Rev 11:1-14 Every Eye Will See

Revelation 11:1-14 NIV

As horrible as humankind can be, it is difficult for me to be able to comprehend how the world would
kill God's witnesses and then leave their dead bodies on display in the public square for three and a half days so that the world can rejoice over their deaths.

However; this, too, will be a very good thing. After all, Jesus was in the grave for three days and because there were no witnesses to the actual resurrection, only to his presence after the resurrection, not everyone believed that he was risen. Even to this day, many doubt or just flat out refuse to believe because they did not see it.

If the resurrection of these two witnesses happen exactly as John saw it in his vision there will be no doubt that God can raise the dead. Television cameras will capture the moment. Cell phones will be clicking away. Every eye will see. The enemies of God will tremble in fear. As God calls the two witnesses to himself, they will ascend visibly into heaven and the earth will quake  killing multitudes. The survivors will know. They will all be witnesses. They will then understand that God is worthy of  receiving honor and glory. There will be no doubt. Every eye will see and know that God can and will raise His chosen ones.

God's Peace - Pr. Judy

Revelation 1:4-8 Believe or Not; Every Eye Will See

Revelation 1:4-8 NIV

Every Eye Shall See

Every eye will see him. I was recently told (again) by someone I know and care about that they do not believe like I do. I was told, "When you're dead you're dead. There is nothing more." It is heartbreaking to hear someone that has been taught the truth; deny Jesus the Christ.

He is "the One who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." (vs 8) It does not matter whether one believes or not. The day will come when every eye will see him; every knee will bow; even those who pierced him; even those who denied him.

Be careful with your words. Do not deny the one who died for you. Jesus said, "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." (Matt 10:33 KJV)

He is, he was, and he will come again. He is the Almighty God who created you and would save you from yourself.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 20:1-10 The Empty Tomb

John 20:1-10 NIV
None of Jesus' followers really expected a resurrection. They really had not understood what Jesus was talking about when he said things like, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” (John 16:16) When they found the empty tomb, they began to have a clue.

Some, even the most faithful, have to see; have to experience, something in order to believe. It was that way for the disciples. It is that way for many today as well. You can warn them all you want that something is about to happen; but, they will not understand what you have told them until that something happens and they actually have to experience it and live through it.

It took the disciples awhile to get a clue. It took a face to face connection with the risen Jesus before the disciples understood. What will it take the world today? We do have the witness and testimony of those first followers. It has been written down for generations to read. But, there are those who refuse to believe their eye witness statements. There are those who refuse to read or hear those statements. They refuse to be enlightened because they love the darkness that they have become accustomed to. 

The grave is empty. Why do you linger in the darkness of the tomb? He is risen. He is with you. Believe and live life in the light of Jesus Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 18:15-30 Get Rid of the Baggage

Luke 18:15-30 NIV
According to Jesus, the way to enter the kingdom of God would be like a little child. That would be unencumbered by the riches of the world; free of all the baggage that we pick up in this world. A little child owns nothing (although some of them think they do). Get rid of the baggage and follow Him into the Kingdom. You cannot get into the kingdom carrying all of your stuff in packs on your back. It would be like a pack camel fully loaded trying to get through the eye of needle. Some have surmised that this "eye of the needle" refers to a very narrow gate in Jerusalem.

Leave the stuff behind you, your sins have been washed away by the blood of the lamb, that you might walk freely and unencumbered through the gate into the eternal kingdom.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 6:37-42 Do Not Judge; Help

Luke 6:37-42 NIV
Today we have another very misunderstood lesson from Jesus. "Do not judge, and you will not be judged." This does not mean anything goes. When Jesus says that we are not to judge it does not mean that we should not help someone when they fall. When they stray from the path that he has set before us and start following other gods; then indeed, if we truly love others, we will help them back onto the path. Sometimes, this is mistaken for judgment and condemnation. Saving someone is a far cry from condemning them. Reminding them of the way in which the Lord would have us go does not mean that we are judging them; rather, it means that we are trying to help them.

On the other hand, before we begin to make sure someone is not straying to their own harm; we have to make sure that it is not we who are the ones who have been led astray. Indeed, Jesus reminds us over and over again that we are to teach correctly and admonish when necessary.
God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 2:1-20 - The One Who Brings Peace

Luke 2:1-20 NIV
Fear not! Don't be afraid! We read an awful lot in scripture that we are not to fear. We are not to be anxious about anything. Angels showing up and bringing you a message of peace actually would probably cause a little anxiety just in the fact that angels have shown themselves to you.

Yet, in the midst of anxious times, we can have peace. The angels proclaimed to the shepherds, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2: 14) This peace that God brings is kind of amazing. As we grow in the LORD, we will find that we do know a sense of peace no matter what kind of chaos is around us. It may still be troubling, but we can be at peace knowing that God has a good plan for it all.

A few years ago, I was in the pulpit preaching as usual on a Sunday morning. All of a sudden, I could no longer read my notes. All that I could see was a white light and light shadows of people sitting in the pews. It was a bit disconcerting. But, I did not panic. I kept on preaching, even as St. Paul's vision that brought him to repentance and to follow Jesus came to my mind. I wondered if maybe there was something I needed to repent of even as I kept on preaching; everyone around me unaware of what I was seeing. I was a little anxious about the situation; but, at the same time at peace knowing that God was with me and there was a good purpose for it all. I just didn't know what. I went to the eye specialist that week and was told that I had eye strokes due to the steroid that was in the medication (Advair) for my COPD. I got off the prescription medication and am taking only an herbal, all natural medication. Lo and behold, there was a good purpose. My breathing has improved greatly.

The point is sometimes things happen in our lives that might cause a little anxiety; but, we should know that God is with us and in that knowledge we can know peace no matter what is going on in our lives. Can you imagine a pregnant young woman and the man she was engaged to traveling cross country to sign up to pay taxes? When they get to their destination there is no place for them to stay so they stay in a barn where the baby is born. Can you imagine sitting in a field with the guys watching the sheep settle in for the night and you have this heavenly host singing in the heavens? I'm thinking it was probably, at least, a little unsettling. Yet, the shepherds listen to the angel and go and see this baby that is to bring peace to the world.

Anxiety and peace - sometimes you can have them almost simultaneously. Being anxious about something is human nature; yet, in the midst of anxiety, we can know that God is with us and we can know His peace. Thanks be to God!
God's Peace - Pr. J

Mark 10:17-31 Costly

(Mark 10:17-31 NIV)


A wealthy man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. He's kept all the commandments. He's been good. But, Jesus tells him he must sell everything. He must give up everything and follow him.

What does it cost to enter the kingdom of God? Well, for you and me to enter the Kingdom, it cost Jesus his earthly life. Then he says we must follow Him. We must follow him to the cross and through the grave. We must be willing to give up everything in this world. This not only upsets the wealthy man, but his disciples are a bit confused as well. They have given up everything to follow him, after all. Jesus comforts them with these words:

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life." (vs 29-30)

These words, at times, seem to be our only hope. They comfort us in times of persecution and when, indeed, we lose family and friends (as many of us have) for following the path that Jesus has set before us. It is a hard path. There are times when we wonder if it the cost is too great. But, then we remember what it cost Jesus so that we might receive the promised eternal life in the Kingdom of God, in His presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Matthew 19 - Love of Money

     Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
     When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
     Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:23-26 NIV)

Whenever I read this Gospel in public worship, I get a very uncomfortable feeling. After all, everyone sitting there is richer than a good portion of the world's people. I always hope that they understand that the temptations of having an abundance of stuff are great. This stuff can easily become our false gods, without us even realizing that it has. We become comfortable with our stuff and want more. And, more of our time and energy is spent on ways to accumulate more stuff, which when we die will be gone from us, anyway. Our stuff will be gone. The Kingdom endures forever.

I look out at the congregation and I know that very many of these people have used there wealth for the good of others and for the good of the Kingdom. I, and they, must trust that; although, it is impossible for any of us to enter the Kingdom of God on what we have or don't have; it is impossible to enter into the Kingdom on our own merit, with God all things are possible. It is faith alone that saves and that faith in the Kingdom promised through the blood of Christ will fill us with a desire to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, giving ourselves; our time, our talents, our "stuff" in the service of God and our fellow human beings.

Years (decades) ago, I sold insurance door-to-door in North Carolina. One particular home that I visited had a dirt floor. It was a farming household. They were rich. No, I don't mean they were rich because they had all they really needed. They were literally millionaires. But, they chose to live a lifestyle that appeared to others that they were even poorer than were. The wife was in the kitchen working when I got there. She was visibly upset. Her husband was working in the fields somewhere. After she calmed down, she explained to me how rich they were and she could not get her husband to upgrade their home because he didn't want to lose a penny to the local government. He didn't want to take the chance on having his property taxes raised.

Another elderly farmer's wife that I knew (again a couple decades ago) in Minnesota had a similar story. They had a very nice home, a huge farm. I didn't see much of her husband as he was always out in the barn or fields working. They were both very pleasant people. One day, I found her crying in the kitchen. She had wanted so much to go on a cruise with her husband. It's not that they couldn't afford it. She related to me that years before they had sold some property and invested quite wisely. They, too, were millionaires. But, her husband was what we would call a workaholic. He would not take the time to go away with her. He would not trust his farm to the hired hands. He was afraid he might lose a penny or two while he was away.

The love of money is a great temptation. It will tempt some to spend, spend, spend.... It will tempt others to hoard, hoard, hoard....  It will tempt us to spend time worrying more about our wealth than loving God or our families and neighbors.

I'm just saying that it is not so much about what you have or don't have; but, about what you do with what God has given you. Are you faithful to God in caring for the gifts He has given you? Do you use these gifts so that His will be done and not yours?

Wealth brings great temptations. In the end, we are all subject to these temptations and we are all lost. But, with God all things are possible. Thanks be to God that we are saved, not by our works, but by His grace!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Job 36 - Perfect Knowledge

Who exactly is this Elihu, this man who claims he has perfect knowledge?!  He implies Job's sin is arrogance and it may well be.  But, I would think that claiming to have perfect knowledge is extremely arrogant.  There seems to be some truth in what Elihu says, but it's a bit presumptuous for him to be claiming that some of these things are true about Job.

For instance, verse 5 says:  "God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose." I am pretty convinced from the rest of the scripture that is most certainly true; as is verse 7:  "He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever."

This Elihu is probably pretty wise, but he is not the epitome of wisdom.  We all make mistakes and we should all be very cautious when it comes to advising others on what their problems are, remembering the "speck" in our own eye. (Matt 7:5, Luke 6:42 NIV)

 

God's Peace - Pr. J