Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: Psalms

  • 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?’

     

     

  • The LORD Is Our Righteousness

    The LORD Is Our Righteousness

    Jeremiah 33: 14 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”

    The crowds surrounding Jesus in Jerusalem were thinking of their City. The religious officials were thinking of their position.

    God was thinking of you. God was thinking of me.

    Romans 3

    English Standard Version (ESV)

    “None is righteous, no, not one;
    11     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
    12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.”
    13 “Their throat is an open grave;
    they use their tongues to deceive.”
    “The venom of asps is under their lips.”
    14     “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
    15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
    16     in their paths are ruin and misery,
    17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
    18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

    21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

    23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

    24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

    The sons of Korah and their families were destroyed by the LORD when they rebelled against God and Moses. (Read about it in Numbers 16:28-35)

    A Psalm, written for worship of Jerusalem at the time of David was known to the Jews of Jesus’ time of incarnation as the Son of Man, Son of David, our Righteousness: Son of God. Psalm  49 is addressed as a caution to the wise from the remaining sons, who did not rebel against God.

    Psalm 49

    The Confidence of the Foolish

    To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. 

    Hear this, all peoples;
    Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
    2 Both low and high,
    Rich and poor together.
    3 My mouth shall speak wisdom,
    And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
    4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
    I will disclose my dark saying on the harp. 

    5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
    When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
    6 Those who trust in their wealth
    And boast in the multitude of their riches,
    7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
    Nor give to God a ransom for him—

    8 For the redemption of their souls is costly,
    And it shall cease forever—

    9 That he should continue to live eternally,
    And not see the Pit.

    Do you continue to rebel against God and the blood of His only Son, Christ Jesus?

    Do you turn against the Blood of the Cross, yet expect not to ‘see the Pit?”

    You with ears to hear, hear the words of the Sons of Korah; hear the words of the Prophets; hear the words of the One Redeemer of our souls, Christ Jesus, Who was crucified, died and was buried with your sins and with mine.

    Matthew 23

    New King James Version (NKJV)

    33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

    34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes:

    some of them you will kill and crucify,

    and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,

    35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth…

    You, with ears to hear, hear the trumpet of Christ Jesus, Who IS.

    You, with ears to hear, heed the call of Christ Jesus, Who will return on the clouds in final and eternal victory over sin!

    “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

     

     

     

  • Deceived

    Deceived

    L. It is her. I know it is her. She is to be God’s blessing to me. But what of this mystery (a sadder eyes)? How could it not be her; what can it mean? 

    Psalm 116

    10 I believed, even when I spoke:
    “I am greatly afflicted”;
    11 I said in my alarm,
    “All mankind are liars.”

    12 What shall I render to the Lord
    for all his benefits to me?
    13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name of the Lord,
    14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

    Genesis 28:20-22 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

    First, a riddle, then a Psalm; then, a vow of Jacob at Bethel. What does this have to do with marriage?

    See the relationship of truth to vows and covenant and worship and yes, the importance of truth in marriage: a lesson Jacob had to learn as consequence of sin and consequence of deceit. Let’s begin with his blessing by his father, prior to his marriage:

    Genesis 27:22  So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” …

    29b Be lord over your brothers,
    and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
    Cursed be everyone who curses you,
    and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

    Rebekah deceived her husband; Jacob deceived his father Isaac.

    42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran…

     Jacob flees to live under the protection of Laban, his mother’s brother, rather than risk his life in the lands of his father. Isaac confirms it. 

    Genesis 29

    10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

    13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

    This relationship ‘Surely you are my bone and my flesh’ should sound familiar (even familial): a closeness of husband and wife, a closeness of sister and brother, a closeness of relatives – different, each; but all important relationships.

    Now deceit enters once more into the picture:

    15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

    17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.

    18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

    A bargain for love (not arranged by the fathers). A romantic picture… then they should ‘live happily ever after;’ that is, except for sin and lies and deceit.

    Imagine this romantic picture. Jacob has worked for his soon-to-be father-in-law for seven years and not had sexual relations with Rachel, whom he loved. A wedding feast; and then…

    21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her.

    Deceit! Betrayal! As Jacob had lied and betrayed his own father’s trust to receive his blessing.

    Now what? Laban scrambles to make amends and keep the peace. He provides for both daughters and his new son-in-law, married to Leah; and, oh, by the way… if you will work for me another seven years, I will give you Rachel.

    Agreed. Now Jacob has two wives! But just like his Grandfather Abraham, he will reap the double blessings and increased difficulties of marriage even more-so. (We won’t go into that here.)

    First, God will bring Jacob back to truth, before confirming with him covenant.

    Genesis 31:  Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

    Jacob flees Laban with his wives, children, herds and possessions. Laban pursues and catches up. They make a truce.

    48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight. 50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.”

    They become two families at peace, though separated by distance and a border. The wife given by the father to her husband… both wives to their one husband, Jacob; and the servant wives as well (another story) and all the grandchildren.

    Jacob has become a sojourner once more (as was his grandfather, Abraham).

    Genesis 32 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim…

     Finally, after all these years… after all these lies and consequences of lies: humility, obedience and a confession of repentance of sin before God:

    9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan…

    22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.

    24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day…

    27 And he said to him, “What is your name?”

    Jacob had clung to Esau’s heal at birth. Jacob had bought Esau’s blessing and fought to keep it by his lie to his father; for when Isaac asked his name, Jacob had replied with a lie: “Esau.” He now wrestles with the Lord.

    But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

    And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 

    Do you believe that you can prevail against God, unless it is God’s will?

    We must be humble to become god-like. We must confess truth to reap truth. We must honor our word.

    Israel: God prevails.

    God IS part of a godly marriage and a covenant of promise.

    Relationship requires truth. God knows truth.

    • Is your relationship with God honest?
    • Is your relationship with the husband (wife) of your vows honest?
    • Is your relationship with Christ Jesus honest?

    Is our witness of Christian marriage truthful when Christ asks:

    What is your name? 

     

    Next: A confession