11/7/10 Luke 22:14-23 King Through Pain

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

(Last Supper frescoe- Leonardo Da Vinci 1498 Milan)

Thoughts: Many Christians will have communion today.  Jesus was eager to eat and drink with his disciples, and we should be eager to eat with Him.  Jesus was eager because he wanted them to remember Him after He left.  He also was reinforcing their faith by predicting his suffering and betrayal.  To know that suffering is not done without God's knowledge and even foreknowledge can be a comfort.  But Jesus also saw his suffering as an ushering in of the kingdom.  Certainly the resurrection is a sign of the kingdom- and the resurrection would not happen without his suffering.  But also the cross is the beginning of his kingdom in the sense that the sacrifice has been made for us.  We are brought into the kingdom because the King came and gave Himself for us on the cross. 

Prayer: Lord, today we remember your death for us- giving your body and your blood- that we might have life.  We remember you are King of kings and Lord of Lords.  Rule over us today. 

11/6/10- Luke 22:7-13 Jesus' Arranging Events

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” 9 “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked. 10 He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.” 13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

(A reading in the Upper Room Crusader Church- it was this upper room in the City of David part of Jerusalem in which the Lord's Supper was held, where Jesus appeared after the resurrection, and where Pentecost began).

Thoughts: Some have thought Jesus had already arranged for the guy carrying the jar to meet them.  But there is no real indication of that.  In fact, it is far more likely that Jesus foresaw this event (and arranged it providentially rather than secularly), and his telling John and Peter about it was memorable because he was prophesying this.  It would be hard for a man to be walking around with a water jar all day waiting for two disciples.  Getting ready for the Passover was not taken lightly but was rather a major event.  In Jewish tradition, even the looking for the last crumb of leavened bread was turned into a liturgy.  The prophesying of where the Last Supper was to take place makes the event that much more special, and even the details of it were not taken lightly by Jesus.  Too often we take our celebration of communion too lightly.  The celebration of The Lord's Supper is the remembering and celebrating of Jesus as our Passover Lamb, and a recognition that He is alive to commune with us each day. 

Prayer: Lord, all things are under your control.  Thank you that you know all things and arrange much more than we recognize.  Give us grace to trust in  your plans.  Give us grateful hearts that you commune with us.

John Calvin: Christ performs this miracle of arranging the supper in order to strengthen their faith- because they would soon see Him in a state of weakness.  The Passover was not just that they would remember their deliverance, but also that they would look forward to their deliverance by the messiah.  Paul says, "Christ our passover lamb was sacrificed" (1 Cor. 5:7). It should be noted that the disciples did not question Jesus, nor did they question the man (even though many were out to get Christ).  But they peaceably submitted to Him.  So we too should be satisfied with the command alone and go forward wherever God commands;  We should expect the success He promises and not indulge in excessive anxiety.

11/5/10 Luke 22:1-6 The Passover Lamb

In November we will be looking at the Passion (suffering and death) of Christ.  It is a key concept for Christians, and should be studied any time of the year.

 ¹ Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ² and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

(The Adoration of the Lamb- Jan Van Eyck- Ghentt altarpiece)

Thoughts: Each year at Passover, a good Jew always says, "Next year in Jerusalem."  One estimate of how many celebrated Passover in Jerusalem in the first century was 2.7 million (265,000 lambs sacrificed, according to Josephus,- one for every ten people).  The Feast of Unleavened Bread began the week before the Passover and ended with the Passover.  Jesus longed to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem, but also knew the danger awaiting him there.  He was to be the Passover Lamb (Ex. 12; 1 Cor. 5:7b). The Passover Lamb was sacrificed to protect God's people from the angel of death.  John the Baptist at the beginning of Jesus' ministry said about our Lord: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn. 1:29).
At the same time that Jesus was on the way, the chief priests and temple officers sought to kill him.  The commentary in Luke is that Satan entered Judas- one of the twelve.  That is a fearsome thought in and of itself- that the devil could use one of the twelve to betray Jesus.  Yet, despite the devil's efforts, the chief priests' efforts, and Judas's efforts, the Lord triumphed.  The betrayal of Jesus was a horrible thing- but God used it to enable his people to be forgiven of their sin by The Passover Lamb.

Prayer: Deliver us from the evil one, Lord.  Keep me from being used for evil purposes, and help me to honor you this day.  Forbid it that I would betray you, my Lord- my sacrifice.

John Calvin abridged: God appointed that His Son should be offered as a free sacrifice on the day of Passover that the reality and the shadow be seen together.  When Luke says that "Satan entered him" it is not as though the Holy Spirit was there before, but that Judas gave himself fully over to the cause of Satan, desperately seeking the destruction of the Christ. Satan enters into the reprobate when he takes possession of their senses, overthrows the fear of God, extinguishes the light of reason, and destroys every feeling of shame.  It appears that the cause of Judas' evil is greed, which Paul says is the root of all evil.  This shows us that we should repent and not harden our hearts to be used of Satan.  How monstrous it is that people who are designed to be the image of God and the temple of the Holy Spirit should not only be turned into filthy stables and sinks, but the wretched abodes of Satan.

11/4/10 Matthew 25:1-13 Be Prepared

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' 12 But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

(Ten Virgins- Franken 1680)

Thoughts: The motto of the Boy Scouts of America is "Be Prepared."  But how often we let things slip on us- an exam, a deadline, a vacation,  We should be prepared for meeting God every day.  We do not need to start cramming to meet Him like if the doctor tells us we have cancer.  We may let our energy for God run out if we do not feed our energy for God by daily prayer and daily Bible reading and regular worship.  Such things recharge the batteries of our faith so that we are ready.

Prayer: May I always be ready for you, O Lord.  May I always be prepared.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUseW_yJkpg ("Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning" Hot Tuna 1986)

John Calvin abridged: it is not enough to have ardent zeal for a short time, if we have not also a constancy that never tires.  Believers need to have unceasing supplies of courage, to support the flame which is kindled in their hearts, otherwise their zeal will fail before they have completed the long journey.

11/3/10 Matthew 25:14-30 Using Talents Wisely

14 "For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.' 21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.' 23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 24 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26 But his master replied, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Thoughts: What would have encouraged the wicked and lazy servant to be a better steward?  He thought his master was 1) Harsh and 2) taking more than he gave.  Too many see God as harsh and demanding instead of seeing God as patient and giving- and we are the ones who take God's gifts and hide them or worse use them up selfishly.  Everything we have is a gift from Him.  Nothing we have is from ourselves.  All that we see is made by Him.  Christians are called to be people who are not afraid to take risks- living by faith.  In a time of fear, Christians are called to be people of hope. After an election, it remains to be seen how those elected will use their talents. Calvin might say that all believers are elected and are called to use their talents wisely. 

Prayer: Lord, Help me to be a person who believes in your generosity, and imitates your generosity.  Help me to be a good steward.

John Calvin abridged: In this parable Christ compares himself to a nobleman who is gone on a long journey.  He does not want the disciples to expect an immediate kingdom, but rather a long journey with many toils. Chirst gives one a small amount and another a large amount.  The Lord does not give to each of us the same quantity of gifts (Eph. 4:7; 1 Cor. 12:11- "distributes them variously as He things proper").  Whether we are given much or little we are all still called to account for how we use what we have been given by God.  It would not make sense to hide the gifts, or refuse to use them, so that they do not yield fruit for Him.

11/2/10- Daniel 7:13-14 Who is Really in Charge

13 As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. 14 To him was given dominion and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.  (Matthew 24:30,31)

(The Sign in the Sky- Cross picture taken 10-31-10)

Thoughts: Real devotion comes from a desire to see Him and be with Him more than anything else.  So the Bible ends with the longing, "Come Lord Jesus!"  The great hope is that one day God will set it all straight.  Scoffers act as if God will never act.  Some act as if the election alone will change the world in some kind of ultimate and drastic way.  But we need to remember who is really the king of kings.  Those under a heavy load in life long for relief and things to be set right the way they were meant to be.  One day the weakness of the cross will be replaced by the power and glory of the resurrection.  It is in God's great patience and timing. 

Prayer: Lord, may I long for your coming to set things right. Today we pray for the elections and ask that you would show yourself to be in charge by them.  May you be honored here as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

John Calvin abridged: Daniel has shown how God is on the throne of judgement, and at the end God shows what is now hidden, that He has the supreme authority of all government.  This passage in Daniel definitely refers to the Christ as "Son of Man" and speaks of his ascension to power.  In the end Christ will punish those who rebel against his authority.  He says this in part to encourage those who are persecuted by those in authority.  It is offensive to see the ungodly living without concern because they think their mockery of God will go unpunished.  It is too easy to be captivated by the allurements of our own prosperity and lose the fear of God.

11/1/10 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 All Saints All Ready

1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4 But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7 for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

Thoughts: On this "All Saints Day" it is good to remember we are all children of the light and of the day.  One of the difference between all the saints (the invisible/true church in both heaven and here) and those who are not- is that we are to be awake, alert for God's presence, people of faith, hope, and love.

Prayer: Let me, Lord, be a true saint of the Day.  Let me always be ready for your coming; ready for your inbreaking presence.

John Calvin abridged:  He calls them back from a curious and unprofitable fascination with the time of his coming, and reminds them to be a constant state of readiness for his coming. The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night for unbelievers because they will be surprised as if they were asleep. No darkness is more dense than ignorance of God.