Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: Psalms

  • Slow of Heart to Believe

    Slow of Heart to Believe

    Are we slow of heart to believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ Jesus?

    In an early encounter with two of His disciples (followers), Jesus, our risen Lord, accuses gently:

    “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken …”

    – Luke 24:25 KJV

    Does this from our Lord resonate in your twenty-first century ears?

    A commentator on what Jesus told these two disciples from the Prophets remarked (certainly tongue-in-cheek) that he could never forgive Cleopas for not telling Luke which passages from the Prophets Jesus used. I, too, could only speculate; but would point us to some scriptures we might resist in our Bible reading. It is with more ‘WARNINGS’ to the churches I would like to direct our reluctant eyes ‘slow of heart to believe.’

    the_seven_churches_of_revelation

    • Ephesus – you have abandoned the love you had at first…
    • Smyrna – Do not fear what you are about to suffer.
    • Pergamum – you have some there who… practice sexual immorality.
    • Thyatira – teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality…
    • Sardis – “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die…
    • Philadelphia – I know that you have but little power… I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
    • Laodicea –  For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

    AS WE, would so easily dismiss the cautions of Jesus to the seven churches of Revelation; so, too, the disciples were ‘slow of heart to believe’ all the Prophets had warned God’s disciple nation: Israel (and also Judah).

    NOTE: The following scriptures are King James Version:

    Isaiah 3:8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

    Jeremiah 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

    Hosea 4: Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

    Perhaps, hearing with open ears and seeing scripture with eyes uncovered, you may see in much scripture how the Messiah, the Christ, must suffer and die.

    Hear (even after His resurrection) and consider in closing Psalm 49, thinking of the incarnate life of Jesus.

    Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

    Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

    My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

    I will incline mine ear to a parable…

    They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

    None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

    (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

    That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption…

    But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me…

     

    Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

    And having said this he breathed his last.

     

  • GOD! Why have you forsaken me?

    My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!?

    The familiar words from Psalm 22 must have still been ringing in the ears of the mourners at the Cross.

    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
    2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.

    The lament must have weighed as heavy on their hearts as Romans rolled the stone to seal a new tomb where Jesus’ body lay wrapped in blood-stained linens of embalmment.

    6 But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
    7 All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
    8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

    How they must have wept bitterly for our Lord from beyond the Tomb on this Holy Sabbath of the Passover.

    Jesus is dead! Crucified on a Cross. His broken body cursed by God.

    The Passover Seder

      “why is this night different from all other nights?” 

    Jews long ago escaped from the darkness of their slavery to Egypt, only to have Jerusalem enslaved to Rome.

    All are enslaved by sin, Jew and Roman alike… until this night.

    For the Passover Lamb of Sacrifice has been killed for our sins.

    The Body of Jesus Christ lay in a grave beyond an immovable stone and Roman Guards.

    The Body of Christ Jesus… wrapped in the linens of death, stained with the blood of our sins…

    My GOD! My GOD! Why have YOU forsaken me?

    For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

    To be continued…

    Tomorrow is Resurrection Sunday

    EASTER!

    Worship Christ Jesus, who died for your sins.

  • Am I the One?

    Am I the One?

    The Plot to Kill Jesus

    ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’

    In the evening, Jesus arrived with his twelve disciples. [from the Gospel of Matthew]

    Jesus has cleansed the Temple, clearing its courts of the money-changers and sinners selling the sacrifice of God for a price of no heavenly value. Now Jesus will cleanse the disciples, in preparation for the sharing of the meal of the Passover.

    Jesus IS the servant. His Disciples are being prepared for their exodus from Jerusalem and journey into all the world to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. And like usual, they don’t even know it. Although they have been with Jesus for worship, prayer, meals, miracles and sermons for three years, they are clueless.  Aren’t we, who ‘go to church’ just like them sometimes?

    John 13:8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”

    Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

    9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

    10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said,“You are not all clean.”

    Peter: quick to speak, quick to act, sometimes right, often clueless… like some of us who are bold in our faith, but don’t quite get it when we do not look to what the Lord wants for us to do (or to say or not say).

    Are YOU clean at the Table of our Lord?

    We will return to the scene of this First Holy Communion in a moment, but first, in keeping with our theme of the cluelessness of some followers of Christ (with no intention to betray our Lord), let’s look in on an after-dinner conversation.

    Luke 22:24 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you.

    Does this sound familiar? Remember after their witness of Jesus transfiguration how James and John had asked to sit on Jesus’ right and left in His Kingdom? And how the other Disciples became angry at James and John for this? Yet Jesus rebuked them all and told them how this was not in His authority to grant.

    Jesus is with them, in a family meal. And here they are doing things like arguing and bickering. (If this was our table, they would probably ‘share’ their opinions with their ‘friends’ and ‘tweet’ their position to the world.)

    OH, JESUS?  Were You saying something?

    (Sorry, I got distracted.)

    It’s just a ‘family dinner,’ right? Just an ordinary every-day thing, right? I know Jesus and what He wants for me, right?

    OH, JESUS? What was that you said during the toast… that part before one of us is a devil who will betray you?

    (I would NEVER do that.)

     Mark 14:

    Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”

    19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?”

    Have you ever been BETRAYED?

    I have…

    I think you have, too. Most of us have been betrayed by someone we love.

    And who betrays us? It is not those for whom we have no love, for they only betray their own.

    It is only the ones nearest to our love who can wound us mortally with the kiss of betrayal.

    Judas was a Disciple, a ‘follower.’ He was one Jesus loved, though the Lord knew who would betray Him. Yet the sin of Judas was against God our Father. This is why after David confessed his sin of adultery and came before God in complete repentance and acceptance of whatever punishment God our Father would impose on him that David said:

    Psalm 51:

    Against You, You only, have I sinned,
    And done this evil in Your sight—
    That You may be found just when You speak,
    And blameless when You judge.

    GOD will judge you! This is why you must be cleansed in the Blood of Christ Jesus. It is only by His grace that we are redeemed and saved from the Pit of Hell, the place of eternal darkness and the punishment we so justly deserve.

     John 1:16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

    Do you understand the seriousness of your adultery against the Bridegroom of the Church? Is your sin against the Blood of your Savior?

    If you have never fully understood the apostasy of Judas, look to how you who once walked with Jesus Christ (and called Him ‘Lord’) have turned away from the narrow path of His love, mercy and grace. Sometimes called ‘backsliding,’ often noted as ‘rebellion,’ apostasy is always a turning away from GOD as your Lord.

    Eleven Apostles at the Communion Table with Christ Jesus would betray their ‘Lord’ by word and deed, then later repent and witness forever to His faithfulness.

    One Apostle would turn against His ‘Lord,’ repent too late, hang himself after Jesus Crucifixion and be condemned for eternity to his just reward of Hell!

    Judas said he was a christian, but Judas had never given his soul to Jesus as his Lord.

    Mark 14 NKJV:

    20 He answered and said to them, “It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. 21 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”

    Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper

    22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said,

    “Take, eat; this is My body.”

    23 Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them,

     “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.

    25 Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

    26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

    You have been part of the family and followers of Christ Jesus.

    You have shared in Communion of the Broken Bread of His Body and drunk the Blood of Jesus shed for your sins on the Cross.

    Yet not every one who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

    Do you, dear believer, do the will of Jesus, our Lord and Savior?

    For He will he look at one who did not truly worship Him and say, “I never knew you.”

    IF you do not repent, while it is yet today; IF you continue to harden your heart against the Lord, Christ Jesus: what will be HIS answer to you when you ask:

    ‘Am I the one?’