QT 10/7/2024 Matt 28:16-20, We have orders

Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV) —

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

 

NOTE: In Luke 4, Jesus is tempted by Satan to forgo the cross, to worship the evil one, and to receive the kingdoms of the world. Jesus rebuked Satan and quoted scripture that only God is to be worshipped. Jesus completed his mission and what Satan had tempted with his temporary authority on earth, Jesus won by fulfilling God the Father's command.

 

Daniel 7:13–14 (ESV) —

13 “I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

14 And to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed.

 

Jesus did it the right way and gained the kingdom and the authority. But he has not taken that rule yet, despite Jesus having the authority. Satan still rules on earth, even though death has been defeated. Jesus will come soon to claim the thrones.

 

Mark 14:61–62 (ESV) —

61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

 

Making disciples is not a gift, but a command. The whole church it commanded to make disciples. They can use their gifts, but that is not required to make disciples. It is rather simple. One, share the gospel. Two, for those who respond or have responded in faith, meet with them regularly and spend time in the word of God -- over coffee, over a meal, while walking, etc. Anyone can make disciples, but few churches do it. Too many churches see education and classes as discipleship, but it is not.

 

We have been ordered to make disciples by him who has the authority, what are we doing?

 

PONDER:

1. Am I making disciples? Why or why not?
2. What steps do I need to take this year to become a disciplemaker?

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray our church would continue to grow in this area of discipleship. Use me to help the church. Use me in the right places.

QT 9/26/2024 Matt 6:30-34, We need to dump the selfishness and seek God to meet our needs

Matthew 6:30–34 (ESV) —

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

 

NOTE: "O you of little faith," that pretty much describes me. Instead of trusting, I am often scheming. Instead of believing, I am worrying. Instead of going to God in prayer, I'm considering my options first. I do go to God in prayer, but often too late, when I should go immediately. And I need to add a phrase to my prayer to remind me about God. "Answer me according to my needs, not according to my wants."

 

We do confuse "needs" and "wants." And consequently, we don't pray or trust God because we feel he has failed us, that is, he did not answer our prayer for a "want." We don't serve when it is inconvenient. We don't pray because we are focused on "wants." We don't grow because that takes time from the things we really want to do. We are selfish, selfish, selfish.

 

Who can rescue us or transform us? God can, but will we go to him and ask for his transformation? It might be inconvenient for what we want to do with our lives.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I believe that he cares enough to give up worrying?
2. Am I too focused on self?
3. Do I understand the difference between getting what I want and getting what I need?
4. Who am I really living for?

 

PRAYER: Father, we are a selfish people, sin is deep within our core being. It motivates us, drives us, confuses us. We call right, wrong; and wrong, right according to the dictates of our flesh. We are more worried about what others think about us, then what you think. Father, free us from our misery. Fill us with your Spirit. Help us to see life differently and to live not for selves but for you.

QT 9/22/2024 Matt 6:9-15, God is looking for true worshippers

Matthew 6:9–15 (ESV) —

9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

10 Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread,

12 and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

NOTE: This model of prayer is not to be repeated in a rote fashion. Jesus spoke against those types of prayer (vs 5). Religion includes prayer as a "work," but for God, works cannot save a person. God is looking for the person who worships in spirit and truth. Also, if done in rote, this would be "empty phrases (vs 7)." Having grown up Catholic, and repeated this prayer many times after "confessional," I know how empty it is. I did not know the savior back then and my religious works did nothing for me. When I truly put my faith in Jesus and asked him into my life, everything changed from the inside out. I was, as 1 Cor 5:17 reads, a new creature, the old was gone and the new had come. I felt it, I knew it, and I saw it. I still see it today as God speaks through his Holy Spirit (who resides within me) and the scripture. The Holy Spirit brings understanding as I read the scripture, and He applies it to my life.

 

PONDER:

1. Do you know the savior or do you follow religion?
2. Are you changed, born again, or just someone who does good works in a futile attempt to please God?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you the salvation is a gift. It can never be earned. There is no good work that can take away our sin. Jesus, perfect and infinite, paid our penalty for sin on the cross. He alone can take away sin and give life, including a resurrected life in the future.

QT 9/19/2024 Mark 5:13-14, What do we smell like?

Matthew 5:13–14 (ESV) —

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

 

NOTE: These verses are clearly using salt and light as metaphors. I have never liked the salt metaphor, preferring the light metaphor. The light metaphor emphasizes the need to witness and be a witness to those around us. Our life should be so different that it can't be hidden. It should be a good thing, not something that people turn away from. The salt metaphor is quite different. There are two ways salt is used, one is for taste and the second is for preservation. A relationship with God makes life taste much better. It is a pleasing thing to add salt to our food. But Jesus is more than just a pleasing thing and also much more than an addon to our life. The preservation metaphor suggests that our relationship with God preserves something that is very important. I have watched my society degrade over the last few decades. Faith has become less important. People don't believe something is a lie unless caught, and don't believe in God's commands if their sin is pleasing to them. As a result, the society is crumbling. Our faith in what God commands preserves some of the beauty of life. But when we fail to live like Jesus, everything begins to smell. If we hold to what is true, people will see the difference in our lives and it will be a very good thing.

 

PONDER:

1. Have I bought the lies of the culture over the truth of God's word?
2. Is my life a pleasing thing or does it smell like the rest of the world?

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to preserve the little good that is left in the world. Help me to stand up for rightness, justice, truth, kindness, goodness, patience, and love. Help me to stand up for Jesus.

QT 9/8/2024 Matt 7:7-11, Good gifts

Matthew 7:7–11 (ESV) —

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

 

NOTE: Our church is conducting a season of seeking, 40 days of fasting, feasting, and fellowshipping. The purpose is to spend time seeking God, confessing sin, and asking God what it is he wants to do in our lives to serve him. In the passage above, God says he is like a Father (and much more) and he desires to give good gifts to his children. The issue is that what we think a good gift is and what God thinks is a good gift are very different. We may even see God's good gift as a bad thing, because we can't see the big picture.

 

My life has had a number of bad things happened over the years. Whether they were direct from God or something that he took and brought good out of it, they were not things I would have wanted at the time. There is no doubt that I grew and learned from those things. Still, I might not choose those things, but they were good for me, just hard.

 

PONDER:

1. What am I learning from the hard things in life?
2. Do I thank God for all things that happen to me in life, knowing God is in charge?

 

PRAYER: Lord, give me your perspective on the things that happen in my life. You promise to give good things and you promise to use things for good to those who love you.

QT 9/7/2024 Matt 13:10-12, Using God's knowledge for his purpose

Matthew 13:10–12 (ESV) —

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

 

NOTE: One of the false philosophies is Gnosticism. It teaches that there is secret knowledge that God has hidden away and only certain people are allowed to know these truths. Satan used this appeal in the garden when he told Eve that after eating the fruit from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, she would be like God have special secret knowledge.

 

In many errors, there is often a truth hidden and exploited. There is no secret knowledge hidden away for the few, but there is knowledge given to all who seek that knowledge. One cannot know a person without spending time with that person. One cannot know God without spending time with God, reading his word, praying, and obeying. But as one spends time with God, the Lord opens up our eyes to knowledge, called the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. They are not really secrets. They are just not understood by those who put no effort into knowing God. Anyone can know these secrets, but you can't know them without a relationship with God. Otherwise, the knowledge doesn't grasp them or move them.

 

But there is another side to the revealing of the word, is that God calls us to be accountable. The possession of knowledge requires us to use it.

 

1 Corinthians 2:7–13 (ESV) — 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

 

Luke 8:18 (ESV) — 18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

 

The passage in Luke seems to imply that if we do not use the knowledge that God has given, it will be taken away. God requires us to be faithful to the gifts he has given us.

 

PONDER:

1. What am I doing with the knowledge that God has given me?
2. Am I using what God gave me for his sake, or am I wasting it?

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray that this week I would truly seek you, and you would use my gifts to make an impact on men and women for the kingdom. Give me the words, wisdom, and insight to develop connections with the lost.

QT 9/4/2024 Matt 5:3-12, What do we truly seek?

Matthew 5:3–12 (ESV) — 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

NOTE: Another way of saying "blessed are" is to say "it is good that you are." So,

1. It is good you are poor in spirit,
2. It is good that you mourn,
3. It is good that you are meek,
4. It is good that you hunger and thirst for righteousness,
5. It is good that you are merciful,
6. It is good that you are pure in heart,
7. It is good that you are peacemakers,
8. It is good that you are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
9. It is good that others revile you and speak falsely against you,

Rejoice, for so they have treated the prophets before you.

 

Somewhere along the line, we changed Christianity and made it into a middle-class comfortable life promise. It is NOT. It is not this world plus God. It is God alone that should be our desire and focus. We do not live for this world.

 

PONDER:

1. How can we tell what we seek? Look at how we spend our time to know the inner heart.
2. How can we tell what our priorities are? Look at what comes first.

 

PRAYER: Father, I am guilty of seeking the wrong things in life. I once again come back to you. I want you and you first.

QT 9/1/2024 Matt 13:53-58, Restoring the innocence

Matthew 13:53–58 (ESV) — 53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

 

NOTE: What is happening? First, the Jews had rejected Jesus chronologically earlier -- in this case 13:53-58 does follow 12:22 ff. After the rejection in Matt 12, Jesus' miracles required faith in the hearer. Second is the adage, familiarity breeds contempt. We become so used to something, that we fail to see new things. We pigeon-hole people, not allowing them to grow, at least in our mind's eyes. A child's strength is the joy and amazement when they see something new. They are thrilled. I bought my granddaughter a new book the other day where my eyes filled in the eyes of the book and when I read it, she was shaking with excitement. It was new, it was amazing. But as we get older, we lose the thrill of new things. In this "season of seeking" my prayer is to see new things and to receive them like a child.

 

PONDER:

1. Have I pushed off Jesus to the side of my life, like the Jews?
2. Have I grown cold to the wonders of God and the word?

 

PRAYER: Father, as the Psalmist says, open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. I do pray to see you anew and afresh in these days. Capture my heart and reveal yourself to me.

QT 12/23/2022 Matt 2:12-15, Comfortable life or servant?

Matthew 2:12–15 (ESV) —

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

 

NOTE: There are a lot of supernatural ways that God could have resolved this issue. Instead, he takes the least supernatural method, Joseph flees the area with Mary and the child. The result is the death of many children two years old and younger, the grief of the parents, and the uprooting of Joseph's family. God is not at fault in any way since he gives life, and there are things much greater than life that we don't understand. Herod is at fault independent of the fact that God could have stopped him. At the garden, we chose to be our own gods. The fact that God intervenes at all is a wonder since we rebelled against him.

 

The earth does not have peace still. Jesus does bring peace to many lives of those who have truly been born again. Someday, it will have peace and it will because of Jesus reigning supreme. Until then, we suffer the consequences of our rebellion against God, mistakenly blaming him for our choices.

 

PONDER:

1. What am I living for -- a comfortable earthly life, or to be God's servant to a rebellious world?

 

PRAYER: Father, life can be very hard at times. We chose this path when we decided to be our own gods. There is no true love in our hearts. We prefer to hate those who don't agree with us. We only really love ourselves. Forgive us for our sins and open our eyes to true healing.

QT 12/21/2022 Matt 2:1-12, We are the wise men, royalty, and scribes all rolled up into one

Matthew 2:1–12 (ESV) —

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

 

NOTE: The wise men, probably from schools that Daniel set up many years ago, were looking for the Messiah. But they did not know all of the scriptures. The king should have known the scriptures since it was required of the law, and when he heard the news, was looking (looking for potential usurpers). The scribes knew the scriptures but weren't looking, and they should have been looking. What a mess!

 

These days we need to makes sure we are not making the same mistake that was made at Jesus' first coming. We should know the scriptures and be digging into it daily. We should be looking for the savior. We should be praying "thy kingdom come." And as children of the king, the prince and princesses, we should be spreading the message to a world that increasingly knows less and less about God and the bible. Funny use of words "increasingly … less" but it is true.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I serious in my study of the word?
2. Is bible reading a priority in my life?

 

PRAYER: Father, help us to be the ones who are telling others about the good news of Jesus. He paid the price for our sins and he is coming again soon.

QT 12/15/2022 Matt 3:13-17, Amazing and unbelievable

Matthew 3:13–17 (ESV) —

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

 

NOTE: In the bible, God the Father rarely speaks out loud, audibly. He did thunder from the mountain in Sinai; he speaks here at the baptism; again at the transfiguration; and possibly another time at the end of time. The Father does speak through representatives, through his word, through the son, and through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, these audible messages are significant moments in history. One of the most significant is Jesus' start of his ministry. God fulfilled his promise to send a savior. There was no one worthy except to send himself, the second person of the trinity. He tabernacle'd (dwelt) among us. We beheld the glory that no temple or church building could ever contain. The Christmas season is a reminder of the amazing thing God did for us, because he loved us. But, we choose to love our sin instead of our creator.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I realize how amazing it is that God intervene in human history to save me?
2. And how is that truly shown in my life? Can people see Jesus in my life? Or do people hate Jesus because of my poor witness?

 

PRAYER: Father, the incarnation and the baptism were amazing points in history. The put a spotlight on the unbelievable, the amazing, the never-before seen or understood acts of yours. I pray this season, we would meditate on the wonder of the season and of our savior.

QT 6/2/2022 Matt 28:11-15, The "real" great lie

Matthew 28:11–15 (ESV) — 11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

 

NOTE: The story, perpetuated by the Jews, authenticates a couple of facts, one, that the body truly was missing, and two, that the soldiers lied, since it would be fatal for a soldier to admit falling asleep on guard duty. Additionally, this passage seems to indicate that the soldiers were Roman soldiers temporarily assigned to the temple guard to bolster their numbers (since they had their normal guard assignments, and now an additional facility to guard for a few days). Otherwise, if they were not Roman soldiers they would have had no fear of the governor Pilate. Not only did some people believe this story, but some still do today. Others believe in a swoon theory, where Jesus never died. But none of those stories explain why eleven disciples would rather face death, torture, or life imprisonment than to deny the resurrection. And not only them, but many of the other 500 eyewitnesses of the resurrection. It is a peculiar faith that some deny the historical accounts of the resurrection.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I truly believe in the resurrection, or am I only religious? And how does my life show my belief in the resurrection?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for my new life in Christ. He is alive and I will someday receive a new body as well, and will be free of this body of sin and pain.

QT 6/1/2022 Matt 28:9-10, Jesus is my brother

Matthew 28:9–10 (ESV) — 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

 

NOTE: Blomberg says that this is the only time in the gospels where Jesus calls his disciples 'brothers.' He uses the word 'brothers' often in other contexts, but not in direct relationship between himself and his disciples. It certainly indicates a very positive tone to the disciples who had all abandoned him only a few days ago. It also indicates that they had faith prior to Pentecost. The scriptures are not teaching that receiving the Holy Spirit is different from believing unto salvation, because the giving of the Holy Spirit the first time specifically fell on a Jewish feast. That feast, Pentecost, was remembered for the giving of the law in the old covenant. This new day, Pentecost, is when the Holy Spirit comes and the new covenant based on grace starts. The significance is important. Paul explains in Ephesians that the Spirit seals a new believer upon believing, not in a second baptism. There are other examples of the Spirit coming later, but they are one-time and significant historically for the Samaritan's Pentecost, and the Gentile's Pentecost (both with Peter).

 

PONDER:

1. If I have truly believe in Jesus and what he did for me on the cross to secure my salvation, then I have been born again, and I have the Holy Spirit within me, and I am his brother. Do I realize my privilege?

 

PRAYER: Father and Lord, thank you for the privilege of being a member of the family of God. I am undeserving on my own, but because of Jesus' sacrifice, I am worthy. Thank you.

QT 5/31/2022 Matt 28:1-8, God's design is still best

Matthew 28:1–8 (ESV) — 1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

 

NOTE: The women are the first to hear the good news that Jesus is alive. And the women will be the first to whom Jesus appears. In the kingdom of God there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free -- we are one in Christ. Yes, there are roles that God created, but he never created man to lord over women. He never created women to be property. In this new kingdom, the glory of the roles is to be restored. The church has had mixed success. Some went back to old patterns; some discarded the roles and embraced Satan's worldview, and some have found joy in experiencing fulfillment as God designed and created us. We are equal and different, two sexes, joined together in marriage. Whatever the evil one offers, it will never replace the goodness of God's plan.

 

PONDER:

1. Are we willing to trust God's plan for the sexes?
2. Do we really think our plan could be better than God's plan?

 

PRAYER: Forgive us for rebelling against everything you created for our good. My culture and people are hell-bent on doing everything against how God designed us. We need you Lord -- come Lord Jesus, come.

QT 5/30/2022 Matt 27:62-66, The Resurrection -- everyone must face the facts

Matthew 27:62–66 (ESV) — 62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

 

NOTE: I can just see the response of Pilate if this scene was played out in our culture. "Really, you are just telling me this now. This seems like a rather important detail." On the other hand, I'm sure Pilate was convinced that no one rose from the dead after a Roman crucifixion. The more interesting point is that even the Pharisees knew that Jesus planned to rise from the dead. We see Jesus say this clearly to his close disciples, and they did not even understand. We see Jesus say this obliquely to the crowds, "(no more signs) shall be given to this generation other than the sign of Jonah." So, it is rather surprising that the Pharisees knew Jesus' prophecy. And, it shows the hardness of their heart -- because they knew the truth and somehow did not believe. Of course, Jesus did not later appear to them, they only knew the body was gone. They would have to believe the uneducated fishermen and women that he was alive, and the 500-plus witnesses. Of the eleven main disciples, all would die rather than deny the fact of the resurrection. Why? Because it was true.

 

You know, even when something is true, you don't die for it. I would deny I was typing on this computer if that is what it meant to live. That truth or fact is not worth dying for. But Jesus' death was not only a fact, but its truth was the blessed hope of a resurrection and eternal life. It was a higher bar to cross, and they were eyewitnesses of the fact.

 

PONDER:

1. What would we do for? We are only "second"-generation believers. We were not eyewitnesses. We have the record of the eye-witnesses. And many of us have seen the miracle of transformation in our own lives. Would we die rather than deny Jesus? I believe I would.

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you that I am not blinded by religion. Thank you that my conversion was life-changing. I was a new creature. Changes occurred from the inside out. I had new desires. I had a new lifestyle. And while the change is not nearly as dramatic year by year, I still see you changing my life to be a different person than I was.

QT 5/26/2022 Matt 27:51-56, We sold our souls and bought spiritual bankruptcy

Matthew 27:51–56 (ESV) — 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

 

NOTE: The men fled, but the women remained --maybe because they were perceived as less a threat than the men. John apparently returns as well  (Jn 19:26-27).  I live in a generation where society is trying to define women as the same as men, and also defining new so-called sexes. Our problem is not appreciating or valuing the sex God has created us to be. Our wholeness is lost in a search for something else, that won't fulfill who we really are. Only when we embrace God and his design for us can we begin the healing that our souls require. We live in a sin-scarred society that no longer understands right from wrong. We commit great evils upon one another because we think we are animals, forgetting that we are told we are made in the image of God. We have lost our value because we don't understand our origin. The women at the cross used their unique freedom to minister to the human aspect of our Lord right up to his death. They had the privilege to be the last ones to see his ministry on earth. They loved their role and were blessed in it.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I appreciate my creation and design?
2. Am I dissatisfied because I refuse to rejoice in the person God created?

 

PRAYER: Father, the evil one is destroying people be creating lies everywhere. People refuse to believe your truth because they don't want you to be their God. And as a result are suffering in their souls. Please open our eyes to our sins. Our problem is not political, but spiritual. Open our eyes to our spiritual bankruptcy.

QT 5/25/2022 Matt 27:45-50, We are very sick and in need of a savior

Matthew 27:45–50 (ESV) — 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

 

NOTE: I am dumbfounded. Did someone really say, "wait and see if Elijah will come?" Really? What did they think was going on? Was this a first century version of a reality show? Were they there for the entertainment of death? Did all they care about was having their senses tickled with some excitement? And we are certainly no different today -- it's not interesting unless it is new. Horror films (which I don't watch so I could be wrong) have to turn up the degree of wickedness and outdo the last film. Realities show have to include "drama." What a wicked and perverse generation we are today as was the generation during Jesus' life! I realize that this has little to do with the crucifixion, but what has happened to the human spirit?

 

PONDER:

1. Am I more interested in being tickled than in doing the right thing?
2. Is doing the right thing boring?

 

PRAYER: Father, have mercy on us and transform our spirits. Wake us up to our humanity. Help us to see we have a sin problem. A man killed 18 people yesterday in an elementary school and all we want to talk about is gun control. We have a sick spiritual problem that won't go away with laws -- we need to be born again.

QT 5/24/2022 Matt 27:37-44, He died because he loved me

Matthew 27:37–44 (ESV) — 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

 

NOTE: Verse 43 is another rebuke to the skeptics who try to argue that Jesus never said he was the Son of God. Clearly, what he did say left no doubt in the Jewish mind that he was declaring himself the Son of God. The Romans sarcastically call him the King of the Jews, but ironically that also is true. He was the Son of God, and he was the King of the Jews, and he could bring himself down from the cross -- all these statements are true, but his love kept him there. The nails did not hold him to the cross but the love for us held him there. Paul would later write:

 

Galatians 2:20 (RSV) — 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 

He love "ME" and gave himself for "ME." The cross was no accident but the plan of God to save us from our sin, and give eternal life to all those who would believe and receive him.

 

PONDER:

1. Have I received Jesus into my life?
2. Is he truly my Lord and Savior?

 

PRAYER: Father, like Paul, I can write that you loved me and you gave yourself for me. I am so unworthy of such love. I am so undeserving. Words cannot express my own feelings of unbelief that I could be saved. And words cannot express my thankfulness either.

 

QT 5/23/2022 Matt 27:32-36, Seeing beyond myself

Matthew 27:32–36 (ESV) — 32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.

 

NOTE: We don't know much about Simon. He was forced to carry Jesus' cross part of the way -- probably because Jesus was too week from the flogging and beating. The drink, either intended to relieve the pain or poison him was rejected. The soldiers, as usual, gambled for the loot, his clothing. Little did most people know or understand that the Son of God-made-man was dying in their place. The most momentous death in human history -- the death that would save millions. It was just another day of executing criminals to all the participants. They missed the significance of the event because they were all consumed by their own world. It is easy to miss significant events that are happening all around us because we are too busy or too focused in the weeds. We need to daily step back and ask God what he is doing.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I ever stop and ask God what he is doing around me?
2. Do I every try to look for those signs?
3. Am I only focused on myself?

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to not get so focused on myself that I miss what you are doing in other people's lives. Give me insight and sensitivity to the people I interact with.

QT 5/20/2022 Matt 27:27-31, Do we realize our unworthiness?

Matthew 27:27–31 (ESV) — 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

 

NOTE: It is quite possible, some of these soldiers become Christians. They have crucified many, so would this one have stood out? It certainly did to one of their commanders (a centurion at the cross). There were between 500-1000 soldiers stationed in Jerusalem, maybe more because of the visit of the governor. He usually stayed in Caesarea. How many of the soldiers would recall this crucifixion? How many would come to Christ? They would be a little like Paul, an enemy of the gospel up until his conversion, and then saved by grace -- absolutely unmerited. They would certainly recognize their unworthiness. Our problem is that we don't appreciate our salvation. We don't understand how unworthy we are. We don't appreciate the evil of our sinful nature that makes us unredeemable by human efforts. We think that we are better than so-and-so, but in God's eyes, we are worthless rags. Only Jesus' death can take away the stain.

 

PONDER:

1. Do we truly understand how unworthy we were of salvation -- if we are saved?
2. Yes, we were not the Roman soldiers torturing Jesus, but we are just as guilty -- do we realize it?

 

PRAYER: Father, we need to take a moment -- well, actually every moment -- to thank you for your incredible salvation. I am so unworthy. I don't know why your grace was showered on me. I don't know why your kindness was so great. I don't know why you showed me mercy. Thank you, … thank you for my new life in Christ.