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Tag: messiah

While we wait… DEATH and Resurrection
While we must wait…

Life has not been progressing even remotely how we had planned.

Here we are locked up as if in the prison of death. All normal life interrupted by events of recent days. Yet what next — what now?

For the church in the year of our Lord, 2020 of these last days, it was Easter we could not celebrate in our familiar gathering of all who believe (as well as some who would like to hope in something other than death).

In the first century, this waiting by the Apostle Thomas to see Jesus once more was somewhat different. For the other Disciples had given reliable first-hand witness of the Good News of the resurrection of the Messiah Jesus, their friend and Lord!

In case you missed their perspective of Jesus’ DEATH and Resurrection, you might briefly look back.

THE DEATH & RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

Many of us have recently taken an entire day to worship the Lord Jesus on Resurrection Sunday or Easter Sunday.

We have watched (even online) a sermon entirely dedicated to the Gospel of Jesus Christ being raised by God the Father from the tomb after His Sacrifice — His real and human suffering in the flesh –His sacrificial spilling of His Blood on the Cross for our sins.

He IS risen indeed!

Yet what now? What in this long time of waiting will happen next? God only knows.

And what, for Christ’s sake (yes, for the Messiah’s sake), must we do?

Waiting AFTER the Resurrection

DEATH cries out! from many perspectives

My own study of the Gospel of John in the year of our Lord, 2020, has reached briefly into the doubting thoughts of all concerning death and what does follow.

Today is the eighth day since Thomas received the reliable Good News that Jesus had appeared to the other Disciples after DEATH.

The Apostle Thomas must have greatly anticipated the time (whenever it might finally come) to witness the risen Lord Jesus in person. (Most of us know the story already mentioned from the Gospel of John.)

It’s just been eight days of the fifty days during which the risen Lord Jesus bodily appears at various times to more than 500 witnesses. For Thomas, just about six more weeks to once again personally see and hear the Lord, the Son of Man risen from the grave.

If you follow talkofJesus.com did eight days seem like a long wait after the rapidity of the events leading up to the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus?

And if you’re anything like me (and likely Thomas) even eight days, thirty or forty days must seem like an eternity. Remember, it is not.

Today we take not the liturgical path leading to Pentecost, the chronological path of detailed witness of the Apostles, nor do we simply return to what we did before, recognizing that things have changed since we planned our year.

Like Thomas and the Disciples, we did not come to this day anticipating it to be any different than the last three years.

Life changed for the Apostles once Jesus rose from death.

And now life changes for the 21st century church caught in a diaspora of faith and witness.
Roger Harned talkofJesus.com

Acts of the Apostles

All seems lost for the Lord’s chosen Disciples once Jerusalem’s religious authorities and powerful Roman governor crucify the Messiah Jesus. Even those who had believed, been healed and followed Jesus to Jerusalem’s gates were left in despair. But then prophecy is fulfilled.

The Sacrificial Lamb for our sin completes that for which the Son of Man was sent by God the Father.

Jesus IS risen!

After instructing the Disciples to take the Gospel into all the world, He ascends into the heavens from which He came. He will return once again in glory at the end of the age!

Those same men who sought to preserve their own flesh by cowering behind locked doors now boldly witness the risen Lord Jesus in the public place.

All the Apostles would eventually be martyred for their witness of Jesus Christ, except John (though he would be tortured and exiled). For now and until their earthly deaths the Apostles’ witness and preaching, emboldened by the Spirit of God, convicted sinners and attracted believers by faith in the Lord Jesus.

Peter and the Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit of the Lord God, preach to the crowds in the Jerusalem!

The crowds are amazed, then Peter directs his preaching directly to the Jews, a remnant of faithful Jews recognizing the fulfillment of prophecy in what they have just witnessed.

Acts 2:

‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Acts 2:17 NLT, quoting Joel 2:28

Take now to heart, fellow 21st c. believer, that which Peter preached to those who had not seen the Lord raised from death on the Cross.

Most had not been among the more than five hundred to witness the risen Christ Jesus, before His ascension on Pentecost just a few days prior to Peter’s preaching.

23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

Isolated, then sent out

Do you suppose that the locked doors of your church surprise God?

Could the Lord have a purpose in all of this — a purpose central to the Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified, buried, risen and returning again in glory?

Of course God knew it! – the Lord God knows everything that has happened and will happen, even those unseen things which require our faith and glorious things beyond our grasp.

Peter now recognizes this through the Holy Spirit of God, the same Holy Spirit he witnessed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God the Father and the Son of Man are ONE in the Same with the Holy Spirit!

And Peter preaches the GOOD NEWS with anointed confidence to those with ears to hear.

Son of David, Son of God!

31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.

“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.

33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.

34 For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”’

36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts…

His words pierced their hearts

Do they pierce yours?

Does the Gospel of Christ Jesus, sent to save sinners from death ring out to the crowds beyond the locked doors of a church building where once you gathered?

A response of faith

… and they said to him and to the other apostles,
“Brothers, what should we do?”

What must we do?

If now the Holy Spirit finally pierces our own tech-brittled 21st century hearts, what is our response while we wait for the LORD’s return?

Or even our response in this brief time before our own inevitable DEATH?

For like this time of waiting for the Apostles, this life will no longer be the same for you and me.

A former perspective of Church

We have put on our ‘Sunday best’ for Easter for all these years. And we call ourselves, “Christian.” (Always from within the walls of our ‘church,’ and occasionally even in this world where we live, work and play.)

What witness of Jesus yet resounds in the hearts of those who hear us claim — the Holy Name of the Lord?

For they no longer may enter the building of our gathering, the place to which we once gladly invited:

“Let’s go to church.“

It seems that everything has changed and our vision for the church building no longer applies.

Could a prosperous and comfortable church of these recent centuries have wandered aimlessly into a by-path meadow? It has remained an enduring challenge to the church.

May God’s Grace preserve you from straying into Bypath Meadow!
The man who professes to be a Christian must not expect God’s angels to keep him if he goes in the way of worldliness. There are hundreds, and I fear thousands, of church members who say that they are the people of God, yet they appear to live entirely to this world. The great aim is moneymaking and personal aggrandizement—just as much as it is the aim of altogether ungodly men.
C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON, ON LORD’S-DAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 1875.

The World’s Perspective of the 21st C. ‘church’

The Acts of the Apostles witnesses the boldness of the early church even in the face of DEATH for their confidence and love in Christ.

Unbeliever you know in this 21st century world of chaos look near and far for an example of men and women who exemplify the ‘god’ we claim by the witness of our lives.

We tell some that Jesus died on a Cross for our sins.

While our witness makes them wonder of YOU ‘so love the world’ that YOU would die for THEM.

‘Where is the Christian who does not fear death,’ they ask?

Yet when some agendized so-called ‘christians’ act boldly in ways repugnant to their own ideals, good-seeking souls of this world ask,

‘Why would I want to be a fool like THEM?’

IF GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, WHY DON’T I SEE IT IN CHRISTIANS?
- THEY are after our money to build their grand cathedrals of prosperous vanity.
- How are their corporate jets any different than those of the world’s great philanthropists who would save our world for another generation?
- Are these so-called ‘christians’ banned from their big gatherings any better than the man isolated in a cave or on a mountaintop?
- Really, are Christians any different than me?
Fair questions of the world to any who claim faith.

In our witness they observe a discrepancy between claim of Christ and our inability to differentiate between you and the world, because of Christ.

Assuming God (against Whom the world rebels), how must those obedient to the Lord act when the world seemingly slips rapidly back into the chaos preceding creation?

Fortunately, scripture provides not only answers, but also direction. For we are SINNERS LIKE THEM seeking justice, yet offering solace in LIFE after DEATH.

Are you the Christian who fears not DEATH (yet is no fool)?

Proverbs & Prophecy

When the wicked die, their hopes die with them,
for they rely on their own feeble strength.
Proverbs 11:7 NLT

Evil people get rich for the moment,
but the reward of the godly will last.
Godly people find life;
evil people find death.
Proverbs 11:18-19 NLT

We find that those who do not believe may well accept the comfort of Scripture as hope for their own future. Proverbial advice, however, need not come exclusively from scripture.

Others may have it right as well, so our random words of wisdom from scripture may make no more difference than those from a worshiper of stone living in the lies of idolatry. The Lord our God is One!

The Prophet Isaiah, who we so often quote concerning the Messiah of God also promises a glorious future:

Behold, a king will reign righteously…
No longer will the fool be called noble,
Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.
For a fool speaks nonsense,
And his heart inclines toward wickedness:
To practice ungodliness and to speak error against the LORD,
To keep the hungry person unsatisfied
And to withhold drink from the thirsty.
Isaiah 32:1a,5-6 NASB

Tell those of the world who speak sense that you know this One Righteous King.

“He existed in the beginning with God. And “God created everything through him.

How they will know

Do you, beloved brother or sister in Christ, recall Jesus’ last command to the eleven after Judas left them to betray the Lord?

It would be for this time of waiting by the Disciples who must endure during the trying times of Jesus’ crucifixion.

One way to look at the timing and importance of the Lord’s ‘new commandment’ to the Disciples might be to rephrase it to say something like:

If you don’t remember anything else of what I have taught you, remember this…

DO YOU?

AND does Jesus New Command to His Disciples apply to the CHURCH while we await His return in glory?

John 13:

33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 13:34 NASB

35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Does the church obey this new commandment of Jesus?

IF YOU HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER…

Is this not the witness of Christ which builds His CHURCH — soul by sinful redeemed soul?

Has the world not seen our white-washed building without seeing Christ?

“Go into all the world,” the Lord commanded the disciples. Yet Jesus never suggested that we bring all of the world into our building of worship.

Let your hearts, imprisoned in cells away from each other, hear what the Lord through Scripture says to the Church.

For when once more we gather together, to ask the Lord’s blessing, perhaps those wandering lost souls of our neighbors will see that Christ’s Church is in fact, us.
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Amen.
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April 18, 2020
HOLY | separated
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Leviticus 11:45 & John 6:69  Roger@talkofJesus.com reading today's devotional scriptures
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Isolation

What does a pandemic have to do with holiness?

Observe how some react to isolation (as in #StayatHome #Pandemic etc.) and you might just wonder how any wall of separation can exist between mankind. Human beings made in the inage of God are social. We must live and work together as families, as neighbors and as citizens of nations, even the world.

So how does separation from those crucial to our lives work?

And who makes the rules?

In fact we currently see several struggles between many authorities of this world, nations, states, media, social and professional organizations, international corporations, wealthy philanthropists and more.

Of course few in this world will first ask,

‘What is the will of the LORD for our interactions with others?‘

Festivals of the LORD

Now Jews and Christians alike must ask additional relational questions of gathering to worship the Lord God. Add to the urgency of questions in the year of our Lord 2020:
- How will I celebrate Passover?
- How will I celebrate Easter?
We enter a HOLY WEEK in A.D. 2020 without possibility of practical obedience to traditional scriptural worship of the Lord God.
Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com
1. We must realize that obedient worship of the Lord has changed at times. Congregational worship began with a traveling Tabernacle, pointed to an established Temple, reinstituted in a rebuilt Temple, then dispersed into an unclean world.
2. The Messiah of Israel, the Son of Man and Son of God offered a New Covenant of worship between God our Father and the world through the Holy Spirit of God given to those who believe in Jesus the Son.
3. Regardless of which tradition of Judaism or Christianity you came to know you likely do not completely grasp the holiness of the Lord God and without the Lord’s mercy your sin before God fails to keep you appropriately distanced from the Very Holiness of the LORD GOD.
We might easily become sidetracked in religious discussions about festivals and traditions, but more germain to our relationship to the Lord God is a brief look at holiness.

Holy

קֹדֶשׁ

Outline of Biblical Usage
1. apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness
  1. apartness, sacredness, holiness
    of God
    of places
    of things
  2. set-apartness, separateness
You likly know the first use of this word Holy from when Moses approached the LORD in a burning bush. It’s used more than a hunded times in just Exodus and Leviticus to describe detail concerning worship.

It is used many times in reference to celebration of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread.

‘On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except what must be eaten by every person, that alone may be prepared by you.
Exodus 12:16 NASB

Holy

קָדַשׁ

sanctify (108x), hallow (25x), dedicate (10x), holy (7x), prepare (7x), consecrate (5x), appointed (1x), bid (1x), purified (1x), miscellaneous (7x).

Outline of Biblical Usage
to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate

קָדַשׁ qâdash, kaw-dash’; a primitive root; to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally):—appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one, self), wholly.

Then Moses said to Aaron,
“It is what the LORD spoke, saying,
‘By those who come near Me I will be treated H6942 as holy, H6942
And before all the people I will be honored.’”
So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.
Leviticus 10:3 NASB

Do you recall from Scripture what had just taken place?

10 וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜בוּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃

²וַתֵּ֥צֵא אֵ֛שׁ מִלִּפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה וַתֹּ֣אכַל אוֹתָ֑ם וַיָּמֻ֖תוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

³וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן הוּא֩ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה׀ לֵאמֹר֙ בִּקְרֹבַ֣י אֶקָּדֵ֔שׁ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־הָעָ֖ם אֶכָּבֵ֑ד וַיִּדֹּ֖ם אַהֲרֹֽן׃

⁴וַיִּקְרָ֣א מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶל־מִֽישָׁאֵל֙ וְאֶ֣ל אֶלְצָפָ֔ן בְּנֵ֥י עֻזִּיאֵ֖ל דֹּ֣ד אַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם קִ֠רְב֞וּ שְׂא֤וּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם֙ מֵאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

⁵וַֽיִּקְרְב֗וּ וַיִּשָּׂאֻם֙ בְּכֻתֳּנֹתָ֔ם אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר מֹשֶֽׁה׃
Before the Lord our God you must: consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate — precisely as the LORD instructs. Even Priest and prophet, pastor and teacher (these perhaps moreso) — all must be Holy, because the Lord our God is Holy.

Holy

ἅγιος

Strong’s Definitions
ἅγιος hágios, hag’-ee-os; from ἅγος hágos (an awful thing) (compare G53, G2282); sacred
- (physically, pure, morally blameless or
- religious, ceremonially, consecrated):—(most) holy (one, thing),
- saint.
“BUT THE LORD SAID TO HIM, ‘TAKE OFF THE SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY G40 GROUND.
Acts 7:33 Stephen, quoting Moses before the Sanhedrin

Holiness does not change from the Old Testament to the New – different word, same meaning. Stephen also uses it as Jesus did to describe the Holy Spirit of the Lord God.

“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy G40 Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. – Acts 7:51

Outline of Biblical Usage
1. most holy thing, a saint
Saints & Sinners

Are you Holy to the Lord — separated to the Most High from the commonness of worldly sin?

Dare you enter the Holy of Holies into the Presence of Almighty God?

IF NOT, hear just a bit more about the Messiah Jesus to understand about the Holiness of Holy Week.

Lord Jesus

Christ our Passover is Sacrificed for us.

Hebrews 10:

For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest,

holy, innocent, undefiled,

separated

from sinners

and

exalted above the heavens;

who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices,

first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people,

because this He [the Messiah] did once for all when He offered up Himself.

For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak,

but the word of the oath, which came after the Law,

appoints a Son, made perfect forever.

Therefore let us keep the feast

אֶרְחַץ בְּנִקָּיֹון כַּפָּי וַאֲסֹבְבָה אֶת־מִזְבַּחֲךָ יְהוָֽה׃

For dogs have surrounded me;
A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
They pierced my hands and my feet… – Psalm 22:16

I can count all my bones.

They look, they stare at me;

They divide my garments among them,

And for my clothing they cast lots.

the amen

“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy;
For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU,
FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.”
The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 15:4 NASB
April 7, 2020
12 Men Texting as their Messiah approaches – Part 3
The Plot to Murder the Messiah!

On the receiving end of these communications from those who witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus we find all of the VIP’s of Jerusalem’s council of leading religious leaders of this captive land.

Previously:

We have looked at the miraculous sign of the Messiah:

Lazarus – HELP from the grave

Lazarus – Death and Resurrection

Lazarus – the Dead Man came out!

We then looked at the Messiah Jesus as He and the Apostles retreated from Bethany into the hills beyond Jerusalem.

Jesus – Traveling to and from Bethany

Our current look at the people of John’s Gospel now focuses on three perspectives of those involved in this great witness of Good News.
1. A traditional look at the Old & New Covenants and prophecy of the Messiah, specifically through Daniel 9. 12 Men Texting as their Messiah approaches – Part 1
2. A brief look at the Sanhedrin & specifically the motives of Judas, the Apostle who was about to betray the Messiah after the Twelve dined with Jesus in Ephraim. 12 Men Texting as their Messiah approaches – Part 2
3. And now we return to Jerusalem for a closer look at it’s religious rulers as they plot the murder of their own Lamb of Sacrifice come to His own.
Returning to Jerusalem

The Pharisees were just one of the religious political parties of Jerusalem, which formed after the return from exile from the east. Other parties and leaders were more influenced by the Hellenistic customs of the west imported to Jerusalem by Alexander and Rome.

The Gospel of Matthew

John, of course, is not the only Gospel writer to record the influence of the Pharisees. Since we follow a storyline of a brief time leading up to Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem let’s glance at these men of this Jewish party in power through additional witness as well.

(Of course if you’re following our 21st century approach of communication between everyone most likely the tax collector Matthew knew a few in Jerusalem he had to keep up to date on Jesus — and of course, this recent Lazarus miracle.)

The Leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees

16: The Pharisees and Sadducees approached, and tested him, asking him to show them a sign from heaven.

4 “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of[ Jonah.”

Then he left them and went away. The disciples reached the other shore, and they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus told them,

“Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

The Messiah cautions His followers to beware of their own religious leaders.

Sabbath Questions

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat.

But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.”

Matthew would have been there. Now as they approached Jerusalem just days before the holiest of feast the Apostles must all have recalled this type of opposition from Jerusalem’s ruling council. (Of course Rome, for whom Matthew had collected taxes, kept a close watch on all of them.)

The Gospel of Mark

John Mark recalls from witness of the Apostles about a healing on the Sabbath ‘violation’ of Jesus:

And He [Jesus] said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?”

But they kept silent. After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man,

“Stretch out your hand.”

And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him [the Messiah Jesus], as to how they might destroy Him.
Mark 3:6 NASB

The Herodians, of course, happened to be the party in power (thanks to Rome) in Jerusalem. This consensus against the Messiah would not be so different than an agreement between Democrats and Republicans (in the US), between liberals and conservatives.

The Gospel of Luke

Pharisees and other Jewish leaders witnessed Jesus the Messiah perform many signs of proof throughout His three-year teaching ministry.

A Man Cleansed

5:¹²While he was in one of the towns, a man was there who had leprosy all over him. He saw Jesus, fell facedown, and begged him: “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

¹³Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean,” and immediately the leprosy left him.

15 But the news about him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses…

17 On one of those days while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and also from Jerusalem…

²⁰Seeing their faith he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

²¹Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to think to themselves:

“Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

²²But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus replied to them,

“Why are you thinking this in your hearts?Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”

—he told the paralyzed man, “I tell you: Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.”

²⁵Immediately he got up before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.Then everyone was astounded, and they were giving glory to God. And they were filled with awe and said,

“We have seen incredible things today.”

Signs and Miracles

The Messiah is predicted throughout Scripture (Old Testament) by many. First century witnesses no doubt quoted many verses after encountering Jesus. (They would have texted the latest to their friends, things like.)
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Know what I thought of when I heard Jesus today?
What? & who is Jesus?
Ezekiel. Jesus came here from Galilee and Samaria. Jesus is a Prophet!
Like Ezekiel? How?
You know it:
כְּבַקָּרַת֩ רֹעֶ֨ה עֶדְרֹ֜ו בְּיֹום־הֱיֹותֹ֤ו בְתֹוךְ־צֹאנֹו֙ נִפְרָשֹׁ֔ות כֵּ֖ן אֲבַקֵּ֣ר אֶת־צֹאנִ֑י וְהִצַּלְתִּ֣י אֶתְהֶ֗ם מִכָּל־הַמְּקֹומֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָפֹ֣צוּ שָׁ֔ם בְּיֹ֥ום עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃
huh? oh I'm a bit rusty on my Hebrew
“As a shepherd cares for his herd
 in the day when he is among
 his scattered sheep, 
so I will care 
 for My sheep 
 and will deliver them 
 from all the places 
 to which they were scattered 
 on a cloudy and gloomy day.
That's us alright, sheep scattered by Greeks, Rome and everyboby else.
Tell me more about this Jesus
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Miracles! Miracles no ordinary man could do. And many Pharisees and other religious leaders from all over Galilee, Samaria, Judea and even the highest officials of Jerusalem witnessed the miracles of their Messiah Jesus.

Some saw Jesus’ signs personally and others knew from reliable witnesses that this Son of Man was no ordinary man.

Returning to the Gospel of John

The Apostle John tells us at the conclusion of his Gospel that Jesus did many other things — too many to tell. Pharisees had plenty of evidence about the true identity of their Messiah right before them, yet by His Power they would lose theirs.

In order to keep with our present scene just prior to the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem (known as Palm Sunday), we’ll take just one more glance at the Pharisees in the crowded capital, preparing for both the crowds of the Passover festival and simultaneously by stealth seeking ways to kill the Messiah Jesus.

We have been following John’s witness of Good News of the Messiah Jesus. He raised Lazarus from the grave!

John does not follow a strictly chronological presentation of the evidence of Jesus Christ, born as a man, crucified and buried, raised from the grave then after many days and many more witnesses ascended once more into heaven.

John 11:

We’re back in Bethany, Lazarus has just walked out of his tomb, and you’ll have to imagine all of the texts going out to friends in Jerusalem and everywhere. (No photos, just imagine some 20th century communication.)

45 So then, many of the Jews… who were eyewitnesses to what Jesus had done, believed in Him. But some of them went back to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying,

“What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

That’s really it, isn’t it, that those in power will often resort to anything to remain in power.

This, of course, includes religious leaders who do not hold the Lord God dear to their own hearts. Some leading Jews, Christian and other religions have all been guilty of this witness to the world against the LORD.

⁴⁹And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

⁵⁰Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

⁵¹And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year,

he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

⁵³Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.

John 12:

Now the Passover of the Jews was approaching

All the talk around Jerusalem, all the chat, all the texts – everyone wondered if this Messiah Jesus would come to Jerusalem for the feast – the sacrifice of the Passover.

Jesus has returned to Judah as far as Bethany to join his resurrected friend Lazarus in a family feast – a celebration at home before the great Jewish feast to which so many traveled yearly from near and far. Word gets out.

9 Then a large crowd of the Jews learned he was there.

My friend traveling with the crowds saw the Messiah in Bethany!

They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead.

Ahead in Jerusalem, waiting for Jesus

10 But the chief priests had decided to kill Lazarus also, because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.

You know well the story of Jesus riding triumphantly up to the city gate of Jerusalem, the crowds worshiping Him laying palms before Him as He rode on the foal of a donkey.

You know well the story of Jesus riding triumphantly up to the city gate of Jerusalem, the crowds worshiping Him laying palms before Him as He rode on the foal of a donkey.

Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”
John 12:19 CSB

What sinister desperate plans will these religious leaders of Jerusalem about to be deposed text to each other next?

You likely know the story of Holy Week and Palm Sunday, preached so many times to numb ears and distracted hearts. I have preached on it before as have so many. https://talkofjesus.com/jerusalem-defiled-awaits-king/

Worship with your church Palm Sunday and ask yourself,

IF I had witnessed the Messiah Jesus in Person, who would I text the GOOD NEWS?

The Messiah approaches our city – SOON!

Could you at least follow our scriptural posts by subscribing to talkofJesus.com and please comment.

May the grace and peace of our Lord the Messiah Jesus be with you and remain with you always through God our Father and the Holy Spirit.
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NEXT: We will continue our series in the 
Gospel of John, God-willing...
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April 4, 2020