John 20:30-32

The whole of chapter 20 of John is when the women close to Jesus & His disciples discovered that Jesus had risen from the dead. Then you come down to the last two verses in the chapter:

Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.

The resurrection is the crux of Christianity. Very few people doubt that Jesus actually lived since history reveals this truth more than many others (for more info regarding this, http://www.creatingfutures.net/evidence.html, is an good resource) we freely believe. Where the big dissension lies is in the resurrection. The big argument is not over if Jesus was a really great guy who lived life here on this earth, the big debate is over if Jesus is God.

Scripture here is clear in the claim that Jesus is God and offers eternal life for those who believe.

Thank You Jesus that You are God and that You did willingly leave the glories of heaven to come to earth to show me a better way, to suffer and die for my sins. Praise You that You did rise from the grave. Thank You for giving me eternal life. Help my life to be impacted by this truth, may my life please You today and every day.

John 19:19b-42

They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read:

jesus the nazarene
the king of the jews.

20-21 Many of the Jews read the sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was right next to the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. The Jewish high priests objected. "Don't write," they said to Pilate, "'The King of the Jews.' Make it, 'This man said, "I am the King of the Jews."'"

22 Pilate said, "What I've written, I've written."

23-24 When they crucified him, the Roman soldiers took his clothes and divided them up four ways, to each soldier a fourth. But his robe was seamless, a single piece of weaving, so they said to each other, "Let's not tear it up. Let's throw dice to see who gets it." This confirmed the Scripture that said, "They divided up my clothes among them and threw dice for my coat." (The soldiers validated the Scriptures!)

24-27 While the soldiers were looking after themselves, Jesus' mother, his aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that moment the disciple accepted her as his own mother.

28 Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, "I'm thirsty."

29-30 A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.

31-34 Then the Jews, since it was the day of Sabbath preparation, and so the bodies wouldn't stay on the crosses over the Sabbath (it was a high holy day that year), petitioned Pilate that their legs be broken to speed death, and the bodies taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man crucified with Jesus, and then the other. When they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs. One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.

35 The eyewitness to these things has presented an accurate report. He saw it himself and is telling the truth so that you, also, will believe.

36-37 These things that happened confirmed the Scripture, "Not a bone in his body was broken," and the other Scripture that reads, "They will stare at the one they pierced."

38 After all this, Joseph of Arimathea (he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he was intimidated by the Jews) petitioned Pilate to take the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission. So Joseph came and took the body.

39-42 Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, came now in broad daylight carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. They took Jesus' body and, following the Jewish burial custom, wrapped it in linen with the spices. There was a garden near the place he was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been placed. So, because it was Sabbath preparation for the Jews and the tomb was convenient, they placed Jesus in it.

The Crucifixion. Breaks my heart every time I read it. Jesus suffered so much and I know He did it for me. He did it for all of us but since I live in my body I'm most aware of how unworthy I am yet He still suffered and died for me.

How can I ever thank You enough dear God for what You've done for me?! Thank You so much Jesus that You suffered and died for me so that I can live eternally with You.

It also strikes me as I read this, that in verses 24-27, Jesus notices details in the life of His beloved. There He is in great agony and suffering, in these epic moments suffering for the sins of all mankind, and He still takes time to make sure His earthly mother is going to be cared for. Scriptures tell us repeatedly that Jesus is the image of God; so what does this tell me about God? That even though He's busy handling the universe and a lot of really important stuff, He still has time for me! He is concerned with us. I'm reminded of that verse in Psalm 56:8:

You've kept track of my every toss and turn
through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger,
each ache written in your book.

It's such an incomprehensible Truth that the God of the Universe should leave glory and come and die on my behalf. That He should be concerned with my feelings. But repeatedly scripture tells me that He is. I am so grateful beyond words.

Oh Father, may my gratitude overflow into a life where You are in the driver's seat and where I live for You. Today help me see You in my life and be appreciative for what You do, help me see ways to be kind and helpful to others and serve others. May my life be characterized by loving you and loving people.

John 19:1-19

1-3 So Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. The soldiers, having braided a crown from thorns, set it on his head, threw a purple robe over him, and approached him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they greeted him with slaps in the face.

4-5 Pilate went back out again and said to them, "I present him to you, but I want you to know that I do not find him guilty of any crime." Just then Jesus came out wearing the thorn crown and purple robe.

Pilate announced, "Here he is: the Man."

6 When the high priests and police saw him, they shouted in a frenzy, "Crucify! Crucify!"

Pilate told them, "You take him. You crucify him. I find nothing wrong with him."

7 The Jews answered, "We have a law, and by that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God."

8-9 When Pilate heard this, he became even more scared. He went back into the palace and said to Jesus, "Where did you come from?"

Jesus gave no answer.

10 Pilate said, "You won't talk? Don't you know that I have the authority to pardon you, and the authority to—crucify you?"

11 Jesus said, "You haven't a shred of authority over me except what has been given you from heaven. That's why the one who betrayed me to you has committed a far greater fault."

12 At this, Pilate tried his best to pardon him, but the Jews shouted him down: "If you pardon this man, you're no friend of Caesar's. Anyone setting himself up as 'king' defies Caesar."

13-14 When Pilate heard those words, he led Jesus outside. He sat down at the judgment seat in the area designated Stone Court (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). It was the preparation day for Passover. The hour was noon. Pilate said to the Jews, "Here is your king."

15 They shouted back, "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!"

Pilate said, "I am to crucify your king?"

The high priests answered, "We have no king except Caesar."

16-19 Pilate caved in to their demand. He turned him over to be crucified.

Perhaps one of the most powerful movies ever made was Mel Gibson's "The Passion". That movie made these scenes real for me. Verse 1 saying that Pilate had Jesus whipped doesn't sound like a lot until you have a mental picture of what that meant; and the movie "The Passion" gave me that terrible and graphic picture. That cruel whipping pains me to the core. So frequently when I'm praying in the evenings with my sons and thanking God for all He's done for us that picture comes to my mind. I am SO GRATEFUL to Jesus. He suffered for me and I NEED His salvation. He knew exactly what He was doing and did it all for us. When Pilate tries to encourage Jesus in verse 10 to work with him so he can make it better for Jesus, Jesus is so clear that He understands that this is all part of a bigger plan, that Jesus being ultimately crucified is God's work.

Oh once again Jesus I'm overcome with gratitude for what You did for me. You suffered so unfairly and so awfully for me. Thank You Jesus. Thank You so very much! I appreciate my salvation and what You did for me. Thank You that Your blood covers my sins. May Your goodness make me live a better life. There's that part of me that wants to become "good enough" in response to what You've done - but we both know I can't get there. Thank You that Your blood dear Jesus makes God see me as good. May I let You empower me to be who You want me to be today. I thank You for Your patience with me. Help me to be patient with myself and others.

That movie "The Passion" also helped me get a better grasp on Pilate's tough situation. He's ruling in another country, not his homeland, and he doesn't want the people he's ruling to get so upset that they uprise and then there has to be a military force getting them back into order that creates the bloodshed of both the Jews and his soldiers. Interesting that yet again it is Jesus' blood that is shed to avoid the price of others' blood shed.

It seems that there is an application for me in these actions of Pilate. His actions were fear based. I don't want to live like that. I want to trust God and do what is right; not compromise due to very real fears.

Oh Father, help me understand what You want each day. Help me not be presumptuous but help me get the main picture so that I can act obediently. Help me be strong in You and the power of Your might and not give into fear. Thank You for Your armor to protect me. Even now I put on Your armor. Starting with the belt of Truth; may I live my life honestly today and remain in the truth of Your word. When situations arise help me remember Your word that applies to those situations. I now put on the breastplate of Righteousness; I thank You Jesus that Your blood makes me righteous. May I remember that it is by Your blood dear Jesus that I am righteous today. Please empower me to live in a right way so that I don't create my own problems today. I put on the helmet of salvation; thank You Father for Your salvation. May my mind be bathed in the truth of the fact that because of Jesus I am saved. May I not listen to anything different the enemy may say in any way to me today. I take up the shield of Faith; I put my faith in Your faithfulness to me. Thank You heavenly Father that I can always count on You. May I remember this truth and use this shield when I need it. I take up that offensive weaponry of the sword of the Spirit; may I use Your word against the enemy when issues arise. May I be on the alert today and remain open to Your Holy Spirit working within me and through me. I put the gospel of peace on my feet; may peace go with me wherever I tread today. May I spread the gospel in various ways in whatever I do today. Thank You for Your armor God and thank You that You make me ready and able.

Acts 17

I want to spend one more day in Acts 17 before I go back to where I was in John. Yesterday I focused on how the last part of the chapter showed how effectively Paul shared the gospel. Today I want o look again and notice other things. Today I want to think a bit more about what Paul actually said to the people in Athens about God. I want to focus on verses 24 - 34:

24-29 "The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?

30-31 "God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead."

32-34 At the phrase "raising him from the dead," the listeners split: Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, "Let's do this again. We want to hear more." But that was it for the day, and Paul left. There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul—among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.

I always need to come back to who God is and Paul does a great job here. He starts out saying that it's God who made us, not the other way around. I know that he was saying this to the people in Athens because they had so many idols but for me, I need to remember this because the simple bottom line is that, since God made me He knows better than I. His ways are the best ways & I don't need to fuss about things.

He goes on to say that God "doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near." I'm so grateful.

Thank You Father that You are near. That You, the creator of the universe, choose to be near to me. Thank You so much. Help me remember to keep You in the drivers seat today.

The 30-31st verses are a call to action even to me today: " "God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead."

I can't just go along living like everyone else, my life must be God's way. Then Paul talks about the day when Jesus will judge us. I've always wondered how this judgment works for Christians. I went over to gotquestions.org to find out more on this topic. This is a website where people can ask bible questions and a group of bible trained volunteers look up the answers. The head of the site, S. Michael Houdmann, possesses a Master's degree in Christian Theology from Calvary Theological Seminary and a Bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies from Calvary Bible College. So I found the following at that site about "the judgment seat of Christ", or how Believers will be judged:

" Romans 14:10-12 says, “For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat…so then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” In the context of both Scriptures, it is clear that they are referring to Christians, not unbelievers. The Judgment Seat of Christ, therefore, involves believers giving an account of their lives to Christ. The Judgment Seat of Christ does not determine salvation; that was determined by Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf (1 John 2:2), and our faith in Him (John 3:16). All of our sins are forgiven and we will never be condemned for them (Romans 8:1). We should not look at the Judgment Seat of Christ as God judging our sins, but rather as God rewarding us for our lives. Yes, as the Scriptures say, we will have to give an account of our lives. Part of this is surely answering for the sins we committed. However, that is not going to be the primary focus of the Judgment Seat of Christ.

At the Judgment Seat of Christ, believers are rewarded based on how faithfully they served Christ (1 Corinthians 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5). The things we will likely be judged on are how well we obeyed the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), how victorious we were over sin (Romans 6:1-4), how well we controlled our tongue (James 3:1-9), etc. The Bible speaks of believers receiving crowns for different things based on how faithfully they served Christ (1 Corinthians 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5). The various crowns are described in 2 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; and Revelation 2:10. James 1:12 is a good summary of how we should think about the Judgment Seat of Christ, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."

Well, don't I feel overwhelmed! I can't fathom me getting any crowns when there's saints who will be there who have done so much for Christ, and even those who have been martyred for His name. What have I done for Christ?

Then again, I've always believed that I'm supposed to take life as it comes and seize the opportunities that God has put in front of me. That each of us has different lives. I don't know.

Father God, if there's something different/more or just something specific that You want me to do - show me. Help me not to miss it and empower me to do what You want.

A break from John (Acts 17:16-34)

I'm right in the climax of the book, what with it being right at Jesus' crucifixion, but I'm going to take a break from John today. Maybe I'll do this for a few days, we'll see. Sunday during the pastor's message, he asked us to meditate on Acts 17 this week. So I'm going to do that until I feel complete in meditating on Acts 17.

16 The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got—all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols.

17-18 He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations. Some of them dismissed him with sarcasm: "What an airhead!" But others, listening to him go on about Jesus and the resurrection, were intrigued: "That's a new slant on the gods. Tell us more."

19-21 These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter. They said, "This is a new one on us. We've never heard anything quite like it. Where did you come up with this anyway? Explain it so we can understand." Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything.

22-23 So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. "It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I'm here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you're dealing with.

24-29 "The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?

30-31"God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead."

32-34At the phrase "raising him from the dead," the listeners split: Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, "Let's do this again. We want to hear more." But that was it for the day, and Paul left. There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul—among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.

The first 15 verses basically tell about how Paul tried to preach Jesus and the hard line Jews of the day ran him out of town. Now the story picks up here in the 16 verse when Paul is in Athens.

One of the things that intrigues me here is how masterfully Paul presents Jesus. He isn't rude, he points out something positive that he and the people have in common; in verses 22-23 we see that he says that "you Athenians take your religion seriously". Then Paul works from something they know and can relate to; he has seen their shrine to an unknown God and uses that as a springboard to tell about the one true God, the creator of the universe who sent His son Jesus. It seems a good tactic - find something that you relate to with the people, and use an example to hook them in that they can relate to. He then goes on to say in verses 24-29 how even they recognize, that "One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created." Paul cares enough about these people to watch them, to see who they are and to present the gospel in a way that is respectful and meaningful to them.

Oh Heavenly Father, I see how bold Paul was. In earlier verses it said how he just talked to everyone. He loved You and had a desire to share You. Please give me a heart to share You more and help me see opportunities to do that. Help me not be so caught up in daily life that I miss those chances. Help me be wise and observant as He was too; help me get good at relating to people and using meaningful examples. Most of all Lord I know that it is You Who draws people to Yourself and help me always remember that. May I be useful to You and not detract from the gospel.

There is some more here so tomorrow I'll take a look at this again.