Luke 9:18-27 - Follow the Messiah

Luke 9:18-27 NIV
Who is this Jesus? Peter confessed that He is God's Messiah. Do you believe this? If you do, what are you going to do about it? Will you follow Him? Will you be His disciple?

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." (vss. 23-26).

Not an easy road. But, Christ went before you and is with you. I'm thinking following Him is the best journey to undertake. He is after all, the Messiah!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 6:20-26 Blessing or Woe?

Luke 6:20-26 NIV
When you are persecuted in any way, because of the Son of Man, it is time to rejoice! I know, it can be difficult at times to rejoice (at least it can be for me); but, that is what Jesus told us to do. He said, "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets." (vs 23) And, when the whole world appears to love you, then maybe it's time to think about whether you are really doing God's will or the will of man, as Jesus also said, "Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets." (vs 26)

Stand firmly on the name of Jesus; stand firmly on the Word. Humankind may not appreciate it; but you will be blessed by God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Mark 13 - Keep Alert! He Will Come Again!

Mark 13 NIV
No one knows. No one knows when our end will come; not for the individual; not for the world. There have been days when I thought "isn't it about time, LORD?" So many wars and threats of wars; families fighting within themselves and with their neighbors; congregations and communities battle with one another; will there ever be peace?

These are not things that should lead us to despair. Jesus tells us that all these things and more will and must happen before the end. We must be prepared. We cannot give up hope. We cannot let our faith lie dormant or die. Be alert! Watch! Wait! He has come. He is present now. He will come again. “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens." (Mark 13:26-27)

“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” (Mark 13:35-36)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Mark 8:22-38 Get Behind Me Satan!

"Get behind me, Satan!"

I love reading the stories about some of the events in Jesus' life. He can be so sweet! When I read some of these stories, I cannot help but wonder what people would do if I acted like that.

For example: a blind man is brought to him for healing and what does do? He spits on the man's eyes. Yep, I can already see what would happen if I spit on some one's eyes.

Then, there is the story about how after predicting his persecution and death and Peter rebukes him for talking like that. What is Jesus' reply?  "Get behind me, Satan!" (Mark 8:33 NIV) Can the reaction if you talked to someone like that? I confess, I have. It does not make for warm and fuzzy relationships. But, still I would probably do it again if the occasion called for it.

Jesus' words and actions are not always what we expect. We expect him to be the most generous, indulgent person ever - never offending anyone. The fact is that he offended a lot of people. He offended them so much he ended up on the cross.

But, I find, that often, the most offensive of all of Jesus' words, to many, are the words he used when "... he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38)

Tough words, indeed, to swallow for those who choose to gain the world; who are ashamed to follow in the footsteps of Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 89 - Son of God and Son of Man

There are days when I wonder what it is really all about.  Everything seems to be going so smoothly, so peacefully along, and then blam.... chaos enters.  I have to admit, that there are times when it really feels like God has turned His back on us.  How, I wonder, can the same people keep making the same mistakes?  Why do they keep doing the same things that have bad results over and over again?  They hurt not just themselves, but throw a clinker into every one's lives around them, as well.

And... I remember... as Psalm 89 reminds us today that he has made a covenant with His chosen one. He swore to David his servant to establish His line forever.  Through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are members of that blood-line.  We have become God's children, heirs of the covenant through Jesus Christ, descendant of David.  Son of God, begotten of our Father in heaven and son of man, descendant of King David, Jesus is the one through whom we have received an eternal place in our Father's, His Father's home. Through Him, we have inherited an eternal home.  As Matthew:22:41-45 NIV (see also Psalm 110:1) reminds us:

     "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the      Messiah? Whose son is he?”
     “The son of David,” they replied.
     He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,
           “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
           “Sit at my right hand
          until I put your enemies
          under your feet.”’
      If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions."

God has not turned His back on His children, his sons or his daughters. His promises are fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the one through whom the covenant with David was promised.  God has not turned His back to us, rather He welcomes us into His heavenly home, through His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ. Blessed are they who have learned to acclaim Him, who walk in the light of His presence! (vs 15)

"Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen." (vs 52)

God's Peace - Pr. J