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crucifixion

Ask Roger

Did Jesus Ever Feel Shame?

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

Dear Roger,
I often wonder if Jesus felt the same way I do about things. I know He did in many ways—like temptation and grief—but I don’t really get how He could have felt emotions like shame. Can you help me understand?
Sincerely, Richard

This is a great question! It IS hard to understand how Jesus could have experienced shame. After all, shame is an emotion we feel when we’ve done something wrong, and Jesus never sinned. He was fully divine.

However, we also know that Jesus became fully human, so that He could be the one mediator between God and us (see 1 Timothy 2:5). He knows everything we face as humans—He experienced it all, so that He could advocate on our behalf before God.

In Hebrews 12:1-2, we read that Jesus did experience shame … the shame of the cross. Imagine the shame He endured as He hung naked, suspended between heaven and earth. Then read this powerful Scripture with me:

Jesus, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus Christ Suffered Shame on Our Behalf

Many of us would rather die than be shamed like Jesus was in front of others. Have you ever been so ashamed or embarrassed that you just wanted to “crawl into a hole and die”?

Think about your most embarrassing moment. Shame is often tied to embarrassment.

My earliest shaming occurred when I was in first grade. Mrs. Summers, our teacher, held up a dime and asked, “Does this belong to anyone?”

Immediately, I raised my hand and responded, “It’s mine.” I lied.

Several days later, mom was checking my pockets before she put my pants in the washing machine. By now, I’d forgotten all about the dime.

“Where did you get this,” she asked.

“I found it,” I lied.

Unfortunately, moms can usually read their children like open books. It wasn’t long until the true story was out. “Tomorrow,” she said, “I’m going to school with you, and you are going to tell everyone in the room that you lied and then apologize for what you’ve done. Then you have to give the dime to Mrs. Summers!”

Oh, the shame of it all. I wept in front of the class!

As she left the classroom, she said for all to hear, “I have no intention of raising a liar.” I was double-shamed.

The Philistine King, Abimelech, was not ashamed to murder several of his brothers. However, he was mortally wounded when a woman standing on top of the city wall dropped a millstone on his head.

Knowing that he was about to die, he committed suicide by disemboweling himself. As he thrust his knife into his lower abdomen, he cried, “Never let it be said that the great king of the Philistines was put to death at the hand of a woman!” He died in order to avoid what he considered to be a great shame.

Nothing can so break the human spirit as to be continually put to shame.

Look at Jesus Christ. He despised the shame… but He endured the greatest shame on our behalf.

The Shameful Rejection

He came to His own and His own in his own received Him not. (John 1:10-12)

During His ministry, Jesus went to the village where he grew up. His family and childhood friends were there. But they didn’t want him around. They even picked up rocks to stone him. Imagine the look on Jesus’ face. Was his face held high? Or was his face cast down in shame?

Again, being fully divine as well as fully human, He experienced at least some measure of shameful humiliation. He was rejected.

The Shameful Accusation

He was brought before Annas and Caiphas. The charge was blasphemy.

Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand[and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses. You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?
“Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!” (Mark 14:56-64)

Imagine the charge of blasphemy given to the One who had never sinned!

To charge some of us with blasphemy would startle no one. Some of us have done it to others. But to be charged with blasphemy must have brought a deep sense of shame to Jesus’s heart. After all, no one loved like Jesus loved or obeyed as Jesus obeyed. In that moment, the charge of blasphemy must have caused Him deep shame and suffering.

The Shameful Mocking of His Deity

Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.” (Mark 14:65)

The Pharisees and crowds spit on Jesus, blindfolded Him, and demanded, “If you are God then tell us who hit you.” They ridiculed him with sticks and bricks. “Prophesy!” They cried in mocking voices. “Tell us who you really are.”

King Herod mocked, “Do some showy tricks. Prove you’re the Son of God, and I’ll let you go free.” Jesus must have felt so ashamed and hurt.

The Shameful Mocking of His Kingship

They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again, they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. (Mark 15:16-20)

The King of Kings, who willingly took off His heavenly glory for our sake, was dressed up as a “king” for the amusement of his tormentors. They laughed and mocked him, taunting Him when He didn’t respond. Jesus’ heart must have been broken; He felt such shame.

The Shameful Mocking of His Prayers

Seldom in the annals of execution does anyone mock the prayers of a villain about to hang. “Give me a moment or two to pray.” It is a rare case when that request is denied.

Look at Jesus Christ; even His prayers were objects of derision.

And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling for Elijah. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.”
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.” (Mark 15:33-37)

Oh, my. Can you imagine how that must have felt? Jesus cried out before His Father in desperation. He was enduring the worst pain a person could survive … until it was time to die. And in those last moments, the people mocked Him. They shamed His very conversation with God Almighty!

The Shameful Suffering of the Cross

Those who were crucified with him also reviled him (Mark 15:32)

There’s no more shameful way to suffer and die than on a cross. Humans have invented all sorts of torturous ways to kill one another: guillotine, gas chamber, firing squad, electric chair, hanging, skinning and drowning, just to name a few.

But thousands of years ago up to today, dying on a cross has been reserved for the lowest criminals.

The Old Testament says, “Cursed is everyone who dies on a cross.” Jesus faced the curse, took it on Himself, and endured the shame.

Take a moment to consider those moments with me.

Jesus patiently endured the nails hammered through His hands. He silently endured the insults, the mockery, and the laughter. He hung there, His body broken, His life about to end.

Don’t you know that His tender heart bled as He was put to death by the very ones He had created! The men for whom He’d given his life were now taking His.

Why Endure the Shame?

Because enduring the shame was insignificant compared to the joy of saving you and me.

But the story doesn’t end with the shameful bleak death of the cross. Jesus endured the shame for your sake and for mine. He took on the consequences of our wrongdoings—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual—and He paid for them all. The eternal salvation He offers us was bought for a dear price.

Jesus knows shame. He chose to experience it for us.

[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11)

Paul Harvey tells the story of a New England preacher who encountered a young boy who was carrying a cage with cowbirds inside.

What are you going to do with them?” asked the preacher.
The boy replied, “I’ll play with them.”
“But what happens when you get tired of playing with them?”
“Oh, the old cat loves cowbirds. I’ll give them to her.”
The preacher asked, “How much for the birds in the cage?”

Picture Jesus meeting Satan. “What do you have in the cage?”
Satan responds, “Some human beings.”
“What will you do with them?”
“I’m going to play with them.”
“But what will you do when you get tired of them?”

“I have lots of ways to get rid of them. Murder, divorce, war, slavery …”
“How much for the people in the cage?”
“Oh, you don’t want them. They’ll spit on you, mock you, and reject you.”
“How much?”
“Nothing less than your blood on the cross.”
Jesus reached out His hand; “Let me have the cage.”

Jesus Christ suffered the ultimate shame on our behalf … out of His great love.

I hope this is helpful for you.
Love, Roger

 

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Ask Roger

How to Be a Nameless Hero

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

Dear Roger,
We were ending our Bible study when one of the women spoke up. She said, “I hate to bring this up, but I get so tired of my husband, William, always bragging about the things he’s done for Jesus.” One of the men replied, “I don’t want to gossip, but have you noticed that he always tries to take credit for every good thing that the church does. Frankly, I’m getting tired of it. He wants his name out in front where everyone can see it.” Can you please help us understand how to interact with William wisely?
Sincerely, Susan

Dear Susan,

William reminds me of an analogy I heard from a man who was discussing the damaging effects of pride:

“The moment that John comes in the front door, everyone else is backdoor.”

Does that sound familiar? I’m sure we all know people like this—and most of us have a grain of this attitude in ourselves.

So today, I’d like to construct a picture of a man who we’ll call the “Nameless Hero.” He’s the one who gave Jesus a drink when He hung in agony on the cross.

No one knows his name. He’s a man who didn’t care who got the credit. Period.

Read Matthew 27:46-49 with me:

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” [which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”]

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

Several soldiers gathered around three crosses on that horribly Friday afternoon. They had finished their work for the day. Two thieves and one Messiah hung there, in absolute agony as they slowly suffocated.

Four soldiers amused themselves by gambling for Jesus’ seamless robe. This done, they had nothing more to do but wait.

While waiting, they were startled by a wild cry that came from the man on the middle cross:

Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?)

1. A Division in Reactions

This tragic cry divided everyone who heard Jesus into two distinct camps. Just one sought to help the suffering Savior, and the others did nothing.

They all knew that His was a cry of deep suffering. Jesus was reaching out into the gloom for help … for much-needed relief.

But here, the likeness ends. While each soldier heard, they responded differently. One became a part of the remedy, while the others remained part of the disease.

2. Jesus’ Wail

Jesus’ anguished wail is as old as human suffering and as fresh as the tragedies of today. People today are still being nailed to all kinds of crosses. Some are literally giving their lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. Still, others are laying down their hopes, dreams, and desires to choose God’s will. And others are facing illness, loss, or great pain.

Look at all the hands outstretched for help. The cry is always present. It has sobbed its way through centuries. In other words, we all feel anguish—and we have a Savior who knows exactly what it feels like!

3. We All Hear the Call of Need

Some are more deeply stirred by the pain of others. Nevertheless, try as we might, we cannot become completely deaf to it. We hear call of need whether we listen for it or not. That is not optional—we’re wired to notice the pain of those around us. But we can choose how we will respond.

4. Why Do We Hear the Painful Cry, But Don’t Help?

First, like some of the soldiers, we may say, “Let’s wait and see what happens.” We wait on others to intervene. We may simply utter some familiar words. “Stop, don’t do anything. We don’t need to get involved, yet. Let’s wait and see if Elijah will come to save him.”

5. I Didn’t Do Anything Because My Name Is Not Elijah

One of the soldiers says, “Didn’t you hear what he said? He didn’t call on me. He is calling for someone named Elijah!” Since that was the case, he contended that the desperate cry of Jesus was none of his business.

Wrong!

Every cry from hurting people is a call to you and me. When we come face-to-face with something that we can do to help, we need to clearly understand that it is a call for us to get involved. But too often, we make some lame excuse.

For example,

I saw the house on fire, but I’m not a fireman.

I saw the car wreck, but I’m not highway patrol.

I saw the hungry man, but I’m not a food bank.

I saw the man slowly bleeding to death, but I’m no physician.

I knew that he was hungry for the gospel, but I’m not a minister.

When we see a need and can help in any way, God is calling us by name. And every time we meet a need, we are revealing God’s love—don’t miss your chance to let someone experience Him!

6. I Didn’t Help Because I Believed There Was Someone Else Nearby to Help

Talk about a cop-out. Relying on others to do the work God has called YOU to do always backfires—if not on the person who needs help, because no one else responds … or on you, because you miss the opportunity to be involved in God’s work here on earth.

I see this all the time when it comes to evangelism. Christians assume that everyone else is sharing the gospel, so they don’t need to. Or, they believe that only a pastor or missionary is qualified. That’s an absolute lie of the Evil One.

The moment we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are equipped by the Holy Spirit to share the truth. And the moment we decide to leave that to someone else … just might mean that a person never hears the name of Jesus. Can you live with that? I certainly can’t!

7. I Wanted to Help, but the Situation Seemed So Utterly Hopeless

There was so little that the disciples could do (reread Matthew 27). Jesus had already been arrested. The agonies of the cross were almost done. They couldn’t save Him from Rome. They couldn’t restore him to health.

But, because they couldn’t do everything, the disciples did nothing. And Jesus continued to suffer… on their watch.

Once upon a time, a man walking down the beach observed a young boy throwing starfish back into the sea. The beach was covered with starfish.

“Why bother,” he asked the boy. “There are so many starfish. What difference does it make?”

“It will make a difference to this one,” the boy said, as he tossed another back into the sea.

Now, Let’s Examine the “Nameless Hero”

One of the Roman soldiers responded differently. While others said, “Stay. Why bother?” and then tried to put out his fires and enthusiasm, the “Nameless Hero” ran and got a sponge, dipped it in his daily portion of wine, put it on a reed and gave it to Jesus to drink.

He may not have heard clearly the awkward call for Elijah, but he did know what a dying man wanted. Such bloodletting occasioned an intense thirst. The soldier understood the tortures of thirst felt by the one being crucified.

And he ministered to Jesus on the cross. What an incredible opportunity! Without fully understanding the magnitude of his actions, he comforted our Savior in Jesus’ final moment of desperate pain.

In the next moment, Jesus “cried out again in a loud voice, [and] he gave up his spirit” (Matthew 27:50).

When the nameless soldier set out to help, did he really expect to restore Jesus to health? Certainly not! However, he refused to allow the fact that he could not do everything prevent him from doing something.

While he didn’t save Jesus from the cross, he did what he could. He soothed the tortures of thirst by sharing his portion of wine.

We may not know his name, but we know what he did. That is all that matters.

Does it Really Matter if We Respond to a Cry of Need?

Yes!

What did the soldiers miss?

They missed the privilege of ministering to the heart of Jesus. They could have helped Christ in His hour of need. But while they did nothing, Jesus died.

In Matthew 25, we find Jesus thanking a group of people who fed him when he was hungry, gave him water when he was the thirsty, provided him with clothes when he was naked, and companionship when he was lonely.

They said to Jesus, “When did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you water, or naked and we clothed you, or lonely and we comforted you?”

Jesus replied, “As you have done it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you’ve done it to me.”

If we do not respond, we miss the blessing of ministering comfort to Christ himself as we help others in need.

What Happens When You Can’t Help?

By the way, there are times when we hear the cry; but are in no position to help.

But when God judges, He doesn’t look so much at what is in our hands as He does what is in our hearts.

David wanted to be remembered for building the Temple of God. However, God said, “No.” David was doomed to disappointment.

Then God said to him, “Because it was in your heart to build the temple, I will give you credit for it, even though you couldn’t build it.” (Read 1 Kings 8:17-18.)

Because it was in the heart of the Nameless Hero to do something special for Jesus, he was credited with the deed.

Why Does it Honor and Please God When We Act as a “Nameless Hero”?

The Roman soldier never bragged about what he had done. To this day, we don’t know his name. The disciples and historians never wrote it down … but Jesus noticed. Jesus knew his heart.

The task of saving our world is big. None of us can do it alone. But we can do all that this nameless hero did. He sought to help whether he was recognized or not.

One day all the Nameless Heroes will hear Jesus say, “Well done my good and faithful servant. No one else may have noticed, but I did. And I am giving you credit for what you have done.”

At the close of World War I, each nation found a nameless, battered body, and amid much pomp and circumstance, erected a monument to his honor: “To the Unknown Soldier.” To this day, the tomb is guarded around the clock by a dedicated regiment of soldiers. Here in the United States, we owe our freedom to thousands of nameless heroes—and we will never, must never, forget their sacrifice.

Well, I hope this short lesson gives you an insight into what William and how to help him understand what it means to serve the Lord with humility and gratitude. I think we all need that reminder, don’t we?

Love, Roger

 

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Devotionals

Crucifixion: Suffering and Hope

by Leonard Sweet
written by Leonard Sweet

We tend to forget that crucifixion was the ultimate form of torture. The science of exquisite torture has never been equaled, much less exceeded, than in crucifixion. The crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was no exception. Crucifixion was more than an ugliness blotted out by Easter, more than a speed bump on the road to resurrection. Part of the cruelty of crucifixion was the emotional as well as physical torture.

“There is no odor so bad
as that which arises
from goodness tainted.”

—Henry David Thoreau

Yes, Jesus’ physical agonies were beyond imagining. But the emotional agonies were even worse—the humiliation of being stripped naked, with all bodily parts and functions exposed for the humiliating gaze of the public; the mixture of blood and sweat and urine and feces and refuse creating a nauseating stench, the smells of death that kept even the families of the crucified at a distance.

But what cut even deeper were the emotional agonies of Jesus’ spirit.

The Bible unabashedly testifies to Jesus’ sense of total abandonment, defeat, rejection, and betrayal. In many ways, this was where Jesus was really crucified in spirit. Not on the cross but in the kiss. The cross crucified Him in body. The kiss crucified Him in soul. He was truly despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Jesus was really betrayed twice, first by the kiss of Judas, then by something that cut even deeper: the kiss-off Peter. The disciple who, when accosted by a servant girl in the courtyard of the high priest, denied he knew Him. Before the barnyard cock crowed, the second betrayal took place. Of Jesus’ closest friends, one denied Him, all betrayed Him, and save John, all ran away.

Now do you know why Jesus said to remember “her” (the woman who anointed His head with fragrant ointment)?

In the praetorium at Pilate’s residence, the soldiers dressed Jesus in royal clothes, like some play doll. They draped over Him a scarlet robe,

stuck a reed in His hands to mock a scepter, and then used that instrument to bludgeon Jesus on the head.

They beat Jesus’ head with their hands, fracturing His nasal bones. They took turns spitting into the contusions of his blindfolded face

and knelt before Him and taunted, “Hail, King of the Jews.” Then they crushed onto His head that crown of thorns.

With blood, spit, and sweat running down His face, Jesus looked around.

Where were His disciples?

Where were all His faithful followers?

Where were all those whom He had healed?

It was almost more than He could bear.

Then Jesus smelled the perfume . . . and He remembered the woman with the hemorrhage of twelve years who’d had the faith to reach out

and touch the hem of His garment and be healed.

Jesus kept on.

And when the soldiers beat Him with a whip until the blood ran

down His back like a waterfall, His skin already supersensitive from the effects of hematidrosis (sweating blood); when they marched Him

650 yards through the streets and made Him climb the Via Dolorosa, carrying the 150-pound patibulum on which His wrists were later to

be nailed, reducing Him to a beast of burden being led to the slaughterhouse; and when the weight of the cross produced contusions on

the right shoulder and back on that three-hour walk through the city of Jerusalem to Golgotha on the Way of the Cross—Jesus smelled the

perfume.

And when He fell, causing more unnamed injuries; when He looked around for His most intimate friends, His disciples, and saw none but

too much to bear—He smelled the perfume. And He remembered the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus, whom

everyone thought was dead but whom God healed when He spoke these words: “Get up, My child.”

Jesus kept on.

And when they stripped Him naked and nailed Him to the crosspiece He had carried; when they took those six-inch spikes and lacerated

the median nerves in His hands and feet; and when they lifted Him up on that cross, above the sinking garbage heap called Golgotha—Jesus

smelled the perfume.

And He remembered the Syrophoenician woman and her daughter and the Galilean official and his son.

He kept on.

And when everyone who passed by mocked Him on the cross; when the chief priests and scribes, even those thieves who were crucified with

Him, taunted and teased Him in His agony; and when the loneliness became so severe He was about ready to call ten thousand angels to

rescue Him, Jesus looked around. In the haze of hurt, He barely could make out the figures of the three Marys—His mother, Mary; His aunt

Mary (wife of Cleopas); and Mary Magdalene—and then He smelled the perfume.

And He remembered the many children brought to Him by their mothers, children who jumped into His arms and lapped up His stories.

Jesus kept on.

And when His body, already in shock, hung from the wrists; and when He struggled for breath to chant two of His favorite psalms (31when He struggled for breath to chant two of His favorite psalms (31 and 22), unable to expel even small hiccups of sound without straightening

His knees and raising Himself on the fulcrum of His nailed feet, the only thing the soldiers offered His parched throat (“I thirst!”) so He

could keep singing was a drink of vinegar, which only made singing more difficult. And when His crucifiers used Him for entertainment

(“Let’s see if He can call down the angels”) and when He searched the landscape for signs of love and faithfulness and saw He was abandoned

by virtually everyone He ever loved, leading Him to cry a prayer for His disciples as well as for those who crucified Him—then Jesus smelled

the perfume.

And He remembered the woman who had given all she had so He would remember God’s love for Him, and in that smell He could even

detect the odors that reminded Him that He was going home, from whence He had come.

He kept on.

The cross was the only footbridge that could get us across the chasm of sin into the true Promised Land. And that perfume kept Jesus

on the cross.

The greatest honor a person can give anyone is to tell his or her

story. Here was someone who “did what she could” (literally, “She used

what she had”). She gave all that she had.

Love.

Now we know why Jesus said, “When you remember Me, remember

her.”

—

Excerpted from Jesus: A Theography by Leonard Sweet & Frank Viola (Thomas Nelson, Oct. 2012)

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Ask Roger

What Jesus Did Each Day During His Final Week

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

Dear Roger,

 

What did Jesus do each day during his last week?

 

Sincerely,

 

Anna

 

Dear Anna,

 

Jesus’ last week began on Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday was so named because the people waved palm branches in honor of the Messiah and then laid them down to cushion His ride as Jesus rode into Jerusalem.

 

Palm Sunday also began the most premeditated, calculated week in the life of Christ.

 

The Gospels are not biographies. Each shared a few words about His birth, one sentence to describe Him from ages 18 to 30, and then concentrate two-thirds of their content on a short 3½ years. The final third of every Gospel deals with one week in the life of Christ.

 

I want to take us on a journey through the last week in Jesus’ life, so I have listed the major activities on each day.

 

SUNDAY

 

On Palm Sunday, six days before the crucifixion, Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey as prophesied in Zachariah 9:9:

 

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

 

Both the Old Testament prophecy and Jesus’s fulfillment are chronicled in all four Gospels (Matthew 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19).

 

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

 

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

 

“Say to Daughter Zion,

    ‘See, your king comes to you,

gentle and riding on a donkey,

    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

 

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

 

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

 

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

 

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:1-9)

 

That evening, Jesus made His way back over the Mount of Olives to the village of Bethany and the home of his friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Throughout His ministry, He often chose to stay with His closest friends. Their home was one of those. Each evening during His last week, Jesus slept at their home (Mark 11:11; Luke 19:37).

 

MONDAY

 

In the morning, Jesus cursed the out-of-season fig tree for having no figs. That seems fair. However, it was really symbolic. In the Old Testament figs represented the nation of Israel. Jesus was declaring that the nation of Israel had become spiritually bankrupt. Israel was dead out of season (Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14):

 

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. (Mark 11:12-14)

 

Then, in the afternoon, Jesus entered Jerusalem and cleansed the Temple. The temple courts had devolved into a marketplace for the buying and selling of animals to be sacrificed on the Temple altar. There, moneychangers plied their cheating trade. What was once a sacred place had become a pigsty.

 

Jesus was incensed: “This is my father’s house and you have made it a den of thieves” (Luke 19:45-46, also see Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19;).

 

TUESDAY

 

Tuesday was a busy day.

 

Jesus spent all day in Jerusalem sparring with religious leaders, teaching parables, and healing the sick.

 

He taught the Parables of the Great Supper, the Good and Wicked Servants, the Ten Virgins, the Two Sons, The Owner of the Vineyard, The Wedding Banquet, and the Ten Talents (Matthew 21:23-39; Mark 11:20-12:44; Luke 20:1-21:4; John 12:20-50).

 

Jesus also declared the Greatest Commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your Neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37).

 

He pronounced woes upon the Scribes and Pharisees:

 

“Woe to you” he said, “you don’t practice what you preach; you tie heavy loads upon the people’s shoulders, but you are unwilling to lift a finger to move them; you travel over land and sea to make one proselyte and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are; you hypocrites; snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?; etc.!” (Matthew 23:13-39, paraphrased)

 

But then, Jesus commended the Widow’s Mite when the widow placed all she had left into the Temple offering plate:

 

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4)

 

When the Pharisees tried to trap him with an economic issue about Roman taxes, Jesus said, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17; Luke 20:20-26). He so astounded the Jewish leaders with His wisdom that they never tried to entrap Him again.

 

Secretly, to His disciples, Jesus once again predicted His coming death and resurrection. But the disciples had no idea what He was talking about As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem, He wept as He contemplated the coming destruction of the city (Matthew 24).

 

Jesus spent the rest of the evening teaching the eschatological Olivet Discourse which entailed the signs and wonders surrounding his second coming. This is the only place in Scripture where Jesus Himself shared his understanding of the end times (Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-38).

 

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:25-28)

 

WEDNESDAY

 

The highlight of the day occurred during the evening. Jesus was anointed by Mary in Bethany (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8).

 

Think about what a special moment this was for Jesus. In 36 hours, He would be on the cross—and the only person who figured out the crucifixion and coming resurrection was Mary. The disciples had no idea what was going on!

 

Imagine the understanding looks between Jesus and Mary as she washed his feet with perfume and worshiped.

 

Suddenly, Judas spoiled it all: “What a waste! And she’s spending it on you!” Can you imagine how much that hurt?

 

Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has done a marvelous thing. She’s anointing my body for burial while I am still alive and can enjoy it.” Frankly, I’d rather have one rose right now while I can enjoy it than 10,000 after I’m dead and gone. I imagine that Jesus felt just like that.

 

They did not bathe often in those days. I’ve often wondered if Jesus got a whiff of Mary’s perfume as He hung on the cross. Then, He looked down from the cross and there was Mary. He must’ve thought, “God, bless her, she’s the only one who has figured it out.”

 

Later that night, immediately after supper, Judas arranged to betray Jesus (Mathew 26:14-16):

 

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

 

THURSDAY

 

Jesus and His disciples observed the Passover and the Lord’s Supper in the Upper Room (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-30; John 13:1-30).

 

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

 

He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

 

When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

 

Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

 

Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

 

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

 

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

 

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26:17-30)

 

Luke tells us that immediately after sharing the bread and wine, the disciples began arguing over which of them was the greatest (Luke 22:31-38). Jesus was giving His life away, and they were arguing about who was the best! Can you imagine how much that hurt?

 

Then Jesus predicted Peter’s denial, and Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same (Matthew 26:31-35).

 

But Jesus knew. He knew they would run.

 

That evening, Jesus gave His farewell discourse to the Disciples: “All men will know that you are my disciples by your love for one another” (John 13:35). (Also see Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:31-16:33).

 

Jesus shared that he was going away. The disciples were quite dismayed.

 

Philip said, “You can’t leave now! We don’t know where you are going, and we don’t know how to get there, and besides, we don’t even know who you are!”

 

Jesus said, “Philip, you still don’t know who I am?”

 

He’s making the handoff to entrust his men with the ministry. They are on the one-yard line and they are fumbling the ball. They are not even sure who he is! He must go to the cross still wondering whether or not they’ll get it (John 14:5-14).

 

Finally, before leaving the Upper Room, Jesus prayed His intercessory prayer for his disciples in John 17:

 

“I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I’m coming to you. Protect them by your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one.

 

I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you gave me

 

I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:6-19, paraphrased)

 

Jesus took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. While He prayed in agony, begging God to avoid the cup of suffering, He asked them to pray for Him. Because He was fully human (as well as fully God), He actually needed their comfort and support.

 

But they fell asleep and left Him all alone.

 

Can you imagine the disappointment in his voice as he replied, “Could you not pray for me one hour?” The disciples failed, so God sent angels to comfort Jesus (Matthew 26:30, 36-46; Mark 14:26, 32-42; Luke 22:39-46).

 

Judas betrayed Jesus. Jesus said to Judas, “Must you betray me with a kiss?” John identified the kiss as a “passionate lover’s kiss.”

 

Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 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.

 

Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

 

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

 

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

 

Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

 

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

 

Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” (John 18:2-9)

 

Jesus was arrested and taken to the house of Annas and then to Caiaphas the high priest early Friday morning.

 

FRIDAY

 

Filled with deep remorse, Judas hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-11; Acts 1:18).

 

According to Jesus, Judas was predestined to betray him. No matter how we try to analyze predestination with free will, Judas could have returned to Jesus, repented, and asked for forgiveness. You know that Christ would have forgiven him. Jesus died for him, too.

 

Jesus was arrested and taken to the home of Annas and Caiaphas for an illegal trial by the Jewish leaders, who were making plans to have Jesus executed (Matthew 27:2).

 

The Jews dragged Him to Pilate and then to Herod where he was mocked, ridiculed and crowned with thorns. Herod sent him back to Pilate. Neither ruler wanted to kill Him. But the people shouted to release Barabbas instead of Jesus (Matthew 27:11-31; Mark 15:1-20; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:18-19:16).

 

Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.”

 

But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

 

Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

 

For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

 

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. (Luke 23:13-25)

 

While Jesus was being tossed around among Caiaphas, Pilate and King Herod, Peter denied His Lord three times (Matthew 26:57-27:10; Mark 14:53-72; Luke 22:54-71; John 18:12-27).

 

Jesus and Pilate talked about truth. Pilate then condemned Jesus to die, had him scourged, and sent him to the cross. Pilate washed his hands (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-11).

 

Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27:32-61; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-47); “When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left” (Luke 23:33).

 

Jesus’ Seven Last Words from the Cross:

 

(1) Matthew 27:46 tells us that about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

 

(2) “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

 

(3) “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

 

(4) “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

 

(5) “Dear Woman, here is your son!” and “Here is your mother!” (John 19:26-27).

 

(6) “I am thirsty” (John 19:28).

 

(7) “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

 

That night, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus’ body. He and Nicodemus wrapped the body with spices and linen, per Jewish customs. Then they laid Him in the tomb, guarded by Roman soldiers (John 19:38-42).

 

SATURDAY

 

Jesus was in the tomb.

 

He preached to the spirits in prison.

 

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly did not obey when God’s patience waited. (2 Peter 3:18-20)

 

There is a lot of discussion about what Christ may or may not have done on Saturday. Some use this verse to postulate that Jesus preached the gospel to the Old Testament people who lived before Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Therefore, they had the opportunity of surrendering their lives to Christ as Lord and Savior.

 

Others teach that He went down into hell and experienced the horrors and suffering there. Maybe He just stayed in the tomb.

 

We just don’t know for certain what He was doing on Saturday.

 

SUNDAY

 

This is the Resurrection!

 

And the angel said to the women, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, he was crucified. He has risen. He is not here; see the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:5-6)

 

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen clothes lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple [John] who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed. (John 20:3-8)

 

What led John to believe?

 

Jesus was prepared for burial with layer after layer of linen burial cloths encircling his body, with spices distributed within its folds. When Jesus rose from the dead, He simply transmutated through the grave clothes and the wrappings, which then fell down intact where His body used to be.

 

Our salvation was completed in this Holy Week by our Savior’s ultimate sacrifice; “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

 

Well Anna,

 

I hope you find this helpful as you contemplate this last week of the life of Christ.

 

Love, Roger

 

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Sermon Starters

Who Comforted Jesus at the Cross? The Forgotten Women

by Leonard Sweet
written by Leonard Sweet

We tend to forget that crucifixion was the ultimate form of torture. The science of exquisite torture has never been equaled, much less exceeded, than in crucifixion. The crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was no exception. Crucifixion was more than an ugliness blotted out by Easter, more than a speed bump on the road to resurrection. Part of the cruelty of crucifixion was the emotional as well as physical torture.

“There is no odor so bad
as that which arises
from goodness tainted.”

—Henry David Thoreau

Yes, Jesus’ physical agonies were beyond imagining. But the emotional agonies were even worse—the humiliation of being stripped naked, with all bodily parts and functions exposed for the humiliating gaze of the public; the mixture of blood and sweat and urine and feces and refuse creating a nauseating stench, the smells of death that kept even the families of the crucified at a distance.

But what cut even deeper were the emotional agonies of Jesus’ spirit.

The Bible unabashedly testifies to Jesus’ sense of total abandonment,

defeat, rejection, and betrayal. In many ways, this was where Jesus was really crucified in spirit. Not on the cross but in the kiss. The cross crucified Him in body. The kiss crucified Him in soul. He was truly despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Jesus was really betrayed twice, first by the kiss of Judas, then by something that cut even deeper: the kiss-off Peter. The disciple who, when accosted by a servant girl in the courtyard of the high priest, denied he knew Him. Before the barnyard cock crowed, the second betrayal took place. Of Jesus’ closest friends, one denied Him, all betrayed Him, and save John, all ran away.

Now do you know why Jesus said to remember “her” (the woman who anointed His head with fragrant ointment)?

In the praetorium at Pilate’s residence, the soldiers dressed Jesus in royal clothes, like some play doll. They draped over Him a scarlet robe,

stuck a reed in His hands to mock a scepter, and then used that instrument to bludgeon Jesus on the head.

They beat Jesus’ head with their hands, fracturing His nasal bones. They took turns spitting into the contusions of his blindfolded face

and knelt before Him and taunted, “Hail, King of the Jews.” Then they crushed onto His head that crown of thorns.

With blood, spit, and sweat running down His face, Jesus looked around.

Where were His disciples?

Where were all His faithful followers?

Where were all those whom He had healed?

It was almost more than He could bear.

Then Jesus smelled the perfume . . . and He remembered the woman with the hemorrhage of twelve years who’d had the faith to reach out

and touch the hem of His garment and be healed.

Jesus kept on.

And when the soldiers beat Him with a whip until the blood ran…

down His back like a waterfall, His skin already supersensitive from the effects of hematidrosis (sweating blood); when they marched Him

650 yards through the streets and made Him climb the Via Dolorosa, carrying the 150-pound patibulum on which His wrists were later to

be nailed, reducing Him to a beast of burden being led to the slaughterhouse; and when the weight of the cross produced contusions on

the right shoulder and back on that three-hour walk through the city of Jerusalem to Golgotha on the Way of the Cross—Jesus smelled the

perfume.

And when He fell, causing more unnamed injuries; when He looked around for His most intimate friends, His disciples, and saw none but

too much to bear—He smelled the perfume. And He remembered the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus, whom

everyone thought was dead but whom God healed when He spoke these words: “Get up, My child.”

Jesus kept on.

And when they stripped Him naked and nailed Him to the crosspiece He had carried; when they took those six-inch spikes and lacerated

the median nerves in His hands and feet; and when they lifted Him up on that cross, above the sinking garbage heap called Golgotha—Jesus

smelled the perfume.

And He remembered the Syrophoenician woman and her daughter and the Galilean official and his son.

He kept on.

And when everyone who passed by mocked Him on the cross; when the chief priests and scribes, even those thieves who were crucified with

Him, taunted and teased Him in His agony; and when the loneliness became so severe He was about ready to call ten thousand angels to

rescue Him, Jesus looked around. In the haze of hurt, He barely could make out the figures of the three Marys—His mother, Mary; His aunt

Mary (wife of Cleopas); and Mary Magdalene—and then He smelled the perfume.

And He remembered the many children brought to Him by their mothers, children who jumped into His arms and lapped up His stories.

Jesus kept on.

And when His body, already in shock, hung from the wrists; and when He struggled for breath to chant two of His favorite psalms (31when He struggled for breath to chant two of His favorite psalms (31 and 22), unable to expel even small hiccups of sound without straightening

His knees and raising Himself on the fulcrum of His nailed feet, the only thing the soldiers offered His parched throat (“I thirst!”) so He

could keep singing was a drink of vinegar, which only made singing more difficult. And when His crucifiers used Him for entertainment

(“Let’s see if He can call down the angels”) and when He searched the landscape for signs of love and faithfulness and saw He was abandoned

by virtually everyone He ever loved, leading Him to cry a prayer for His disciples as well as for those who crucified Him—then Jesus smelled

the perfume.

And He remembered the woman who had given all she had so He would remember God’s love for Him, and in that smell He could even

detect the odors that reminded Him that He was going home, from whence He had come.

He kept on.

The cross was the only footbridge that could get us across the chasm of sin into the true Promised Land. And that perfume kept Jesus

on the cross.

The greatest honor a person can give anyone is to tell his or her story. Here was someone who “did what she could” (literally, “She used what she had”). She gave all that she had.

Love.

Now we know why Jesus said, “When you remember Me, remember her.”

 

Excerpted from Jesus: A Theography by Leonard Sweet & Frank Viola (Thomas Nelson, Oct. 2012)

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Devotionals

How to Have Intelligent Faith

by Josh McDowell
written by Josh McDowell

The man without God says: “You and I control our own destiny. God expects us to make things happen. Faith may give you peace and the freedom to find meaning for yourself, but remember, faith is a private matter. The important thing is for each person to determine his own purpose in life, hoping in some way to leave a lasting impression on the world…”

 

But God invites us to ask, seek, and knock. This requires the use of our minds, for He wants to share with us His intimate secrets so that we may relate truth to our everyday living.

 

1. Understanding requires application

 

Understanding takes place when we know how to apply truth correctly. Simply knowing a truth or principle without applying it with the hearts is not satisfactory.

 

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good life, his deeds performed in the gentleness of wisdom” (James 3:13).

 

“And the one on whom sees was sown on the good ground, this is the man who hears the Word and understands it; who indeed produces a crop, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty” (Matthew 13:23).

 

Intelligent faith unites the intellectual evaluation of truth and inward perception of the heart with its application to our lives. We glorify God when our faith results in the mind and heart joining together to produce godly behavior.

 

2. Understanding requires association.

 

In some of the richest language of Scripture, Paul emphasizes that the key to understanding is knowing Christ.

 

“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (Philippians 3:8).

 

“…That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…” (Philippians 3:10).

 

Understanding with our hearts and minds how truth applies depends upon our knowing Christ well. As believers, our hope is founded upon the intimacy of our relationship with Christ.

 

3. Understanding requires examination.

 

The early church leaders frequently urged believers to evaluate intelligently any doctrine they received. They gave their converts solid criteria for judging doctrine (2 Corinthians 11:4-15; Galatians 1:6-9).

 

A stimulating challenge to us, as believers, is the example of the Bereans. Pail and Silas preached the gospel to the Bereans, who didn’t just accept this new doctrine blindly. (Acts 17:10-15).

 

The Bereans were not about to accept something just because missionaries in sandals came along and taught it! The Apostle Paul did not discourage their open-minded search by saying, “Just believe.” Examining the Scriptures to understand how to apply God’s truth to our own lives is the only sure way of establishing a solid foundation for our faith.

 

II. Intelligent faith provides purpose (Romans 8:28-39).

 

Faith is the assurance of the heart, resting in the adequacy of the evidence.

 

Certainty about God’s control comes when I intelligently submit, surrender, rest in, acknowledge and accept His work in my life. This creates a deep conviction that God does have a plan for me to follow. I am a person of destiny!

 

God, who is in control of the events of every believer’s life, focuses even apparently meaningless events into one meaningful purpose. His plan is to make us like His Son Jesus. He is at work in each experience and circumstance to give us the opportunity to trust intelligently in His control. And while God does not will adverse conditions or circumstances upon us, He is able to use them to achieve the goals of making us more like Christ.

 

Intelligently understanding the basis of my faith leads to a deeper understanding of God’s purpose for every circumstance I face. He does not want me to accept blindly what comes; rather; He delights in my humble search to know Him and His plan for me. When I acknowledge and submit to His sovereign control, I discover how He uses my present circumstances to create in me the family likeness of His Son. He wishes to use even mundane events as opportunities for me to trust in His control.

 

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Devotionals

Enter Into the Sufferings of Jesus

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

Look at Jesus Christ. He despised it, ignored it, endured it to save you and me.

  1. SHAMEFUL REJECTION

Luke 4:28-30: He came to his hometown – They kicked him out.

  1. SHAMEFUL ACCUSATION

Jesus was brought before the Priests, Annas and Caiaphas – the charge? Blasphemy (Mark 14:56-64)

Remember that He said, “My job is to do the will of Him who sent Me!” He was charged with taking God’s name in vain—claiming to be God—but He was God!

To charge some else with blaspheming God and would startle no one. Some have done it.

But to charge one who loved like Jesus Christ loved, obeyed as He obeyed, to charge Him with blasphemy – must have caused him peculiar suffering.

  1. MOCKED HIS KINGSHIP

They brought Him before Pilate. “Are you a King?” Pilate asked, incredulous. “Are you a king?” Here stands the King of all creation. He humbled Himself.

“As a lamb before his shearers is dumb, so He opened not his mouth.”

So what do they do to the King? Did they bring Him robes and bow down to worship the King of Kings? No. They placed a crown of thorns on Him and spit on Him and mock Him.

  1. MOCKED HIS DEITY

The soldiers took Him before Herod. They stripped Him and blindfolded Him. They began to poke the Son of God with sticks. “Prophesy, Jesus, who struck you?”

“Do us some tricks to prove that you are God,” mocks Herod, “and we’ll let you go free.”

  1. MOCKED HIS PRAYERS

Never before do we read in the annals of execution that anyone mocks the prayers of a dying man. We read of villains about to die ask, “Give me a minute or two to pray.” They usually say, “Well, of course.”

Look at Jesus. Every His prayer is an object of jest. “Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabacthani… My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” They make a pun. “He calls for Elijah! Let’s see if Elijah will come and rescue Him!”

Men have devised many horrible ways to die over the years… the guillotine, gas chamber, electric chair, torture, poisoning, hanging… but, I suppose nothing is more shameful than the cross.

Take time today to meditate on Jesus today. Thank Him and meditate on His wounds. They were for you!

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Ask Roger

How Do We Take Up Our Cross and Follow Jesus?

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

Dear Roger,

I’ve always wondered what Jesus meant in the Gospel of Luke about taking up our cross and following him. Just what is this cross and how do we pick it up?

Sincerely, Mandy

 

Dear Mandy,

 

Of course you are referring to a referring to Luke 9:23:“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”.

 

Luke 14:27: “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

 

This cross doesn’t mean following him to be a missionary in Brazil, or following his plan for us to enter into politics, or enduring some painful or difficult problem for his sake, or anything else like these.

 

Our cross is his cross.

 

What did he do with his cross? He carried it to Golgotha, and what did he do there? He died on it.

 

Jesus Christ is talking spiritually here about our own cross which we take the Golgotha and die there as we follow him at any price

 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Lutheran pastor who was executed by the Germans three days before the end of World War II, put it best: “When Jesus Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.

 

The purpose of the cross of Calvary is to mature us to look like Jesus.

 

I’d like to make this practical for you.

 

There are three aspects of dying on a cross which describe the cross we carry to Calvary.

 

First, dying on the cross hurts.

Second, dying on the cross takes time.

We can’t crucify ourselves.

 

FIRST: DYING ON A CROSS HURTS.

 

He wept in agony at Gethsemane.

 

He was tried and convicted illegally and then beaten by the Pharisees. He was betrayed by his disciples and ridiculed and mocked by King Herod. Then he experienced the rejection of the crowds as they yelled “Crucify him! Crucify him! Then, he was scourged by Pilate and forced to carry his cross up to Golgotha. Can we imagine the pain? I think not.

 

He must have screamed as three spikes were pounded into his flesh. Then, the cross was lifted vertically and the bottom dropped into a stabilizing hole. He gasped and shook violently as the cross bottomed out.

 

Three hours later he cried, “My God My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 6:34). Imagine the pain of separation. For the first time in all eternity he was separated from fellowship with his father. That hurt.

 

Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46).

 

Crucifixion hurts!

 

As we struggle atop Golgotha, God brings us to a place of God dependence. He does this by allowing all sorts of trials and troubles.

 

After all, Hebrews 5:8 tells us that, “Although Jesus was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” If Jesus needed trials in his spiritual development (Luke 2:80), how much more do we!

 

Alexander McLaren used to say, “Please be kind to everyone you meet, because everyone is fighting a battle.” Many of our battles are God designed to bring us to maturity. That hurts!

 

Peter described the process of what happened on the cross: “Now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by the fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

 

In the same way, God uses the heat of the cross of Golgotha, to melt off our impurities and mature us to look like Jesus.

 

At the beginning of 1 Kings 17 Elijah is known as “Elijah the Tishbite”. First, he battled with King Ahab. Then, God led him to the brook Kerith where he was fed by God-sent ravens. Next, the book dried up. The word “Kerith” means “to cut.” Next, God led him to the smelter at Zarephath where he was humiliated by having to ask a woman for a meal. The word “Zarephath” means “to melt”. Then and only then, is he called, “Elijah, the man of God.”

 

“God can never use a man greatly until he first hurts him deeply.”

 

SECOND, DYING ON THE CROSS TAKES TIME.

 

It takes 100 years to grow a mighty oak tree. God can turn out a squash and six weeks!

 

God is in no hurry. He is working for eternity.

 

“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

 

God doesn’t measure time as we do. He has his own timetable.

 

One day, I got to thinking about Psalm 90:4. “For 1000 years in your sight are like a day that just passed by.”

 

I decided to calculate that out. I figured that one year on earth equals approximately 84.6 seconds in heaven. Let’s imagine that your friend dies and you outlive them by 10 years. What that means is that your friend dies and you have 10 more years. Fifteen minutes later you show up in heaven! Your friend is most likely still standing in the line to meet Jesus. They will most likely give you a “cut” In line.

 

It is often God’s way to set a person aside so that self-confidence may die down.

 

It is well documented that Paul was called to be a missionary when he was 32 years old. However, he began his missionary ministry at the age of 49. God worked on him for 17 years before he set him free to minister.

 

A survey was made of spiritual men of the last generation, like Samuel Goforth, George Mueller, Hudson Taylor, F.B. Meyer, Mad’am Guyon, and Robert Murray McShane, asking the question, “How many years was it from the time you entered your life’s work until you begin to know Christ as your life? The combined average was 15 years.

 

This is not to discourage us, but to help us settle down with our sights on eternity.

 

“Not that I have already . . . been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me . . . But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining forward toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which Christ God has called me heavenward in Christ” (Philippians: 3:12-14).

 

Spiritual growth is a gradual process. The finer the organism, the longer the process.

 

THIRD, SELF CRUCIFIXION IS NOT POSSIBLE.

 

No one ever committed suicide by crucifixion. Think about it, we may be able to nail in one hand, and both feet, but there’s no way we nail down the other hand.

 

Crucifixion is God’s work not ours!

 

Stop trying to figure out how and when God intends to do his work in your life.

 

Since we are all different, and need different processing, He custom designs the plan that he will use with us.

 

Some need more processing than others. Some he simply needs to bend. Others he must break.

 

The amount of processing is often a reflection of the work that he has for us to accomplish in the Kingdom. Some are called to be martyred in Pakistan. Others are called to take care of babies in the church nursery. Obviously, both are needed. However, how he applies the cross to one group will be different from how he applies the cross to another.

 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1).

 

Remember, the problem with a living sacrifice is that it always wants to crawl off the altar!

 

Miles Stanford wrote: “It is more than comforting to realize that it is those who have plumbed the depths of their own failure to whom God invariably gives a call to shepherd others. This is not a call given to the gifted, the highly trained, or the polished as such… It takes a man who has discovered something of the measure of his own weakness to be patient with the foibles of others.”

 

Mandy, I hope this answers your question and gives you insight into how we take up our cross daily and follow Christ at any price.

 

Love, Roger

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Sermons

The Greatest Story Forever Told

by Steven Furtick
written by Steven Furtick

All the best stories have it. The right setting. The climactic action. The memorable characters. And the greatest story forever told is no exception. Steven Furtick surveys the panorama of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation, connecting the dots of a plot woven together since the dawn of time. The story centers around one perfect character and one climactic event-the death and resurrection of Christ.

Preached at Elevation Church. Used by permission.

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Sermons

Judas Iscariot, The Suicide of Satan and the Salvation of the World

by John Piper
written by John Piper

History’s most spectacular sin was the murder of Jesus. Satan’s power in Judas’ sinful passions, Satan’s role in His own destruction, God’s role in the murder of His Son and the hand and plan of God are discussed. The Gospel of God was at work in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

By John Piper. ©2013 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org

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Ask Roger

Was Judas Predestined to Betray Jesus?

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

Dear Roger,

 

Is our salvation predestined by God? Or is it a result of our own free will to respond to God’s grace?

 

Could Judas Iscariot have changed his own destiny by choosing to ask God’s forgiveness like Peter did, instead of committing suicide? Or was he predestined to betray Jesus?

 

Thank you,

 

JST

 

Dear JST,

 

You have asked two basic questions. One is about free will versus predestination, and the other is whether or not Judas was destined to betray Jesus.

 

I’m glad that you asked both. Answering the question about predestination and free will is the basis for understanding whether or not Judas was predestined to betray Jesus.

 

PREDESTINATION VERSUS FREE WILL

 

John Calvin was a leader of the Protestant Reformation who concluded that God elected, predestined, or chose some people to go to heaven and some to go to hell. Individuals had no say-so in the matter.

 

He taught that if they were predestined for hell, they were going to hell. If they were predestined for heaven, they were going to heaven.

 

He based his predestination interpretation on New Testament terms like “predestined” (Romans 8:28-29); “foreknew” (Romans 8:28); “chosen” (Ephesians 1:11) and “elected” (Titus 1:1).

 

Arminianism is just the opposite.

 

Arminianism is based on free will. Arminianism may be summarized by John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have everlasting life.”

 

The operative word here is “whoever.”

 

In other words, since we all have free will, anyone can come to Christ for salvation at any age, any time, or any place.

 

We personally have free will to choose Christ as our Savior … or not.

 

The Bible is filled with “free will” pictures of an open-armed Jesus who is longing for people to come to him for salvation. All who come will receive full welcome and reprieve.

 

In Luke 15, Jesus taught three parables which show God as searching for the lost in order to bring them safely home: the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost son.

 

Notice that Jesus is not electing or predestining the crowd He’s teaching; He is pleading with them: “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:7).

 

It seems to me that free will is a better reflection of the biblical picture of God’s heart than the idea that He made arbitrary choices to determine the eternal state of certain individuals before the foundation of the earth.

 

In summary, predestination declares that the only ones to be saved are those whom God has already chosen to be saved. Arminianism puts no such restrictions on receiving God’s love, salvation, and grace.

 

Considering all the issues involved, I arrive at the following conclusion: Before the foundation of the universe God predetermined that everyone who received Jesus as Lord and Savior would be saved.

 

Charles Spurgeon, a powerful pastor and evangelist of the last century put this in perspective:

 

I wish that God had painted a stripe down the back of all the elect. I would spend my time pulling up shirttails. But since he hasn’t, I will preach the gospel to every person.

 

WAS JUDAS PREDESTINED TO BETRAY CHRIST?

 

With that being said, let’s address the issue of whether or not Judas was predestined to betray Jesus?

According to Jesus, Judas was predestined to betray him.

When evening came, he arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “I assure you: one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me!” They began to be distressed and to say to him one by one, “Surely not I?” Jesus said to them, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dripping bread with me in the bowl. For the Son of Man will go just as written about him, but woe to the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would’ve been better for him if he had not been born.” (Mark 14:17-21)

 

According to Jesus, Judas was predestined, called, elected, and/or chosen to betray Jesus. He had no free will and thus no choice in the matter.

 

Brothers, the Scriptures had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

 

By the way, Judas’ bargain for 30 pieces of silver was foretold in Zechariah 11:12-13 and fulfilled in Matthew 26:14-16.

 

Did Judas have any choice in the matter? It seems not. Judas could not change his destiny. He was foreordained to commit this brutal act. The moment Satan entered Judas, the die was cast (Luke 22:3).

 

Now we come to the free will part. Once Judas had completed his ungodly mission, he was free to make things right with Jesus. Jesus died for Judas, too.

 

If Judas had fallen on his knees, repented, and asked for forgiveness that Jesus would have welcomed him into the kingdom. But, sadly, that’s not at all what happened.

 

Compare Peter’s response with Judas. Peter also betrayed Christ; but he is in heaven’s glory. Why? Because out of a sense of shame and despair, Peter returned to Jesus, repented and asked for forgiveness.

 

The Bible tells us that Judas felt really badly about what he’d done; but, instead of returning to Jesus, he hanged himself.

 

The story of Judas is a paradox. He is the epitome of both predestination and free will. He had to betray Jesus, but he was free to return to Christ and ask for forgiveness.

 

Let me use an illustration that might clear things up a bit. Do we have free will or is everything predetermined? I think the answer is “yes.”

 

It’s like when we play a card game. We have no control over the cards that we are dealt. Our hand is dealt to us as if predetermined.

 

Now we play that hand. We have free will to play it any way we want. Ultimately, it’s the combination of the hand we’re dealt and the choices that we make as we play that hand which determines the outcome.

 

God deals us a hand. There’s nothing we can do to change that. So, we play that hand. We get to respond to the events of our lives. It’s my response, in other words, my actions in the future, which determine the meaning of the events in my past.

 

There are two differing Biblical accounts of the death of Judas.

 

With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.” (Acts 1:18)

 

So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:5)

 

Judas bought a field. This was predicted and predestined by God. Then, on a sturdy tree branch, he hung himself by the neck. For several days his body swayed in the breeze. Flies and maggots covered his decaying body. Finally, some merciful soul decided to cut down the rotting corpse. When he did, Judas’ bloated body hit the ground and burst open.

 

And that is the end of a very sad story.

 

So, JST, I hope that this helps.

 

God bless,

 

Roger

 

 

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Articles

Why People Like Jesus But Not the Church

by Tim Keller
written by Tim Keller

Jesus’ parable of the “prodigal son” has much to teach us-not only from the view of the son who was accepted back into his family by his father, but also from the perspective of the older brother. 

 

We see “older brothers” and “younger brothers” throughout our society. They often live in the same family. Often the elder sibling wants to please his parents and measure up to their expectations. In contrast, the younger sibling tends to rebel, becoming a “free spirit,” following the views and morals of his peers. The elder brother takes over the family business or settles down to a conventional job near his parents, while the younger son or daughter moves away to one of the “hip shabby” locations in Soho or Greenwich village.

 

Author and pastor Tim Keller writes, “To some degree the so-called culture wars are playing out conflicting temperaments and impulses in modern society. More and more people today consider themselves non-religious or even anti-religious. They believe moral issues are highly complex and are suspicious of any individuals or institutions that claim moral authority over the lives of others. Despite (or perhaps because of) the rise of this secular spirit there has also been considerable growth in conservative, orthodox religious movements. Alarmed by what they perceive as an onslaught of moral relativism, many have organized to “take back the culture,” and take as dim a view of “younger brothers” as the Pharisees did.

 

So whose side is Jesus on? He is on the side of neither the irreligious nor the religious, but he singles out religious moralism as a particularly deadly spiritual condition. When Christianity first arose in the world it was not called a religion. It was the non-religion. Imagine the neighbors of early Christians asking them about their faith. “Where’s your temple?” they’d ask. The Christians would reply that they didn’t have a temple. “But how could that be? Where do your priests labor?” The Christians would have replied that they didn’t have priests. “But . . . but,” the neighbors would have sputtered, “where are the sacrifices made to please your gods?” The Christians would have responded that they did not make sacrifices anymore. Jesus him- self was the temple to end all temples, the priest to end all priests, and the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

 

No one had ever heard anything like this. So the Romans called them “atheists,” because what the Christians were saying about spiritual reality was unique and could not be classified with the other religions of the world. This parable explains why they were absolutely right to call them atheists.

 

To most people in our society, Christianity is religion and moralism. The only alternative to it (besides some other world religion) is pluralistic secularism. But from the beginning it was not so. Christianity was recognized as a tertium quid, something else entirely.

 

The crucial point here is that, religiously observant people were offended by Jesus, but those estranged from religious and moral observance were intrigued and attracted to him. We see this throughout the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ life. In every case where Jesus meets a religious person and a sexual outcast (as in Luke 7) or a religious person and a racial outcast (as in John 3–4) or a religious person and a political outcast (as in Luke 19), the outcast is the one who connects with Jesus and the elder-brother type does not. Jesus says to the respectable religious leaders “the tax collectors and the prostitutes enter the kingdom before you” (Matthew 21:31).

 

Jesus’s teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing, religious people of his day. However, in the main, our churches today do not have this effect. The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted are not attracted to contemporary churches, even our most avant-garde ones. We tend to draw conservative, buttoned-down, moralistic people. The licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church.

 

That can only mean one thing. If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did. If our churches aren’t appealing to younger brothers, they must be more full of elder brothers than we’d like to think.”

 

Excerpt from Prodigal God. Used by permission.

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Articles

Easter: Is It Too Violent for Children?

by Russell Moore
written by Russell Moore

Every year, around this time, parents and churches ponder how to communicate the Easter story to children, as something more than dyed eggs. The problem is, of course, that it’s impossible to talk about the resurrection of Jesus without talking about death. And, in the case of Jesus, it’s really hard to talk about death without talking about crucifixion.

Some churches resolve this tension by deeming the cross too violent for kids. They talk instead about Easter meaning that Jesus is our “forever friend.” They say that Jesus “went away for a little while, and his friends were sad,” but that he soon “came back to see them.”

Most Christian churches, thankfully, still speak on Easter of the cross and the resurrection, but in many places this is, well, precisely because it’s Easter. The story seems particularly strange to the children in such places because “Jesus is my forever friend” is the standard fare the rest of the year.

We need to understand that this temptation isn’t just related to children, although we see it perhaps most explicitly there.The temptation that comes to all of us, in every era of the church, is to have Jesus, without seeing ourselves in the gore of his bloody cross and the glory of his empty grave. In the way that we speak of Him to our children, or to skeptics, or to seekers, we sometimes believe we’ll gain more of a hearing if we present Him as teacher but not as a former corpse. It is too disturbing, we think to ourselves, too weird.

Peter thought that way too. Not the bold preacher of Pentecost, mind you, but the Peter of just a short time before that, the Peter of Caesarea Philippi. Peter certainly knew Jesus as friend, and he had just confessed that He was Messiah and Son of the living God. But when Jesus began to teach that He must “suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed, and on the third day be raised,” Peter was outraged (Matt 16:21).

Peter was no preschooler, but he was disturbed. Matthew tells us that he began to rebuke Jesus. His cognitive development was not yet to the point where he could understand such things. This will never happen, Peter said. He loved Jesus. He wanted to be with Jesus. He wanted to stand with Jesus. He just didn’t want the Jesus of the cross or the empty tomb. Jesus didn’t call this shallow theology. He didn’t call it inadequate teaching. He called it Satan (Matt 16:23).

Our children need to hear the Gospel. They need to see Jesus. That means they need to see both sides of skull place. That’s graphic, sure. It’s confusing, of course. And not just for kids. But it is the only message that saves. It’s the only message that prepares one for salvation. It is, as Paul says, that which is “of first importance,” the message he received from Jesus Himself (1 Cor 15:3-4).

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is the Gospel. That’s the first word. If we cannot speak of that, we would be better off not speaking of Jesus at all, rather than presenting another Christ, one who meditates but does not mediate, who counsels but is not crucified, who is accessible but not triumphant over sin and death.

The apostle Paul told us the word of the cross would be folly to those who are perishing (1 Cor 1:18). He didn’t warn us that it would sometimes also be folly to those who are publishing. No matter. It is still the power of God

This Easter, preach the Gospel… to the senior citizens, to the middle-aged, to the young adults, to the teenagers, to the seekers, to the hardened unbelievers, to the whole world. And, yes, preach the Gospel to the preschoolers.

www.russellmoore.com. Used by permission.

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American Marten perched on a tree stump in Yellowstone National Park.
Articles

The Weasels Are Out Again: Effective Leadership

by Julie Barrier
written by Julie Barrier

New pastor or leader, how do you build trust between you and your staff and church members? Here’s a cautionary tale, and a little advice on HOW to be an effective leader.

As a fledgling ministry couple in our first church, we received a frantic phone call from a seminary colleague serving in a parish across town. Sounding like a poodle cornered by a Doberman, our friend squeaked, “Roger, the weasels are at it again!” What a cryptic statement! We knew our friends lived in a dilapidated parsonage, but why call us? Why not contact animal control? We’d nabbed a few rats, chased a few cats, but our weasel experience was limited, at best. 

Then my husband’s friend (we’ll call him Clyde) reminded Roger that it was “Weasel Wednesday” night, the lay leader conclave when committees gathered to discuss church policy, politics and pay scales. For us, our affable elders were the supportive sort who prayed for us newbies as we tried out our ministry wings. They dutifully picked us up when we crashed and burned. 

Brother Clyde reminded us that he was not so fortunate. He ranted and raved that his deacons, those nefarious ne’er-do-wells who hired him, were certain to criticize his every move, dock his pay and generally make his life a living (well, you know, the opposite of heaven). Why would a pastor speak so ill of his leadership? He had only served at his current post for six months. Either this congregation was really dysfunctional or Clyde was pretty paranoid.

His three “unpardonable pastor sins” were these:

1. The pastor didn’t care about the past. Brother Clyde removed the mahogany pulpit hand-carved by one of the church founders before his the first Sunday. Wilma Hesselbrook, widow of the pulpit craftsman, hyperventilated in her pew and needed mouth to mouth. Ouch. Way to win friends and influence people!

2. The Good Reverend didn’t recognize the importance of relationships. Eager to light a fire beneath the faithful, our friend delivered a fiery vision sermon on evangelism, and basically informed his congregation that they were apathetic and lazy when it came to reaching the world for Christ.

3. Clyde didn’t help his people navigate change. Brother Clyde was frontman for “Gospel Shredders” in seminary — a factoid he failed to mention to the pulpit committee. One can imagine their surprise when he whipped out his amp and began to strum along with “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Yes, poor Clyde needed a few lessons in Christian diplomacy. Any pastor knows worship wars ignite church fights! 

We never learned much about Clyde’s brief stint at his post. He departed the “weasel” Baptist church suddenly and left the ministry soon after. A real shame. He was a good guy with six years of Greek and Hebrew under his belt. Have you ever tried to get another job with Greek and Hebrew on your resume? Now Clyde’s happy as a clam working at Jiffy Lube. 

Clyde could have benefited from some “shepherd-mentoring.” A pastor my husband Roger greatly admired told my husband that he needed to learn to play PARISH POKER. At first the gambling analogy took him aback. Brother Lubner explained that every fledgling preacher is handed a pair of “chips” when he steps into the pulpit of his new church. If Reverend Clueless rips out the organ pipes the first week and replaces them with three media screens and laser lights, he just lost all of his chips. In fact, he might just be kicked to the curb by lunchtime. 

My husband missed a wedding. An oversight like that could have ended his career. But he squirreled away a stockpile of poker chips for such a day. Roger’s wedding mishap was both hilarious and precarious. My hubby and daughters were happily watching Sponge Bob Squarepants and scarfing pepperoni pizza when the dreaded phone call came. Deacon Harold, the father of the bride, barked, “Pastor, where are you? Roger dropped his pizza slice, donned his tux pants and bolted for the Buick. The desert sunset wedding had been timed to the minute so that the sun would set through purple clouds behind the Catalina Mountains just as the couple said “I do.” 

By the time Roger arrived on the scene, it was dusk and the bridesmaids stumbled over the rocky path in their stilettos, making their way to the altar. The onlookers stood to acknowledge the bride’s grand entrance and Dad fell “splat” into a nearby prickly pear cactus. It took two sets of tweezers and a dinner fork to extricate the spines from dad’s thorny posterior. He was not a happy camper. Needless to say, Roger received no honorarium and the wedding photos were staged on the backyard patio next to the swing set. 

Believe it or not, the family did not leave the church and Roger did not get fired. Why not? He had lots and lots of chips with that family. He baptized their kids, counseled their teenage son and kept vigil at Grandma’s hospital bed. Roger lost some chips that day, but the family forgave him.

You see, chips are all about relationships and building trust. And chips are EARNED. 

So what lessons can be learned from Roger and Clyde? 

1. UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION.

Hapless Clyde lost chips because he didn’t understand the culture of his congregation and didn’t take time to know his people first. Fiery young ministers want to preach their first sermon on “vision.” Give me a break. Everyone in church knows the new parson has vision. That’s why they hired him. The first question every pew-hugger wants to know is “Pastor, do you want to know me? Are you going to take care of me?” If you answer that question in spades, your pile of “chips” will grow.

2. TAKE TIME TO EARN THE RESPECT OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW.

Don’t expect to pile up “chips” overnight. Trust must be earned. Spirituality, integrity, faithfulness and compassion are proved over years of serving others. There is no greater challenge and no greater blessing than longevity in ministry.

3. REALLY LOVE THOSE IN YOUR CARE.

A little grace goes a long way. Dear servants of God, remember the weight of responsibility your lay leaders shoulder. All of your sheep are needy. Shepherd their families. Comfort their hurts. Forgive their foibles, and be patient when they are slower to change than you would like. If they know you love them deeply and are committed to them long-term, the sheep will gladly follow wherever you lead. 

TO THOSE WHO FOLLOW, REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS ARE HUMAN, TOO!

Deacons, elders and lay leaders remember that your pastors and wives are sheep, too. Cut them a little slack. They need your care as well. Give them friendship, forgiveness, loyalty and above all, your prayers. Ultimately we love and trust each other because we love and trust the Good Shepherd.

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Articles

Fads, Trends and Principles-What Guides Your Life?

by David Zach
written by David Zach

Futurist David Zach relates some powerful insights about the importance of living our lives on the basis of enduring principles rather than on fads or trends. But fads and trends are powerful influencers in our culture. Why?

 

“When looking at the world, you can divide much of it into Fads, Trends or Principles. A little mantra for this is that we should Play with Fads, Work with Trends, and Live by Principles. This is easier said than done because in modern times we are too often Seduced by Fads, Ignorant of Trends and Resistant to Principles.

FADS

Fads are all about being in a moment in time, particularly to enjoy that moment. In that sense, they are very nice things because they are very human things. Fads can burn if they are held too close, seen as truth, or embraced as a lifestyle. If put in their proper place, fads are great.

Because of our economic and social obsession with trends, it’s not really surprising that there’s an almost equal and opposite reaction in our modern obsession with fads. Too much of anything will cause a reaction, often in the opposite direction. Even worse, we often suppose that fads are trends. Fads are marketed as the next wave of the future, oddly one right after another.

“You can never get enough of what you really don’t need.” Eric Hoffer

Fads often go with adolescence — to do something different, to be bored with the same old thing, especially when the culture and economy join forces to help convince you that new is better, and old is, well, old. They are also about attention– people who start or lead fads are all about capturing attention. Why would someone embrace a fad if no one else would notice? In an attention-based economy (only when I get your attention can I get your money) fads are lucrative because of the constant turnover of what is cool.

“There is nothing culturally more subversive than the modern commerce of quick turnover in ideas.” Philip Rieff

Fads give the illusion of progress. They are anchors that stop movement, discouraging it, except when it is to move away from whatever is expected of you and rejecting what’s already in place. Fads are less about creativity than they are about reaction. Art and artists are often quick to reject the traditional in favor of their new visions. Fads are popular with modern artists and that attitude spreads into business and culture, though they would be the first to deny it. Fads pretend to be trends.

“To do just the opposite is also a form of imitation.” Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

We should play with fads because they can be fun and help us to enjoy life. From styles of clothing to styles of culture, they are about being in the moment of life and reveling in being alive. Just keep them in perspective.

Do you have enough fads in your life so that you’re not boring? Do you have so many fads in your life that you’re irrelevant? Choose wisely.

TRENDS

Trends are about movement. Fads are like the waves on the water. They rock the boat and so they capture our attention. Trends are like the currents that move the boat. Currents are more difficult to see, but have far more power. One can navigate by learning more about the currents of trends and stop obsessing about the waves upon the water.

Trends are more adult-like because they take longer-term attention span to notice. They often involve a sense of investment, whether that is with a long-term stock, the growth or decline of a company or even the way that we invest in the rearing of our children. They take time and if we reacted to every little change with our investments, we cause more harm than good.

We work with trends because that’s where our work will do the most good – long-term thinking applied to the notion of leveraging our resources and efforts to multiply the outcome. If you can pull some fads in to help achieve this goal, trends can work even better.

“I don’t set trends. I just find out what they are and I exploit them.” Dick Clark

PRINCIPLES

Principles are about the eternal. Things that don’t change, shouldn’t change, can’t change. These are difficult to defend in an age where many loud people say that there are no eternals, no truths. I believe it is true to say that they are wrong.

“Those are my principles. If you don’t like them, I have others.” Groucho Marx

The world says that principles are carved in stone. The fact is that they ebb and flow. In some eras, some principles are more regarded than in other eras. For instance, ask yourself which is more important, freedom or equality? You’ll probably have an answer, but you can easily find someone who will disagree with.

This is because freedom and equality are principles. They are both true at the same time and yet they are opposites. It’s a paradox, and a delightful one at that. There are times when freedom is more important and at other times where equality seems to be favored. One without the other would either be a jungle or a dictatorship.

Just as fads anchor you to a moment in time, principles free you from time. Principles are not simply about this time, they are about all time. We can have the sense of principles being more elder-oriented because for too many of us, we don’t seem to appreciate them until we’ve grown tired of everything else that competes with them. They’re not limited just to elders as we have all met youngsters who seem wise beyond their years.

“We grow conservative as we grow old it is true. But we do not grow conservative because we find so many new things spurious. We grow conservative because we find so many old things genuine.”

G. K. Chesterton

FADS, TRENDS AND PRINCIPLES IN THE MODERN WORLD.

Fads, trends and principles can be used as lenses through which to look at what’s going on around you. They are not always distinct from each other, as there’s often a little bit of principle inside of a fad. Trends are often revealed first through the fads that show up in a culture or an economy. Principles are often obscured by the modern obsession with both fads and trends, and the popular naivete that say principles either don’t exist or shouldn’t . . .

Fads are about attention.

Given the vague statistic that the average person in the modern world encounters several thousand advertising messages a day, your ability to get your message through depends a lot on knowing which fads are capturing attention at this moment. When you’re trying to gain the attention of a younger person, be that your child or your new worker, are you able to use the right words, images and metaphors that work with them, without trying to be like them, of course? It’s not a fad that the younger generation easily sees and rejects efforts to manipulate them.

Trends are about intention.

Which trends do you follow? Which do you ignore? Once you know about a trend, more than likely you need to form an opinion about whether it is useful. Which fads can you use to pull others into either supporting or resisting a trend? In navigating current trends, have a sense of direction and endurance so you can anticipate how to use it in your favor.

Have an understanding of both investment and delayed gratification with trends. Because trends take time, one has to have a sense of the endgame — where is this trend likely to lead us five, ten, even fifty years into the future? In the Western world, we have been so seduced by the short-term and quarterly results that we are quite fad- like in our planning. The Eastern cultures might teach us about having a much longer sense of time. Our own history, in terms of what we have forgotten or choose to ignore, can also teach about the value of long-term trends as well.

Principles are about truth.

Imagine that you were asked to begin a document with the words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident . . . “ how might you write that document? Do you believe that anything is true – that truth even exists – or do you believe that everything is relative and one so-called truth is as good any other?

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principles, stand like a rock.” Thomas Jefferson

 

 

 

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Ask Roger

When Is It Time to Fire Your Pastor?

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

I’ve seen it done wrong. I’ve seen it done right. Firing a pastor is a traumatic thing.

 

I’VE SEEN IT DONE WRONG.

 

From seven to seventeen I grew under the ministry of Brother Baker. He was a fine man with strong morals and values. He grew the church from about 75 people to over 500 in worship on Sundays. Five Hundred was a big church in the 1950s and 60s.

 

When I was in high school two very powerful and influential men decided it was time for the pastor to leave. Mr. Powerful and Mr. Influential decided that was time for Brother Baker to go. They schemed and manipulated to blame failure on the pastor. The church family was “hood winked” into believing that Brother Baker needed to be replaced.

 

I had an inside view. You see, I was best friends with Mr. Influential’s and Mr. Powerful’s two sons. I played golf with Brother Baker and my dad every Saturday afternoon.

 

I watched the pain and lived through the struggles as my pastor attempted to understand what he’d done wrong. I remember him on the golf course shaking his head in bewilderment wondering about just what he had done to deserve the personal tragedy that was inflicted upon him. He had three fine sons. They are now successful business men. I remember the day they drove out of town so angry and bitter. The hated the church for what it had done to their dad. At least two of them have not darkened the door of a church since.

 

These two divisive men had no business doing what they did. Brother Baker had done nothing to justify their behavior.

 

WHEN IS IT TIME TO FIRE YOUR PASTOR?

 

Let me say as we begin that the reasons that I give are the ones I observe in the Christian church today. They are no means the only ones.

 

Let Me Give You Several Guidelines.

 

1. MORAL FAILURE (Exodus 20:14; 1 Timothy 3:1-13)

 

This is an easy one. There are consequences to this sin for a pastor like no other. They are no longer qualified to serve as pastors.

 

I’ve fired people on the administration level and felt no need to tell the whole church.

 

On the other hand, the congregation must be told about church leaders who fail (1 Timothy 5:20). On too many occasions I’ve had say words like these to the congregation: “I want you to know that X can no longer work in our church. He has done something that violates our trust and compromises his ability to continue in his/her job. I want you to treat him/her and their family with love and grace as we work through this difficult time for both him and the church. I will not tell you what he/she did. But, I want you to remember that there is not one thing he did that many of you haven’t done, too.”

 

This kind of a speech stops the rumors, let’s the congregation know that leaders don’t get away with sin, and assures the congregation that the matter is not being swept under the rug.

 

2. FISCAL MALFEASANCE (Jeremiah 2:26; 5:3; 1 Timothy 3:3; and 1 Peter 4:15)

 

In other words they are stealing money, misusing funds, and loving it and what it can do for them too much. Pastors are fired immediately for stealing money. Misusing funds needs a little more scrutiny (Acts 5:1-11).

 

My father served as church treasure for many years. Each Sunday, after the tithes and offerings were counted, the money and checks were locked in a floor safe in an office closet. He and several leaders set up sting operation to catch the thief. One Sunday afternoon about three o’clock the worship leader entered the office and went straight to the closet safe and began to spin the combination. The safe opened; he had cash in his hands. My dad fired him on the spot.

 

In some small churches the pastor puts the offerings in his own personal checking account or in a checking account which only he/her can access. The pastor must agree to a check and balance process to protect the church’s money from perceived or actual misuse. If the pastor refuses, fire him/her (1 Timothy 3:7).

 

3. FAILURE TO SHEPHERD THE SHEEP (John 21:15-17).

 

A sacred trust exists between the pastor and his/her sheep.

As we read the Gospels we are immediately struck that Jesus’ favorite name for Himself was not teacher or father, or Lord. He liked to think of Himself as a Shepherd. The good Shepherd knows his sheep by name. He leaves ninety-nine in order to search for one lost sheep. He is the door of the sheep pen; He lays down his life for his sheep. These things are the job description for a pastor.

In fact, the Christian faith begins with Jesus commissioning Peter as a Shepherd (not a fisher man: “I am a Shepherd, you be a shepherd, too.”

 

Shepherds don’t parade sheep down Main Street. The Shepherd’s best work is done on the back side of the mountain when no one is looking. But, don’t kid yourself, news of the work when no one is looking gets around fast.

 

Andrew Blackwood used to say, “A house going pastor makes a church going people.

 

Shepherding involves caring for, protecting, nurturing, healing and feeding the sheep. Pastors in larger churches will organize meeting the needs of the sheep—both those inside and outside of the sheep fold.

 

One of my young pastor friends invested much more time meeting his own needs than the needs of his sheep. He didn’t last long before he was fired. And, tragically, he never understood why they let him go.

 

If pastors neglect pastoring, they ought to be fired.

 

4. LYING, DECEIVING OR MISLEADING THE CONGREGATION (Romans 9:1; and 2 Corinthians 11:31)

 

The issue here is trust and truth. One of my close associates used to say, “Telling the truth always turns out better than making up all sorts of lies to cover your tracks.”

 

One of our pastors failed to accomplish an assignment. That was not the problem. That happens to all of us. The problem was that he lied about it.

 

I knew he was lying and gave him multiple opportunities to admit the truth. I found the evidence of his deceit in his car. The church leaders and I let him go.

 

5. PREACHING FALSE DOCTRINE AND/OR NEGLECTING TO CONSISTENTLY SHARE THE GOSPEL (Jeremiah 6:14; Ezekiel 13:10; and 1 Timothy 4:1-11).

 

 

As a pastor, these passages frighten me. God was accusing the religious leaders of telling the people that all was well when it was not well (saying “peace, peace” when there is no peace). I was afraid that I might minimize the claims and cost of following Christ. I was afraid that I would succumb to watering down the gospel by making it easy to receive while neglecting to teach people that “when Jesus Christ calls a man He bids him come and die” (Dietrich Bonheoffer. Following Christ means full surrender at any price. It is so easy to preach the first part and neglect the second.

 

I believe that in an effort to reach people at any cost in today’s Christian culture that we have forgotten (if we ever knew) that the gospel is not properly communicated until people have enough information to reject it. That is how Jesus did it. Remember the Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:20-22).

 

I HAVE SEEN IT DONE RIGHT.

 

When I was six our church had a big “Good Bye” party for the pastor and his family. I remember the light-hearted atmosphere and the food and the singing and talent show and funny skits of entertainment.

It was common knowledge that the church had decided to ask him to leave. He was fired and I was confused. How could they have a party, pretending everything was fine, when they were terminating the man?

 

When I grew older I found out the rest of the story. He was a Southern Baptist in name and a Methodist at heart. His preaching and doctrine reflected his true allegiance.

 

 

A group of church leaders sat down to discuss their concerns with the pastor. He was surprised at their observations. The leaders were in no hurry. Over time he concluded that he was more Methodist than Baptist. No one got angry or demanded his resignation. They talked it over for several months and worked out a plan of transition. The church was involved early in the process and the leaders told him that they would keep him as pastor until he could integrate himself into the Methodist system.

 

In less than three months he was pastoring a Methodist church and they had the party. No one got hurt. The matter was handled in a Christian way and peace reigned in the congregation.

 

Here is what I learned that was so right.

 

Spiritual men and women handled the issue (Galatians 6:1-2).

 

The issues were dealt with up front and in a loving way. No one was manipulating anyone.

 

The pastor knew exactly what the problem was. Not like poor Brother Baker who was never told exactly what he’d done wrong.

 

The church doctrine was upheld. This is not to say that Methodist doctrine is wrong—it was just different from Baptist doctrine.

 

The pastor was given plenty of time to conform his preaching and teaching to basic Baptist beliefs, but they all finally agreed that changing his basic beliefs was not possible for him.

 

Christian fellowship was upheld. Everyone enjoyed the party.

 

FIRING THE PASTOR IS SELDOM SMOOTH BECAUSE A PASTOR WHO NEEDS TO BE FIRED AND CAN’T SEE IT USUALLY STRUGGLES WITH DIBILITATING DISFUNCTIONS.

 

I’ve fired sixteen paid staff (that I remember) in forty years of ministry. As far as I am concerned, that is about sixteen too many. But it had to be done.

 

Here is what I’ve learned about firing a pastor:

 

1. Give them time to improve their performance to well defined, acceptable levels. If they won’t or can’t succeed, it is time to let them go.

 

2. No one ever feels that they deserve to be fired.

 

3. There is no correct to way to let someone go.

 

4. However you do it they are never going to like you again.

 

5. Have them turn in their keys, clean out and vacate their office immediately. Not everyone needs to be dealt with like this.

 

6. People in the church who know and love the one being fired will often express displeasure in public ways.

 

7. Give a nice transitional severance package to help them pick up the pieces and start over. Let them know that if they start causing disunity or trouble in the church that the package will end immediately.

 

8. Remember that hurting people need comfort and care.

 

I have no illusions that anyone will agree entirely with my article. The subject is too complex and subjective.

 

Different situations require different solutions. Moral failure and fiscal malfeasance are rather clear cut. Everything else needs understanding, wisdom and care before proceeding and attempting to bring resolution.

 

I hope you never have to fire anyone—especially your pastor; but, if you do, may God give you a gentle and humble heart, like Jesus, when you start out on this slippery path.

 

I hope you find this topic helpful.

 

Sincerely, Roger

 

P.S. By the way, some studies show that 20% of the churches do 80% of the firings. As a pastor, there are some churches you really don’t want to go to.

rb

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Articles

Awkward or Confident: Developing Social Intelligence

by Don McMinn
written by Don McMinn

Are you clueless or savvy when you relate to others? You can develop great relationships with others if you learn to develop high social intelligence.

What Does Social Intelligence Look Like?

  • Decorum – propriety and good taste in conduct or appearance
  • Etiquette – the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life
  • Manners – social conduct or rules of conduct as shown in the prevalent customs
  • Politeness – marked by an appearance of consideration, tact, deference, or courtesy

What Does Social Ignorance Look Like?

  • Crudeness
  • Clueless
  • Inappropriate
  • Awkward

SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE EXPLAINED

All human interaction takes place in a context (setting, environment) so to be socially intelligent one must accurately perceive and properly manage all the elements that influence a social context.

 

1. Cultural issues

Every social setting has its own, unique culture that includes issues like: values, beliefs, norms of behavior, codes of conduct, and social rules. Social intelligence requires that you understand these cultural nuances and adjust to them. For instance, cultural subtleties become particularly important as we enter into different geographical areas. The culture of the deep South is different than the North-east. India is different than France.

2. The history of a group and its present and future issues.

When entering into a social setting, it’s important to be aware of past (both distant and recent), present, and future issues because they will invariably affect the relational interaction.

Prior to a social engagement, try to discover this information (ask others, search the internet) and/or, at the beginning of the engagement, ask about these issues.

3. Physical elements, including: space, ambiance and atmosphere, audio issues, temperature and air quality, lighting, sight lines, comfort level.

4. People – who’s in the room, what is their relationship with each other, what are the lines of authority (both official and de facto). 

5. The purpose of the gathering

            It’s important to understand the purpose of each social gathering—Why are we meeting? What do we want to accomplish?—and then maintain that focus and accomplish the purpose.

6. Emotional elements

Whenever two or more people meet together, emotions are present. Ignore these emotions at your own peril. This is where emotional intelligence and social intelligence overlap.

7. Political Aspects

If you work for an organization or participate in any kind of organized human activity, you’ve involved yourself in its politics. Declaring yourself out of the game doesn’t get you out of the game. You might as well engage the opportunities for acquiring influence with others, rather than passively accept the fate others decide for you.”[i]

8. Expectations

Unless the social setting is totally each person brings into a social setting, certain expectations about what can, should, or will happen. This sense of anticipation can be positive (wonderful things will happen) or negative (pending gloom and doom). Being aware of these expectations is important.

9. How various “agenda items” affect each other

When people gather together and multiple things transpire, it’s important to anticipate how those different elements will affect each other. It’s also advantageous to think through the optimum order in which these elements should be addressed.

 

Know what part you, as an individual, can and should play in a particular environment.

The question to ask here is, “How do I fit into this social setting; what role should I play?” For instance, though you may function as the leader at your office, when you take your son on a Boy Scout camping trip, you will probably be just one of the dads – a  leader in one setting, a follower in another.

 

Developing Social Intelligence

·       Learn how to leave your own “world” and how to enter into another person’s (or group’s) “world.”

·       Prefer others

·       Strive to have a nourishing influence on social settings, not a toxic one

·        Be a student of social settings. Observe and analyze.

·        Develop your ability to perceive.

·       Learn to read clues- verbal and non-verbal.

 

People With Good Social Intelligence Are

·       Connecting with and influencing people

·       Managing interpersonal experiences

·       Making personal, subtle adjustments to better fit into a social setting.

·       Understanding “presence” – The way a person affects individuals or groups of people through physical appearance, mood, demeanor, body language and how he occupies space in a room.

 

How can we be more socially intelligent in any particular setting?

Before entering into an environment, do your homework. Find out as much as you can about the environment (and environment includes people) As soon as you enter into an environment, have your “social radar” turned on.  Constantly monitor the changing dynamics of the social encounter and be willing to adjust accordingly or to maintain focus.

 

Social intelligence requires having the wisdom and grace to accommodate individual differences within the context of the whole!

 

[i]

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Sermons

Feel the Hurts of Jesus

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

What exactly did Jesus do the week before He died? As we enter into His suffering, we grow in our compassion and understanding of our Savior.

THE PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION MEANS HOPE IN EVERY SITUATION

S-1605

 

HOOK: three skits on hopelessness: loss of wife, sexual abuse, where was God.

 

Student suicide my first year at Baylor

Remember two things.  Deep impression on me.

Eyeballs popped out when he hit the sidewalk.

  • SLIDE #: Note he left behind:  “There is absolutely no hope.”

 

God forbid that we are ever in a position where there is absolutely no hope.

 

Paul understood this:

  • SLIDE #: 1 Thessalonians 4:13: “Brothers, we do not want you to be … like the rest of men, who have no hope.”

 

When we know Jesus Christ, no situation is ever hopeless.  The Bible proclaims, countless multitudes testify by their own experiences that there is an alive and resurrected Jesus Christ Who is forever willing and ready to enter into every situation and bring healing and hope.

 

We need to understand how hope works:

 

  • SLIDE #: 1 Corinthians 13:13: “Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

 

Faith in a person. Hope is in a coming event or situation.

 

  • SLIDE #: Let me show you how hope works. Look at this graph. People look for hope in
  1. The Present (student found no hope in present, need to look for it somewhere else)
  2. The Immediate Future (“If I can just get through the next two days I will be OK.”)
  3. The Distant Future (“when I finish my schooling I can get a good job and begin life)
  4. The Next Life (“No matter how bad life is now, hang on, one day in Heaven there will be peace.”)

 

90 % of verses in Bible about hope center on the afterlife—It accepts the fact that this life is hard and won’t always work out like we want. But there is eternity after death.

 

We can’t live without hope.

Reminds me of that young missionary in downtown Atlanta praying for God to provide the funding she needed for the month.  As she looked down on the sidewalk below her urban apartment window, she saw a disheveled homeless man picking up cans.  Feeling a wave of compassion, she took ten dollars out of her almost empty pocketbook, placed it in an envelope with a note to the man that read “Don’t Despair.”  She tossed it down to the street below.

Two days later, the man knocked on her door.  “Here’s $60,” he said: Don’t Despair” paid off six to one!!”

 

We can’t live without hope.

If we can’t find hope in present, we will look to find it in the immediate future.

If we can’t find hope in the immediate future, we will look for it in the distant future.

If we can’t find hope in the distant future, we will look for it in the afterlife.

 

Let me illustrate: those who experienced slavery two centuries ago. Slaves with no hope in the present, immediate or even the distant future brought their hope of eternal life into their present.

Their hopes were clearly expressed the “Negro Spirituals” that have powerfully affected American musical styles and shaped our future impressions of Heaven.

 

Listen to the singing:

“I’m Gonna Ride The Chariot in the Morning, “Lord.”

“Deep River, My Home Is Over Jordan”

“Shall we Gather at the River…”  “When the Roll is Called up Yonder…”

 

  • SLIDE #: Our goal in victorious Christian living is to draw the hopes in the distant future into the present to enjoy them. The we can live with power and freedom.

 

  • SLIDE #: We Christians Of All People Have The Message Of Hope!

We are the people of the Open Tomb.  We are the Easter People.  We are the people of Hope.

 

Our hopes all hinge on the veracity of the resurrection of Christ.

 

  • SLIDE #: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-4, 12-20: For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures; … And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; … we are to be pitied…. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

 

Christianity stands of falls with the resurrection. If Christ was not raised, then all of our hopes and religion is lost.

 

Jesus taught over and over again that He would die and be raised on the third day from the dead.

  • SLIDE #: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again” (John 2:19).
  • SLIDE #: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:7).
  • SLIDE #: Even his enemies understood him. READ Matthew 27:63-64.

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most vicious, wicked, heartless hopes ever connived by the minds of men—or, it is the most fantastic fact of history.

 

  • SLIDE #: Dr. Simon Greenleaf put Harvard Law School on the map. Wrote the 3 volume, Laws Of Legal Evidence still used today.

Was a skeptic, mocked Christ in his classroom. Some students challenged him to apply the principles of his books to the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Took up the challenge during next sabbatical. Finished the process and accepted Jesus Christ as his own personal savior. Wrote:

  • SLIDE #: “The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most established fact of history.”

 

  • SLIDE #: MANY PRECAUTIONS WERE TAKEN AT THE BURIAL OF CHRIST TO GUARANTEE THAT HE REMAINED IN THAT GRAVE.

 

READ MATTHEW 27:57-61.

 

  • SLIDE #: 1. Christ’s body was prepared according to the burial customs of the Jews.

 

Body places on stone slab. Then linen cloth 11 ½ inches wide wrapped around his body from feet up to armpits. Spices sprinkled in continuously. Then put arms down and wrapped up arms with spices. Finally wrapped head and neck in a separate piece of cloth.

John tells us that they used about 100 pounds of spices (John 19:39), Much spices! Not really. That was normal. Used 86 pounds for Gamaliel the Jewish Rabbi who taught the Apostle Paul.

  • SLIDE #: 2. Christ’s body was laid in solid rock tomb.

 

Jewish tomb had entrance of 4 ½ to 5 feet. Hewn out of solid rock. Only one entrance. Usually place for three bodies.

 

  • SLIDE #: 3. A “large” stone was rolled in front of the tomb entrance.

 

Groove slopes downhill.

Mark says, “A stone”. Matthew 27:60 says, “A large stone.” “Man, get a load of that rock!” Probably weighed between two and two-and-a-half tons.

Bazi Manuscripts in London – Luke 24 portion said, “A stone (which twenty men could not move)”.

 

  • SLIDE #: 4. Pilate posted a Roman guard (“custodian”) in front of the tomb and sealed it.

 

READ MATTHEW 27:62-66.

 

The word for Guard here is “Custodian”. Word refers to a very special Roman guard.

Flavius Renaultus lived at the height of the Roman Empire, was a military historian who wrote a book on the offensive and defensive military methods of the Romans which is still used even today by the United States Government in training our special forces.

Custodian was a sixteen-man security unit. Each man was trained to protect six square feet of ground. With four men on each side, a Roman Custodian was able to protect thirty-six square yards of ground from an invading army and hold it.

Seal was two pieces of rawhide latched onto a wax seal of the Roman Emperor.

 

If the Custodian failed in its mission, then the penalty was death.

All sixteen were stripped and burned alive with a fire started with their own clothes.

 

  • SLIDE #: DESPITE THESE PRECAUTIONS, THE GRAVE WAS EMPTY ON SUNDAY MORNING.

 

  • SLIDE #: [stone rolled away from tomb] Much significance in that stone.

 

READ MARK 16:1-4.

 

Mark 16 – different Greek word – roll upward. Woman arrive and the stone is rolled away up   slope.

Matthew 27 – large stone rolled against door.

Luke 24 – Woman arrive and used word which means, “roll far away from.”

Woman arrive and marvel at that stone! That stone was up a slope and away from not just the entrance but away from the entire sepulcher!

John 20:1-2 – John uses an entirely different word. Means to pick something up and carry it away!

Amazing sight. Stone the size of a small car, now totally removed from the entrance and angel is on it.

 

Why did the angel roll the stone away?

To let Christ out? No! already gone! Rolled stone away so that all could see that he grave was empty!

 

By the way, Matthew tells us that at the moment of resurrection and appearance of the angels, the Custodian Guards literally fainted from shock! Soon to testify that disciples stole body. How could they know? All were passed out!

 

READ MARK 16:5-7.

 

Despite all the precautions the body was not there on Easter morning. One of the best supported facts in history is that the tomb was empty. The body was not there.

No one questions that there was no body. Otherwise the Jewish leaders would have shown it and Christianity would have been aborted while still in the womb.

 

  • SLIDE #: Yet there are many folks refuse to deal with the implications of a resurrected Christ! As a result, MANY FALSE THEORIES have arisen to explain what happened to the body and thus destroy the foundation of all Christianity.

 

 

  • SLIDE #: 1. The Jewish Theory—the Disciples stole the body.

Need to examine this one carefully because it is even mentioned in Scripture—however, it’s so full of holes that Scripture writers never even try to refute it.

 

READ MATTHEW 28:11-15

 

If believe then you must deal with disciples defeating the Roman custodian and breaking the seal.

Foreign armies feared breaking that seal—meant immediate death. Disciples were cowards, hiding in Upper Room.

Then, Who moved that large stone so far away

 

  • SLIDE #: 2. The Wild Animal Theory

 

Animals dragged off body.

Problem with stone, guard, and seal.

 

  • SLIDE #: 3. The Wrong Tomb Theory

 

Women went to the wrong tomb.

Jews would simply point out the right one.

 

  • SLIDE #: 4. The Swoon Theory

 

Christ drugged. “died” on cross. Revival in cool of tomb. Got out and convinced disciples He’d risen from the dead.

 

Yet, it doesn’t answer how He

Moved stone from inside

Got past Custodian

Survived spear thrust into His side

View largely held by Moslems.

 

Examine all available evidences and the only logical explanation for the empty tomb is he Biblical answer! Christ rose and He took His body with Him!

 

  • SLIDE #: NUMEROUS PERSONAL, EXPERIENTIAL PROOFS OF THE RESURRECTION ARE FOUND IN THE BIBLICAL RECORD

 

  • SLIDE #: The reaction of Peter and John to the folded up grave clothes demonstrates the reality of Christ’s resurrection (John 20:1-10)

 

READ JOHN 20:1-2.

Mary finds tomb to be empty. Matthew fills in the details. Earthquake. Angel rolls away stone. Mary arrives and sees no guard and empty tomb and assumes body has been stolen, but not by disciples. By the Jewish leaders!

Last thing that she thinks of is a Resurrection. Wonders where body is! Has great love but weak faith.

 

READ JOHN 20:3-5.

John outruns Peter. Looks in but goes not in. Waits for Peter to arrive.

 

READ JOHN 20:6-7

 

Now watch verse 8

READ JOHN 20:8

John looks in and what he sees causes him to know that Christ has risen. What did he see?

Saw grave clothes “lying”. “Lying” means “undisturbed and in their proper places.” Not scattered around. Wrapped up as if body were still inside but no body!

Grave robbers would not unwrap 100 yards of linen wrapping and take the body naked. If they did, grave clothes would be scattered all over the tomb.

But, when John looked in, he saw them still wrapped up as if the body were inside—but no body—just gone.

What happened at the moment of resurrection? No one witnessed it. Can surmise from Bible verses.

Christ materialized through the wrapped-up “ace bandages”. Body obviously just moved out of the burial clothes. If spices hardened was like a hollow shell. Maybe fell in place.

Then Christ took time to unwrap head napkin and then fold it up away from the rest of the clothes as living proof that He’d been physically resurrected.

 

READ JOHN 20:8-9

John didn’t believe until he saw the evidence.

Luke 24:12 tells us that Peter wondered about it all. But John believed. John was convinced and praising God! Peter still scratching his head.

 

►SLIDES from S-1226: B.C. COMIC STRIP ON THE RESURRECTION

 

  • SLIDE #: THE CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED THE RESURRECTED CHRIST SHOUTS RESURRECTION!

 

  • SLIDE #: James the brother of Jesus.

Josephus tells us how he died.

 

Let me ask you, when Christ was alive, did his brothers and sisters believe in Hi, as Messiah? No! Thought He was a freak. He is deranged! Thought He was a nut going around saying, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life… I am the Bread of Life… I am the Resurrection and the Life… If you believe in Me you will never die…”

At crucifixion He was disgracing the family name. Christ on cross, up comes James, “You’re a fool to let yourself get crucified.”

 

Yet a few weeks later we find James in Jerusalem preaching. Preaching about what? About the resurrection of his brother Jesus!

That changed James’ life? Only one conclusion. 1 Corinthians 15. Jesus appeared to James!

 

  • SLIDE #: Look at Thomas – doubting Thomas. “I’ll not believe until I see the nail prints and place my hands in His side.” Thomas died a martyr’s death in India. Why? Jesus is alive. Christ is giving him resurrection power.

 

  • SLIDE #: Peter – “I don’t know Him!” Leaves all and goes back to fishing in Galilee. On Pentecost preaches and 3000 are saved. Arrested. “Don’t preach.” “You can tell me not to, but I can’t help but proclaim that which I have seen and heard!”

 

What made the difference? Resurrection power of Jesus Christ.

 

The same Life and Power that brought Christ out of the grave is available to you and to me.

 

We all need Jesus. He brings hope into every moment of life. Jesus is in the business of pouring in resurrection power to make us fit for Heaven and fit for earth.

 

Easter hope. Want to live in life and power of Christ now, want to live in His presence forever. If we want to live forever we must trust someone who has come out of the grave.

 

Alfred Hitchcock is an old name. He was the Stephen King horror man of the last generation.  Used TV as a medium to chill people to the bone—pull up the covers and hide shivering under the sheets after watching one of his night-time thrillers.

I never go to the California coast without keeping a close watch to be sure that the birds—the seagulls—aren’t gathering unnaturally on the power lines around me.

In one of his stories a woman is being sentenced to life in prison by the federal judge: “There’s not a jail built that can keep me in. I will escape; I will get out. You’ll see!”

Scene switches to long bus ride to prison.

Enter prison grounds and pass prison cemetery just outside the walls. Old, old gravedigger with wooden-wheeled cart is placing a casket into the ground.

She is thinking. “If I am ever to get free, I will need a key. He has a key.”

 

Turns out that the old, old grave digger is also a prisoner. Every time prisoner died, bell rang. Gravedigger collected the body, put it in casket, on wooden-wheeled cart, dug grave and buried body.

Woman befriended old grave digger. Cataracts, going blind.

Put plan to him. “I have a lot of money stashed outside these walls. Use key and we can both break out of jail. I will give you the money you need to fix your eyes and keep you from going blind!”

“No. Couldn’t do that.” “You haven’t even heard the plan. Next time prisoner dies and I head the bell, I’ll wait until you have collected the body, then I will come down to the morgue and jump in the casket with the corpse. Then, you bury the casket and than night, when it is dark, you unbury the casket and we will be free.”  The deal was set.

 

Next time the bell rang, she waited for the grave digger to collect the body, ran down to the morgue and jumped in the casket with the corpse. Not much later she felt the casket begin to move. She smiled, “this is working great.” Felt the motion of the wooden-wheels, casket lowered and soon dirt began to hit the lid. “Just like clockwork.” She settled down to await nightfall.

Well, nightfall came and he was late. Waited several more hours. He should have been here by not. Began to get a little worried. Reached in her pocket and lit a match and found herself staring into the face fo the old gravedigger.

 

If you want to live forever, you must trust someone who has come out of the grave.

 

It is time to put your faith in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can guarantee hope both now in the present and forever

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Sermons

Peter’s Puzzle: Spirits in Prison

by Stanley Toussaint
written by Stanley Toussaint

Christ’s preaching to the “spirits in prison” between His death and resurrection is interpreted in four possible ways: Jesus ministers through His disciples to the lost on earth (Ephesians 2:17). He preaches through the prophets as in the days of Noah (1 Peter 1:11). He preaches to the dead so they have a second chance. Or, He visits the fallen angels in Tartarus (Hell) who were banished by God in Genesis 6.

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