The Gospels record many details of the events leading up to and including Jesus' crucifixion. The suffering that the Prince of Peace endured in his final hours in the hands of sinful men was beyond anything we can imagine.
Yet our Savior's most outward expression of anguish occurred during two separate, but very related events. First in the Garden, when he went to pray--knowing what he was about to endure, Jesus said, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." (Matthew 26:38 NIV). Scripture records that as Jesus prayed in anguish, he literally sweat blood (Luke 22:44). Then, later that morning after darkness had covered the earth for three hours after Jesus was nailed to the cross, he cried out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46).
The anguish Jesus felt in the Garden was his knowing that for a time, he would be separated from the Father as the sin of the world was to be poured out upon him. The three hours of literal darkness that covered the land was God turning away from his beloved Son as he bore the punishment for our sin. This excruciating separation of the Father and the Son was necessary to complete the salvation of mankind. At the moment of Jesus' death, several miraculous events occurred, including the tearing of the temple curtain which had symbolized God's separation from man (Matthew 27:51).
Jesus paid our sin debt on the cross, but his most agonizing moments were contemplating and then actually experiencing separation from the Father. Our Savior alone knows the absolute joy of being in the continual and everlasting presence of God. He also knows how indescribably terrible it is to be separated from the Father---which is the fate of everyone who rejects him as Savior. He willingly suffered so that we would never have to experience separation from God for eternity.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Danger of Spiritual Blindness
Whenever I read in Scripture about the week leading up to Christ's sacrificial death on the cross, the Holy Spirit always reveals to me new truth. Today's lesson for me was the danger of spiritual blindness.
The Pharisees hated Jesus because He could see the darkness of their hearts as they meticulously maintained their adherence to the law. They repeatedly challenged him throughout his earthly ministry and Jesus always responded with the truth of God's Word, coupled with a revelation of their hearts. In their zealousness to rid themselves of Jesus, they did the unthinkable. They aligned themselves with the oppressive Roman Empire--whom they also hated--to accomplish their purpose. After they arrested and took Jesus to Pontius Pilate to be crucified and Pilate questioned them why they wanted him to crucify their king, the chief priests declared "We have no King but Caesar" (John 19:15). Instead of turning people to God, they claimed allegiance to Rome in order to kill their long-awaited Messiah.
Spiritual blindness can cause us to also do the unthinkable. If we drift away from the truth of God's Word or hang on to meaningless traditions, we run the risk of dulling our vision for the things of God--putting us in a place of darkness that our Heavenly Father never intended for us.
The Pharisees hated Jesus because He could see the darkness of their hearts as they meticulously maintained their adherence to the law. They repeatedly challenged him throughout his earthly ministry and Jesus always responded with the truth of God's Word, coupled with a revelation of their hearts. In their zealousness to rid themselves of Jesus, they did the unthinkable. They aligned themselves with the oppressive Roman Empire--whom they also hated--to accomplish their purpose. After they arrested and took Jesus to Pontius Pilate to be crucified and Pilate questioned them why they wanted him to crucify their king, the chief priests declared "We have no King but Caesar" (John 19:15). Instead of turning people to God, they claimed allegiance to Rome in order to kill their long-awaited Messiah.
Spiritual blindness can cause us to also do the unthinkable. If we drift away from the truth of God's Word or hang on to meaningless traditions, we run the risk of dulling our vision for the things of God--putting us in a place of darkness that our Heavenly Father never intended for us.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
A Preview of Men's Night 1212
This coming Friday night (6-9 p.m.) is our annual OBC Men's Night at the Ogletown Exchange. It's going to be a great evening of food, fellowship, worship and encouragement for men of all ages. Men's Night is a tremendous blessing to me. Since we are created in the image of God and He created us for fellowship, I believe that our Heavenly Father loves seeing his men come together for a night to praise and worship Jesus and hear his Word proclaimed.
1212 stands for Romans 12:1-2 which are our theme verses for the night. From these verses to the end on the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul talks about what it takes to be a follower of Christ and how to live in harmony with others. So it is certainly worth noting that he starts off with: I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (v.1, ESV). Some translations use the word beseech which ratchets up the urgency. Spiritual worship means being a living sacrifice to God. Being great at the Great Commandment (Mark 12:30) requires nothing less.
The link below will give you a preview of one of our worship songs for the evening. Pay close attention to the words of this song---it speaks to Romans 12:1 unlike any other song I've heard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h64opCwLZCw&feature=related
I look forward to seeing you there!!
1212 stands for Romans 12:1-2 which are our theme verses for the night. From these verses to the end on the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul talks about what it takes to be a follower of Christ and how to live in harmony with others. So it is certainly worth noting that he starts off with: I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (v.1, ESV). Some translations use the word beseech which ratchets up the urgency. Spiritual worship means being a living sacrifice to God. Being great at the Great Commandment (Mark 12:30) requires nothing less.
The link below will give you a preview of one of our worship songs for the evening. Pay close attention to the words of this song---it speaks to Romans 12:1 unlike any other song I've heard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h64opCwLZCw&feature=related
I look forward to seeing you there!!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
In All Things
Most people have little trouble believing that God created everything and that He is capable of doing anything. They can also wrap their arms around the notion that God is good and that it pleases him when we make good choices. Yet when tragedy, suffering or misfortune happens, many people's faith in God begins to waver. They begin to doubt whether God is really a god of goodness to allow these things to happen. They begin to believe that he is too detached to care about the day-to-day details of our lives.
Romans 8:28 clears up any misconception: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. In this one verse, there are two very powerful truths. First, God is always present and works in all things--not just isolated incidents--for our good. This doesn't mean that all that happens to us is supposed to be good. This doesn't mean that God's purpose is to make us happy. What it means is that God does have a purpose behind everything that happens. It means that God can use every single circumstance in our lives and turn it around for good. I accepted Christ at the funeral of a friend's father. God used the circumstance of one man's death to give me eternal life.
Secondly, God's promise is not for everyone. It is for those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. Those who are called are those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and have been born-again into God's family. Being born-again gives us a new mindset on life. We learn to trust in God and his faithfulness and not the broken promises of the world. We look to Heaven for our security and learn to accept and not resent pain and persecution because God is with us.
Romans 8:28 clears up any misconception: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. In this one verse, there are two very powerful truths. First, God is always present and works in all things--not just isolated incidents--for our good. This doesn't mean that all that happens to us is supposed to be good. This doesn't mean that God's purpose is to make us happy. What it means is that God does have a purpose behind everything that happens. It means that God can use every single circumstance in our lives and turn it around for good. I accepted Christ at the funeral of a friend's father. God used the circumstance of one man's death to give me eternal life.
Secondly, God's promise is not for everyone. It is for those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. Those who are called are those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and have been born-again into God's family. Being born-again gives us a new mindset on life. We learn to trust in God and his faithfulness and not the broken promises of the world. We look to Heaven for our security and learn to accept and not resent pain and persecution because God is with us.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
A Fire in My Bones
One of the biggest struggles we face as God's men is sharing our faith with those around us. Fear of persecution and ridicule for speaking of what Christ has done in our lives can leave us spiritually paralyzed. Man in the Mirror Ministries recently reported that despite the freedom we have to worship, the United States now has the fourth largest unchurched population in the world. This statistic can be very discouraging, but don't forget that God has called us to play offense and he's given us a message that needs to be delivered.
Consider the perseverance of Jeremiah. For 40 years he served as God's spokesman to Judah. As the nation continued it's moral slide that eventually led to it's being conquered by Babylon, Jeremiah consistently and passionately urged the people to turn from sin and turn back to God, but nobody moved. In chapter 20, he laid his discouragement and frustration before the Lord. "Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long." (v.8). But in the very next verse, we see that Jeremiah's message was too important to withhold. "But if I say, 'I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,' his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot."
Don't let the discouragement of deaf ears and insults stop you from sharing the Gospel. Pray that God would allow his life-saving message of forgiveness to burn like fire in your bones and compel you to share it with others, regardless of the results.
Consider the perseverance of Jeremiah. For 40 years he served as God's spokesman to Judah. As the nation continued it's moral slide that eventually led to it's being conquered by Babylon, Jeremiah consistently and passionately urged the people to turn from sin and turn back to God, but nobody moved. In chapter 20, he laid his discouragement and frustration before the Lord. "Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long." (v.8). But in the very next verse, we see that Jeremiah's message was too important to withhold. "But if I say, 'I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,' his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot."
Don't let the discouragement of deaf ears and insults stop you from sharing the Gospel. Pray that God would allow his life-saving message of forgiveness to burn like fire in your bones and compel you to share it with others, regardless of the results.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Handling Anxiety
It never ceases to amaze me how you can read a certain passage of Scripture many times, yet a new truth can be revealed to you from that passage. Such a moment happened to me today in Pastor Curtis' message.
In Matthew 26, we see Jesus going to the Garden to pray on the night that he was to be arrested and eventually crucified. In verses 37 and 38, he reveals the overwhelming sorrow connected with what was about to take place. Our Savior knew that in a very short time, he was going to bear the full weight of the sin of the world and suffer death in a way beyond anything anyone would ever experience. The anguish he felt, caused him to actually sweat blood (Luke 22:44). His response as he fell to the ground and prayed was: My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will. (v.39)
What I realized from hearing this familiar story again was that God is aware of the pain and the difficulties we face in life (Hebrews 4:15). Just as what Christ was about to endure would result in the salvation of mankind, God always has a purpose and plan behind the things that happen in our life (Romans 8:28). Like Christ, the place we need to be when facing anxiety is in prayer to our Father (1 Thessalonians 5:17). During our anxiety-filled prayers, God wants to hear our hearts and provide mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16). And above all else, we need to trust Him enough to say may your will be done (Matthew 26:42).
In Matthew 26, we see Jesus going to the Garden to pray on the night that he was to be arrested and eventually crucified. In verses 37 and 38, he reveals the overwhelming sorrow connected with what was about to take place. Our Savior knew that in a very short time, he was going to bear the full weight of the sin of the world and suffer death in a way beyond anything anyone would ever experience. The anguish he felt, caused him to actually sweat blood (Luke 22:44). His response as he fell to the ground and prayed was: My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will. (v.39)
What I realized from hearing this familiar story again was that God is aware of the pain and the difficulties we face in life (Hebrews 4:15). Just as what Christ was about to endure would result in the salvation of mankind, God always has a purpose and plan behind the things that happen in our life (Romans 8:28). Like Christ, the place we need to be when facing anxiety is in prayer to our Father (1 Thessalonians 5:17). During our anxiety-filled prayers, God wants to hear our hearts and provide mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16). And above all else, we need to trust Him enough to say may your will be done (Matthew 26:42).
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Double-Minded
One of the strongest desires of our Heavenly Father is that we seek his will through his Word and that we trust him completely. Accordingly, the Bible provides instruction for God's man on the issue of being double-minded. In James 1, we are instructed to seek God for wisdom (v.5) and he will provide it. Then we are called to trust in his wisdom and not doubt so that we won't be swayed by ungodly truth (v.6). James 1:8 calls the one who doubts a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
True wisdom is not only about knowledge, but the practical life-application of what is learned. A mind that wavers remains unconvinced that God's way is always the best way and retains the option to disobey. James 1:7 tells us that to operate this way is to be tossed around like the waves of the sea. Just like the waves, we become subject to the conditions around us and less likely to stand firm under pressure. Double-mindedness leaves us restless, unsettled and doubtful; certainly not the picture of stability.
Double-minded people cannot make up their minds between good and evil. But when it comes to obeying God, there is no middle ground; you must choose who you will serve (Joshua 25:14). The writer of Psalm 119, who passionately sought after the things of God, was clear on the issue of being double minded and made his choice: I hate double-minded men, but I love your law. You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word (Psalm 119:113-114).
True wisdom is not only about knowledge, but the practical life-application of what is learned. A mind that wavers remains unconvinced that God's way is always the best way and retains the option to disobey. James 1:7 tells us that to operate this way is to be tossed around like the waves of the sea. Just like the waves, we become subject to the conditions around us and less likely to stand firm under pressure. Double-mindedness leaves us restless, unsettled and doubtful; certainly not the picture of stability.
Double-minded people cannot make up their minds between good and evil. But when it comes to obeying God, there is no middle ground; you must choose who you will serve (Joshua 25:14). The writer of Psalm 119, who passionately sought after the things of God, was clear on the issue of being double minded and made his choice: I hate double-minded men, but I love your law. You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word (Psalm 119:113-114).
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A Light for My Path
I counted 23 times that the psalmist in Psalm 119 asked God for understanding. Yet I also get a strong sense that he wasn't just trying to accumulate facts. He wasn't just trying to gather data and storehouse knowledge. He wasn't trying to do a massive google-like search for information. Verse 105 gives us a clear insight into the psalmist's heart: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
The psalmist knew that to walk safely in darkness that he needed a lamp to guide his steps. To navigate through danger and lurking evil, he needed a light to shine the way to find the right path to follow. He knew that to keep his mind free from vain philosophy and false values, he needed to seek the only source of absolute truth and knowledge---the Word of God. His desire throughout the psalm is to know God more by seeking his knowledge and understanding so that he could obediently follow God's commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you (v.11).
Funny how thousands of years later, nothing has changed regarding the light for our path. It is still the revealed Word of God that remains the same---then, now and forever.
The psalmist knew that to walk safely in darkness that he needed a lamp to guide his steps. To navigate through danger and lurking evil, he needed a light to shine the way to find the right path to follow. He knew that to keep his mind free from vain philosophy and false values, he needed to seek the only source of absolute truth and knowledge---the Word of God. His desire throughout the psalm is to know God more by seeking his knowledge and understanding so that he could obediently follow God's commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you (v.11).
Funny how thousands of years later, nothing has changed regarding the light for our path. It is still the revealed Word of God that remains the same---then, now and forever.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
A Lifetime Guarantee
From the beginning of Scripture, we know that God existed before the worlds began; before He spoke them into being. At the end in Revelation, He declares that He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. As God's men, we have the complete and total confidence that the One who created Heaven and Earth is the everlasting God who never faints or grows weary; who will never leave us or forsake us and will be with us to the end of the ages.
As we continue to adventure through Psalm 119, we see that the psalmist didn't miss this essential biblical truth. He boldly declares in verses 89 and 90: Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. This is our Father's lifetime guarantee--one that lasts for eternity for those who trust in Christ as their Savior. Because God's Word never changes and is everlasting, we can trust completely in what He reveals to us through Scripture. That God is always faithful to his creation gives us confidence that He is working all things for good for those who love him (Romans 8:28).
That the psalmist could focus on these powerful truths in the midst of dealing with arrogance (v. 21), weariness (v. 28), mocking criticism (v. 51), wickedness (v. 53), character assaults (v. 69), discomfort (v. 82) and persecution (v. 86) speaks strongly on the strength we have to draw upon; thanks to our lifetime guarantee--the greatness of God's faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
As we continue to adventure through Psalm 119, we see that the psalmist didn't miss this essential biblical truth. He boldly declares in verses 89 and 90: Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. This is our Father's lifetime guarantee--one that lasts for eternity for those who trust in Christ as their Savior. Because God's Word never changes and is everlasting, we can trust completely in what He reveals to us through Scripture. That God is always faithful to his creation gives us confidence that He is working all things for good for those who love him (Romans 8:28).
That the psalmist could focus on these powerful truths in the midst of dealing with arrogance (v. 21), weariness (v. 28), mocking criticism (v. 51), wickedness (v. 53), character assaults (v. 69), discomfort (v. 82) and persecution (v. 86) speaks strongly on the strength we have to draw upon; thanks to our lifetime guarantee--the greatness of God's faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)