After Easter, I spent some personal time with the LORD in contemplation of the crucifixion of Jesus on Passover and His resurrection on the third day. The LORD spoke to my heart with some awesome insights, as I knew He would, in His love for me as His child and partner in Covenant.
I first thought about the act of crucifying the Christ on the Passover. Just as the Israelites had been commanded to sacrifice a lamb to receive a "pass over" of the angel of death, Jesus was sacrificed to deliver us from eternal death. Ok, that one I've known for a long time (it probably deserves further explanation, but that will be for another post). But, as I let the LORD speak to me further about the resurrection, I wondered if there is any significance in Christ remaining in the grave the day after He died. Surely He could have been raised on the second day, but He was not, it was the third day. Was there any significance there?
God does nothing by chance or without specific reason, so I let myself think and pray about it more. The Holy Spirit revealed profound Truth, as is every revelation from God in His Word. I heard the Spirit say, "The Christ, as God, had to remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy." There was no way that God could break this or any of His commandments, as that would negate every other commandment and what would I have then? A God who changes His character and His Word... this is impossible and not a God I would want to worship!
Exodus 20:8-11
8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
I let myself imagine the "rest" God was allowing Jesus to receive. After the horrific slaughter the Christ endured as my passover lamb, God the Father allowed Jesus to spend the next day in His Holy presence; basking in His Glory, communing again with His Spirit after total and complete separation from Them both when He took my sin upon His body on the cross.
This Is Awesome! Because our LORD never changes, I can bank on His Word to reveal Truth to me every time I seek Him in His Holy Scripture. Praise God, He DID raise from the dead, and through His resurrected life, I can enter the Kingdom to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Showing posts with label Pondering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pondering. Show all posts
Monday, April 16, 2007
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Holy, Holy, Holy
About two months ago I was watching the NRB network, channel 378, on Directv. (If you have Directv I recommend you add this channel to your list of favorites.) As I was working in my kitchen I overheard a show and the message delivered was so compelling that I had to sit down and watch. The program title was The Jewish Jesus taught by Messianic Jewish Rabbi Kirt Schneider. The message he brought was so profound I've been telling people about the insights he presented, but I would like to share it with more people so I'm posting it. Sometimes it takes me a while to get a grip on what the Scripture is saying and put my thoughts into words.
The point Rabbi Schneider made on this episode was the need for Christians to view the Bible as a whole book of truth, both the Old and New Testaments are about God and His love for us. Many churches today disregard the Old Testament as "the Law" and since Jesus came to be our sacrifice once for all, we can ignore the teaching there. Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion.
Matthew 5:17
17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Jesus and Paul saw themselves as proclaiming the completion of Judaism. Many of the churches today have become disconnected from their Jewish roots. The church established by Jesus has been grafted into the olive tree of Israel (Romans 11:17; Ephesians 2:12, 13).
Rabbi Schneider pointed out that the Old and New Covenants connect. When Jesus rose from the grave and appeared to His disciples on the road to Emmaus, they did not recognize Him at first. He then revealed to them who He was, by taking them on a journey through the Hebrew Scriptures.
Luke 24:27
25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
But the last and best illustration Rabbi Schneider used to bridge the Old and New Testaments was the example of the only time a word is used in three-time succession in the Bible. There is no description of God as "all loving, all loving, all loving" although we know that He is. He is not described as "all knowing, all knowing, all knowing" although we know that He is. There are only two times where we see a description of God in three word succession and it is in the Old AND New Testaments.
The first example is when Isaiah sees the Holy God in Heaven:
Isaiah 6:1-3
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."
The second example is when the apostle John sees the revelation of God, also at His throne in Heaven:
Revelation 4:6-8
6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come."
My favorite contemporary Christian musician is Nichole Nordeman. She was at the Women of Faith conference I attended last week. She sang a song from her newest album that puts me on my knees every time I hear it.
Holy by Nichole Nordeman
How many roads did I travel
Before I walked down one that led me to You?
How many dream did unravel
Before I believed in a hope that was true?
How long? How far?
What was meant to fulfill only emptied me still
And all You ever wanted…
Only me on my knees
Singing holy, holy
And somehow
All that matters now is
You are holy, holy
How many deaths did I die
Before I was awakened to new life again?
How many half truths did I bear witness to
‘Til the proof was disproved in the end?
How long? How far?
What was meant to illuminate shadowed me still
And all You ever wanted…
Only me on my knees
Singing holy, holy
And somehow
All that matters now is
You are holy, holy
All I have is gratitude to offer You
It is easy to view the God of the Old Testament as a strict Lawgiver and the God of the New Testament as a God of grace. However, His plan from the beginning of the world was to send the Messiah to save the lost. The entire Bible tells of God's love for us. His reaching, longing desire for us to be with Him. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is not in His nature to change who He is, that would alter His faithfulness. The Holy Bible is His living Word, Jesus Christ. I am constantly amazed at the ability of that Word to have implication to my daily life, from BOTH the Old and New Testaments.
Praise God for His wonderful gift!
John 1:1-2, 10-14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The point Rabbi Schneider made on this episode was the need for Christians to view the Bible as a whole book of truth, both the Old and New Testaments are about God and His love for us. Many churches today disregard the Old Testament as "the Law" and since Jesus came to be our sacrifice once for all, we can ignore the teaching there. Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion.
Matthew 5:17
17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Jesus and Paul saw themselves as proclaiming the completion of Judaism. Many of the churches today have become disconnected from their Jewish roots. The church established by Jesus has been grafted into the olive tree of Israel (Romans 11:17; Ephesians 2:12, 13).
Rabbi Schneider pointed out that the Old and New Covenants connect. When Jesus rose from the grave and appeared to His disciples on the road to Emmaus, they did not recognize Him at first. He then revealed to them who He was, by taking them on a journey through the Hebrew Scriptures.
Luke 24:27
25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
But the last and best illustration Rabbi Schneider used to bridge the Old and New Testaments was the example of the only time a word is used in three-time succession in the Bible. There is no description of God as "all loving, all loving, all loving" although we know that He is. He is not described as "all knowing, all knowing, all knowing" although we know that He is. There are only two times where we see a description of God in three word succession and it is in the Old AND New Testaments.
The first example is when Isaiah sees the Holy God in Heaven:
Isaiah 6:1-3
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."
The second example is when the apostle John sees the revelation of God, also at His throne in Heaven:
Revelation 4:6-8
6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come."
My favorite contemporary Christian musician is Nichole Nordeman. She was at the Women of Faith conference I attended last week. She sang a song from her newest album that puts me on my knees every time I hear it.
Holy by Nichole Nordeman
How many roads did I travel
Before I walked down one that led me to You?
How many dream did unravel
Before I believed in a hope that was true?
How long? How far?
What was meant to fulfill only emptied me still
And all You ever wanted…
Only me on my knees
Singing holy, holy
And somehow
All that matters now is
You are holy, holy
How many deaths did I die
Before I was awakened to new life again?
How many half truths did I bear witness to
‘Til the proof was disproved in the end?
How long? How far?
What was meant to illuminate shadowed me still
And all You ever wanted…
Only me on my knees
Singing holy, holy
And somehow
All that matters now is
You are holy, holy
All I have is gratitude to offer You
It is easy to view the God of the Old Testament as a strict Lawgiver and the God of the New Testament as a God of grace. However, His plan from the beginning of the world was to send the Messiah to save the lost. The entire Bible tells of God's love for us. His reaching, longing desire for us to be with Him. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is not in His nature to change who He is, that would alter His faithfulness. The Holy Bible is His living Word, Jesus Christ. I am constantly amazed at the ability of that Word to have implication to my daily life, from BOTH the Old and New Testaments.
Praise God for His wonderful gift!
John 1:1-2, 10-14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Third Time's the Charm
I had intended to post this entry on Sunday night, but I unfortunately got the flu from my kids (again). So, here goes!
This past Sunday, our worship message was about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of the betrayal. My eyes were opened to a point in scripture that I hadn't seen this way before.
Mark 14:32-42 NIV
32-They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
35-Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36-"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
37-Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38-Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39-Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40-When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41-Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42-Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
So, the first thing I noticed was Peter having to be told something three times, again. ("Peter do you love me? Feed my sheep." John 21:15-17 & "You will deny me three times." Mark 14:66-72) Jesus came and found Peter, James and John sleeping when He had told them specifically to stay awake. Poor Peter, he had nothing to say in his defense. He had been caught. I often identify with Peter, he is so willing to speak what is on his mind, but often without understanding the weight of his commitment.
I have a theory about why Peter had this "rule of three" when it came to Jesus telling him something important. It seems that the first time something is presented, Peter goes it with his gut response and doesn't necessarily contemplate what Jesus says. The second time, he might think "Hmm. That was weird. I've heard that before." but his response is the same as the first. The third time the same thing happens AGAIN, a light-bulb goes on. Peter finally gets the point. There is no way he can say it was only a coincidence, there must be more going on here.
Once again, I find myself alike to Peter. How many times has God tried to get my attention, and I just nod my head and say "Sure God, whatever... you know how I feel... I'm already on board" But because He loves me, God continues to pursue me. I am convicted in my own complacency of faith in the times I don't feel the true dimension of what I am agreeing with. How trivial I make the call of the Spirit when I don't acknowledge the greatness I am joining. The blood of Christ requires complete devotion, every day, with each call, and to this I pledge my undivided attention.
This past Sunday, our worship message was about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of the betrayal. My eyes were opened to a point in scripture that I hadn't seen this way before.
Mark 14:32-42 NIV
32-They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
35-Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36-"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
37-Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38-Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39-Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40-When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41-Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42-Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
So, the first thing I noticed was Peter having to be told something three times, again. ("Peter do you love me? Feed my sheep." John 21:15-17 & "You will deny me three times." Mark 14:66-72) Jesus came and found Peter, James and John sleeping when He had told them specifically to stay awake. Poor Peter, he had nothing to say in his defense. He had been caught. I often identify with Peter, he is so willing to speak what is on his mind, but often without understanding the weight of his commitment.
I have a theory about why Peter had this "rule of three" when it came to Jesus telling him something important. It seems that the first time something is presented, Peter goes it with his gut response and doesn't necessarily contemplate what Jesus says. The second time, he might think "Hmm. That was weird. I've heard that before." but his response is the same as the first. The third time the same thing happens AGAIN, a light-bulb goes on. Peter finally gets the point. There is no way he can say it was only a coincidence, there must be more going on here.
Once again, I find myself alike to Peter. How many times has God tried to get my attention, and I just nod my head and say "Sure God, whatever... you know how I feel... I'm already on board" But because He loves me, God continues to pursue me. I am convicted in my own complacency of faith in the times I don't feel the true dimension of what I am agreeing with. How trivial I make the call of the Spirit when I don't acknowledge the greatness I am joining. The blood of Christ requires complete devotion, every day, with each call, and to this I pledge my undivided attention.
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