Whose side are you really on?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 12:27-41


TO CHEW ON: "But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him."


We see a tug-of-war between faith and skepticism over Jesus' identity as God in this passage. It's clearly stated in the two verses just beyond our reading: "Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him lest they should be put out of the synagogue" - John 12:42.

First we observe a serious Jesus who said disturbing things like "'My soul is troubled and what should I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour''?..." right in front of a crowd.  

 An onlooker might be skeptical and ask, could someone who is divine be a victim?

A thunderous heavenly voice answered Jesus' prayer. This caused confusion in the bystanders. They had various natural explanations about what this voice was, but Jesus told them it was God speaking for their benefit giving His very stamp of approval on Jesus.  

Faith: God speaking from heaven was a pretty strong endorsement of Jesus and His claims OR 

Skepticism: It was just thunder; He was deluded about what He was hearing.

Jesus then talked about being lifted up from the earth and drawing all people to Himself (John 12:32). As astute students of the Old Testament, which many of those in the crowd were, they would have recognized this allusion to the brass serpent that Moses erected during the Israelites' wandering, which those bitten by deadly serpents needed only to look to, to be saved (Numbers 21:4-9). 

Faith: Jesus is making some pretty powerful claims OR 
Skepticism: He's obviously crazy!

When they questioned, "You say 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus again predicted that He would leave them and pleaded with them to "'Walk while you have the light... While you have the light believe in the light that you may become sons of light'" John 12:34-36.

Skepticism: could a man linking Himself so openly with deity actually be subject to death?

Faith: He talked before about being light - John 8:12-30.)

Of course in addition to these verbal interchanges, there are all the signs and wonders Jesus performed - John 12:37.

Faith: Who but Someone with God's power could perform such powerful miracles?

All this back-and-forth did not move the skeptics, who had long since made up their minds about who Jesus was, from their position of skepticism. And yet "Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" - John 12:42,43.

They believed, but they didn't make it public by changing sides!

Ouch! Isn't there a temptation for us to do this as well? In a world where faith in Christ is scorned and ridiculed for many reasons, isn't it also our temptation to be secret believers, even though our fears of what would happen if we confessed Jesus openly are as well founded as the fears of these rulers were (John 7:13; 9:22)?

But if silent, embarrassed, ashamed belief is our temptation for whatever reason, there is another consequence we should bear in mind—a consequence far more serious than losing the popularity and praise of people.

"'Therefore, everyone who acknowledges Me before men and confesses Me [out of a state of oneness with Me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father Who is in heaven and confess [that I am abiding in] him. But whoever denies and disowns Me before men, I also will deny and disown him before My Father Who is in heaven'" Matthew 10:32-33 (Amplified)

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to come out of the closet, as it were, about my faith in you. Help me to be confess You in all company. Amen. 

"I'd Rather Have Jesus"

MORE: Holy Cross Day

Today the church celebrates the cross. The liturgy for Holy Cross Day begins with this collect:

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

************
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

The either / or message of the cross

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 8:12-30

TO CHEW ON: "Then Jesus said to them, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.'" John 8:28


Here Jesus, in a reference to His death on the cross at the hands of the very people He is conversing with (" 'When you lift up the Son of Man' "), makes an interesting claim. He says " '...then you will know that I am He' " (the embodiment of all the other claims He has been making about Himself  - John 8:16, 19, 21, 22, 23, 26).

This is a bold prediction. How was it so?

Supernatural events at the time of Jesus' crucifixion:
If the hearts of the Pharisees were at all open to the possibility that what He said here was true, then the unnatural happenings at the time of the crucifixion (the day's premature darkness, the earthquake, the ripping of the temple curtain, the dead raised) would have been powerful witnesses.

Jesus' death on the cross was / is also a personal sifting:
I believe this knowledge was and is more personal—a sorting event that revealed to the Pharisees in Jesus' time and continues to reveal, down to us today, our very hearts.

"They may be confused now, but they will know then. Whether this knowledge will result in salvation or judgment is not said. The idea is probably that they will at that point see the revelation shining at its brightest and have their hearts revealed as, in the light of that revelation, they either embrace or reject Christ and the God He reveals" - IVP Commentary on John 8, accessed through Biblegateway.com - emphasis added.

Still today the message of the cross sifts us (the message that entails our innate sinfulness, our need of a Saviour, and God's mercy, love and grace in sending Jesus to die in the place of each one of us). Some believe and accept it, some don't. It's either / or. 

Paul expresses it so well in 1 Corinthians:

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. …For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" - 1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-24.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for obeying the Father in dying on the cross for us. Please continue to open the eyes and hearts of people all over the world to how this is the power and wisdom of God. Amen.

MORE: Holy Cross Day

Today the church celebrates HOLY CROSS DAY    .

The liturgy of the day begins with this prayer:

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The horror of crucifixion

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 19:16-37

TO CHEW ON: "And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of the Skull which is called in Hebrew Golgotha." John 19:17

As someone who is accustomed to seeing the cross as a religious symbol, it's hard to conceive of it as an instrument of execution. However, a footnote in my Bible says:

"Crucifixion was the most hideous Roman method of execution, reserved only for slaves and criminals" - Siegfried Schatzmann, Notes on John,  New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1477.

A little research fills in the blanks as to what crucifixion involved. Here are a few facts about crucifixion which help us understand why it was such a dreaded death:

• Before crucifixion, the victim was often beaten or scourged, leading to blood loss and shock.

• The condemned person was often forced to carry the crossbeam on his shoulders (though an entire cross could weight about 300 lbs., the crossbeam was between 75-125 lbs.).

• The condemned person would be attached (nailed or tied) to the crossbeam while on the ground: "Upright posts would presumably be fixed permanently in that place, and the crossbeam, with the condemned person perhaps already nailed to it, would then be attached to the post" - "Crucifixion" article on - Wikipedia.

• Crucifixion was not only a means of death but a public humiliation. The condemned person was completely vulnerable and on display. Victims were usually crucified nude. Urination and defecation were on display and became an attraction to insects.

• The legs of the crucified person were often broken or shattered to hasten death and act as a further deterrent to onlookers.

• The length of time till death could be hours to days.

• The cause of death could be one or a combination of blood loss, sepsis because of wound infection from the nails and/or the pre-crucifixion beating, dehydration or asphyxiation.

• Victims were often left on display after death (as a warning to others who might be contemplating committing similar crimes) - from "Crucifixion" on Wikipedia.

It's ugly, isn't it; a far cry from the gold-plated, bejewelled crosses we wear around our necks or dangling from arms or ears.

And just think—He suffered this humiliation, pain and death for you and me.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, depictions of You on the cross in art and film can only begin to get at the horror of what You experienced in the hours before You cried, "It is finished." Burn the immensity of what You went through for me deep into my mind and heart. And Thank you! Amen.

MORE: Holy Cross Day

Today is the day the church celebrates the cross. "While Good Friday is dedicated to the Passion of Christ, and the crucifixion, these days (September 14th and sometimes the days just preceding and following) celebrate the cross itself as the instrument of salvation" - "The Feast of the Cross" - Wikipedia.

The liturgy for this day begins with the prayer:

"Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen."

********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Nurture your song-life

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 98:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

For He has done marvelous things" - Psalm 98:1a

Are you a singer? By that I mean, do you find yourself voicing or humming tunes? Do songs play in your mind and overflow from your mouth?

Songs perform many functions in our society. They tell stories, express love, grief, longing, and outrage. They entertain us and with them we entertain ourselves and each other. Unfortunately we often equate singer with star and feel that if we don't sing well we have no business inflicting our sour notes on others.

But the psalmist never mentions accuracy of pitch or quality of tone when he tells us to sing. One gets the sense that instead of technical skill, it's the spiritual life behind the song that matters. It's a life so vigorous it can't help but find expression in "a new song" and a "joyful shout." It spontaneously erupts in songs and praises, taking advantage of every available music-maker; the harp, the trumpet, and the horn for the Psalm writer (the piano, guitar, drum, synthesizer, violin, cello, bass etc. for us)

The second part of our focus verse—"For He has done marvelous things"—gives us the reason for such songs and a clue about how to nurture a robust song-life. It begins when we move our attention from ourselves to God. For He has done and is doing "marvelous things" all around us in creation, in history, and in our own lives.

Let's prepare a path for song as we meditate on God's many "marvelous things." Then let's open our mouths and lend our vocal cords to sing the praise, worship, and thanks that flows from our meditation.

PRAYER: Dear God, may thoughts about You and Your "marvellous things" birth songs in my heart today. When I don't feel like singing, help me to open my mouth in faith that my feelings will follow as I sing anyway. Amen.

MORE: Holy Cross Day
Today the church celebrates Holy Cross Day or Feast of the Cross.  It is a feast that celebrates the cross as the instrument of salvation. The day's liturgy begins with this Collect:

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

***********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Spirit wind

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 3:1-21

TO CHEW ON: "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:8

Jesus' description of the born-again life reminds me of Philip the Samaritan evangelist. In the midst of his meetings, the Spirit impressed him to go to the Gaza road. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch, servant of Queen Candace and a spiritual seeker. He happened to be reading the prophet Isaiah.

After Philip explained the Scriptures and their fulfillment in Jesus to the man, he believed and asked to be baptized. Then, "The Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more...But Philip was found at Azotus...." (entire story: Acts 8:26-40).

Such wind-like encounters still take place today. What happened to my niece Brenda is an example (names have been changed).

Several years ago Brenda's daughter Kayla was found to have a rare type of paediatric brain cancer. She went through the treatments and today lives cancer-free. While Kayla was getting treatment, Brenda took part in an internet support forum for parents of cancer victims. Recently she hadn't been frequenting that forum but after she got an update she checked in again.

While there, she read a plea for information from a mom (Lou) whose little boy (Tevyan) had the exact same cancer as Kayla's. Brenda contacted the woman and they began an email correspondence.

Some weeks later Brenda and her family were on vacation in a U.S. city. They had decided on a whim to do a little shopping so picked a hotel as one does (swimming pool - ✔, wi-fi - ✔, restaurant - ✔ etc.). In the hotel lobby the first morning she noticed a little bald boy and thought Cancer. I know what they're going through.

The second day at breakfast she overheard a conversation between the little boy and his mother, and heard the mother distinctly called the little guy "Tevyan."

Corey, Brenda's husband said of that moment: "Brenda's face went white and she said to me, 'That must be Tevyan and Lou who I've been emailing.'"

Brenda went over, introduced herself and discovered they were indeed the people she had met on the forum. Kayla was even able to encourage little Tevyan in person.

I know this meeting didn't have overt spiritual overtones. Maybe that part is still to come. However, who but God the Holy Spirit could orchestrate such an encounter to encourage two mothers' hearts?

Have you seen evidence of the Spirit's wind in your life? Watch for it today!

PRAYER: Dear Holy Spirit. Please make my life as sensitive to Your moving as dandelion fluff. Amen.

MORE: Holy Cross Day

Today is Holy Cross Day on the church calendar. The liturgy for today begins with this collect:

"Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen."

Complete liturgy for the day.