No Turning Back

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

NO TURNING BACK

Heb 3:7-15

7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, 9 where yourfathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'"   12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15 As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."  

NIV

The writer is quoting from Psalm ninety-five, where the truth was spoken about the Israelites and their rebellion. It was not good for them to rebel against the will of God. He had promised them a land of milk and honey, the best place for them, and they refused because of fear which was due to their mistrust in his will which was for their benefit. As a result of their mistrust and rebellion, God declared an oath saying, “They shall never enter my rest”. That is a horrible way they had to live out in the wilderness until they breathed their last. Even if God continued to meet their physical needs, feeding them, giving them heavenly bread, quale, and water, and their clothes and shoes never wearing out, they still died in the wilderness outside of the rest of God. Is this not the point where we learn a profitable lesson? Jesus promised us that when we are weary and burdened if we come to him, he would give us rest for our souls. Is that not what we want, the rest in Jesus, to have that peace of mind and never have to wander in the wilderness until our last breath? We came from that wilderness, and entered into the rest of Jesus, so why would we do anything that would be seen as a rebellion against the will of God? Yet, the question remains, are we doing the will of God? Is it possible that we are living per our desires or our will, and simply adding God as an assurance of salvation, but not really living by his will, which means complete trust in him for every aspect of our lives. That would include where we live, work, worship, and play or engage in entertainment, just as a starter. There is so much more than those aspects of life, and if we say we have come to Jesus, that we believe in Jesus then we must follow him, follow his will for our lives, go where he leads us, for everything God does is for our benefit because he loves us more then we can comprehend. Why would we not want to be in his perfect will, doing that which he desires within us, and through us. There would or should be no reason whatsoever, for us to refuse God because of our desires. Why would we want to be turned around and be sent back into the wilderness from whence we came? Why would we want to live our way which would be refusing God's way, and be sent back into slavery or bondage to sin, being kept out of his rest? No! We have decided to follow Jesus, and no turning back, no turning back, we will follow him wherever he takes us, living according to His desires for us until our last breath. We will live where he leads us, we will have worked where he led us, we have and will continue to worship where he leads us. We will not stop until we reach heaven's door, where we will be in his eternal rest. 

Boastful Faith

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

BOASTFUL FAITH

Heb 3:1-6

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

NIV

Having considered that we have fixed our thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest, whom we confess, we should turn our attention to this idea of being faithful. First, we note that Jesus was faithful to the Father, and secondly, Moses was faithful in all God’s house. However, as we already know Jesus is worthy of greater honor than Moses. The reason this writer is making this point is the main reason for this letter. These Hebrews he is writing to had confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, but were beginning to look back at the law of Moses, which is the law given to Moses for the people, as it might be a better way. The law represented a more concrete form of religious activity, than just faith in Jesus. We have seen some believers, in some of the churches we have been in confessing Jesus as their Lord and Savior, however, it seems they have developed for themselves a way in which works has become more important than faith. We know that faith should produce some form of service to our Lord, doing something beneficial for the kingdom of God. But to be so invested in the do’s and especially the don’ts of Christianity might be close to what those Hebrews were doing looking at the law rather than faith, or putting their faith in the law, rather than Jesus. This truth about the house, and the builder has greater honor than the house, and being faithful to the house has a significant meaning in our lives. The reason for this importance is we are the house that Jesus built. This means we are God’s house, and we know that we are the house or the temple of the Holy Spirit who is God. However, the writer made the point we are God’s house if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. Interestingly, the Greek word translated as courage, parrhesia, has a direct meaning to be out-spoken, freedom of speaking, unreservedness in speech, and free and fearless confidence. So we could see this as saying if we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, becoming God’s house, we should be boldly proclaiming our faith with freedom and being out-spoken about our faith, not holding back, or just sitting in a pew within the walls of the church. We need to be out in the world where they need to hear our boldness, our unreserved speech about Jesus. If we want to be heard, then we must speak up and have boastful faith. 

Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

FIX YOUR THOUGHTS ON JESUS

Heb 3:1-6

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

NIV

What can we say about these words the author of this letter to Hebrews points out? First, we could be called holy brothers because of our faith in Jesus Christ we share in the heavenly calling. That is to say, we do not, or should not respond to the world's calling. Heaven and the world call out, and each person must choose which calling they hear and respond to. Because we heard the call from heaven and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are among those who are holy brothers. However, we still might need some reminding because we are told to fix our eyes or our thoughts, on Jesus, the apostle and high priest we confess. What this implies is that although we confess Jesus it is possible that our thoughts might wander, and we find ourselves having thoughts generated by this world. We do live in this world, but again, we are told, or at least the common consensus that we are not supposed to be of the world. Being of the world would mean we have responded to the call of the world rather than the heavenly calling, then we would not be holy brothers. But what do we do about fixing our thoughts on Jesus? The idea is that as we are faced with the things of this world, we always see them through the eyes of Jesus, but that might be idealistic thinking. Yet, when we are faced with those temptations from the world thinking, we know they are temptations. We see them for what they are, and we make an effort to restrain ourselves, although we fail. But therein lies the difference between being a holy bother hearing our heavenly calling, and those who close their ears to that calling and can only hear the call of the wild, or of the world. We know when we have failed, they don’t count sin as a failure, but as a pleasure. We know because we have fixed our thoughts on our high priest, Jesus,  the builder of the house, which we need to spend more time on later, but what we know is we are that house. Therefore, it would be right to fix our thoughts on the author and finisher of our faith. Praise God for He has sent us the Spirit to aid us in fixing our thoughts on Jesus. 

Life Instead of Death

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

LIFE INSTEAD OF DEATH

Heb 2:10-18

10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12 He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises." 13 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, he says, "Here am I, and the children God has given me."   14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

NIV

The writer wants to make it clear that Jesus is God and that he came down and limited himself to human existence in order to be able to deal with temptations that all humans are burdened with. However, He remained faithful to God's calling, who has to be the Father at this point and lived a perfect life to be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, who are called his brothers. Through his suffering on that cross he took away our sins and made us holy and blameless in the sight of God, which would include the Father and himself, the Son, and of course, the Holy Spirit. But here is the problem that all people must face. First, each one of us is subject to death, because we cannot attain the place of righteousness in order to stand in the presence of God. However, there is a solution to our problem and His name is Jesus. By His death, he destroyed the power of him who holds the power of death, the devil. We have been freed from the power of death therefore we do not fear it as we once did. Still, the problem is that we must put our faith and trust in Jesus and declare him as our Lord and Savior in order to be one of his brothers, or the right to be called a child of God. If we take that stand in life, declaring our allegiance to our Sovereign Lord and Savior Jesus then we can ask him to help us in our temptations as we journey through this life. We can be assured He will help us because he too was tempted in every way that we are and yet did not falter at all, and remained perfect as he lived in the flesh. Therefore, he understands our temptations perfectly, and still, he took all our sins, failures mistakes, and imperfections upon himself on that cross. He helped us in a way no human can, by freeing us from the power of death that is the rightful punishment for sins against God. Praise the Holy Name of Jesus for now we have life instead of death. 

Living Without Death

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

LIVING WITHOUT DEATH

Heb 2:5-9

5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified:

"What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 7 You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor 8 and put everything under his feet."

In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

NIV

The author of this letter to the Hebrews has more to say about the authority and the deity of Jesus to those Jews who had become followers of Jesus but are looking back, thinking the law might be a better way to reach righteousness. However, we need to pause here to consider these angels who are subject to the world to come. There is a new world to come where Jesus will be the light of that world, so there will be no more sun or moon, for it will be a city of light because of Jesus. Yet for now the author of this letter tells us that Jesus was made a little lower than the angels, which was when he was in the form of man even though, he still was God, but in the flesh and thus subject to the limitations of the flesh which would be little lower then the angels. We now are also a little lower than the angels, but the day is coming when they will be subject to this world to come where we will walk and talk with God, as his divine perfect children being brothers and sisters to Jesus. However, it is Jesus who will be crowned with glory and honor, and everything will be put under His feet. Because God, who would be the Father, left nothing that is not subject to Jesus. That being the case, even though we will be in glory and co-heirs with Jesus, He will still be over all things. He is the one who will have all authority and appoint those who will live with him in glory because of their faith in him and they follow his authority over their lives in this current world, and He has all authority to case those who rejected him into the lake of burning sulfur, the second death. Jesus is the one who tasted death for us so we who believe in him should not taste that death. It is true, that this body of ours will eventually wear out and breathe its last breath, but that is not death in the sense of being dead in our sins, and never living for all eternity, for we will rise again, as Jesus did. Our lives are by the grace of God, and our new lives in the world to come will be by that same grace of God that Jesus suffered death so that he tasted it for all of us. Once again, to be clear in our minds, souls, and spirits, because Jesus tasted death, we will not. Thank you, Lord, for all you have done for us and are doing within us, and are doing through us. Because of Jesus, we live without death. 

God Testified

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

GOD TESTIFIED

Heb 2:1-4

2:1 We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

NIV

There is more than just saying we are Christians, for we must pay careful attention to what we have heard, or now we have the Word itself revealing what had been spoken. Paying careful attention means we need to study the Word of God, research the truths within, and put those truths into action. We did not ignore such a great salvation either. We took advantage of the free gift of God and accepted His salvation through Jesus Christ. We first heard the story of salvation through Paul in his letter to the Romans. Paul had met with Jesus through a miraculous event on the road and was converted from a man of death to a man of life. We too were once a man of death, living in complete disobedience to the way of God. But we heard the message, and still, we were not convinced of its reality. However, we asked God if he was real to reveal himself miraculously. He did not disappoint us and performed a miracle proving himself so that we would respond to his wonderful free gift of salvation. God did testify to his salvation by signs and wonders and at least one magnificent miracle and by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are witness to these gifts for the Holy Spirit has bestowed them upon or rather within us, proving once again, that it is through the power of the Lord, that the Holy Spirit gifts us with power in an area we have no skill, talent, training or education, but only function as we do because of the gifts of the Spirit, as He distributed according to his will, which means exactly that, for we do not function in the capacity we do according to our will, our determination, or plans, nor according to our education, training, skills or talents. If we acted or lived by our own design then only we could receive any recognition for our achievements, and we could also boast about our successes in life, even in ministry. However, because we have been removed from our former way of life, and brought into the realm of God, witnessed to by God himself and gifted by the Spirit to function as we do, we cannot claim anything nor boast about anything except boast about Jesus Christ who brought us our salvation and about God who testified to us, and about the Spirit who has gifted us so that all the three in one can receive all the glory and honor do them. In other words, we are nothing without the Lord God Almighty living and working for us, in us, and through us. We are so grateful for the life he has given us and that He testified. 

His Right Hand

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

 HIS RIGHT HAND

Heb 1:13-14

13 To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? 14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

NIV

Not one angel did God ever say they had the privilege to sit at his right hand. Of course, this would be God the Father speaking that he told his Son to sit at the place of honor, to his right. Throughout history when kings would hold banquets one person was selected to sit at the right hand of the king. It could have been a visiting king from a neighboring realm or one of the knights who distinguished himself in battle, but the place at the king's right hand was special as it was where honor was given. Jesus is the only one with the right to sit at the Father's right hand. First, it was Jesus who was there from the beginning, and it was Jesus who created all that was created, and we cannot be certain if it was the Father or Jesus who walked and talked with Adam in the garden, although we suspect it was the Father, but all that Moses recorded was that God walked and talked with Adam. Who was it that met with Moses face to face? We know that Paul stated that the Lord is Spirit and where the Spirit is there is freedom, but does that mean God does not have a physical form? We know the Holy Spirit is in a spiritual form, for he dwells within us, and surely, he could not occupy a physical form and be inside of us. However, is the right hand of God simply metaphorical or does it really mean the Father has a form just as the man he created in their image? We would have to think the footstool is metaphorical, but that would not mean the feet of Jesus are, as we know he ascended into heaven in the physical form of man. We would have to believe that if Jesus is in the form of man, and is sitting at the right hand of the Father, then the Father would have some sort of form who would be sitting on His throne in the heavenly realms. However that looks, is but speculation as we will not know for sure until that last day when we appear before God. However, in the meantime, we should know the angels are sent to minister to us who believe and serve the Lord, thus inheriting salvation. This does make us wonder if salvation is dependent on serving the Lord, rather than just giving him lip service, saying we believe in him. Yet, we know we are saved through faith alone, and not by any form of works, lest we boast. However, faith will produce those works, that is serving the lord, and as we do, we are also being ministered to by angels sent by God. What an incredible way of life! Knowing the Father because we know Jesus and having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, plus having angels ministering to us as we walk through this life can only mean we have life and life abundantly, beyond the natural realm, for we walk and talk with God, as we live in this supernatural, spiritual realm, sitting at the right hand of the Father because we are in Christ and Christ is in us. Wow! That is so amazing, so wonderful, how can we not feel blessed, to be at His right hand. 

Jesus Remains the Same

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

JESUS REMAINS THE SAME

Heb 1:10-12

10 He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end."  

NIV

The question is still, to which angels did God ever say? He never said to any angel, but He did say about Jesus. It was Jesus who was in the beginning. The Apostle John, the one he loved, makes it as clear as it can be at the beginning of his gospel account when he said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.  John continued to tell us that all things were made through him and this writer to Hebrews said the same thing, “In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth”. No angel can do that, but Jesus did and He is the one who gave life to the whole earth, all plants have a life within them, it causes them to grow. He gave life to every living animal he spoke into existence, they have the breath of life in them, perhaps not sentient beings, but nevertheless, they live, and multiply with life. Jesus is the one who formed us from the dust and breathed his very breath of life into us, making us like them, having knowledge, understanding, and knowing who we are. However, we also notice that all this earth, even us, is but a temporary expression of the creative hand of Jesus. We know that someday the whole world will be changed, and a new earth will exist. We also know that we will perish, our bodies will wear out like a garment, and we will be rolled up like a robe, that is put in the grave, but at the same time, we are also like a garment that will be changed. We know this corruptible body will be changed into an incorruptible body and it also will be changed from a perishable body into an imperishable one. We will all be changed, but Jesus never has changed. He is the same from before and at the beginning, and will forever be the exact way he has always been. Although all things come to an end or are changed from a temporary form into an eternal form, Jesus will always be the same Jesus he has always been. We think we have to see that even as he spent those years in the form of a man, He was still the same Jesus he had always been and will forever be. Although he presented himself as a man, he was fully God, the creator of all that is created, the same as he will always be. This is how much Jesus loves us, or we could say, this is how much God loves us, for Jesus is God, and therefore God came down to satisfy His own need for justice because of our sins. Now, we have been justified by Jesus, sanctified by Jesus, cleansed of our sins by Jesus, and we have life because of Jesus, and we will live forever because of Jesus for he will change us, but Jesus is always the same. 

He Is God

 DEVOTION

TO HEBREWS

HE IS GOD

Heb 1:5-9

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?

6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."   7 In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire."  

8 But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."  

NIV

These are three of the six truths the writer to the Hebrews expresses about the supremacy of Jesus. First, there is no one else in the heavenly realms that God calls, “My Son” and that He calls himself, “Your Father”. God shows himself as both the Father and the Son, a relationship that exists nowhere else in heaven. No angel can claim this relationship. This also establishes, the absolute deity of Jesus, so that we can know that Jesus is God. Secondly, however, God also calls Jesus his firstborn into the world. This is the time that the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary causing her to become pregnant with the Son of God and was told his name is to be Jesus. This was the best in our history as humankind, for the Son of God came in our form to save us from our sins and give us the right to be children of God. Not only do the angels worship Jesus, but the whole world worships Him. We are reminded of the day he entered Jerusalem that day we celebrate as His triumphed entrance and call that day Palm Sunday because of the way the people responded to Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey and how the Pharisees told him to rebuke the people. Jesus said that even if they did remain silent, the stones would cry out, and the earth would cry out in response to Jesus. That is we should always be in worship of Jesus, even more than the angels worship him. Thirdly, we notice that Jesus has a throne that will last forever. We always think of the Father on the throne with Jesus at his right hand, the place of honor. However, about the Son, the Father said, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever”. The Father calls the Son God. If anyone ever had any doubts about Jesus being God, what is said here ought to put that doubt far away, because it is clear that God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, they are the three in one. Jesus is always known as righteousness and is the one anointed with the oil of joy. Therefore, because Jesus is with us, that is we have accepted him as our Lord and Savior, and therefore our God, and He is with us forever and ever, for he said that he would never leave us nor forsake us. Consequently, we are to hate wickedness and love righteousness. The devil stands for all that is wicked, and Jesus represents all that is righteous. He is our righteousness. Let us always worship our Lord Jesus, He is our God. 

Jesus

 DEVOTION

 TO HEBREWS

JESUS

Heb 1:1-4

1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

NIV

We begin a look at this letter simply entitled “To Hebrews”.  We do not know who authored this letter, but we know it was written to the Jews who had become Christians but were bending back toward their old ways and this letter, sermon, or whatever it is called, was written to admonish them to stay the course, keep the faith, remaining true to Christ. The first thing this writer is pointing out is the superiority of Jesus over the prophets and angels. We know God has spoken through the prophets and we have their words given to them to speak to the Israelites. We read the prophets and can see the times Israel left God, and ended up in trouble then cried out and God once again saved them from their distress. We know God and he has done the same for us, but this time he did so through his Son, Jesus, who is the exact representation of the Father, and all the glory and his radiance. We know nothing that was made but that everything that was made was made by Jesus. He is the creator of the universe. There is no one greater than Jesus who not only created all things and formed us in his image, or their image, as all three were there, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, when Jesus came to earth, he came in the image they created us in and did something no one else could do. No prophet could save God’s people. No angel, as powerful as they can be, can not save God’s people. However, God and God alone can save His people, and he did so once and for all through the person of Jesus Christ. The writer used the term, “he provided purification for sins”. Interestingly, the Greek word katharismos has this direct meaning to wash away, to purge. So we see that Jesus is the one who washed away our sins, he purged us from our sins, cleansed us, and purified us so that we can stand holy and blameless in the sight of God. We cannot get into the practice of this theology of “Jesus only” as some have, but the fact still remains that we are and will be eternally grateful to God for sending Jesus, the creator of all things, to wash us of our sins, and purify us and making us holy. How could we turn away from him? Never! It is Jesus!

 

Going Up!

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

GOING UP

Luke 24:50-53

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

NIV

Now this is the last thing in the record that Luke left for us. Next to the cross where all our sins were taken into account, and we have been forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Jesus so that we do not have to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus paid it all on that old rugged cross. Then of course the fact that after he was in the grace those three days, he was resurrected, which also means that we too will not stay in the grave for we will also be resurrected. But then after we are raised from the dead what then? If that is all then are we destined to just live again in the fallen world? Do we have to continue to find a way to support ourselves? Surely because of our death, all our assets would be gone, and we would no longer have any social security, that would have stopped at our death. Praise God there is one more event that we have to look forward to when we are resurrected or hopefully even before we go through the valley of death. After Jesus had eaten that broiled fish to prove he was still flesh and bone, and they went out near Bethany, he lifted his hands and blessed them and at that very time, he was taken up, in bodily form, into heaven. Sure, there is more to come, but the truth of the matter is that because Jesus was taken up into heaven after we are resurrected, we too will be taken up into heaven. Of course, we know just as Jesus was in paradise along with that one thief that day, they both took their last breath. This means the day we take our last breath we will leave this body behind, and we will be in paradise with Jesus. Certainly, that will be in a spiritual form, although we do not know what that will look like. However, there will be a day that whatever condition the body we left behind will be resurrected and we will rejoin it so that we can rise into heaven in a bodily form, just as Jesus did. Oh, the glory of it all. It does not matter what the condition of our bodies will be, for eventually, it was dusk we were formed and to duck we will be. Our bodies will decay to dusk, or we might have been cremated, but none of that matters when it comes to the power of God. Our bodies will be reformed as they are resurrected so we can follow Jesus into the air and on to our heavenly home until we all come back to live in the new city of Jerusalem on the new earth, an all-new creation by the power of God and prepared for us by Jesus. Meanwhile, we live by faith and in the hope or anticipation of our resurrection and ascension, as we will live a glorious eternal life in the presence of our Lord. Yet, we wait for that word, “Going up!” Amen! 

Power From On High

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

POWER FROM ON HIGH

Luke 24:36-53

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."  37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."  40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"  42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."  45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."  50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

NIV

Now the last thing is on the agenda to consider. Well, there is still another one last thing, but before we get to it, we would know that we have repented, we have changed the way we think about Jesus, and we have the forgiveness of our sins. That means our past sins, and our present, and our future sins. That may not be the right way to approach the idea of our sins, thinking that we will sin today, tomorrow, or for the rest of our lives. But as long as we are in this corruptible body it will be corrupted, and sin is the result. It is not that we go around trying to find a way to sin, but it just happens, and when it does, we mourn over our failure and seek forgiveness, which we have immediately for we have already been forgiven. Now, because Jesus told them to wait in the city until he sends what the Father had promised, although Jesus used the present tense, has promised, so we would think that promise is still in the present tense, and we have been clothed with power from on high. This power is in the form of the Holy Spirit who the Father has sent to them, and to us, therefore we have received the Holy Spirit, and we have received this power from on high, who is God. The question we need to ask ourselves is if we are truly living as though we have the power from on high. We know we have the Holy Spirit, we have all the evidence throughout the scriptures, especially within the record Luke makes of the acts of the Apostles the Holy Spirit came upon many people, and they experienced that power in their lives. All we have to do is look at Stephen, a man full of faith and the power of God, as he was full of the Spirit, and he did many miraculous signs, and wonders among the people. We have the same Holy Spirit who filled Stephen and He fills us, unless we have shut Him down, that is quenching the Spirit who dwells within us, keeping Him from completely filling us. This could be because we still want to have control over our lives, and do not want to give ourselves over to His power. However, if we can truly submit to the power of God in our lives, we can have life to the fullest, living abundantly in the Spirit. This is not in the physical sense or the material sense, but living fully in the power of the Spirit, accepting all his influence within us, producing all His fruit in us, and exhibiting His gifts through us, which include miracles, which are signs and wonders, and all the rest. There is no rule the Spirit only gives one person one of His gifts. If we are completely open and totally transparent with the Spirit, we will have all the power from on high. 

To Have an Open Mind

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

  TO HAVE AN OPEN MIND

Luke 24:36-53

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."  37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."  40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"  42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."  45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."  50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

NIV

One more of the last things that Luke made sure we are to understand. Before we get to the last thing, we should stop momentarily and consider that Jesus opened their minds. These were men, the eleven that had been with him from the beginning. They had seen everything, all the healings, those three he raised from the dead, Lazarus, the little girl, and that young boy being carried to a tomb. They heard all his teaching, every sermon he ever preached, yet now he opened their minds. Had they not understood before exactly who he was? Peter made it clear when he answered the question, “Who do you say I am?". Yet their minds had yet been opened to the truth of God. It is interesting that until our minds were opened, we did not understand anything about the truth of God. There are people today who have some idea about God, but their minds are still closed to the truth about Jesus being the Son of God who came to take away all our sins and make us holy and blameless in the sight of God. They do not understand because their minds are closed just as ours were before Jesus opened our minds so we could see the truth and accept him as our Lord and Savior. Interestingly, some of those who have a closed mind to the truth accuse us of having a closed mind to their ideas of the truth which, of course, are false truths. Their idea is that science rules the world, or evolution forms the universe, and all who live in it, cannot save them, or open their minds. Jesus is the only one who can open a mind and save a person from the penalty of sin, death, both the first and the second death. How blessed we are that Jesus opened our minds so we could understand all that he has told us, through all the holy scriptures he has inspired men to record and assemble into one volume of the truth, the whole truth. Then, just as those eleven and the rest of the one hundred and twenty that were in that room who received that power from on high, we too have received it, but that is for the “One last thing”. For now, let us revel in the truth that our minds have been opened. 

Being Glorified

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

BEING GLORIFIED 

Luke 24:33-53

33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."  37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."  40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"  42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."  45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."  50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

NIV

We have come to the end of the record Luke has given us of the birth, life, death, resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the bread of life, the light of the world, and our Savior. There are several areas within this last narrative we need to focus on, and it might take us a few days to touch on each one. First, we see that Jesus simply shows up. Luke does not tell us that he walked into the room, but that he stood among them. He is the resurrected Jesus, in his glorified body, although he is also flesh and bones. When he broke that bread with the two disciples he met on the road to Emmaus while they were at the table with him, he vanished from their sight. In His gloried state, he can move from place to place anytime at His will. Showing up even in a locked room, as the other gospel writer tells us he did just for Thomas. His greeting was a common one among the Jews, “Peace be with you”. This word is the same one he told them his peace he gives them, not as the world gives, but his peace. This word is much like the Hebrew word, Shalom. But the point we want to focus on is this glorified state Jesus was in after his resurrection. We know that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor can the perishable inherit imperishable, but we will be changed. When resurrected, we will have a glorified body, like Jesus. We can eat and drink, as Jesus ate the broiled fish in their presence. We are not going to become a spirit, floating around in the heavens, for we will be living in that new city of Jerusalem on the new earth, a whole new creation, a paradise like, but even better than the Garden of Eden God put the first man in so that He could walk and talk with his man that he formed in his own image. Oh, the glory of it, when we are resurrected and able to move freely from one place to another within the universe, but we will have our residence in the place Jesus prepared for us so that we will be living in that city, and He will once again walk and talk with us, his people whom He formed in his image. But until He comes for us, we still are able to walk with Him and talk with Him as he tells us we are His own and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has never known. Yet, the fact remains, we will be glorified. 

  

A Burning Heart

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

A BURNING HEART

Luke 24:13-32

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" 19 "What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." 25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"  27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

NIV

Although we were with this passage yesterday and focused on the question that Jesus asked them, we also wanted to consider the hearts of these two men. First, when they thought they had lost Jesus to the cross, and it might look like their moment was going to come to an end their hearts were downcast. Life without hope is a sad way to live. It is also an unfortunate way to live having eyes closed, which also means the heart is closed and not being able to recognize Jesus. To be kept from being able to see Jesus would mean a hopeless life. It is interesting that in our conversations with people who, at least, know the name of Jesus, but do not see him as their Lord and Savior think they are going to heaven when they die because they think they are a good person. Yet, in reality, they are living in the dark without a real reason for hope. Their hope is in being a good person, but that will not do them any good. Hopelessness is no way to live. Jesus even told those two men they were foolish and slow of heart. But the wonderful thing that happened was that as Jesus sat with them and broke the bread, their eyes and hearts were opened, and they knew it was Jesus. How they must have been excited, and full of that same hope all over again. I remember the excitement I felt the first time I met and recognized Jesus for who he is. My heart was pounding within, and I could not contain my exuberance because, for the first time in my life, I had hope there was more than death being the end of my life. My heart was burning because I had recognized Jesus. Let us never let the fire go out of our hearts, let us always have a burning heart.

What Are You Discussing

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

WHAT ARE YOU DISCUSSING

Luke 24:13-32

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" 19 "What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." 25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"  27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

NIV

This is a long narrative, but how can we break it up for it needs the complete story to make sense. The first thing we should consider is Jesus wanting to know what they were discussing as they walked along. We believe he already knew, but was inserting himself into their conversation for the express purpose of giving them hope in the resurrection. This gives us the idea that Jesus wants to be in our conversations as we walk through life. How could we not discuss the things of the scriptures? How could we spend all our time discussing the mundane things of this world, when there are eternal matters at stake? Maybe it is alright to have a conversation about the temporary matters within this world, such as the weather, sports, politics, the economy, or any of the many other material things if we are having this conversation with someone who has yet to accept Jesus, in hope of finding a common ground where we can introduce them to Jesus we know and love, and the truth of the gospel. However, we have a difficult time understanding why we believers would spend so much time discussing those same topics among ourselves when we have so much more to learn about our Lord as he walks along the road of life with us. We would think that if we do invest too much time in the world with little to no time invested in the things of God, we might become slow of heart, and maybe even foolish. Sure, we must do the day-to-day living, and even have leisure time to enjoy certain things we have and do, plus the daily activities of working and providing for our lives. Yes, of course, we can enjoy the wonderful company and love of our spouse, whom God directed into our lives. However, what is the main focus of our lives? It is not Jesus? Should not we believers desire to talk about Jesus with each other? Should we not want to know more and more about the scriptures, how they play out in our lives, and what is going to happen, as we look forward to the day of our resurrection and living in eternal glory? How can we do that if we only talk about sports, the economy, the politicians, or the weather? No, No, we must always be about our Father’s business, always be about the eternal matters of the kingdom of God, at least within our hearts and minds, and if we are then we cannot help but discuss what is in our hearts and minds with each other, because Jesus wants to know what we are discussing. 

It is Not Nonsense

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

IT IS NOT NONSENSE

Luke 24:9-12

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

NIV

Why would the Eleven and all the others not believe the women? Were they not present when Jesus told them all that was to happen? Didn’t they hear him, or pay attention at the last supper they had with him? Was it unclear to them when Jesus took the bread and broke it, telling them, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me”? Did they not understand when He took the cup and told them, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”? They saw him on the cross and knew that would happen, but did they think that was the end? Where was their faith in Jesus, especially Peter when he confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. Did they not believe or just did not get it when Jesus told them he was going to prepare a place for them, and that he would come back to take them with him? There was so much he told them, they surely should have believed the women, but they did not. Even when Peter ran to the tomb and found it empty with just the strips of linen lying by themselves, he went away wondering what happened. How they were so dense just boggles our mind, yet there are people today, if we tell them all that happened in the scriptures and Jesus rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven, and answered our prayers, they will not believe us. Even if we let them read it for themselves, they would refuse to accept it, and discredit the word of God, saying it was only written by men in an attempt to control others. We wonder if when we tell someone about the gospel, the words we use just seem like nonsense to people. Are we using the wrong words? Maybe we are just using Christianese terms, then it might just be nonsense to someone who does not understand our language, like as if we are speaking a foreign tongue. We wonder if the women were too excited and could not formulate their words correctly. But then, of course, we are not like the women, for we don’t get very excited at all about Jesus not being in the tomb. At least it seems we live a sort of hum-drum kind of life. We know all the facts, we believe all the facts, and yet we would think we would be just a tad more excited about eternal life than we are. Have we gotten bogged down with all the hubbub of this world, getting weighted down with this life, that we have lost our focus and excitement about the world to come? Hopefully, we have not become like the Eleven, and not believe. No, we believe! We are not going to let anything, or anyone distract us from our enthusiasm for the truth, and that Jesus has arisen, and He is sitting at the right hand of the Father and they sent the Holy Spirit to live within us, so how can we not be excited. Let us live in the moment, expecting Jesus to come for us any time now because it is not nonsense. 

He has Risen

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

HE HAS RISEN

Luke 24:1-8

24:1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"  8 Then they remembered his words.

NIV

We could spend time going over the ways the Jews considered the days, with Jesus in the tomb on the preparation day, which is the day before the Sabbath, so he would be in the tomb Friday and Saturday, then the first day of the week, Sunday began at the end of the Sabbath day, which would have been the twelve hour or sunset. Therefore, Jesus was in the tomb for three days. However, the story here resides in the words of the two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning. Luke does not tell us they were angels, but by that description and with the other accounts, we know they are angels. Only the dead are in tombs and although the body of Jesus was dead, He has risen. Officially, at least according to the way men think, when a person stops breathing, they are dead, such as Jesus breathed his last as he committed his spirit unto the Father. However, he promised the thief on the cross that today he would be in paradise with him. We have to believe Jesus left his body there in the tomb while he and that one thief were enjoying paradise, but at the exact right time, Jesus returned to his body, as the Father resurrected him, as the angels could tell the women, he is not here, He has risen! On the blessed Sunday we celebrate Easter, with all the plastic eggs filled with candy, we greet each other at church with, “He has risen!”, “He has risen indeed!”. We cannot be sure what the eggs signify for the children unless all the eggs are empty, then we can tell the children they are just like the tomb, empty the candy is not here, it has risen. (Bad Pastor) But the real story here is that Jesus is the first to be resurrected and because we are in Christ and He is in us because we believe and we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we too will be resurrected someday, unless he comes back for us before we breath our last. Then we will be able to say that today we will be in paradise with Him. However, which way it happens, we will ultimately end up in paradise with Jesus, because he is no longer in the tomb, the women remembered his words. It would be good for us to always remember, “He has risen! “Oh Yes!” “He has risen indeed!” .

Living With Anticipation

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

LIVING WITH ANTICIPATION

Luke 23:50-56

50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

NIV

If it was high noon when dark fell upon the earth for the sun failed to shine, and both Matthew and Mark indicate it was when evening came that Joseph of Arimathea came to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus it would have meant it was just before six just before the sun was about to set, which would be the beginning of the Sabbath, Sunset to Sunset. We cannot be sure, but when Jesus committed his spirit to God and breathed his last, was it at high noon, the sixth hour, so it could have been several hours before Joseph was able to take his body down. But because this was before sunset, Jesus was in the tomb on preparation day. This is important because the three days in the tomb must be fulfilled. However, the story here is about Joseph from the town of Arimathea. Here is a man who was a member of the council, and we are told he was a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He was waiting for the kingdom of God. We wonder if he thought like many of the Jews, including the disciples, that Jesus was going to start the kingdom of God by overthrowing the Roman occupying army and reestablishing their Jewish customs, becoming their king. Perhaps Joseph did grasp the spiritual idea of the kingdom of God as some of the disciples may have. It is difficult to know exactly what was on their minds for we are not told specifically what they were thinking. Yet, Joseph was waiting for the kingdom of God. This is the lesson we should take away from this narrative. Living in anticipation of the kingdom of God. Sometimes, because it is easy, we can get distracted by all the things in this life. We have goals, and ambitions that we would like to see happen. We want certain things in this life, either a new this or a newer that, or a better this, or updated whatever. Of course, we should be good stewards of what God has blessed us with, but we should not think those things are anything but temporary, for we are waiting for the kingdom of God. In one sense, the kingdom is already here, for it is within us. We are already citizens of the kingdom, having abdicated our citizenship in this world. We no longer live according to the laws of the world for we live according to what Jesus established. We live because we have faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Because we have been given the right to be called children of God, and are told the just will live by faith, we believe God will provide all we need. Yet, at the same time, we are waiting for the kingdom of God. We are waiting for the day when either Jesus returns for us before we take our last breath, or the day of our resurrection to live forever in the kingdom of God with Jesus. Either way, we live in anticipation of the kingdom of God. 

Full Access

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

FULL ACCESS

Luke 23:44-49

44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. 47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man." 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

NIV

Luke leaves out some of the other things Jesus said from the cross, which is alright. We will only deal with what Luke makes known to us and this is the moment when it all comes together. The time when the sun stopped shining. Interestingly the Hebrew word used here for the sun stopped shining means to fail, quit, and leave. In other words, the sun failed to shine, this was not an eclipse, for we have seen a full eclipse of the sun by the moon and the sun was still shining, so much so that we needed special glasses to be able to look directly at the eclipse. When it was the sixth hour which would be high noon, the time when the sun was directly overhead, and it stopped, it failed to shine, as if it disappeared from the sky, that was how dark it became, and at that exact time the curtain in the temple was torn in two. We cannot be sure about the size of the veil or curtain, but from various sources it is said to be about sixty feet high, thirty feet wide, and the thickness of a man’s hand, which could be from one to six inches thick, depending how one measured a hand. Nevertheless, it was so large and thick that no one could accidentally stumble into the Holy of Holies. All this is important because no one was allowed to enter the presence where God dwelled with men, except once a year and then only by the high priest. Now, Jesus being the High Priest, in the order of Melchizedek, the Son of God, breaks down the bearer between men and God, tearing the curtain, and taking away the veil so that we can have full access to the Father. No longer is that anything between us and God, in fact, now God dwells within us as the Holy Spirit. We cannot be any closer to God than if we sat on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, yet we are even closer than that. All this happened the time Jesus gave up his spirit when he decided to take his last breath. He gave up his spirit. No one killed Jesus, not man nor the dark forces of evil in this world. Jesus decided the time and place he would give his life for his creation, to redeem them, to see to it all their sins are forgiven, and they now have complete life, to the fullest, eternal life through faith in Jesus. There is no curtain anymore, We have full access! 

In Paradise With Jesus

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

IN PARADISE WITH JESUS

Luke 23:35-43

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." 

NIV

We could focus on those who sneered at him, both the rulers and the soldiers, just as today there are people who sneer at Jesus. The fact is people either believe in Jesus as the Son of God, as the Savior of the world, or they sneer at Jesus, making fun of those who have faith, and who live by faith. However, we want to focus on the two criminals on Jesus' right and left. Both men are guilty of the crime they are being crucified for. There is no doubt they fall into the category of what Paul will write later, that all have fallen short of the glory of God. They had not just fallen short, they had committed a civil crime, against the law. The penalty of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life. These two men had received their just due and were hanging on a cross. But Jesus was innocent and there he was between them because of the sins of others. First, because of the sin of hatred within the chief priests, teachers of the law, and the rulers. Second, and primarily because of the sin of the world. Interestingly, the one criminal hurled insults at Jesus. How can one condemned man insults another condemned man, unless, he was only interested in Jesus being able to get them all off the cross? Yet, the other criminal got the point. He understood both he and the other criminal were guilty and getting what they deserved, but Jesus had done nothing wrong. Then he made this great confession of faith. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He expressed one of the greatest truths. Although Jesus was crucified, this man believed that even then, dying on the cross, and being buried, Jesus would not stay dead, but return to life and rule his kingdom. Of course, he did not say all that, but his words implied that is how he thought about Jesus. Then we come to the truth of truths. “Today you will be in paradise with me.” First, instead of spending days on a cross, dying a slow and agonizing death by suffocation, Jesus knew the Jews would not allow men to be on the cross taking days to die because the next day was a special Sabbath and they would have the soldiers break the legs of the men so they could not give themselves any relief and suffocate sooner, so they could be taken down. Jesus knew this man would die today with him, and both of them would be in paradise that day. This brings us to another whole truth. Jesus is in paradise, not in the tomb, and because he was was paradise and ruling, he could release anyone else, without going anywhere, until it was time to return to his body for a while. We could spend volumes on this truth, but we will leave it for now, to just know that someday we too will be in paradise with Jesus. 

Forgive them

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

FORGIVE THEM

Luke 23:32-34

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals — one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."  And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

NIV

This is one of what is normally considered one of the seven last words of Jesus. We have heard this explained in various ways but we believe there is one way in which we should consider what Jesus is doing on the cross. When we examine the life of Jesus, at least during his public ministry, we find he spent his time doing two basic things. He taught about the kingdom of God, and He healed all that came to him, He also raised three people from the dead, which is still healing. We do not think Jesus stopped teaching even as he was on the cross. It would not be right to think Jesus was now thinking only of himself. First, going to the cross was and is all about his creation, us, and secondly, what he said from the cross is also all about us. Of course, there is the question as to who Jesus is asking the Father to forgive. Was it the godless Romans, that did not know what they were doing? We don’t think so, as the Romans were experts at crucifying a person and they could care less about being forgiven by the God of the Jews. Therefore, we think Jesus was asking the Father to forgive the Jews who hated him so much they got the Romans to crucify him. Was it because they did not know they were following the will of the Father that they needed forgiveness? No, it was because they refused to understand Jesus was the Messiah and accepted the grace of God he was offering them. But the most important truth here is Jesus was teaching the truth of forgiveness. In the middle of the worst offense against him, when certain people hated him so much, he was still forgiving them. He was teaching us the truth of forgiveness. When we consider how he taught us to pray we recite that prayer almost without thought, but the part of forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us, although we sometimes say, trespasses instead of sin. Jesus also taught that if we forgive those who offend us, sin against us, or commit a trespass against us, God will forgive our sins, offenses, and trespasses against him, but if we do not forgive those who sinned against us, God will not forgive our sins against him. That is a harsh teaching, but on the cross, Jesus still is teaching about forgiveness, and he is asking the Father to forgive those so filled with hatred toward him who committed murder in their hearts, another truth Jesus taught. Forgiveness must always be in the forefront of our minds and hearts. We must always forgive all the time, every time. Forgiveness means we will never bring any offense anyone commits against us up again. We will never keep that record of wrong, not ever, because we forgave them. However, when we think someone has offended us or sinned against us, we might be thinking too highly of ourselves than we should. If we are living a life of love, and are exhibiting the grace of God, how can we be offended by someone? But the truth is, we also are flawed, and so we always need to forgive. The truth Jesus taught us, “Father forgive them”, even when they are unaware, did not know they offended us. 

Green or Dry

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

GREEN OR DRY

Luke 23:26-31

26 As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then "'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '  31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" 

NIV

Once again, Luke does not give the gory details of the physical pain and abuse Jesus suffered at the hands of the Romans and how his body was so weakened to near exhaustion that the Romans were forced to seize this man, Simon into service to carry that old rugged cross, upon our Savior took our sins. Interestingly Jesus takes the time to respond to these women who are wailing over his being led to his crucifixion. His words could be seen in two different ways. First, he could be prophesying about what was to take place when the Romans burned Jerusalem. He could be referring to himself when he spoke about the green tree in that while he was with them, an innocent man, of course, he was extremely innocent because he was God in the flesh, the government could do such an injustice, what will happen when the government takes active against the guilty. However, this second way of seeing the words of Jesus could be about things yet to come. While we are in the age of grace, the tree is green, yet evil men do horrible things. Evil has prevailed and continues to prevail, even in the supposed halls of justice worldwide. But their punishment of the innocent will not last for an eternity. For a day is coming when the tree will no longer be green, the age of grace will come to an end, and those who are dry, those who are evil, without any of the grace of God within them, bearing no fruit, no justice, will be burned up in the lake of burning sulfur. Jesus made, and in fact, continues to make through his written words, references to us being like trees and whether we are a good green tree with our roots deep within the stream of living water, Jesus, and bearing fruit in our season. Our leaves will not whither and whatsoever we do, (for the kingdom of God) will prosper. However, the wicked are not so, they are like the chaff that is blown away by the wind, dry, and useless,  and might be like a dry tree that does not have its roots in Jesus, the stream of living water, thus it is dry and its leaves whither and bears no fruit, and is cut down and thrown into the fire. When the age of grace is over, and the final justice will be handed out, they might try to run for the hills, but the earth is going to burn. Let us do what we are supposed to do, bear fruit so that others, people who have yet come to Jesus might enjoy the fruit we bear, so they can taste and see the Lord is good. Let us be that green tree bearing the grace of Jesus. 

Crucify, Crucify, Crucify

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

CRUCIFY, CRUCIFY, CRUCIFY

Luke 23:13-25

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him." 18 With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" 19(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) 20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" 22 For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him." 23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

NIV

Interestingly, Luke records that Pilate attempted to release Jesus three times because he found no fault in him. Still, three times the chief priests, rulers, and the people shouted, “Away with him”, “Crucify him!”, and even louder, “Crucify him!”. It is as if the three times are a repetition of Peter’s three denials. However, the point here is the chief Priests and rulers now had their opportunity to exact revenge on Jesus. Their hatred for him had driven them to commit murder, as in fact, they had already committed murder in their hearts. We think their hatred was motivated by envy and jealousy of him because so many people left their leadership to follow Jesus. They were powerless, unable to match any of the things he did or taught. All they could do was watch their authority over the people slip away little by little at first, then in large numbers as more and more of the people wanted more of Jesus and less of them. However, we also know all this was being done according to the will of the Father, and actually also the Son and the Spirit. The will of God will always trump the will of men. That is one lesson we should take away from this, but there is one other lesson that is available to us. It is this jealousy and envy in the hearts of men that drive their attitudes to the point of committing murder with their hearts.  Jesus taught that lesson, that hatred, or anger within our hearts toward our fellow believers is the same as murder and subject to judgment. We must be careful not to allow anything to interfere with our love and our mutual respect for each other. This includes not thinking more highly of ourselves than we should, refusing to listen or spread gossip, putting others above our own self-interests, plus many more attitudes and behaviors that are not part of loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. We can never allow anything within us to want to cry, “Crucify, Crucify, Crucify”. 

Jesus Remained Silent

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

JESUS REMAINED SILENT

 

Luke 23:8-12

8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends — before this they had been enemies.

NIV

Although Herod questioned and questioned Jesus with many words, hoping to get Jesus to do some miracle, Jesus just stood there silent. Normally, we would think because we are told so that when we ask Jesus for something, he will any us, and do whatever we ask in his name. But Jesus just stood there silent, because Herod was not seeking to know Jesus, or wanted to know about the kingdom of God, but only wanted a magic act, to be entertained by Jesus. We do wonder if we Christians only come to Jesus for a miracle, or when we have some need, we want fixed. Of course, Jesus has told us to come to him if we are weary and heavy burdened and He would give us rest. We know he wants us to come to him to have life. We know that unless the Father enables us, that is the Spirit convicts us of our sin, and our eyes and hearts have been opened to this, we will not be able to come to Jesus for life. However, we also know that we do not just want to come to Jesus because He can do a miracle for us, but that we have come to him for life, and he gives us life and life abundantly, for eternal life is as abundant as it can be. If Jesus never does another thing for us, having a life is all we need. Yet, we know Jesus is healed all that came to him, but it was because they believed, they had faith in Jesus. Herod never demonstrated faith, but just wanted a show. If we have faith in Jesus we will gain life, but we lose our lives, Herod was not interested in losing his life to gain life through Jesus,  he just wanted a show, and when he did not get one, he made fun of Jesus, mocked him, discrediting him. Isn’t that what happens today by those who do not know Jesus, and are not willing to come to him for life, but want to mock and discredit Jesus as Lord and Savior, perhaps seeing him as a good man, even a prophet, but not who he truly is, the Son of the living God, the Messiah, the Savior of the world, the giving of life. Let us always come to Jesus in worship and adoration, with a heart of thanksgiving, for He has made us whole, He has given us life eternal. Of course, Jesus will answer us, He is always there for us, He will heal, and He is always willing to heal, to provide, to sustain us through our life here until He comes back for us to take to that place He has prepared just for us. But for Herod, Jesus remained silent. Jesus will not answer the mockers.