Mark 16:-7 6/25/2024

“But he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; see, here is the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’”

After the Sabbath, the ladies brought spices to the tomb to anoint  Jesus’ body. But when they got there Jesus was gone and there was an angel sitting in the tomb waiting on them. There are multiple lessons here, but this morning, let’s look at one beautiful nugget of truth hidden in this passage.  

Look carefully at what the angel said to the women, ”Go, tell His disciples and Peter”… Why is that significant?  Why would the angel single out Peter?  Perhaps it was because the last time Peter saw Jesus, he had completely failed him.  Peter had cussed out a servant girl and swore he didn’t know who Jesus was. He had denied his Savior. And Jesus saw him do it.

Still, during the most pivotal moment in history,  God directed His Angel to mentioned Peter by name to those at the tomb so Peter would know,  and the disciples would know,  that Peter was still on the team. 

That is powerful. It assures Christians that  – when we fail, God doesn’t canceled us.  During  your greatest collapse, He won’t turn His back on you… in your worst moment,  you’re still His child. Win or lose … walk righteously or stumble… Nothing changes His love for you.

There will be times you fall  – But there will never be a time you are not loved… So, get up, grab His hand, and keep going.  Ignore the lie that you are now unusable… God is a God of details.  And the detail of including Peter by name after his worst failure… is a beautiful picture of the Heart of the Father.  You are still loved, you’re still useful, and you’re still on the team. 

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." -  God  (Romans 8)

2 Peter 2:13-16 6/18/2024

“…They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions as they feast with you,  having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having hearts trained in greed, accursed children;  abandoning the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the reward of unrighteousness;  but he received a rebuke for his own offense, for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.”

Peter goes on a riff describing the evil “prophets” of his day … and it sounds so much like America it is frightening. Our society is developing creative ways to sin, renaming it, and proclaiming it normal, and you are labeled a problem if you disagree.

We have become arrogant and ignorant believing we determine the truth… We make up our own facts… cherry-picking our convictions -  and reject God’s Word as our compass.  Claiming to be wise, we have become fools… But as Christians we must stand on truth...  Do I?  Am I a  mouthpiece for God … or am I part of the problem?  Am I walking the tightrope between truth and popularity? Am I becoming like Balaam, in need of a donkey to restrain my insanity of preaching what the world wants to hear?

 What about you?  Are you pursuing God’s plan with God’s truth - or are you pursuing your plan with your “truth”?

The first commandment is that there is One God – That means His word IS TRUTH.  If you change His Word to make it less offensive,  it is like watering down medicine – it may taste better, but it won’t heal your illness.

No one intends to destroy their lives with debauchery, baseless “facts”, and pretending to be their own God.… yet it happens all the time.

That pattern started in the garden with our first failed attempt at being a deity, and creating and following our own “truths”… 

There is a God… and it’s not you…  You don’t argue, debate or negotiate with the omnipotent Creator of the Universe… So, wake up, and abandon the insanity of relativism. Follow the only truth that emanates from the only God and is clearly written in His Word.

“We must not allow our emotions to hold sway over our minds… Our emotions must become subservient to the truth.” - Jerry Bridges 

Revelation 8 6/11/2024

 “When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.”

Will this be the first time there will be no sound in Heaven? One half hour of quiet… Will the four-winged creatures in Revelation stop saying Holy, Holy, Holy?  Will there be no praises, no prayers from the saints, no singing? …. Just an ominous threatening silence. What a frightening moment that for the first time ever there will be silence as God prepares to judge the world.

I am disgusted as I imagine the mask wearing and finger pointing on earth when the trumpets begin to sound – As judgement comes our self-centeredness and decadence will be put on full display and we will do as we always have… blame others. But when the 7th seal is broken there will be no excuses or blaming…  and instead of being disgusted at the hypocrisy on earth I need to be sure I eliminate any trace of that hypocrisy in me. 

This passage is a prophecy, and it will be fulfilled exactly as it is presented here - just like so many others in the bible already have been. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. God is “love”, but this confuses us because we miss define love.  We think of God as a feeble heavenly grandfather and that does not describe the omnipotent Lord of Armies we see in Revelation. Holiness is a requirement if we wish to be in the presence of The Lord.  

This chapter makes it clear that judgement is coming…  it won’t be relative… there will be no grading on the curve. There is a holiness required that can only be met by the saving grace of Jesus Christ… it is free, but it is priceless.  I need to be working out my salvation with fear and trembling – relying wholly on the blood Jesus shed on the cross… and letting my conduct reveal that fact. The thirty minutes of silence is coming… What you do now will determine what you hear after that…  Accept His grace and let it be “well done good and faithful servant.” 

“All the grace contained in the Bible is owing to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior; and, unless we consent to Him as our Lord we cannot expect any benefit by Him as our Savior.” – Matthew Henry

John 13:34 -35 6/4/2024

“I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another… By this all people will know that you are My disciples…”

Most of us have heard these verses. What many people don’t realize however, are the circumstances surrounding this “new” commandment. Jesus didn’t say this when everything was “hunky-dory”… in fact, the world was coming apart at the seams… Just prior to this,  Judas had left dinner to betray Jesus, Christ would soon have His heart broken by His close friend ...The disciples also would suffer. Their world was about to be shattered by the arrest, trials, and crucifixion of their Savior and friend. 

So, there is a massive impending crisis and what does Jesus do?  He didn’t specify survival techniques; He didn’t outline a political campaign. The game plan appeared to be that they would look the  storm in the eye and love each other better.  He reinforced  it by saying it would be that love that identifies who they belong to.  

If you check the news today, it appears our world is on fire – God says to love one another better… All this click generating panic is not from God. Sure, we should educate ourselves and stand for truth, but our countenance must be of men who trust that God is omnipotent in every circumstance… There is no fear in love and if we rely on His power, we will walk confidently, trusting HIS plans, not ours. 

Jesus says this love is our ID card. People will know I am a “Christian”, Not by my debate skills, but because I fearlessly love others.  

It doesn’t mean we acquiesce to cultural norms; it doesn’t mean we blindly follow instructions… It just means that every plan must clear the standard of loving God and loving others prior to us acting on them.  

Everything I do must be generated by an unfaltering faith in God’s power to mitigate the outcome, and an unfailing love for His children. That will give me the peace and confidence that should flow from all believers, and it will give me the assurance needed to abandon anxiety and instead display this “new” command of loving others. This was Jesus’ answer to the crisis… will I follow it?

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God…“
– God (Isaiah 41:10)