The Bible tells us little about the day between the crucifixion and the resurrection. Matthew does tells us that a guard was placed around the tomb of Jesus to keep it secure. The guards succeeded in their task until an earthquake shook the ground Easter morning. Then an angel appeared in brilliant white clothing and rolled back the stone and sat on it. The guards responded by going into shock. But Christ was nowhere to be found. But, I am getting ahead of things. For those who had been with Jesus for the last three years, this particular Saturday was a dark day of broken hope. Just six days before they exalted in Christ’s arrival to the cheering crowds […]
Monthly Archives: April 2014
27 posts
John records that at the end of his life Jesus said“it is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. These are not the actions and words of a victim. Jesus was in control of his own death. He ended his life when it was the right time, when he had finished what his Father asked him to do. No one took his life from him, he laid down of his own accord (John 10:17-18). The death of Jesus was not a random moment in time. He died in obedience when he had completed all that he had been given to do. This is what obedient love and sacrifice looks like. Jesus is our Messiah because he […]
You are familiar with the last supper. You know of the drama in the garden of Gethsemane. You are grieved when Judas betrays his Lord and Christ is handed over for trial. But there is another story of Jesus’s last night that we don’t remember so easily. It is an embarrassing story about what our hearts are really like. Just after the Lord’s Supper and just before Jesus goes to the garden to pray, there arose an ugly dispute between the disciples. I would like to say that if I had been there I would not have engaged in this display of pride. But I cannot. I, too, would have joined in the moment. The story is found in Luke […]
On a Thursday evening, 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ had come to the end of his time on earth. After 33 years of perfect obedience, less than a day remained of his time on earth. It would be a time of crushing temptation and agony. Everything that Christ had accomplished in his life came down to these final hours. From those to whom he had been the closest he would see jealousy, greed, betrayal and abandonment. From the Enemy he would again know temptation—though this time, he would not be tempted by the aroma of fresh bread, but by the opportunity to avoid unspeakable punishment for the injustice and hatred of a world plunged into sin. His own Father would […]
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead has become a fairy tale to western civilization. Easter egg hunts, new clothes, bunnies and Easter church services are all tolerated as a tip of the hat to an ancient myth. Easter break has become Spring break. This week, there will be no newscast or media story that states the fate of the world depended upon a political prisoner 2,000 years ago. If Christ had not gone to the cross there would be no human story, no newscast to talk about the events of the day. There would have been no hope given to Adam and Eve after the fall. In all likelihood, humanity would have perished in the great flood. […]
When you consider consider the sacrifice of your Savior, consider also your children. How have you represented God to you children? 3,500 years ago Moses failed to represent God as the holy, unique Lord of all creation. He made God look ordinary to the Israelites. As parents we must represent Christ for the holy One that he truly is. He is God who has not treated us as our sins deserve. He is God who is loving and compassionate when we are not. He is God who gave his son so that we might live. He is Jesus who lived as we lived and suffered torment and agony beyond what we could ever imagine. He is Jesus who made us […]
The Holy Spirit has given his word that heaven is a reality. He has provided vivid and breathtaking descriptions of the wonder of heaven in the Bible. In his wisdom, God has provided exactly what we need to know about what heaven is like. But, there is more. For you and me to believe and trust in the Bible, Jesus Christ had to die. If Jesus had not suffered agonizing punishment and death for our sins, we would not be capable of seeing the wonder and majesty of the Spirit’s book; we would never have the faith to believe its truth. Therefore, we can trust what is written in God’s word because God guaranteed its truth by the death of his […]
This is a unique danger for children raised in Christian homes: lying to God. In Acts 5 Ananias and his wife Sapphira attempted to make themselves appear more spiritual than those around them. The made a show of being holy by misrepresenting the truth. Peter said, “What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” They paid for their lie with their lives. Here is an example of how this pattern of lying to God starts. One sibling sees that his sister is rewarded for cleaning. So, he is careful to inform his mom that he also helped, even if he did not actually do anything. This child realizes that he […]
Our modern culture makes promises it cannot keep. The pursuit of pleasure promises freedom but leads to slavery. Hard work promises fulfillment but often leads to hard times and broken relationships. Possessions promise contentment, but often result in disappointment and envy. Politicians promise they can be trusted. Education promises answers, but leaves us with more questions. King David believed the promise offered by his lustful glance at Bathsheba would bring him satisfaction. How did that work out for him? You see the modern world is not so different than the ancient world. This is the message that you are to tell your children. You must prepare your children for a world which is deceptive by its […]
Know that the Lord is good. Worship is about God, not about you. The psalms offer a powerful way to check your attitude and the condition of your heart as you worship. Consider Psalm 100. Recite this psalm to yourself. Then ask yourself does this psalm accurately reflect the state of your heart as you worship. All of the reasons given for praise in this psalm have to do with God’s faithfulness and not your circumstances. Is this the condition of your heart? Psalm 100, check it out! Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It […]