Wednesday, November 13, 2019

John 19:25-42

John 19:25-42

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Even in agony he still cared for others.
28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Even in death Christ fulfilled prophesy
31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”
More proof that Jesus is who he claimed to be. Fulfilling all scripture.  Proof that Jesus was dead and had not just passed out.
38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders.
Everyone deals with fear.
With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
We need to overcome and do what is right.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

John 19: 1-24


John 19: 1-24

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.
I think of how often I slap Christ in the face.
4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
Pilate was more afraid of losing his position than killing an innocent man.
8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
Pilate was upset that Christ would not help with his defense.  He flexed his "power".  Jesus let him know he really had no power.
12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
" Friend of Caesar " was  title he could not lose.
13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
Pilate caved.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
Even in mockery, Pilate put the truth on display for all to see. 
23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.”
So this is what the soldiers did.

Prophesy fullfilled.  The Jewish leaders and Pilate both used as part of God's plan.

Monday, November 11, 2019

John 18:28-40

John 18:28-40

28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.
Cared more about ceremony
 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
Double speak.  Choosing to avoid the question.
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
Fulfillment.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
Pilate seeking to appease the masses.  Any excuse.
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Am I following truth?  Do I listen to Christ or the desires within?
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
Despite hearing the truth they rejected Christ
Application:
Do I care more about what other's think?
Do I justify my actions in a cloud of words?
What's my excuse?
What is my truth? Is it Christ or something else?
Will I reject him?


Saturday, December 22, 2018

John 18:25-27


John 18:25-27

Here we have Peter denying Jesus two additional times.  Immediately the rooster crows, just as Jesus had said would happen. Luke 22:60-62 says that Jesus looked at Peter.  Imagine the pain for both of them.  I remember one time mom did not yell or punish me when she caught me doing something that broke her heart.  She merely said, "I'm disappointed.".

Despite this I deny the Lord daily  So thankful for his forgiveness.

Friday, December 21, 2018

John 18:19-24

John 18:19-24

Jesus spoke the truth...and they hit him for it. 

As I read how the official slapped Jesus because he was supposedly not showing proper respect to the high priest, I still get angry, yet now it is tempered with experience.  Had this official known whom he was slapping, I think he may have soiled his robe.  Then there is the reality that this official now knows EXACTLY whom he slapped.  Did he come to Christ before his death?  If not I pity him as I know his future.

Two things I take today.

  1. People will hate me for the truth.
  2. How often do I slap Christ in the face with my constant and willful rejection of what I know to be true?

Thursday, December 20, 2018

John 18:15-18

So it's been almost 9 years since I started this blog.  Pride got in the way as I became more concerned about who was reading than growing from what I was reading.  One small step and bad choice after another and the blog stopped.
Several months ago, I was asked by a friend about my daily walk or study of the Bible.  It's been Sunday's only for a long time.  Her comment, "We don't eat only once a week.".  One look at me and you see I eat about once an hour...or more often.
As this is Day 1 of my vacation I was on Facebook and in my recliner.  I was looking at some pictures in Man Up God's Way and saw this.
It got me thinking.  I have so much time this vacation.  No excuses for failing to do some form of Bible study.  So I pick up where I left off over a year ago and one can't say out God does not have a sense of irony with His timing.

John 18:15-18

15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.”
18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

I'm convicted reading this as I see myself on the outside looking at where Jesus is.  I want to be near, but not too close as I have come to enjoy my life on the outside.  Even as type this I am replaying in my mind times that I denied Him so I would not be uncomfortable.
Time to think, pray and re assess my priorities.

Thursday, April 6, 2017

John 18:1-14

John 18:1-14

When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

Jesus knew what was going to happen.  Let that sink in. Granted He knew His entire live, but now was GO time.  Yet Jesus went anyway.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”

Why did they draw back?  Jesus said "I AM".  That is the name of God.

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Jesus would not allow Peter to defend Him.  He was ready to follow God to His death.

What am I willing to do?  How far will I follow Christ?


Wednesday, April 5, 2017

John 17:20-26

John 17:20-26

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one,Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 

I believe in Jesus.  Therefore, Jesus, was praying for ME!  He prayed for all Christians.  Yet we have screwed it up.  Christians are all to human.  We are not ONE in Him.  We fight among ourselves.  We divide into sects and small groups. I believe this is one reason why the world laughs at us. 

22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

I have been a Christain now for many years.  This is the first time it sunk in that Jesus has given me all that he had.  I need to walk in this truth.  This is how I become complete in Him and therefore complete in God.  This is how we all become one.  This is how the world will know who God is.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am,and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world

Jesus wants me with him.

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Today I am here as a man of faith because Jesus obeyed His Father and told the disciples about Him.  Through His disciples and the people that followed, Christ continues to fulfill this promise.

There are so many things in this life that make following Christ hard. God hear once again Jesus' prayer.  Make me one with you.