Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 21, 2020 9:33:29 GMT -6
"When Jesus had finished these sayings(the saying recorded in Matthew 18), He departed from Galilee..." Matthew 19:1
He didn't return to Galilee until after the resurrection. matthew doesn't mention many of the events that happened between the conclusion of His ministry and the events that led to the Cross. Those events are recorded in Luke 9 and John 7-11.
Matthew 19 puts us in the land "beyond Jordan" called Perea, translated it means "beyond." Perea went from pella in the north to Machaerus in the south. It began on the Jordan opposite the southwest boarder of Galilee and went to Moab, about halfway down the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. You can go to a map and get your bearings.
Perea was an in an area ruled by Herod Antipas. In the bible times it was a fertile land and was settled with many towns and very find buildings. The people were mostly farmers and not as influenced by the hostility of the Pharisee as the city people were.
It was here that the Lord gave His only full length and very difinative teaching on the touchy subject of divorce. It still isn't well received in many quarters today.
Jesus' teaching on divorce was prompted by a loaded question from the Pharisee...you see, as usual they were trying to catch Him at something...anything. He was rapidly becoming a dangerous man and a threat to them.
OK Debra...here comes todays "Rabbit Trail." Y'all ready?
Had always thought some of Jesus movements in His ministry were meanderings thru the Israel, and to and around Jerusalem. But they weren't. They all had a rhyme and a reason...
It was late November or early December and Jesus had left Galilee and walked down the banks of the Jordan River...and to Judea. But why?
The answer is...
He was headed to His last celebration of "Hanukkah" or the "Festival of Lights." It is also called the "Feast of Dedication" or the "Feast of the Maccabee's." It was an 8 day celebration by the Jews...
The history of this festival goes back to the time between the end of the Old Testament and Matthew in the New Testament when God was silent for 400 years. There was a desecration of the temple by an evil man, a Seleucid king named Antiochus Epiphanies which caused a revolt by a group of people called the Maccabees. Here is what happened in a nutshell.
Epiphanies profaned the Jewish temple and forced the Jews to abandon their sacrifices and adopt pagan rituals, a group of Jewish freedom fighters rose up, defied the oppressive pagan regime, and overthrew the Seleucids. Epiphanies and what he did is a type and shadow of something that will happen in the End Times but that is a "rabbit trail" for another day.
The temple in Jerusalem was re-dedicated to God...and ever since then, the Feast of Dedication has been celebrated to commemorate this meaningful event in Jewish history.
But a miracle happen in the midst of all this cleansing of the Temple and rededication. The only thing the Jews found that hadn't been desecrated was a small bottle of lamp oil. They used it in a Menorah and the miracle is that the Menorah burnt for 8 days, hence the reason the festival lasts for 8 day and one of the names..."The Festival of Lights."
The Feast of Dedication is about the darkness of persecution and the light of God that leads His people thru the darkness of dark nights with a promise of joy in the morning . We are going thru some dark times now but Jesus is our light. My Dad used to say, "It is always darkest before the dawn." and so it is now. It is so very dark it seems...but let's all remember this.
"For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Psalm 30:5
I think that is where my Dad got that saying...and one fine morning not long from now, I will see my Dad...and I will see Jesus! Amen!
And so our journey begins...our walk with Jesus to Calvary...and to that glorious Resurrection Sunday!
We walk on.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 22, 2020 10:51:47 GMT -6
"From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." Matthew 16:21
Jesus had started to tell the Apostles and disciples what was coming. He told them over and over...
"Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again." Matthew 20:18-19
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified." Matthew 26:1-2
"Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee." Matthew 26:31-32
"And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." Mark 8:31
"Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again." Mark 10:33-34
"But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee." Mark 14:28
"Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again." Luke 18:31-33
Jesus told them over and over what was going to happen. He loved them so and He wanted them to know what was coming. It is one of the reasons we have the Bible...
But they couldn't grasp it, couldn't get their heads around it because...
"For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." John 20:9
Let's back up for a minute and look at a verse from that same passage in John 20...
"And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself." John 20:7
It was Sunday and Jesus had risen. The traffic back and forth to the empty tomb had started. What Jesus had told them over and over had come to pass...He was crucified, He died, and now He was risen! Hallelujah and Amen!
Peter had looked into the tomb and verse 7 describes what he saw. He saw the linens in which Jesus was wrapped and buried. They were undisturbed...as if Jesus just sat up and walked out. But the napkin which was placed over his face was neatly folded and placed to the side. When reading this I had wondered so many times, why?
One day reading about the manners and customs of times I got the answer. It hit like a bolt of lightening, I sat up like a bolt of lighting as this verse came to mind, and explained why. When eating at a table and upon finishing the meal one would just throw a crumpled napkin on the table. But if someone intended to return...the napkin was carefully folded and place to the side. Lord's attention to detail is awesome...and the way He leaves little gems in the scripture for us to find, amazing....
He was telling them, and telling us, He is coming back!
Now here is my point...He is coming back...but like the Apostles and disciples of that day we can't quite grasp it, get our heads around it. The Bible tells us over and over He is coming back. He told them and He has told us...
He is coming back...
"Let not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-3
Whether by the grave or by the shout and trumpet sound...He is coming again to fetch us home! We are so like the Apostles and Disciples...we read it but in many ways can't quite grasp it...get our heads around it.
"..Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24b
This is my prayer...Amen.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 23, 2020 18:10:14 GMT -6
Continuing our walk with Jesus to Calvary...
Where to today Lord?" I asked. "To a Funeral," is all He said.
"Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." John 11:14
Strange story for these times, but let's see where it goes.
This is one of those stories we have heard since we were children. It is one of those stories we have read and heard so many time we have rubbed the edges smooth...so let's put some sharp edges back on it. I have a feeling we are going to be in Bethany for awhile...so set up camp, start a camp fire, and gather round.
So often I have said the Holy Sprit gives us a way to put ourselves in the stories in the Bible...in this one we are among the friends and neighbors gathered out side the home of Lazarus...and Mary, and Martha.
We are about to turn a corner in the Lord's journey to the cross and there are so many elements of this story that warrant a closer look.
Bethany was a village on the eastern slope of the Mt. of Olives, on the high road to Jericho. A family lived there who were close friends of Jesus and three of His only close friends mentioned in the Bible. They were followers of Jesus and I wonder sometimes if they weren't childhood friends of His. It feels like that kind of friendship...have some old friends like that who I love and cherish in a special way, some here, and some on the other side in Glory. West Wooding and Lynn Dance are that kind of friend, now in Glory, and Emmy Gunn, and Linda Thaxton here on earth. They are some of the people with whom I shared a wonderful childhood in Halifax. That is what Jesus' friendship with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha feels like to me. Maybe they shared a wonderful childhood also. Don't know, but maybe. We don't know much about Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.
So many things to examine, so many things about this story to study. Let's get our bearings. Jesus was in Bethabara beyond the Jordan in Perea, about 25 miles from Jerusalem. A messenger was sent by Mary and Martha, dispatched with haste...
Mary and Martha were probably sitting by their brother's death bed, hoping against hope that Jesus would arrive on time. Or maybe Jesus would just heal their brother from afar as He had done for others in the same circumstance.
Question arise for us. Why had they waited so long to send Jesus word? Had they counted on Him to know without having to be told? And if He knew, why had He not acted?
They must have been so afraid as the sat there helplessly watching their brother die.
The messenger returns...and the conversation might have gone something like this.
"Where is Jesus?" "He's still in Bethabara." "Is He coming?" "I don't think so and here is what He said...This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."
We can imaging that Mary and Martha were dumbfounded...by now Lazarus is dead and Jesus is not coming. Too late, they thought. They had his funeral and laid him to rest in the family tomb. And Jesus didn't come...how could they explain what looked like a failure? Weren't they all old friends? Didn't Jesus love them? He had healed so many others, why not Lazarus?
We read this story as we read the story of Job...in hindsight we know why these things were allowed to happen, and with happy knowledge of how they ended. But Job, Mary and Martha didn't have that knowledge...
It seemed as tho the Lord had been silent when He should have spoken. It seemed as if He had let them down.
Much like today in this dark hour for us. Where is Jesus and why doesn't the Lord answer our prayers? Why is this virus and all this death being allowed to happen...?
Let's go back and look at the answer Jesus gave to the messenger sent to tell Him Lazarus was dying.
"...This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." John 11:4b
We need to stay in prayer...and wait on the Lord. "Wait on the Lord be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." Psalm 27:14
Tomorrow when we get back to the story we are going to see a great miracle.
Could it be that is what we are about to see now? in this day?
I think maybe it could be.
A friend of mine, and brother in Christ, Keith Weaver, is fond of saying..."things aren't falling apart. They are just falling into place." Amen!
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 24, 2020 12:11:42 GMT -6
Continuing our Journey...
Somebody put another stick of wood on our campfire and lets see where we are going today.
The story is going to shift us back to Jesus now...and His love. So let's take a look at love. Good topic for these dark days.
"Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and lazarus." John 11:5. The verb for love used in the verse is "Agapo," God's love.
God's love...the highest kind of love, not just affection like a parent has for a child, or a husband has for a wife and visa versa...but a loftier kind of love, different and far better than any other.
There are three kinds of love mentioned in the Bible. There is "eros," a Greek word, which refers to romantic or sexual love. From it we get the word erotic. Now here is something I hadn't realized. This specific word is not used in the New Testament.
And there is "storge." It refers to familial love like that of a mother for her baby or of a brother and sister for each other. It doesn't appear in the New Testament either. But the opposite "astorgoi" meaning “unloving,” is found in 1 Timothy 3:3. Another word "astorgous" meaning "without natural affection” is found in Romans 1:31.
Another word for love is "philia." It refers to friendship and comradery. This word is often translated as “friend” or "one who is loved" in the New Testament.
There is a beautiful story in one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, John 21. It is about the apostles going fishing and happens after the Resurrection. In verses 15-17 the Lord calls Peter back to service, He recommissions him, and uses these words for love. Remember Peter had denied the Lord three times...so three times the Lord calls him back...using Peter's different names and different words for love. Do you love me Peter?...then feed my sheep.
It is possible that the Lord had appeared to Peter in the Garden on the Day of Resurrection. It is mentioned by Luke in Luke 24, and again by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5. We are not told what they said to each other, it was a private meeting...but I get a tear in my eye when I think of it.
It is said that Peter always had bloodshot eyes to the day of his death from crying over denying Jesus.
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not." John 21:18
"...but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands..."
Stretching forth your hands was a euphonism in that day for Crucifixion...Peter, when he was old, was curcified.
But these are stories for another day...rabbit trails we will save.
Then there is "Agape," God's love...it is the most wonderful and beautiful kind of love there is...and here's why.
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
I came face to face with the Lord one night. I couldn't see Him but knew He was there right in front of me...and felt that love. It surrounded me inside and outside like a soft warm blanket. It was so wonderful like floating on a cloud. It is hard to describe tho I want to and have tried. I want to share it with everyone, even my enemies. Best night of my life and I will spend the rest of my life telling everyone who will listen and even those who won't, about the Lord and His love...
I asked Him one night why He came to me...I am nobody. He reminded me that He knows when a sparrow falls, He named all the stars and remembers all their names...He told me He keeps my tears in a bottle...the hairs on my head are numbered ...and my name is tattooed in the palm of His hand...He knows me.
I want everyone to know Him and love Him... "We love him, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19 Amen!
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 25, 2020 11:01:00 GMT -6
Walking with Jesus to Calvary...
Overslept this morning. But Jesus didn't...He tarried.
Overslept this morning and feel like I will spend the rest of the day catching up with myself. I overslept but Jesus tarried...and for a reason.
"When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was." John 11:6
Here is what was going on...
Jesus knew, when the messenger arrived that Lazarus was already dead. He must have died soon after the messenger left Bethany.
There was no hurry...Jesus was waiting on God to move and He had work to finish up, so Jesus remained where He was, in Bethabara. His people in Bethabara must have been confused and maybe even dumbfounded. He loved Mary, Martha, and lazarus. They knew Lazarus was on his death bed and the sisters very afraid. It almost seems, on reading that passage, that Jesus was indifferent. But He wasn't. He was going, but on God's timing and so He finished up His work and waited...for the command from His Father to move out.
And we wait...around the campfire for Jesus to come to Bethany.
When we were children and sitting around a campfire, we told stories. I feel a "rabbit trail" coming on. So am going to tell a story. It is a favorite of mine. It is about King David.
"What has King David got to do with all this?" you ask, "I don't rightly know yet, but we are about to find out."
The Story is in 2 Samuel 5.
"And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer." 2 Samuel 5:22-25
David and his Mighty Men had just whopped some righteous Philistine butt in Baalperazim. He and his men buried the dead and moved on. But the Philistines hadn't had enough so they came at David again...in the Valley of Rephaim.
King David prayed to the Lord...and asked Him what to do. Lord told him to go wait by a grove of Mulberry trees.
Lord told him to watch the tops of the Mulberry trees and to listen...and when he saw them moving and heard them...to move out!
Lord said the movement in the tops of the trees would be the Lord Himself gone out before David and his "Mighty Men "..."to smite the host of the Philistines."
I can just see it...The tops of the trees sway in the wind and King David looks up. He sees the Lord marching out with a host of angels behind Him and their movement causes the trees to sway and whisper from the movement of their feet. What a sight...for the King, and for me!
You see when I read the Bible I let the Holy Spirit show me and I see wonderful things, terrifying things, happy things, sad things...all kinds of things. There is always a way to put yourself in the story so you can be there...it is amazing what opens up when you let that happen. You have to get out of your own way...and put the Holy Spirit in the driver's seat...and OH THE PLACES YOU WILL GO!
David whopped more righteous butt that day...because he prayed to the Lord, and asked what to do...then he waited on the Lord to answer.
Just like in Bethabara two days later...when the Lord said, "Let us go into Judea again..." John 11:7b. God said move out.
Have a huge Mulberry tree in my back yard...every time I look at that tree I think of this wonderful story about waiting on the Lord.
We are in a great war against an evil enemy. We are alarmed because we hear the President wants to open commerce again in about 3 weeks, and many of us think it is too soon. We need to pray President Trump does what King David did and pray...ask the Lord what to do and then wait on the Lord. And...when the Lord answers do exactly what He says to do.
So...Brothers and Sisters, Christians all across the United States...lets use the best weapon we have and Pray without ceasing!
Amen!
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 26, 2020 9:58:32 GMT -6
Waiting for Jesus to Arrive
While we are waiting in Bethany for Jesus, lets look forward past the crucifixion, past the resurrection and ascension, past the 2000 years since...and into the future. Those of you at Beth Car Baptist and at Alton Baptist know I am a "Watchman on the Wall." In Bible times the cities had walls built around them and on the walls were stationed watchmen. They watched for the arrival of messengers, caravans, enemy armies, anything that was approaching the city which was of importance and they ran to announce it...they were the "Watchmen on the wall." Well, that is what I am, and others like me.
I study the prophecies in the Bible and watch the news, and watch for Jesus' return...these days like a hawk! And, when I see something of importance I run to tell about it.
So while we wait for Jesus...let me tell you something I am seeing today.
"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Matthew 25:13
And that's true...we won't know. Jesus told us so. But we can read the signs...
"He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Matthew 16:2-3
Back in my other life, before I retired I had occasion to travel back and forth to Roanoke, VA. to meetings and such. One day this occurred to me as I was thinking about that passage. I had a meeting to go to but altho I knew it was going to happen didn't know the exact time I would be getting there, the exact time I would arrive.
I always drove the back way to Roanoke and it is a pretty drive. Sipping my coffee on that early morning ride, had gotten lost in my thoughts when I begin to notice the signs, Edith's Restaurant 20 miles, Bubba's Used Cars 15 miles, Valley Furniture 10 miles, Food Lion 5 miles...
I didn't know what time I would get there but knew I was getting close...I could see the signs!
And so it is with the prophecies all thru the Bible...we don't know what time Jesus will get here but we can see the signs...
Am seeing a big one today...don't know if Jesus arrival is immediate...or if this is just a type and shadow...but there it is.
Now Jesus' return has always been imminent...ever since he left, meaning it could happen at any time. But now with so many signs, the Watchmen know it is becoming immediate...close, and we are running to tell you all about it.
This is what I am seeing so gather round the fire...and I will tell you about it.
"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." Revelation 6:2
We have already seen the world begin to merge into a one world government. The EU, The UN and outfits like NATO...are all evidences of that.
"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy." Revelation 13:1
Daniel 7: 16-24; Daniel 2:41-42...are just a few places in the Bible that speak of that one world government...
Think about it every time you hear New World Order...same thing.
Now enter the Anti-Christ...on a white horse. Note a crown was given to him...and he has a bow but no arrows. How does he take the crown to govern a whole world but not wage a war to get it? Gain power and not a shot fired? And who will give him the crown?
The answer over the past few days is coming into some focus. We are in the middle of a world pandemic...infecting so far as is known, almost half a million people in over 100 countries. It has almost brought the world to a complete halt.
Economically it is an ongoing crisis too...and that is going to be the second storm...an economic disaster with the world economy screeching to almost a dead stop.
Beginning to see how it could happen?...how one man could take over? One man who sees this problem and has a solution?...the world ravaged by disease and in a economic disaster will be desperate to have a solution.
...enter the anti-Christ.
"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" Revelation 13:1-4
That ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, and others, is a description of the Anti-Christ...John describes the ruler of the world, with power given to him by Satan, being followed and worshiped by the people of the world, and "having authority over “every tribe, people, language and nation" Revelation 7:13
If you are already a Christian you have nothing to fear...Here's why.
"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God...For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming..." 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3,7-8
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
Brothers and Sisters...we won't be here. Not one member of the church from the day of Pentecost to today will be here or in the ground, the sea or wherever we fell in physical death.
"He that letteth" is the Holy Spirit and it is only when he is removed that the anti-Christ will be revealed. And folks...each member of the church and the church itself is imbued, indwelt, by the Holy Spirit...so if He goes...we are going too!
And that Dear hearts and gentle people who live and love in my hometown...is called THE RAPTURE...and one whale of a great getting up mornin'!
Hallelujah! and Amen! If you haven't yet made your decision to follow Jesus...now would be a real good time to do it. If you don't know about Jesus every Christian here would jump at a chance to introduce you! Just ask!
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 27, 2020 17:27:40 GMT -6
Shhhh! Whose footsteps are those I hear?
"Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already." John 11:17
We are not Jews...we are modern day Gentiles, and Christians, and maybe a few others, but today we are in that crowd in Bethany. We are gathered around our campfire and Jesus is about to arrive. Everyone thinks He is too late. But we are going to see that He was right on time.
Jesus had delayed His arrival so that He would get to Bethany at exactly the right moment...when all human help and hope were gone. It had been timed that way in Heaven.
Into that heavy dark day we hear the news, Jesus is coming. Martha rushed out to meet Him. Mary remained where she was...in the house. John 11:20.
"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." John 11:21-22
We see a combination of Martha's boldness and of her faith...her faith was a there but it was not quite enough. He had not been there on purpose and she failed to discern that. He could have healed from a distance if He had wanted to. He had done that before.
Next she said expressed her belief that He could ask anything of God and He would get it. She half believed Jesus could raise her brother from the dead, after all he had raised others. But a little later she is again going to show some doubt...11:39. Go see.
So often our profession of faith is much much bolder than our actual faith. Have heard and read of so many people saying because of their faith they are not afraid in this pandemic...but I suspect they are like I am...afraid, apprehensive, uneasy. We are human...Lord knows that. "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." Psalm 103:14
Instead of challenging her lack of faith...He builds on her faith. "Thy brother shall rise again," He said. 11:24
He left no doubt with that statement. If death is the final answer for all of us, then the Devil has won. God's answer to sin is death, and His answer to death is resurrection...Hallelujah!
Resurrection is something we read about in the Bible...great sermons have been preached on the subject. Our reaction is like that of Martha's I think. We hear it after the death of family or friends, grasp it is something for the future of our lives...and we accept the Doctrine of Resurrection.
Just like Martha we say, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 11:24.
A favorite Book in the Bible for me is Job. It is beautiful. In the midst of all his suffering he said, "Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever! For I know my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." Job 19:23-26
The next great statement on resurrection comes in 1 Corinthians 15...go see.
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." 11:25-27
The Lord has the key to resurrection, life in the body beyond death. He gives spiritual life to people who are dead in trespass and sin. But the Lord guarantees eternal life, life without end...
Sounds pretty fantastic doesn't it...almost too good to be true...but it is true...
No mere man could make this statement, this promise...the claim to have mastery over death. Jesus starts his statement with "I Am."
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14
Remember always, that Jesus is God, and...
He was about to prove everything He had just said to Martha, Mary, and to us all
this was a statement of fact.
"Believeth thou this?" Jesus asks... "...Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24b
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 28, 2020 18:06:37 GMT -6
A Saturday Rabbit Trail
Looks like we are going to be in Bethany for the weekend. Gonna take a day off tomorrow. We all need to go to as many on line services as we can find...get filled with some mighty fine preaching. I know there is gonna be some! We will pick up our story again on Monday. It is a powerful one.
In the meantime...woke up this morning with this on my mind...
There is a story told of a Chaplin during the attack on Pearl Harbor...who when the ship he was on had come under attack by the Japanese, was heard saying..."Praise the lord and Pass the Ammunition!"
Here is the story as he told it in 1955. He is Chaplain LTJG Howell M. Forgy, who was aboard the USS New Orleans during the Japanese attack.
"Well, I was stationed aboard the USS New Orleans, and we were tied up at 1010 dock in Pearl Harbor when we attacked again. We were having a turbine lifted, and all of our electrical power wasn't on, and so when we went to lift the ammunition by the hoist, we had to form lines of men — form a bucket brigade — and we began to carry the ammunition up through the quarterdeck into the gurneys, and I stood there and directed some of the boys down the port side and some down the starboard side, and as they were getting a little tired, I just happened to say, "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition." That's all there was to it. "
Now here is the rest of the story...LTJG Howell M. Forgy, was aboard the USS New Orleans during the Japanese attack. The ship was undergoing repairs and didn't have full power. The ammo had to be hand delivered to the gunners. They formed a line and passed the ammo in buckets. That is what prompted the Chaplin to say, "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammo!"
The following is from Wikapedia...
"Lieutenant Edwin F. Woodhead, who was the officer in charge of an ammunition line on the USS New Orleans later recounted that during the attack, "I heard a voice behind me saying, 'Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.' I turned and saw Chaplain Forgy walking toward me, along the line of men. He was patting them on the back and making that remark to cheer and keep them going. I know it helped me a lot, too."
Another lieutenant said that thereafter, when the men heard the song, they would kid Chaplain Forgy about the role he played, encouraging him to set the record straight about who actually said what. According to the same officer the chaplain would decline, modestly claiming he felt, "... the episode should remain a legend, rather than be associated with any particular person." Author McDowell noted that reporters eventually were permitted to interview the men of the USS New Orleans involved in the "ammunition" story. Chaplain Forgy's superior officers set up a meeting with members of the press and at last, the real story of the song and the man who had inspired it was confirmed."
The attack on Pearl harbor was what brought the United States into WWII.
We all know well that we are now in another war...a war against a virus. Most of us are staying at home and are getting tired, frustrated, anxious, stir crazy, eating too much, watching a lot of TV, and movies back to back.
But we need to be out fighting the war with the weapons we have, not siting on our butts and feeling sorry for ourselves...and we have a number of weapons to use. One of our greatest is prayer and the internet. Tomorrow is Sunday and most of us will be going to church on line. We will be enjoying some great sermons...
All of us have favorite Bible Stories...we can get on line and tell them...we can post prayers, we can type "Amen" to the many Pastors who will be preaching tomorrow to a camera. We need to let them know we are out there...and encourage them. We can make comments and ask questions.
Y'all can think of other ways we as a church can contribute...We are the church and there is nothing more powerful on earth than us...
So Church..."Let's Praise the lord and Pass the Ammo." Our Ammo is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ! All we have to do is load, aim, and fire...it will find it's mark.
Let the Church say...
Amen!
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 29, 2020 17:04:02 GMT -6
Rocks in a Stream...
We have time, Easter is still a couple of weeks away, and the story so special...so we will stay in Bethany for a few more days and really look at the story. This is one of those stories that we have heard and read so many times that we rub the edges smooth...like water running over rocks in a stream...so lets really take a look at this passage and put the sharp edges back where they belong. The other thing to remind you of is that the Bible, the Holy Spirit, almost always gives us a way to put ourselves in the story. We are in the crowd of mourners camped out at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus...in Bethany.
Now back to our story and it is a beautiful story! It is also a turning point. We will get to that in due time. Meanwhile...
"The Master is come, and He calleth for thee." John 11:28
Martha has already met with Jesus and now runs to tell Mary Jesus has come. Mary's reaction is basically the same as Martha's. "Lord. if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." 11:32...
Jesus sees the grief of the two sisters and it is overwhelming
"When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with Him..." 11:33a The word used for weeping means "to wail." Jesus saw grief all around Him.
He had come from a place where there was no sin...so no death, no sorrow, no tears, no tombs. His home was far away, in a land of eternal bliss, eternal joy...and full of glory.
Often have wondered how Jesus stood to be in such a filthy place as this...so full of sin and death, and the rot and stench it produces.
Jesus had now been on earth 33 years. He had seen so much sorrow and healed so many broken hearts.
But these people were his very special and old friends. He had stayed at their home many times and they had made it like a second home to Him. How often had He sat and talked with them, eaten with them, slept in their house. Now Lazarus is dead and his sisters desolate. Instead of a happy place filled with friendly talk and laughter...there are tears.
"He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled." 11:33b
The word used for "groan" literally translated means "to snort" like a horse snorts. It is used in the New Testament to indicate displeasure or indignation. It had been used to describe the indignation of some people at the use of a rare ointment poured over Jesus' head in the house of Simon the Leper at Bethany, Mark 14:4. Go see.
The Lord felt indignation at what sin and death had done...and, He was troubled. He literally shook with emotion...He was so moved it caused His body to tremble with indignation.
"Where have ye laid him." is all He asked. 11:34
"They said unto Him, Lord come and see."
Jesus leads the way, behind Martha and Mary. Everyone follows Him including all of us. He wants everyone to be present for what would happen next...
So we all follow Jesus, Martha, and Mary to the tomb of Lazarus.
The Holy Spirit is showing us something very special and we don't want to miss it...He is showing us the Deity of Christ...and He is showing us the humanity of Jesus. Remember Jesus is 100% man, and 100% God, 100% of the time. In this passage we can clearly see both!
He is going to a tomb and so is everyone else...but not just to the tomb of Lazarus, to their own tombs. Sooner or later the tomb would claim them and will claim us. We are all on our way to our tombs because of sin.
Jesus is headed for a tomb for the same reason...
all of our sins.
He had no sin...and death had no claim on Him. But he was on His way to death on a Cross, and to the tomb none the less...He was going for all of us.
Y'all think on that and pray on it. We will walk on tomorrow. The Holy spirit has much more to show us...
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Mar 31, 2020 16:10:28 GMT -6
"Jesus wept." 11:35
We are back in Bethany. We are standing with Jesus, Martha, Mary, and the people who had gathered at the home of Lazarus...and, John tells us...
"Jesus wept."
He burst into tears. It was not the wail of despair...He cried with strong crying and tears.
He cried because He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He cried out of His sorrow for Martha and Mary, and for the friends of Lazarus.
He cried because His heart was broken over His sadness due to sin and death, and by grief that comes for which there is no comfort.
He wept because He is God...and looking into Heaven He could see Lazarus standing there. He was surrounded by the Saints of Heaven and the angels. Lazarus was beyond the pain and grief. He had entered into rest beyond the tethers of the earth and its'sorrows. He was with the Old Testament heroes, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jseph. He was with family and friends who had gone before. He was in Glory where time stands still and the sorrows of life on earth are over...
Lazarus had just gotten there, just begun to realize the unimaginable joy and peace...
and Jesus was on the verge of calling him back to a world of sin, pain, and sorrow.
Jesus wept for Lazarus.
We are standing around Him...and think maybe because of His tears...Jesus had failed.
"Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?" v.37
Now we are invited to look at the sepulcher...
"Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it." v. 38
Jesus confronts the tomb...I can feel a hush fall on the crowd. We gather in closer to hear and see what is going to happen.
Maybe the murmurings and doubts of the crowd about Jesus not healing Lazarus before he died, were said with a sneer. They were questioning His power.
"It was a cave," John tells us, "and a stone lay upon it."
Caves in that day were often used as tombs. A stone shaped like a millstone was frequently used to seal the cave or tomb. It was fitted into a groove in the ground and could be rolled to open, and close the tomb.
The closed and sealed door of a tome had the air of finality about it...
Lazarus was dead, buried, and sealed in his tomb.
And this is where we leave it for the time being...for today.
It is like the place we are in now, in our world today. It is a dark place and we are afraid, anxious, not trusting, not knowing who to trust.
My dad's saying comes to mind again, "It's always darkest before the dawn."
"...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Psalm 30:5b
And so it does...
Amen.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Apr 1, 2020 17:22:27 GMT -6
Jesus said, "Take ye away the stone..."
Jesus said, "Take ye away the stone..." 11:39a
We are there standing on hillsides, on tops of rocks...we are gathered close so we can hear and see.
We hear the command..."Take away the stone."
"Why," we wonder, "didn't Jesus just blow the stone up, or make it disappear, or just cause the stone to roll away?"
He could have but...the Lord doesn't do for us what we can do for ourselves.
A favorite story of mine is Elisha, the prophet's school, the widow, and the jar of oil...it is in 2 Kings 4. "Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen." 2 Kings 4:1
Here is what was going on...
The woman's husband was going to Elisha's prophets school and he died. That created a great problem for her...she had no bread earner and no one to take care of her and her children. She was going into debt and had no money to buy food for her children. When a person in that day incurred debt, their children could be taken as payment...
And that was about to happen to this poor woman. She went to Elisha to ask for help. He asked her what she had in her house and she answered...one jar of Olive Oil.
Then Elisha gave the woman what sounds like a strange set of instructions...
"Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full." 2 Kings 4:3-4
Now here is the point to the story. The Lord doesn't do what we can do for ourselves. He would have made jars...lots of jars, beautiful jars...amazing jars. He could have filled them all with oil...
But the instructions were for the widow to gather jars from her neighbors...and act of faith. Lord isn't into cheap wonders...He was about to do a great Miracle.
The widow did as she was instructed. She closed up the doors and windows to her house and the Holy spirit filled every vessel she had...
Jesus' command was to roll back the stone. He wasn't going to preform a wonder...nor do what they could do, He was going to show the people at the tomb, remember that includes us, a great miracle. Let's watch and listen.
We heard the command and we are stunned! It is the first clue we all have that Jesus is about to do something out of the ordinary.
Listen to Martha's reaction, "Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days." v. 39b
I think Martha thought Jesus wanted to see the body of his dear friend Lazarus. I think she misunderstood Jesus' purpose and what he meant by His words about being the Resurrection and the Life. She thought it was not a good idea. Decay had set in.
"Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" v. 40
"Didn't I tell you Martha?" Jesus asks...He had told her less than an hour before that he is the resurrection and the life...had she forgotten so fast? He had challenged her to believe.
"Didn't I tell you Martha?" Had she forgotten so soon her declaration of faith. "Thou art the Christ, the Son of God!"v, 27
Lord I believe, help my unbelief...how our unbelief must grieve the Lord.
"Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid." v. 41a
A group of those there with us approach the tomb and roll away the stone. Maybe it was at this point that Mary...realized what was about to happen. This Lord who she loved so much...was about to do a miracle!
We all move closer and we see,
"And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me." vs. 41b-42
The Lord had already done His praying. This was done for those around Him, including us. He already had His Father's approval and backing.
Tomorrow we will witness a miracle...
Till then..."Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Timothy 5:16-18
Praise the Lord and pass the Ammo!
Amen!
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Post by Murph on Apr 1, 2020 20:39:08 GMT -6
Lazarus! Come Forth!
"And when he thus had spoken, he cried in a loud voice, Lazarus come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin..." vs. 43-44.
Go back to the Old Testament and listen...Lord said, "Let there be light!" and there was light...I think He spoke in that Voice and with that power.
Or maybe...
go to a boat in a storm, when the Lord said "Be still" and the storm was.
Or maybe in the voice he used when he commanded the Demons leave human beings...and they fled to pigs and jumped over a cliff into the waves below...
It was that voice we hear...God's voice on earth!
"Lazarus Come Forth!"
Have read that an atheist was lecturing to a big crowd on the subject of his unbelief. During his lecture he ridiculed the story of Lazarus.
He asked "Why did Jesus say, Lazarus come forth?" It was a retoricle question but...
An old believer rose in the back of the hall and said..."Very simple Sir. Because if Jesus had not said Lazarus come forth, every dead person in the world would have come forth."
And they would have...and so one day, will we! Hallejuah and Amen!
Lazarus emerged from the cave into the daylight...alive!!!
But he was bound in grave clothes, winding sheets which were wrapped tightly around the body of the dead. A Napkin, literally called a "sweat cloth" was wrapped around Lazarus' head. Lazarus couldn't see...yet out he came into the light of day!
Brought this verse to mind..."...and the truth shall make you free...If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 32b,36.
See the analogy?
"Loose him and let him go."
And there Lazarus stood alive from the dead.
We stand there...with the crowd. And if we are truthful with ourselves we must make up our minds about Jesus. Do we believe or don't we?
Many in the crowd did...
"Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him." v. 45
It was the only sensible thing to do...and a happy day for them
The sad thing is the verse says "many"...not "all."
"But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done." v. 46
It is always so sad...when anyone rejects Jesus in the face of such overwhelming evidence that Jesus saves...and has paved the way for the resurrection of each one of us.
We are about to depart from Bethany...
Will leave you with a saying from a favorite Evangelist...
Hell is hot and Heaven sweet,
Sin is black and Jesus saves...
Billy Sunday.
and Amen!
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Post by Murph on Apr 3, 2020 10:16:14 GMT -6
The Official Reaction to the Raising of Lazarus
We said earlier that the raising of Lazarus from the dead was a turning point...and indeed it was.
"Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him." John 11:45
Many believed...
"But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done." v. 46
Many didn't believe and ran to the Pharisee. Their intentions and motives were mean, and self serving. I think they were doing what we call today..."brown nosing."
And what they did tipped the scales. Now the Sanhedrin was determined to get rid of Jesus...they thought He was too dangerous and this had gone too far. The Sanhedrin was, at and before the time of Christ, the name for the highest Jewish tribunal, of 71 members, in Jerusalem, and also for the lower tribunals, of 23 members. Their meeting place was the "stone chamber" located inside the Temple.
These guys were feeling threatened by Jesus...and His followers.
Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
"What do we? for this man doeth many miracles."
People were excited by what Jesus had done, too excited, and things were now coming to a head. The Sanhedrin couldn't have this Messiah or any other, who would take power and influence away from them. They knew if He gained any foothold they could loose their power and dominance over the people.
And then there were the Romans. They had pretty much left the Sanhedrin alone and allowed them to govern the Jews...call the shots. The Roman government was not going to like hearing of anyone who claimed to be "King of the Jews."
You can see their dilemma...If they made a move against Jesus they risked a revolt among the people. But if they let things go as they were...the Romans might intervene.
They totally missed the fact that Jesus' mission was spiritual. Until His Spiritual Kingdom was established...He had no intention of setting up a material...
"If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation." v 48
Tight spot...bottom line is, they were afraid of losing their place and their power.
Tomorrow we will meet a fella named Caiaphas. We have all met a Caiaphas in government. We see many in the world today.
He is a prime example of the phrase, "power corrupts, and absolute power(or perceived absolute power)corrupts absolutely."
He will be an actor in this play to the end...
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Post by Murph on Apr 4, 2020 17:12:59 GMT -6
Death Warrant Issued
Looking back in history we still are surprised by the reaction of the Sandedrin. Instead of being amazed, and rushing to Bethany to investigate the miracle, and recognizing the Messiah for who He is...they did the opposite.
Now we meet Caiaphas who was the high priest. He listened to the discussion of the religious leaders. He is going to give his counsel...but first, who is he?
"And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year..." John 11:49a
Caiaphas was appointed high priest in 18AD by the Roman prefect, fella named, Valerius Gratus and he continued in that office till 36AD. He was the son-in-law to Annas who had been high priest from 6AD to 15AD...but he still exerted much power over what went on in the nation.
Caiaphas, however, was steering the affairs of the nation when Jesus was crucified.
He was a Sadducee. Since the Sadducee denied the possibility of resurrection, this miracle in Bethany struck a sour note. That is why they were sad-you-see. Always think of Pastor Dennis Ball when I think of that.
We also can see that Caiaphas was a prideful and arrogant man...
"Ye know nothing at all..." He interrupted the discussion of other religious leader by saying...they didn't know what they were talking about.
"Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." v.50
Better he said to throw Jesus to the wolves than to risk Roman Martial Law...they would kill 2 birds with one stone. They would save the nation from rigid Roman law and get rid of Jesus. And, his side motive...he would remain in power.
"And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." vs. 51-52
His words had a double meaning. He wasn't aware of it...he was just being a politician. What Caiaphas said went far beyond the nation of Israel. He said only what was in his evil heart, but by Divine Intervention, he told of the national and global benefits of the death of Jesus.
His colleagues liked what they heard and passed the motion..."Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death." v. 53
This was the turning point we talked about earlier...the death warrant was issued and the end is near.
Tomorrow there will be some powerful sermons preached on line. It is a powerful day for all of us who believe.
It is the beginning of the last week of the earthly life of Jesus...
Tomorrow we will be in Jerusalem...It is Palm Sunday.
Amen.
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Post by Murph on Apr 5, 2020 16:51:53 GMT -6
Lesson #15
We are going to take a different approach to the Lord's last days on earth. It was a busy time...
So we will walk with Jesus and try to summarize the main sequence of events.
We will start 6 days out and each day look only at the Bible Passages. It will be a heavy duty Bible Study. Are you Ready?
Remember to put yourself in the story as you read and let the Holy Spirit illuminate each passage. He will do it and show you wonderful and dreadful things...beautiful and wondrous things, unspeakably ugly things...and horrifically horrible and violent things...
He will show you the truth.
He will show you what our Lord Jesus Christ did for you and for me...
So put on your sandals, and your robe, pick up your staff, and lets go.
We start on the 6th day before Passover, the 9th day of Nisan. It is our Thursday at sunset to Friday at sunset.
The Lord approaches Jerusalem from Jericho...
"And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:1-10
He spends Thursday night with Zaccheus...
"And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant.
Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." Luke 19:11-27
Jesus enters Jerusalem and cleanses the Temple...
"And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an a** tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an a**, and a colt the foal of an a**.
And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the a**, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say?
And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" Matthew 21:1-16
He goes to Bethany...
"Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead." John 12:1
More tomorrow...go back and read todays passages again.
Pray on them and let the Holy Spirit illuminate them for you. He will if you ask.
You can use your preferred version of the Bible...I use the KJV. The point is to read it, pray on it, and study it...whatever version you choose.
Amen.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Apr 6, 2020 19:15:09 GMT -6
Get you Bible ready so you can follow. Remember...pray, read, study, put yourself in the passage...open you mind and let the Holy Spirit show you. He will if you ask Him.
It is now the 5th day before Passover, the 10th day of Nisan. It is our Friday from sunset, to Saturday at sunset.
The Lord spends the Sabbath at Bethany. After sunset the first of three suppers was given, probably at the home of Lazarus.
"There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him." John 12:2
Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus.
"Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus." John 12:3-11
Just a note...The witness of Lazarus' new life was profound. People heard, came and saw, went away, and they believed on Jesus. The religious authorities couldn't stop it and they couldn't deny it...
So they plotted to murder Lazarus. Jesus had confronted a dead man and made him live. The religious leaders confronted a resurrected man and wanted him dead.
They were filled with hatred for Jesus and the man living in the power of Jesus.
That has always struck me...the level of hate.
Again, pray for illumination, read the passages...study the words, look at the phrases...let the story unfold in front of you. Let the Holy spirit show you.
Till tomorrow, Amen.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Apr 7, 2020 18:29:00 GMT -6
We just observed Palm Sunday...but it is a part of that last week. We are going to look at it again in the sequence in which it happened.
Remember what we do...we pray and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the passages, we read, we study, we look at each phrase. We let the Holy Spirit show us this day...
It is the 4th day before Passover, and the 11th day of Nisan. It is our Saturday from sunset to Sunday at sunset.
*The triumphal entry into Jerusalem...
"And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go." Mark 11:1-7
"And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.
And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way." Luke 19:29-36
"Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
And Jesus, when he had found a young a**, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an a**'s colt." John 12:12-15
**Jesus returns to Bethany.
"And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve." Mark 11:11
Remember we are with Jesus...we are watching this as it unfolds. We have dust on our sandaled feet and clothes from walking the dusty roads. We can hear the people and smell the smells...we are there.
Jesus has told all of us of what is coming. We as yet still can't quite grasp it but are beginning to realize something is coming.
We stay the night in Bethany.
Till tomorrow, Amen.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Apr 8, 2020 20:55:28 GMT -6
It is now the 4th day before the Passover, 11th day of Nisan. It is our Sunday at sunset to Monday at sunset.
*The Lord returns to Jerusalem and curses the fig tree.
"Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Matthew 21:18-22
We will linger on this passage for just a moment...it is prophetic. We want to think about the significance of this passage.
Keep in mind that the Fig Tree is a symbol for the nation of Israel. The fig tree was a revered tree in the Holy Land and even fig trees that didn't produce well were left to stand...not cut down. Usually the trees were prolific and produced about 3 crops a year so ripe figs hung on a tree for about 10 months out of the year. It was barren for about two months...April and May. There is more abput the fig trees, but you begin to get the picture...
The incident involving the fig tree took place in April. A tree would not normally be bearing new fruit that early, but it might have some fruit from the previous year. There were actually two varieties of Fig trees found in Israel...One variety mentioned in Isaiah 28:4 produced what was called"the first ripe fig before summer" This variety has fruit that appears before the leaves.
The tree in Matthew 21:19 was in full foliage, in good sun light, in a prime spot, and in a conspicuous place, alone by the wayside. Now the Creator of those trees, the Lord Himself, knew the variety, saw the tree He expected it to live up to it's promise and provide Him and his disciples with fruit...that includes us as we are in Remember to put yourseflf i the story.n
Now watch this...the leaves made an outward profession of vigorous life...but it was barren. They branches had no fruit from the previous year...nor did it have any of "the first ripe fruit before summer."
The tree had nothing to offer it's Creator. Jesus said, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth forever..." or to the end of the age. So... fig tree did what the Creator of the Universe said...it withered and died.
The disciples are astonished and so are we...No sooner did Jesus say that than the tree withered and died.
The miracle of the cursing of the fig tree is unique in Jesus' ministry because it is His only judgment miracle. His cursing of the fig tree was symbolic and not vindictive. The fig tree is symbolic of the Nation of Israel which should have had so much to offer God and the world . Jesus came looking for fruit and found none. The nation should have produced fruit but had none...He officially withdrew His blessing from the nation and soon it withered and died...and will remain so until the end of the age.
This is an oversimplification...and please don't misunderstand...the Lord is far from thru with the Jews and with the nation. He just set them aside until the end of the Age of Grace...the Church Age.
Then Jesus goes on in the rest of that passage, to give the disciples a lesson in faith.
**Next is the coming of the Greeks.
It is also a pivotal passage but quite long...John 12:20-50. The Greeks are Gentiles wanting to see Jesus. Jesus took it as a sign that His time had come. Brought to my mind the Gentiles, the Magi, who came to see Jesus when He was born. Now here are the gentiles again, the Greeks, at the end of His earthly ministry. Go see.
***Now the opposition from the Rulers.
"And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine." Mark 11:12-18[/b]
****The Lord leaves Jerusalem, probably for Bethany.
"And when even was come, he went out of the city." Mark 11:19
Rest well pilgrims...we will be up and out early.
Till tomorrow, Amen.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Apr 9, 2020 19:04:48 GMT -6
It is now the second day before Passover, the 13th day of Nisan. It is our Monday at sunset to Tuesday at sunset. Some of these passages are long and I debated and prayed on how to approach these...they are important and show us what Jesus was doing so close to the end.
Be sure to have your Bibles...this is going to require lots of prayer and reading, lots of thought and meditation.
*We move out. The Lord is going back to Jerusalem.
These are some long passages but go read them. Start with Matthew 21:23 to 23:39. Then go to Mark 11:20 to 12:44...now to Luke 20:1 to 21:28. Jesus was facing increasing opposition and rejection...as the shadows darken.
**The Lord gives His Olivet discourse. This is where I would like to spend some time. Read Matthew 24:1 thru 25:46.
We are going to focus on Matthew 24:1-34
"And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. Matthew
And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Matthew 24:1-3
This begins the Lord's last great sermon. His first was given on a mountain and so is this last one. The first we know as "The Sermon on the Mt." This one we call "The Olivet Discourse" because the Lord gave it on the Mt. of Olives. The first sermon was given in Galilee and this one in Jerusalem. In the Sermon on the Mt. the Lord gave us commands, laws to live by. In the Sermon on the Mt. He gave us the prophecies...
He takes us all down the corridors of time to our present age...shows us what is to come. He focuses on end-times events. Finally the disciples realize the Kingdom isn't coming in their time or for some time to come...and that time, an unknown.
"What shall be the time of thy coming..." we ask? v.3.
Jesus said, "Watch the Fig Tree."
"Watch Israel." He said, "When the nation of Israel comes to life again, then you can expect My return." He said.
"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Matthew 24:33-34
Now do you see the importance of the story of Jesus cursing the Fig Tree? It is what starts th Lords great time piece ticking...
This prophecy in verse 33-34 has been fulfilled in our lifetimes. Israel fell in 70AD and the temple torn down just as Jesus foretold. Nothing is left of the Temple except what we call the Wailing Wall...which is a retaining wall and not part of the Temple itself.
Israel ceased to exist. It was gone for 2000 years.
Then in May, 1948 thru a proclamation by the United Nations, Israel was reborn...Today it is a strong and thriving country...a nation. The Jewish Nation of Israel!
The Fig Tree "putteth forth new leaves..." Keep you eyes on the east. Amen!
Can you hear the Lord's clock ticking...?
**After two days, the Passover...
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people." Matthew 26:1-5
"After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people." Mark 14:1-2
****Jesus returns to Bethany. We see the second supper in the home of Simon the leper, and a second anointing.
"Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor." Matthew 26:6-13
"And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." Mark 14:3-9
Just 2 more days left...then the Cross.
Till tomorrow, Amen.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Apr 10, 2020 18:31:51 GMT -6
Lesson #20a
It is the day before Passover, the 14th day of Nisan. It is our Tuesday at sunset to Wednesday at sunset...
It is the Day of Crucifixion.
We are going to break this lesson into 2 parts. For those of you still walking with us...we walk on. As in life today, many start strong but weary of the walk, and fall away. But for those who stay the course...the reward is great. I know it is long and reading it is laborious to a degree...but consider what the Lord did for each of us.
*First, the plot of Judas.
"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him." Matthew 26:14-16
**The Preparation for the Last Supper.
"Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover." Matthew 26:17-19
"And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?" Mark 14:12
"Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed." Luke 22:7
The words in these last two verses refer to "the first day of unleavened bread" ...the 14th day of Nisan, the day of preparation.
***In the evening the Lord goes to the upper room...
"Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said." Matthew 26:21-25
and washes the disciples' feet'
"Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." John 13:1-20
****Now the Lord reveals the traitor...
"When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night." John 13:21-30
***** Jesus eats the Passover and makes the New Covenant.
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." Matthew 26:26-29
****** The Lord foretells Peter's denials.
"Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The c**k shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice." John 31:36-38
It is said that thereafter for the rest of his life, Peter had bloodshot eyes...from crying over his denial of Jesus. Lord appeared to Peter in the Garden after His resurrection. Paul tells us about it. What was said by the Lord and by Peter is not recorded but I cry when I think of what was said.
*******Jesus talks to His disciples and prays for them...and for all of us.
It is a long passage and beautiful...go see
John 14:1-17:26...
Remember...pray for illumination. Read the entire passage then go back and read it verse by verse. Let the Holy Spirit show you...
Gather up your robe and pick up your walking stick...we move on.
We are going with Jesus to Gethsemane.
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