Seasonal Note: I’m beginning a new Three-Year Lectionary based on the Lutheran Book of Worship 3-year lectionary (for public worship), "Prayers of the Day..." (Propers), p. 13-41, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978. It is based, with only minor variations, on the Revised Common Lectionary, used by many denominations, including the Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches:
http://www.commontexts.org/
and:
http://www.commontexts.org/rcl/usage.html
The daily readings are the Propers (Lections) for the following Sunday, so that the daily devotions can prepare us for worship. Additional lections are from Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church, "Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers," United Lutheran Church of America, General Rubrics VIII. Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers, p. 299 - 304, Philadelphia, 1918.
The previous 2- year Bible Study based on the Lutheran Book of Worship, Daily Lectionary for personal devotions p.179-192, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978, is available at:
http://shepboy.snow.prohosting.com
Please Note: I will post weekly by Saturday, noon, (with God's help), Pacific time (UTC-8:00) for the week of the Church Season which begins on Sunday. Please scroll down for the desired day, or save the week to your desktop/hard drive.
2 Easter Sunday
March 30, 2008
Psalm 105:1-7 -- God's Saving Acts
Acts 2:14a, 22-32 -- Peter's Sermon
1 Peter 1:3-9 b -- Rejoice for God's Saving Acts
John 20:19-31 -- Christ is Risen!
The people of God are exhorted to give thanks to God and call upon him. Let his saving deeds be known among all people! Let us sing to him and praise him and proclaim his wonderful works! Let us exalt in his holy name. Let those who seek the Lord rejoice! Let us seek the Lord's strength and his presence continually! Remember all the wonderful things he has done. Remember the miracles and the justice of his pronouncements. We are the offspring of Abraham, the sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
The Lord is our God, and he administers justice over all the earth!
Commentary:
Peter, who denied Jesus to the most menial servant of the high priest on the night Jesus was betrayed, had just been filled with the promised gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit and now proclaimed Jesus boldly! Peter told the people of Israel that God attested to Jesus through the miracles that God performed through Jesus, as the Jews were aware. Jesus was given over by the Jews to the power of lawless people to be crucified by the will and foreknowlege of God. But God raised him from the dead, releasing and freeing him from the power power and bondage of death.
David prophesied of the Messiah in Psalm 16:8-11 that the Lord was always close, at his right hand, to keep David from being defeated. So David had reason to be glad and hopeful, believing that the Lord would not abandon him to the realm of the dead. David also prophesied that the Lord would not allow the Holy One (the Messiah; Jesus Christ) to decompose in the grave.
David testified that the Lord had revealed to David the ways of true, eternal life, and David trusted that the Lord would give David the joy of the Lord's presence.
David wasn't referring to himself when he prophesied regarding the Lord's Holy One that he wouldn't decompose in the grave. David died and was buried and his tomb was known to the people in the time of Peter.
David believed the promise that the Lord had given him to give the throne of David to a descendant of David for eternity, so David was speaking of the Christ (Messiah; both words mean God's “anointed” king and eternal savior, in Greek and Hebrew respectively).
Jesus wasn't abandoned to the kingdom of death, and his body didn't rot in the grave; he was raised to eternal life. His disciples were eyewitnesses to Jesus' resurrection.
Let us praise God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that by his mercy we are “born anew” to a living, active hope through Christ Jesus' resurrection from the dead, and to an eternal, incorruptible and unfading inheritance that is being preserved for us in heaven. We are also being guarded by the power of God through faith for salvation which will be revealed at the end of time.
So we can rejoice even though we may experience various trials now to test the authenticity of our faith, as precious metals are purified by fire, so that our faith may result in glory, praise and honor at the reappearance of Christ (on the Day of Judgment). Even though we haven't seen him we love, trust and obey him and rejoice in him with great and indescribable joy. As the result of that faith we will receive the salvation of our eternal souls.
On Easter Sunday evening the disciples were in a house in Jerusalem (probably in the upper room where they had celebrated the Last Supper). They had barred the doors for fear of the Jewish religious authorities. Jesus appeared among them and offered them his peace. Then he showed them the wounds of crucifixion. Again he offered them his peace and told them to carry on Jesus' mission of forgiveness and salvation, as God had sent Jesus. He breathed on them and told them to receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Then he gave them the discretionary authority to forgive sin.
Thomas, one of the Twelve original disciples, was not present, and when the other disciples had told him they had seen Jesus, Thomas declared that he wouldn't believe unless he was able to see Jesus and touch the wounds of crucifixion.
Eight days later, the disciples were again in the house together, with Thomas, and Jesus again manifested himself to them. Again Jesus offered his peace, and then told Thomas to see and touch the marks of crucifixion. He told Thomas not to continue in unbelief. Thomas replied, addressing Jesus as his Lord and God. Jesus said that Thomas had believed because he had seen “proof,” but that those who believe without proof will be blessed.
Jesus did many other things which are not recorded, but these things have been recorded so that we may believe that Jesus is God's “anointed” Savior and eternal King, so that through believing, we may have eternal life in his name.
God's Word is eternal and eternally true; what it says is fulfilled, and it is fulfilled over and over, as the conditions for its fulfillment are met. Christians are the “New Israel,” the “New People of God,” and the Church is the “New Jerusalem” on earth. God's ultimate, eternal, saving act has been revealed to the world in Jesus Christ.
Those who trust and obey Jesus are “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. They are the spiritual children of Abraham, the sons of Jacob, God's chosen people. Those who seek the Lord and his presence will find and experience him through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which Jesus has promised to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus. Only Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
Jesus is the name of the Lord. Jesus is God in human flesh (Colossians 2:8-9); God with us (Matthew 1:23). Jesus and God are one and the same (John 14:6-10). Jesus is our Lord and our God (John 20:28). Jesus is God's “anointed” righteous judge (Matthew 28:18; Matthew 25:31-46). Those who love true justice will rejoice in his pronouncements.
Peter is an example of the spiritual transformation from spiritual death to eternal life.
Before Jesus came into the world, only a few select individuals, like David, the great shepherd-king of Israel, and also the Old Testament prophets, had a personal relationship with the Lord. Jesus came to make it possible for all to have the fellowship and presence of the Lord that David had.
We can experience the closeness, the joy of the Lord's presence, and empowerment of the Lord that David had, through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Those who trust in Jesus will not be abandoned to to rot in the grave. The Lord will show us the way to true eternal life through his indwelling Holy Spirit.
Jesus is the fulfillment of the Lord's promise to appoint an eternal king to the throne of David. Jesus is the “Son (descendant) of David” (Matthew 1:1-16). We are the heirs to the hope that David had without his having seen the coming of the Messiah, God's anointed Savior and eternal king. The Lord won't abandon us to the eternal corruption of the grave, if we trust and obey Jesus.
We are all born physically alive but spiritually dead. This lifetime is our only opportunity to seek and find God (Acts 17:26-27) and to be spiritually reborn to eternal life through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus is the only way to know and have fellowship with God, to be forgiven of sin (disobedience of God's Word), saved from eternal destruction (see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right), and to be “reborn” to spiritual, eternal, life. The Holy Spirit within us will guard and protect us unto salvation at the return of Jesus at the end of time.
Believers will experience various trials as we live according to the Holy Spirit, but we will be preserved, strengthened, and purified through them. Thomas had personally experienced Jesus during Jesus' physical lifetime. He had already come to believe, trust and obey Jesus. Jesus was willing to increase Thomas' faith by Jesus' revelation of himself to Thomas.
The Bible has been written so that we will believe and receive eternal life. If we will read it we will believe, and we will receive eternal life.
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
2 Easter - Monday
March 31, 2008
Psalm 16 -- Trust in God's Saving Power
I take refuge in the Lord for he will preserve me. Apart from the Lord there is no good. Those who are dedicated to the Lord are esteemed and I delight in them. “Those who choose another God multiply their sorrows” (Psalm 16:4a). I will not even speak the names of their idols, nor will I participate in the blood of their drink offerings.
I have chosen my portion and cup in the Lord; the Lord is in control of my destiny. The lines (measured boundaries of an inheritance) have been designated to my advantage; I have a great heritage.
I praise the Lord for his guidance; he instructs me in the night within my heart. Because I have chosen the Lord, he is with me at my right hand. So I am confident that I shall not be shaken.
So I am filled with gladness and my soul rejoices. I have entrusted my physical wellbeing to him, confident that he will not abandon me to the grave, nor let thy godly one see death.
The Lord has shown me the way of true life. I am filled with joy by his presence. He is the source of all good thing for all eternity.
Commentary:
The Lord is the only true God, our Creator and the provider of every good thing. God loves us and wants what is good for us. God is the only one who has the power and the desire to provide for and preserve us.
This lifetime is our opportunity to seek God (Acts 17:26-27), to learn to trust and obey the Lord and to live according to his will.
Often, as long as things are going well for us we feel no need to seek God's help and providence. Eventually everyone experiences troubles which are beyond our own ability and resources. If we have learned of the Lord's love, faithfulness and power, from the Bible and from personal experience we can take refuge in him and be confident that there is nothing that can happen to us in this world that he cannot handle and bring us through (see Personal Testimonies, sidebar, top right).
Those who trust and obey the Lord will delight in and esteem those who do likewise. This world offers many false “gods.” Money, power, status, and pleasure are some modern “gods.” Idolatry is loving any thing or person as much as or more than we love God. Those who serve other “gods” will eventually experience disappointment and grief. When we accept the Lord as our God, by obedient trust, we have an eternal inheritance in God's kingdom in heaven, that nothing and no one can take from us.
Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our deliverance from eternal condemnation and eternal death, and through whom we received our inheritance of eternal life in God's heavenly kingdom (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).
We are all born physically alive but spiritually dead. This lifetime is our opportunity to be spiritually “reborn” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Only Jesus gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
It is through the indwelling Holy Spirit that we have personal fellowship with Jesus and God the Father (Revelation 3:20; John 14:23). It is by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit that we are guided and taught spiritual truth (John 14:17; 26). His presence within us gives us reassurance that we will not be defeated or abandoned. It is through the indwelling Holy Spirit that we experience overflowing joy in his presence. Jesus has delivered us from the fear of physical death (Hebrews 2:14-15). It is the indwelling Holy Spirit who shows us how to truly live now and eternally.
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
2 Easter - Tuesday
April 1, 2008
Acts 2:14a, 36-47 -- The Day of Pentecost
On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples of Jesus were together in the upper room where they staying in Jerusalem (Acts 1:13). When the promised "baptism" of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them, there was the sound like a mighty rushing wind, and the disciples began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them utterance.* A large group of people gathered to them because of the noise and Peter preached to them his first sermon. Peter told them that the Jesus whom Israel had crucified had been made Lord (sovereign King) and Christ (Messiah; both words mean "anointed") by God.
When they heard Peter's message they were "cut to the heart" (convicted with guilt) and asked Peter and the other disciples what they should do. Peter told them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him" (Acts 2:38-39). Peter told them to save themselves from "from this crooked generation"(Acts 2:40). About three thousand "souls" who heard and acted on Peter's message were baptized that day. "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers" (Acts 2:42).
The fear (awe and respect for the power and authority) of God was upon every soul. All the believers in Jerusalem lived communally, sharing everything, and they sold their possessions and distributed them to all as any had need. They attended the temple daily, and shared communal meals in their homes with generous and joyful hearts, giving thanks and praise to God, and all were well-regarded among the people. "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47).
Commentary:
The Lord had told his disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they had received the promised gift ("baptism;""anointing") of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8). This was the fulfillment of that promise. Pentecost was the "fiftieth" day after Passover, and was the festival of "first fruits" of the grain harvest. It was feast, with sacrifices and a free-will offering.
Jesus' "Last Supper" was the celebration of the Feast of Passover, where he established the New Covenant of grace (unmerited favor; a free gift) to be received through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant of Law which had been mediated by Moses between Israel and God. Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (Matthew 26:26-28 RSV note"g," Hebrews 8,:8, 13; 12:24).
Jewish tradition regarded Pentecost as the day on which the Law was given by God through Moses. Through Jesus, Pentecost celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit who replaces the Law as the means of our righteousness and standard of guidance (Romans 8:1-9).
Peter had been the uneducated fisherman-disciple of Jesus who was afraid to confess that he knew Jesus three times to menial servants of the Jewish high priest (John 18:18-27). He and the other disciples had been hiding behind barred doors in the upper room in Jerusalem for fear of the Jewish religious authorities (John 20:19). Now filled with the Holy Spirit he preached a powerful sermon to the people of Jerusalem who had condemned Jesus to crucifixion (John 19:14-16).
Now Peter confronted them with their sin and guilt, and the ones who accepted his conviction of themselves repented ; they asked for forgiveness and changed their behavior. As a result they were "discipled" by "born-again" (John 3:3, 5-8) disciples until they also received the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The disciples were beginning to carry out the Great Commission which Jesus gave his disciples to "make disciples" and to teach them to obey all that Jesus teaches (Matthew 28:19-20), after they had been filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8).
The "first-century" Church celebrated the "Lord's Supper"(Holy Communion; the Eucharist) as part of a communal meal, as Jesus had originally established it, but that doesn't mean that it should or can only be celebrated in that context. The first Christians in Jerusalem lived communally. That doesn't mean that Christians must sell all their belongings and live communally, but when we love one another as Jesus commanded, we will care for the needs of our brothers and sisters with generosity. If more people lived like "born-again" Christian disciples there would be less poverty in the world. It would be unacceptable for some to have vast accumulated wealth while others lack basic necessities. Of course this is one of the reasons worldly people hate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The people of Jerusalem gathered by the thousands to see what all the excitement was at the "church" in that upper room. They saw the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. They heard the Word of God boldly and uncompromisingly proclaimed by the Spirit-anointed Peter. They were willing to face the truth of their spiritual condition so they were able to receive the spiritual healing that only Jesus offers. They were willing to be disciples of Jesus and to be "discipled" by the spiritually mature "born-again" disciples until they also received the promised Holy Spirit. The people of Jerusalem noticed the way Christians lived and they respected them as exemplary members of the community, and that was what attracted more members daily.
Only Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
How are we doing today, Church? Are we willing to be confronted by truth? Are we willing to be convicted of sin? In a sense we are all guilty of sin (disobedience of God's Word; Romans 3:23; 1John 1:8-10). And we are all guilty of crucifying Jesus because we have all sinned and made his crucifixion necessary for our forgiveness and salvation (see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).
Are we willing to be disciples of Jesus Christ? Do we seek "apostles" (messengers of the Gospel; preachers) who are "Spirit-anointed" disciples of Jesus Christ? Are our churches making "born-again" disciples of Jesus Christ who obey his teachings? Are our churches so alive with the Holy Spirit that people are drawn to see what the excitement is about? Do our daily lives reveal that we have been with Jesus and glorify him?
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
*"speaking in tongues;" see Paul's teaching on"tongues" in 1 Corinthians 14:5-39
2 Easter - Wednesday
April 2, 2008
1 Peter 1:17-21 -- Christian Lifestyle
If we invoke God as our Father, remember that he is the impartial judge, who judges each person according to his deeds (Ephesians 2:8-10). So then let us conduct ourselves with fear (appropriate awe and respect for the power and authority) of God throughout our exile in this world. Let us remember that we have been ransomed from the futile worldly ways of our earthly fathers, not by gold or silver which which are perishable, but by the precious blood of Jesus, like that of a perfect spotless lamb. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, was destined by God before the beginning of Creation (John 1:1-3, 14), but has been revealed “at the end of the times” (1 Peter 1:20) for our sake. Through Jesus we have confidence in God, so that our faith and hope are in him who raised from the dead and glorified Jesus.
If we claim God as our father, we should act like his children. We are to follow Jesus' example, the perfect Son of God who was completely obedient to God's Word, even to physical death. No one can come to knowledge of and fellowship with God the Father except through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). No one can fulfill the requirements of God's Word except through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).
If we call Jesus our Lord we should know and do what he teaches by word and example (Matthew 7: 21-27). Jesus came to show us how to live in obedient trust in God's Word. He came to demonstrate that there is existence beyond physical death, and to ransom us from the power of sin (disobedience of God's Word) and the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15).
Jesus came to be the perfect and only sacrifice acceptable to God for the forgiveness of our sins (Romans 5:8; John 3:16-17). Jesus' blood shed on the cross cleanses us from all sin through faith in him, so that we can be filled with, guided, and empowered by his Holy Spirit. Only Jesus gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34) only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (Acts 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
Jesus gave his life's blood as the ransom for our eternal souls, so that we could live eternally with him in paradise. We are to live no longer as citizens of this world, but as citizens of God's eternal kingdom in exile in this world.
Worldly ways and possessions are futile. If we pursue those things we will ultimately be eternally condemned and eternally destroyed by them. Gold and silver seem so real, so solid and precious to us now, but they are not eternal. Within the span of our individual lifetimes, they will pass away and become worthless. Only the spiritual riches and ways, which seem so “intangible” now, can we receive only through Jesus' blood.
God has designed this Creation with the Savior, Jesus Christ, “built in” to its very structure (John 1:1-5, 14). This world has been designed so that we all need a Savior (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8-10), and Jesus is the only Savior there is (Acts 4:12; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). God has revealed his Savior, through his Word, the Bible, and through the “living Word,” the physical life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through faith in Jesus Christ God reveals his Savior personally and individually to us by the gift of the Holy Spirit as we trust and obey Jesus.
This is the end of the times for each one of us. Jesus is going to return on the Day of Judgment within our lifetimes, either in the physical or spiritual sense. He comes to us individually now by his indwelling Holy Spirit. He comes to us ultimately on the Day of Judgment, whether we are alive or dead, in both the physical and spiritual senses (1 Peter 4:5). Through the indwelling Holy Spirit we can have the assurance that, as God raised and glorified Jesus, he will also raise and glorify us; so our faith and hope is in God. Are you ready for Jesus' return?
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
2 Easter - Thursday
April 3, 2008
Luke 24:13-35 -- The Road to Emmaus
On the day of Jesus' resurrection, two of Jesus' followers were going from Jerusalem to Emmaus, about seven miles. They were talking about the events of the day. As they were talking, Jesus drew near, but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them what they were discussing, and in sorrow they said that he must be the only visitor to Jerusalem who hadn't heard the news.
Jesus asked what had happened, and the one named Cleopas began to tell him that Jesus of Nazareth, a prophet, great in word and deed, had been handed over to be crucified. The two followers and the rest of the group had hoped that Jesus was the one who was to redeem Israel. This was the third day (since his crucifixion) and some of the women among his followers had gone to the tomb early in the morning, but had found it empty. They returned to the group and reported that Jesus' body was not in the tomb and that they had even seen a vision of angels who said that Jesus was alive. Some others (men) went to the tomb and found it as the women had said, and did not see Jesus.
Then Jesus said that they were foolish and slow to believe what the prophets declared in scripture (our Old Testament). Jesus said that it was necessary for him to suffer and then be glorified. Then, starting with the books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy; the Pentateuch, meaning 5 scrolls) and all the prophets,* Jesus explained the prophecies concerning himself.
As they came to the village, Jesus seemed to be going on, but the two invited him to stay with them, because it was late in the day, so he came in with them. As they sat at table, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them. At once they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other that their hearts burned within them as Jesus had opened to them the scriptures (Luke 24:45).
That same hour they arose and returned to Jerusalem, and found the “eleven” (of the Twelve original disciples, minus Judas Iscariot, Jesus' betrayer) and the rest of Jesus' followers gathered together. The group told Cleopas and the other man that the Lord was indeed risen (from physical death) and had appeared to Simon (Peter). Then Cleopas and the other man began to tell them what had occurred on the road, “and how he (Jesus) was known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24:35).
Commentary:
The two followers of Jesus going to Emmaus were kept from recognizing Jesus until Jesus revealed himself to them. Their minds were similarly “veiled” to the understanding of scripture until Jesus removed the “veil” and opened their minds to understand the scriptures (2 Corinthians 3:13-16; 4:3-4; Exodus 34:29-35; compare Luke 24:45). At Jesus' crucifixion, the “veil” (or “vail;” or “curtain”) of the temple separating the people from the presence of God in the “holy-of-holies,” was torn in two from top to bottom (Luke 23:45), symbolizing that Jesus had opened a new and direct way into the presence and fellowship with God (Matthew 27:51).
When the two travelers arrived at their destination, Jesus appeared to be going farther, but the two invited him to stay with them, and Jesus came in and had supper with them (compare Revelation 3:20; Mark 6:48). At the table Jesus revealed himself to them in the breaking of the bread (compare Mark 6:41; 14:22).
Jesus had repeatedly told his disciples plainly that he would be crucified and raised again on the third day (Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19), but they didn't understand the significance of what he was saying (Matthew 16:22; Mark 10:32-35; Luke 18:31-34). Jesus had promised to reveal himself to his disciples after his resurrection (John 14:18; 21-23).
Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promise of the Redeemer. Jesus has redeemed his disciples who believe in (trust and obey) him from sin (disobedience of God's Word), and death (the penalty for sin is eternal death; Romans 6:23).
Jesus' disciples were slow to realize what had taken place that Easter morning. Jesus came to them and revealed himself to them and removed the “veil” from their understanding.
We are all on a journey through this lifetime. We've heard Jesus' teaching, and we've heard of the empty tomb. On our journey, Jesus draws near, though we don't recognize and acknowledge him right away. If we are willing, he will lift the “veil” from our minds and hearts and open us to understand and receive the scriptures.
When Jesus draws near to us, all we have to do is invite him to come in and stay with us, and he will come and have close personal fellowship with us (Revelation 3:20). If we invite him, Jesus will reveal himself to us personally and individually through the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
Those who have become Jesus' disciples, who have trusted and obeyed his teachings, will be “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Every truly “born-again” Christian disciple personally testifies that Jesus has risen from the tomb and is alive, and that Jesus has revealed himself to them.
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
*The books of Moses are Genesis through Deuteronomy; the Law; the Torah, or Pentateuch. The prophets consist of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel; and Hosea through Malachi. The rest of our “Old Testament” is considered the “writings,” These three divisions are sometimes called the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and Psalms.
2 Easter Friday
April 4, 2008
Ezekiel 34:11-16 -- Shepherd of Israel
The Lord declares that he himself will search for his “sheep,” like a shepherd who searches, when some of his flock has been scattered on a dark and stormy day. The Lord will bring his sheep out from the nations and countries where they have been scattered and bring them into their own land. The Lord will feed them in lush pastures on the hilltops of Israel, and he will provide fountains of water. They shall lie down in good pastures (compare Psalm 23:2). The Lord himself will be their shepherd and give them peace and rest. The Lord will seek out the lost, bring back the straying, bind up the crippled, strengthen the weak, and the Lord will watch over and nurture the strong, and provide them with justice.
Commentary:
Ezekiel was a priest of Judah, the remnant of Israel, at the time of the Babylonian conquest in 587 B.C. and subsequent deportation and exile with them in Babylon. Through Ezekiel, God promised that he himself would gather his people from where they had been scattered, and would bring them back to their own land and heal, feed and care for them as their (good) shepherd.
The Lord had warned Judah of the consequences of Judah's disobedience of God's Word and idolatry (loving and serving any one or thing as much as or more than God) many times through the prophets, but they hadn't heeded the warning. Forty years before the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiah foretold the conquest in plenty of time for them to repent and avoid the exile, but they didn't heed the many warnings. Jeremiah prophesied then that they would return to Israel after seventy years (Jeremiah 25:12), and God fulfilled his promise. The exile is generally counted from the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. To the dedication of the second temple in Jerusalem in 517 B.C.
God's Word is eternal and true, and is fulfilled over and over as the conditions for its fulfillment are met. God did fulfill his promise to bring Judah back to Israel in an amazing, miraculous way.
God also intended his dealings with Israel to be a metaphor for life in this world, and a warning to us (1 Corinthians 10:11). In a sense we are all in exile in the “Babylon” of this world, and God promises to bring us out of “Babylon” and into his eternal kingdom, through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ.
God fulfilled his promise to be the Good Shepherd of Israel. He did bring Judah back to Israel, but he also gave us his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (Messiah; each mean “anointed;” in Greek and Hebrew respectively), the Savior, as God promised (see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). Jesus is Emmanuel (God with us; Matthew 1:23; The name, “Jesus,” means “Savior”). Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to be, himself, the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-15; Psalm 23). Jesus is the fulfillment, embodiment and example of God's Word lived out in this world in human flesh (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus was fully human and also fully God (Colossians 2:8-9).
Jesus is the only one who provides spiritual healing, deliverance from captivity of sin, and restoration, and nurture. Jesus is the “bread of (eternal) life” (John 6:33-35; 52). Jesus' miracles of healing and feeding were intended to show that Jesus can heal and feed us spiritually.
Jesus is the source of “living water” (John 4:10). Jesus is the “rock” in the “wilderness” through whom God gives eternal life-giving water (1 Corinthians 10:4; Numbers 20:7-11).
Jesus is the only one who gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The indwelling Holy Spirit is the fountain of the water of eternal life God promised (John 7:38-39). The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual “re-birth” (John 3:3, 5-8) and eternal life. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9; one Spirit: 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:3-6), the Good Shepherd within us to heal, nurture and guide us and bring us to the safe pastures of God's eternal kingdom.
I personally testify that when I was lost and far from the Lord, he sought me, healed me, and brought me back to him. He feeds and sustains me, guides, and empowers me (see Personal Testimonies, sidebar, top right).
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
2 Easter Saturday
April 5, 2008
Hebrews 13:20-21 -- The Great Shepherd
John 10:22-30 -- Jesus and God are One
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
During the feast of Dedication, Jesus was walking in the portico of Solomon (a roofed, open colonnade on the east side of the temple, where people gathered). So the Jews approached Jesus and asked Jesus to tell them plainly whether or not he was the Christ (Messiah). Jesus replied that he had told them but they hadn't believed.
Jesus told them that the works he was doing in the name of his Father (God) reveal who Jesus is. They did not believe because they do not belong to Jesus' “sheep.” Jesus' “sheep” know his voice and follow Jesus, and Jesus knows them. Jesus gives them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can take them from Jesus. God the Father has given them to Jesus and no one can remove them from God's power. Jesus declared that he and God the Father are one.
God himself promised to be the great shepherd of his people (Ezekiel 34:15 see entry for yesterday, 2 Easter, Friday, year “a”). Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. Jesus and God the Father are one. Jesus is God made visible in human flesh (Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28). Jesus is Emmanuel; God with us (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:14), the fulfillment, embodiment and example of God's Word lived out in human flesh in this world (John 1:1-3, 14).
God is the God of peace; the only one who gives true eternal peace. God made peace with the world through the blood of his Son. We can receive the peace of God by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, the giver of God's peace (Philippians 4:7; John 14:27), or we can refuse it and be at enmity with God. Jesus has already won that battle at the Cross (1 Corinthians 2:6-8; Colossians 2:14-15).
Jesus' blood, shed on the cross as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins (disobedience of God's Word) is the seal of the New Covenant of salvation by grace (unmerited favor; a free gift) to be received by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). Through obedient trust in Jesus we receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9). Through the indwelling Holy Spirit we are equipped with every good and necessary thing, so that we can know and do God's will. Only by the Holy Spirit can we do what is pleasing in God's judgment (Romans 8:1-9). Through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit we are “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) spiritually, to eternal life.
Only Jesus gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is possible to know with certainty for oneself whether or not one has received the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2).
The Jewish religious authorities wanted Jesus to tell them plainly whether or not Jesus was the Messiah (“Christ;” God's “anointed” eternal Savior and King). If they would have believed Jesus' answer, they would have already known and would have had no reason to ask. Jesus was doing miracles that no one but God can do, and his words were the Word of God (John 14:8-11).
If they had been God's “children” they would have recognized Jesus' voice and would have followed Jesus' teaching and example (John 8:39-47). They weren't asking so that they could believe and follow Jesus; they were looking for evidence to destroy him (John 5:18;19:7).
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
*An eight day festival beginning December 25, commemorating the cleansing and rededication of the temple in 164 B.C. after its defilement by Antiochus Epiphanes.(“Dedication, Feast of,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, digital module, BibleTime freeware:
http://www.bibletime.info/
See Free Digital Bible Study Tools, sidebar top right.
