be allowed to become a routine ritual. We should always remember what Jesus did for us, dying for our salvation. The sacrament should be held thoughtfully, worthily, and with reverence, done orderly, and in a dignified and worshipful manner. Paul warns that if we don’t, we are guilty of sinning against Jesus’ Body and Blood, sharing the guilt of those who crucified Him (vs. 27, 29). An unworthy manner would be in an indifferent manner, an unrepentant heart, a spirit of bitterness, where it has become a meaningless ritual. The Lord’s Supper is a serious sacrament.
The Lord’s Supper should be the meal we desire the most because of what it represents. It gives us continual spiritual nourishment. Eating the bread tells us that Jesus was our substitute. His Body was broken to pay for our sins. Drinking the wine reminds us of His Blood that was shed for our sins. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, whether it is every week, once a month, or however often our church tradition celebrates it, let us remember exactly what our Lord Jesus did for our salvation.
Monday, April 6, 2020
Forsaken
Psalm 22:1-21
One of the most depressing and discouraging words in the English language is the word “forsaken”. It brings to mind being abandoned and deserted by those we should have been able to trust or who we felt should have loved or cared for us. We might think of a woman whose husband walked off and deserted her, saying she was forsaken. Or a mother who abandons her child somewhere. That child is forsaken. When we need a helping hand or someone to turn to during a difficult period, it is very discouraging to find that those we thought of as friends have forsaken us. Feeling that one is forsaken is one of the worst feelings imaginable. In our psalm for Holy Week, the week leading up to Good Friday, is one that pictures the great suffering and torture the Lord Jesus went through on that Good Friday, and His being forsaken by God during those hours.
Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm, with many of its verses being fulfilled by Jesus Christ on that day of His crucifixion. The very first verse is one of the most heart-rending verses in the whole Bible, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” These were the words that Jesus cried out as He hung upon the cross (Matthew 27:46). Jesus went to the cross to pay the price for our sins, the sins of the whole world. Though He had no sin Himself, our sinless Savior became sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21). He experienced the full penalty of all of our sins, including the terrible separation that sin caused between mankind and God. God poured His wrath upon His Son Jesus, for our sake, turning His back to Him during those hours He hung upon the cross. During the time that Jesus hung on the cross, the sky had gone dark and the sunlight disappeared, signifying being forsaken by God. Being forsaken and abandoned by God was worse than any other pain that Jesus went through, and He cried out in agony to His Father.
As we continue reading in this prophetic psalm we see the people who gathered around the cross at a short distance, and what they sneeringly called out to Jesus (vs. 6-8). The words of these verses echo what those people, especially the Jewish religious leaders and Pharisees said (Matthew 27:41-43). They stood around the cross, casting reproach and ridicule upon Jesus. We do not know what David was going through at this time, but his words were prophetically fulfilled by Jesus at the time of the crucifixion. Despite their being like ravenous beasts, like raging lions, ferocious bulls, and wild dogs (vs. 12-13, 16), Jesus did not reproach them back. Instead, He prayed to the Father (vs. 9-11).
The psalm continues to give a very graphic description of much of the physical agony and brutal treatment that Jesus endured (vs. 14-15). The torture of Jesus started in the Garden of Gethsemane, and continued on through the hours on the cross. Jesus’ bones were put out of joint, and his heart felt like giving out (vs. 14). All through that horrible day of beatings, scourging, carrying the cross and then hanging upon it, He was not given a drink of water. His thirst must have been worse than any we might ever go through (vs. 15).
In verse 16 we have a prophecy of the type of death that Jesus would experience. This psalm was written approximately 1,000 years before Jesus lived. At that time crucifixion was an unknown form of execution, not really practiced until centuries later. Yet here David describes the nails going through Jesus’ hands and feet. Crucifixion was not a type of execution that the Jewish people ever used. Instead, they would stone a person, or occasionally hang someone, but never crucify them. That was a Roman form of execution. God put in His Word that the Savior was to be crucified, both in this psalm and also through the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 12:10).
Another Messianic prophecy that was given in this psalm, and which was fulfilled in Jesus was in verse 18, when the Roman soldiers cast dice to see who would get the seamless robe that He wore (Matthew 27:35). As we read that verse in Matthew, and corresponding ones in each of the other Gospels, we might overlook it, but it is another example of how Jesus Christ fulfilled each prophecy that was given in Scripture for the Messiah.
We may go through some very bad times, have all our family and friends abandon us, but God will never forsake the believer, the ones who have come to Him through Jesus. We may feel like God is not there, however He will never forsake us. Because Jesus was forsaken at the cross, we never will be (Hebrews 13:5).
One of the most depressing and discouraging words in the English language is the word “forsaken”. It brings to mind being abandoned and deserted by those we should have been able to trust or who we felt should have loved or cared for us. We might think of a woman whose husband walked off and deserted her, saying she was forsaken. Or a mother who abandons her child somewhere. That child is forsaken. When we need a helping hand or someone to turn to during a difficult period, it is very discouraging to find that those we thought of as friends have forsaken us. Feeling that one is forsaken is one of the worst feelings imaginable. In our psalm for Holy Week, the week leading up to Good Friday, is one that pictures the great suffering and torture the Lord Jesus went through on that Good Friday, and His being forsaken by God during those hours.
Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm, with many of its verses being fulfilled by Jesus Christ on that day of His crucifixion. The very first verse is one of the most heart-rending verses in the whole Bible, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” These were the words that Jesus cried out as He hung upon the cross (Matthew 27:46). Jesus went to the cross to pay the price for our sins, the sins of the whole world. Though He had no sin Himself, our sinless Savior became sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21). He experienced the full penalty of all of our sins, including the terrible separation that sin caused between mankind and God. God poured His wrath upon His Son Jesus, for our sake, turning His back to Him during those hours He hung upon the cross. During the time that Jesus hung on the cross, the sky had gone dark and the sunlight disappeared, signifying being forsaken by God. Being forsaken and abandoned by God was worse than any other pain that Jesus went through, and He cried out in agony to His Father.
As we continue reading in this prophetic psalm we see the people who gathered around the cross at a short distance, and what they sneeringly called out to Jesus (vs. 6-8). The words of these verses echo what those people, especially the Jewish religious leaders and Pharisees said (Matthew 27:41-43). They stood around the cross, casting reproach and ridicule upon Jesus. We do not know what David was going through at this time, but his words were prophetically fulfilled by Jesus at the time of the crucifixion. Despite their being like ravenous beasts, like raging lions, ferocious bulls, and wild dogs (vs. 12-13, 16), Jesus did not reproach them back. Instead, He prayed to the Father (vs. 9-11).
The psalm continues to give a very graphic description of much of the physical agony and brutal treatment that Jesus endured (vs. 14-15). The torture of Jesus started in the Garden of Gethsemane, and continued on through the hours on the cross. Jesus’ bones were put out of joint, and his heart felt like giving out (vs. 14). All through that horrible day of beatings, scourging, carrying the cross and then hanging upon it, He was not given a drink of water. His thirst must have been worse than any we might ever go through (vs. 15).
In verse 16 we have a prophecy of the type of death that Jesus would experience. This psalm was written approximately 1,000 years before Jesus lived. At that time crucifixion was an unknown form of execution, not really practiced until centuries later. Yet here David describes the nails going through Jesus’ hands and feet. Crucifixion was not a type of execution that the Jewish people ever used. Instead, they would stone a person, or occasionally hang someone, but never crucify them. That was a Roman form of execution. God put in His Word that the Savior was to be crucified, both in this psalm and also through the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 12:10).
Another Messianic prophecy that was given in this psalm, and which was fulfilled in Jesus was in verse 18, when the Roman soldiers cast dice to see who would get the seamless robe that He wore (Matthew 27:35). As we read that verse in Matthew, and corresponding ones in each of the other Gospels, we might overlook it, but it is another example of how Jesus Christ fulfilled each prophecy that was given in Scripture for the Messiah.
We may go through some very bad times, have all our family and friends abandon us, but God will never forsake the believer, the ones who have come to Him through Jesus. We may feel like God is not there, however He will never forsake us. Because Jesus was forsaken at the cross, we never will be (Hebrews 13:5).
Saturday, April 4, 2020
Salvation In Yahweh Alone
Isaiah 45:20-25
Today marks the beginning of Holy Week, the week that culminates with the sacrificial death of Jesus upon the cross for us, the week prior to Resurrection Sunday. Our Old Testament Scripture reading for this week is a short passage from the prophet Isaiah, where the Lord is calling His people to come and listen to His Words. Let’s look at what He is saying to us today.
One of the faults or sins of the people of Israel that God had issue with them over was their strong tendency to forsake the exclusive worship of Him, and turn to worship the many false gods and goddesses of the people and nations around them. Sometimes they would combine the worship of Yahweh with that of Baal and the other false gods, a practice called religious syncretism, where one combines different religious traditions together, a bit of one religion with a bit of another or several other religions. That was just as wrong and sinful in God’s eyes as in completely forsaking Him. The prophet Isaiah, speaking for God, calls the people together to hear His words, which in this passage strongly condemns the worship of any other god but Himself.
What are the gods that people today in the 21st century have set up? There are still large portions of the world that worship various false gods in their religions. For some people the temptation is to worship themselves, their ego, their intellect, or humanistic philosophies. Some worship the god of money and what it can buy, desiring to have the latest technology, new cars, bigger houses, etc. Some worship the god of pleasure and entertainment. There are some who think they can innocently mix fortune telling or horoscopes with following Jesus. There are so many types of false gods.
Isaiah warned the people then, and still today, that these gods cannot save (vs. 20). They will not help you. When faced with a crisis, what have any of the false gods of pagan religions around the world ever done to help their followers? Nothing! Has our own intellect or any humanistic philosophy ever helped us when our backs are against the wall? Our belongings and new toys can’t help us, either. All the money in the world can’t help us. Diseases, war, and death strike the rich as well as the poor. Horoscopes and seeing what the stars say are all deceptive lies from Satan.
As this world seems to spin more and more out of control, many desperately seek something, someone who can help, something they can cling on to. When they face multiple crises in life, and need something, the devil comes and deceives them into thinking that any of these false gods can help, but it is a false hope. We are warned in this passage that there is no other God except Yahweh. He is the one and only true God. There is none other besides Him (vs. 21).
God calls out to us, “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!” (vs. 22). There is no other God besides Him. Only He can help us. He has given His Word that He will save us (vs. 23). He will not forsake those who come to Him for salvation. All it takes is a look towards Jesus. We don’t have to perform any great work, any great effort or endeavor in order to be saved. We just need to look towards that Savior upon the Cross, and cry out to Him. A moment of looking, reaching out, and calling upon Him and we will be saved. The power of salvation rests in Him, alone.
This invitation is open to everyone. Salvation is for all nations. God’s people includes all those who follow Jesus. Those who refuse to follow Jesus are not His children. One day, though, those who have refused to follow Him now will ultimately bow the knee to Him (vs. 23). The Apostle Paul echoes the same statement in Philippians 2:10-11. It is so much better to turn to Him now, to know His love and care throughout this life now, than to rebel and then after this life be faced with an acknowledgement when it is too late. There is no better day than today to look to Jesus and be saved!
Today marks the beginning of Holy Week, the week that culminates with the sacrificial death of Jesus upon the cross for us, the week prior to Resurrection Sunday. Our Old Testament Scripture reading for this week is a short passage from the prophet Isaiah, where the Lord is calling His people to come and listen to His Words. Let’s look at what He is saying to us today.
One of the faults or sins of the people of Israel that God had issue with them over was their strong tendency to forsake the exclusive worship of Him, and turn to worship the many false gods and goddesses of the people and nations around them. Sometimes they would combine the worship of Yahweh with that of Baal and the other false gods, a practice called religious syncretism, where one combines different religious traditions together, a bit of one religion with a bit of another or several other religions. That was just as wrong and sinful in God’s eyes as in completely forsaking Him. The prophet Isaiah, speaking for God, calls the people together to hear His words, which in this passage strongly condemns the worship of any other god but Himself.
What are the gods that people today in the 21st century have set up? There are still large portions of the world that worship various false gods in their religions. For some people the temptation is to worship themselves, their ego, their intellect, or humanistic philosophies. Some worship the god of money and what it can buy, desiring to have the latest technology, new cars, bigger houses, etc. Some worship the god of pleasure and entertainment. There are some who think they can innocently mix fortune telling or horoscopes with following Jesus. There are so many types of false gods.
Isaiah warned the people then, and still today, that these gods cannot save (vs. 20). They will not help you. When faced with a crisis, what have any of the false gods of pagan religions around the world ever done to help their followers? Nothing! Has our own intellect or any humanistic philosophy ever helped us when our backs are against the wall? Our belongings and new toys can’t help us, either. All the money in the world can’t help us. Diseases, war, and death strike the rich as well as the poor. Horoscopes and seeing what the stars say are all deceptive lies from Satan.
As this world seems to spin more and more out of control, many desperately seek something, someone who can help, something they can cling on to. When they face multiple crises in life, and need something, the devil comes and deceives them into thinking that any of these false gods can help, but it is a false hope. We are warned in this passage that there is no other God except Yahweh. He is the one and only true God. There is none other besides Him (vs. 21).
God calls out to us, “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!” (vs. 22). There is no other God besides Him. Only He can help us. He has given His Word that He will save us (vs. 23). He will not forsake those who come to Him for salvation. All it takes is a look towards Jesus. We don’t have to perform any great work, any great effort or endeavor in order to be saved. We just need to look towards that Savior upon the Cross, and cry out to Him. A moment of looking, reaching out, and calling upon Him and we will be saved. The power of salvation rests in Him, alone.
This invitation is open to everyone. Salvation is for all nations. God’s people includes all those who follow Jesus. Those who refuse to follow Jesus are not His children. One day, though, those who have refused to follow Him now will ultimately bow the knee to Him (vs. 23). The Apostle Paul echoes the same statement in Philippians 2:10-11. It is so much better to turn to Him now, to know His love and care throughout this life now, than to rebel and then after this life be faced with an acknowledgement when it is too late. There is no better day than today to look to Jesus and be saved!
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