April Fools! (Don’t get caught, child of God.)
Proverbs 10:23 KJV It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.
And note from the definitions that in addition to stupidity, the attitude of a fool could include arrogance. Let us not as Christians believe that only unbelievers are prone to actions of foolishness.
Easter and Christmas are always a time for rebellious sinners to make light of Christ: with bunnies and Santas, Mardi Gras revelries and crowded mall party madness. Yet even the marginal christian who adds Christ to their resume may show up at church for these two celebrations of the faith.
Pray for these. I love so many who Satan also seeks.
What do you suppose happened to the great crowds who shouted HOSANNA as Christ Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday? (After all, they were good Jews for their faithfulness to just show up for this annual religious festival.)
And how many of us who worship the Lord every week believe ONLY an unbeliever (or possibly a marginal believer) can be a fool?
If we do, would we not do well to ask how easily WE might become one of those wayward christians who all-too-often deny Christ in the crowds and ignore God in our daily life?
You may think such questions for an ‘April Fools’ day not entirely liturgical and appropriate for the middle of Holy Week (in which it falls this year); yet consider the foolishness of ignoring any scripture of God and deceiving attacks of Satan against you and me when we draw nearer to Jesus.
Consider that the Passover, to which Christ Jesus and thousands of the faithful of God made their annual pilgrimage, is foremost worship of God. And consider from the Gospels the significance and nature of the sacrifices for their sins.
Genesis 4:
3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions.
Even in the beginning, two brothers brought their sacrifices of worship to the Lord God.
And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?”
[Now note this, Easter worshiper, as you run back into the world on Monday…]
7 “If you do well, will you not be accepted?
And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
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The serpent deceived adam and all sons of adam except Jesus. It was more than foolishness for Cain to envy the worship of Abel; it was sin.
And lest we imagine that our worship might not also turn, as did the HOSANNA’s of Palm Sunday turn into the sinful shouts, CRUCIFY HIM! on Good Friday; let’s look a little closer at some cautions of Christ Jesus.
Matthew 7:26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a man who built his house on the sand.
Where have all the foolish ones run the day after Easter?
Will you be one of these who run to build your week on the sand?
Even prior to His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus had taught tens of thousands of the faithful religious followers of God. He had done miraculous deeds in witness to the crowds.
Yet when He proclaims His own death and requirement of true obedience to God, how many remain?
John 6
15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst… 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
You have heard it before: You must be born again.
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) …
66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
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Now my caution against foolishness for Holy Week:
The Plot to Kill Jesus
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.
Judas to Betray Jesus
3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve…
19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”
Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus said,“I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”
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Perhaps you are not so foolish as Judas this day – Judas, who when he repented too late did hang himself and is by his betrayal is sentenced to Hell!
Perhaps you are not even so foolishly arrogant as Peter – Peter, who would deny knowing Christ Jesus, whom he had called, “Lord,” and asked knowingly, “to whom else shall we go?”
Yet humbly I ask you – I ask each one of us to set aside our own foolishness.
Let us humble ourselves as our Lord Christ Jesus did for each and every sinner by His Holy Sacrifice on the Cross.
For as our Lord prayed for Peter to not be sifted by Satan, the enemy of Christ’s righteousness and Sacrifice, the deceiver who roams the earth and stands in the vestibule of our churches; let us also pray for those we love.
Let us pray that the Lord would win those hearts and join those beloved weak spirits with our hope in the resurrection and eternal love of Christ Jesus, God our Father and the Holy Spirit.
Lord may they join us in our worship and Your love, for ever.
Amen.
Though you claim to be a follower of Jesus, so had Judas!