Anyone with social media knows that our sun is in a storm phase and has been lighting up the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) with incredible displays, even in places they are not even seen. Social media platforms have been lit up with photos from all over the Northern Hemisphere.
We are currently in what NASA calls Solar Cycle 25, the 25th cycle since they started being recorded in February 1755. During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation, all creating conditions known as space weather. One of the results is the more intense Northern Lights.
Having spent many years living in Northern Alberta, I have seen the lights in their majesty hundreds of times, but they never fail to impress.
There is something about watching the waves of light change colors while moving and dancing that is both breathtaking and soothing. If you have never seen them and get the opportunity, I encourage you to take it.
Last night, Kathy and I decided to take a run out into the countryside to catch a glimpse. We hit a couple of promising spots, but between the light pollution, clouds, and the mountains blocking the view, we struck out. Today’s photo is reader-supplied.
It was disappointing, but we enjoyed the hunt and the nighttime countryside.
When I see the Aurora’s dance, I can’t help but think of the God who created them. The Northern Lights can be explained naturally with a clear scientific explanation, but the God of the Bible created all the components and set the rules by which they operate.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and nothing is hidden from its heat. Psalm 19:1-6
Those verses are so often relevant that they might sometimes seem trite and cliche. Yet they are powerfully true.
It takes an incredibly hard heart to look at the beauty surrounding us and not stop marveling. God’s artistry knows no limits and regularly surpasses our expectations.
Take some time today and look at the world around us. Despite all the turmoil we see, there is beauty to be seen. Give God the glory.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
This morning, we continue in the third of the seven sayings to the “Word of Affection.”
… standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home John 19:25-27
Yesterday, we discussed the prophetic element of Jesus’ death, Mary’s pain, and the significance of beholding the Son. This morning, we consider the idea that in saying, “Behold your son,” Jesus is speaking of John. This is the more common view, which fits the text best.
Here, we see Jesus modeling the honoring of parents. To do so is a biblical command.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12
This is the only one of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) that comes with a promise. That might be worth exploring in the future.
By this time, Mary is a widow. Joseph died sometime before, but likely not before Jesus reached manhood (in those days, a boy was considered a man at 12 or 13). Jesus accompanied his parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover at age 12. Afterward, Joseph disappears from the Scriptural narrative. There are various church traditions about Joseph’s death, but nothing explicit in the Bible.
The task of caring for a widowed mother fell to the oldest son. In this case, while Jesus had been tending to that task, he is now dying, and he honors his mother by ensuring she remains cared for.
Jesus singles out John and appoints Him the role of caregiver for Mary. Interestingly, he calls her “woman” rather than “Mother.” I don’t believe there was any disrespect intended here. I believe he wanted to shield her from harassment from the mob.
Jesus restores John here. We often focus on Peter’s denial, but all the disciples fled from the Mount of Olives in fear. All except Judas would be restored to Christ.
The Scriptures refer to John as “the disciple Jesus loved” and portray him as one of the three closest to Him. Jesus is giving Mary into the care of His closest earthly friend, John, a man who followed Jesus on earth, was a leader amongst the Apostles, and was a devout believer entrusted with the job of writing one gospel, three letters, and an apocalyptic, which are all recorded as part of our Scriptures. John was a devout believer whom Jesus trusted totally.
There is also an element here that is sometimes overlooked. Sometimes, in our devotion to Christ, we place Christian ministry or church work ahead of family. Yes, God should be at the forefront of our minds and lives, but not at the expense of caring for our family (Lord forgive me the many times I have been guilty of doing that).
After His resurrection, Jesus would give His followers what we call the Great Commission to go out into the world, but before that, He gave John the task of caring for His mother. While it can be dangerous to make our families idols, it is also dangerous to put them too far on the back burner.
We are left to speculate why Jesus gave her into John’s care over that of one of His brothers. The most natural progression would have been for the next oldest brother to care for her. Perhaps the brother was not in a position to care for her. More likely, or so it seems to me, the brothers were not yet believers. Jesus wanted to leave her in the care of a believer who could care for her spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
At least one of Jesus’ brothers (James), likely all of them, would become believers after the resurrection. In the interim, Jesus honored His mother by ensuring her best all-round care.
When we think of Jesus’s obedience on that fateful day, we think of His going to the cross, but we see it demonstrated even in His dying words. He is a great model and a marvelous savior. We would do well to pay attention to both.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
This morning, we move on to the third of the seven sayings, the “Word of Affection.”
… standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home John 19:25-27
I cannot imagine the agony of Mary as she watched her son die on that cross. To know all that had been done to Him, to see him naked, bleeding, and dying in humiliation and not be able to do a thing about it.
Perhaps someone who has lost a child, particularly in an especially gruesome or tragic way, would have some understanding. I have lost friends and family over the years, and I have walked beside both the dying and their families, but I truly cannot comprehend the depth of Mary’s sorrow.
Jesus death that day fulfilled a prophecy given by Simeon, on Jesus’ eighth day of life, when the family took Jesus to be circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic Law (See Luke 2:25-35)
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:33-35
Even though Mary knew her Son was anointed by God to be the savior of Israel and was counted amongst his followers, it is doubtful that she would have yet understood the promise that He would rise again. Like the disciples she must have thought that His work ended too soon.
Too soon, He was gone in an unimaginably ugly way … truly a sword had pierced her own soul, too.
We see some important things in Jesus’ words to John.
Jesus says, “Woman, behold, your son!” There are two interpretations of this phrase, and we will consider both. First, Jesus is talking about himself. Second, Jesus is pointing out his disciple, John.
This morning, we will examine what it means if Jesus speaks of Himself. This is a less common view but has merit, so we will look at it.
There is incredible power in those few words. Mary was an incredibly devout woman, so much so that God chose her to carry His Son. Still, she was human and a sinner by nature and nurture. She knew that as much as anyone …“And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” Luke 1:46-47
Mary’s own testimony negates any thoughts that she was somehow sinless. More devout than most? Perhaps she was. Sinless? She certainly was not.
Jesus declares the need of every human born of natural descent to look to the Savior by faith. John the baptizer said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. John also said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
Jesus was lifted up for all those who would open their spiritual eyes and behold Him. Salvation is not by works or religious ritual. Forgiveness of sin and eternal life come from beholding and responding to the Lamb.
Have you looked upon Christ? Not in a physical sense as Mary and the crowds did that awful day, but in the sense of looking to Him to forgive you and make you clean of your sin. Don’t delay, do it today, no one is guaranteed a tomorrow.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
This morning, we continue our exploration of the “Seven Sayings on the Cross.” Last time, we started our look at the “word of salvation”
…then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
We considered the marvel that Christ promised the criminal he would be in paradise with Him “today.” What a marvelous gift, mercy beyond anything the rebel ever imagined.
“Paradise,” used here, is a word for a garden. When God created the physical universe, He created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden … literally the Garden of Pleasure. Everything in it and everything he gave humanity was pronounced: “very good by God.”
The last book of the Bible, the Revelation of Jesus the Christ, spends a lot of time describing our final destiny as believers. While much of the language is symbolic and apocalyptic, we can readily picture something beautiful and pleasurable. We might not be able to picture it all, but we can see that the new paradise will be a place of pleasure in the presence of a holy God.
We will see our Savior face to face and bask in God’s glory, just as we were designed to do. I don’t believe the first thing we will do is go look up old believing family and friends, although I am sure we will see them. The first thing we will do is rejoice in God and give Him glory.
We spoke yesterday of the miracle of grace by faith. That cannot be stressed enough; the entirety of the gospel hangs on it. If we are not saved by faith alone, we have no hope.
The brigand had nothing to offer Christ. He had no good works He could do, no ritual that he could observe, and no “church” he could join. The only thing he could offer was repentant faith. God’s wondrous grace was sufficient.
We sometimes overlook an element of the criminal’s faith. He had a courageous faith.
He was nailed on a cross next to the man who likely qualified as the most hated man in Jerusalem that day. Crowds of angry, hate-filled people mocked Jesus and His claims.
Even the chief priest and his followers were mockers. The highest and most respected leaders of Jewish civil and religious life publicly declared Jesus a fraud and had Him killed.
It took a lot of courage to look past all that, see Jesus as King and Messiah, and publicly call out to Him. We are often intimidated by the opinions of others and sometimes afraid to speak when we fear the crowd might not like what we say. How much more so for this man?
The criminal even rebuked the other thief on the cross …
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Luke 23:39-41
Here is a man who is in the world … naked on a cross, dying for all the world to see, facing the earthly consequences of his sin. Yet He is no longer of the world. He turned his back on His companions and moved to Jesus. It is a beautiful image of repentance and faith.
More beautiful still is Jesus’ response of forgiving Him. There is great hope for us there. No one is so vile that they cannot be saved if they repent and trust by faith. What a message of hope we have been given to proclaim.
If you have been holding back from opening yourself to Christ’s mercy, I pray God gives you the courage you need.
Until next time, may you rejoice in Jesus. May you praise Him for the righteousness of His wrath against sin and for His mercy for those who will trust in faith. He alone is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
Let’s continue our exploration of the “Seven Sayings on the Cross.” We briefly examined the first of the seven sayings, “Forgiveness.” We could have camped out there for many days exploring the whole concept of forgiveness and the need for it, but we need to move along.
This morning, “the word of salvation.”
“…then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
You likely know the story. Jesus was crucified between two criminals. These were no ordinary sneak thieves. To be crucified, they were most likely murdering bandits or perhaps even followers of the rebel Barabbas.
One of them repented, and the other did not. One was saved, and the other went to hell. Even His death between the two thieves was orchestrated by God. In Jesus’ dying words, He reminds us that there is hope until the last breath, but there is also a time when it will be too late to accept His gift of mercy.
It is also a demonstration of the sovereignty of God. Two criminals, equally distant from Christ, were both facing death. One turned to Jesus, and the other raged against and blasphemed Jesus even to the point of death. God’s sovereignty does not negate humankind’s responsibility.
We see the same things happening today. Two people hear the same gospel message; one will have their heart softened and turn to Christ, while the other hearer will harden their heart even more.
We also see the marvel of salvation by grace through faith. What could the thief do to merit his salvation? He could do absolutely nothing. He was some evil desperado to have warranted crucifixion, so there is no doubt that he was a sinner of the vilest kind.
He had no time to “do enough good” to cover his sins. He was not a “nice” person. He could not attend a worship service or be baptized. All he could do was seek Christ and trust. That was sufficient.
We must come to the end of ourselves before we come to Christ. In the case of the criminal, he was literally at the end of His life and staring death in the face. His death was imminent. Indeed, being saved from the flames of hell at a time when he could almost smell the smoke is God’s grace at work.
There is something else here that we could easily overlook. From all earthly perspectives, Jesus was powerless. He was hanging naked on a cross in the process of dying. His disciples were scattered. The Pharisees would have thought that His ministry and influence were brought to an end.
Yet He could still promise the repentant robber a place in paradise. No mere human could do that. Jesus is fully human, but He is also fully God. No mere person can guarantee another a place in eternity with the Lord. Anyone who thinks they can is either delusional or a liar and conman of the worst kind.
There is also great hope in Jesus’ promise, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” There is no time apart from Him. There is no purgatory to walk through for many centuries until you undo all your bad stuff and earn enough merit. For the thief, it was “today.”
So it is for you and I. We are granted admission into the kingdom the moment we accept Christ. His Spirit indwells us and when we finally pass on (or He returns, whichever comes first) we go to be with Him.
The true God-haters will go to hell unrepentant, blaspheming as they go, and likely for all of eternity. How different from the criminal who came to the end of himself and was granted admission to paradise.
If you don’t yet know this Jesus, if you haven’t turned to Him in repentant faith, it is not yet too late. If you open your heart and turn to Him, He will give you your place in eternity. Don’t make the same eternal mistake the one Brigand did.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Please share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
Let’s continue our exploration of the “Seven Sayings on the Cross” … The Word of Forgiveness”
… then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34a ESV
On Friday, we considered these words as a specific fulfillment of prophecy. We also looked at them as reflecting the holy character of God. A holy God cannot overlook any sin, not even sin that comes from ignorance.
There is a picture here of Jesus identifying with humanity most poignantly. As a man, even though He was sinless, He understood the power of temptation and evil and the brokenness of the human heart. The man understood that only God could forgive sins, and it was Jesus, the man on the cross. In his humanity, Jesus calls to God to forgive, and Jesus understands us.
Our text says, “then Jesus said” What was before the “then”? Humanity and Satan had done their worst.
Then Jesus calls for the forgiveness of His enemies. Here, we see His words from the Sermon on the Mount lived out in the most specific way.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… Matthew 5:43-44
These sinners were yet in the dark and unrepentant. In the days to come, some of them undoubtedly came to believe.
They were not ignorant of the fact that they were abusing and killing a man. They were not ignorant of the fact that they were mocking His claims. They knew they were killing the same man who had healed the sick, cast our demons, and raised the dead; the man whose teaching astounded them; the same man they had welcomed less than a week ago with cries of “Hosanna.”
What they did not understand was that they were rejecting God’s chosen one and sending Him to a most gruesome and painful death. That is the darkness of the human heart, the depravity of our soul. This was not a crowd of particularly “evil” people. For the most part, they were ordinary people. We see in them the heart of every person without God. Even in the midst of overwhelming evidence, they chose to reject Him.
What do we do with those who have sinned against us and are unrepentant? Do we forgive them? We cannot; we must turn them over to the one who most sinned against. In Matthew 5:44, we are commanded to pray for them. God may work a change of heart that we could never do.
When I said we cannot, it set alarm bells off for many of you. Remember, though, that what is impossible for man is not impossible for God. We cannot do so under our own power.
Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” These familiar words are easy enough to say but, in truth, so hard to do. In fact, impossible to do under our own power.
This command is totally contrary to the “wisdom” and practices of the world. Many people are proud of the fact that they carry unforgiveness and bitterness in their hearts. Many people live their entire lives without ever having been forgiven for things they have done and said, for slights both real and imagined.
Following this command is not always easy … but it isn’t hard to understand. It isn’t hidden in a parable or some vague word picture. It is a straightforward,… in our face… command from the Lord, meant to be obeyed. When we stumble in obeying, we can call on Him to lift us and carry us.
He died for you and me. Such incredible love ought to move our hearts to obedience. It should keep Him foremost in our minds.
Until we meet again, may God melt your heart to forgive those you can, carry no baggage against those you cannot, and cause you to lift even your enemies up in prayer.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Please share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
A break from the Seven Sayings of Christ on the Cross. We will return to them on Monday.
Here’s a short story I wrote years ago. It’s one of several with a Christian theme set in Buckman’s Books.
Business had been good that morning, but it slowed down a little just after lunchtime. Enjoying the brief break between customers, I poured myself a coffee and sat down in one of the wingback chairs at the front of my store. The late fall sun silhouetted the name of the shop against the window: Buckman´s Books.
An old pickup truck that had seen better days slowed down and coasted to a stop in front of my shop. There was no way to know the truck’s original color since it was made up of salvaged body parts replacing damaged ones.
All of the pieces seemed to be held together by rust. The rear box was closed in with four-foot-high sideboards made of recycled plywood. Painted on the side, in letters barely discernible through the dirt of a thousand gravel roads, were the words “Jackson’s Salvage.”
The driver, a tall, thin man, stooped at the shoulders from a hard life, slid out of the cab slowly, and headed for my door. He was on the far side of sixty. His hair and beard were long, grey, and unkempt. He had a long, hooked nose that looked like a beak and bushy eyebrows that resembled a set of wings. His bib overalls and plaid shirt were dirty and had seen a lot of use.
“Worn out and tired” came to mind as I looked at the truck and its driver. Appearances could be deceiving, though; I knew he was a shrewd businessman, a haggler. The man would grind you mercilessly for the joy of bargaining.
A lot of townspeople didn’t think much of old man Jackson. He was rude, crude, and cussed more than a pirate’s parrot. To make it worse, he had a particular smell about him that was hard not to notice. No one could describe the scent, but it came from a lifetime of digging around in dumps, junkyards, and abandoned buildings.
Despite all that, I liked him. He was a good customer who knew his books. He would spend hours looking through the latest acquisitions on my shelves, searching for true value. I say acquisitions, not new books because I sell used books.
Buckman´s Books is neither a fancy name nor a fancy place, but I sell a lot of books. Two wing-back chairs, a couple of small tables, and a pot of coffee welcome my customers to the store. Behind that stands a thousand square feet of space, filled to the ceiling with books of every imaginable kind. My customers know that if I don’t have it in stock, I will get it for them, and they show their appreciation by coming back time and again.
When he came in this time, Jackson had a package with him. That was usually a good sign because some of my best merchandise had come because of his sharp eye at estate sales and auctions.
The old man had a nose for good literature and saleable books. He’d bring them in and haggle with me for hours over the price. I’m sure that haggling was half the fun for him), and eventually, I’d break down and give him his price. With my network of special collectors, I never failed to make money on a Jackson deal.
He poured a coffee from the pot I always kept on and grumbled, “Buckman, you make the worst coffee I’ve ever tasted,” then sat down in his favorite chair.
“Thanks, Jackson. From you, that’s a compliment. Besides, it’s free even for a contrary old cuss like you. What did you bring me today?”
Handling the package like it contained delicate treasure, he slowly unwrapped several layers of newspaper. He pulled out a thick leather book.
“I think you’ll like this one, but it’s gonna cost you big time.” He laughed at the thought of the bargaining to come.
It was a well-preserved but obviously well-used Bible. A thick strap of tooled leather kept the cover closed. It was an original Geneva Bible, almost impossible to come by.
“Where did you get this?” I was so excited that I forgot who I would be bargaining with and almost drooled. “It’s a gem, one of the best I have ever seen.”
He laughed loudly and said, “I knew you’d like it. I bought it at an estate sale in Pierce County. The family was hurrying to sell the estate to get back to the city. I bought a truckload of stuff I thought I could make a few bucks on.
After loading everything, I went for another quick once-over to see if anything good was left. I rooted around some and saw the book in the bottom of a box under the cellar stairs. I almost missed it. I had to buy the whole box of useless junk to get the book.”
I slowly leafed through the Bible, caressing each page and stopping now and then to read a passage that caught my eye. The text was clear and sharp, although the pages had begun to yellow a bit. There is something about the feel and smell of an old book that I can’t describe and never grow tired of. Like people, no two old books are ever alike.
“I don’t know why anyone would want an old Bible,” he grunted, “ but I figured you would know who would want it. You’ll make a profit and still pay me handsomely for it.”
As I sat reading, he got up and perused the shelves. The Bible was almost identical to the one my grandfather had when I was a boy. I got my love of good books from Grandpa. He’d sit around and read us Bible stories for hours. I couldn’t help but sit and read some of his favorite stories.
More than an hour later, Jackson reappeared from among the shelves with half a dozen books in hand.
“You still sitting there reading that thing?” he asked. “Can’t imagine why.”
“It’s a long story, but I like old Bibles. I’m reading one of my favorite parts, the parable of the prodigal son.”
“Don’t know that story. What’s it about?”
“It’s the story of a boy who gets his inheritance early, spends it on the fast life, and ends up dirt poor, slopping pigs and sharing their food to have something to eat.”
Old man Jackson looked almost teary. “I know how that works. Dropped out of school, sold some of Dad’s stuff, and headed out on the road at fifteen. I went to the big city to make my fortune but blew the money pretty quickly. I ended up on the streets for a long time. Even did some jail time for a while.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Pouring another cup of coffee, he plopped down into his chair. “Not many people do. I keep my business to myself.”
After taking a deep drink from his mug, Jackson said, “I swear you make lousy coffee! I don’t know why I even bother to drink it. Never met anyone who makes coffee as bad as you do.”
“Jackson, don’t change the subject you were telling me about when you left home.”
“Right,” he said.
For the next two hours, he told me about doing time for stealing something to eat, about being unable to get a job because of his lack of education and criminal record, and about moving from place to place and ending up here in Pine Brook about forty-five years ago.
He started work with a borrowed truck. Before long, he traded some scrap he collected for an old truck of his own and started in the junk business full-time to make a few bucks and keep a roof over his head.
Twenty years ago, an old friend had died, leaving him the pickup truck parked out front. It was an old truck then, but Jackson swore he’d keep it on the road in memory of his friend forever.
When he finished his tale, I asked, “Did you ever go home again?”
“No, I figured I made my choice and blew my chance. They would never want to see me again. I heard my folks died a few years back. Never even went to the funeral.” He swallowed the last bit of cold coffee with a grimace and asked, “So, what happened to the kid in the story?”
I read the story to him.
“So the father waited for him to come home, even though he knew the boy would mess up. I wonder if my old man waited for me to come home?”
“I don’t know if he did or not, but I know God does. He’d claim you as His child if you’d let him.”
“Not likely! I’ve had too many years of making mistakes for that to ever happen.” With his finger pointing at the Bible, he said, “Show me in that book where it says that God would want me.”
I did just that. We sat a read a few verses together. Jackson smiled at me, “How about that! God even wants an old misfit like me.”
Don’t take my word for it. Look the verses up yourself. If you are like old man Jackson and want to know if God wants you, grab a Bible or a New Testament and read the same verses he and I read together. Start with the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-31. Then read the other Bible verses we looked at: Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, John 3:3, John 14:6, Romans 10:9-11, and Revelation 3:20.
Until next time, rejoice that God even wants people like us.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
Let’s jump right into the first of Jesus’ “Seven Sayings on the Cross” … The Word of Forgiveness”
Blinded by their jealousy over His popularity, the Jews had been plotting the death of Jesus for some time now. He was seen as a significant threat to their power and prestige.
The Jews convicted an innocent Jesus in a kangaroo court and took Him to see governors and kings to be executed. Eventually, after unrelenting pressure from the Jews, Pilate folds his hand, and the command is given to crucify Jesus.
The Roman garrison mocked, flogged, and tortured the Christ to the near the point of death. Ironically, the flogging was seen as an act of mercy. Flogging weakened the victims with shock, trauma, and blood loss, which in turn shortened their suffering on the cross as they died more quickly.
Jesus is nailed hand and foot to the cross … without crying out and hung to die. Death by crucifixion was the ultimate form of humiliation and reserved for the vilest of criminals and enemies of Rome. The victim was beaten and hung on the cross naked to be shamed for all to see.
If there was ever a person who did not deserve this death, it was Jesus. He was no criminal; He was the most innocent person who had ever lived. Rather than humiliation, He should have been praised and glorified as the complete incarnation of God.
The full wrath of God would have been justified had it rained down out of the sky that day. They rejected the light and committed the most heinous of crimes, the worst of blasphemies. Truly, the Jewish leaders, the rulers, the Roman garrison, and the crowds who cried “crucify Him” deserved the strongest of penalties (as do we all for our sins).
Yet, Jesus did not rage at them. He did not call down fire from the sky or lose tens of thousands of mighty angels to fight for Him. He went as a lamb, silent before the shearer, and willingly endured the indignation and pain.
Those truths are remarkable, but the words Jesus spoke are stupefying.
… Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34a
Forgive them? They were not repentant. They were guilty on all counts. Why would He ask for their forgiveness?
… it is a fulfillment of prophecy … “…because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:12b
Eight hundred years before Christ came, it was foretold that He would intercede for those who had wronged Him. If we honestly examine the fulfillment of prophecy in the Scriptures about Christ, it takes willful blindness not to see Him.
Isaiah 53 has nearly a dozen specific promises about the coming Messiah and is well worth reading and meditating on. We may have a more detailed look in a future series.
It is also because Jesus understands God’s holiness. God cannot overlook sin; His very nature demands that sin be punished. There is no lowering of God’s standards to accommodate people’s blindness or unintentional sin. Sin is sin and requires punishment, or God is not pure, holy, and just.
Even the Law of Moses makes this clear.
“If anyone commits a breach of faith and sins unintentionally in any of the holy things of the Lord, he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation, a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued in silver shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering. He shall also make restitution for what he has done amiss in the holy thing and shall add a fifth to it and give it to the priest. And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and he shall be forgiven.” Leviticus 5:15-16
Even the secular world recognizes this truth in the old maxim, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”
Because of their spiritual blindness, they did not know what they were doing. Yet, they still must be held accountable. Jesus interceded for them.
All sin is against God, yet the crucifixion must have been the most blatant. Still, Jesus sought to redeem even these sinners.
What marvelous love and mercy.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
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Yesterday, I discussed the idea that Jesus’ death was natural, unnatural, and supernatural. It was preordained from before the beginning of the world and prophesied in detail. In short, it was one of a kind.
I was introduced to a topic early in my Christian walk and have returned to meditating on it again and again. I think I even did a series on it back in the early days of Gleanings, although that has long since disappeared when the backup hard drive was lost. That topic is “The Seven Sayings of Christ on the Cross.”
Seven words, or sayings, were recorded as being said by Jesus while on the cross. Each of them is profound, although we typically skip over them. They have occupied the minds of many a theologian and pastor, and at least several books have been written on them.
There have been more deaths than could be counted since the fall from grace in the Garden of Eden, but there has only been one like this. Jesus’ death is unique. Hundreds of thousands (or more) of people died by crucifixion, but Jesus’ death stands alone. Untold people have been innocent of the crimes they were killed for, but only Jesus was sinless and totally innocent.
Mankind and the powers of darkness did their worst to keep the light from shining because they love the dark. The very act that they used for the most vile of purposes was orchestrated and used by God to work the polar opposite. They chose to silence Jesus. His death glorifies God and proclaims the saving truth of the gospel for all who seek the light.
In their mocking, Jew and Gentile alike called him “King of the Jews,” all the while missing that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was in their presence.
Jesus was raised from the dead, but the Scriptures also record that truth for others. The difference is that Jesus did not stay dead.
Indeed, humankind’s wisdom and ways are not God’s wisdom and ways. A peasant boy, born in a subjugated country not much more than a tiny Roman colony, killed horrifically… not the way the world would script the origins of the Savior of the world.
Today, we start looking at the so-called “Seven Sayings on the Cross,” or as it is sometimes named, the “Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross.” In the days ahead, we will consider each of them in some depth.
Every word spoken by Jesus, as recorded by the gospel writers, is packed full of meaning. A mere handful of phrases spoken in a time of unbelievable agony with each and every word spoken for a purpose and with power.
Jesus had the power to lay down His life or pick it up; the full power of the Godhead was available to Him. He could have spoken nonstop or not spoken at all. The fact that He is sovereign over all things, including his pain-filled utterances, should cause us to pay close attention to the words He chose to speak.
The sayings have typically been named through church history (albeit with some variance) as follows…
1. The Word of Forgiveness
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34a
2. The Word of Salvation
… he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
3. The Word of Affection
… standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” John 19:25-26
4. The Word of Anguish
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46
5. The Word of Suffering
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” John 19:28
6. The Word of Victory
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30
7. The Word of Contentment
Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Luke 23:46
These sayings are a few short sentences, not many words at all, even less in the original Greek manuscripts. Still, they are profound and worth meditating on. Each one tells us something about the very heart of God.
Tomorrow, we will begin with the words of forgiveness.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Please share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
I’ve been meditating on Jesus and the cross of late. At times, the topic is so familiar that I grow complacent, almost immune to it. Other times, when I truly stop to think about it, the topic boggles my mind.
Jesus was a man, and His death was entirely natural. He died a physical human death, albeit a painful one. He was whipped, beaten, tortured, and nailed to a cross. He most likely died of suffocation.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8
Jesus’ death was unnatural. He was holy and sinless. Death had no hold on Him.
He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 1 Peter 2:22
His death was prophesied. While God knows the hour and means of everyone’s death, Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection were made known long before He took on flesh.
…they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Isaiah 53:9
His death was entirely supernatural. It was different from any other death, just as His birth was different from any other birth. No one could have taken His life. He chose to lay it down.
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. John 10:17-18
His death was accompanied by supernatural phenomena. Darkness covered the land for hours, and an earthquake rocked Jerusalem. The dead were seen risen from their graces. The temple veil was torn in two from the top. As we will see, some of his final words were spoken in specific fulfillment of prophecy.
The Romans crucified many people, not just Jesus and the two beside Him. No one knows the exact number, but it certainly easily runs into the hundreds of thousands or perhaps even more than a million. In 71 BC, the Romans crucified more than 11,000 slaves after a single rebellion.
After the fall of Jerusalem, there is no record of the numbers, but estimates put the number of dead between 600,000 and 1,000,000. Not all were killed by crucifixion, of course, but the roadway was lined with crosses for miles. Josephus, the historian, records 500 people a day being captured and crucified, so many that they ran out of wood for the crosses and places to put them.
However, many died by crucifixion (and it was practiced by many people groups, not just the Romans), and none were accompanied by the supernatural signs that followed Jesus’ death. None were followed by the resurrection of the victim.
Our Lord endured the shame of the cross to set us free. In one way, His death was one of perhaps millions on the cross over the ages. Yet it was unique in that the spotless, sin-free lamb of God willing endured it to pay for my sin and yours. He knew it was coming, and the world had been prepared in advance.
Sometimes, when I think of what Jesus willingly endured for me despite my sin and rebellion, I weep. What incredible love He has for us.
Until then, rejoice in the Lamb who was slain, the one the grave could not hold.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Please share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
