The Gospels Manuscripts

Our Wisdom Journey now brings us to the New Testament. Since the end of the Old Testament with the book of Malachi, 400 years have now transpired. These four hundred years are often referred to as the silent years. There was no word from God—no new revelation. No prophet came on the scene to declare, “Thus says the Lord.”

So, when you open the New Testament, you have traveled some 400 years from the time of Malachi to the days of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And let me tell you, a lot of things have changed in the world over those years.

The Persians are no longer the dominant empire in control of Israel; the Roman Empire is now in control. For the first time we encounter the religious leaders known as the Pharisees and Sadducees. We find Jewish life centered around synagogues, which are nowhere to be found in the Old Testament.

What in the world happened during these 400 years? Well to begin with, just as Daniel had prophesied back when the kingdom of Persia was in power, a great conqueror arose.[1] His name was Alexander the Great, and he defeated the Persians and established a Greek empire.

Alexander practiced what is called Hellenization, the systematic establishment of Greek culture in the nations he conquered. Greek became the language throughout the empire, and this explains why the New Testament was written in common, or koine, Greek.

And just as Daniel prophesied, after Alexander’s death, his vast empire was divided among four of his generals. Israel became governed by one of those generals, and one of his notorious successors tried to force Greek religion, with all its gods and goddesses, on the Jewish people. The Jewish people revolted and succeeded in gaining independence—but only for a brief period. Eventually, in 63 BC, the Romans conquered Jerusalem.

The Romans divided the land of Israel into several provinces—Judea in the south, Galilee in the north, Samaria in the middle, and the province of Perea east of the Jordan River. At the time of Jesus’ birth, all these Jewish provinces were governed by a man known as Herod the Great. He was not Jewish at all; in fact, he was an Edomite—a descendant of Esau, Jacob’s brother. But he had gained the favor of the Romans, and they appointed him with the title he loved best of all—“King of the Jews.”

Herod tried his best to earn the favor of the Jewish people. He even enlarged and beautified the Jerusalem temple. But Herod was an extremely evil man. Frankly, he was paranoid. He even murdered some of his own sons because he considered them a threat to his rule. Of course, he went on a murderous rampage in Matthew 2 after some wise men arrived from old Persia, wondering where the Child was who had been born King of the Jews. Shortly after the birth of Jesus, Herod the Great himself died.

One of Herod’s surviving sons followed his father and ruled over Judea and Samaria until the Romans replaced him with a procurator—that is, a governor. Some thirty years later, the governor appointed over this territory was a man named Pontius Pilate. We will run into these men later in the Gospels.

Another son of Herod the Great, called “Herod … tetrarch of Galilee” in Luke chapter 3, verse 1, ruled over that northern region of Galilee. And that was the primary area of Jesus’ ministry. This Herod was responsible for beheading John the Baptist and later on interrogated Jesus just before the crucifixion (Luke 23:7-12).[2]

But here is what I want you to understand at this point: by the time of Jesus, Israel was under Roman control and governed by appointed rulers. Detachments of the Roman army were stationed throughout the land to maintain order. But the Romans were also Hellenized. They knew the Greek language and were greatly influenced by Greek culture, architecture, and religion.

Frankly, you couldn’t keep count of the gods and goddesses of the Greeks and the Romans. However, the Jewish people strictly followed Yahweh, the one true and living God. The Babylonian captivity had cured them of idolatry. During their captivity, without a temple available to them, the synagogue arose as a place of instruction and prayer. During these silent 400 years, religious leaders called Pharisees and Sadducees rose up to elaborate on the law and lead the people into all sorts of applications of the law in their daily lives.

The Pharisees were the largest religious party. They laid heavy burdens on the people as they sought to apply Old Testament law to everyday life. For instance, the law forbade working on the Sabbath, and they defined work as bearing any kind of burden. But what kind of burden? They debated vigorously on whether or not you could pick up a chair and move it, or even pick up a baby. By the time of Christ, they had accumulated thousands of oral traditions and interpretations that had become more important to them than God’s Word.

The Sadducees were fewer in number but had greater political power. They dominated the Jewish Supreme court known as the Sanhedrin; it was Sadducees who served as high priests—at the pleasure of the Romans. They denied the supernatural and the resurrection of the dead.[3] They were basically more interested in politics than God’s Word, and they did everything they could to stay in favor with the Romans.

Now, the Pharisees and Sadducees resented each other, but they were united in hating Jesus Christ.

Another group of men who arose during these silent years were called scribes. They were lawyers, or recognized scholars of the law, who defended all these religious traditions. Another group of men who appeared in this period were called rabbis; they were Jewish teachers who gathered students, or disciples, around them. Jesus was referred to by this title.[4]

Now these rulers and institutions that arose between Malachi and Matthew were all part of God’s providential plan. God was not wringing His hands because Pharisees were working overtime and Herod was on the throne. In fact, the apostle Paul wrote over in Galatians 4:4, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son.” God was at work through these centuries, preparing His people and the world for the arrival of the Messiah Jesus, God’s Son.

You may know that the New Testament opens with the biography of God’s Son—four biographies, in fact—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These four Gospels, as they’re called, emphasize different aspects of the Lord’s life.

Matthew was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, and he writes particularly to Jewish people, presenting Jesus as the promised King. Mark presents Jesus as the Servant and seems to be writing to a Roman audience. Luke writes to a broad Gentile audience, emphasizing the genuine humanity of Jesus. And John, another of Jesus’ original disciples, is writing to unbelievers—his purpose is clearly evangelistic, and He presents Jesus as God.

All four Gospel writers often look at the same event but emphasize different aspects that suit their overall purpose in writing. So when you put the Gospels together, what you have is a wonderful panoramic view of Jesus—the Suffering Servant, the promised King, the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God.

What a blessing that the silent years are over. God has spoken again—at last. And keep in mind, that while these divinely inspired biographical accounts of God’s Son teach us about His culture and ministry and teaching, ultimately, we are given the Word of God so that we might come to know Jesus Christ personally—and claim Him as our Savior and call Him our King, our Messiah, and our Redeemer.

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The Beginning of Good NewsJohn 1:1-3

Today we begin our Wisdom Journey through the New Testament and particularly the Gospels. The word gospel, in the Greek language, means “good news.” And what good news it is!

The four Gospel accounts, written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, cover the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Each of these authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, recorded eyewitness accounts of the Lord’s life and ministry. They either saw it themselves or recorded the testimony of other eyewitnesses.

In total, the Gospels only cover about fifty-two days of the life and ministry of Jesus. I wish these Gospels were ten times longer; but keep this in mind, while we do not have everything we would like to know about the Lord, we have been given enough to know—to become convinced—that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Savior of all who believe in Him.

The Gospel of John even spells that out in John 20:30:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Now let me put our map out on the deck, so to speak, as we prepare to set sail through the Gospels. And let me tell you, wherever you are right now—whoever you are—I am thrilled that you have joined me in this Wisdom Journey through God’s Word. And if you do not know Jesus as your Savior, I am praying that this journey will sail you right into the harbor of salvation and security and eternal safety in Christ.

Before we raise the sails and set off, you need to understand that we are going to study the Gospels chronologically; that is, in the order in which the events took place. This will eliminate any repetition we find in these four accounts, but more importantly, I want to give you the sense of what it might have been like to follow Jesus through His life right up to His cross, His resurrection, and His ascension into heaven.

So, you might expect us to begin with Jesus’ birth. But first we need to hear the announcement from John. By the way, John wrote after Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and he no doubt had their books as a reference.

John opens with a declaration of some key truths about Jesus Christ—he sort of gives us the Lord’s resume. Truth number one is this: Jesus Christ is eternal deity.

In verses 1-2 we read this:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

First, we must understand that the Word here is Jesus Christ. Verse 14 tells us this: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

Now let’s look at the first three phrases in verse 1. “In the beginning was the Word” declares Jesus to be eternally existent. In other words, He didn’t come into being at His earthly birth—He existed as God the Son from eternity past.

This second phrase, “and the Word was with God,” describes Jesus as intimately close with the Godhead. The third phrase, “and the Word was God,” clearly tells us that Jesus is nothing less than divine.

An interesting verb appears three times in verse 1. Note the verb “was”: “In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God.”

This Greek verb tense communicates an ongoing, eternal state. So, we could expand our translation here to read:

In the beginning was [and is and always will be] the Word, and the Word was [and is and always will be] with God, and the Word was [and is and always will be] God.

So, truth number one is that Jesus Christ is—and always has been and always will be—eternal deity.

Here is the second truth John introduces: Jesus Christ is the eternal explanation.

Also, three times in verse 1 we find the expression “the word”: “In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God.”

This is the Greek word logos. But logos also can be translated “explanation.” Read it that way for a moment: “In the beginning was the Explanation, and the Explanation was with God, and the Explanation was God.”

To the Greek mind, receiving an explanation from God was impossible. Several hundred years before the birth of Christ, Plato said to his philosopher friends, “It may be that some day, there will come forth from God, a Word, a Logos [Explanation], who will reveal all mysteries and make everything plain.”[5]

Well, guess what? The Explanation has arrived from heaven—in the flesh. And just what does the Word explain for us? Well, for one thing, the Lord answers one of humanity’s most troubling questions: “Where did we come from?” Today, billions of dollars are spent looking out into the universe to try to answer that question. Well, the answer is here in verse 3: “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Jesus Christ is not only eternally divine; He is not only the divine explanation; He is also the divine Creator. That is the third great truth we find in these verses: Jesus Christ is the Creator.

The Bible tells us in its very first verse, Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” And now here comes John’s Gospel—verse 1: “In the beginning was the Word.” And then in verse 3 we are told that Jesus was the Creative agent. From the Word came the first words of Creation in Genesis 1:3: “Let there be light.”

The apostle Paul explains further in Colossians 1:16:

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Well, let me tell you, the human race does not like the idea that God the Son, Jesus Christ, is the Creator. Why? Because if He is the Creator, He is more than a good teacher or a moral example. If He is the Creator, then He is the eternal, all-powerful God who rules the universe.

And as we study the Gospels together, it will be perfectly clear that Jesus claims to be God in the flesh. If you are saying, “No, He didn’t go that far,” well, listen to what is written in John 10:33. Some Jewish people are trying to stone Jesus to death, and why are they trying to kill Him? They say to Him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” It was absolutely clear to His audience that He claimed to be more than a man.

And here is the good news: If Jesus Christ is the divine Creator, then the rest of the Bible must be telling the truth about Him—that He did indeed die for your sins and He can take you to heaven one day. And if Jesus Christ is the King of the universe, He has the right to be King over your life and mine.

If you are troubled or feeling hopeless and you are asking right now, “What is the purpose of my life?” the answer is found in Jesus Christ. Let Him become your Savior and your Shepherd.

Because Jesus Christ is who He is, He can do for you what He says. He will keep every promise He ever made; and we are going to hear a lot of promises as we begin our journey through the life and ministry—the good news—of Jesus.

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When God Became a Flea John 1:4-5, 9-18

In our last Wisdom Journey, we began our chronological study in the four Gospels of the life of Jesus Christ. But we did not start with Jesus’ birth because He existed eternally as God the Son before taking on human nature.

We are here in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, where we have already learned that Jesus is the Word, the logos. He is God the Son from eternity past. We also learned that He is the creating agent of the Trinity—the Word of God who created the universe.

John goes on here in verse 5 to tell us that Jesus was the light shining in the darkness. Jesus not only said those words, at the dawn of creation, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), but He is the light—the light of the world. And how our dark world needs the light of Christ today.

John gives us three different reactions to the light. One reaction is that the light is not recognized. He says in verse 10, “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him”—that is, they did not recognize Him. Why? The Bible tells us that Satan, the “god of this world,” blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4). The blinders he uses on people might be labeled skepticism, atheism, or false religion, but they keep people from seeing the truth of Christ. The light is not recognized.

Second, the light is rejected. Verse 11 tells us, “He came to his own, and his own people [Jews] did not receive him.” He was their Messiah, but they rejected Him.

Maybe you know the pain of rejection from friends or family because of your faith in Christ. Well, the Lord knows how you feel. Just remember, they are spiritually blind and have rejected the light.

But there is a third reaction: the light of Christ is received by those who believe in Him. Verse 12 says: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

You become a member of God’s family only one way—by receiving Christ as your personal Savior. John clarifies here in verse 12 that receiving Him means believing in His “name.”

A “name” refers to someone’s character—what that person represents, who he or she is. So, to believe in the name of Jesus is to trust everything He represents—who He is. And who is He? He is fully God and fully man; He is the Creator of the universe; He is the Savior of sinners who believe.

So, here in the introduction to his Gospel, John is revealing what Jesus packed in His suitcase when He came to earth. He brought His divine nature—He is fully God. He also brought along the power to demonstrate during His ministry that He is indeed divine. He brought a purpose and plan to handle rejection and death by crucifixion. He brought grace and forgiveness for all those who believe He died to pay the penalty of their sins, and He came as the light to reveal the glory and grace of God.

That is what John writes about here in verse 14:

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Verse 18 says that Jesus made known the reality of God to mankind. He made known the truth of the living God. “Made . . . known” translates the Greek word exegesis. Exegesis, in verb form, means “to explain, to unfold, to interpret.” You can even translate it “to lead the way.”

Jesus is the “exegesis” of God the Father. He has not only explained who the Father is, but He is going to lead the way to live with the Father in heaven.

This is why Jesus will say, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). In other words, Jesus is here to tell you how to one day live with God, and He is the only one who can lead the way there.

When Marsha and I moved here to plant The Shepherd’s Church, we initially moved into a rented house in Raleigh, and let me tell you, the house had been left a mess. The former residents had housed a dozen cats, and those cats had lived in every room.

I moved in a couple of days before my wife and twin baby boys were scheduled to join me. One of my brothers came, and we painted most of the rooms, scrubbed everything down, and vacuumed the carpet.

We eventually unpacked everything and settled into our new home. A few days later, my wife and I seemed to be constantly scratching our ankles. Little red spots were appearing.

Then one night we had our twin baby boys lying on their blankets out on the floor—they were more fun to watch than television. I leaned down to brush a black speck off one of my son's cheeks, and just as I reached down, that black spot jumped! It was a flea! Those wonderful cats had left us a houseful of fleas.

I called the carpet cleaners, and they came out—it didn’t help; I think the fleas enjoyed their bath. I had the exterminators come out and spray—still no sign of surrender. I finally went to the hardware store and bought a little flea bomb that emitted smoke that would kill the fleas. The directions indicated that one flea bomb would take care of our little house. Well, it didn’t do a thing but give those fleas a little heartburn. It was time to get tough! We were planning to leave town for a few days. So, I went to the hardware store and purchased, not one flea bomb, but six of them; one for every room. After packing the family in the car, I set off the bombs, and we drove away. I hoped nobody would call the fire department. A few days later, we returned home, and there were no more fleas!

Now I must tell you, I do not hate fleas. I don’t really care if they are dead or alive—just so they are not in my house. I would have been glad to warn them that flea-bomb day was coming. “Listen, there is trouble ahead—you are in danger. You need to leave; you need to be saved from the wrath of the master of this house.” How could I let them know that? There is only one way—I would have to become a flea!

Now I would hate to start living like a flea; and to be perfectly honest with you, I would never in a million years give up what I have in order to rescue a house full of fleas. That would be humiliating! But isn’t that what God the Son did for us?

The truth is, we do not think it was much of a stretch, much of a change, for Jesus to become a human; but let me tell you, for God the Son, who lived in glory and splendor, to give all that up to join the family of the human race—that is a lot like you becoming a flea.

But He did it. He gave us the message that bomb-day is coming but also provided a way to escape it all—a way to leave this house of sinful humanity and one day go to live in the Father’s house in heaven.

The Creator of the world, God the Son, became a little flea so that those who believe in His name (who He really is) are given the right to become children of God.

Think of it: God the Son became a member of our family, so that we could join the family of God.

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The Family Tree of Jesus Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38

In our last Wisdom Journey study, the Gospel of John introduced us to the preincarnate life of Christ—that is, Jesus’ divine and eternal life before He was born. He was God the Son long before the time when He took on flesh and became Jesus the man.

Now we are going to slip over to Matthew and Luke as they give us the genealogy, or the family tree, of Jesus.

The opening verse of Matthew reads, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Since Matthew is writing primarily to a Jewish audience, he is going to show that Jesus descended from David and Abraham; and that will be critically important for proving that Jesus is the Messiah King of Israel.

In chapter 3 of his Gospel, Luke is writing primarily to a Greek audience, and so he emphasizes the humanity of Jesus, tracing His family tree all the way back to Adam, the first man.

I want to focus on Matthew’s very unusual genealogy of Jesus. During the days of Jesus, a woman had very few legal rights. In fact, a woman could not provide testimony in a court of law, and she did not normally inherit property—she was basically the property of her husband.

Women lived very difficult lives. It will be the gospel that elevates women and gives them great dignity. To this day, in countries where the gospel of Christ is rejected, women often still live difficult lives without dignity or respect or honor.

In the days of Christ, an orthodox Jewish man got up each day and prayed a morning prayer that included the words, “God, I thank You that You did not create me a Gentile, a slave, or a woman.”

With that in mind, I want to point out how Matthew, inspired by God the Holy Spirit, records this unique genealogy. He includes the names of four women in Jesus’ family tree. This was most unusual, but it pointed to the truth that women and men, boys and girls, are all equally precious in the sight of God.

The first woman, mentioned here in Matthew 1:3, is Tamar. Now if you are going to leave any woman out of the limelight—out of the lineage of Jesus—it is going to be Tamar. Back in Genesis 38, she married into the line of Judah. Her husband, the son of Judah, had died, and she was desperate to carry on the family line and have a child. She ended up dressing like a pagan temple prostitute and going out to where her father-in-law, Judah (one of the twelve sons of Jacob) was shearing his sheep. Not recognizing Tamar, Judah had relations with her, and she conceived and bore twin sons.

Imagine the grace of God in choosing to continue the Messiah’s line through Tamar and Judah. If I were God, I probably would have switched the royal line from Judah to Levi or Benjamin, but the messianic line from which Jesus descended continued through the oldest twin boy of Tamar and Judah.

Now the second woman in Matthew’s genealogy, in verse 5, is Rahab. Rahab was a little like Tamar, but unlike Tamar, prostitution was Rahab’s profession. She ran a brothel in her home on the wall of Jericho. But she renounced her pagan idolatry and became a follower of the God of Israel. When the walls of Jericho came tumbling down, she was rescued. She went on to marry a Hebrew man, who just happened to be in the royal lineage of Jesus.

The third woman in the genealogy is also listed in verse 5: Ruth. Ruth was a pagan Moabite. The wicked history of the Moabites now intersects the genealogy of the Messiah.

The Moabites were the result of incest between Lot and his unmarried daughter. In fact, both of Lot’s daughters wanted to have a child but were not married; and after God judged Sodom and Gomorrah, their hometown region, they had no prospects for a husband. So, they got their father drunk to the point that he had relations with them, and they conceived. The oldest daughter had a son she named Moab. From the other daughter’s son came the Ammonites.

The Moabites and the Ammonites became bitter enemies of the Israelites. In fact, Deuteronomy 23:3 tells us that no Ammonite or Moabite was to enter the assembly of the Lord. Well, that is going to be a problem here for Ruth, right? No. You might know that Ruth left her idolatrous nation behind. She followed Israel’s God and ended up marrying the Israelite Boaz; so, a former idolater and pagan Moabite joined the royal family line. Ruth became the grandmother of King David and part of the lineage of David’s descendant, Jesus Christ.

In verse 6 we find the fourth woman in this genealogy, even though she is not mentioned by her name, Bathsheba.

We read here, “Jesse [was] the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah.” Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah. This is probably one of the darkest events in Israel’s past. It involved adultery, murder, and deception. Oh, don’t bring this up—you need to cover it up. This is not going to look good in the genealogy of Jesus. You should just leave this out of His family history.

This reminds me of the wealthy, high-society woman who wrote to a well-known author and asked him to write a book on the genealogy of her family. He agreed and began to compile the facts about the woman’s family. In the process, he discovered that one of her ancestors had been a murderer and was executed in the electric chair in the famous Sing Sing prison. He told her about it and said, “I’m an honest author, and I’m going to include this in your family history—your genealogy.”

She begged him not to include it. But he insisted on doing so. Finally, she said, “If you must include it, please write it in such a way that the truth that he was electrocuted at Sing Sing prison be somewhat hidden.”

He agreed and ended up writing, “One relative occupied the chair of applied electricity in one of America’s best-known institutions. He was very much attached to his position and died in the harness.”

Well, that story is no doubt fiction. But it does represent the way we think. We need to keep certain things about our family history quiet.

But here in verse 6, the Lord actually brings it into the spotlight. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba, who had been the wife of Uriah.

Our Lord gets it out into the open. Why? Is it because God doesn’t care about sin? No, it is because God does care about sin. He sees every sin and ever sinner. Nothing is hidden from His sight.

An angel is going to show up later in this chapter and tell Joseph, “[Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (verse 21). You see, right here in the opening lines of the New Testament, God is effectively saying, “The world is full of sinners—and that is who Jesus came to save.”

And here is more good news: If Jesus is not ashamed of His ancestors, He is not going to be ashamed of His spiritual descendants—and that is you and me. This genealogy is an announcement of the grace of God.

It does not matter who you are or what you have done; if you have believed in Jesus Christ, your name has been included in the Lamb’s Book of Life. That is the Lord’s family tree, and you are included—a spiritual descendant and member of the family of God—by faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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When the Will of God Turns Life Upside Down Luke 1:1-38

So far in our Wisdom Journey in the Gospels, we have studied the realities of Jesus’ life prior to His birth; and we noted the unusual declaration of grace in the women Matthew included in Jesus’ human genealogy. Now it is time to slip over to the beginning of Luke’s Gospel and listen in on two separate angelic announcements. And these angels and their announcements are going to turn some lives upside down.

Luke says at the outset of his Gospel that he is presenting an “orderly account” of Christ’s life and work (verse 3). He is not an eyewitness to the events, but he has done the research and had personal interviews with eyewitnesses and apostles; and God’s Spirit has inspired him—guided him—in writing this account for a prominent Gentile named Theophilus.

In fact, Luke tells us why his Gospel account has been written—so that Theophilus might “have certainty concerning the things [he] has been taught” (verse 4). By the way, Theophilus is the same man to whom the book of Acts is addressed; so, the Gospel of Luke is volume 1, and the book of Acts is volume 2. Both are written by Dr. Luke.

Now with that, Luke records this first unusual visitation. An angel is about to appear to an old priest named Zechariah, who, we are told in verse 5, served “in the days of Herod, king of Judea.” This was Herod the Great, a wicked and paranoid ruler who was insanely jealous of his power and his favorite title, “King of the Jews.”

To win Jewish approval, Herod expanded and beautified the temple in Jerusalem. Writing in the first century, Josephus the historian, described the temple as a magnificent building made of stone, much of it covered with “massive plates of solid gold.” He said the rising sun reflected off that gold with such brilliance that you would have to cover your eyes.[6]

At this time, verse 5 says, “There was a priest named Zechariah . . . and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.”

Luke describes this godly couple in verses 6-7:

And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

Their lack of a child would have been viewed in those days as a mark of God’s displeasure, perhaps over some unconfessed sin in their lives. But this was not the case. Their childlessness clearly was not because of sin; it was a part of God’s plan.

While Zechariah is serving at the temple, he is “chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense” (verse 9). Many priests never even made it inside the Holy Place, where the bread and the candelabra and the altar of incense were located. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him.

Verse 10 tells us, “The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.” Zechariah enters the Holy Place, just outside the Holy of Holies, and I can imagine him, with trembling old hands, sprinkling incense over the coals of the altar as the sweet-smelling smoke begins to rise. Then, suddenly, Zechariah realizes he is not alone in there.

Verses 11-12 record, “There appeared to him an angel of the Lord . . . And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.”

I can imagine! The angel speaks in verse 13:

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”

Not only is Zechariah and his wife going to have a baby boy, but also their son’s future ministry will be “to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (verse 17).

Zechariah’s immediate response is not “Hallelujah” but “How?” “How shall I know this?” he asks (verse 18). In other words, “This is unbelievable! Can you give me some proof that God will do this?”

Just as Abraham and Sarah of old did not believe God could produce through them the forefather of the Messiah, Zechariah did not believe God could produce through him and Elizabeth the forerunner of the Messiah.

The angel answers in verse 19, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God.” This is another way of saying, “What more do you need to prove God’s word? You have an angel standing in front of you who has come from God’s presence. But if you want more proof, here it is”—verse 20:

“[Zechariah,] You will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

We know from history, that it was the custom of the priest to offer this incense and then come out and stand on the porch and give a blessing to the people. But Zechariah cannot speak. In fact, he will not be able to talk for the next nine months.[7]

Can you imagine his frustration? He has news from God, yet he cannot say a word. Well, this gets Zechariah’s attention and his wife’s attention as well—and it develops their faith in the word of God.

Meanwhile, the angel Gabriel is about to turn the lives of another couple upside down. We read in verse 26:

In the sixth month [that is, of Elizabeth’s pregnancy], the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

Gabriel greets Mary in the name of the Lord and then gets right to the point:

“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (verses 31-33)

There can be no doubt in Mary’s mind that this child is the promised Messiah. He will fulfill the Davidic covenant of 2 Samuel 7:16, reigning as king forever. He is uniquely God’s Son and will be named Jesus, which means, “The Lord Saves.”

Mary staggers under the weight of this news. Notice Luke 1:34: “Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’” And the angel answers in verse 35:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”

The Greek word for “overshadow” here is used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament for the overshadowing presence of God in the Holy of Holies. Gabriel now goes on to tell Mary that her relative Elizabeth is also pregnant in her old age, which is another proof, Gabriel says, that “nothing will be impossible with God” (verse 37).

Mary responds with great faith and trust in verse 38, as she says in total surrender, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

This was no ordinary surrender. Mary and, later, Joseph are both going to have to reveal that she is now carrying a child—and it is not Joseph’s. And they are not even married officially yet. In surrendering to the will of God, they both will experience ridicule and slander and suffering.

Maybe following the will of God right now is bringing difficulty and suffering upon you, maybe slander and ridicule. Let us all say to the Lord, even today, “I am Your servant, Lord. Do as You please with my life. I surrender to You.”

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The Songs of Surrendered Hearts Luke 1:39-80

At the close of our last study, Mary, who was engaged to Joseph, had just heard from the angel Gabriel. He told her that although she was a virgin, she would conceive miraculously and bear the long-awaited Messiah.

Gabriel then informed Mary that her elderly relative Elizabeth was six months pregnant—and equally surprised by God’s plan. If anybody would understand Mary’s predicament, it would be Elizabeth.

So, Luke 1:39, tells us that Mary makes her way to the home of Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah in the hill country, which was at least three days’ journey away. I have often wondered at this point in the drama, What did Mary tell her family? What did she tell Joseph? And, of course, we do not know.

Well, as soon as Mary arrives, Elizabeth’s unborn son leaps in her womb, verse 41 records. Elizabeth blesses Mary, and the two are able to enjoy the fellowship that only the mothers of two miraculous babies could enjoy.

Mary then begins to sing a song she must have been composing during her three-day journey. Let’s look at the ways she praises God in her song, which begins in verse 46.

Mary praises God for her salvation. Do not ever forget that like all of humanity, Mary needed the Lord’s salvation. She was not born without sin; she, too, is in need of a Savior. She sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (verses 46-47).

Mary praises God for her unique testimony, saying in verse 48, “He has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.” Mary is not saying all generations are going to pray to her or depend upon her. She is saying that people are going to realize for generations how blessed she was to be chosen for this unique assignment from the Lord.

Mary goes on to praise God for displaying His power in a number of different ways. She says He “has scattered the proud” (verse 51); “brought down the mighty from their thrones” (verse 52); “filled the hungry” (verse 53); and “helped his servant Israel” (verse 54), just as He promised He would.

Beloved, if you study this hymn closely, you will find that almost all of it comes directly from the Old Testament Scriptures. Mary clearly had memorized many passages of the Old Testament she had been taught as a child. She had anchored her heart to the Word of God. Now she sings of God’s power to save those who come to Him in faith, trusting in Him alone.

Do not overlook the fact that this is not the easiest time in Mary’s life to be singing. Her life has suddenly changed course and will never be the same. You might have noticed that this song does not say anything about life back in Nazareth. It does not provide an immediate escape from the scandal she is going to live through and the confusion and pain she will bring to the heart of Joseph, who will soon make plans to leave her.

But what she is doing is what you might need to do, perhaps even today. Don’t focus on the suffering and difficulty; focus on God your Savior to whom you surrender your life, one day at a time.

Verse 56 tells us “Mary remained with [Elizabeth] about three months, and returned to her home.” I can just imagine the sweet fellowship Mary, Elizabeth, and the old priest Zechariah had together over the course of those three months.

Now, as Mary goes home, Elizabeth goes into labor and gives birth to her son. Verse 58 tells us Zechariah and Elizabeth and their baby boy are now neighborhood celebrities. In fact, when the time for naming the boy arrives—on the eighth day—the neighbors all gather to celebrate Zechariah’s namesake, since surely he will name the boy after himself—little Zechariah Jr. But Elizabeth insists he is to be named John, as the angel Gabriel had instructed Zechariah. Now remember, Zechariah has not been able to speak a word since he doubted the word of God from Gabriel.

So, Zechariah asks for a writing tablet and writes, “His name is John” (verse 63). And all the neighbors wonder what in the world is going on.

As soon as Zechariah writes these words, announcing the name, his mouth is opened, and he begins praising God. The poetic form here indicates he is now singing—or more likely chanting, as the priests did in that day. He has been working on the lyrics to this song for several months!

There are four stanzas to Zechariah’s song. The first stanza is about Israel’s salvation, and it covers verses 68 through 71. Zechariah sings:

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.” (verses 68-69)

The second stanza, verses 72 through 75, is about God’s sovereignty. God has sovereignly worked through the centuries to bring about in the coming Messiah the fulfillment of His promise, or “oath”—namely, His covenant with Abraham.

In the third stanza Zechariah turns and now starts singing to his newborn son:

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins.” (verses 76-77)

Imagine this scene. There has not been an ordained prophet in Israel for 400 years. But now Zechariah is holding a prophet in his arms. John the Baptist, as he will be called one day, will call the nation of Israel to repentance and introduce the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The closing stanza of Zechariah’s song is about the Savior. He sings, “The sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness” (verses 78-79).

Wow! What a great name for the Savior. He is the Sunrise! He is coming “to give light to those who sit in darkness.”

These truths Zechariah sings about will shape John’s life. Verse 80 records this:

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Before we close, I want to tell you the meaning of the names of this little family. Zechariah means “God remembers.” Elizabeth means “the promise of God.” And John means “the grace of God.” If you put their names together, you have a pretty good summary of the gospel of Christ: God remembers His promise and delivers to mankind His amazing grace.

Beloved, God does not remember only His promises; He also remembers you. God has not become so busy in this twenty-first century that He is not aware of you. Oh, He knows where you are; He knows what His will means for your life; He hears every prayer request you make.

As Mary, Zechariah, Elizabeth, and now little baby John will learn, the will of God is going to bring them joy, but also sorrow, difficulty, and pain. Maybe right now you need to whisper to the Lord in prayer:

“Lord, your will for my life is not easy—right now it’s hard. You haven’t given me all the answers yet, but You have given me salvation. Lord, You are indeed the Sunrise. You brought me out of darkness into the light of truth and forgiveness. So, help me to be a little more like Mary today, surrendering to Your will even though it might be difficult and even confusing at times. And help me to sing words of praise like Zechariah, a man who had doubted your word. Help me to sing of Your amazing grace.”

Let’s sing the songs of surrendered hearts today.

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The Wedding That Never Happened Matthew 1:18-25

To the average person on the street, the mention of Joseph’s name in relation to the birth of Jesus usually brings out feelings of pity. The poor guy got engaged to the girl he loved, planned to get married, have children, expand his carpentry business, and—wham! Out of left field comes news that will turn his world upside down. There will never be a wedding—for either Joseph or Mary.

The average person thinks of Joseph as a man who is barely willing to participate in this terrible development that is deeply confusing. He is now thrust into the spotlight of human history for a brief moment—and then he is gone.

Have you ever noticed the typical nativity play at Christmastime? A little boy portraying Joseph comes out on stage, leading a couple of kids dressed up like a donkey. Joseph knocks on the innkeeper’s door, and asks, “Is there any room?” Then he might have a couple of lines in the stable, and that is about it.

The truth is, Joseph was an incredibly faithful, godly man, who actually embraced the incarnation of Jesus Christ with his entire life. He is an overlooked model of humility and integrity, and as such he is worth a closer look in our Wisdom Journey together.

Now if Joseph and Mary were the typical ages of young people who wed in the first-century Jewish community, Joseph would have been around eighteen to twenty years old, and Mary probably would have been around the age of sixteen.[8] By the way, don’t ever think that God cannot use young people to accomplish great things for His name.

The next events that occur chronologically—and that is how we are studying the Gospels together—take us to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 1, and verse 18:

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Listen, supernatural though it was, to understand the devastating blow of Mary’s pregnancy to Joseph, we need to understand something about the three stages of a Jewish wedding.

Engagement was the first stage, and it was actually arranged by the parents while the children were younger. Parents in that day normally picked the spouses of their children.

The young people typically did not meet until the second stage, which was called betrothal, or kiddushin. This stage lasted a year, giving time for the groom to build a house—typically built onto his father’s house. During this time, the bride prepared and collected the things she would need to become a homemaker.

During kiddushin the couple were legally married but did not live together. The only way out of a betrothal was death or divorce. In fact, had Joseph died during the betrothal period, Mary would have been considered a widow in those days. And of course, sexual purity during this time was expected.

Joseph is anticipating the third and final stage, called huppah, which was the actual wedding ceremony. This ceremony involved several days of feasting and celebrating the goodness of God in establishing another household of faith. At the completion of the wedding celebration, the groom took his bride to his house.

Now try to understand the devastation to Joseph here in Matthew 1:18 where, again we read, “She was found to be with child.” He knows this Child is not his. He is taken aback by what this must mean about the girl he thought he knew. What is he supposed to do now?

Well, verse 19 tells us: “Her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” Notice the reminder here of Joseph and Mary’s legally binding relationship: Joseph is called “her husband.” Infidelity during the betrothal period was considered adultery.

Joseph is a “just man”; he wants to do the right thing, and if Mary were guilty of adultery, it would be perfectly right for him to make a public accusation and end their betrothal. But Joseph also loves Mary. So, he decides to quietly break off the betrothal without any public humiliation for Mary, even though a public charge would have vindicated his own reputation.

Let me tell you, Joseph is surrendering his personal pride. But Joseph is going to have to surrender more than his pride; he is also about to surrender his privacy. Verse 20 says:

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

With this announcement of a supernatural conception, Joseph knows he is about to be thrust into the public spotlight. He was going to put all of this aside quietly, privately; but now that he knows Mary has miraculously conceived through the work of the Holy Spirit the long-awaited Messiah of Israel, and Joseph is to be an earthly father to Him, there is no more quiet life.

Think about it: shortly after his adopted Son’s birth, angels will light up the sky announcing Him, shepherds will unexpectedly show up to see Him, and wise men from Persia will arrive to worship Him. Joseph and Mary will soon have to flee their home, as Herod tries to find Him—this baby who has been given Herod’s favorite title, “King of the Jews.”

Joseph could not have imagined all that, but he at least knows at this moment that raising the Messiah will pull him from the shadows of obscurity. If he obeys this angel’s message from God and takes his pregnant fiancé as his wife, effectively skipping the wedding ceremony, he knows his life will never be the same again.

There’s a cost to his obedience. He must sacrifice his pride and his privacy. I wonder, beloved, what God might be asking you to surrender today, for the sake of His Son.

Joseph surrenders one more thing—I’ll call it his personal priorities. In verse 21, the angel tells Joseph, “[Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” The birth of this Child, the angel says, is in fulfillment of that great prophecy of Isaiah that the virgin will conceive and bear a son (Isaiah 7:14).

God is calling Joseph to exchange his priorities—namely, a typical marriage and home and career—for God’s priorities. There is a baby who is going to need a father.

As we dive a little deeper into this scene and into the life of Joseph, two things become pretty clear. First is that surrendering to God is going to require some changes in our lives. We do not know exactly what they might be because we cannot see around the corner, and the Christian life is full of corners.

Second, surrendering our life to God does not require experience, just obedience. How many giants did little David kill before he stood in front of Goliath? None. How many Messiahs had Joseph raised before kneeling over that manger in Bethlehem? None. Beloved, God isn’t looking for people with experience but readiness, willingness!

The most significant moment here in Matthew 1—at least to the life of this man Joseph—is recorded in verse 24: “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.”

Wow—he did it. Joseph obeyed the Lord. Just don’t forget, it will crush his pride, it will cost him a quiet life, and it will change his priorities. The typical, expected wedding and the celebration never happened.

Joseph’s response to God was essentially to say the same thing his adopted Son, Jesus, will one day say: “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

The Perfect Timing of God Luke 2:1-20

Several years before the birth of Christ, Halley’s Comet blazed across the night sky. Caesar Augustus announced that it was the spirit of his father, Julius Caesar, ascending into heaven as one of the gods.[9] Augustus then minted coins declaring his own deity, with the words inscribed on the coins: “Caesar, Son of a God.”[10]

Now as Luke begins his record of the birth of Jesus, it’s as if he is saying, “Listen, if you think what matters most is whatever Caesar Augustus is doing over there in Rome, you have actually missed it by 1500 miles. What is of infinitely greater importance is what is taking place in a little village called Nazareth.”

Luke writes in chapter 2 of his Gospel:

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. (verses 1-2)

Now it sounds like these guys are in charge, but Luke is going to take us behind the scenes. Mary and Joseph are expecting a baby, Israel’s promised Messiah. They are living in Nazareth, but the prophet Micah predicted 700 years earlier that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, near Jerusalem (Micah 5:2).

How do you get this young couple to travel some ninety miles to Bethlehem, especially when Mary is due to deliver her baby? Well, God, the person who is really in charge, moves the heart of Caesar to make him hungry for some more tax revenue. Caesar wakes up one morning with a bright idea to issue a decree for a census, registering people for an empire-wide tax. This will require heads of households to return to their families’ ancestral homes to register, and Joseph’s ancestral home is Bethlehem.

For Joseph and Mary, this could not have happened at a worse time. Maybe you have come to a point in your life where you are feeling like life is confusing. It doesn’t make any sense, and you are wondering what in the world God is doing. You might not have all the answers, but you can rest assured that God has not gone to sleep. In fact, the psalmist wrote in Psalm 121:4 that our God never slumbers or sleeps. He is always aware and in control. Now if God does not sleep at night, do you know what that means? It means you can go to sleep in peace.

It is easy to get distraught or distracted by the decrees and decisions of kings and governors and senators. But God is at work, accomplishing His purposes, and we usually do not catch on until sometime later!

Well, this trip, though it’s the will of God for Joseph and Mary, is going to make their lives uncomfortable, difficult, and even dangerous. But let’s not forget that Joseph and Mary are not pawns in the hand of Caesar; Caesar is a pawn in the hand of God.

We know from history that wives were not required to accompany their husbands. We are not told why Mary went along, but she no doubt welcomed the opportunity to get out of Nazareth and escape the scandal of her pregnancy. Probably nobody believed her story of a miraculous conception by the overshadowing presence of the Holy Spirit.

When they arrive in Bethlehem, we are not told if Mary delivered Jesus in a hollowed-out cave or an animal enclosure connected to someone’s house. There is actually no mention of an innkeeper who turns them away; verse 7 just says there was no room for them in the inn.

Verse 7 also tells us that Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling cloths by herself. That was usually the role of a midwife and implies there was no midwife there to help.[11] This baby is delivered into the calloused hands of Joseph.

Luke is not telling us everything. However, he is giving us enough details to show us the absolute humility of Christ’s incarnation, the amazing fulfillment of prophecy in Bethlehem, and the timing of God, which was perfect.

Luke writes in verses 8-10:

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

By the way, this phrase “I bring you good news” is from the Greek verb euangelizomai, which gives us our word evangelism. In the first century, this verb was used of a messenger delivering an official proclamation from the king. It was even used for announcing the birth of a royal heir.[12]

Here is the angel’s proclamation:

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (verses 11-12)

This angel is now joined by a multitude of angels—chanting a chorus of praise. I imagine the ground under the shepherds’ feet was shaking with the sound of this heavenly choir saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” (verse 14).

Jewish couples would typically hire local musicians to help them celebrate the birth of a child. Joseph and Mary are alone and away from family, and they are too poor anyway to afford musicians. I love the fact that God the Father sends the musicians directly from heaven.

When the concert is finished, and the angels disappear, the shepherds take off for Bethlehem:

They went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. (verses 16-18)

God’s ways are truly fascinating. According to the Mishnah, a collection of Jewish laws and customs, shepherds were considered perpetually unclean—they could not keep all the ceremonial laws because of their profession. Shepherds were not even allowed to enter the temple, yet God chose them to become the first evangelists.

Some people probably thought the shepherds had spent too much time outdoors. Other people no doubt asked questions. We are told in verse 19 that “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

These shepherds’ lives are changed forever. They don’t change their profession, but God certainly changed their hearts. Verse 20 says they continued “glorifying and praising God.” I do not doubt they are probably singing the lyrics they had just learned from the angels of heaven.

By the way, we ought to follow the example of these shepherds—let’s keep singing about the glory and gospel of God. And let’s tell others the good news!

You say, “But I’m not trained in evangelism.” Listen, beloved, as someone has said, you do not need to be a trained chef to tell someone you found a good restaurant. You do not need to go to medical school to tell someone you found a good doctor.[13] And you do not need seminary training to tell someone you found the Savior.

Several years after this scene in Luke 2, seventy-six-year-old Caesar Augustus developed pneumonia and died. This man who called himself the Savior of the World and the son of God passed away.[14]

Jesus would have been around eighteen years of age at the time. I cannot help but wonder when He heard the news if He quietly reflected on the truth that kings and kingdoms come and go. They seem to be the ones in power, but God alone rules the universe.

I wonder if He reflected on the truth that He alone is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He is the Savior, but let me ask you this: Is He your Savior today?

Mary Brought Her Little Lamb Luke 2:21-40

In this Wisdom Journey, I want to step back for a moment and look at three events that took place during the infancy of Jesus. We are not given a lot of information, but I want to take a closer look with you at what we have been given. I think it will challenge our hearts even more as we watch the surrender and trust demonstrated by Joseph and Mary.

We will continue in the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, where some special ceremonies are taking place. Look at verse 21:

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

I’d like to call this the ceremony of identification.

In that day every Jewish baby boy would be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth—that is, if the baby’s parents cared about the Word of God. Circumcision was commanded back in Genesis 17. It brought the boy into the national life of the Hebrew people and identified him with Abraham’s family. Circumcision was not a medical procedure as much as it was a statement of faith in the Abrahamic covenant.

During this simple ceremony, the parents would announce the name of the child. Here Luke says He was called, Jesus, which means, “the Lord saves” (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31).

Now keep in mind that Joseph and Mary are living under a cloud of suspicion. Frankly, they will never be viewed by the Jewish community as obedient children of Abraham because their child was conceived out of wedlock—and people certainly did not believe this angel story of Holy Spirit conception. Even still, Mary and Joseph identified their son with the Jewish family through circumcision.

Next, there’s another ceremony, and I want to call this one the ceremony of redemption. Luke writes in verse 22: “When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” At the time Mary comes for purification, following her delivery of a baby, they also “present [Jesus] to the Lord.”

As verse 23 says, the firstborn “shall be called holy to the Lord.” They belonged to Him in a unique way because of His protection of the firstborn from the final plague of Egypt. (See Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16; Numbers 18:15-16). So, Joseph and Mary travel to Jerusalem and pay the redemption price of five shekels to the priest. They are ceremonially buying Him back, or redeeming Him, from temple service—a ceremony that acknowledged God’s ownership of the family line of Israel.

The third ceremony is the ceremony of purification. According to Leviticus chapter 12, after giving birth to a male child, the mother was ceremonially unclean for forty days. At the end of that period, she was to present an offering for her purification. The typical offering was a lamb, but if the couple were poor and could not afford to bring a lamb, they could offer to the priest a couple of birds instead. We are told in verse 24 that they brought “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

Mary’s sacrifice is not for Jesus or Joseph but for herself. Bearing the sinless Son of God did not make her sinless. According to the law, following childbirth, she was ceremonially unclean and could not go near the temple for forty days. After that time, she was to bring this offering.

When she arrived, she would have been ushered over to the gate nearest the sanctuary, just beyond the Court of Women. Mary would have presented her two little birds to the priest and then watched, probably with baby Jesus in her arms and Joseph standing there as well. Then, from a distance, she would see the smoke of this offering ascending to God. Imagine, she could not bring a lamb, but she was holding the Lamb of God—the final sacrifice for all uncleanness and sin for those who believe in Him.

Now Joseph and Mary might have slipped away from the temple unnoticed, but God the Father had two people there that day to testify that the Messiah had come.

One is Simeon, whom Luke describes in 25 as “righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation [the advocate] of Israel.” Some scholars believe Simeon was the son of the famous rabbi Hillel and the father of Gamaliel, who would later become the tutor of the apostle Paul. This Simeon became the leading member of the Sanhedrin in AD 13. I think it is interesting that the Jewish commentary called the Mishnah, which relates stories of all the great rabbis makes no mention of Simeon. I imagine that is because his faith in Jesus Christ would have been an embarrassment to them.[15]

It is ironic that Simeon’s name means, “hearing,” for He was listening to God. In fact, verse 26 informs us that the Spirit of God had promised him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. As one author pictures it, Simeon has been coming to the temple all these years, looking at all the babies, thinking, Is this the one? Maybe that’s the child? I wonder if he’s the Messiah.[16]

There’s no telling how many times Simeon had been disappointed, but now he meets Joseph and Mary. The Spirit of God informs Simeon that their little boy Jesus is indeed the Messiah:

And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God. (verses 27-28)

This is the one!

That gets the attention of somebody else there at the temple, an eighty-four-year-old widow and prophetess named Anna. For decades she had spent her days, waiting and praying for the Messiah. She comes up to Mary and Joseph, recognizes Jesus for who He is, and begins telling everybody that the Redeemer has arrived.

I can imagine that this becomes a place of joy—and noisy commotion. It must have created quite a disturbance on the temple grounds. There stands Simeon, holding the newborn. He says in verse 29, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word.”

Why? Note further his words in:

“My eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (verses 30-32)

So, look at all these people here: Joseph, Mary, Anna, a curious crowd, and Simeon holding the baby in his arms, no doubt with tears running down his cheeks. And undoubtedly, the priests are still going about their duties, and the people are bringing sacrifices and milling around; and in the middle of it all is the Lamb of God—the final sacrifice for sin.

With that, Luke writes this:

And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (verses 39-40)

Even here as a baby, He has been introduced by Simeon and Anna as the Redeemer. Old Simeon has lifted Jesus up in his arms and announced, “I have seen the Savior with my own eyes. Now I can die in peace.”

Beloved, there’s truth in that statement for you and me today. We are not ready to die until we have seen, by faith, the Savior. We are not ready to walk through the valley of the shadow of death until we have trusted in Jesus, the Light of the World, the Savior for all who will believe in Him.

The Kingmakers Come Calling Matthew 2

If I were to ask, “How many wise men visited Jesus in Bethlehem?” most people would answer, “Three.” If I asked when they arrived, most people would say, “Well, they came to the stable to worship the baby Jesus right after He was born.”

What if I told you that neither one of those answers is true? Let us look at what the Gospel accounts actually tell us about what happened next.

The Gospel of Luke tells us that sometime after Jesus’ birth and the family’s appearance at the temple forty days later, Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth in Galilee. Luke writes in chapter 2, and verse 40, “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.”

These words summarize the childhood of Jesus. But Matthew chapter 2 fills in some details prior to His growing up in Nazareth. Matthew writes in verses 1-2:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 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.”

These “wise men,” or magi, are from Persia. The magi were the university professors of the sciences, languages, and mathematics. They were also associated with pagan astrology and magic—magi and magic come from the same word. These men tutored the royal sons—in fact no one could ascend the throne without receiving the blessing of the magi. They were the kingmakers of Persia.

Matthew tells us they come looking for the newborn “king of the Jews.” They have seen “his star” and followed it to Jerusalem, before evidently losing sight of it.

The word here for “star” (astēr) can be translated “brightness.” This was no ordinary star—and I realize saying that is going to ruin a lot of Christmas cards. This was a brilliant light in the sky that was obviously supernatural.

This was the same light that had guided the people of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21). This was the light that made the face of Moses glow after he had met with God (Exodus 34:30). This was the brilliant light that knocked Saul to the ground on the Damascus road in Acts 9.

This “star” was none other than the shekinah glory of God. And that, by the way, explains how it appeared and then disappeared when the magi arrived in Jerusalem, forcing them to ask Herod for directions.

We are not told exactly how the wise men connected this brilliant light with the birth of Israel’s Royal Messiah. But we do know that five hundred years earlier the leading wise man in Babylon and Persia did not practice magic. He was a Jewish man named Daniel. He and the other exiles had the Old Testament Scriptures available to them.

I can imagine Daniel holding a Bible study for his fellow magi and taking them to messianic prophecies like the one in Numbers 24:17, written centuries earlier: “A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.” In other words, the royal King, the Messiah, will be like a star rising in the land of Israel.

Daniel would have studied the prophecy of Isaiah 60, where we read, “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (verse 3); and “They shall bring gold and frankincense, and . . . the praises of the Lord” (verse 6).

The King will be like the brilliance of a rising star. In Revelation 22:16, Jesus Christ is referred to as “the bright morning star.”

Beloved, these particular magi are spiritual descendants of Daniel, part of generations of believers who have been looking for the sign of the Messiah. And now they have seen it—the rising of the star over the land of Israel.

As you can imagine, Herod is “troubled” by these magi and their announcement of this newborn King of the Jews (Matthew 2:3). He is not about to share his throne with anybody.

In fact, we are told that “all Jerusalem [was troubled] with him.” This is front-page news. Herod asks the Jewish leaders where the Messiah was to be born, and they know. They quote the prophet Micah, who names Bethlehem as the place where Israel’s ruler and shepherd would be born (Micah 5:2). So, Herod sends them on to Bethlehem to find the Child and report back to him, claiming he wants to worship Him as well.

As the magi set out for Bethlehem, just a few miles away, the star—this shining light—reappears. Matthew writes that the star “went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was” (verse 9).

Was that place a stable and a manger? No. Matthew writes, “Going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother” (verse 11). The typical word for a baby is brephos, but Matthew uses the word paidion, the word for a young child—a toddler.

The wise men then present to Jesus three kinds of gifts. This does not necessarily mean there were only three wise men. We are never given the exact number. I believe there could have been a sizeable number of wise men, with plenty of Persian soldiers to guard them and the treasures they brought.

Gold was a gift for a king, frankincense was used by the priests in temple worship, and myrrh was often mixed with water and used in preparing the bodies of the deceased for burial. Beloved, the gift of gold pointed to the fact that Jesus is a King, frankincense pointed to the fact that He is our High Priest, and myrrh pointed to the fact that He came to die for us.

We read in verse 12 that the magi are “warned in a dream not to return to Herod.” We are also told in verse 13 that an angel appears to Joseph in a dream instructing him to get up and pack up his family immediately and “flee to Egypt . . . for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

Joseph and Mary safely make it to Egypt with their little boy. And verse 15 explains that this will fulfill the messianic declaration of the prophet Hosea centuries earlier, “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Hosea 11:1). God the Father’s plan all along was to call His Son out of Egypt, alive and well. And let me tell you, no power in the universe can alter God’s plan—including a paranoid, little king named Herod.

And what about all that gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Well, that is going to cover all of Joseph’s expenses in taking care of his family while hiding out from Herod in Egypt.

Then we read this in verses 19-20:

When Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel.”

Verse 23 records Joseph’s response:

He went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Every detail was planned. Nothing was left unattended by the Lord. Beloved, you have no reason to believe that God cares any less about you. The truth is, He loves you just as much as He loves His Son. The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 2:4 that God is rich in mercy because of the great love He has for us.

So, no matter what your circumstances might be today—difficult, dangerous, discouraging—you can trust the Lord’s care for you and His attention to details. Even if it seems like He is taking you to Egypt and back, you will be safely kept in the palm of His almighty hand.

The First Recorded Words of Jesus Luke 2:41-52

In the Jewish culture, every calendar hanging on the wall, so to speak, had a circle around the seven days that marked the Feast of Passover. Jewish law required all the men, from the age of thirteen and up, to attend three annual feasts in Jerusalem: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.

Allowances were made for men who lived far away to attend only one of the three, and Passover was typically the favored feast.[17] It is at this very moment in the Jewish calendar, which would have been late March or early April, that Luke gives us a glimpse into the boyhood of Jesus.

Our Wisdom Journey brings us again to the Gospel of Luke, where we read this in chapter 2:

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. (verses 41-42)

This verse acts like a window into the home of Joseph and Mary, through which we can see their devotion to God. Jewish law allowed any Jewish male who lived beyond fifteen miles of Jerusalem to celebrate Passover in his own village and not have to make a long and expensive journey.[18]

Nazareth was about sixty-five miles north of Jerusalem, so Joseph is well outside that fifteen-mile perimeter. And by the way, the law did not require women to make the journey to any of these feasts in Jerusalem.

With that in mind, let us go back and read verse 41 again: “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.” They went every single year. They did not want to miss this opportunity to worship God, as a family, in the city of Jerusalem.

Now this particular year is significant because Luke tells us Jesus is twelve years old. He is just months away from full membership in the synagogue. The modern custom recognizing this milestone is called a bar mitzvah. Bar mitzvah means “son of the law,” or “son of the commandment.” At age thirteen, the boy becomes a son of the law, which means he is responsible to keep the law for himself.[19]

So, here comes twelve-year-old Jesus and His parents to follow their annual commitment of celebrating Passover. This annual feast celebrated the atoning work of God through the Passover lamb, when God delivered the Israelites from Egypt centuries earlier.

Note the irony here—Joseph and Mary are bringing the Deliverer to celebrate Israel’s earlier deliverance. They are bringing the final Passover Lamb with them to celebrate the sacrifice of these Passover lambs.

At Passover, Jerusalem would be packed with pilgrims and merchants. Joseph, Mary, and young Jesus would have gone to the stalls to choose their lamb. Perhaps Joseph let Jesus pick one out that year. One historical record indicates that more than 250,000 sheep may have been sacrificed in Jerusalem during the Passover festival.

Jesus would watch as his stepfather killed the lamb and a priest caught the blood in a silver or golden basin and then doused the foot of the altar with that lamb’s shed blood. Joseph would then have put that lamb over his shoulder, walked with Jesus and Mary to wherever they were staying, and prepared the meal. The night would end late, and many people would take to the streets for joyful reunions with family and friends. Others would wait for the opening of the doors at midnight on the temple mount, where they could go for prayer.[20]

The Passover celebration went on for an entire week. Most people would come for just two days, when the Passover meal would be eaten.[21] But not Joseph and Mary and young Jesus. Luke specifically tells us in verse 43, “They were returning, after spending the full number of days” (NASB). In other words, they stayed the entire week—they were not going to miss a moment of this.

And Jesus couldn’t get enough either, evidently, because He decided to stay behind:

Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey. (verse 43)

People traveled in caravans to and from these feasts. The women and children traveled in the front of the caravan, and the men traveled behind them to make sure no one got lost along the way. The two sections would meet in the evening as they prepared to camp out.

Joseph thought Jesus was with Mary, and Mary thought Jesus was with Joseph. That night they realized Jesus was not with either one of them. It finally hit them: “We left Jesus back there in Jerusalem!” Imagine, losing the Messiah!

I remember going out to eat with my family and some friends from church one Sunday; and because I got to church earlier on Sunday morning than my wife and children, she drove the minivan, and I drove my old pickup truck. When we got home from the restaurant, she said to me, “Where’s Seth?”—that was our six-year-old twin son. I said, “I thought he was with you,” and she said, “I thought he was with you.” I had left him at the restaurant. I raced back and found him sitting up on a stool, watching a ball game on a big screen. He didn’t miss me at all.

It’s one thing to lose one of our children at a restaurant, but can you imagine realizing you lost your child back there in the bustling city of Jerusalem? In fact, can you imagine searching for Him for three days, as verse 46 tells us? What a relief to Joseph and Mary to find Him at the temple:

[Jesus was] sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. (verses 46-47)

He had not missed them at all. We are not given any details about whom He stayed with and how He had food to eat; all we are told is that they found Him in the temple.

And Mary—a very typical mom—interrupts the question-and-answer session and says in verse 48: “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” Mary is a normal mother reacting liking a normal mother. “What in the world are You doing? Do You know what You’ve put us through?”

The response gives us the first recorded words of Jesus in verse 49: “And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’”

As one author puts it, this response seems to clearly indicate that at this point in his life, twelve-year-old Jesus is “fully conscious of His person, His relationship to His Father, and His mission.”[22] I can imagine the stunned silence that must have taken place after that statement.

With that, you might not expect what you read in verse 51: “And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them.” You might expect instead to read, “They went to Nazareth, and they subjected themselves to Him.”

But, no, Jesus still has a lot of growing up to do. He is the Son of God, but He is also fully human and under the authority of his earthly parents.

By the way, knowing who He was did not make Jesus proud or stubborn toward his ordinary, peasant parents. It did not make Him less obedient to them either; rather, it highlighted His obedience to them.

The same should be true of us as well. The fact that we belong to God as His children means our relationships with others should be marked by humility and grace. We know that God is our Father, by faith in His Son, and that should make us better spouses, better employees, more diligent students, and more gracious people.

Knowing we belong to Him should affect everything that belongs to us.

The Boyhood of Jesus Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:6-8

So far in our chronological study of the life of Christ combining the Gospel accounts, we’ve uncovered eight scenes relating to Jesus’ birth and childhood.

1. The first scene was His birth in a stable (Luke 2:7-20).

2. The second scene is when He was circumcised on the eighth day (Luke 2:21).

3. The third scene was a month later when Mary and Joseph took their baby boy to the temple to present Him to God (Luke 2:22-24).

4. The fourth scene is in a house in Bethlehem, nearly two years later when some wise men arrived from Persia, giving gifts to Jesus (Matthew 2:11-12).

5. Scene five opens with Joseph and his little family escaping to Egypt as King Herod tries to hunt them down (Matthew 2:13-15).

6. Scene number six shows them returning to Nazareth to live, following the death of Herod (Matthew 2:19-23).

7. Scene number seven finds twelve-year-old Jesus, asking and answering questions with the religious leaders in the temple. And in this scene, Jesus reveals He is fully conscious that He is God the Son (Luke 2:41-49).

8. Scene eight is the longest scene of all. It is going to last about eighteen years as Jesus grows from the age of twelve to around the age of thirty, when he begins His ministry (Luke 2:52).

And this eighth scene is silent. In fact, we are given only one brief verse that describes His boyhood—and that is Luke 2:52: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

Now some would say Jesus already had all the wisdom He needed, but that is not what Luke says here. In His humanity Jesus kept increasing in three areas: wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man.

Jesus is 100 percent divine, but we must remember, He is also 100 percent human. He will grow up like any other boy in Nazareth—from immaturity to maturity, from naivete to discernment, from doing things that are childish or even dangerous to becoming a wise young man.

That also means as a boy, Jesus would have caught a cold like everybody else; His nose ran, and He stubbed his toe and scraped his knees playing outside. He might have wanted to sleep in one morning, but He got up in obedience.

And there is the difference! Jesus never sinned. The Holy Spirit protected and guided Him safely and sinlessly through His boyhood years.

By the way, parents, keep in mind that there is a difference between being immature and being sinful. Being silly or dangerous as a child is not the same thing as sinning. And Jesus would have grown through all these stages too, as He matured.

And as He grew, He would fight temptation like any young man—but never fail once. The author of Hebrews writes, “In every respect [He] has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

He had—and has—a human nature and a divine nature in one person. This is the mystery of the incarnation. But we tend to forget He was 100 percent human and we think of Him as living some kind of superhero life.

In fact, that is how religious legends describe His childhood. Some early writers just could not stand the thought that He lived a normal human life. One legend says He fashioned clay birds and then breathed on them, giving them life. Other legends say He miraculously corrected mistakes Joseph made in the shop, He made trees bend down so His mother could pick the fruit, and other children in Nazareth would bow down to Him when He came out to play.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The children were not bowing down, and Mary was not getting any miraculous help with dinner. Jesus was the child of a carpenter in Nazareth, and they were ordinary peasants.

In fact, when, at about age thirty, Jesus preached His first sermon in His hometown and claimed to be the Messiah, people were so offended they tried to push Him off a cliff. Matthew records their response: “Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary?” (Matthew 13:55). In other words, “Who does He think He is?” Nobody was saying, “We knew it—we knew Jesus was special all along!”

For the previous eighteen years, Jesus had worked as an ordinary carpenter, learning from His stepfather, Joseph. We know from history that carpenters worked with stone, metal, and wood. They were the ones who made the plows used by farmers all around.

You might wonder if Jesus was a good carpenter. One early church father made the interesting statement that farmers in his day were still using plows Jesus had crafted a hundred years earlier.[23]

But now it is time for Jesus to leave His family and carpentry and begin announcing that He is the King of a coming kingdom. And this brings back into view the forerunner of Jesus—John the Baptizer. Luke records:

The child [John] grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel. (Luke 1:80)

John is about to break the silence of God. The last time God spoke to Israel, it was through the prophet Malachi some 400 years earlier. During those 400 years, the Jewish people had gained their independence for a while, but by John’s time, Rome ruled Israel.

John breaks the silence in Matthew 3:2, which gives the essence of his sermon: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

John’s Gospel, in chapter 1, introduces John the Baptist:

He came . . . to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light but came to bear witness about the light. (verses 7-8)

So, John the Baptist breaks God’s silence with good news, calling for repentance because the Light of the World has arrived.

Over in Matthew 3 again, John is identified as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight’” (verse 3). That is a quote of a prophecy in Isaiah 40:3. The point is this: If John is himself the fulfillment of prophetic Scriptures, then the nation of Israel had better listen to his announcement.

All four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—have John the Baptist’s ministry beginning in and around the Jordan River. He will call sinners to confess their sins and be baptized there in the Jordan as a sign of repentance.

Keep in mind we are still, effectively, in Old Testament times. The New Testament era actually begins with the creation of the church, following the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. So, John is an Old Testament prophet, and his baptism by immersion needs to be understood in Old Testament terms.

The word for baptize means “to dip or immerse.” It was a symbol of changing your identity and your relationships in life.[24] Back in Old Testament times, a Gentile who wanted to become a follower of Jehovah had to be circumcised, baptized by immersion, and begin living in obedience to the Mosaic law.

Now the fascinating thing about John’s baptism is that he is asking Jews to submit to it, not just Gentiles. The Pharisees and scribes would have been scandalized by such an offensive demand.

So, here comes the prophet John, wearing a camel-hair tunic, carrying a lunch box full of locusts and wild honey, and demanding that everybody who wants to follow God confess their sins and wade out into the Jordan River for baptism.

Listen, the ministry of John the Baptist was one of simply connecting people with the coming Messiah. He was the go-between; he was the messenger boy. And he is about to introduce the Savior of the world.

Resisting Temptation Like Jesus Matthew 3:13–4:11, Mark 1:9-13, Luke 3:21–4:13

As we set sail today, the Gospel accounts give us four important events that now take place in the life of Jesus. Out of the wilderness has come John the Baptist—this unique, courageous prophet of God, wearing a rough camel-hair tunic and, I imagine, a little locust and honey stuck to his beard. John’s been preaching a message of repentance to prepare the nation for their coming Messiah. The public ministry of Jesus is about to begin. But before it does, these four events take place.

We will call the first event identification. In Mark’s Gospel account, we read, “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan” (Mark 1:9). Matthew’s Gospel tells us that John was reluctant to baptize Jesus, but Jesus insisted (Matthew 3:15).

You might wonder why Jesus would be baptized since He had nothing to repent of. Well, the basic idea of baptism is identification. Those people who were being baptized were not only testifying to their repentance; they were also identifying with the coming Messiah. And so when Jesus is baptized here, He is also identifying with this believing remnant in Israel who are expecting the fulfillment of God’s promises through the Messiah.[25]

Now the second event takes place—and that is an anointing. Matthew 3:16 records:

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.

When the Son of God left heaven and became a man, He did not surrender His divine nature, but He took on a human nature. He is fully God and fully man. And with this anointing here, Jesus, as a man is going to show us what it’s like to be surrendered to the power and leading of the Holy Spirit so He can complete His messianic mission.

And by the way, every believer to this day has been anointed—given the Holy Spirit who now resides within us. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:5, that the Holy Spirit has been given to us. In 1 Corinthians 6:19 Paul writes that our “body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within [us].” That means that you and I have the same resource for living a holy life that Jesus had, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The third event is approval. Here is Matthew 3:17: “A voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’” (see also Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). This takes us back to the prophetic words of David in Psalm 2:7, where we read, “The Lordsaid to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’” Jesus receives the public approval of the Father.

Following these three events, we come to the fourth and very significant event that essentially becomes the first event of Christ’s ministry—and that is, in a word, temptation.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all weigh in on this event, and together the three accounts give us a very full picture of the temptation. Jesus is now led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, where He fasts for forty days. Satan seizes this opportunity and arrives to tempt the Lord.

Matthew 4:3 records Satan’s words to Jesus: “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” He knows Jesus has the ability to end His fasting by feasting on fresh bread. But Jesus answers in verse 4, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Satan is tempting Jesus to serve Himself—to use His divine powers to satisfy a human need. And let me tell you, Jesus never once used His divine power to make His human life more comfortable.

Now, Matthew and Luke agree on the details of all three temptations, but they reverse the order of the last two. Matthew’s order is chronological, and Luke’s is thematic.

We will continue following the chronological order, as Matthew writes in verses 5-6:

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

Here Satan is quoting a little Scripture too. But he twists it around to tempt Jesus to experiment with God the Father’s promise to take care of Him. “Jesus, why don’t you test God rather than trust Him?”

Jesus responds in verse 7: “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Here He quotes Deuteronomy 6:16. Essentially, He’s saying, “My confidence in Him is so great, I don’t need to experiment. I don’t need to prove anything. I’m not going to test Him; I’ll just trust Him.”

Now the third and final temptation is given here in Matthew 4:

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” (verses 8-9)

The devil’s appeal is essentially this: “Listen, Jesus, why go through the suffering and rejection? I’ve been given delegated authority over the kingdoms of the world. Why wait? I can give it all to you now! You can have the crown without the cross.”

I love Jesus’ response in verse 10: “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 here, and He speaks with authority, dismissing the devil. This entire time Jesus has been in control, and Satan knew it. That is why Matthew says in verse 11, “Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.”

Notice that every response of Jesus comes directly from the book of Deuteronomy. I often wonder how well I would do when tempted to sin, if all I had was the book of Deuteronomy. Well, that is all Jesus needed to counter every attack.

You should notice too that Satan is still tempting people today with this same strategy. The first temptation says, “Look, if you have a need, go ahead and fill it. You deserve it.” Jesus had a legitimate need for food—and the ability to create it. But Satan was tempting Him to fill His desires and leave God out of it. We need to go to our heavenly Father and ask Him, “Do You want me to have this desire? Is this what You would be pleased with?”

The second temptation is, “Look, do you really believe God cares about you?” Does He know about our problems in life? We need to remind ourselves that He does and speak His promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

The third temptation is to assume God’s will should not be hard or difficult. Satan wants you to think you can have a crown of gold without a cross of wood. But Jesus promises to teach us and refine us through the fiery trials of life that cannot be avoided (See James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7).

So, when the tempter comes your way today, I want you to think of two words: First, run! Run to the Scriptures—use the truth of God to fight the lie of Satan.

Second, remember! Remember that whatever you are going through, the Lord Jesus has been touched with the feeling of your infirmities. “In every respect [He] has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He has experienced temptation. He knows what you are feeling today.

The First Disciples and The First Miracle John 1:19–2:11

In this Wisdom Journey, we find Jesus’ ministry is beginning to launch into the public arena. A number of events are highlighted in John’s Gospel that are incredibly significant. One of them is a conversation between John the Baptist and the religious leaders of Israel in John chapter 1.

John hasn’t seen Jesus since He walked off into the wilderness after being baptized. But John faithfully continues calling Israel to prepare for her Messiah. And his preaching is giving the Jewish leaders a serious case of heartburn.

So, the Jewish leaders send a delegation of priests and Levites to John the Baptist, asking him, “Who are you?” (verse 19). I love that—“Who in the world are you?”

John is quick to say in verse 20 that he is not the Messiah. “Are you Elijah?” they ask in verse 21, and he answers, “I am not.”

Their next question is, “Are you the prophet?” This refers to Moses’ promise in Deuteronomy 18:15, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you . . . it is to him you shall listen.” So, John, are you that prophet? John simply says, “No.”

These Jewish leaders are getting frustrated at this point. They ask, “What do you say about yourself?” (verse 22). In other words, “Well, then, who are you?”

John answers in verse 23, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said” (see Isaiah 40:3). These leaders immediately know that John is declaring himself to be the Lord’s forerunner; and if John is the forerunner, then Jesus is the Messiah!

I can imagine these men racing back to Jerusalem to figure out the implications of this announcement—according to John the Baptist, the Messiah is already here!

Then in John’s Gospel, we read of this wonderful, incredible moment:

The next day he [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” (verses 29-31)

He then adds in verse 34, “I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

By the way, beloved, that is the ultimate goal of your testimony and mine. We might not be eloquent, and we might not have comprehensive knowledge of the Word of God; but we can introduce to our needy world the Lamb of God who came to die for our sins.

Now the day after John introduces Jesus, verse 35 tells us two of John’s disciples are with him as Jesus walks by. John again says, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (verse 36), and those two disciples immediately leave John and begin following Jesus. I don’t believe that bothered John one bit.

One of these two disciples is Andrew; the other is more than likely John, the author of this Gospel. Eventually, Andrew races home to tell his brother he has “found” the Messiah. His brother’s name is Simon, whom Jesus will rename Peter, or Cephas in the Aramaic language.

The Greek word for “found” here is euriskō, which gives us our word eureka! It’s as if Andrew has found a hidden treasure, and he’s shouting to Peter, “Eureka! I have found the Messiah! I have discovered the greatest treasure ever!”

The next day, Jesus walks over to Galilee. There He finds Philip and calls this man to follow Him. Then verse 45 tells us that Philip seeks out his friend Nathanael and brings him to Jesus. So, in a matter of a couple of days, Jesus has five brand-new disciples.

Let me tell you, this band of followers will keep on growing because they are telling everyone about the treasure they have found in Jesus. We need people like this today who just cannot keep the Lord to themselves.

To this point, then, we have the first testimony from John the Baptist, as well as the first group of disciples. Now we’re going to see the first miracle.

In the opening verses of John 2, Jesus and His disciples arrive at a wedding “at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.” Most likely the couple getting married are friends of Mary and Jesus.

But to the embarrassment of the host family, the unthinkable happens—the wine runs out. Mary informs Jesus in verse 3, simply saying, “They have no wine.” In this culture, hospitality was a sacred duty. It would be terribly humiliating for the bride and groom to run out of food or drink for the wedding guests.

Jesus’ response to His mother seems to make Him appear uncaring. He says to her in verse 4, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” You need to understand that when He addresses His mother as “Woman,” He uses a term that can be translated “Dear Woman.” But in the Greek world this was never used by a son in addressing his mother. When Jesus calls Mary “Dear Woman” instead of “Mother,” He is indicating a different relationship exists between them now as He moves into His messianic ministry.

And His response to Mary—“What does this have to do with me?” (verse 4)—is another way of Jesus saying, “Dear Woman, if I am going to do something about this, let Me handle it the way I want to handle it.”

One more point here—when Jesus adds, “My hour has not yet come,” He is correcting Mary. Jesus is not interested in performing miracles just to solve embarrassing problems. And He certainly is not under obligation to her to do so either. He is depending on the leading of the Holy Spirit as to whether or not He will demonstrate divine power.

Mary’s humble response is simply to tell the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. Now that’s more like it. In other words, she is saying, “If Jesus wants to do something, He is in charge—you obey Him.”

By the way, there are millions of people today who have been led to believe that Mary is in heaven receiving prayers and influencing Jesus to do what she asks Him to do. Well, this first miracle ought to silence that false teaching. Mary is not in charge here, and she certainly is not in charge of Jesus in heaven—Jesus is in total command.

At some point, the Spirit of God leads Jesus to perform His very first miracle. We read in verses 6-7:

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.

Jesus then tells the servants to draw from the water jars and give it to the master of the feast. Can you imagine the look on those servants’ faces when they realize what they are now pouring out is wine? In fact, the master of the feast says to the bridegroom, “You have kept the good wine until now” (verse 10).

This first miracle sends several signals. It is a signal to Mary that Jesus is not going to be influenced by maternal ties but by His Father’s design. To His brand-new disciples, this is a sign that Jesus has divine power over the elements of nature. To the wedding party, this is a sign that Jesus has come to bring joy to those He touches. And finally, to these servants who are obeying the commands of Jesus, this is a sign that Jesus often performs His mighty works through willing and obedient people.

Cleaning His Father’s House John 2:12–3:15

Back in the days of Christ, it was the dream of every Jewish person to someday celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. Josephus, the Jewish historian who lived in the first century, wrote that during Passover Jerusalem’s population would swell to some three million people and more than 200,000 lambs would be offered up in sacrifice as a memorial to that first Passover and their exodus from Egypt centuries earlier.[26]

John chapter 2 now tells us here in verse 13, “The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” Don’t miss the irony of this moment. The one who was introduced as the Lamb of God is present at the festival along with the Passover lambs. The one who will be sacrificed for our freedom is in Jerusalem as the nation of Israel sacrifices these lambs to celebrate their freedom.

According to the law of Moses, only an unblemished lamb was to be offered as the Passover sacrifice. People could bring a lamb from their own flock, but it would have to be approved by the priests before it was offered. The priests in Jerusalem had created a market where approved sacrificial animals could be purchased. But what started out as a convenience soon turned to corruption.

Inspectors on the payroll of the priesthood would examine the animals brought to Passover for sacrifice. They could always find some reason to reject the animal an individual brought from his own flock, forcing him to purchase one from the temple stockyard. And from what we can piece together historically, the animals were being sold at ten times their normal value. That’s like buying a soft drink at the fair or a baseball game—the cost skyrockets.

In addition to this, the priests charged an annual fee, the temple tax, of every pilgrim who wanted to enter the temple complex. But all kinds of currencies were in use at that time—everything from silver coins from Rome to copper coins from Egypt. The priesthood saw in this an opportunity to make even more money. They demanded that all the pilgrims exchange their money for temple currency they called “shekels of the sanctuary.” Only this currency was accepted for payments in the temple. And of course, the people were charged a fee for exchanging their money.

By the time of Christ, these business enterprises in the temple court had become known as the “Temple-market” or the “Bazaars of the sons of Annas”—Annas being the former high priest.[27]

It was extortion—it was corrupt from top to bottom. And beloved, to this day corrupt religion is always more interested in making money than making disciples.

So with that in mind, Jesus now shows up at the temple—and the Lamb of God is about to roar like the Lion of Judah.

In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” (verses 14-16)

Jesus is doing more here than turning over tables. He is revealing His authority over His Father’s house. During the Passover, it was the duty of each family to rid its home of leaven, which was a symbol of evil.[28]

Jesus calls the temple here, His “Father’s house.” So, He is effectively cleaning house! He is declaring ownership and authority over the temple.

Look at verse 18: “The Jews said to him, ‘What sign do you show us for doing these things?’” They knew the only person with this kind of authority was the Messiah. So, they wanted to see His driver’s license, so to speak—they wanted proof of His identity.

Jesus answers them in verse 19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Verse 22 explains that after His resurrection, His disciples understood He was speaking of His own body being raised from the dead on the third day.

Now in chapter 3, John inserts the account of a man named Nicodemus, a religious leader who was moved by the actions of Christ but not quite ready to speak publicly with the Lord. So, he sneaks over at night to where Jesus is staying. The conversation begins in verse 2:

This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Jesus gets right to the point, replying, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (verse 3). He is telling this religious man he is not going to heaven apart from a new birth! Nicodemus no doubt has done a lot of good things in life, but he has not trusted the right thing for eternal life.

Of course, Nicodemus wants to know how someone can reenter his mother’s womb in order to be born again. Jesus explains in verse 5, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” To understand this, we need to keep reading in verse 6: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

“Born of water” or literally, “out of water”—the water sac—refers to physical birth. Being born a descendant of Abraham was not Nicodemus’s ticket to heaven. One has to be born of the Spirit. In other words, being born again is a spiritual birth.

But here is the next question Jesus anticipates: If the Spirit of God is invisible, how can we be sure of having a spiritual rebirth? Jesus continues in verse 8:

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

You cannot see the wind, but the wind leaves behind the effects of its power and presence. So also the Holy Spirit can’t be seen, but He leaves behind the effects of His power and presence on those who have experienced the new birth.

Nicodemus’s question in verse 9 reveals that he still does not understand. He asks, “How can these things be?”

Jesus then introduces the clearest illustration yet:

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” (verse 14)

Nicodemus would instantly recognize Jesus’ reference to Numbers chapter 21, which teaches a connection between faith and salvation. In the wilderness, Israel complained against God, who then sent poisonous snakes into the camp. God told Moses to fashion a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. Those who were bitten could look to the bronze serpent and be cured—literally saved—from God’s judgment. Likewise, it is by believing in Jesus, looking to Him who is lifted up on the cross, that one can have eternal life.

This is the simple message of salvation through faith in Christ. We will look at it some more in our next study, but for now, consider this challenge for Nicodemus.

Perhaps you feel like Nicodemus did: You are trusting in your own good works. Your hope is in yourself—your faith is really in you. But you are still empty. You know you need spiritual life.

Beloved, salvation is the gift of God, and it is received by faith when you look to that old rugged cross and place your faith in the Lamb of God who was sacrificed to pay the penalty for your sin. Ask Him right now to become your Savior, and at that very moment, you will be born again.

The Great Escape and the Greatest Gift John 3:16-19

In 1867, the famous evangelist D. L. Moody was pastoring a large church in downtown Chicago. He invited Henry Moorhouse to preach every night for one week.

To everybody’s surprise, Moorhouse preached every night on the same verse of Scripture. His seventh and final sermon was delivered to a packed auditorium. Everyone was wondering what his text would be that final evening. D. L. Moody’s son wrote that as Henry Moorhouse stepped into the pulpit, he spoke these words:

“For an entire week I have been trying to tell you how much God loves you, but I cannot do it with this poor stammering tongue. If I could borrow Jacob’s ladder and climb up into heaven and ask Gabriel, who stands in the presence of the Almighty to tell me how much love the Father has for the world, all he could do [is repeat this verse which I have been preaching].”[29]

Moody confessed later that throughout this week his heart had begun to thaw out, as he put it, as he drank in this wonderful text. Moody would later credit those sermons to changing his perspective of God and his own heart for the lost.[30]

We arrive today in our Wisdom Journey at this great text—no doubt the best-known verse in all the Bible. And I am going to slow down our sailboat today and take a closer look at John 3:16. Here Jesus tells Nicodemus the way of salvation. It isn’t a list of rules or religion; it’s a love relationship between God and His children through Jesus Christ. The apostle John records Jesus’ words:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Let’s break this verse down and take a closer look.

The verse begins with “For God.” We could say that God is the greatest giver. It all begins with Him.

This phrase takes me back in thought to the first verse in the Bible: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Everything began with Him. God is the source and creator of physical life, and He is also the source and creator of spiritual life.

Then we are told, “For God so loved the world”—this is the greatest degree of love. You might tell someone that you love them—or you might say, “I love you so much.” That is the idea here—this is the greatest measure of love there is.

The word for love here is agapē. This word does not describe so much a feeling as it does a fact. This was the Greek word for “making up your mind to love.” When you walked down that aisle to marry your bride, you did not do it because you had fallen in love with her but because you were choosing to love her. And that is a big difference. This kind of love leads to loving action. And just look at the action God took.

The text goes on: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son.” God is the greatest giver, and His love is to the greatest degree. Now we can add that His Son is the greatest gift ever given.

The Greek word for “only” is monogenēs. Some versions translate this “only begotten Son.” But monogenēs means Jesus is the “unique, one-of-a-kind, Son.” It does not mean that God the Father had some heavenly mistress and they had a son; it means that Jesus is uniquely the Son of God.

God the Father loved the world so much that He gave His Son. This great text then goes on to say that God gave His only Son, “that whoever believes in him”—stop there. That is the greatest invitation ever given—whoever believes, whoever places his faith and trust in Jesus—and that invitation includes you and me.

D. L. Moody, the evangelist I mentioned earlier, used to say that the world can be divided into two groups: the whosoever wills and the whosoever won’ts. Let me ask you, Which one are you?

And notice that Jesus says, “Whoever believes in him.” He does not say whoever believes in the church, in some religion, or in some other supposed god or goddess, but whoever believes in Him.

There is an urgency to this invitation. Jesus says that God gave His Son so that “whoever believes in him should not perish.” Unless you believe in God’s Son, you are going to perish. This word does not refer to death but to judgment.

The greatest Giver, who loves the world to the greatest degree and has given the greatest Gift, now offers you the greatest escape. You can escape the judgment of God and the torment of hell by receiving the free gift of salvation. However, those who continue in unbelief will suffer eternal judgment—they will perish.

Nearly every week I meet with people, and many times I listen as they pray to receive Christ and the gift of salvation. When my kids were young, I would come home and tell them about those people who came to the Lord. I wanted them to understand the urgency of this most important decision in life.

While still in elementary school, one of my twin sons wrote a little paper for an assignment in school; he decided to explain the gospel in a few sentences. He then concluded by writing, “Now if you want to be saved, you need to call my dad.” Imagine that teacher getting a paper from some child saying, “You need to be saved.”

Well, that’s exactly what Jesus is telling Nicodemus, this high-ranking religious leader in Israel.

· For God—that’s the greatest Giver

· So loved the world—that’s love to the greatest degree

· That He gave His only Son—that’s the greatest gift

· That whoever believes in Him—that’s the greatest invitation

· Will not perish—that’s the greatest escape

Now the verse ends with this: “but have eternal life”—that is the greatest promise.

Can you know for sure you have eternal life in heaven? John wrote this later in chapter 20, verses 30 and 31:

Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ [the Messiah], the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Do you have that certainty today?

I remember as a boy visiting the home of an elderly couple. The man was confined to his chair, and very weak; death was not far away. We were in Wisconsin, I believe, traveling through on our way to Minnesota where my grandparents lived, there in Minneapolis. This older man’s children supported my missionary parents, but he was not a Christian. We sat in the living room and listened as my father shared with this man the plan of salvation and then asked, “Would you like to receive Christ as your own Savior?”

The man thought for a moment and then said, “I don’t believe I will.” I remember my father simply pulling his chair up closer to this man and with kind urgency, he started over again as that old man sat there wrapped in a blanket to keep warm. Here was a man who had lived a good life, raised wonderful children, and attended church regularly, but my father was telling him, like Jesus told Nicodemus of old, he would never be good enough!

Finally, my father asked him again, “Would you now place your faith in Christ and ask Him to forgive your sin and become your Savior?” The old man paused, and we held our breath; he then said, “I believe I will.”

How about you? Have you responded to this invitation? Have you received Him as your Savior? Salvation is free, but you still must ask for it. Maybe you need to ask today.

Removing the Competition of Ministry John 3:19-36

In our last Wisdom Journey here in John 3, we listened in as Jesus explained to a religious man—a curious man—named Nicodemus that being born again is necessary to enter God’s kingdom. Being born again is a spiritual birth, the Lord explained, when you trust Him as your personal Savior.

Now the Lord tells Nicodemus here in verse 18 that those who reject this message of salvation are condemned. And in verse 19 He tells him why: “The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” In other words, people reject the light of salvation because they love the darkness of sin.

You can bring a little lamb into your house and a little pig into your house and give them both a bath and scrub them clean and tie ribbons around their necks. But as soon as you let them loose that pig is going to go find a mud puddle, and that little lamb will go lie down in some green grass. That’s because they have different desires—different natures.

The Lord is comparing the nature of an unbeliever with someone who has come to faith in Christ. He elaborates in verse 20: “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” He loves the mud puddle of sin.

Do not misunderstand; even saved people can fall into that mud puddle. But Jesus is describing the difference between someone who trips and falls down in that mud puddle with someone who wants to live down there.

We do not know how Nicodemus responded to this; in fact, he disappears, so to speak, into the night. But don’t count him out just yet—he is going to show up later on.

Meanwhile, we read in verse 22, “After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.” John 4:2 will clarify that Jesus’ disciples were the ones baptizing people, while Jesus no doubt was doing the teaching. Keep in mind that this baptism was identical to John the Baptist’s, which was immersing repentant people in water, as they publicly prepared for the coming Messiah.

Remember that even though we are in the New Testament Gospels, we are still technically in the Old Testament days. The Old Testament system with its priesthood and sacrificial system is still in effect. It is not until the Lord ascends back to heaven and the Holy Spirit descends and creates the church in Acts chapter 2 that the New Testament era officially begins.

In John 3:26 we find John the Baptist and his disciples baptizing people. Some anonymous man shows up and informs them that Jesus’ disciples are also baptizing people—and they are drawing a bigger crowd!

This report makes John’s disciples a little jealous; they have a little competition going on here, and they are not happy that Jesus and His disciples are evidently scoring more points than they are!

But John the Baptist responds differently. He says here in verse 30, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.” Essentially, he is saying, “We are not in competition; we are in cooperation with the message of Jesus.”

Let me point out a couple of characteristics of humility we see here in John’s reply; and let me tell you, we need more of this humility today.

The first characteristic is this: Humility refuses to promote personal achievements.

John answers his disciples in verse 27: “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” In other words, “What are you fussing about? Our ministry—whatever it is—is from God. We are nothing more than what God has made us, and we cannot receive one thing unless God gives it to us—and that includes ministry results.”

I have often thought that the most competitive field is not baseball, or basketball, or football—it is ministry. We compare budgets, attendance records, baptisms, and programs. And that is exactly what John’s disciples are doing here—comparing the number of people following them with those who are following Jesus.

Let’s be clear: the breadth and growth of someone’s gospel ministry is determined by God and given as a gift by God to that willing servant. Verse 27 emphasizes that: You cannot receive even one thing unless it is given to you from heaven.

Of course, that does not mean we can be lazy or sloppy in ministry and then blame God when nobody shows up. But it does mean that while we work hard with what we have, we give God the credit for whatever happens.

Frankly, God has not given us all the same abilities or gifts. Most of us are never going to be able to preach with the eloquence of Charles Spurgeon, and I certainly was not given his photographic memory. Sometimes I can’t remember where I parked the car. But look, if we complain that we do not have what he had, we are giving in to the temptation of pride—and more than that, we are discrediting the wisdom of God, who formed us and equipped us for the role He wants us to have. Instead of comparing, we ought to be cooperating with the plan God has for us.

The second characteristic of humility we see in John the Baptist is this: Humility refuses to emphasize personal importance.

In verse 28 John says, “You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’” His disciples are wanting to elevate his significance, but John wants to downplay his importance.

He continues in verse 29:

“The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete.”

John compares himself to the friend of the bridegroom. In this culture that meant he was the best man at the wedding. He made the arrangements for the wedding ceremony, and he served as the master of ceremonies. For a time, everyone would listen to him and follow his directions. But when the bridegroom stepped onto the scene, the friend of the bridegroom would step aside with rejoicing.

That is what John the Baptist is saying here: “For a time, everybody has been listening to me. I have been making preparations for the nation to meet the bridegroom—their Messiah. But He is here now, so it is time for me to step aside with joy.”

In the next few verses, John the Baptist tells us two truths about Jesus. First, he makes it clear that Jesus is the ultimate eyewitness. Notice, he says in verse 31, “He who comes from heaven is above all.” Then in verse 32 he adds, “He bears witness to what he has seen and heard.”

It is as if John is saying, “Look, I can tell you some things about God the Father and the glory of heaven, but Jesus has come from there—He has seen it all! He is the ultimate eyewitness.”

Second, John declares that Jesus is the eternal authority. He says in verse 35 “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.” In other words, only through Jesus, God’s Son, can a person have eternal life.

And with this, the curtains are about to close on the wonderful, faithful, and humble ministry of this man called John the Baptist. And with this response of humility, John will have no regrets.

Today, beloved, let’s live the same way, as we say with John, “We must decrease, but Jesus must increase.” Let’s magnify Jesus today.

The Woman at the Well John 4:1-42; Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14; Luke 3:19-20

As we begin our Wisdom Journey in John 4, Jesus is leaving Judea and heading north toward Galilee. In verse 4, we are told, “He [Jesus] had to pass through Samaria.” The verb here indicates it was necessary He go through Samaria—He “had to go there.” You see, Jesus has a divine appointment, and the Holy Spirit is leading the way.

Now as Jesus travels through Samaria, He comes to an ancient well Jacob had dug centuries earlier. It’s about noontime, and the disciples have gone into the village of Sychar to buy some food, leaving Jesus to sit down and rest by this well. John writes, “A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’” (verse 7).

This is a stunning encounter by the way. Jewish people did not talk to Samaritan people. According to the Mishnah, a commentary on Jewish life, they believed that Samaritan people were unclean from the cradle to the grave.

This bitter feud goes back in time some 700 years. It started when the Assyrians attacked the northern tribes of Israel and carried most of the people into captivity.

The Jews who were left behind intermarried with captives from other nations whom the Assyrians brought into the land to farm it and manage it. These mixed Jews, you could call them, developed their own religion—sort of a watered-down Judaism. They even built their own temple on Mount Gerizim, not too far from where Jesus is now talking to this Samaritan woman.

By the way, for Jesus to speak here is a violation of three Jewish traditions—sort of unspoken rules. First, He is talking to a Samaritan. You just did not do that if you were a good Jewish man.

Second, He is talking with a woman. You need to understand that in Jesus’ generation a rabbi was to be so circumspect that he was never to even greet a woman in public, much less talk to her. And this is not just any woman—she has quite a reputation as we will learn.

No doubt this explains why she is drawing water at noon, the hottest time of the day. Nobody else is going to come to the well at this time and stare at her or laugh at her or call her dirty names. Let me tell you, this is a lonely, sinful, needy woman. She is thirsty for something real—something that will last!

The third rule Jesus breaks is that He asks her for a drink of water. According to popular opinion, to receive food or drink from a Samaritan would be to share in that person’s ceremonial impurity.

Well, none of this escapes this woman’s notice. She asks Jesus in verse 9, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” Jesus responds, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water” (verse 10).

Now this woman is confused, of course; she says to Jesus in verse 11, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?” And she’s blunt with Jesus in verse 12, asking, “Are you greater than our father Jacob?”

In other words, she’s saying to Jesus, “Jacob, our great forefather dug this well; so if you can get better water than Jacob, who must you think you are?” Well, He is going to answer that question in a moment, but first He describes for her the living water He is offering:

“Everyone who drinks of this water [from the well of Jacob] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (verses 13-14)

She immediately says in verse 15, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” She is thinking about something physical; Jesus is telling her that her real thirst is spiritual.

Jesus may be alluding to the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, when the chosen people are told to draw water with joy from the well of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). The prophet Jeremiah said that the Lord is the “fountain of living water” (Jeremiah 17:13).

She does not get the connection. So, what does Jesus say next? Almost out of the blue, He says, “Go, call your husband, and come here” (verse 16). The woman answers, “I have no husband.” Jesus knows that, and now He stuns her by saying, “You are right . . . for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband” (verses 17-18).

Let me tell you, all of a sudden she realizes Jesus must be some kind of special spiritual leader. She even attempts to turn on some spiritual vocabulary here in verse 19, saying, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.” Well, no kidding!

She then attempts to distract Jesus by raising an age-old debate among the Jews and Samaritans about where people ought to be worshiping—in Jerusalem or on Mount Gerizim.

But Jesus is not distracted, as He speaks to her here in verses 23-24:

“The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Now she is listening to what He is really saying. Perhaps she has connected the dots with some of those prophecies about living water. So, she says to Jesus in verse 25, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” And Jesus says to her, “I who speak to you am he” (verse 26).

Now at verse 27 the pace accelerates. The disciples return with food and are amazed to find Jesus talking to this woman. The woman then takes off running back into town shouting at everyone, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” (verse 29). And the town empties, following the woman back to Jesus.

As they head up the incline toward Jacob’s well, Jesus says to His disciples, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest” (verse 35).

It is possible that as those Samaritan men, with their heads in white turbans, represented what Jesus meant when He said the fields are “white for harvest.” Wheat and grain fields are brown, not white. I have no doubt Jesus was talking about these Samaritans heading up toward the well of Jacob.

Verse 39 tells us of the harvest: “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony.”

Let me ask you something: What well are you drinking from today? Are you seeking refreshing, life-giving water from wells that only leave you thirsty? Jesus knows who you are. He knows everything you have done wrong; and He knows all about your thirst for meaning and a life worth living.

I cannot force you to drink, but I can tell you where the living water is; it’s found only in Jesus, the Messiah. Often when I write a letter or an e-mail, I sign it at the bottom, “Satisfied in Christ.” That is what He has done for me, and that is what He will do for you, if you ask Him to forgive you and to save you.

Don’t Lose Heart . . . Don’t Lose Sight John 4:43-54; Luke 4:14-30; Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; 6:1-5

In this Wisdom Journey we find Jesus moving on to Galilee where He grew up as a little boy. The apostle John gives us a hint about this next season in the ministry of Jesus, as he writes in chapter 4 of his Gospel:

(For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. (verses 44-45)

Jesus might have been welcomed in Galilee, but that welcome mat is eventually going to change into a “get-out-of-town demand.”

Matthew says Jesus came into Galilee preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Mark’s Gospel also records that this is Jesus’ primary message (Mark 1:15). He is the King offering to the nation His kingdom.

Luke’s Gospel tells us that Jesus “returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and . . . taught in their synagogues” (Luke 4:14-15).

As you know, we’re studying the Gospels chronologically, and what happens first in Galilee is recorded in John 4:

So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. (verses 46-47)

The first thing that strikes you is that you have this nobleman of the Roman court coming to this poor carpenter’s Son, this traveling Jewish rabbi. Why? Because he believes Jesus can heal his son, no matter what others might say about Him. This father is desperate. And let me tell you, when people experience a crisis, they instinctively start praying. I have never met an atheist in an emergency room.

So, he is right to ask Jesus to heal his son. But he is wrong to assume that Jesus has to be physically present to heal his son. He does not know that Jesus is actually holding the universe together by His power, as Colossians 1:17 tells us.

But the wonderful thing here is that Jesus accepts anybody who will come to Him by faith, even if they don’t understand half of what they are asking.

This nobleman says to Jesus in verse 49, “Sir, come down before my child dies.’” The Greek word here for “Sir” is a title of respect addressed to a superior. He is effectively saying to Jesus, “I know You are more than some carpenter-turned-rabbi. You are the one with real authority!”

Jesus responds in verse 50, saying, “Go; your son will live.” That’s it! Jesus does not need to go to this nobleman’s home; He does not even need to touch his son. “Go, your son is healed!” And don’t overlook this man’s response: “The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.” That is faith in action!

And what occurs next is amazing. On his way home, the man meets one of his household servants who had run out to tell him his son was suddenly healed. They figure out together that the very hour Jesus said the boy would live, the fever had left him. With that, this man and his entire household believed in Jesus (verse 53).

With that, Jesus and His disciples leave Cana, and Luke 4:16 tells us they come “to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.” Nazareth was not a big city. Archeologists have determined that during Jesus’ childhood, Nazareth had a population of around 400 people. We now know that it was a rather poor village, too; no expensive pottery was ever discovered there—just common, ordinary stuff.[31]

Luke continues the account:

As was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (verses 16-19)

Listen, the Jewish people loved this particular prophecy from Isaiah 61, and for good reason. When the Anointed One arrives, life is going to get better for everyone—freedom, healing, and liberty! This was one of their favorite passages.

But then, verse 21 records Jesus’ words concerning this passage: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” You could translate this, “This Scripture has been fulfilled while you’ve been listening to it.”[32] Jesus is announcing, “I’m the Anointed One; I’m the Messiah. Here I am!”

When you put Luke’s account together with the account in Mark 6, you see the people’s reactions grow from astonishment to outrage. “How could this young man claim to be the Messiah when we watched him grow up?” They don’t believe Him!

Jesus quiets the uproar and adds here in Luke 4:23, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” In other words, He’s saying, “You want me to do a miracle for you, to prove my point!”

But instead, Jesus starts talking in the next few verses about how the prophets Elijah and Elisha were sent to preach to ungodly Gentiles because Israel would not listen to them.

Well, these people in Nazareth immediately understand what He is saying: He is the prophet, but since they are refusing to believe Him, they are worse off than ungodly Gentiles.[33] And that does it! It was like a nuclear bomb went off in the synagogue.

Verse 29 records:

They rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.

Now if I were Jesus, I would have performed a miracle for them right about now—a miracle of judgment! After all, they are trying to throw Him off a cliff!

Instead, we are told He miraculously slipped through the crowd—becoming invisible perhaps. We don’t know exactly what He did, but He just disappeared and slipped away.

But, beloved, I want you to notice what Jesus didn’t do. First, He didn’t lose control. Verse 30 says, “But passing through their midst, he went away.” He left; He did not strike back.

Second, He didn’t lose heart. Think about it: Jesus is fully human, and this is His hometown; these are His friends and neighbors, and now they want to kill Him. Jesus, as a human being, would have been deeply hurt! But look at what He models for us: it’s possible to be hurt and not lose heart.

Finally, Jesus didn’t lose sight. Again, verse 30 tells us “He went away,” which means He pursued the ministry He had just begun. The tense of this verb means that He kept on going.[34]

He was not going to quit or get off track.

Maybe today you are facing rejection or ridicule from classmates or colleagues. Maybe you are married to someone who does not appreciate your love for Christ and His church. Maybe you have family members who think you are a fanatic, that you have lost your mind in following Christ.

Don’t lose control of your emotions and strike back. Don’t lose heart as you follow the Lord, who was also rejected. And don’t lose sight of the truth that you have what the world needs most—forgiveness, purpose, and at the end, a future in heaven forever.

So don’t lose control; don’t lose sight, and don’t lose heart. Keep pressing on for the glory of God.

The Final Authority Matthew 4:13-25; 8:2-4, 14-17; Mark 1:16-45; Luke 4:31–5:16

In our Wisdom Journey through the four Gospels, the next event that takes place is recorded in Matthew 4 as Jesus leaves Nazareth, which has turned hostile toward Him. Here we’re told that Jesus settles in “Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled” (verses 13-14).

This is an easy passage to overlook. But it is important to recognize this decision is not random; it was announced through Isaiah 700 years earlier and now fulfilled by Jesus the Messiah (Isaiah 9:1-2). It is also quite possible that Jesus’ mother Mary, now a widow, was no longer safe in Nazareth, a town that had turned murderously violent toward Jesus.

Matthew’s Gospel records that Mary and Joseph had several children after Jesus was miraculously virgin-born—before Mary and Joseph came together. Matthew even provides the names of Jesus’ half brothers (13:55). Two of His half brothers will go on to write books in the New Testament—the books of James and Jude.

But as Mary’s firstborn Son, Jesus moves her, and more than likely the rest of the family, into a safer town.[35]

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record this next event in Jesus’ life. Luke has the fullest record, here in chapter 5, and the overriding theme is going to reveal the authority of Jesus.

First, Jesus demonstrates His authority over other priorities. Luke 5 begins this way:

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret [Galilee], and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. (verses 1-2

Luke names Simon (Peter), James, and John as three of the fishermen. Matthew and Mark mention Simon’s brother Andrew as a fourth.[36] All four have had significant exposure to Jesus’ teaching already.

In fact, Jesus gets into Simon’s boat to finish His teaching and then tells Simon here in verse 4, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” I wonder if Simon had the passing thought, What would a carpenter know about fishing? Simon Peter is a veteran fisherman. But he skeptically follows Jesus’ instructions, and the catch is so huge and the nets so full that they threaten to sink the boats (verses 6-7).

Suddenly, Simon sees the Lord in an entirely new light: “He fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord’” (verse 8). But Jesus responds, “From now on you will be catching men” (verse 10). He and his companions are going to become fishers of men.

Jesus is challenging Peter and these other men to completely change their priorities in life—and they do. Verse 11 says, “When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” They are not just leaving their boats; they are leaving their careers—their livelihoods. Their priorities are suddenly rearranged by the authority of Jesus.

Now second, Jesus demonstrates authority as a teacher. Mark 1:21 records: “They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.” And verse 22 says, “They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.”

The typical scribe or rabbi was constantly quoting other rabbis. Well, Jesus is not quoting anybody. In fact, Jesus often would say, “You have heard it said, but I say to you.” Jesus taught upon His own authority as the Word of God.

As He is teaching, suddenly a demon-possessed man cries out, “I know who you are—the Holy One of God” (verse 24). Jesus immediately demands the demon “be silent and come out of him!” (verse 25), which it does after creating quite a commotion.

The people are shocked again. Here in verse 27, they say, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

Once the service in the synagogue is over, Jesus demonstrates His authority over sickness. Jesus and His disciples walk over to Simon Peter’s house—probably for lunch—but Peter’s mother-in-law is sick with a fever (verses 29-30). By the way, if Peter had a mother-in-law, he had a wife. I don’t know of any man who has a mother-in-law without the benefit of having a wife. Peter was a married man. And Luke describes his mother-in-law as having “a high fever.”

If we put the Gospel accounts together, we see that Jesus rebukes the fever and helps her to her feet; and she is so completely restored to health that she immediately begins to serve them. She just goes right into the kitchen and starts fixing lunch—completely healed.

Not surprisingly, Mark’s Gospel tells us that evening “the whole city was gathered together at the door,” and Jesus continued to heal the sick (Mark 1:32-34).

Now after a busy twenty-four hours of teaching and healing, Jesus gets up before daybreak to pray. Simon and the others eventually find Him and try to bring Him back into town. To their thinking, Jesus has more people to heal there in Capernaum.

They say to Jesus in Mark 1:37, “Everyone is looking for you.” But he says to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out” (verse 38).

The disciples are focused on Jesus’ healing ministry, as if that is His primary mission in life. Well, it isn’t. The ministry of Jesus goes much further than physical illness. Healing a body is good, but healing a soul is greater; and that is because physical healing is temporary, but spiritual healing is eternal.

Finally, Jesus is going to demonstrate His power to save. Here again, Matthew, Mark, and Luke combine to give us the full account.[37]

Jesus is preaching throughout Galilee, and in one of the towns a man with leprosy comes and falls down before Jesus and says, “If you will, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40). Up to this point in all of biblical history, leprosy had been healed only twice—back in Numbers 12 and in 2 Kings 5. The Jewish people knew that only God could heal leprosy.

But this leper does not doubt the ability of Jesus, does he? “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” He believes in Jesus and calls out to Him in faith.

Jesus reaches out and touches the man and says those wonderful words, “I will”—or “I am willing”—“be clean.” Beloved, Jesus is willing today to save the lost from their sin—and He will. But the Bible also says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). He is willing, but are you willing to come to Him?

And now, Jesus says to this former leper in Mark 1:44, “Say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded.” Verse 45, however, records what this former leper did next: “But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news.”

This is convicting! He is told to keep quiet, but he can’t help spreading the news. You and I have been commanded to spread the news, but too often we keep quiet!

We cannot excuse this man’s disobedience to the Lord, but we cannot excuse our disobedience either. Who are we telling about Christ? This man cannot keep silent because he cannot get over being delivered. I wonder if we keep silent because we have gotten over it.

Let’s be more faithful to declare the salvation of the Lord.

Demonstrating Divine Authority Matthew 9:1-17; Mark 2:1-22; Luke 5:17-39

As we set sail on this Wisdom Journey, Jesus arrives back home in Capernaum. Word of His presence has spread. This is the first time that religious leaders have shown up to listen to Jesus preach. They are essentially sitting on the front row.

Luke 5:17 picks up the narrative by telling us Pharisees are there, along with scribes, who are experts in the Mosaic law. They are basically going to write down what Jesus says in order to find some legal error in His teaching.

By the way, the name Pharisee meant “separated one.” During the 400 years between Malachi and Matthew, this group had grown in prominence as men committed to the law of Moses. The problem was, they had added to the law several thousand rules and regulations. For instance, the law required that no work could be done on the Sabbath day. But the question arose as to what exactly is considered work? So, the Pharisees defined work into thirty-nine categories, and each category was subdivided into thousands of manmade rules.[38]

For instance, carrying a burden on the Sabbath was work, but a burden needed to be defined. Was it carrying a child or moving a chair? And how much food was a burden? So, they decided that you could lift to your mouth enough milk for one swallow and food weighing less than one dried fig.[39]

One dried fig probably weighed a lot less than one chocolate-covered doughnut, so I wouldn’t have made a very good Pharisee.

Well, here all these Pharisees and scribes are sitting in this house, waiting to catch Jesus in some small infraction of the law. Jesus is about to give them their money’s worth.

Look at verses 18-19:

Some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.

Now according to the Pharisees, physical infirmity was a sign of God’s displeasure. So as this paralyzed man reaches the floor, the Pharisees and scribes could not care less about him. But Jesus focuses on his faith and says, “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (verse 20).

The Pharisees and scribes just about come out of their seats, saying to themselves in verse 21, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

They do not say this out loud, but inwardly. So, imagine the shock when Jesus proves He can read their minds. He addresses them in verses 22-23:

“Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?

Obviously, it is easier to tell someone his sins are forgiven—who can prove if they are or not? So, Jesus continues:

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. (verses 24-25)

Wow! How do you answer that? Jesus has the divine authority to forgive sin! The physical healing is proof of the spiritual claim that He can forgive sins.

The next incident, recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, demonstrates Jesus’ authority to change people’s lives. After Jesus heals this paralyzed man, He starts walking out by the Sea of Galilee. There He sees a man named Levi, who is also called Matthew. Matthew is a tax collector, basically working for Rome against his own Jewish people.

The Roman government would determine the amount of tax revenue to be collected in a district; the tax collector made a profit by charging more than Rome required. So, a tax collector in these days was considered a greedy, thieving, traitor who had forsaken his people and obviously abandoned his God.

But all three Gospels record Jesus simply saying to him, “Follow me.” Jesus certainly knew all about Matthew—and He invited him to follow Him.

Luke 5:28 puts it this way: “Leaving everything, [Matthew] rose and followed him.” Imagine that. Jesus effectively said, “Matthew, I know who you are, and I know what you have done; but I also know what you can become, if you will follow Me.” And Matthew does just that.

The gospel is the same invitation today. Jesus knows who you are; He knows what you have done; but He also knows what you can become, if you will follow Him.

Now here in verse 29, Matthew throws a “great feast” for Jesus and invites “a large company of tax collectors” to come to dinner. The Pharisees cannot believe this. As one author puts it, they’re thinking, “If Jesus were what He claimed to be, He would have sought their company rather than the company of [tax collectors].”[40] He is having dinner with the wrong people!

Jesus hears their complaint and answers:

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (verses 31-32)

The salvation of Matthew has two lessons for us. First, no unbeliever is beyond redemption. Matthew was essentially a hard-hearted criminal. He would be considered a Mafia member today, extorting money from his own people. But he was not beyond the reach of the gospel of Christ. Don’t take that person off your prayer list—no unbeliever is beyond redemption.

Second, no believer is beyond responsibility. It is our responsibility to invite lost friends to meet Jesus. Here is Matthew with a houseful of curious unbelievers. Shouldn’t he go through evangelism training first? Does he know all the answers? No, he just knows that Jesus saved him. And that is a great place to start.

The next event chronologically in the ministry of Jesus, which is how we are studying the Gospels on our Wisdom Journey through the Bible is found in Mark chapter 2. Here Jesus is about to demonstrate His authority over religious traditions. Some people ask Jesus, “Why do John [the Baptist’s] disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” (verse 18).

According to the Mosaic law, fasting was required only one day a year, on the Day of Atonement. Voluntary fasts could be practiced, as people focused on prayer, but by Jesus’ time the Pharisees were fasting twice a week.[41]

Jesus answers the question in verse 19: “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.” In other words, Jesus says, “Look, I am the Bridegroom. As long as I am here, we are celebrating, not fasting.”

Jesus clarifies His point with an illustration in verse 21:

“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.”

Any attempt to sew something new onto something old is going to create a tear once the new material shrinks. So here is His point: Trying to attach the gospel to the old cloth of religious tradition is not going to work.[42]

Jesus illustrates the same principle in verse 22, saying you do not put new wine in old wineskins because the new wine will expand when fermented and tear holes in the old wineskin.

Jesus is bringing the gospel of grace that cannot be mixed with old manmade religious regulations. Jesus did not come to dress up human traditions.

Beloved, Jesus introduced a new dispensation of grace. We do not come to God through sacrifices and ceremonies; we now come to God by faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone.

Choosing Rules over the Redeemer Matthew 12:1-21; Mark 2:23–3:12; Luke 6:1-11; John 5:1-47

At this point in our Wisdom Journey through the Gospels, Jesus has been ministering for about one year. The news about Jesus has spread like wildfire. But as His popularity is growing, so is the jealousy of the Jewish leaders.

At this time here in John chapter 5, Jesus and His disciples have gone to celebrate a festival in Jerusalem. The Lord goes over to Bethesda, a natural pool of water surrounded by covered colonnades.

Verse 3 describes the scene. Near this pool “lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.” Some translations put verse 4 as a footnote, stating that people would wait for the “moving of the water.” The superstition was that this pool was stirred periodically by an invisible angel, and the first person to get into the moving water would be cured.

Jesus ignores the superstition and just walks up to a man who’s been an invalid for thirty-eight years and speaks to him:

[Jesus] said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. (verses 6-9)

Now this miracle takes place on the Sabbath. And wouldn’t you know it, some Jewish leaders soon show up. They have heard the commotion and see the healed man whom they all knew had been lying out there all those years—he is now walking, carrying his little mat on his shoulder.

They stop him and demand to know who healed him and who told him he could carry his mat on the Sabbath day. The man had not caught Jesus’ name, so he cannot answer them. But verse 14 tells us that later on, Jesus crosses paths with him again in the temple area. So now this man knows who the miracle healer is, and we are told here in verse 15, “The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.”

Verse 16 tells us the Jewish leaders begin “persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.” Never mind this stunning miracle! Jesus only adds fuel to the fire by telling them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (verse 17).

To put it another way, Jesus is saying, “You religious fellows ought to know that only God can heal like this. Well, He is my Father, and He and I are on the same page. We are working together.”

The next verse explains:

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Listen, anybody who says Jesus never claimed to be deity—never claimed to be anything more than a prophet—has not been reading the Bible. These leaders wanted to kill Jesus because He was claiming equality with God the Father.

And in case these religious leaders did not hear Him correctly, Jesus keeps talking here in verse 21, saying, “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.” Get this: Jesus is claiming equality in power with God the Father.

Jesus then says, “The Father . . . has given all judgment to the Son” (verse 22). One day, beloved, the world of unbelievers will be judged by none other than Jesus, God the Son. Here He clearly claims equality in position with God the Father.

Jesus then goes on to claim equality in receiving praise with the Father. Jesus says that all judgment has been given the Son so “that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him” (verse 23).

You cannot possibly miss the claims of Jesus as equal in power, position, and praise with God the Father.

As Jesus continues to speak, He backs up His claims with witnesses. In verse 33, he cites the witness of the prophet, John the Baptist, who said Jesus was able to forgive sin. Second, the Lord adds the witness of God the Father in verses 36-37. His voice was heard at Jesus’ baptism, saying “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased” Third, Jesus says Moses is a witness: “If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me” (verse 46).

In other words, the law and the prophets all point to Jesus, the Redeemer. The trouble is, these Jewish leaders want their rules and regulations more than they want a Redeemer.

Now Mark 2:23 picks up the narrative and takes us to the next Sabbath-day event. This time the Jewish leaders object to Jesus’ disciples picking and eating grain as they walk along (see also Matthew 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5).

Jesus points out in verse 25 that even David and his men ate loaves of bread from the tabernacle in order to survive, while they were on the run from King Saul. The Sabbath law was not meant to deprive people of what was necessary.

Then Jesus sums it all up in verse 27, saying, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” The Sabbath law was for people’s benefit—to give them rest. But Jesus is “the lord … of the Sabbath,” which means He has the authority to determine how the Sabbath regulations are to be applied.

And let me say here, in the New Testament dispensation of grace, our Sabbath rest is in the risen Savior. That is why we can worship on Sunday and, frankly, any day of the week and any hour of the day—because we have found our rest in Jesus.

Still another Sabbath event takes place in Mark 3, where we find a man in the synagogue who has a withered hand. The religious leaders are sitting there on the front row, and Jesus just puts it out there, asking them in verse 4, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm?” They are silent.

Verse 5 continues:

[Jesus] looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

The Pharisees get up and march out, furious, knowing they had been put in their place. And they begin, verse 6 says, plotting “how to destroy him.”

In the meantime, Jesus does not slow down at all. Matthew and Mark give us a summary of the days and weeks that follow, as Jesus continues to demonstrate His divine power (see Matthew 12:15-21; Mark 3:7-12).

So, what does all this contention between Jesus and the Jewish leaders mean for us today? Well, this gives us an illustration of the bondage of man-made religion. These sincere leaders are actually bound by religious ceremony and man-made rules that have no connection with Scripture.

During these days—and even to this day—religion can get stuck in rituals and rules that make people feel better than others, without ever addressing the issues of the heart.

Maybe you are holding on to something because, well, that is just the way you were raised or that is how your spiritual leaders demanded that you live. Frankly, it is all just a list of rules without any relationship to the Bible or your Redeemer.

Let me invite you to go out there and barbecue some of those sacred cows you have been holding onto. The gospel invites you to trust Christ alone and enjoy the freedom, the forgiveness, and the fulfillment you have in Him. The gospel invites you to rest in Christ alone.

Wearing the Dust of the Master Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16

Now in this Wisdom Journey, we need to pull over and spend a little time introducing the first disciples who began following the Lord. The Greek word for disciple (mathētēs) simply means a “learner” or “student.”

It was typical in Jesus’ time for disciples to follow their teacher around. In fact, the Mishnah, a collection of Jewish culture and commentary dating back to these days, described students so carefully following behind their teacher that they were “covered with … dust” from his sandals.[43]

At this point in His ministry, Jesus has hundreds of followers. Some are sincere, and many are not. Now the Lord decides that it is time for Him to gather to Himself a smaller, close-knit group of disciples.

So in Luke 6:12, we read, “He went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” Now Jesus is not praying to God the Father about whom He should choose—He is beginning to pray for those He will choose. He already knows who they are; He knows all their flaws and weaknesses; He knows what they are going to face; He knows all about their future.

As we take a closer look at these early disciples, I want to point out some key principles here. First of all, Jesus chose His disciples, not because He needed them, but because they needed Him.[44]

And that is true of us today. Jesus does not need you or me. We need Him. And, beloved, the glory of God’s grace is that He actually delights to include you and me in His global plans. Indeed, that is what He created us for. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10, “We are . . . created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand [before time began] that we should walk in them.”

The Lord is still choosing disciples who realize they need Him, who want to know Him and learn from Him—to get the dust from His sandals all over their lives.

Here’s another key principle to learn here: Jesus chose His disciples, not because of who they were, but because of who they would become.

Just start out by taking a closer look at Simon Peter, no doubt the most famous of the twelve. It has been noted that His name is mentioned in the Gospels more than any other disciple. No one speaks as often as Peter, and no one is spoken to by the Lord as often as Peter. No disciple is rebuked by the Lord as often as Peter, and no other disciple but Peter rebuked the Lord.[45]

Frankly, we know a lot about Peter’s failures—especially that time he climbed out of the boat during the storm and walked on the water toward Jesus, only to begin to sink when doubt and fear arose (Matthew 14). Don’t forget, though, that Peter was the only disciple willing to get out of the boat and try!

The name “Peter” is really a nickname given to him by Jesus, after they first met. ”Peter” is Greek for “stone” or “rock.”[46] The Lord essentially gave Simon this nickname, not because he was strong and steadfast, but because he would become strong and steadfast.

History records that after decades of faithful ministry, Peter was forced to watch his own wife crucified. Then, when it came his turn to die, he asked to be crucified upside down, testifying that he was not worthy to die as his Lord had died on the cross.[47]

The next disciple mentioned by Luke here in chapter 6 is Simon Peter’s brother, Andrew. John’s Gospel account tells us that Andrew introduced Simon to Jesus (John 1:41-42). But Andrew soon took a back seat to his brother. It is interesting that throughout the New Testament, many of the verses that name Andrew add that little comment that he was Peter’s brother—as if that was what made him important. But keep in mind that throughout the New Testament, Andrew is consistently involved with bringing people to Jesus.

According to Eusebius, the third-century historian, Andrew had blazed a trail to the outer regions of modern-day Russia, before he was eventually martyred for his faith.

Historical sources record that Andrew led to Christ the wife of a powerful politician in the Roman Empire. This political leader was so enraged by his wife’s conversion to Christianity that he demanded she recant. She refused, and he retaliated by arresting Andrew and putting him to death.[48]

Here is a third key principle to keep in mind: Jesus chose the disciples, not because of what they knew, but because they were willing to be taught.

Among the Twelve, the Lord chooses another set of biological brothers—James and John. And do they ever have a lot to learn! James is the older of the two, but he never appears in a biblical scene without his younger brother John. In fact, since most of the time in Scripture James and John are seen together, let me introduce them together.

James and John are the sons of Zebedee, a man of some influence. More than likely, he was the owner of the family fishing business, which also included Peter and Andrew. There’s even some evidence from early church records that Zebedee was a Levite, related to the high priest’s family.[49]

And I say all of that to point out that when James and John leave their family business, they not only leave a fortune, but they also walk away from the good standing they had with the religious world. The high priest is going to hate Jesus and all those who follow Him.

These brothers end up rather close to Jesus. In fact, Peter, James, and John will be the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples, and He will invite them to witness events the other disciples do not. The trouble is that this seems to go right to their heads and they eventually argue about which one is the greatest disciple among them.

These brothers were ambitious and somewhat ruthless (see Luke 9:54). Mark’s Gospel tells us that Jesus gives them the nickname, “Sons of Thunder” (3:17). And that was not necessarily a compliment.

But we can say this: they learned well from the Lord. Their fiery, passionate, disposition will be molded into patient endurance as they refuse to give up or back down. James, in fact, will become the first disciple to be martyred.

In contrast, his brother John will be the last of the twelve to die, living into old age. John will go on to write the Gospel of John, 1, 2, and 3 John, and the book of Revelation.

He is in his nineties when he is given a tour of heaven. He describes it in Revelation, recalling the glorious singing of the hosts of heaven, the Father’s house of transparent gold, and the majestic throne of God. And do you know what is missing? His old ambition to be first and his fiery impatience with unbelievers.

In fact, John will earn a nickname over the years: the Apostle of Love. And that’s because he will write more than any other New Testament author on the subject of love.

Love became the dominant theme of a man who earlier wanted Jesus to call down fire from heaven and burn up a village of people who refused to believe the gospel. He is the one who records for us those precious words in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

The disciple who wanted to incinerate unbelievers, the one who wanted to be the greatest, becomes a gracious, caring, loving old man. James and John, along with Peter and Andrew, learned well; they wore well the dust of their master Teacher. Jesus chose them, not because of how much they knew, but because they were eager to learn.

Unlikely Disciples – Amazing Grace Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16

I have read that Longfellow could write a few rhyming lines on a piece of paper and influence a generation; we call that poetic genius. Rembrandt could paint on a canvas, and it would become a masterpiece; we call that artistic brilliance.

But no master on earth compares to the mastery of Jesus, who takes sinners and transforms them into disciples; we call that that amazing grace.

In our last Wisdom Journey, we looked at the first four disciples chosen by Jesus. Next in Luke’s list, here in chapter 6, verse 14, is Philip. Let me introduce him by giving you another key principle at work here: The Lord chose His disciples, not because of their impressive abilities, but because of their availability.

I can remember growing up where my mother drummed this principle into the hearts of her four sons: availability is the greatest ability. No disciple proves this any better than Philip.

Philip shows up in four brief scenes recorded in four chapters of the Gospel of John (1:43-46; 6:5-7; 12:20-22; 14:8-10). Had you met him, he would have been a rather unimpressive man. He came from the same small town as Peter and Andrew, more than likely attending the same synagogue.[50]

He was a quiet thinker—a planner—who played it safe in life. There is one scene where Jesus specifically tests Philip. A hungry multitude of 5,000 men, plus women and children, need to eat. Jesus turns to Philip in John 6 and asks him, “‘Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?’ [Jesus] said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do” (verses 5-6).

Philip starts calculating: “Let’s see, 5,000 men, plus women and children . . . food per person, money per person.” He does the math and then says to Jesus in verse 7, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” Two hundred denarii was equivalent to someone’s annual salary. Philip says, “We don’t have that much money! There’s no way we can feed this crowd.”

Right about then, Andrew shows up and says, “Hey, I found a little boy who is willing to donate his lunch; he’s got—let’s see—fives little pieces of barley bread and two little pickled fish.” Philip is probably thinking, Andrew, you’re out of your mind! That will never work!

It’s almost as if Jesus aims this miracle of feeding the 5,000 directly at the heart of Philip. Jesus is going to teach him that it is not what you can calculate; it is not how much you have in the bank; it is how much you give your Master—and then let Him take care of the rest.

What a lesson to learn. And don’t miss the fact that Jesus chose Philip—a facts-and-figures guy, an organized thinker—to be one of His disciples.

According to historical sources, Philip went on to pioneer the gospel outreach in modern-day Turkey, leading multitudes to Christ before he was stoned to death as a martyr for his faith.[51]

With that, Luke’s Gospel mentions Bartholomew, which means “son of Tolmai.” This is the name given by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But the Gospel of John calls him Nathanael; so, his full name would have been Nathanael Bartholomew or Nathaniel, the son of Tolmai.

Now if you thought there was not much to read about Philip, there is even less in the Bible about Nathanael. We are given only one interaction involving Nathanael, and that is when he meets Jesus for the first time.

We begin in John 1:45:

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

So, Philip finds his friend Nathanael, evidently sitting under a fig tree; and Philip tells him they have found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Note Nathanael’s reply here in verse 46: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” In other words, “Nothing important comes out of that village.”

But as he stands before Jesus, the Lord says to him in verse 48, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Nathanael is blown away. He responds to the omniscient Lord in verse 49, saying, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

I love this guy! He makes up his mind in two seconds: If Jesus saw me under that fig tree, He’s got to be the Son of God—and that would make Him the King of Israel! Evidently, Nathanael spoke his mind—and made up his mind—quickly.

By the way, we know of no other family member who came along with Nathanael; it seems like he was the only one from his family to follow Christ. Maybe you are the first person in your entire family to follow Christ. Keep in mind that this did not handicap Nathanael’s impact for Christ. Historical traditions record that he reached into northern Iran and even southern Russia with the gospel, leaving behind a spiritual legacy of faithfulness to Christ.

Next in Luke’s list of the twelve is Matthew. He’s already shown up earlier in our Wisdom Journey through the Gospels. Matthew, or Levi, was considered a traitor to his people because he was a tax collector, on the payroll of the Roman Empire.

He had effectively abandoned his people, extorting more from them than what Rome required; and he had grown wealthy because of it. I am convinced the other disciples would have wondered if Jesus made a mistake in calling Matthew.

But here is another key principle to keep in mind: Jesus did not call qualified people; He called people and then qualified them to serve Him.

The Lord will so radically change this man’s heart, that Matthew will eventually write the Gospel of Matthew, primarily to reach the nation of Israel he had abandoned earlier in life. He will write to them that Jesus Christ is indeed their Messiah.

Now, let me introduce you to the disciple named Thomas. In John 11:16, he is called “the Twin.” Evidently, he had a twin sibling we know nothing about. What we do know is that through the centuries Thomas has acquired an unflattering nickname: “Doubting Thomas.” Indeed, that name is still being applied to him after 2,000 years. Yes, he seemed to be somewhat melancholy; yes, he was quick to believe the worst; yes, he collapsed in despair and did not initially believe that Jesus had risen from the grave.[52]

But let me tell you, I think Thomas deserves another nickname, and it is not “Doubting Thomas”; it is “Daring Thomas.” Thomas was actually the first disciple to say he was willing to die with Christ. Jesus had decided to go and visit the grave of Lazarus, and the other disciples were reluctant because they knew the Jewish leaders were planning to kill Him. Thomas spoke up, in John 11:16 and said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” “If He’s going to die, I want to die with Him.” What an amazing statement of courage and love that was.

Let me give you another key principle, and here it is: Jesus did not choose disciples who would never disappoint Him; He showed His disciples that He would never disappoint them.

By the way, if the Lord did not permit those who disappointed Him to be His disciples, I would not be one of them today—and neither would you.

History records that Thomas took the gospel all the way to India, where he served the Lord before being martyred for his faith. I have visited the city of Chennai, where Thomas was supposedly buried. And to this day, as one writer has noted, many churches in southern India trace their roots back to the fearless and faithful ministry of Thomas.[53]

Choosing Ordinary Disciples Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16

Now in our Wisdom Journey, we come to the final four names in Luke’s list of Jesus’ twelve disciples. Here in Luke 6:15, we find a disciple named “James the son of Alphaeus.”

There are other men in the Gospels named James. There is James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John; and there is James, the half brother of Jesus, who is going to become the leading elder of the church in Jerusalem—we will see him again later on.

But this man is James, the son of Alphaeus; and all we know about him is that he is the son of Alphaeus. He might have been the one referred to over in Mark 15:40 as “James the younger,” but we cannot be sure.

But that’s it. He is never featured in any biblical scene during the ministry of Jesus.

So, here is a man who was called by Jesus, just as Peter and John were called. Yet he never made any headlines, he never wrote a book of the Bible, and none of his sermons are recorded; he just followed Jesus.

That is encouraging, isn’t it? And it leads us to another key principle to consider: Jesus did not choose His disciples to have the same ministry; He chose them to deliver the same message.

Church tradition informs us that James was stoned to death in Jerusalem after twenty years of faithful ministry for Christ.[54]

The next man on the list in Luke’s Gospel is Simon the Zealot—not Simon Peter, by the way. And I must say, Simon the Zealot was as unknown as Simon Peter was famous.[55]

Simon the Zealot is never mentioned outside these lists of original disciples. But whenever he is listed, this little tagline, “the “Zealot,” is always appended to his name. And that actually speaks volumes. Simon had been involved with a group of red-hot, patriotic Jewish men who had one desire in life—to overthrow Rome. And to accomplish this, they were willing to shed blood if necessary.[56]

You could write in the margin of your Bible next to Simon the Zealot’s name, “Simon the Outlaw.” He was a redeemed criminal who hated Rome. By the way, how do you put Simon the Jewish Zealot and Matthew the Jewish Traitor in the same group? How are they going to get along?

You would think that if you put Simon and Matthew in the same tent as they camped out overnight, in the morning, one of them would be dead.

One author put it well when he wrote that these twelve, very different men would paint a picture of the future church.[57] Listen, the differences between the disciples were not divisions but declarations of unity in the body of Christ.

We know from church history that this rugged disciple took the gospel into the rugged landscape of modern-day Great Britain. He was eventually martyred and buried in an unmarked grave somewhere on the British Isles.

The next disciple listed here is Judas, the son of James—as if to make it clear that he was not Judas Iscariot. Judas was a common name, being the New Testament form of Judah. This particular Judas is called Thaddaeus in Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18.

We hear Thaddaeus speak only one time in the Gospels. When Jesus tells His disciples that He will manifest His glory to them, Judas, or Thaddaeus, is rather tender-hearted; he wants to know why Jesus will manifest Himself to them and not to the whole world. Jesus answers him in John 14:23:

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

With that conversation, Judas Thaddaeus disappears from Scripture. All we have are some early church traditions that he went on to evangelize the Armenians and was martyred for his faith.

That leads me to another key principle, which is this: Your service for Christ does not have to be recognized on earth to be rewarded in heaven. Your Savior sees every act of service in His name.

Here at the end of Luke 6:16, we find the last disciple to make an appearance in Luke’s list. And he is also always the disciple who is listed last: “Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.” Now you might picture Judas Iscariot as this creepy, little, strange disciple. Or as one little boy referred to him, “Judas the Scariest.”

However, the record of Scripture does not show us that. In fact, Judas was so trusted that he was put in charge of the disciples’ bank account, according to John 12:6. He appeared to be a leader, a man of integrity. And don’t forget that Judas was not seated in some dark corner at the Last Supper; he was sitting next to Jesus—they were dipping their food in the same bowl. Judas was in the seat of honor.

Let me pause and give you another key principle that we can draw from this: It is possible to identify with Jesus and not believe in Jesus.

Judas heard the greatest preacher preach and the greatest teacher teach. He watched God the Son perform miracle after miracle—from walking on water to raising the dead to commanding the demonic world. How did Judas miss it? Why did he not believe? From what we are told in the Bible, the answer is simple: it is possible to be exposed to the light and still want the darkness.

Judas will betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, which was the price for a first-century disabled slave. That is how much Jesus really meant to Judas.

And with Judas, Luke’s list of Jesus’ disciples ends.

The disciple Matthias will be added later to take the place of Judas, as the early church selected his replacement. The two qualifications from Acts chapter 1 were that the disciple must have physically followed Jesus and, secondly, seen the resurrected Jesus in person (Acts 1:21-22).

By the way, that is why we know there are no apostles today. Anybody who calls himself today an apostle is making it up, in order to exercise power over other people.

So, what do we know about Matthias? Again, he was so ordinary and obscure that the Bible tells us absolutely nothing of his ministry. He was not famous, but he was faithful to Christ.

I read of an event from many years ago where an accomplished violinist decided to experiment with his audience. It was advertised that he would perform on a rare Stradivarius violin worth millions of dollars.

The concert hall was packed. The violinist played beautifully. But halfway through his concert, he stopped, and—to the shock of his audience—he dropped the violin on the floor with a thud and walked off stage.

A moment later, the conductor stood and said, “The Maestro was not playing on an expensive violin; he purchased it from a pawn shop for $20. He will now return and finish his concert on that rare and expensive Stradivarius.” And when he returned and played, very few people could even begin to tell the difference.

That story reminded me that you and I are like $20 violins that our Master has purchased from the pawn shop of a sinful world. As we yield our lives in His hands, the beauty of His message will be heard—and to Him alone will belong all glory and praise.

of ministry we have.

Surprising Steps to True Happiness Matthew 5:1-6; Luke 6:17-21

We are about to listen in on the most famous sermon of all time. It is called the Sermon on the Mount. Luke 6:17 tells us “[Jesus] stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people.”

Though the location is uncertain, it has long been identified with a hillside on the north end of the Sea of Galilee. I have stood there myself on that hillside that provided a beautiful, grass-covered, natural amphitheater. Thousands of people could sit there and easily hear the Lord preach.

Now the most detailed account of Jesus’ sermon is recorded in Matthew chapters 5 through 7. The Lord begins by delivering what we call the Beatitudes—that is Latin for bliss or blessedness, or genuine happiness. He grabs the attention of the crowd by telling them how they can find that elusive element of life mankind has been chasing throughout history—true happiness.

But it must stun this multitude when Jesus’ first point, here in Matthew 5:3 is this: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Now these people had been hearing from their rabbis for generations, “Blessed are the perfect in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” But Jesus says, “No, no. Blessed are those who recognize they are not perfect in spirit.”

Now just what does “poor in spirit” mean? The word translated “poor” describes people who are so deeply poverty stricken that they have to depend entirely upon someone else.[58] Poverty of spirit, then, is an awareness that we are completely and utterly dependent upon Christ.

You could paraphrase Jesus as saying, “Happy are the helpless—they are the ones who trust their eternal future to Christ alone.”

Here is Jesus’ second path to true happiness: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (verse 4). There’s a progression in these Beatitudes. Once we discover the bankruptcy of our heart in verse 3, we are led to mourn over our sin in verse 4, which ultimately brings forgiveness and comfort from the Lord.

In Jesus’ pathway to happiness, He is talking here about weeping over sin. In fact, He uses the strongest Greek word for mourning. He is describing the same level of grief you feel as you mourn the loss of a loved one.

Jesus is telling us that mourners discover true happiness because they are the only ones who are grieving over their sins and their sinfulness. And in so doing, they come to the Savior for forgiveness—and receive it by faith.

You could paraphrase Jesus’ words here this way: “Blessed are the brokenhearted.” Blessing comes to those who confess their sin to Christ. The Lord changes their status forever––from rebellious sinner to redeemed saint (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Now let me point out that this verb “to mourn” is talking about continuous action. In other words, just because you are redeemed, you never get past the need for God’s forgiveness. In fact, the older you get, the more you realize how much you sin. I think the mature Christian is not necessarily someone who sins less—although we want that—but someone who confesses more quickly. So, how quick are you today to mourn over and confess that sinful thought or deed? That attitude of quickly confessing is the pathway that continually leads to genuine happiness.

Jesus is saying in this passage, “Do you know who the truly happy people are? They are the ones who bring their sins to Me; they are the moment-by-moment confessors. Blessed are the brokenhearted for they shall be comforted—not only now but forever in heaven one day.”

Now Jesus goes on to surprise his audience again with another stepping stone to happiness. He says in verse 5, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

Really? The meek get run over on earth; they don’t inherit the earth! This reminds me of the little boy who was pushed around by the school bully. Every day, this bully demanded the boy hand over his lunch money—a dollar a day, $5.00 a week. He just was not strong enough to do anything about it.

But then, this boy saw an advertisement for karate lessons and knew that was what he needed to stand up to this bully. He was so excited until he found out the lessons would cost $5.00 a week. So, he just went back to paying the bully.

We think of meekness as weakness, don’t we? The meek lose their lunch money. They do not inherit the earth; they get ground into the earth.

Well, we need to understand that even though English dictionaries define meekness as some form of cowardice, in the Bible, meekness is not weakness; it is power under control. The word for “meek” here is used of a horse being ridden with a bridle.[59] Meekness is strength under control; it is being strong enough to strike back but choosing not to get even.

Jesus says that the meek “shall inherit the earth.” “Inherit” is a future-tense verb. He is saying that you are not in charge now, but one day you, the redeemed, will literally rule planet earth; you are going to co-reign with Christ in His coming kingdom, according to Revelation 20:4.

Now here in Matthew 5:6, Jesus delivers yet another shocking statement: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Is the Lord referring in this verse to an objective righteousness—the righteousness that God credited to our account when we were saved? Well, that can’t be it, because we now possess the righteousness of Christ as a gift from God through faith in His Son (Romans 3:21-22). We have already been declared righteous—or right with God.

So, the Lord is not talking about becoming right with God, He’s talking about living right for God. Hungering and thirsting after righteousness refers to a passionate longing to be pleasing to God by the way we live for Him.

Beloved, understand this: the happiest person on the planet is not the richest person or the healthiest person; it is the person who hungers to know the Lord and please Him. So, the question is this: What are you hungry for today?

I have read that Socrates was once approached by a young student of his who asked him, “How can I have the wisdom you have?” Socrates said, “Follow me” and he led him down to the sea and then waded right in. The young man hesitated and then followed him; Socrates suddenly turned around and grabbed this young man, pushing his head underwater; he held him under as he thrashed about, desperate to breathe.

At the last moment Socrates pulled him up and asked him, “When I held your head under water, what did you want more than anything?” The young man sputtered, “Air, sir, air!” Socrates told him, “When you want wisdom as badly as you wanted air, you will find it.”

So, how hungry are you today to live a life that pleases the Lord? Ask the average Christian, “Do you want to please God with your life?” and the answer probably will be, “Sure ––but I also want God to please me, with this or that.”

Many, many Christians just are not quite hungry enough for holy living. And this lack of hunger becomes their greatest obstacle to finding true happiness.

So, let’s pray like this today: “Lord, give me a hunger to hunger after You; give me a thirst that’s thirsty for You. Make me hungry and thirsty for a life that’s pleasing to You.”

That is the path to happiness. And Jesus promised it here: Blessed, happy, are those who are hungry and thirsty to be right with God, for they shall be satisfied.

Happiness is Purity and Peacemaking Matthew 5:7-9

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Jesus has begun preaching His famous Sermon on the Mount, as we call it today. And He has turned upside down the conventional path to true happiness. The world says, “Happiness is based on what happens to you,” and Jesus says, “No, happiness is based on what is inside of you.” The world says, “Happiness is based on wealth.” Jesus says, “Happiness is based on wisdom.”

And so, He continues delivering more surprising principles of wisdom here in Matthew 5. At verse 7, Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

Now do not misunderstand this. Jesus is not saying, “If you show mercy to others, you will receive mercy in return.” That does not always happen, does it? In fact, if that were true, the most merciful Man to ever walk the planet would never have been crucified on that old rugged cross.

Neither is Jesus saying, “If you show mercy to others, you will earn mercy from God.” If you are an unbeliever, showing mercy to someone is not going to get you into heaven.

What Jesus is saying here is this: “Since you have received the mercy of God, now demonstrate that merciful spirit to other people.”

Do you want true happiness? Show people mercy. There is mercy in forgiveness. There is mercy when we withhold that which someone deserves and when we refuse to take revenge. Mercy is the imitation of Jesus Christ, who in mercy saved us. One author put it this way: “Mercy is giving attention to those in misery.”[60]

Whenever I traveled to India, I was always moved by the masses of poor people considered untouchables—they were the lowest caste in this Hindu culture. Filthy children chasing after us, begging for pennies; women begging on street corners with babies on their hips—their lives were filled with suffering and difficulty.

Their religion taught that they had reincarnated as untouchables because of a prior life of sin; so, they deserved to suffer. There was no mercy for them.

I met a Christian woman who went among these poor people, inviting young girls to her little school, and giving them clean uniforms. She used a public bathroom as a classroom; she scrubbed the floors clean and sat the girls in tidy rows each day and taught them with such love. Let me tell you, she was genuinely happy as she demonstrated the love and mercy of Christ.

Now with that, Jesus delivers another step to true happiness in verse 8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Maybe you read that, and you think, “Well, then I’ll never be happy, or see God one day, because my heart certainly isn’t pure.”

However, when you study the Scriptures, you discover there is positional purity and practical

purity. Positional purity is the work of God for Christians, and practical purity is the work of

Christians for God.

Positional purity is another term for salvation or justification. Through faith in Christ, you are justified––declared pure by His cleansing work (Romans 3:23-24). Frankly, positional purity is the easy side of the equation because God does all the work (Ephesians 2:8-9)!

Practical purity is our part—our responsibility. The Greek word here for “pure” is katharos, which refers to integrity.

David prayed for this in Psalm 51:10, saying, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” And I can assure you that when you depend on the Spirit of God as you pursue a life of integrity, you are going to see God at work in your life and even in the world around you.

I remember reading about a special telescope that was going to be launched into space, equipped to see images some 7 billion light years away. As it orbited our planet, it would be sending images back to earth.

But there were delays, and the lenses in that telescope needed to be kept safe while the project was completed. The delays would extend for some seven years. All that time, these lenses were kept in a perfectly sterile, clean facility in Sunnyvale, California—at a cost of $8 million a month. And you thought you paid a lot for rent!

These scientists clearly understood the best way to see the heavens was through a clean lens.

Well, that is what Jesus is saying here. Do you want to see the hand of God at work, which brings you true happiness? Then keep your heart clean by confessing your sin every single day.

Then Jesus goes on to preach here in verse 9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” By the way, He does not say, “Happy are the peaceful” but “Happy are the peacemakers.”

The Lord uses a compound word here for “peacemakers.” He is referring to people who actively negotiate peace.[61] And when we do that, the world recognizes that we are sons of God. They realize that we must be related to God because we are living out the heart of God in bringing peace to our world.

Well, the cross of Jesus Christ is the greatest example of peacemaking, and it cost the life of the Peacemaker. The Lord suffered for our sin, and the apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:20 that Jesus Christ made peace by the blood of His cross.

Beloved, every time you share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone, you are engaged in peacemaking. The world is in deep trouble at this very moment, whether people realize it or not. The world is virtually at war with the God of heaven. We have been assigned as ambassadors of Christ, offering to our world peace with God.

That is exactly what the apostle Paul emphasized in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 20, where he wrote this:

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Every year that I teach at Shepherds Seminary, I require that my pastoral theology students read the biography of Robert Chapman. Robert Chapman was a single man all his life as he pastored the same little church, back in nineteenth-century England. He was a man deeply respected for his love of Christ and love for others. Charles Spurgeon, the famous pastor in this same region in England, once said that Robert Chapman was the godliest man in all of England.

That did not mean everybody liked Pastor Chapman. A grocer who lived in this same area hated Christ and did not want anything to do with the gospel that Chapman often preached outdoors. It infuriated this unbelieving man. In fact, on one occasion, he walked over while Chapman was preaching outdoors and spit on him. For years, this grocery store owner would verbally attack him whenever he had the chance. Robert Chapman never retaliated.

One day, some of Robert’s wealthy family members came to spend several days with him. Since Robert was a single man, they had decided to cook for him while they were there. They asked him where groceries could be purchased. Chapman insisted they go to this one particular grocery store. There they went, and after purchasing a large amount of food, they asked that it be delivered to the home of Robert Chapman.

This grocer was stunned. Surely, he told them, they must have come to his store by accident. “No,” they replied, “Mr. Chapman insisted that we come here.” When the grocer arrived with this delivery and Chapman answered the door, the man broke down in tears; his hardened heart had been finally softened by the peacemaking efforts of Robert Chapman. And that afternoon, he yielded his life to the Lord.[62]

And as for Robert Chapman? He experienced peace with this man, at last.

That is what it means to be a peacemaker. It isn’t easy, but it will always be the right way to demonstrate our family connection to our Great Peacemaker, the Prince of Peace, our Lord.

From Harassment to Happiness Matthew 5:10-12; Luke 6:22-26

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We are back now on the hillside, listening as Jesus delivers His famous Sermon on the Mount. He is delivering the longest of His Beatitudes. And remember, the Beatitudes are stepping stones to true happiness. He continues here in Matthew 5:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (verses 10-12)

Jesus is saying those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake are truly happy. “Persecuted” is passive in the Greek language, suggesting the persecuted are willingly allowing themselves to be mistreated––perhaps even martyred.[63] You could translate it, “harassed”! Is Jesus really saying, “Happy are the harassed”? Well, keep in mind, He adds to that this little phrase “for righteousness’ sake.”

The Greek word here translated “persecuted” carries the idea of being chased or pursued. Just make sure you are being chased for doing the right thing and not the wrong thing.

When I was a young boy, my best friend—another missionary kid—and I would explore the woods near our subdivision in the summertime until it grew dark. There was an apartment complex on our way home, and the box that controlled the electricity for the entire building was downstairs.

One day we looked to make sure no one was around, and then I pulled that big gray handle down and that entire building went dark—the lights went out. Several days later we were back again, and this would be the last time I pulled that prank––and I do mean the last time. Two men, one dressed in army fatigues, happened to be standing on the balcony just above the wall where the switch box was located. They heard that electrical lever slam down, saw the building grow dark, and watched two boys sprint out from underneath their balcony.

They shouted, “Hey you.” and as I ran even faster, I turned and saw one of the men leap over the balcony railing, land on his feet, and begin to chase after us. We had enough of a head start to outrun him. If we hadn’t, I would not have lived long enough to grow up and become a Bible teacher.

I was being chased, but for the wrong reason. And if I had been caught, I would not have been persecuted––I would have been punished. There is a big difference between punishment and persecution.[64]

Jesus does not say here, “Happy are those who make a nuisance of themselves. Happy are those who are unethical, and irritating, and arrogant.” No, He says, “Happy are those who are persecuted because they are living godly lives!”

The apostle Peter writes this in 1 Peter 4:12-13:

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

This is the kingdom promise Jesus is giving back in Matthew chapter 5.

Peter continues in verse 14:

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed [makarios, the same word used in the Beatitudes—“you are truly happy”], because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler [that means turning the electricity off an apartment building]. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God. (verses 14-16)

Beloved, much of the world views the term Christian as a derogatory term. The followers of Jesus Christ were first referred to as “Christians” by the Gentiles of Syrian Antioch, and the name wasn’t a compliment; it was an insult. Little Christs, they were called (Acts 11:26).

And to this day, following Christ might lead to insults, suffering, persecution and even loss of life.

I want to point out that Jesus does not say here in Matthew 5, “Happy are those who are persecuted”––period. Persecution by itself doesn’t make any Christian happy. No, Jesus says in verse 12, “Rejoice … for your reward is great in heaven.”

People around the world today are making a decision to follow Christ and suffer the consequences. A pastor friend of mine was in a Muslim country where fourteen former Muslims decided to follow Christ as their Savior. When they were baptized, they were asked several standard questions, which frankly, we cannot imagine here in America. The final question was this: “Are you willing to be imprisoned and to be thrown out of your home for Christ?”

Let me tell you, no matter what these new Christians will experience, 100 years from now their happiness will know no boundaries in the glory of Christ’s presence.

With that, the Lord finishes delivering these eight beatitudes—eight steps to true, genuine happiness.

The world will say that happiness depends on how much you can get out of life. Jesus says that happiness is when you follow Him through life. The world says, “Blessed are those who are trouble-free.” Jesus says, “Blessed are those who endure trouble, for My sake.”

Many of you might remember the career of the thee-time heavyweight boxing champion Cassius Clay—later known as Muhammad Ali. He dominated the world of boxing for years. In fact, his face was featured on sports magazines more times than any other athlete. I remember reading that when Ali was an old man, Gary Smith, a sportswriter, went to his country estate to interview him. He was met at the door by a bent figure with slurred speech—a combination of Parkinson’s disease and too many punches to the head.

Ali escorted Gary out to a barn that had become his museum of sorts. It was filled with mementos—trophies, life-sized pictures of him punching the air and holding championship belts high above his head. He had earned millions of dollars in championship fights.

But as they got closer, Gary noticed on these life-sized photos, white streaks running down them; pigeons that nested in the barn had made their contribution. Ali noticed too and scowled at them.

Almost as an act of closure, he shuffled over to the wall and one by one turned those huge, framed photos around, so they faced inward. He finally finished and went to the open barn door where he gazed out over the countryside and muttered something under his breath.

Gary said to him, “Excuse me. What did you say?” Ali said, “I was saying, ‘I had the world and it was nothin’—it was nothin.’”

Happiness came and went.

Listen to what Jesus Christ says here to all who follow Him—people who will not be making many headlines but are often overlooked, ignored, or even treated unkindly; people like you and me who might not mean much to the world now. One day, He says, the world—a new heaven and a new earth—will belong to you.

And beloved, it will not be nothing; it will be something amazing. And just knowing our future, according to Jesus Christ and His Word—that is enough to give us hope and joy to get through today. Think about it—happiness now, happiness and heaven forever!

The Perfect Time for Salt and Light Matthew 5:13-30

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Our Wisdom Journey today picks up as Jesus has just begun to deliver what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus says here in Matthew 5:13:

“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.”

Old salt was used to cover pathways like we use gravel today.

We typically think of food when we think of salt. But in Christ’s day, salt was so valuable that it served as currency. Roman soldiers were often paid in salt, which they could then sell for profit. To this day when we say that somebody is worth his salt, we mean he is valuable.

Back in Christ’s day, salt represented purity. The Gentiles would offer salt as an offering to their gods. Its shimmering white appearance created all kinds of superstitions. In fact, the Greeks called salt theion, or divine.

Salt was also used to slow down corruption and decay in food—it was a preservative.

So, Jesus is effectively saying that His disciples are to be hard workers, represent the true and living God, and preserve a decaying culture by living a godly life.

It is interesting that the Bible never says believers are sugar, but salt. Now that does not mean we should not be sweet, but our presence, our existence, our lifestyles should preserve in our culture all that is pure and holy and true.

Now Jesus continues in verses 14-15:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.”

I don’t know about you, but we taught our children how to sing that little song, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” Well, I think we should never stop singing that tune.

Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.” Here He says we are the light of the world. We are shining with the light of the gospel into our dark world.

People say to me all the time, “Oh, the world is growing so dark; what are we going to do?” How about turning on the light. Lighthouses were never made for sunny days but dark days. Likewise, the believer was built to shine—even back here in the dark days of the Roman Empire.

Just read a little history, beloved. When the church was founded, the Roman culture mocked heterosexuality as arrogant and narrow. In fact, bisexuality was considered normative. The Roman emperor Nero had married both women and men, without any public reaction.

Add to that the fact that child prostitution was legal, as well as drugs and pornography. If a couple had a baby girl and they had wanted a boy, or if their child was born disabled, they could leave it out on the front porch for animals that roamed the streets at night.

Seneca, one of Nero’s court advisers wrote a letter in which he said, “We strangle a mad dog … children who are born weakly, and deformed, we drown.”[65]

What a dark world, but let me tell you, God decided that this was the perfect time in which to create the New Testament church. It was the perfect time to turn on the light for a dark and sinful world.

Now with that, Jesus emphasizes His own integrity and commitment to the Old Testament Scriptures here in verses 17-18:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

The “Law” and “the Prophets” together refer to the whole of the Old Testament. The “iota” and “dot” He mentions refer to the smallest Hebrew letter and the smallest stroke of a Hebrew letter.[66] He is saying that every word, every inch of God’s Word, is true, and it will all come to pass.

Then Jesus makes this shocking statement in verse 20: “I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” What? Everybody assumed that if anybody was going to get into heaven, it would be the Pharisees; but Jesus says you have to be better than they are. And that effectively means that none of them—and none of us—are good enough to get in. And that is the gospel truth—“None is righteous, no, not one,” the Bible says in Romans 3:10.

With that the Lord cuts right to the heart of the matter; He gets past the façade and exposes the depravity of the human heart—the fact that we are all lawbreakers. Jesus talks first about anger in the heart:

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” (verses 21-22)

Jesus takes the sixth commandment and shows that malicious anger is at the heart of every murder. So, He condemns, not only the act of murder, but also the attitude of hatred.

Jesus goes on to urge people to reconcile. Do not let anger seethe inside until it boils over. Jesus says in verse 24, “Leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Listen, beloved, the Lord places reconciling with someone as a higher priority than attending a worship service. Frankly, reconciling with someone is an act of worship that glorifies God.

Jesus moves on from anger in the heart to lust in the heart:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (verses 27-28)

The Pharisees believed that if you avoided the physical act of adultery, you would be okay with God. But Jesus raises the bar and says that lust is sinful.

So, with only these two commandments, we are all guilty before God of terrible sin—as are the Pharisees, the most righteous-looking and spiritual-sounding people on the planet. So, how sinful are we? The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9).

We are sin-sick. We are all terminally ill with sin. We all need heart surgery, and we need the Divine Physician to perform it—to cleanse every act and every thought of hatred and anger and lust. The apostle Peter wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree”—the cross. Though His suffering and death, we are forever healed (1 Peter 2:24).

That is our only hope of forgiveness and getting into heaven one day. So have you come to Christ and admitted you are a sinner? You can do that right now. Pray, “Lord, I admit right now that I am a sinner. I am guilty of hatred and anger and lust and selfishness and more. The Bible tells me that You paid the penalty for all my sin on the cross. Please forgive me. I am trusting in You alone; I realize I can’t go to heaven because I deserve it, but because You paid for it; I want You, Lord Jesus, to save me now.”

If you prayed that sincerely, in faith, He has saved you just now!

Raising the Bar on Marriage and Divorce Matthew 5:31-48; Luke 6:27-30, 32-36

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In His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord has raised the bar on several heart issues, including anger and lust. Now He raises the bar on the sanctity of marriage.

Sadly, by Jesus’ generation, marriage was not considered a lifelong covenant, and divorce was easy to get. While the issue was debated among rabbis, the reality is that divorce was permitted for just about anything as long as a certificate of divorce was submitted. It was just a matter of paperwork.

Well, Jesus is about to declare that marriage and divorce are more than paperwork. He speaks to the issue here in Matthew chapter 5:

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (verses 31-32)

Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 24. The law of Moses certainly did not commend or even condone divorce but required accountability and a certificate of divorce. Jesus clarifies the issue, and what He teaches is a lot narrower than what His Jewish world permitted. He says here, “except on the ground of sexual immorality.” So, marriage can have what is called an exception clause of sexual immorality.

Later on, the apostle Paul will write in 1 Corinthians 7:15 that if a woman’s husband no longer wants to be married to her and leaves her, she is no longer bound to him. Paul writes, “If the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister [that is, the abandoned spouse] is not enslaved,” or no longer bound. That is what we call the exception clause of abandonment.

So, if a woman was abandoned—and that happened frequently—she was freed from the marriage bond and therefore free to remarry.[67]

Combining Jesus’ exception clause with the apostle Paul’s, then, you have these two bond-breaking events—sexual infidelity and/or abandonment. This does not mean the innocent party has to divorce the guilty spouse—I always urge repentance and reconciliation, by the way. But this allows for divorce to take place, which frees the innocent spouse to remarry.

This was really strict teaching in Christ’s time, because divorce could be obtained without any cause. And for women especially, it was life-threatening to suddenly be without a husband’s support in that day.

Jesus is effectively raising the bar, and the rest of the New Testament concurs, making it clear that God’s ideal is for a husband and wife to be faithfully married to one another for life. Now just because Jesus said this does not make marriage easy. Frankly, the work of making marriage work is a lot of work!

A big part of the problem is that, to most people, the main purpose of marriage is mutual fulfillment.[68] In other words, my spouse’s main job is to make me happy. Never mind humble sacrifice; never mind servanthood; never mind the commitment of Christ to His church; never mind raising a godly heritage—marriage is all about me!

The average married person today is thinking, I married her because I thought she would meet my needs or I married him because I thought he would give me the life I wanted.

One counselor was rather humorous in commenting on most men who came to him for marriage counseling, complaining about their wives not giving them what they wanted out of their marriage. He said, “Most of these men didn’t really want a wife. What they really wanted was a golden retriever.” They wanted somebody to be at their beck and call—somebody to live for them.

Beloved, your marriage and mine takes commitment and sacrifice and daily investment. Do you know why it is hard work? Because we live in a sinful world that is not going to help husbands and wives stay contented with one another. It is hard work because you happened to marry a fallen sinner. In fact, you know what marriage is? It is the union of two fallen sinners, and as self-centered, sinful people, we want to be the center of the universe—we want our spouses to live for us.

And if they don’t? We will be like the people in Jesus’ day. It’s just paperwork. One historian said that Roman women dated their years with the different names of their husbands. The Jewish people were no better.

Jesus is raising the bar here. He is saying that if divorce is not based on adultery—and the apostle Paul would add, if it is not based on abandonment—stay committed to each other as you depend on the Spirit of God.

Now let me add here that if a man is abusive to his wife, if he is threatening harm to his wife; if she has grown afraid of physical harm, then he has effectively abandoned his marriage vows to care for her. He has abandoned his role to protect her; and as far as I understand the Scriptures, he has abandoned her. I would recommend that the wife separate for her own safety and then call her husband to accountability and repentance and counseling. If he refuses it, he is merely proving his abandonment, and she can biblically be divorced from him and marry someone else.

Having raised the bar on marriage, Jesus next raises the bar on telling the truth, as He speaks here in verses 34-35:

“I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.’”

The Pharisees would make all kinds of oaths and then find some loophole allowing them to break their word. Jesus says in verse 37, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’” In other words, say what you mean, and do what you say.

Jesus then speaks to the issue of retaliation. He says in verse 38, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’”—that is, the punishment should fit the crime. But again, Jesus raises the bar. This biblical principle does not require personal retaliation. He says His followers should be willing to accept insult and injustice.

He says to accept a slap on a cheek—a reference to a man insulting another man—and accept being sued without responding in kind. He adds in verse 41, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”

Then He says down in verse 48, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” The word “perfect” means complete or mature—so, be as mature and gracious as your heavenly Father.

Let me explain this concept of going two miles back up in verse 41. During the days of Christ, a Jewish person could be compelled to carry a Roman soldier’s heavy gear for one mile.[69]

The Jews, of course, despised this demeaning custom. A mile was considered 1,000 steps, so you can just imagine him counting out loud as they walked down the road, “1, 2, 3 … 999, 1,000.” He would drop that soldier’s gear and take not one step farther.

Again, Jesus is raising the bar here in verse 41 when He says, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”

Can you imagine if you said to some Roman soldier, “Listen, I’ve already had to walk 1,000 steps, but I belong to Jesus Christ, my Savior, and in honor of His sacrifice for me, I’m going to carry your gear a second mile.” That Roman soldier would scratch his head and think, These Christians are remarkable people.

By the way, this phrase from the Lord is where we got the expression we use today, of somebody going the extra mile.

Religious Clowns and Circus Performances Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

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When I was a little boy, a traveling circus had become a household name. It made its way by train around our country and even traveled overseas to other continents.

It began as the Barnum and Bailey Circus, named after its founders P. T. Barnum and James Bailey. They later merged with the Ringling Brothers, and in 1919, this traveling circus began advertising itself as the greatest show on earth.

The circus would run from 1871 to 2017, and millions of people of all ages would come to enjoy the high-flying acrobats, the lion tamer, the elephants, the costumes, the overpriced popcorn, and of course, the clowns. I remember going myself as a young child—it was indeed amazing.

But it occurred to me, as I have been studying this Sermon on the Mount with you on our Wisdom Journey, that famous three-ring circus was not the greatest show on earth. Oh no, the greatest show on earth is worldwide, and it puts on a show every single day. It does not have anything to do with animals; it has everything to do with humans. The greatest show on earth is religion. Religion worldwide is quite a production; it has more money, more pageantry, more costumes, and more clowns than ever.

There was a religious circus operating at full steam in Jesus’ day as well. The circus masters were called Pharisees—and Jesus is about to reveal their religious façade. He is going to reveal their hidden motives as they gave, prayed, and fasted. Those three activities were considered essential religious duties in Judaism.

The Lord begins right away here in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 1: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.” The verb “to be seen” comes from theathēnai. It gives us the English word theater. Jesus is saying, “Don’t put on a religious performance; the important issue is not that people see you but that God sees you.”

Another key word the Lord repeats in this passage is hupokritēs, and it gives us our word hypocrites. It referred to an actor who wore a mask on stage. The Lord is referring to hypocrites who hide behind a mask of spiritual activity.

Jesus warns His audience in verse 2, “When you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do.” Down in verse 5 He says, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.” Finally, Jesus says in verse 16, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.”

In other words, stop putting on a religious three-ring circus; stop putting on a public show. Now Jesus is not against public prayers or giving or helping the needy, but He wants us to make sure our heart attitude is putting God’s glory on display, and not our own.

Now let’s take a closer look at the three activities, starting with giving money, here in verse 2. Jesus says, when you give, “sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do.”

I believe the Lord is referring to the horn-shaped receptacles along the wall in the court of the Gentiles into which people put their donations.[70] They were shaped like the flared end of a trumpet and attached to the wall so that money funneled down into a box. When thrown into these receptacles, coins rattled into that opening and effectively “sounded the trumpet.”

Later in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus refers to rich people casting bags of money into these receptacles. Think of it this way: in today’s economy you could quietly slip a fifty-dollar bill into that trumpet, or you could convert it into 200 quarters. That would be a lot more fun, wouldn’t it? That would make a lot of noise and get a lot of attention! And that is Jesus’ point: do not draw attention to yourself.

Of those who did so, Jesus adds here in verse 2, “Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” They wanted attention from people, and attention was the only reward they were going to get.

Jesus goes on to say in verse 3, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” The idea here is that when you give money away, first, do not try to impress other people; and, second, do not try to impress yourself. Give—and then get over it.

The second activity Jesus addresses is praying, here in verse 5:

“When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.”

In the Lord’s day, there were three times for prayer during the day. The Pharisees would time their movements so that they would be in a prominent place at these times, such as on a street corner where they could be seen from four different directions.

Now do not misunderstand: there is nothing wrong with praying at an intersection; I have prayed many times at intersections—and it’s usually, “Lord, please change that red light to a green light.”

Jesus is not opposed to public prayer; He just warns against making public prayers a public performance of spirituality.

The third practice is exposed in verse 16:

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

The only time fasting was required of God’s chosen people was on the annual Day of Atonement, as recorded in Leviticus 16. However, by the time of Christ, the Pharisees were fasting two times a week, on Monday and Thursday. But why those two days?

Well, we know from history that the Jewish economy had two “market days.” On these days, the crowds would swell in Jerusalem to purchase what they needed for the week. Guess when those market days were. Mondays and Thursdays![71]

Here comes the circus again. They even put on costumes! Jesus says they would “disfigure their faces.” They were known to rub ashes into their cheeks to whiten them and make themselves look pale, as if they were hungry.

Beloved, Jesus never commanded His followers to fast, but if we do, it should be a private matter, to focus on His Word and prayer, not to put on a public show.

And here is the problem: we are all infected with a desire to impress other people—even with our personal relationship with God. I remember as a young believer, hearing a preacher say, “I’ve just finished reading the Bible through for the sixty-seventh time.” He went on to say that he read through it every single month. So, I tried to do that and failed miserably. Evidently that preacher was superspiritual, and I could never measure up. No, the truth is, he was boasting of his personal devotion. It might have done him better to study one book of the Bible a month, rather than speed-read the Bible through in a month.

Beloved, there are two questions that need to be asked in relation to giving, praying, fasting, or any other spiritual discipline. First, What is your motive? Are you trying to earn God’s love or more attention from others? You already have God’s love, through Christ, and you are not going to grow spiritually if you depend on other people’s attention. So, what is your motive?

Second, Who is your audience? Frankly, your public prayers ought to sound a lot like your private prayers. Have you noticed that often when people pray in public, their tone changes and their vocabulary changes?

Beloved, here is the point Jesus is making: you do not have to prove anything. And if your audience is God, you can always be encouraged. God sees you and hears you, and God is enough of an audience.

“Lord, Teach us How to Pray” Matthew 6:7-15

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As we have been sailing on our Wisdom Journey through the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord has just exposed the Pharisees’ hypocrisy in the areas of giving, fasting, and praying. Frankly, they were religious actors in a theater, performing this three-ring circus. And Jesus told them that prayer is not a performance.

Now having told His disciples how not to pray, Jesus begins to teach them how to pray. This passage in Matthew 6 is traditionally called the Lord’s Prayer, but it is not really the Lord’s prayer, for Jesus would never need to pray for forgiveness of sin. This is better called the Disciples’ Prayer.

The Lord introduces His teaching with these words in verses 7-8:

“When you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

“Empty phrases” refers to thoughtless repetition. The Pharisees had been impacted “by pagan prayer practices and felt that endless repetition endeared them to God.”[72] Listen, beloved, God does not keep count. He does not say to the angel Gabriel, “If that man or woman down there prays that prayer fifty times, go answer them.”

We already have God’s attention.

Later in Luke 11 Jesus presents this same prayer in response to His disciples’ request, “Lord, teach us to pray.” That is the only recorded time the disciples ever asked Jesus to teach them how to do something.

This prayer, then, is not necessarily a prayer they had to memorize but rather a pattern to model. He does not say here in Matthew 6:9, “Pray this” but “Pray then like this.” And here is how you can begin: “Our Father.”

In Greek this is pater. The equivalent in Aramaic, spoken by many at that time, was abba. The point is clear that you are talking to a family member.

When you asked His Son to become your Savior, God became your heavenly Father. John’s Gospel tells us, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). So, prayer is not a ritual; it’s a relationship.

Then to “Our Father” He adds, “in heaven.” You might have learned it, “Our Father who art in heaven.” I love the way a little boy said it: “Our Father who does art in heaven.” And God certainly does.

Our Father is in heaven, but this phrase is not so much about God’s address, as it is about His attributes. He is the heavenly, majestic, sovereign, creator God.

And that is why we are taught to pray here at the end of verse 9, “hallowed be your name.” To hallow means to make holy—to set it apart as sacred, to honor it.

Listen, if we are followers of Christ, we bear His name—we are Christians. Are we protecting that name?

Many times as a young person, before my three brothers and I left the house to go to school or to a ball game or some other event, just before we got out the door, our mother would say those familiar words, “Don’t forget your last name.” It was a warning, but it also gave us a sense of belonging. We had our father’s name, and we needed to be careful with it.

Now with that, Jesus gives us the first prayer request here in verse 10: “Your kingdom come.” There are two aspects here. This is a prayer for the coming kingdom when Christ returns and reigns upon the earth, as He promised. But we are also asking, “Lord, make my heart your palace grounds where you rule and reign today.”

The next prayer request in verse 10 is even more convicting: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” We can pray about His coming kingdom, but what about our cooperation here and now?

Too often, we pray to get our will done in heaven rather than God’s will done on earth. So here is the right pattern of prayer: “Lord, I want Your will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Have you ever wondered how the will of God is accomplished in heaven? I will tell you that it is done immediately. Angels never ask God, “Why me?” They just obey.

So, we should pray, “Lord, let me live down here like they do up there; let me respond to Your will on earth like they respond to Your will in heaven.”

Here is another prayer request in verse 11: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Early church fathers spiritualized the bread here to refer to communion bread.[73]They just could not believe that Jesus would have us start praying about the groceries.

Archaeologists discovered a small papyrus fragment that happened to be someone’s shopping list. Beside a few items was written this word here for daily. This discovery brought new light to the meaning of this word. “Daily” means just enough for one day; so, praying for daily bread really represents the daily needs of life—and that includes groceries. That means we are depending on the Lord, one day at a time.

The Lord moves on in verse 12 to say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” He adds this down in verses 14-15:

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

Now let’s be very careful here. This is a prayer for disciples, not unbelievers. No matter how many people you forgive, that is not going to get you into heaven; only faith in Christ alone gets you into heaven. This is not a prayer for salvation; this is a prayer to protect our relationships with people who do us wrong.

It is not your salvation but your fellowship with God that is lost when you withhold forgiveness from others. You cannot go to God’s throne of grace and at the same time refuse to give grace to others. You cannot be bitter and resentful toward others and experience the joy of Christ in your heart.

Perhaps what you need to do today to experience fellowship with God is to restore fellowship with someone else. This prayer reminds us that we have been forgiven, so we ought to be forgiving.

One little girl was trying to repeat this prayer in verse 12 but ended up using the word trespasses, which appears down in verses 14-15. That was a word she was not exactly familiar with. She confused the quote a bit, but actually got the idea right when she prayed, “And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.” That is exactly the idea here!

In verse 13, is another request: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” That sounds like God might at times tempt us to sin, but that would contradict God’s Word. Over in the book of James we read, “God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13).

Jesus is simply teaching us here to acknowledge that we need God’s help in steering us away from temptation. We effectively pray, “Father, protect us from the tempting power of sin.”[74]

We cannot even handle temptation, so, we pray, “Lead us away from it, please.” You see, this a daily admission of weakness.

Some Bible translations end this prayer with some additional words, which I personally think ought to be included. As we read it in the King James Version, the prayer ends with these wonderful words: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

We declare the power and the permanence and the priority of God’s kingdom. It is as if Jesus teaches us to end this prayer by declaring, “Long live the King!”

When Your Heart Lives at the Bank Matthew 6:19-34

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In 1923, some of the world’s most successful businessmen met at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. They included Charles Schwab, the president of Bethlehem Steel Company; Richard Whitney, the president of the New York Stock Exchange; Albert Fall, a member of the U. S. President’s cabinet; and bank president Leon Fraser.

It was said that collectively these men controlled more wealth than the United States had in its treasury. For years, newspapers and magazines followed these men—their wealth, their mansions, their lifestyles—printing their success stories and holding them up as examples for the younger generation.[75]

Let me tell you, the world does the same thing today. It elevates wealth, as if having money makes your life a model for living.

Now do not misunderstand; there is nothing inherently wrong with money. You might be needing a little more of it today to pay your bills. The problem is the love of money—the greedy pursuit of money and possessions. Listen, the problem is not what we might possess; the problem is what possesses us.

Do you realize that Jesus talked more about money and possessions than He did about heaven and hell combined? In fact, in the Bible there are 500 references to prayer, and 2,000 references to possessions. Obviously, this is a big deal for the believer today.

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus begins to speak about the issue of money. He says in verse 19, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.”

What kind of treasures might Jesus be talking about, especially since banks did not exist back then? We know from history that clothing was collected and even used as currency. People would often weave gold into their clothing—they essentially wore their bank account.

They also stored up grain in barns. Grain, in that day, was as good as gold. In addition, some people would keep silver or gold coins, often hiding them in their homes.

With that in mind, Jesus now speaks of three different thieves that can take your treasures away. The first thief is the moth, which Jesus says in verse 19 can destroy. Indeed, a single moth can ruin a closet full of clothes. Jesus also mentions rust destroying treasure. The word He uses for “rust” means “eating away.” It could refer to corrosion but could also refer to rodents, like mice, that can eat grain that has been stored in barns. That is probably what Jesus is picturing here. I have read that in India they estimate that as much as 50 percent of their annual grain supply is consumed by rodents!

The third thief Jesus mentions is a robber. He says in verse 19 that “thieves [can] break in and steal.” The verb translated “break in” literally means to dig in or dig through. In Jesus’ time, homes were made of clay bricks; burglars could literally dig a hole through the wall and get inside.[76]

So, what’s the solution? Well, Jesus says to make sure your greatest investments are in heaven. Note His words in verse 20: “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” In other words, invest in eternal things.

And what are eternal investments? One of them is God Himself; invest in your relationship with Him. Another eternal investment is people—they are going to live forever. Third, invest time in God’s Word; and fourth, invest in the work of Christ around the world—it will reap eternal dividends.

Then Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (verse 21). That is, what you are really interested in will be proved by what you have invested in.

Somebody will say to me, “My heart is really interested in missions.” “Really? Do you volunteer in the church or some local ministry?” “No.” “Have you ever been on a mission trip?” “No.” “Do you give any money to missionaries?” “No, but my heart is interested in missions.” “Well, let me tell you the truth: no it isn’t. And Jesus tells you why: you will be invested in whatever you are truly interested in.”

Jesus gives an illustration to prove His point here in verses 22-23:

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”

Jesus is using the eye figuratively here for spiritual insight and understanding. If your insight is biblically sound, your body will head in the right direction—your life, your wealth, your goals in life will be directed toward glorifying God.

Jesus gives another illustration in verse 24:

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Now, it is good to have a job—again, money is not really the issue. The issue is what you are living for, and you cannot live for God and live for money at the same time.

And if you are living for money, your life is going to be filled with anxiety and worry; and that is what Jesus says next:

“Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (verse 25)

Then Jesus uses some birds as an illustration. I imagine that since He is preaching this sermon out on a hillside, He might even be pointing at a few of them flying overhead as He speaks in verse 26:

“Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

If God cares for the birds, He certainly will care for you.

Jesus then asks a pointed question in verse 27: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” Worrying in the great subtractor; it does not add anything to your life, not even one moment of time. I have read that worry is like a rocking chair—it gives you something to do, but it never takes you anywhere.

Jesus says here that we ought to devote our money and our minds to eternal things—verse 33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Keep your focus on Him; make your greatest investments in the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ. Beloved, do not let your possessions possess you.

Remember that meeting back in 1923 of those powerful and wealthy men—those men the magazines and newspapers assumed lived the best life possible? Well, within twenty-five years of that meeting, things had changed drastically. Charles Schwab, the president of Bethlehem Steel Company, a man who had lived an immoral life, ended up living in a little apartment, having lost his mansion and money. In fact, he died hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Richard Whitney, the president of the New York Stock Exchange, was arrested for embezzlement and served time in prison. Leon Fraser took his own life; and Albert Fall was convicted of accepting bribes and went to prison. He was later pardoned by the president so he could die at home.

The world does not understand that it is possible to make a living and never experience a life worth living.

Listen, beloved, do not ever deposit your heart in the bank; invest in eternal treasures. That is what will make your life worth living.

To Judge or Not to Judge? Matthew 7:1–8:1; Luke 6:31, 37-49

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We arrive today at one of the best-known verses in all the Bible. In fact, I believe the average person on the street knows this verse better than any other. Here at the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He says in Matthew 7:1: “Judge not, that you be not judged.”

About the time you suggest to people that God does not like what they are doing, or you tell them that how they are living is sinful, they pull out this verse and say, “Ah, ah—‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’”

Well, let me tell you, that is not what Jesus meant. We make judgments every day—what to wear, what to eat, what house to buy, and what school to send our children to.

The Bible actually recommends making judgments. For instance, we are to judge unbiblical beliefs as incorrect and to judge our own sin as unacceptable. The apostle Paul mentioned a man sexually involved with his stepmother and in 1 Corinthians 5:3 he writes, “I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.”

The Bible says that a spiritually minded believer judges all things (1 Corinthians 2:15). We are always to make careful judgments between things that are good and things that are evil—and even between things that are good and things that are best.

What Jesus is warning against here in Matthew 7 is a judgmental spirit. Making judgments is very different from being judgmental toward others—judgmentalism is rooted in pride.

Jesus warns in verse 2: “With the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” In other words, if you’re going to be self-righteous toward others, with a judgmental, arrogant spirit, well, it is going to come back to haunt you in the end.

Jesus illustrates that arrogant spirit in verses 3-4:

“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?”

Jesus is using exaggeration here, rather humorously, to make a point. You have this huge log sticking out of your eye while you are trying to perform delicate surgery to take a speck out of your friend’s eye. You are only going to do more damage!

By the way, the speck and the log are made from the same material. Isn’t it true that the sin we struggle with is the same sin we so easily see in other people? So, Jesus is effectively telling us to deal with our own sin, and then with that humble spirit, we can help others also.

Jesus then goes on in verse 6:

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”

Jesus is more than likely referring to the meat priests offered on the altar. The priests would never throw that which is sacred to some scavenging dog. In the same way, one would not take something that is valuable—like pearls—and make them into a necklace to put around some pig’s neck.

So, who are the dogs and the pigs in this verse? Well, in the New Testament writings of Paul and Peter, these terms are used to describe those who reject salvation and choose to stop their ears to the gospel and instead live immoral lives (see Philippians 3:2, 18-19; 2 Peter 2:22).

With that, Jesus begins to focus on those who are living the life they should be living as followers of Christ. He says in verse 7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” The verb tenses indicate continual action—you keep on asking, you keep on seeking, and you keep on knocking.

Living like Christ also means loving the unloving. The Gospel of Luke adds to this account, recording that Jesus says, “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:31). This statement is known today as the Golden Rule. And it is golden, isn’t it? In the world people treat others like they get treated, but Jesus raises the bar. In fact, He goes on to say in verse 35, “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great.” Loving people like this becomes a powerful, unique testimony to a lost, self-centered world.

Now back in Matthew 7, Jesus says in verse 13, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide . . . that leads to destruction.”

In the days of Jesus, walled cities had wide gates for two-way traffic. At night when the gates were closed, a small door was used to allow individuals to enter one at a time. Basically, Jesus says here that the way into the kingdom is that small door.

Yes, it is a narrow door, but keep in mind that narrow does not refer so much to size, as it does to singularity. There is one and only one way into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus even said in John 10:9, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” There are not many doors into God’s house; there is only one, and Jesus says He is that door.

If there were many ways to God, don’t you think Jesus would have been smart enough to just point out one of those other ways and save Himself the agony of dying on the cross? No, the truth is, Jesus is the only door—and that is why He had to die for you and me.

Next, Jesus warns of false teachers in Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” They look harmless, but they have an appetite for lamb.

Now we often think of a false teacher here dressed up to look like a sheep. But I do not think that is the idea at all. The shepherd wore wool clothing that came from the sheep. The false teacher is not trying to look like one of the sheep; he is trying to look like one of the shepherds so he can lead the sheep astray.

Well, how do you spot false shepherds? Jesus answers here in verse 16: “You will recognize them by their fruits”—by what they produce. They are going to enrich their own lives even if the flock suffers financially. They are going to mistreat the flock—this could be sexual mistreatment or physical mistreatment. They are going to point the sheep to themselves, rather than to Christ, the Chief Shepherd. Frankly, they are not interested in feeding the flock; they want to fleece the flock, for their own gain.

And Jesus says that one day when they stand before Him, He will say to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (verse 23).

Finally, in verses 24-25 Jesus illustrates the stability of a life that is built on the rock-solid truth of God’s Word:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”

So, are you making wise judgments today? Are you building your life on the truth of Scripture? If you are, let the rains fall and the floods come, for you are anchored to the true Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Death Interrupted Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-17

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I learned in school many years ago that the continents of our planet are shifting—ever so slightly. We used to call this continental drift, but it goes by more technical terms today. The continent of Australia, for instance, drifts nearly three inches to the northeast, every year. Australians do not feel it or see it—the drift is too slow to notice. But it takes place.[77]

When I read about this some time ago, it struck me as just one more illustration that everything on earth changes. There are some things that never change, though. God does not change, and His Word, the psalmist wrote, is “firmly fixed in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89).

Jesus has just finished His famous Sermon on the Mount. He has delivered His word; and today, some 2,000 years later, it is still the truth. Now as the audience empties that hillside where Jesus preached, the Lord heads back home to Capernaum, just a few miles away, according to Luke chapter 7.

The Lord is interrupted by a Roman centurion. A centurion was in command of 100 soldiers. The Greek historian, Polybius, recorded that centurions were “reliable men and highly respected military leaders.”[78]

Luke writes here in verse 2: “A centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him.” Matthew’s parallel account describes this sick man as paralyzed (Matthew 8:6). Dr. Luke here says he was “at the point of death.” In other words, you might as well start working on the funeral program.

Verse 3 says, “When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.”

We are following Luke’s account here, but let me mention a difference with Matthew’s account over in chapter 8.[79] Luke says the centurion sent elders, while Matthew says the centurion came to Jesus. Which one is correct? Well, both are. In the ancient world, you might send a messenger to act in your favor, and it would be as if you yourself were speaking.[80]

This is interesting, because Jewish elders did not typically run errands for people, much less a Roman centurion.[81] But we are given the inside story here by Luke, who tells us exactly why they showed up:

And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” (verses 4-5)

He built their synagogue with his own money! He loved the Jewish people; and building the synagogue indicates that he loved, not only Israel, but also the God of Israel.

As Jesus approaches the centurion’s house, we read here in verses 6-7:

The centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.”

This Roman officer is saying, “Lord, all I need is Your word—just speak the word. That will be enough!” All he has to go on is the word of the Lord.

The Lord responds, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith” (verse 9). By the way, I hope that is your testimony today as well: His word is truly enough!

Immediately, the servant was healed (Matthew 8:13). Jesus spoke, and it was settled. What He promised, He produced.

Isn’t this what we are depending upon to this very day, beloved? Just His word? We cannot see Him; we cannot hear Him; but we can trust His word.

Have you ever seen the Book of Life with your name written in it, granting you eternal life? You have not seen it. So how do you know it is really there? You have His word on it.[82]The Bible says that believers in Christ, have their names written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3).

Now after this miraculous healing in Capernaum, Jesus, His disciples, and a great crowd travel about twenty miles southwest to the town of Nain.

The village of Nain exists to this day—it’s a little Arab village of about 200 people not far from Nazareth. It was like one of those little towns you pass just off the highway. You are probably not stopping unless you need gas; then you are thankful for it. You come to that little town and exit off the interstate, and there is a gas station with a KFC on one side and a Dunkin’ Donuts on the other side—that’s all I need when I am traveling.

Now the Lord obviously has a purpose for pulling off the main highway to walk over to this little village. We find out almost immediately what it is:

As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of His mother, and she was a widow. (verse 12)

Beloved, this is no chance encounter. The Lord has arrived at this place, right on time. Verse 13 says, “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said, to her, ‘Do not weep.’” Having compassion on her is the strongest expression in the Greek language for sympathy.[83] You could translate this, “When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her—He felt deeply for her.”

Then we are told in verse 14, “He came up and touched the bier”—the platform on which the body was lying—“and the [pall]bearers stood still.” Don’t miss the fact that Jesus has just touched the environment of a corpse and would have been considered ceremonially unclean. But not if there is no one dead under those wrappings!

I believe as soon as Jesus reached out for it—life surged back into this young man’s body. Then Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, arise. And the dead man sat up and began to speak.”

That proves he is alive. We are not told what he said; it could have been, “I’m hungry” or “Hi, Mom.” We don’t know. But we are told in verse 15 that Jesus “gave him to his mother.” He reunited this young man with his mother. What a reunion!

Let me tell you, this is the picture of that coming reunion in heaven. Jesus is going to give us back to each other. You are going to see your child again and say, “There you are, at last! I have missed you so much.” You are going to see your believing parents and grandparents again, much younger than you ever remembered them. We can hardly imagine the reunion in that day as every funeral is put into the past, and death is forever interrupted.

Can Jesus just say the word and make someone’s disease disappear? Yes, if He chooses. Can Jesus just speak the word, “Arise,” and cause dead bodies to come back to life? Yes. In fact, one day He will do just that for you and me as well.

Now let me emphasize three truths from these encounters here. First, Jesus considers no one to be unimportant. He does His marvelous work with leading Roman centurions and unknown widows in little villages. No one is unimportant to Him.

Second, Jesus considers no case to be impossible. One man was paralyzed and about to die, and another man, already dead, was being carried to the graveyard. “Nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

Third, Jesus considers no suffering to be insignificant. Of course, the Lord does not always eliminate the suffering. Our loved ones die, and we ourselves suffer at times, according to God’s will. We have not been promised the absence of suffering, but Jesus promises His presence in the midst of it. He enters into it with us, and one day He will put it away from us forever.

Imprisoned in the Dungeon of Doubt Matthew 11:2-19; Luke 7:18-35

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John Bunyan was a pastor who lived in the mid-1600s in England. Because of his biblical convictions, he refused to align his church with the Church of England and was often thrown into jail for preaching as an unauthorized pastor.

While serving time in prison, as he did on more than one occasion, he wrote several books. The most famous one, published in 1678, was The Pilgrim’s Progress. If you have not read it yet, you need to.

In this allegory, Bunyan writes about the experiences of a young believer named Christian who is traveling from his home village to the Celestial City—or heaven. His experiences along the way illustrate the trials and temptations of every Christian. But in the story John Bunyan included many of his own challenges—especially his own personal battle with doubt.

In one particular episode, Christian and his companion Hopeful are traveling through a certain field, where they rest for the night. But they are captured by a giant named Despair, who takes them to his castle, called Doubting Castle. He throws them into a dungeon cell. Over the course of several days, they are beaten by Despair, who enjoys making their lives miserable.

Finally, one night, Christian and Hopeful are praying for help, and suddenly Christian remembers that earlier in his journey he had been given a key called Promise. He takes it from his pocket, and when he slips it into the lock of their cell door, it opens. In fact, that key opens every locked door that stands in their way to freedom.

Finally, they reach the outer gate of the castle, and it opens as well. Christian and his friend Hopeful run for their lives back to the King’s Highway and on toward the Celestial City.

John Bunyan was writing about something every honest Christian admits—a struggle at times with the giant Despair and Doubting Castle.

Even William Carey, the man we call the Father of Modern Missions, wrote this in his journal, in 1794:

I am defective in all my duties; in prayer I wander … my soul is a jungle, when it ought to be a garden; I am, perhaps, the most inconsistent [Christian]. I can scarcely tell if I have the grace of God or not.[84]

How do you respond to Despair and his Doubting Castle? Well, in this next encounter as we sail through the life of Christ on our Wisdom Journey, we find here in Luke’s Gospel that the news of Jesus’ ministry reaches an innocent man locked up in prison. His name is John the Baptist. Herod had put him into prison some eighteen months earlier.[85]

John has evidently grown disillusioned. Think of all he had expected after he had announced the Messiah’s arrival. He had preached that the golden age of God’s kingdom was just around the corner.[86] But where is the conquering King? Herod is still in power, the religious hypocrites are still influential, the Roman Empire is still in charge, and he is sitting in prison.

We are told here in Luke chapter 7 that John sends two of his disciples to find Jesus and ask Him a question—and this question is filled with sorrow and despair and doubt. They ask the Lord, in verse 19, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

“Jesus, are you really the Messiah? Have we been following the true Son of God?” You might put their question this way: “Lord, if You are the one we were expecting, why isn’t anything happening that we expected?” Isn’t that what creates doubt in our hearts today? “Lord, You are doing something we were not expecting,” or “You are not doing something we expected. In fact, Lord, nothing right now is making any sense at all.”

One author wrote this:

We don’t necessarily doubt that God is love; we just doubt at times if God loves us. How can I believe He cares about me when I’ve lost my job; my spouse left me for someone else; I’ve been diagnosed with an incurable disease.[87]

I can easily say that God loves the world; I just don’t think He loves me.

Let me tell you, I am so grateful that God allowed this question to come from the lips of this great prophet because we would assume that somebody like John the Baptist would have the answers, not the questions. He would never give in to despair or doubt, and he certainly would not question Jesus.

Jesus responds here in verse 22:

“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.”

Don’t miss the point. Jesus does not say, “Go back and tell John I cannot believe he is doubting me. What do you mean, ‘Should we look for someone else?’”

Instead, Jesus quotes four different verses from Isaiah that refer to the work of the Messiah (Isaiah 26:19; 29:18; 35:5; 61:1). In effect, Jesus says, “John, remember; God’s Word says this is who I am.” Jesus then says in verse 23, “And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Evidently, these quotations from Isaiah were good enough for John. While Jesus’ response did not set him free physically, it did set his mind and his heart free.

Instead of rebuking John, Jesus sets the record straight with an amazing tribute to the prophet.[88] He says in verse 28:

“I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

Jesus is talking about you and me as His followers. John was great, but even little you and me are more greatly blessed. How? Well, for one, we have greater blessing than John had. John died before Jesus’ ministry was complete. He did not live to see the resurrection; he did not see the church created; he never saw a complete Bible. We have all of that and more.

Jesus now turns to the crowd of unbelievers and delivers a rather pointed message:

“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’”(verses 31-32)

In other words, they rejected the invitation of John the Baptist to weep when he sang a dirge. Likewise, they rejected Jesus’ invitation to dance when he played the flute of good news, so to speak.

The preaching themes of John and Jesus were different in many ways, but they preached the same message: Repent; the kingdom is on the way. And they were both rejected by the self-righteous religious leaders and the nation of Israel.

Beloved, this event in John’s life shows us the difference between doubt and unbelief. Doubt does not understand what God is doing; unbelievers do not care what God is doing.

So, what do you do, beloved, when you feel trapped in the prison cell there in Doubting Castle?

You escape that dungeon of despair the same way Christian did in The Pilgrim’s Progress—not by some heroic act of faith or by some inner determination to do better, but by reaching once again, in all your weakness and helplessness, for the key called Promise; that is, the promises of the Word of God.

Go to God’s Word, and claim His promises. God will keep His word. He will never break His promise to care for you, to guide you, to love you, all the way to the Celestial City of heaven.

The Prostitute and the Pharisee Matthew 11:20-30; Luke 7:36-50

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As we continue making our way through the four Gospels on our Wisdom Journey, the next event that takes place chronologically is a warning to unbelieving cities that had witnessed the power of Jesus. Here in Matthew 11:20 we are told, “Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.”

Jesus then says in verses 21-23 that the cities of Tyre and Sidon and Sodom will be judged less severely than the cities where Jesus personally performed His miracles.

This is a shocking announcement because everybody knows Sidon was the home of Jezebel, that wicked queen. They know that Baal and Ashtoreth had been worshiped in the city of Tyre, along with Molech, whose idols were crafted with open bellies in which hot fires were stoked and into which people placed their babies as sacrifices.[89]

Everybody knows that the city of Sodom was synonymous with God’s judgment against homosexuality. But Jesus says that the people of Sidon and Tyre and Sodom are going to receive less punishment in that final day of judgment.

The Lord even says, “And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades” (verse 23).

Capernaum had been home base for Jesus; He had taught in the synagogue there and healed the sick. Capernaum should have a head start in the coming kingdom of God. Not quite, Jesus says, because they rejected their Messiah.

After this indictment, Jesus breaks into prayer:

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (verses 25-27).

Then Jesus makes this invitation to his audience in verses 28-30:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

In those days, whenever oxen were ready to begin plowing, the farmer would bring out the village carpenter and take measurements of their shoulders, as if he were fitting them for tailor-made suits. Then he would carve a yoke that fit perfectly so that it would not chafe the oxen’s shoulders.

When Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,” He means, “I have tailor-made a yoke for you. Take it upon you, and learn from Me.” The word for “learn” is the verb form of the word translated “disciple.” Basically, He is saying, “Become my disciple.” What is the curriculum? Jesus says, “For I am gentle and lowly in heart.”

This is the only time in the New Testament that Jesus refers to His heart. The Lord’s curriculum for His disciples is all about His heart. And what happens when we study Him? He says, “You will find rest for your souls.” Then in verse 30, He says, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” In other words, His yoke is perfectly tailored; it is well fitting—for you.

The Pharisees had loaded down the people with all their regulations. Jesus offered rest from self-effort for those who would trust their hearts to His.

Now as we study Jesus’ life chronologically through the Gospels, Luke 7 brings us to the next event, when a Pharisee invites Jesus over for a meal. While they are eating, something unusual happens, as we are told in verse 37:

A woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that [Jesus] was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment.

A woman of the city was first-century terminology for a prostitute.[90]

She just walks into this dining room where dinner is already underway. I imagine everybody stops eating and turns to stare.

Verse 38 continues:

Standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

Now in our culture today, this show of affection might appear to be too intimate or indiscreet. But not in Jesus’ day.

A Greek manuscript was discovered that had been written around the time of Jesus. It describes a woman who went to the temple of her goddess Aphrodite. There she let down her hair in veneration to the goddess as she knelt at the feet of her idol and wept and repeatedly kissed the feet of the statute.[91]

That is the idea here. The woman is kneeling in worship, kissing—not the feet of a man—but the feet of her Messiah and Lord. This little container, which women often carried on a necklace, would have contained costly perfume, or ointment.

Simon the Pharisee is watching this take place, and he speaks to himself in verse 39:

“If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”

He is thinking, Jesus is no prophet; otherwise, He would know what kind of sinner this woman is and would not be letting her touch Him. Wait till I tell the other Pharisees.

What Simon doesn’t know is that Jesus can read his mind. So, Jesus presents Simon a brief parable here in verses 41-42:

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon answers, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt” (verse 43). Jesus says that he is correct. The greater the debt, the greater the appreciation for the lender’s kindness.

Then turning toward the woman, Jesus asks Simon in verse 44, “Do you see this woman?” Of course he sees this woman. Nobody eating dinner had stopped watching what she was doing!

What Jesus means here is, “Do you see how she recognizes her sinfulness? Do you see how thankful she is for God’s forgiveness. She loves me so much because she has been forgiven so much.”

Now maybe you read this passage and think that you would love the Lord more if you had this kind of testimony—if you had been a prostitute or a murderer. The point Jesus is making is not so much about the amount of sin but the awareness of sin.[92]

When you think little of your sin, it is no big deal that Jesus died for you. But when you realize the depths of your depravity and the sinfulness of your heart—no matter what your testimony is—the more you come to love and appreciate the Lord.[93]

This woman is openly professing her love for Christ, and He now says to her in verse 48, “Your sins are forgiven.” He is affirming her faith in Him, which brought her into this dining room.

The reaction of the Pharisees is predictable. We read in verse 49, “Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this, who even forgives sins?’” Jesus just ignores them and says to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (verse 50).

Friend, it does not matter what you have done, and it does not matter who you are; come to Jesus, and place your faith in Him. He will slip that tailor-made yoke on you as His disciple, and you will find peace and forgiveness and rest for your soul.

Women in the Supporting Cast Luke 8:1-3

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Gladys Aylward was born in London, England, in 1902 to a poor shoemaker and his wife. She seemed destined to serve as a housemaid, which she did until her early twenties when she heard of a widowed missionary in China who needed someone to help her in an orphanage there. So, she applied to the China Inland Mission, but she ultimately was rejected because of her lack of progress in learning the Mandarin language.

Undeterred, she started saving every penny she could and finally, when she turned thirty, she had enough saved to buy a one-way ticket to China. She was four feet ten inches tall and would be nicknamed “The Little Woman” throughout her life. But every inch of her was packed with determination. After joining the elderly widowed missionary, the two began attempting to reach the neighbors with the gospel there in Yangcheng, China. They were ignored.

But this village was heavily traveled by miners driving their mules on a trade route past the orphanage. So, these two women decided to convert spare rooms into hotel rooms.

The Chinese mule drivers were reluctant to stop at first, but one day, as a mule convoy came by, Gladys, “The Little Woman,” ran out and took the bridle of the lead mule and turned it into the courtyard, and all the other mules followed. Food and clean rooms were ready, and the men stayed. They would return time and time again, always eager to learn more of the gospel from these two kind and caring women, and many lives were changed.[94]

The church has been greatly blessed over the centuries with faithful women who served Christ. And think of this: you never read in the New Testament of a female follower of Christ denying Him, betraying Him, or abandoning Him.[95]

Women served with faithfulness and humility as members of what I would like to call the “supporting cast” in the ministry of Christ while on earth. Their legacy continues to this day.

The next event in our chronological study through the Gospels takes us to Luke 8, where we are introduced to three faithful women who played a supporting role among the larger group of Jesus’ disciples.

[Jesus] went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities. (verses 1-2)

Jesus is effectively commencing His second missionary journey throughout Galilee (see Luke 4:14-15). The number of followers is growing, and frankly that is creating some practical challenges.

Where are they going to get the money they need to buy food and provisions along the way? Verse 3 tells us that these three women—Mary, Joanna, and Susanna—along with “many others . . . provided for them out of their means.” Apparently, these are women of wealth and they are willing to use it in the service of the Lord.

These three women have something else in common. According to verse 2, all three had been “healed of evil spirits and infirmities.” All of these women had been delivered by Jesus.

The first woman is introduced to us here in the middle of verse 2: “Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out.” By the way, there is no biblical connection between her and the prostitute who poured out her perfume on the feet of Jesus back in Luke 7. There is no biblical evidence at all that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. Back in the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church created that tradition without any evidence. People to this very day have even tried to make some sort of romantic connection between Mary Magdalene and Jesus. That is nothing but nonsense fit for the tabloids.

Now when Dr. Luke says here in verse 2 that Jesus healed these women, the word he uses for “healed” is the medical term therapeuō, from which we get our word therapy. This Greek verb emphasizes entire restoration to health. No wonder these women wanted to give their lives to following the Lord.

Mary Magdalene highlights the Lord’s ability to give hope to the hopeless. She had been tormented, plagued, and demon-possessed. But none of that stood a chance against the power of Christ and His saving gospel. You might be praying for some hopeless case today. Well, remember that someone’s dark past does not hinder the Lord’s ability to give that person a bright future. Jesus took someone who was ostracized and gave her a new family—brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers—a family of disciples committed to serving their Deliverer, their Savior.

The second woman mentioned in this supporting cast here in verse 3 is “Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager.” Luke does not tell us what illness this woman was healed from, but Luke does mention her family connections. Her husband, Chuza, is the “household manager” of Herod—that is, Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great—and therefore a high-ranking member of Herod’s court.[96]

Luke is informing us that the gospel has reached the upper echelon of society. Chuza is in charge of managing the personal property and financial portfolio of Herod. This would have been an incredibly influential role. Chuza and Joanna would have been on the Christmas list of King Herod!

But Herod certainly is not a friend of Jesus. This king will put John the Baptist to death. He is going to encounter Jesus briefly during the trials that lead to the Lord’s crucifixion.

There are not going to be any testimony meetings or worship services in Herod’s living room. But still, the gospel had made its way into the king’s palace and saved Joanna—and possibly her husband, Chuza. Sometimes God reaches unlikely people in unexpected places.

Luke then introduces us to this third supporting cast member, a woman mentioned here in the middle of verse 3: “Susanna.” That’s it. Just her name is given to us. We do not know anything more about her. But beloved, being unknown is not the same thing as being unimportant.

While the early church may have known Susanna, we know only that she was healed by Jesus, began following Jesus, and gave financial support to Him.[97] But being unknown on earth does not mean you are unknown in heaven.

I am reminded again of Gladys Aylward, the little woman who gave her life to serve orphans and miners in the heartland of China. Gladys was actually surprised God used her as He did, given her limitations, physically and academically. In her later years, she wrote this testimony:

“I wasn’t God’s first choice for what I’ve done in China. There was somebody else . . . I don’t know who it was—God’s first choice. It must have been a man—a wonderful man. A well-educated man. I don’t know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn’t willing. . . . He never came. Then God looked down . . . and saw Gladys Aylward.”[98]

Beloved, are you tempted to think that you do not matter to God, that your place of service is so small that it is not worth all that much?

A wonderful little poem gives us a better perspective. It goes like this:

Is your place a small place?

Tend it with care!—He set you there.

Is your place a large place?

Guard it with care!—He set you there.

Whatever your place, it is

Not yours alone, but His

Who set you there.[99]

And we can add that wherever He sets you, there He also joins you.

Beloved, there is no better role you can have in life than to be a simple member of the supporting cast of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Pardon in His Pocket Matthew 12:22-50; Mark 3:20-35; Luke 8:19-21

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One of the most colorful historical characters in Western history is Winston Churchill. It seemed that people either hated him or loved him. It has often been reported that one day a woman who was constantly after Churchill—a political archenemy—said to him at a public reception, “Mr. Churchill, if I were your wife, I would put poison in your tea.” Churchill responded, “Madam, if you were my wife, I would gladly drink it.”

There is little, if anything, that Churchill had in common with the Lord, except for the fact that Jesus also was either loved or hated during His public ministry.

Over our next several studies in our Wisdom Journey, as we go through the Gospels chronologically, we are going to cover the events of just one day in the Lord’s ministry. The Gospels give us the details of only fifty-two days in the ministry of Christ. Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us a lot of details about this one day, Jesus’ busiest day.

And let me tell you ahead of time, this particular day will mark the beginning of a shift from a public ministry to more of a private ministry among His closest disciples. That shift begins rather dramatically, as Jesus and His disciples return home to Capernaum. The crowds immediately gather and are in awe of His messianic claims. The problem is, the Lord's own family has a different perspective, as we are told here in Mark 3:20-21:

Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

The half brothers and half sisters of Jesus think that He has lost His mind. They come here to seize Him, to forcibly take Him away—and maybe get Him some professional counseling. Mark says they think Jesus is “out of his mind.”

At this rather chaotic moment, Matthew’s Gospel records this:

A demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” (Matthew 12:22-23)

“Son of David” here is a reference to the promised Messiah of the Old Testament.

When we combine Matthew’s and Mark’s accounts of this moment,[100] we find that the Pharisees and the scribes are pretty upset about the fact that Jesus could deliver this demonized individual. They know this was one of the messianic signs. Mark 3:22 records their reaction: “[They] were saying, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul,’ and ‘by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.’”

Beelzebul, the name of an ancient Phoenician god, is used here for Satan, the “prince of demons.” The scribes and Pharisees cannot deny the miracle, but they are so opposed to Jesus, they say to the crowd, “This is Satan, working in and through Jesus!”

Jesus responds, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (verses 23-24). In other words, “Use some common sense! If I am empowered by Satan, why would I cast out a demon? Put on your thinking cap, for goodness’ sake!”

He illustrates in verse 27 by pointing out that a burglar cannot enter the house of a strong man and rob it until he first ties up the strong man. So, Jesus is saying, “I am invading the territory of Satan, which proves I am stronger than Satan.”

Now this should have been obvious. But the minds of these religious leaders are closed to the obvious; they are rejecting the truth and claiming that Jesus is empowered by Satan, rather than God’s Spirit.

And that, beloved, is pretty serious blasphemy. Jesus says in verse 29, “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.” Many people call this the unpardonable sin.

But do not misunderstand. Jesus can forgive every sin. This particular sin is beyond forgiveness only because they are rejecting Jesus, who alone can forgive sin.

There is more here, within the context of Jesus offering the kingdom to Israel. This rejection of Him and claim that He is empowered by Satan becomes a part of their official national blasphemy of unbelief against their King.

Over in Matthew 12:34, Jesus goes on to say that His accusers’ blasphemy reveals their rebellious hearts. Still, these leaders ask Jesus for another sign. This would be almost comical if it were not so tragic. Remember, Jesus has just cast out a demon!

Jesus responds in verse 39, saying the only sign they are going to get at this point is “the sign of the prophet Jonah.” That sign will be Jesus’ resurrection after three days in the tomb.

To drive home the point, Jesus tells them in verses 43-45 of an “unclean spirit” that goes out of a man, only to return later to find the man still empty. The demon then moves back in, along with seven other demons, making the man’s “last state . . . worse than the first.”

This is another reference to the nation of Israel. The nation had enthusiastically responded to John the Baptist’s call to repentance—they had cleaned out their room, so to speak. But they have refused to fill the room of their hearts with the Messiah, and they are now in worse shape spiritually than they were before John’s ministry.

Mark 3 informs us of what happens next. Jesus is in a house, surrounded by a huge crowd. He has cast out a demon, and the religious leaders are blaspheming Him. Then someone arrives to tell the Lord His family is outside. They are here to take Him away for that first appointment with a psychiatrist. Remember, they think He has lost His mind.

Jesus responds in verses 33-35:

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Listen, this is true to this very day. If you believe the gospel of Christ, Jesus gives you the right to become children of God—to join His family, to belong to the family of God. Why? Because instead of rejecting Him, you have received Him.

Some time ago I read about a murderer who was on death row. His brother was a powerful politician, and in the last hour he persuaded the governor to offer a pardon to his brother.

He stuck the pardon in his pocket and headed for the prison. On the way there, he began having doubts. He thought, Maybe my brother hasn’t changed. Perhaps he will murder again.

So, instead of going to the warden, he went directly to his brother’s prison cell and asked him, “If you could somehow get out of here today, what would you do?” He immediately said, “I would kill every witness who testified against me, and I would make sure that prosecutor is dead within the next twenty-four hours.”

With a broken heart, this man left his brother’s prison cell with that pardon still in his pocket. His brother was soon executed for murder.

I want you to consider the fact that Jesus Christ has come with a pardon in His pocket, so to speak. In fact, He is the pardon because He took on Himself the payment for your crimes—your sins as well as mine. All He wants from you is a heart of humility and faith that says, “I am willing to admit my sin, ask for forgiveness, and give my life to Jesus Christ, my Redeemer and King.”

If you have not done that already, pray right now, and ask the Lord to save you—and He will.

Four Soils . . . Four Hearts Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15

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We arrive today again at the busiest day in Jesus’ ministry as recorded in the Gospels. And this particular day, busy as it is, marks a turning point in the offer of Jesus to the nation of Israel.

The religious leaders have blasphemed the Holy Spirit; they have attributed the power of Christ over demons to Satan working through Christ, if you can imagine that. And with that, a point of no return has occurred as Israel’s religious leaders reject King Jesus and eventually lead the nation to reject Him as well.

From this point forward, Jesus will no longer declare that the kingdom of God is at hand, and that is because the literal kingdom offer is postponed.[101] None of this surprised the Lord, of course. In fact, just as Adam’s rebellion against God did not throw God’s plans out the window, Israel’s rejection of Christ is part of God’s plan for the ages.

Now there are two terms that need defining before we move forward. One term is dispensation, or dispensationalism. Dispensationalism is a system that is derived from consistently interpreting the Bible literally, as I am doing today.

This literal approach to Scripture leads to an understanding that there are various periods of time, or dispensations, when God and His people uniquely relate to one another. For instance, Adam and Eve lived in what we can call the dispensation of innocence, a period of time when Adam and Eve were sinless. God even took some form and walked with them in the evening. There was no death during this period—and no clothing either, by the way.

Later came what we call the dispensation of the Law with its sacrificial system and Mosaic laws of diet and Sabbath worship. Today we are living in the New Testament dispensation, a period of time we could call the dispensation of the church. And what a wonderful dispensation this is, as the Holy Spirit now indwells each of us and we can worship the Lord directly and personally without the priesthood or animal sacrifices.

And one day we are going to move into the dispensation of the kingdom, when Jesus returns with us to earth following the tribulation. And a lot of things are going to change in that dispensation. We are future kings and queens who will co-reign with Christ in His kingdom (Revelation 19–20).

Now, follow me here. Even though Israel has rejected the kingdom offer of Christ, God still has a kingdom program going on. What does the Bible mean when it talks about the kingdom of God in this church age?

Well, today Jesus reigns internally/spiritually in the lives of His followers; and one day He will reign physically/literally over all the earth in the millennial kingdom.

The second term we need to define is the word parable. Parable literally means “that which is cast alongside.” In other words, it is an earthly story delivering a heavenly truth, a story about something natural that teaches something spiritual.

Because the Jewish leaders have rejected the kingdom offer of Christ, the truths of the kingdom contained in Jesus’ parables here are going to be a mystery to them. Only people who follow Jesus will be given understanding of them.

So, what does God’s kingdom program look like today? Well, the Lord begins to answer that question as He sists in a boat and speaks to a crowd along the shore. He tells His first parable here in Mark 4:3-4:

“Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.”

The farmer’s field would be divided into plots with pathways running in between. And over time, all the foot traffic on these paths hardened the soil.[102]

Now verses 5-6:

“Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.”

Jesus continues in verse 7: “Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.”

Then verse 8 gives us the fourth kind of soil:

“And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

Now here in verse 14, Jesus begins to explain this parable to His disciples. First, He explains that “the sower sows the word.” So, the seed is the word, or message, of God.

And Jesus explains that as we sow the seed, we can expect four different responses. We will call the first response an unreceptive heart. The seed that falls on the hardened footpaths describes those who hear the word, verse 15 says, but then “Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown.” Satan is like a bird who flies in and sweeps away the word; and frankly, this is easy work for the devil, because this is a hardened heart—it is unreceptive to the word of God.

The second response is an impulsive heart; this is the rocky soil. Jesus explains in verses 16-17:

“They hear the word [and] immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.”

Their response is enthusiastic but shallow and short-lived. They expected Christianity to be comfortable. Somebody might have told them that Jesus would fix all their medical problems or fill up their bank accounts.

But then, Jesus says here, persecution arrives. Christianity didn’t solve their problems; it created problems. They eventually realize Jesus is not the tooth fairy or Santa Claus, so they walk away. They had never believed to begin with.

Now the third potential response to the sowing of the word is a preoccupied heart. Jesus describes this in Luke’s Gospel account:

And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their

way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not

mature. (Luke 8:14)

The worries of the world and the magnetism of materialism become their priorities in life and choke off spiritual fruit.

The first two responses are clearly from unbelievers. They do not believe to be saved, as verse 12 says. Others “believe” for a while, according to verse 13. But the soil in verse 14 actually has fruit, you will notice, but their fruit does not mature.

Somewhere along the line they become preoccupied with the world around them. They are saved, but because of poor decisions and wrong priorities they are fruitless. They have grown old in their faith, but they aren’t growing up in their faith. I know a lot of baby Christians who are not growing up and reproducing spiritual fruit like they should.

Now back in Mark 4, Jesus describes the fourth response in verse 20:

“But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

This is the responsive heart. In these last two soils, the same word for fruit is used in the original text. But here, the fruit is multiplying as the believers mature and faithfully bear fruit for the glory of God.

These are people who are not only growing older in the faith but also growing up in the faith.

And here is an encouragement for you today. Regardless of how people respond, just keep sowing the seed. Their response is not your responsibility. A farmer doesn’t create the seed; God does. A farmer can’t make seeds come to life; only God can. All we do is sow the seed. So, let’s be faithful in sowing the seed of God’s word today.

The Invisible, Invincible Kingdom! Matthew 13:24-32, 36-43; Mark 4:21-32; Luke 8:16-18;13:18-21

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As we set sail on this Wisdom Journey, the clock is ticking down the hours on the busiest recorded day in the ministry life of Jesus. A shift has occurred in Jesus’ ministry to the nation of Israel because their religious leaders have led them to reject Him as their Messiah-King.

That rejection has consequences. First, the kingdom of God is no longer at hand; from Israel’s perspective, it is unexpectedly postponed. Second, how Israel is to relate to this postponed kingdom must be addressed. Jesus is going to do that through parables. Remember, parables are earthly stories with heavenly meaning.

In our last Wisdom Journey, Jesus was sitting in a boat on the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee as a huge crowd gathered to hear Him teach. I have been to that site in Israel where this event is believed to have occurred.

It is a beautiful sight where gentle waves lap the shore and trees offer shade from the heat. It is the perfect place for the Lord to tell a series of stories—natural stories with spiritual meaning.

Jesus’ first parable, the parable of the soils, taught that while we await the coming kingdom, we sow the word of God throughout the world.

Now Jesus tells the parable of the growing seed, which appears only in Mark’s Gospel in chapter 4:

“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (verses 26-29)

This parable offers encouragement to every believer who shares the gospel of Christ with others. The results do not depend on some clever presentation of the gospel. You do not have to deliver a perfect gospel presentation. In fact, the Lord says here that the most diligent farmer has no idea what makes that seed sprout and grow. And that is because the life principle—the giver of life—is the Lord. So, the power is not in the one who shares the gospel message; it is in the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us exactly that:

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Beloved, God invites us to faithfully and wisely sow the seed of God’s word and then trust Him for the results. You cannot take the credit for someone getting saved, and you should not take the blame if they don’t. The apostle Paul, probably the greatest and most fruitful evangelist ever, wrote this: “I planted [the seed]; Apollos watered [it]; but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). God made it come to life and bear fruit.

Now we are going to go back to Matthew 13, where the remaining parables are recorded. Next, we have the parable of the tares and the wheat.

You see, Christians are not the only ones planting seed; we are not the only evangelists today. In fact, I think the cults and false religions of our day are more committed to planting counterfeit seed than the church is to planting the true seed.

The Lord says here in verses 24-25:

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,

but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds [tares] among the wheat.”

In Jesus’ day, tares—or what we call today “bearded darnel”—were a degenerate kind of wheat that looked exactly like genuine wheat until the grain appeared.[103] They did not bear wheat at all; we could say they were pretending to be wheat all along. I have some weeds in my yard that mimic the plants they grow next to. In fact, I think I have more weeds than plants.

The trouble is, tares were poisonous, so unless they were separated from the wheat, the wheat could not be eaten. Listen, to sow tares in another man’s field was an act of sabotage. It was intended to ruin that person’s livelihood.

Further down in verse 36, the disciples ask Jesus what the parable means, and Jesus explains it. He is the Sower, the field is the world, the good seed are true believers, and the enemy is the devil. And the tares are pretenders—they look genuine, but they are poisonous to the cause of true Christianity.

Jesus says that His kingdom plan is to allow both the wheat and the tares to grow up together. In fact, to spend your time trying to root out all the pretenders is not going to be good for genuine believers. Your focus in ministry is not to go around and spot every false believer. I know pastors and churches today who think that is their mission in life.

No, the Lord says to wait until the final judgment—the harvesttime—when God will separate the pretenders from the possessors of the faith. The harvest comes at the end of days, and angels are the reapers who separate the wheat from the tares.

Jesus goes on to declare in verse 43 that the tares, the unbelieving lawbreakers, will suffer eternal judgment while “the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

The point of the parable is that “false believers” will be present during this current church age. Many will look very much like Christians, but they have never genuinely trusted in Christ.

Just remember, the Lord knows the hearts of people. He is the only one capable of determining who was pretending all along and who genuinely belongs to Him and will one day enter His glorious millennial kingdom.

Now we move on to the parable of the mustard seed:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” (verses 31-32)

Jesus here is borrowing from a common Jewish saying used to describe something tiny as being “small as a mustard seed.”

Jesus’ point is that God’s kingdom program in the present age begins very small, with only a handful of followers. But that body of believers will grow through the course of the church age as more and more people come to faith in Christ—until Christ returns and establishes His earthly kingdom and rule.

All along God was planning a humble beginning for His King and His coming kingdom. You can’t get much smaller than a mustard seed. It is one of the tiniest of garden seeds, but in one season it can grow into a tree thirty feet high.[104]

The Lord’s kingdom is just a little seed now, but just give it time. One day God’s kingdom will cover the earth.

These parables let us know that the kingdom might be invisible, but it is also invincible. The King is at work behind the scenes; He is at work in the hearts of those who believe in Him. We do not amount to all that much today; we are not going to tip the scales of world markets; we are not going to be featured or followed by the crowd; and for the most part, our message will be ignored.

But beloved, just keep following Him and trusting Him. What He is doing in the world might not look like much, but just wait. Christ will return one day and establish His glorious kingdom, and it will reach around the world.

Transformation From the Inside Out Matthew 13:33-35, 44-52; Mark 4:33-34

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We have been studying Jesus’ busiest recorded day in Galilee. It is a turning point because it’s the same day Israel officially rejects their Messiah. From this day to the cross, parables are going to be the Lord’s primary means of communicating with Israel. Those who follow Jesus will seek His wisdom to understand the parables; those who reject Him will remain ignorant of their meaning.

Now here in Matthew 13:33 Jesus delivers another fascinating kingdom parable:

“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Some Bible students note that leaven is frequently used in Scripture as a symbol for sin. But that is certainly not the meaning here. Jesus is using the permeating, expanding influence of leaven to describe the development of His kingdom. In other words, the kingdom of God might be silent and unseen, but it is working from the inside out; and one day it will affect everything.[105]

In Jesus’ day, bread was usually prepared by using a piece of dough with active yeast in it from a previous batch of dough.[106] And the woman in Jesus’ parable is making a lot of bread. We are told here she is working with three measures of flour. That is a bushel of flour. Let me put it this way: that’s 16, five-pound bags of flour. And by the time you add all the water—128 cups would be the standard recipe—you have over 100 pounds of dough on your hands.[107]

With just a little bit of sourdough—leavened from her last batch of dough—look at the influence and impact so quickly here. Something small and insignificant is at work on the inside.

Jesus is revealing that the kingdom of God is going to begin small but eventually permeate the entire world. And we have seen the growth, haven’t we? The gospel of Christ began with a handful of disciples and then the establishment of just one church in Jerusalem. And over the past 2,000 years, during this dispensation of the church age, what has happened? The number of kingdom citizens has grown exponentially.

The Lord today is reigning internally in the lives of His subjects, and there is coming a day when He will reign externally in His thousand-year kingdom on earth.

Listen beloved, when you receive by faith the Lord Jesus as your King, He begins working like leaven, gradually transforming your life from the inside out.[108] How are we who know the King influencing the world around us for Him?

Matthew stops recording the chronological flow of this very busy day in verse 34 to make an editorial comment. He writes here, “All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.”

Then Matthew quotes Psalm 78:2 here in verse 35: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” Jesus is actually fulfilling prophecy here, revealing the plan of God through different aspects of Israel’s rebellious history that previously had been unknown.

This is also another way Matthew is saying to his Jewish audience, “Look! Here is your Messiah; Jesus is your King!”

In verse 36, Matthew writes that Jesus then “left the crowds and went into the house.” This is where He explains the parable of the wheat and tares to His disciples. But it also indicates that the remaining parables will not be given to the crowd of unbelievers but to a smaller group—primarily His disciples. They are meant to prepare the disciples for life after the cross.

Jesus now delivers a parable to them in verse 44:

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Jesus is presenting the idea that the kingdom is hidden and that it is discovered by someone who has a genuine interest in possessing the treasure of Christ.

Almost in the same breath Jesus delivers another parable in verse 45:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

In those days, pearls were the most sought-after form of wealth. Divers hunted for pearls in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean. Some pearls could be worth the equivalent of millions of dollars today.[109]

This parable is very similar to that of the hidden treasure. But here, rather than someone stumbling upon a treasure in a field, the person is actively seeking after the treasure, “a pearl of great price.” This pearl represents the kingdom of heaven, and, again, it is a priceless treasure.

Well, how are the Lord’s disciples to apply these parables? How do they equip them for life and ministry after the cross?

The challenge Jesus is presenting to His disciples is to be mindful of those who are seeking the pearl of great price—the kingdom of God and its Messiah-King. Help them find it, but more than that, help them cherish it as the eternal treasure it is.

Beginning in verse 47 we have the parable of the net. Jesus says here:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of

every kind.”

That sounds a lot like the Great Commission in Matthew 28—making disciples of all the nations!

But Jesus adds more in verses 48-50:

“When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers

but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and

separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place

there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Beloved, we are not just fishing for fun. We are fishing with eternity in mind, for people’s eternal destiny hangs upon their reception or rejection of Christ.

The Jewish leaders were teaching that simply being a son or daughter of Abraham by blood was enough to get you into the kingdom. But Jesus sets that aside. Righteousness means to be right with God by faith in Christ. Being a member of Abraham’s family line is not good enough. You must belong to the family of God by faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

At this point Jesus asks His disciples, “Have you understood all these things?” (verse 51). They say to him, “Yes.” I think they are a little overconfident, but they certainly get an A+ for their willingness to follow the Lord, even as their nation rejects Him.

With that, Jesus gives them one more parable in verse 52:

“Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure [storeroom] what is new and what is old.”

Jesus effectively gives His disciples the role of scribes. Scribes were the teachers among the Jewish people. So, the disciples are to become teachers to their people, and beyond.

Like a master of the house who wisely manages his storehouse of crops, the disciples are being trained to teach “what is new and what is old”—that is, the truths of both the New and Old Testaments.

Pastors and teachers and evangelists and missionaries and Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders are doing the same thing to this very day.

What our world needs today is not somebody’s opinion; it does not need a pep talk or some positive lecture on how to feel better. No, our world still needs the Word of God, which transforms their lives from the inside out. And do not forget, beloved, eternity is at stake in how they respond to the Word of God.

Lessons from Unexpected Storms Matthew 8:18, 23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25

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Perhaps you remember those terrifying moments in school when your teacher began class by saying, “Take out a sheet of paper for a pop quiz.” There is no time to study or even pray.

In our Wisdom Journey, we are going to watch the Lord effectively give His disciples a pop quiz on the subjects of faith and trust.

The sun is setting on what scholars call Jesus’ busy day. He has been delivering parables—first to the crowds and then in private settings to His disciples. But now it is time for that pop quiz.

It is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. I want to pick up the narrative in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 4—we read here in verses 35-36:

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat.

This sea is also called a lake; it is about thirteen miles long and seven miles wide.[110] The Sea of Galilee is home territory to several of these disciples, who know this lake like the back of their hand. And Jesus says to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”

Now that is a key part of this pop quiz. Are they listening? Jesus does not say, “Let us go to the middle of the lake and drown!” No, He says, “Let us go to the other side.”

Verse 37 then tells us, “A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.” This must be one powerful storm!

Notice, in verse 38, that in the midst of this terrifying storm, Jesus “was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.” Luke’s Gospel implies that as soon as Jesus’ head hit the pillow, He was fast asleep. Beloved, Jesus is entirely divine; and yet He is at the same time entirely human. This has been a busy day, and He wants to take a nap.

Well, the storm grows so fierce that eventually these experienced fishermen panic. They wake Jesus up, crying out, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38).

Notice that the disciples are accusing Jesus: “Lord, don’t You understand that we’re all going for a swim? We’re all probably going to die! Don’t you care?”

Keep in mind that the disciples have every reason to fear capsizing. They are not out there in a large ship—this is not the Mayflower. In fact, I saw the remains of a typical, first-century fishing boat when I visited a museum in Israel. It was not much more than a glorified rowboat. I could not imagine being in the middle of a lake, in that boat, during a storm.

But here is the deeper issue: they have been listening to Jesus’ parables in which He has presented Himself as the one who will bring in the kingdom, but they are not so sure He can bring their little boat to the other side of the lake.

We read in Mark 4:39: “[Jesus] awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

“Be still” is literally, “Be muzzled,” or “Be silenced!” When He gives this command, the wind ceases, and the water instantly becomes calm.

Then in verse 40, the Savior looks at them and says, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” The disciples do not respond. Verse 41 just says, “They were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’”

Their eyes have just been opened in a new way to see who Jesus really is. The Lord has pulled back the veil from His divine power and revealed His sovereignty over the natural elements. The disciples are learning the lesson that their faith is not in a mere man but in the Creator and Controller of everything.

Have you ever considered that some of the best lessons are learned in the middle of a storm—during desperate times, when those pop quizzes of faith and trust show up unexpectedly in your life?

Here’s the first lesson for us: The Lord uses desperate situations to deepen our faith.

When I read this account, I wonder why the disciples waited so long before they woke up Jesus. Why didn’t they wake Him up fifteen minutes earlier? Why did they wait so long?

We are not told why they waited until the boat was nearly swamped, but I am guessing that it was because they thought they could handle it. Many of them were fishermen. They had survived many storms on the Sea of Galilee; this was their turf.

Perhaps some of them thought, Jesus is tired. Besides, He hasn’t spent time out on the lake like we have. He’s a carpenter; we are the fishermen. We can handle this!

I have no doubt that Jesus has taken them out here to the place of their proficiency to teach them to trust in His sufficiency. He has taken them to where they think they know best to show them He knows better.

Perhaps in your life right now the Lord is using a desperate situation to develop and deepen your need for His wisdom and strength.

Here’s the second lesson: The Lord uses desperate situations to demonstrate His deity.

When they woke Him up and said, “We’re going to die—we’re perishing,” Jesus did not tell them to come back later when they had a little more courage. No, He wanted to give them one more illustration of His sovereign control over every situation—even in a hurricane.[111]

Psalm 89 says this:

Who is mighty as you are, O Lord? . . . You rule the raging of the sea: when its waves rise, you still them. . . . The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it. (Psalm 89:8-9, 11)

Jesus is literally demonstrating the words of this psalm—He is the Lord of the universe. Don’t misunderstand, though. Jesus is not suggesting to the disciples that He will always quiet the storms of life. In fact, all but two of these disciples are going to die as martyrs of the faith.

Jesus does not guarantee the absence of storms; He guarantees His presence in the midst of them. He might not choose to calm those external waves and wind, but He can bring internal calm to our troubled hearts so that we learn all over again that we can be still and know that He is God(Psalm 46:10).

I believe many reading this right now are in the middle of a storm. You may be one of them. You are experiencing some unexpected trial or tragedy or difficulty or sorrow or pain. Let me tell you, when your boat enters a storm and you feel like it is going to capsize, do not miss the obvious solution: go to Jesus.

The answer is so obvious we can sometimes miss it. Go to Jesus! Run to Jesus! Do not wait fifteen minutes longer. Tell Him all about your trouble and your fears. He can even handle your accusation that He must not care about you or you would not be in this storm. The disciples did that; they said, “Lord, we are perishing! Do you not care?” And they learned all over again that He does care.

In fact, many years later, when he is an old man, Peter, one of those fishermen who was out there in that boat, will tell us in 1 Peter 5:7 to cast all our cares, all our anxieties, on the Lord because He cares for us. No matter what that unexpected pop quiz in life happens to be, the Lord will always care for you.

The Madman of Gadara Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39

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Talk to people on the street today about demons and demon possession, and you will probably hear various viewpoints, and most will land somewhere between fiction and fear. People typically make one of two errors in regard to the devil and his demons: they either disregard them or become obsessed with them.

Scripture clearly tells us to focus our attention, not on the devil, but on Christ, keeping our eyes on Him (Hebrews 12:1-2).

It also tells us how to resist the devil so he will flee from us; and it is not by coming up with some special incantation or sprinkling holy water around our room but by drawing near to God (James 4:7-8). We are also told to get dressed every day in the armor of God—the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:16-17).

The apostle John wrote in 1 John 4:4, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” We are about to watch a demonstration of that promise here in Luke 8. After Jesus miraculously calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, we read this:

Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. (verses 26-27)

This phrase “had demons” refers to demon possession; that is when an unbeliever comes under the mastery of a demon and the person’s thinking, emotions, and even body are uniquely dominated by the demon.[112]

What Satan is doing by demon possession is making someone a counterfeit temple of an unholy spirit. He is counterfeiting the indwelling Holy Spirit. So, demon possession is the devil playing God.

Now as Christians we can be oppressed by demons, but we cannot be possessed by them since we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), and the Spirit of God is not going to share a room with a demon.

Now, as we work through this encounter, I want to make some observations about this demonized man. And by the way, Matthew’s Gospel reveals there are two demonized men. Remember, the Gospels together provide the fullest account. The Gospels of Mark and Luke focus only on one of these men, and I believe that is because he is the man who will become a follower of Christ and a missionary back in his hometown, which would have been Gadara.

Luke 8:27 tells us, “For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house, but among the tombs.” In other words, he is mentally deranged and essentially homeless.

He is also physically dangerous, as verse 29 explains:

For many a time it [demons] had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.

He is a self-destructive wild man under the raving power of demons. This man would be what we would call today a hopeless case. Everybody knew about this Madman of Gadara.

This man sees Jesus and the disciples come ashore and runs down to meet them. Verse 28 describes what happens:

When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”

This is a staggering statement. Just think about what it reveals about the demonic world.

First, it reveals that demons believe in the reality of the incarnation. He calls Jesus, “Son of the Most High God.” This man is not falling down at the feet of a Jewish rabbi or prophet but before God in the flesh, God the Son!

Matthew’s Gospel adds that the demons cry out, “Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29). In other words, this reveals that demons believe in future prophetic events. The demons assume Jesus has shown up to judge them before the final judgment recorded in Revelation 20, when the demons will be cast into the fires of hell.

Back in Luke’s account, they beg Jesus “not to command them to depart into the abyss” (verse 31). “Abyss” literally means “without bottom.” It is a reference to their final place of torment in hell, the bottomless pit. Our world might try to deny the reality of hell, but the demons have no doubt at all about their future judgment!

Jesus asks a question in verse 30: “What is your name?” And the demonic spokesman answers, “Legion,” for many demons had entered the man. That is a chilling answer. A Roman legion had over 5,000 soldiers; so, this demon is simply saying there are thousands of them involved in controlling this man’s body and mind.

With that, Jesus demonstrates the power of His single command—no matter how many demons are involved:

Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. (verses 32-33)

Mark 5:13 informs us that there were about 2,000 pigs in this herd. This was a Gentile region; some Bible scholars believe they were running a black market for Jews—evidently not-so-faithful Jewish people, since they should not have been involved in eating pork. Others believe the farmers were Jews themselves, running a rather booming business providing ham for that region.[113] Either way, the Lord not only frees this man but also judges this region for their unfaithfulness to the law of Moses.

The herdsmen flee to the city to tell everybody what happened, and a crowd returns to see the man who just ruined their business:

They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them. (Luke 8:35-37)

Here is this madman whose life has been redeemed by the power of Jesus, and all the people can think about is the damage Jesus had done to their business. The deeper issue here is this: they consider 2,000 pigs to be more valuable than one man’s life. And that’s insanity!

Verses 38-39 continue:

The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

The Madman of Gadara is now a messenger of the King.

Let me offer one final principle that comes to mind in relation to the demonic kingdom: Jesus can do His best in someone’s life even after Satan has done his worst.

Can you imagine Jesus telling His disciples, “Listen, men, I want to pull ashore here near that cemetery up on that hill; there’s someone I want to appoint as a new missionary”? And about then, here comes this madman, screaming and running down the hill toward them. And Jesus says, “Well, there he comes now!”

Listen beloved, this man—like you and me—was once a trophy in the hand of Satan. Now, like each of us, he is a trophy of grace in the hand of Christ. And he has the same commission as you—to tell everyone that Jesus is the Son of the Most High God, that He reached you, a hopeless case, and delivered you and set you free.

Hopeless Cases of Desperation Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56

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I have heard it said that the average person can live for forty days without food, eight days without water, four minutes without air, but only seconds without hope.[114]

We are about to enter two situations in life that could be described as hopeless. And it has now reached the point of desperation.

We will follow Luke’s Gospel account as Jesus and His disciples have just sailed back across the sea of Galilee to Capernaum. A massive crowd is waiting for them.

We begin at Luke chapter 8:

And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. (verses 41-42)

Luke gives us this man’s resume so we don’t miss it. He is the “ruler of the synagogue.”

The high priest managed the temple system, but the synagogues were managed by the local community. The people would elect a synagogue ruler, also called a president because he presided at public meetings. He would determine the order of Sabbath worship, even selecting someone to read Scripture during the worship service.[115] So, Jairus would be one of the most highly respected men in the Jewish community.

And by the way, he would be responsible to warn the assembly of any heresy or false teacher. He would have been aware that Jesus had already been thrown out of one synagogue nearby for claiming to be the Messiah. I have no doubt Jairus had warned his synagogue to avoid this traveling carpenter at all costs.

But something is different now; something has changed his feelings about Jesus. He has a twelve-year-old daughter—his only daughter—and she is dying.

Matthew’s account records that she has already died. But Matthew condenses the story into one conversation, whereas Luke gives us the fuller account.

I imagine the crowd watches in stunned silence as Jairus falls down at the feet of Jesus. This is an act of desperation. Jesus is his only hope.

Jesus evidently agrees to go to his home, but as they walk along, surrounded by a packed crowd of people, we are introduced to a second person, who is also hopeless.

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. (verse 43)

Mark 5:26 adds something to what Dr. Luke records. Mark writes that she “had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.” I can just imagine Luke saying, “Thanks a lot, Mark!”

Luke does tell us that she has experienced twelve years of a rather unique desperation. He calls her disease a “discharge of blood.” It is apparently related to her menstruation, which never completely stops.

By the time of Christ, any woman with such an ailment was superstitiously connected to immorality, which was not necessarily true. But she would have been considered ceremonially unclean and forbidden to enter the synagogue. Beloved, this lonely woman is the epitome of a hopeless case!

At this point, these two lives intersect—this woman and the synagogue ruler. Think for a moment how different they are:

· He is a leader in the synagogue; she is unable to worship in the synagogue.

· He has a wonderful reputation; she has lost her reputation.

· He has had twelve years of gladness; she has had twelve years of sadness.

But they have this one thing in common: they are both hopeless cases and desperate. And Jesus is their only hope.

Luke writes in verse 44, “She came up behind him [Jesus] and touched the fringe of his garment.” The “garment” here is a rectangular cloth with blue fringe and tassels attached at the corners.[116] It was slung over the shoulder of a God-fearing Jewish man in these days, and it represented his commitment to the law of God.

So, this woman reaches out and literally clutches one of these blue tassels dangling off the back shoulder of Jesus. Because she is unclean, she is forbidden by Mosaic law to touch other people. But this is not just an act of desperation; this is an act of faith. She knows she has not been unfaithful to the law of God—she is not hiding immorality. She is essentially throwing herself on the mercy of God.

And she is immediately healed. Verse 44 says, “Immediately her discharge of blood ceased.” In other words, she can feel His healing power coursing through her body. And with that, she lets go and tries to slip away unnoticed.

But Jesus stops and asks in verse 45, “Who was it that touched me?” Peter replies, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” Leave it to Peter to effectively say, “Lord, are you kidding? Who hasn’t touched you?”

But Jesus says, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me” (verse 46). Jesus knows the difference between being touched accidentally and being touched intentionally.[117]

Verse 47 records what happens next:

When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people, why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.

Jesus’ response to her is tender and compassionate: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace” (verse 48). Faith brought her to Jesus seeking healing, and she is healed. But this phrase “made . . . well” is from the Greek word meaning “saved.” In other words, she wanted to be healed; but by her faith, she is now saved forever.

Don’t forget, she has been excommunicated from the synagogue for twelve years. And who happens to be standing here? The ruler of the synagogue. Jesus knew who touched Him, but by calling her forward, He announces her cleansing so that she can return to the synagogue and worship the Lord.

Now back to Jairus. While Jesus is still speaking to the woman, verse 49 says, someone from the ruler’s house arrives and says to Jairus, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” Oh my, this delay has cost him the life of his daughter. It is now too late.

Not quite. Jesus responds in verse 50, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”

When they arrive, Jesus moves past the professional mourners who have already gathered to earn their pay by weeping.

Jesus apparently does not want His resurrection power to take center stage in this encounter, and we are not told why. But He makes it to where the little girl is. Luke records what happens next:

Taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. . . . And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened. (verses 54-56)

The leader of the synagogue hoped Jesus could heal his daughter, but now, because of this delay, he realizes that Jesus has power over the grave.

Isn’t it interesting that delays are often doorways into greater discoveries about God? Have you found it true that some of the deepest truths you discover in Scripture are truths you discover while waiting and trusting in the Lord?

Perhaps you are facing a hopeless situation today; you are desperate for something to happen. Perhaps the Lord has allowed this moment of desperation to invite you into a deeper understanding of Him. Or maybe He has brought you to this hopeless moment to reveal that He is not only your last option but your only option. Let me encourage you to turn to Him and trust in Him today.

When Kindness Meets Unkindness Matthew 9:27-34; 13:54-58; Mark 6:1-6

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Good deeds are not guaranteed to bring about good responses. You might have done something nice for somebody who did not even stop to say “Thank you.” I read about a young man who held the door open for a young lady, and she said, “You don’t have to hold the door open for me just because I’m a woman.” He replied, “Well, no, actually I’m holding the door open for you because I’m a gentleman.”

In real life, good deeds do not always bring about thankful responses. Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus experienced this very thing time and time again?

Following the raising of Jairus’s daughter, Matthew’s Gospel tells us in chapter 9 that two very persistent blind men begin following Jesus and His disciples. Verse 27 describes the situation: “Two blind men followed him, crying aloud, ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David.’”

This expression “Son of David” was a messianic title. It comes from 2 Samuel chapter 7, where David is promised a son who will sit on his throne forever. These blind men have better insight and spiritual vision than the religious leaders in that day.

Eventually, Jesus turns to them and says in verse 28, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” Jesus is not just interested in giving these men their sight; he is probing their hearts for true faith.

And that is exactly how they respond as they answer Jesus with a clear, “Yes, Lord!” Jesus responds to their faith in verse 29: “Then he touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith be it done to you.’ And their eyes were opened” (verse 30).

We are not told why Jesus touched their eyes. He certainly did not need to; He could have simply spoken the word and healed them. Perhaps it was because He wanted to clearly and undeniably connect their faith with His power.

But this was a very compassionate way to treat these men. In these days, eye diseases of any sort—especially blindness—were often considered a divine punishment for sin.[118] Blindness was superstitiously considered the hand of God’s judgment.

Well, look at what the hand of God the Son is doing—touching them and healing them. I cannot imagine how long it had been since these men had felt the kindness of someone’s touch.

Jesus warns them in verse 30 not to tell anybody what He had done, but these two men cannot keep it to themselves. And because they fail to honor Him with their obedience, huge crowds begin following Jesus.

As these two men rush out of the house, another demonstration of power is about to take place.

As they [the two men] were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.” (verses 32-34)

That ought to sound familiar to you because the same accusation was leveled at Jesus a short time earlier in Mark 3:22-27. Jesus had revealed how foolish the accusation was—if Satan cast out his own demons, he would be fighting against himself.

Now, as we study the Gospels chronologically—in the order these events unfolded—Matthew records the next encounter in chapter 13, while Mark’s Gospel records it in chapter 6. Mark’s account gives us the most details, so we will pick it up there at chapter 6 and verse 1: “He went away from there and came to his hometown and his disciples followed him.”

Apparently, Jesus and His disciples arrive in Nazareth sometime earlier in the week. Then, verse 2 says, “On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue.”

By the way, this is the second time Jesus has come to His hometown of Nazareth since His public ministry began. You might remember the first sermon he preached in this synagogue, back in Luke 4. It did not go very well at all. In fact, after He finished preaching, the people rose up in anger and tried to throw Jesus off a nearby cliff for claiming to be the Messiah.

I have had some pretty upset people after a sermon or two of my own, but nobody has tried to push me over a cliff afterward—at least not yet.

I suspect that Jesus’ disciples were a little surprised He would even want to go back to Nazareth, and certainly not to that synagogue. But this reveals His faithful compassion, even for those who rejected Him the first time.

As far as we know, this is Jesus’ last visit to His hometown, but what an act of grace it is. Earlier, His good deeds were not met with thankful hearts; He was effectively opening the door for them to walk through, but they snarled at Him instead.

Frankly, I am also rather surprised that the leader of the synagogue would invite Jesus to teach again, after what happened the last time Jesus preached there. It is possible that Jesus’ growing reputation as a healer and miracle worker had softened their hearts a bit.

In fact, after Jesus finished teaching, Mark records in verse 2 that they were “astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him?”

In Jesus’ day, rabbis taught by simply quoting each other. Their sermons basically consisted of a string of quotations. But Jesus would often begin a sermon by stating, “You have heard it said, but I say unto you.” In other words, Jesus was not preaching rabbinical traditions or delivering religious quotations. He was speaking from His own authority—He was the Word of God.

The crowd also says, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” (verse 3). We can be certain that by this time Joseph was not alive. Had he been living, normal Jewish custom would have called Jesus “the son of Joseph.” But it is also possible that by calling Him the “son of Mary” they are subtly repeating the slander and gossip of earlier days when Mary had become pregnant out of wedlock. The assumption was that Jesus was the result of Mary’s immorality. In fact, later on the religious leaders will accuse Jesus of having been conceived as a result of fornication (John 8:41).

Referring to Jesus as “the carpenter” and pointing out that His half brothers and half sisters are still in the village proves in their minds that Jesus is nothing more than a normal peasant like the rest of them. His teaching is impressive, but they refuse to believe He is any different from them.

As a result, Mark says, “They took offense at him.” The Greek word means they were “scandalized” by the whole thing. “Who does He think He is?” Then in verse 4 Jesus delivers a proverb: “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown.”

The result is one of the saddest outcomes recorded in the Bible:

And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. (verses 5-6)

Maybe you have experienced the same thing in a way: everybody seems to appreciate your testimony except the people in your own hometown, maybe even in your own family. Your good deeds do not bring thankful responses from people you know.

Let me urge you to keep doing those good deeds. Jesus promises that by our good works people will glorify our Father who is in heaven. You never know who those people will be, but as the world watches you, God will use your life to bring glory to His name.

The Apostles’ First Mission Trip Matthew 9:35-11:1; Mark 6:6-13; Luke 9:1-6

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For some time now, Jesus has been teaching His disciples in what amounts to the classroom. It is now time to put them in the laboratory, so to speak, to test the principles and truths they have been learning. Actually, it is more like sending them out on a field trip to experience the ministry for themselves.

According to Matthew 9, they have been close on Jesus’ heels, watching and learning as, verse 35 says, “Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.” His teaching is accompanied by miraculous healings, which attest to the authority of the Messiah’s message.

The disciples have seen His compassion for the crowds, which verse 36 describes as being like a flock of sheep, wandering around without a shepherd. The Lord also sees them as a field ripe unto harvest. In fact, He reminds His disciples to pray for additional laborers to go out into the fields of the world and bring in the harvest.

Now as we come to Matthew 10, we are told in verse 1 that Jesus gives them “authority over unclean spirits . . . and to heal every disease and every affliction.” This power will mimic the Lord’s power, and it will validate that they are true representatives of the Messiah.

After listing the twelve disciples, verse 5 tells us, “These twelve Jesus sent out.” If you have ever gone on a short-term mission trip somewhere in your home country or maybe to another country, I am sure you were impacted by it—it changed your thinking and increased your desire to see people saved from every tongue, tribe, and nation. It gave your life new perspective as well. I have preached in many different countries, and I have been deeply impacted by the sincerity of believers and the growth of the church; and it has been a good reminder to me that my life has no greater purpose than being invested in the harvest field of the world.

This missionary trip of the disciples is no doubt going to deepen their understanding of their calling and mission. Mark 6:7 says Jesus sends them out two by two. The Old Testament required two witnesses, and sending them out in pairs also provided encouragement for one another.

In Matthew 10:6 Jesus tells them to go only to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” They are to proclaim to the nation of Israel, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (verse 7). In other words, their King has arrived—their Messiah is in the land of Israel.

To prove it, the apostles are to perform signs of healing, exorcism, and raising the dead. They are not just being sent out there to put on a show. In fact, Jesus tells them not to receive any money during this mission trip.

The Lord also tells them they are not to carry along a suitcase with extra clothing—they probably don’t even take a toothbrush along. They are to depend on the Lord to provide for them through those who believe their message and offer hospitality.

If some village rejects their message, Jesus says they are to “shake off the dust from [their] feet” (verse 14). This was a symbolic act that would indicate the disciples are separating themselves from that town. They are not even going to have the dust of that place clinging to them because of the unbelief.

In verses 16-25, Jesus gives some warnings for His messengers. His words here seem to look beyond their short mission trip all the way into the future of ministry—even to the end times when believers will face hardship and persecution.

As Jesus gets these early disciples ready to pair up and move out, He’s realistic. He tells them not to expect standing ovations along the way. He says in verse 16, “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” He warns them of being arrested, beaten, and even being put to death.

Whenever I took a mission trip, I never had anybody tell me I might be beaten or imprisoned or even killed. If they had, I am not sure I would have gotten on that airplane. Imagine the impact of the Lord’s words here—they ring true, by the way, throughout church history.

But Jesus also adds a word of encouragement for those arrested and brought into some courtroom to defend themselves:

“Do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (verses 19-20)

Then, beginning at verse 26, Jesus offers words of encouragement for all true disciples. He reminds His disciples that God’s Spirit is ultimately in control of all things. It might look like the enemies of the gospel are in charge, but behind them—even in their persecution of believers—God is seated on His throne. There will come a day when His followers will be vindicated by the truth and their persecutors will be judged.

But we are to expect trouble along the way. Jesus says, “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (verse 34). We might have peace in our hearts, but that does not rule out pain in our lives at the hands of unbelievers. Satan is not going to sit still while Jesus builds His church.

Following Jesus is no easy task. Discipleship demands that He take first place in our lives, even above those we love most in this life. It means taking up a cross and following Him (verse 38). That is like telling someone today to take up the electric chair or the hangman’s noose and carry it around. The cross was an instrument of cruel death familiar in Jesus’ day. So, He is saying that as you go into the harvest fields of the world, do not expect a crown of gold; expect a cross of wood. Do not expect appreciation; expect persecution.

This is quite a pep talk, isn’t it? I wonder how many of us would sign up for this mission trip after this kind of preparation.

The Lord is not hiding reality—this is not a sales pitch to get somebody to sign up. This is the reality of Christian service. He has told them what they need to know. Now it is time for them to put it all into practice. Luke 9:6 simply says, “They departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.”

The disciples’ mission is unique. They are announcing first to the Jewish people the coming of their Messiah, and they are validating their message with healing. And let me tell you, I have never validated my message by having to heal anybody—and that is good news, because I can’t heal. That was the authenticating sign of the apostolic community; they were empowered to do what only God could do, to prove their message. In doing so, they were preparing the way for the new dispensation of the church age, which was just around the corner.

But even though their mission was unique, there are some lessons we can learn from it for today. For starters, we are to deliver the message without any guarantee that people will appreciate it. We are not to serve the Lord for money but trust Him to provide through His people. And we should expect to carry a cross, not wear a crown.

The day for crowning the disciples of Christ will happen—it is a day still out there in the future when Christ returns. In the meantime, let’s sign up for the mission trip the Lord has prepared for us now. Let’s deliver to our world today the gospel of our coming King.

Manna from Heaven . . . Again Matthew 14:1-21; Mark 6:14-44; Luke 9:7-17; John 6:1-15

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This is the first time in our chronological study of the life and ministry of Jesus where all four Gospel authors write about the same event—we call it the feeding of the 5,000.

Now just before this miracle takes place, Herod the Tetrarch hears about Jesus’ ministry, and he’s so paranoid he thinks Jesus is John the Baptist resurrected from the grave. Matthew 14:2:

He said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”

Beloved, Herod is being driven mad by his guilt. Mark’s Gospel tells us about Herod’s hatred for John the Baptist. John had publicly denounced the marriage of Herod and the wife he stole away from his own brother. Her name was Herodias, and she had been seething with anger over John’s preaching against their adultery.

So, at the next birthday party she threw for Herod, her daughter, Salome, danced before the king and his guests. And we cannot sanitize it here; this was an erotic dance. Herod told her he would give her whatever she wanted, and her mother knew just what she should ask for: the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Reluctantly, Herod had John beheaded.

After Jesus hears about the murder of John, Mark 6:32 tells us that Jesus and His disciples go “away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.” They go over to the north shore of the Sea of Galilee to a town called Bethsaida, where they hope to get away and rest and, I think, grieve for a while over the loss of this faithful prophet and friend.

Let me tell you, beloved, we do sorrow at the death of our family and friends; we sorrow, yet not without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). If Jesus wanted to be alone for a while to grieve John’s death, there is certainly nothing wrong with your doing the same thing. Do not ever criticize other Christians as being unspiritual because they are grieving the loss of someone they loved.

Well, Jesus hardly has time to be alone. A crowd is waiting for Him and the disciples as they row to shore. All four Gospels tell us that there are about 5,000 men—and undoubtedly, there are women and children as well. This is a massive crowd of some 15–20,000 people. And there are two different reactions to this multitude.

The disciples want Jesus to send the crowd away, but Jesus sees this large crowd, and Mark records, “He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34). Matthew 14:14 adds that He “healed their sick.”

The disciples saw the crowd as an interruption. Jesus was moved with compassion. Now, let’s pick it up in John chapter 6:

Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. (John 6:5-6)

Why test Philip? Well, because this was Philip’s hometown (see John 1:44). He knew where the bakery was located, and he knew how much it would cost in this region. I can just see Philip get out his pencil and notepad: “Let’s see, 5,000 men plus women and children; multiply that by three cents a loaf, divided by ten bites per person. Okay, Lord, I got it”—verse 7: “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

Two hundred denarii amounted to nearly the average annual salary in this day. Philip says, “Lord, we don’t have that kind of money.” By the way, the Lord is not testing Philip’s finances; He is testing Philip’s faith.

About that time Andrew shows up and says, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish” (verse 9). Barley was the bread of the poor people; it was baked in round flat pieces, the size of the palm of your hand.[119]

This little boy has two fish as well. The word John uses here for fish (opsaria) refers to little minnow-sized, or sardine-sized, fish that people seasoned to add some flavor to their barley bread.

It’s like Andrew apologizes here because he adds in verse 9, “But what is this for so many people” (paraphrased). “What am I thinking?”

Listen beloved, do not apologize for what you have to offer the Lord. Do not ever say, “I don’t have much to give Him; I’m just one little person—not very much talent, not much experience.” Just put who you are and what you have in the Master’s hands.

The amazing thing is not just that Jesus does so much with so little; the amazing thing is that Jesus uses the little bit you give Him to do so much.

Look at verse 11:

Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.

The other Gospels record that Jesus has the apostles hand out the bread and fish. He is including them in the process of ministry. They also collect the leftovers—twelve baskets full—as if to remind them the Lord will take care of them as well.

Now over in Matthew 14:20, we are told that this crowd ate until they were “satisfied.” That word could be translated, “completely full.” We would say, “They were stuffed.”

Now the liberals have said that this would have been impossible for Jesus to do; what really happened was that this crowd was so embarrassed by this little boy offering his lunch, they all took out their lunches and shared them with each other.

But 15,000 people did not miss what happened. They know an incredible miracle has taken place. That is why the crowd says in John 6:14, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” In other words, Jesus reminded them of Moses and manna from heaven. And they believe Jesus is the prophet like Moses whom God promised to raise up back in Deuteronomy 18:15.

They are ready to follow Him right then and there. The problem is, they are thinking in political terms rather than spiritual terms. They are ready to overthrow Rome; Jesus plans to overthrow Satan.

Yes, Jesus has the power to bring manna down from heaven again if He wants to. But He is also teaching His disciples here some important lessons for their future ministry—and yours and mine.

One lesson is that our personal insufficiency does not handicap His all-sufficiency. Yes, offer your barley bread and sardines to Him—and then watch what He will do.

Luke writes, “Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.” (Luke 9:16). He included them; He used them to co-labor with Him, just as He uses you and me today. We are just handing out what He offers. He is the Creator; we are just the couriers.

So, hand out what you have, then come back to Christ for more strength, more wisdom, and more resources. I love what Alexander McLaren wrote on this text over 100 years ago: “The disciples always found that whenever they returned to the Lord with their hands empty, His hands were always full.”[120]

When you have reached the point of impossibility—when you are out of strength, out of money, out of ideas, when you are beyond your experience or talent or ability—you just need to hand Him your pieces of barley bread and a couple of sardines. And then watch what He will do.

When Peter Walked on Water Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21

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The most important lessons in life are seldom learned in a classroom but in the laboratory of life. In fact, growing in the Christian life usually takes place during unexpected challenges that come our way.

Following the miraculous feeding of the multitude, Mark chapter 6 gives us the details of the next event that takes place:

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. (verses 45-46)

Now Jesus just fed the 5,000 plus in Bethsaida, so you need to understand that Jesus is actually sending them to another Bethsaida, on the northwest shore of the sea of Galilee; it was a suburb of Capernaum.

Matthew gives the fullest account of what happened next in chapter 14:

[Jesus] went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves. (verses 23-24)

In other words, a surprise storm has just arrived. Mark 6:48 says, “They were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them.” Mark also tells us that from His private prayer spot, Jesus can actually see the disciples struggling out there against the wind and waves.

Now we continue the account back in Matthew 14:

In the fourth watch of the night [about 4:00 a.m.) he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (verses 25-33)

Most people seem to focus on the fact that Peter walked on the water only briefly before he began to sink. But remember, he is the only disciple who got out of the boat. The others are hanging on to their life jackets for dear life.

But still, Peter starts well but fails ultimately this test of faith. Keep in mind, first, that Peter is failing in familiar territory. He knows the Sea of Galilee. In fact, the Lord has taken him to the place where this experienced fisherman has the greatest confidence! Think about that: our biggest failures can occur in areas where we thought we had it all together.

Second, Peter is failing after extensive training. For two years he has witnessed miracles. Peter and the others have even performed some themselves in their ministry efforts. For two years, Peter has been trained by the Master Himself. Beloved, you never reach a point where you are beyond the possibility of failing in your walk of faith.

Third, Peter is failing while in the process of obeying. Think about it: here he is, right in the middle of God’s will, obeying Christ’s invitation to walk out there on the water, and suddenly he is filled with faithless fear.

It is obvious the Lord wanted to teach Peter—and the other disciples—some unforgettable lessons. One lesson is that obedience to Christ does not smooth out all the problems in life. In fact, there will be times in your life when you will trust Christ more deeply, and it is usually when you are in the middle of the storm! These men would never forget the sight of Jesus walking on the water in the middle of a storm. The presence of Jesus did not eliminate the storm. He wanted Peter to walk out there and join Him in the midst of it.

And with that comes another lesson here: the Lord doesn’t guarantee the absence of storms; He guarantees His presence in the midst of them.

A third lesson from Peter’s failure that strikes me is that deep waters are not intended to drown us but to develop us. The truth is, Jesus rarely develops your faith greatly during days of sunshine and clear skies; it is when things grow unsettled and stormy for you in the laboratory of life. You can expect deep lessons to come from deep-water experiences.

Another lesson offers some good news: when you fail a test of faith, the Lord does not kick you out of school. Jesus did not make Peter swim to shore; He pulled him up and took him back to the boat.

This leads me to one more lesson: it is possible to fail without becoming a failure! The question is this: Are you willing to stay in class—as humbling as it might be when you experience that failure or disappointment or one humiliating experience after another?

I am reminded of a young black girl who grew up in poverty in Philadelphia. One of her most enjoyable activities was singing in her church choir. The adults recognized her talent and began to raise money for what they called, “Marian Anderson’s Future.” They raised $126 dollars in pennies, nickels, and dimes, and she began taking voice lessons.

Finally, when she was eighteen, she had an audition with a famous instructor, but she was rejected. Her friends and supporters scheduled a live performance, but newspaper critics were unkind.

She went overseas for some concerts and was well received, but in America, because of her color, she was often ignored—humiliated. For several years, Marian wallowed in self-pity, ready to give up, but her mother would remind her to think about her failures a little, but pray about them a lot. On one occasion her mother said something Marian never forgot: “Marian, you must learn that grace comes before greatness.”

Well, Marian Anderson stayed with it. She went on to have an amazing career. She sang before kings and queens and United States presidents. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and appointed as a delegate to the United Nations.

A reporter once asked her, “Marian, what was the most incredible moment in your illustrious career?” She said, “The day I went home and told my mother she wouldn’t have to take in laundry anymore.”[121] She never forgot those early years of humility and difficulty—one storm after another.

If you could ask Peter, “What was your greatest moment in following Jesus? Was it healing the sick? Was it being one of the closest disciples to the Lord? Was it preaching on the Day of Pentecost as the New Testament church was created with 3,000 new believers? Was it walking on the water?”

I think Peter might just say his greatest moment was when the Lord pulled him up out of that water and they walked back together and got back into that boat! That moment when Peter was humiliated—when he failed—he did not give up. He did not abandon ship.

As an older man, Peter would write these words: “Humble yourselves . . . under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:6). That is another way of saying that humility comes before honor—or grace comes before greatness. So, even when you fail, follow on, learning as you go to live a life of faith.

Eating the Bread of Life Matthew 14:34-36; Mark 6:53-56; John 6:22-71

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As we continue our chronological study through the Gospels, we come to one of the most misunderstood passages in the ministry of Jesus.

Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus and His disciples row ashore at the plain of Gennesaret, just south of Capernaum. The crowd comes running, bringing the sick with them, and Jesus heals them.

Then the Gospel of John inserts a conversation that takes place as Jesus rebukes these people. It begins in chapter 6, as Jesus says to this crowd, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (verse 26).

In other words, He’s saying, “You’re not following Me because of who I am—you’re following Me because of what I can do for you. You’re just looking for the next miracle.”

I have met many people over the years who seemed like they wanted to become Christians and follow the Lord, but they only wanted to follow Him because of what they thought Jesus would do for them—give them a promotion at work, make them feel better, fix the brakes on their car. And then when Jesus did not do any of that, they took off. That is what Jesus is saying to these people here. He miraculously fed them dinner from those barley loaves and fish. Now, they want a miraculous dinner again tonight.

Jesus has some words for them here in verse 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.”

He is telling them, “Don’t pursue food for physical life but food for eternal life. And I can give you that because of who I am—the one who has been sealed with the Father’s approval.”

Their response is really shocking to me. Having just witnessed and benefited from the miraculous meal the day before, the people offer this reply:

“Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” (verses 30-31)

I believe they are looking for Jesus to provide literal manna—daily bread straight out of heaven! They are saying, “Do something greater than what You did yesterday. In fact, do something greater than even Moses did: give us bread straight from heaven at Your command.”

Jesus then points them to the truth that He Himself is the fulfillment of that manna from heaven:

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst . . . All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (verses 35, 37)

Jesus identifies Himself as the bread sent by the Father from heaven. He was not just born in Bethlehem, which means “House of Bread”; He is everlasting bread—the Bread of Life who can satisfy someone spiritually forever.

The Lord goes on in verse 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.”

Then John’s Gospel records in verse 41, “So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’”

They do not believe it. They do not believe Jesus is anything but a mortal man. They are stuck on Jesus’ family background. They say in verse 42, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” In their minds He’s just an ordinary carpenter. How can He claim to have come down from heaven?

They are also confused by the metaphor Jesus uses when He says in verse 51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” In verse 52, the Jews say in confusion, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

Well, they are not alone. That confusion still exists today. The Roman Catholic Church is teaching to this day that you have to eat the flesh of Jesus in order to be saved. They believe that in the hand of the priest, the wine and the bread become the actual body and blood of Jesus. And you must have a priest to do that for you—frankly, that is what I call job security for the priests. But let me assure you that you do not need a priest to have Jesus.

Jesus is using a metaphor, as He often does. Later, He will say He is the “door” and you cannot get in without passing through Him (John 10:9). Well, Jesus is not made of wood, with hinges and a door handle.

Jesus is not talking at all about communion here in John 6! He is talking about salvation, and you only need to be saved once—and that will last for eternity. He says He is the Bread of Life and you have to eat Him. What He means is He must enter your life and become a part of your life, just as much as a piece of bread is assimilated into your body.[122]

In fact, here in verses 50 and 51, the tenses of the Greek verbs for eating indicate action that happened in the past. This is what you did when you accepted Christ as your Savior. It was a one-time—sometime in the past—event, and you will never need to be saved again.

The Bible says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). It does not say, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord and goes to mass every Saturday will be saved.” Oh no, salvation is a one-time event. You are born physically once; and you are born spiritually—born again—only one time.

Now in the latter portion of John 6, we find three responses to Christ’s message. First, in verse 64—is the response of unbelief. Jesus says, “There are some of you who do not believe.” The author, John, explains, “For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.”

A second response we see is abandonment. Verse 66 says, “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” They had heard enough; they were not about to have Jesus effectively come into—and take over—their lives.

The third response is that some believe:

Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (verses 67-69)

I love that statement! “Where else can we go? Who else can satisfy us? You have the words of eternal life!”

Friend, if you have not eaten the Bread of Life—if you have not accepted the Bread of Life into your life—you are going to remain hungry for meaning, purpose, forgiveness, and hope.

Psalm 107:9 says, “[The Lord] satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” If you are hungry for the Lord, my friend, I can promise you, the meal is free. The Bread of Life is yours for the asking! You don’t need the church; you don’t need a list of good works; you don’t need a priest to give you Jesus. He is yours by simply asking Him to become your Savior today.

If we can help you make that prayer to the Lord, reach out to us here at Wisdom International.

Clean Hands or a Clean Heart? Matthew 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23; John 7:1

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The Jewish leaders in Capernaum had not been happy at all with Jesus referring to Himself as the Bread of Life, come down from heaven. Their hatred toward Him was intensifying.

In fact, John’s Gospel records that Jesus “would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him” (John 7:1). He came to die on a cross, but He was going to determine when and where.

In the meantime, some religious leaders arrived to try to find fault with Him. Matthew’s Gospel picks up their conversation in chapter 15:

Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” (verses 1-2)

The Pharisees taught that if you ate your food with ceremonially purified hands, it was guaranteed that you would “eat bread in the kingdom of God.”[123] In other words, you got into heaven if your hands were clean—never mind your heart.

Now Mark’s Gospel tells us that these religious leaders “saw that some of [Jesus’] disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed” (Mark 7:2). Didn’t they understand that this handwashing business was, as verse 3 says, “the tradition of the elders”? “Elders” refers to ancient Jewish leaders. The disciples are not just breaking rules; they are breaking ancient ones.

Doesn’t Jesus understand that He is not obeying the rules? In their eyes He is a maverick; He is coloring outside the lines of religion, and they have come to set Him straight. But Jesus is the one who is going to do the straightening out here; He is going to refuse to let their tradition become more important than the truth.

So, He says to them in verse 6, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Jesus is saying, “You Pharisees are wearing a mask before everyone who sees you.” Their hands were clean—there probably was no dirt under their fingernails either—but there was dirt all over their hearts.

Jesus isn’t finished either. He now reveals the hidden motive of their hearts in one specific area:

“Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, [dedicated] to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (verses 10-13)

Jesus pulls out this rather convicting illustration. The Pharisees did not want to part with their money, even though the fifth commandment was that grown children were to honor their parents. Frankly, that command was more about caring for parents in their old age than it was saying, “Yes, sir” or “No ma’am.” Now there is nothing wrong with saying, “Yes sir” and “No ma’am”—that is how my mother trained me as boy. But this commandment has more to do with financially supporting aging parents. And to get around using their money to care for their aging parents, the Pharisees were effectively saying, “Listen, Mom and Dad, we are so sorry, but all our extra money has been dedicated to God.”

No doubt that sounded very religious, but it was nothing more than religious baloney. It was make-believe piety.

At this point, Jesus addresses the earlier issue of eating food with unwashed hands. He says in verse 15:

“There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”

Jesus is not making a scientific statement about germs; He is making a spiritual statement about sin. The scribes and Pharisees were concerned about externals—like clean hands and kosher foods. They thought that as long as they followed the right rules, they were clean and holy. Jesus says that the source of real defilement before God is internal—a sinful heart.

You cannot clean sin off with soap, no matter how many times you wash your hands. External acts cannot clean your heart. Only faith in Jesus can cleanse your heart and your conscience through His sacrifice for your sin. And you cannot rid yourself of hypocrisy by washing behind your ears or lighting candles in a sanctuary.

Let me ask this question: Is it possible for genuine believers to fall into the trap of religious hypocrisy? Absolutely. In fact, let me suggest a few things we need to watch out for.

First, we can become guilty of hypocrisy when we are more interested in religious traditions than biblical teaching. The favorite saying of a church bound by tradition is, “We are going to do what we do because we have always done it that way!”

Religious traditions are like sacred cows; and it might do you or your church some good to barbecue one of those sacred cows every once in a while. It is very easy for any Christian or religious organization to start equating traditional practices with biblical teaching.

Second, we are in danger of hypocrisy when we are more concerned with the operations of a church than the objectives of a church. One very divisive issue in the church today is music. To many people, the music in the church is more important than the mission of the church. Who said you cannot have musical instruments in the church? And who said the only instruments cleared for worship are the piano and organ? I cannot find a verse anywhere on that tradition. And I cannot find a verse about the worship service starting at 11:00 a.m. instead of 10:30.

Beloved, I don’t think the devil tries to destroy a local church as much as he tries to distract it and divide it. Instead of attacking the church, the devil often simply joins the church, provides ammunition for both sides of a silly argument, and then watches the division take place.

We too easily forget that we have been given two primary objectives as New Testament churches: to evangelize the world for Jesus and to equip the saints for service. These are explicit commands given by God, and we must never allow ourselves to be distracted from them.

Third, we fall into hypocrisy when we are more interested in outward ceremony than inward commitment. When you leave that church service, if you are thinking more about how good it made you feel than how you want to be more obedient to Christ, it is very possible that you have slipped your mask of hypocrisy back on before you have gotten out of the parking lot.

Fourth, we are in danger of being governed by hypocrisy when we are more diligent about our external appearances before people than our internal motives before God.

The solution to hypocrisy in all its forms is genuine holiness—a heart that follows after God. Beloved, holiness began to work in you when you came to faith in Christ. He gave you a new heart and new desires to live a holy life. And as Jesus has explained to these religious leaders, a holy or clean life does not happen because you follow human traditions but because you follow the Holy Spirit who lives within you.

And what does your life look like when you follow the Spirit of God? The Bible tells us that the fruit of the Spirit’s presence in our lives is this: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

So today, beloved, let’s steer clear of hypocrisy, which focuses on externals and traditions of man, and let’s develop holy lives as we follow the Holy Spirit.

Compassion For All People Matthew 15:21-38; Mark 7:24–8.9

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In Capernaum, the Pharisees criticized Jesus and His disciples for not following the rules—for eating food with unclean hands. Jesus turned the tables on them and revealed the hypocrisy of their unclean hearts.

Now with that, Matthew 15:21, says, “Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.” This is pagan, Gentile territory on the Mediterranean coast. This had been the home country of Jezebel, where people had sacrificed children to the wicked god Molech back in Old Testament times.[124]

We are not told how long Jesus and the disciples had been there when their presence is discovered:

A Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” (verse 22)

Mark tells us Jesus had entered a house and implies the woman immediately followed Him into the house (Mark 7:24-25).

Despite the fact she is described as a “Canaanite” and in Mark 7:26 as a “Syrophoenician by birth,” she “came out” to meet them intentionally. Her crying is continuous, and her need is desperate. It is interesting to me here that she uses a messianic title for Jesus, calling him, “Son of David.” She knows something about Him, but she is about to learn much more.

In Matthew 15:23, we read, “His disciples … begged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she is crying out after us.’” I believe the disciples want the Lord to answer her request, but only to stop her from pestering them. Besides, their ministry is primarily to Jews, certainly not to Canaanites!

Jesus wants to teach her something as well as refine her faith in Him. He says in verse 24, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” In other words, “You referred to me with the Jewish messianic title of ‘Son of David’; well, my mission is with the house of Israel.”

Instead of getting angry or walking away, immediately this woman kneels at Jesus’ feet and says, “Lord, help me” (verse 25). Her posture is one of humility, but this time she omits the messianic title, “Son of David.” She believes He is the Jewish Messiah, but now she comes to Him as a Gentile sinner desperately seeking His mercy.

Surprisingly, Jesus wants to instruct her even further. He says in verse 26, “It is not right to take the children’s [Jews’] bread and throw it to the dogs [Gentiles].” The issue here is the priority of the nation of Israel due to God’s covenant with Abraham. She needs to understand that His ministry priority is first to the Jewish people and then to the Gentiles.

Jesus’ words are not as harsh as they might appear. Warren Wiersbe explains:

Jesus did not call her a “dog” the way the Pharisees would have addressed a Gentile. The Greek word means “a little pet dog” and not the filthy [mutts] that ran the streets and ate the garbage.[125]

In other words, the beloved pets that belong to the children do not get to eat until the children have eaten. Here is the woman’s response in verse 27: “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

She clearly accepts what Jesus has said. As a Gentile, she does not have a place at the dining room table in the house of Israel; but she says even the pet dogs under the table are happy for the crumbs the children might drop. She will be satisfied with the “crumbs” from His ministry. She is saying, “Lord, I would be happy with just a little crumb from the table; you do not even need to give me a seat.”

Jesus has but one answer for her, here in verse 28: “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” As a result, we are told, “her daughter was healed instantly.”

Jesus is teaching His disciples a subtle message here: both Jews and Gentiles are going to stand before God on equal ground, all “equally undeserving and equally sinners.”[126] If you will come to Jesus by faith, as this woman came, Jesus will save you and adoptyou into His family (John 1:12) and give you a seat at the table.

Now with that, “Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee.” (Matthew 15:29). Mark 7:31 tells us that it was in the Decapolis, the Gentile region to the southeast of the sea.

Mark’s Gospel highlights one event during this visit: “They brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him” (Mark 7:32).

Jesus pulls this man to the side where they can be out of the public view. What Jesus does next is use a little sign language. He puts His fingers into the man’s ears, signifying they are about to be opened. Then he puts some saliva on his finger and touches the man’s tongue, signifying this man is about to be able to speak. And then, to make sure the man knows the power to heal him from his suffering is coming from heaven, Jesus looks up to heaven and sighs.

He then gives the command in verse 34, using the Aramaic word “ephphatha,” which the man can easily lip-read and understand.[127] It means “be opened,” and that is exactly what happens. Verse 35 says, “His ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.”

Now what are we to make of what happens next in verse 36: “Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it”? Well, it appears Jesus wants to slow things down, so to speak. The division between Jews and Gentiles was already massive, and His ministry among the Gentiles will only increase this division; so, Jesus does not want this to be front page news—at least not yet.

Matthew 15 then picks up the chronological story there on the mountain and tells us what happened next:

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” (verse 32)

The disciples should have answered, “You know, we feel the same way, Jesus, and we know You can handle this without any trouble.” Unfortunately, their response is, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” (verse 33).

Did they so quickly forget that Jesus had miraculously fed 5000 men and their families earlier? I don’t think so! I don’t think this is a memory problem at all.

That earlier crowd of 5,000 was Jewish; this crowd of 4,000 is Gentile. What they are really saying is, “Lord, let’s send these pagan Gentiles away.” Let me tell you, they have a lot to learn. These two scenes involving a Jewish and a Gentile crowd say the same thing: the compassion of Jesus is unlimited. Jew or Gentile, pagan or raised in church, the ground at the foot of the cross, beloved, is level. So, the Lord miraculously feeds 4000 hungry Gentiles, this time using seven loaves and several fish.

He is also rebuking the heart attitude of His disciples toward those very different from themselves. Jesus is demonstrating compassion for all people.

Maybe the Lord wants to check your own heart attitude toward people who are different from you, whether the difference is ethnic, political, religious, economic, or something else. Beloved, like these early disciples, we are called by God to look past those differences and with compassion feed their souls with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Who is Jesus to You? Matthew 15:39–16:23; Mark 8:10-33; Luke 9:18-22

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I have in my library a book entitled The 100, in which the author seeks to rank the 100 most influential people in history.[128]

I was glad to find that Jesus made it on the list—in fact, He was in the top ten. But He was not first. The top ranking went to the prophet Muhammed. Number 2 went to Isaac Newton; number 4 was Buddha; and in between Newton and Buddha—at number 3—was Jesus. Never mind that of all the people listed, His tomb is the only one that’s empty.

Where the world ranks Jesus is not really that important to your life. What is critically important, though, is how you rank Him. Who is Jesus to you?

The disciples will be confronted with that question, but first our study takes us to Matthew 15:39, where Jesus and His disciples leave the Decapolis region after the miraculous feeding of the 4000 and travel northwest across the Sea of Galilee “to the region of Magadan.” Mark 8:10 calls this place “Dalmanutha.” Dalmanutha was the harbor of Magadan.[129]

As soon as they arrive, Mark tells us in verse 11, “Pharisees came and began to argue with him.” Matthew’s account adds that they are accompanied by Sadducees. They have come to “test” Him by demanding “a sign from heaven” to prove His authority is from God. Now He has already performed signs from heaven, and He refuses their demand. He knows their problem is not a lack of evidence; their problem is a lack of faith.

Matthew 16:4 says that Jesus does respond by telling them that the only sign they are going to get is the sign of Jonah—and that is an allusion to His coming resurrection on the third day after His death (see Matthew 12:39-40).

Beloved, you are not obligated to answer every cynical question an unbeliever asks you—especially when the person really does not want an answer.

Mark 8:13 tells us that Jesus and the disciples get into a boat and sail away. Verse 14 notes that they forgot to bring more bread along and have “only one loaf with them in the boat.”

Jesus then says in verse 15, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” The disciples miss the point, for as verse 16 says, “They began discussing . . . the fact that they had no bread.” They thought Jesus was possibly rebuking them for forgetting to pack the cooler with bread and maybe a little butter.

Matthew 16:11 records Jesus’ correction, as He says, “How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” “Then,” verse 12 states, “they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

His warning here is to beware of any teaching contrary to God’s Word. False teaching is like leaven—it will grow and influence everything around you.

When they arrive at Bethsaida, a blind man is brought to Jesus. Jesus puts saliva on the man’s eyes and lays His hands on him. His sight is restored, but it is interesting to me that this miracle takes place in two stages. At first, his sight is blurry. Mark 8:24 says he sees men, but they look “like trees, walking” around. Then Jesus lays His hands on the man again, and he sees “clearly.”

We are not told why Jesus healed the blind man in stages. Perhaps it was Jesus’ way of teaching that we need to trust Him when He moves in ways that are mysterious—when He does not explain Himself. Perhaps His physical healing of you is in stages—partially now but perfectly one day, in heaven.

Now with that, they travel about twenty-five miles north to a place called Caesarea Philippi. And when they arrive, Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” (Mark 8:27).

Well evidently, the people on the street out there have given Jesus a pretty high ranking. He is not first, but he is right up there with John the Baptist and Elijah!

But now Jesus changes the question into something much more personal here in verse 29: “But who do you say that I am?” Beloved, that’s the most important question you will ever need to answer. Who do you think Jesus is?

A very educated man in his seventies who had taught Sunday school in a church for decades told me recently that he thought Jesus was a good rabbi. He said, “I refer to Him as Rabbi Jesus.” He did not know who Jesus is. What you believe about Jesus will determine your eternal destiny.

Peter raises his hand in class and says, “I’ve got the answer: ‘You are the Christ’”—that is, the Anointed One, the Messiah. Matthew’s Gospel gives us Peter’s full answer: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Peter knows Jesus is much more than a rabbi. This is a declaration of the deity of Jesus Christ—“You’re the Messiah, the Son of God.”

Jesus responds in verse 17, telling Peter this truth has been revealed to Him by God the Father. Then in verse 18, He says, “On this rock I will build my church.” The rock, by the way, is not Peter. It is the bedrock of what Peter just declared—the deity of Christ. It is upon this truth that the church will be built.

The Lord also says to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (verse 19). In other words, the gospel that Peter and the other disciples will preach is the key to opening the kingdom of heaven.

After that announcement, Jesus begins to tell them what’s ahead:

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things . . . and be killed, and on the third day be raised. (verse 21)

Peter reacts in verse 22: “[He] took [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.’” And Jesus sharply responds in verse 23:

“Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

He is saying to Peter, “You are acting like Satan’s agent and not mine.” The New Living Translation renders this: “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God’s.”

Now think about this: Peter had answered with divine inspiration that Jesus is the anointed Messiah, the Son of God. And now—just six verses later—Peter is rebuking the Son of God. Here is a lesson for us: if it is possible for Peter to move from insight to idiocy in such a brief time, how easy is it for us to do the same?

Part of Peter’s problem is that he has forgotten who he is talking to. He starts talking to the Lord as if the Lord needs correcting. We do the same thing, beloved, when we correct the Lord’s timing or lack of response to some issue in our lives.

Peter’s problem also centered on expectations. Peter expected miracles by the seashore, not nails and a crown of thorns. Just like Peter, beloved, our expectations are usually self-centered and short-sighted. We see things from a human point of view and not God’s.

But here is the good news: Jesus did not kick Peter out of the group—He patiently continued to teach Him, just as His Word teaches us.

So, keep learning, beloved; learn all you can about Jesus. That will make sure that you give Him His rightful place—that you rank Him with the highest ranking possible—as your sovereign Lord, Messiah, and coming King.

How to Carry Your Cross Matthew 16:24-28; Mark 8:34–9:1; Luke 9:23-27

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Imagine your life in terms of a corporate boardroom in some powerful corporation. There is a long table surrounded with leather chairs. An executive committee is seated around that table, and each member represents a different aspect of your life.

Seated there is your private self, your work self, your moral self, your recreational self, your relational self, your financial self, and so on. This is the boardroom of self.

Most of the time there is conflict in that boardroom as decisions are made; not every member agrees with one another. There is a lot of debate and argument; but eventually there is a vote. It is typically not a unanimous vote, but the majority opinion rules.

I think the average person today thinks that following Jesus means you invite Him to sit on that executive committee. You give Jesus a seat—maybe even at the head of the table. You make Him the chairman, and you give Him a vote too.

The truth is, the biblical perspective for a follower of Christ is that Jesus comes into that boardroom and fires every member of the committee. Being a consecrated disciple means saying to the Lord every day, “There’s only one vote now, and it’s all yours. You run every area of my life.”[130]

The Lord has just informed His disciples of some news that does not exactly fit with the direction of the executive committee of disciples. Jesus told them that He would be rejected and killed and then resurrected three days later.

Matthew’s account tells us that Peter, acting as the committee chairman, stepped forward and effectively told the Lord he was not going to vote for that. The other disciples were not going to vote that way either.

After the Lord rebuked Peter, they were all reminded that His mission was not up for a vote. And with that, the Lord delivers even more surprising news.

Without any apparent transition, he continues here in Luke 9:

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26)

I must say that I am surprised by some theologians and pastors whom I greatly respect—people who hold to justification by faith alone. But they come to a passage like this and effectively turn salvation into justification by faith plus works.

Now they do not come out and say it that way, but they use this passage as a checklist for genuine salvation. In other words:

· If you are ever ashamed of the Lord, you are probably not saved.

· If you are not willing to deny yourself at times, you are probably not saved.

· If you do not pick up your cross daily, you are probably not saved.

· And if you are not willing to die for Christ at any moment, you are probably not saved either.

A passage like this becomes a club that keeps Christians fearful of not measuring up.

First of all, beloved, the context here is not salvation; it is consecration. Jesus has just informed His disciples that He is going to be killed. More than likely He has told them it will be by way of crucifixion because He now talks to them about their own cross to bear. So, Jesus is informing them that their lives are not going to be represented by a crown but by a cross.

Keep in mind that Jesus tells them to do something daily—take up your cross daily. So, according to many, if on any given day you do not take up your cross, you either lose your salvation or you never had it to begin with. This kind of what I call “graceless” interpretation leads the believer to introspection and insecurity and the conscientious believer to great discouragement.

Let me tell you, Jesus is not talking here about how to become a believer or how to prove you are a believer but how to live like a believer. Warren Wiersbe put it so well when he wrote on this text that Jesus is not talking about sonship; He is talking about discipleship.[131]

So, what does it mean to “carry your cross”? It means living a consecrated life. And here is how you do it.

First, it will involve an attitude of humility. Again, Jesus says here in verse 23, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself.” Denying yourself does not mean depriving yourself of good desires and good things. Denying yourself means to surrender a self-centered life for a Christ-centered life. And that will take humility, because we would rather have the world revolve around us.

Second, a consecrated life involves a daily priority. Jesus says, “Let him deny himself and take up his cross daily.”

Taking up one’s cross daily is saying to the Lord, “There is only one vote today on how I live my life, and the vote is all Yours.” And this must be a daily priority because you are going to face new challenges on any given day: new people, new problems, new forms of persecution, new temptations.

By the way, Jesus says something so obvious here that we easily miss it. He says, “Let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” “Follow” here means you get behind “someone and travel in the same direction.”[132] Do not miss the obvious: to follow Christ means He determines the direction.

If the Lord is driving, that means we travel at His speed. Sometimes He picks up the pace, and we struggle to keep up, and sometimes He travels too slow for our liking. But He is in the driver’s seat, and there are no backseat drivers.

Now the Lord delivers a third aspect of a consecrated life—namely, a consecrated life remembers a future accountability. In other words, we are not going to forget what is coming next. Jesus says in verse 26, “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed.”

Jesus does not say the Son of Man will be finished with him or the Son of Man will reject him. No, He says the Son of Man will be ashamed of him.

There is a coming day of accountability for the believer at the judgment seat, or bēma, of Christ. That judgment is not to find out if you get into heaven but to assess how you lived on earth, in light of heaven.

The bēma will be a time of sadness and gladness—sadness over what we did not do for Christ and gladness over what we did for Him. Every faithful act of service to the Lord will be rewarded. So, keep that in mind, do not be ashamed of the gospel, and do not back down if you are ridiculed or rejected. Ask Christ for courage to identify with Him today and to tell others about Him.

Now with that, Jesus makes this interesting statement in verse 27: “There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” I believe that refers to a little foretaste of the glorious kingdom given to three of the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, as described in the following verses. That will be next time on our Wisdom Journey.

In the meantime, how do you carry your cross? How do you live a consecrated life? With humility, priority, and accountability. So, for starters, go into that boardroom of your heart every morning and fire the board members on that committee of “self.” And tell Jesus there is only one vote that is going to count on how you live your life today—that vote belongs only to Him.

A Glimpse of Kingdom Glory Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36

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No matter how far back you study world history, no matter where you travel today, the concept of eternity has been—and still is—a part of every culture in every generation around the world. In Ecclesiastes 3:11 Solomon tells us why, writing that God has put eternity in our hearts. Let me tell you, everybody out there knows there is something more beyond this life.

If I were to ask you to take me to a passage in the Bible to give me a glimpse of what life is like in eternity, where would you turn? Well, you could turn to Matthew, Mark, or Luke, which all record a stunning event we call the transfiguration. This takes place about a week after Peter’s bedrock confession of Jesus being the Son of God. Here is what happens, as describe by Luke’s Gospel:

He took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. (Luke 9:28-29)

It is like the curtain is pulled back for a moment and we can see the Lord’s glory as the King of heaven. Verse 32 indicates the disciples had fallen asleep and are just now beginning to wake up as all this starts to happen. They are rubbing the sleep out of their eyes as this mountaintop lights up.

Over in Matthew 17:2, we read, “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” The word Matthew uses for “transfigured” is metamorphoō, which gives us our word metamorphosis.

You could think of it this way: the glory that was always in Jesus as fully God, though robed in flesh and blood as fully man—well, that glory rose to the surface, so to speak, for this incredible display. Mark 9:3 says, “And his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.”

Evidently Mark has had some trouble getting his T-shirts white—and bleach just will not do the job. He says here that the robe of Jesus was whiter than any bleach could whiten them.

It is more than His clothes, though. There is a brilliant light emitting from the Lord’s body, which is turning everything into blazing, dazzling light. The miracles of Jesus have shown us what He can do; this mountaintop moment shows us who He is.[133] He just lets a little light peek out, and it is nothing less than staggering, brilliant light.

Now let me add here that this is a glimpse into your own eternal glory as a child of God. The apostle John is one of the three men here on this mountaintop, and he writes in 1 John 3:2 that one day when Jesus appears, we shall be like Him.

In fact, your future, beloved, is previewed here in two men who show up on this mountaintop. Luke writes in verse 30 of chapter 9:

And behold, two men were talking with [Jesus], Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure [His exodus].

Just as the book of Exodus gives us the account of Israel’s exit from Egypt—that is what Exodus means—so Jesus is talking with Moses and Elijah about His own exit from this earth and back to glory. The conversation undoubtedly would have included everything from His crucifixion to His ascension back to glory.[134] And do not miss this: these events that take place in Jerusalem are not accidents. Jesus is not a victim; He is a willing sacrifice.

But why are Moses and Elijah the ones who are here talking to Jesus? Jesus had preached to the people, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). Now on the mountain, He is talking to Moses, who represented the Law, and Elijah, who represented the prophets.

Just think about this: Moses has been dead for 1500 years, and Elijah was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot some 900 years earlier; but here they are, alive and well! This is clear evidence that there is more than just life beyond the grave; there is intelligent life beyond the grave, a glorious and useful life beyond the grave.[135]

Think about the staggering implications of life in eternity. Moses and Elijah are still Moses and Elijah. They did not lose their identity as Moses and Elijah. They even have their same names, and they are still talking and thinking about the future. But now in perfection they are shining in glorious splendor. And they have bodies, by the way; they are not in some soul-sleep limbo awaiting the resurrection. They are communicating with each other. In fact, Moses and Elijah are talking with Jesus about real events that will take place on earth; so, they evidently know something about what is happening on earth.

Like I said, there are staggering, exciting implications of eternity in this brief glimpse into glory.

Peter, James, and John are wide awake now. Luke’s narrative continues:

When they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”––not knowing what he said. (verses 32-33)

The three tents Peter suggests are little booths like the Jewish people built during their Feast of Tabernacles, an annual feast remembering their wilderness wandering as well as anticipating the coming kingdom.

As far as Peter is concerned, the kingdom is about to begin. But suddenly, verse 34 says, “As [Peter] was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.”

I bet they were. This is not some low-hanging cloud, by the way. This is the cloud of God’s presence that filled the temple centuries earlier (1 Kings 8).[136]

Luke adds in verse 35: “And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!’” The wording used by the Father makes it clear in the Greek language that His command is directed to the disciples: “You disciples, listen to Him!”

Beloved, you are going to hear a lot of voices out there in the world; test everything you hear against God’s Word. His Word is the final authority. Do not be led astray. Listen to Him!

Well, the disciples are evidently ready to listen and not talk, because we are told at the end of verse 36, “And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.”

Matthew, in fact, tells us that as they came down the mountain, Jesus told them not to say anything about what they had seen until after His resurrection.

Why not? Because as amazing as this experience was, it was not the foundation for their Christian lives. We do not rely on experiences that come and go, no matter how stunning or sensational they might be. The Word of God is the basis for our daily Christian lives. It never changes.[137]

Peter, James, and John did not spend the rest of their lives running around telling everybody they were on that mountaintop. In fact, outside of one brief mention of it in 2 Peter chapter 1, none of them wrote about it.

You do not build your life on what you have seen or what you have experienced. You build your life on who He is, and the Word of God He has given to you.

Do not forget, one day we will see Him. Like Moses and Elijah, we will live in eternity, surrounded by the glory of God, bearing in our future, immortal bodies the dazzling, brilliant light of our King.

Confusion Now . . . Understanding Later Matthew 17:9-23; Mark 9:9-32; Luke 9:37-45

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We pick up our chronological study of the Gospels as Jesus, Peter, James, and John make their way down the mountain following His glory-revealing transfiguration. I am sure these three disciples cannot wait to tell the other disciples what they have seen, but Jesus commands them in Matthew 17:9 to tell no one until after “the Son of Man [Messiah] is raised from the dead.” Mark 9:10 adds, “So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean.”

Let me just take a moment to point out that perhaps the most challenging aspect of Jesus’ ministry was helping His disciples understand two things: first, that He had not come at this time to set up His kingdom; and, second, why He came to earth at this time. They did not grasp the idea that there would be two appearances of Israel’s Messiah; the first time for a crucifixion and the second time for a coronation. A big part of the challenge was that the Old Testament was not explicit on this matter.

Having just seen Jesus and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, these three disciples are wondering about the promise of the prophet Malachi, who wrote in his book that Elijah would appear before the Messiah came to establish His kingdom (Malachi 4:5). Jesus is the Messiah, and Elijah has just appeared, so why did Elijah not restore the people in preparation for the kingdom? In fact, Elijah has just disappeared back into thin air.

Jesus says to them here in verse 12:

“But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they [the Jewish leaders and the nation] did not [accept] him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”

Matthew adds in verse 13, “Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.”

Yes, He is referring to John, but He is also saying, “As surely as they killed John the Baptist, you can be certain they will kill Me as well.”

Now listen; this is difficult for them to grasp. John the Baptist was not Elijah, but he functioned as an Elijah to his generation (Luke 1:15). His ministry revealed that Israel’s rejection of Jesus was evidence that the Messiah had come—at His first coming—for something other than the establishment of His kingdom on earth. John the Baptist had made it clear that Jesus was the “the Lamb of God” who had come to take “away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)—to pay the penalty for sin, so people can be forgiven and welcomed into His coming millennial kingdom.[138]

What is our message today, beloved? The message to our generation is that the Messiah came. He died so that all might believe in Him and receive forgiveness of their sin and the promise of eternal life in Christ. Beloved, we are to be Elijah-like today—living and testifying and pointing our generation to the Lamb of God.

Now when Jesus and the three disciples come down from the mountain, a large crowd meets them. Luke chapter 9 tells us what happened next as a heartbroken man cries out to Jesus:

“Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” (verses 38-40)

Wait a minute! Why could they not cast out the demon? They had been on a mission trip sometime earlier when they had been given power from the Lord to cast out demons and heal the sick. But now, nine of the disciples combined cannot cast out one demon. They have moved from powerful to powerless. Matthew’s account (17:20) says they were not trusting the Lord, and Mark’s Gospel (9:29) implies they did not even pray about it.

The Lord is going to teach them a lesson that this is what happens when you drift from dependency to self-sufficiency. So, with that, the Lord asks them to bring the young man to him.

While he [the boy] was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God. (Luke 9:42-43).

Jesus is demonstrating His deity—His divine majesty, grandeur, and greatness. He did it on the mountain in brilliant light, and He’s doing it here through His power over the kingdom of darkness. The majesty of God might be more obvious to us on the mountaintop, but it is just as majestic and powerful and operational down here in the chaos and confusion of our world.

Luke then continues in verses 43-44:

While they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”

Unfortunately, these words do not sink in very far at all. Verse 45 says they do not understand Jesus’ words and they are afraid to even ask for an explanation. Why would Jesus tell them something He knew they would not understand? Well, the Lord is giving them information that they will remember and understand after His crucifixion; they are going to realize that the crucifixion was not a mistake; it was not a tragic miscalculation. It was according to the divine plan.

And do not overlook that Jesus tells them about His coming suffering while they are “marveling at everything he was doing.” They are having thoughts of riding this miraculous moment right into the glory of the kingdom—but that is not God’s plan. So, Jesus is reminding them that there is a divine script, and it is a lot different from theirs.

You know, beloved, our agenda often conflicts with the agenda of God. Our script is often very different from God’s script. And one day we will understand that what God had in mind for us was so much better than anything we could have hoped for.

I am reminded of a young couple who were appointed as missionaries to the continent of Africa many years ago. The wife, however, came down rather quickly with a serious illness. Because of that, they had to leave their missionary dreams and return to the United States. To make a living, the young man joined his father in his dentistry practice. He also helped his father experiment with ways to pasteurize grape juice in order to keep it from fermenting so their church could use it during communion services.

Their experiments were successful. They began offering their unfermented grape juice to other churches in the community, and the word spread. It was not long before the demand for their grape juice was so great that they closed down their dental practice to develop their new business.

The young man who had longed to be a missionary was Charles Welch, who founded Welch’s Grape Juice Company. He was not able to be a foreign missionary, but he never lost his heart for missions. He would go on to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to the work of Christ on mission fields around the world.

Sometimes it takes a lifetime to see God’s plan for us come together; maybe we do not see it now, but eventually—certainly one day in heaven—we will see that God did not make a mistake. He did not make a miscalculation with our lives. One day we will see that His majesty had been on display all along the way.

Overcoming the Disease of More Matthew 17:24–18:14; Mark 9:33-50; Luke 9:46-50

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Former professional basketball coach Pat Riley popularized the expression “the disease of more.” Over the years he noticed that most championship teams rarely won the championship the next year; it seemed that once players won the championship, they wanted more money, more endorsements, more attention, more playing time. The basketball players began focusing on themselves, and team chemistry was destroyed; and even the most talented teams ended up losing.[139] That is true in life as well, isn’t it? We are easily infected with the disease of more—always wanting more for ourselves.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are about to show us what it looks like when disciples begin to focus on themselves. Matthew was a former tax collector, and he is the one who pays close attention to what happens next, in chapter 17 of his Gospel. Peter is approached by the collectors of the temple tax in verse 24 and asked, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” Peter answers “Yes” in verse 25, apparently based on what he’s seen to be Jesus’ practice.

Well, Jesus apparently saw or heard this encounter, because a few minutes later, Jesus speaks to Peter:

“What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free.” (verses 25-26)

In other words, rulers demand taxes from the people while their own families are free from taxation. Jesus’ point here is interesting: since this particular tax is for the temple, and since His Father is Lord of the temple, then He—the Son of God—is not obligated to pay the tax. That is pretty clever—but Jesus continues in verse 27:

“However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Jesus is not teaching us that we ought to go fishing to find our tax money—although that would be a great reason to spend more time out on the water. What He is teaching here is the principle that we ought to be willing to relinquish our rights so that others are not offended. The Lord also teaches Peter—and us—that God can take care of our needs.

Now with that, Luke 9:46 tells us what happens next: “An argument arose among them [the twelve disciples] as to which of them was the greatest.” And notice this: they are not arguing about who will become the greatest, but who is the greatest among them. Being a close disciple of Jesus has gone straight to their heads! They have had some trophy-winning experiences, and now look at them: they are argumentative, competitive, self-seeking, ambitious, self-righteous. It has become all about them!

I am really grateful that the Lord does not kick them off His team and assemble a new one. The gracious Lord is willing, as always, to work with flawed, sinful, proud followers and continue to teach them and mold them. And beloved, that gives you and me hope and encouragement.

He will rebuke them, but He will not abandon them. He is going to teach them a wonderful spiritual principle, and here it is: If you want to be somebody, you need to be a nobody. When you recognize you are a nobody, He will make you into a somebody—for Hisglory and not your own.

I have said it before, but I will quote Martin Luther, the reformer, once again; he said, “The Lord created the world out of nothing; and when we are nothing, the Lord will create something out of us as well.”

Now look at verses 47-48:

Jesus ... took a child and put him by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

Jesus is effectively redefining what a championship team player looks like. This is true greatness. The Greek word for “child” here is paidion—think kindergartner. Jesus is not saying that if you are nice to children you get into heaven.[140] He is saying to His disciples, “How you act toward this child will reveal whether you understand the meaning of true greatness.”

This goes against the traditional thinking of the day. The Talmud—the central text of rabbinic Judaism—said that keeping company with children added nothing to a person’s life; it was essentially a waste of time. And that is because greatness to the rabbis was defined by the company you kept; if you were significant, you would keep company with significant people.[141] You are not going to give attention or time to kids running in the streets or around your back yard.

You see, Peter, James, and John undoubtedly thought they were most significant because of their closer association with Jesus. These three disciples had even been with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah. What more could they possibly need to be considered great?

But Jesus basically says here, “No, if you receive a child—if you associate with someone who is small and weak and cannot make any contribution of significance to your resume, then you are on your way to true greatness.”

Luke then moves on to another event where the pride of the disciples is revealed again:

John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.” (verses 49-50)

Here is someone successfully casting out demons, and the disciples want to stop him. Why? Well, because he is not one of them; he is not on their team, so to speak.

In Mark’s Gospel, we are told that this man is a believer in Jesus. So, he is doing the Lord’s work, he is doing it in the name of the Lord, he is succeeding in delivering the oppressed, and he is evidently doing it with the Lord’s delegated power.[142]

But he has not been sanctioned by the club; he has not gotten an official permit from the office of the twelve disciples.[143] He is outside their little team circle. But evidently, he is more successful than they are—remember, they had recently failed to cast out a demon! Simply put, the disciples are jealous. They want to shut this man down because he is showing them up.

I can just hear their arguments: “He’s not been around the Lord like we have; he’s not been vetted like we have been; he wasn’t chosen to be disciples like we were. Surely, he cannot be used by God!” But he is.

Both Matthew and Mark record strong words from Jesus, warning against becoming a stumbling block in the way of those who are seeking to follow Him. Jesus repeats words from His Sermon on the Mount, stressing that His followers must avoid causing spiritual harm to fellow believers.

How do you treat people who are not like you in every respect? I am not talking about doctrinal truths; I am talking about personal opinions. How do you feel when God seems to bless someone else instead of you? How do you respond when others seem to outshine you in their service for the Lord? Those feelings and responses are evidences of the disease of more—I want more attention, more fame, more success.

The disease of more is cured as we focus on following the Savior who willingly sacrificed everything He deserved to give us something we don’t deserve. He gave up His rights so that we could claim an eternal right—the right to become children of God.

Church Discipline and Reconciliation Matthew 18:15-35

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What are we supposed to do when unity and peace between believers is in jeopardy? How do the Lord’s followers deal with situations of personal conflict? And how can the offender and the offended be reconciled and the unity in the church maintained?

Let me remind you, the devil most often does not try to destroy a local church as much as he tries to divide the church. And he is pretty good at it, by the way. He does not attack a church directly; he joins it and then sows seeds of disunity. He gets a fight going, and then he is more than happy to provide ammunition to both sides.

No wonder the apostle Paul wrote to that little church in Ephesus and told them to be “eager [diligent] to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

Today in our Wisdom Journey, the Lord provides some very practical steps for maintaining unity and reconciling believers. Matthew 18:20 sets the stage for us as Jesus says, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Now this is not a promise for prayer results. I have heard this text twisted into some kind of doctrine of agreement—that if you get two or three people to join you in prayer, God will certainly listen to you. Beloved, God will listen to you when you come to Him all by yourself. You have one Mediator, Christ Jesus, and through Him, you have access directly into God’s presence.

Jesus mentions the two or three people here within the context of discipline and reconciliation. You need two witnesses to establish the facts of the case. Jesus also promises His presence and personal involvement in the process of reconciliation. And the Lord provides several steps for that process.

Step one is here in verse 15:

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”

The ideal is that the process ends right there—the matter is resolved in private. But too often it does not end there; so, Jesus graciously provides another step in verse 16:

“But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”

This is an attempt to bring about confession on the part of the offender and, as a result, reconciliation. The witnesses will establish the facts of the case and make sure that

reconciliation is genuinely attempted. They also can testify to the response of the offender.

Jesus then provides another step if it is necessary: “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church” (verse 17). Tell “it” to the church. Tell “what” to the church? You do not need to tell the details of everything involved. Telling it to the church relates to the main issue. Tell the church that the individual refuses to follow the counsel of church leadership. That is all that needs to be communicated.[144]

If all the attempts at reconciliation fail, the last step takes place. Jesus says in verse 17, “And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” That is, this person is to be removed from the church. The church is to withdraw fellowship with this unrepentant person, indicating the individual has lost fellowship with God. The apostle Paul told the church in Corinth to remove the man from their church who was refusing to repent of sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 5:2).

Let me tell you, it is going to be painful to do the right thing. There is a great sadness to the many cases I have been involved with over the years as a pastor. But beloved, remember that the unity of the church is not just based on love—it’s also based on integrity and purity and the truth of God’s Word.

Now, with that, Peter raises his hand and asks the Lord a question here in verse 21: “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” In other words, “Lord, aren’t you impressed with how spiritual I am? I’m willing to forgive my brother seven times!”

Jesus replies in verse 22, saying, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” He is saying, “Stop counting. Don’t set a limit on how many times you forgive someone who genuinely seeks forgiveness. Just remember how many times God has forgiven you. Is it seven times? Or seventy times seven?” Thank God, His forgiveness is unlimited.

Jesus now tells a story—a parable—to illustrate this truth:

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.” (verses 23-24)

That is over a billion dollars today! He will never be able to pay it back.

The man falls to his knees, begging the king for mercy. And out of pity, verse 27 says, “the master . . . released him and forgave him the debt.” What an amazing act of grace! And you would think that gratitude and grace would mark this servant’s life from then on, but that is not the case:

“But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii [that is around $1,200 dollars], and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ . . . When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.” (verses 28, 31)

Now the Lord will, in effect, give two principles that can be applied today.

First, refusing to forgive others is inconsistent. We have been forgiven, and people who have been forgiven ought to be forgiving. Jesus continues:

“Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’” (verses 32-33)

The master is saying, “Why didn’t you do to him, what I have done for you?” Refusing to forgive others is inconsistent.

Second, refusing to forgive others creates inner torment. Jesus illustrates this in verses 34-35:

“And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

The word for “jailers”—those to whom the man is delivered—is used in its verbal form in 2 Peter 2:8, which describes someone’s soul being “tormented” because of the evil surrounding him. The unforgiving servant in Jesus’ story will be handed over to “torturers”—those who torment.

What is the point? When we are the cause of unresolved conflict because we refuse to forgive others, God, in a sense, says, “You are going to be tormented in your soul. You are going to be constantly replaying the offense—the crime, the injustice—and you will not have a moment’s peace until you forgive them.”

True forgiveness means you are willing to accept God’s plan for your life—even the pain that comes your way. God used enslavement and injustice and imprisonment to shape Joseph over there in Egypt so that he would eventually tell his cruel and heartless brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20).

Living with anger and resentment and unforgiveness actually robs us of all that God wants to do in shaping our lives, ultimately, for His glory and grace. And beloved, the Bible promises us that one day all things will be made right—on that day when we see Him face to face.

Admiring Jesus or Following Jesus? Matthew 8:19-22; Luke 9:57-62

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One author back in the 1800s put it well, noting that Jesus Christ never asked for admirers; He wanted followers.[145] It is possible to admire Jesus without truly following Him.

In our Wisdom Journey, we arrive at Luke 9, where three conversations take place between Jesus and three admirers.[146] They are going to give Jesus what I would consider three of the most common excuses for refusing to follow Him.

The first excuse sounds like this: “I will follow the Lord, but not for nothing!” In other words, “I’ll follow Jesus if He gives me what I want in return.”

Here in Luke 9:57, we read, “As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’” Matthew’s Gospel tells us that this man is a scribe—a scholar. He has been studying the Scriptures for years—he has a graduate degree in Old Testament law hanging on the wall in his study.

This man evidently thinks Jesus just might be the Messiah. And if Jesus is indeed the Messiah, this scribe assumes Jesus will overthrow Roman tyranny; He will usher in economic prosperity; He will bring in the kingdom of God; and He will give His favorite students the best positions in the kingdom.[147] And as far as he is concerned, he is one of the most likely candidates for an important position in that coming kingdom.

Now what is interesting is that Jesus does not flatly turn him down, but He does tell him the truth. We read in verse 58, “Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’” In essence, He’s saying, “Foxes and birds might have it better off than you, if you follow me. You might not even have a shade tree out back where you can prop your feet up and rest for a while.”

We are not told how this man responds. Maybe Luke left it open-ended because God’s Spirit wants us to slip into this man’s shoes, so to speak and ask ourselves what we would do if following Jesus did not seem to be paying off. Would we follow Him anyway?

Then the Lord encounters another man with another common excuse to not follow Jesus Christ. Essentially, it is this: “I will follow the Lord, but not right now!”

Here is the interaction in verses 59-60:

To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Now it sounds like Jesus is telling this man to skip his dad’s funeral and get on with preaching the gospel. But the text does not say his father has actually died. “Let me bury my father” was a Near Eastern figure of speech. It meant to take care of the family business until the father died. This is an easy excuse to stall for time.[148]

His reply to Jesus actually reveals this man’s priorities in life. “Let me first take care of business. Let me first get my inheritance. Let me first get some financial security. Then, I’ll follow you, Lord, but not right now.”

Maybe you are working overtime to climb some corporate ladder or move into that new house or spend your weekends in the hobbies and activities that you think you have earned. Your priorities in life have nothing to do with the Lord. In fact, becoming a follower of Christ will get in the way. So, you would rather wait and get serious about Jesus sometime later.

Now the point Jesus makes here is not so much about attending funerals, taking care of inheritance issues, or tending to your career or business. Jesus is addressing this very common excuse to postpone following Him: “Lord, I have other priorities; I can’t follow you right now!

Check back with me later.”

So, here are the excuses, paraphrased: “Lord, I’ll follow you, if you give me what I want.” “Lord, I’ll follow you, but not right now.”

The third common excuse appears in the third encounter. This person is basically going to respond by saying, “Lord, I will follow You, but not entirely!”

Here it is in verse 61: “Yet another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’” Jesus’ response at first seems disconnected: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (verse 62).

In that day, the plow was nothing more than a piece of wood with a handle at one end and a metal tip at the other end. It demanded constant attention.[149] The Greek language tells us this man is not glancing back every now and then while he is plowing; he is actually looking back constantly. Indeed, he never looks forward.[150]

Looking back is actually longing to be back there.[151] And that is at the heart of this man’s excuse. “Sure, I’ll follow you Lord, but not entirely. My heart is not really with you—it’s back there where I used to live.”

In other words, this person is not really interested in a new life with Christ. He really wants to keep his old life, like it used to be.

So here are the common excuses—and believe me, they are as popular today as they were back in the days of Christ:

· “Lord, I’ll follow you, but only if you give me what I want.”

· “Lord, I’ll follow you later, not right now.”

· “Lord, I’ll follow you partially, just don’t take control of everything in my life.”

What does it mean to follow Christ? I am reminded of the biography of a young man by the name of William Borden. Back in 1904 he was the heir to the Borden Dairy estate. For his high school graduation present, his parents gave him a sight-seeing trip around the world. During that trip he wrote home declaring that God was moving his heart toward the mission field. At the same time, he wrote two words in the back of his Bible: “No reserves.”

Most people thought his missionary burden would fade away once he returned home. But instead, his desire to take the gospel to the unreached world only intensified. By the time Borden was a senior at Yale University, 85 percent of the student body there was attending a Bible study he started in his freshman year. After graduating from Yale, and with business prospects pouring in, Borden kept to his vision for world missions. He wrote two more words in the back of his Bible: “No retreats.”

Borden turned down every lucrative position offered him and enrolled in seminary. After completing his studies, he traveled to Egypt to learn Arabic in preparation for ministry among the Muslims of China. But he never made it to China. While in Egypt, he contracted spinal meningitis, and within a few weeks, William Borden died at the age of twenty-five.

Newspapers headlined the news of Yale’s most famous graduate. Reporters and business leaders would write about the tragic waste of such a promising life. Just prior to falling ill, however, William had turned in his Bible, back to where he had earlier written those statements of commitment, and he wrote two more words that were discovered after his death. Beneath the words “No reserves” and “No retreats,” he had written the words, “No regrets.”[152]

Beloved, when you answer the call of God to give Him control of your life—living for Him wherever He appoints you—you are making a choice to live a life of no regrets.

Maniac or Messiah? Luke 9:51-56; John 7:2-52

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At this point in our Wisdom Journey, it is early October; the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) is at hand. This is a festival celebrating both the fall harvest and God’s guidance of Israel through the wilderness following their miraculous escape from the land of Egypt. During this festival season, the city of Jerusalem would swell to overflowing with men, women, and children camping out in palm-branch booths for seven days.

In John 7 we find Jesus in Galilee, and His half-brothers giving Him some advice:

“Go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” (verses 3-4)

Then John adds this comment in verse 5: “For not even his brothers believed in him.”

These are Jesus’ half-brothers, born to Mary and Joseph sometime after the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus. Keep in mind that Jesus is often referred to as Mary’s firstborn son, not her only son. She and Joseph built a family. Matthew’s Gospel even gives us the names of Jesus’ half-brothers. In fact, two of them will later believe in Jesus and end up writing two books of the New Testament—the book of James and the book of Jude.

At this point, his half-brothers think Jesus is out of His mind, claiming to be the Messiah. So, they tell Him, “If You really want the spotlight, stop hanging around little, insignificant Galilee, and head for the big city of Jerusalem. Show your works to the world!” They actually doubt the credibility of Jesus’ miracles, however, for they say here, “If You do these things.”

What do you do when your family and friends think you are a fanatic—that you are mentally weak and you need Jesus as a crutch because you cannot handle life? Well, do what Jesus does here. He does not retaliate; He is just going to trust His Father’s plan and timing for His vindication. And eventually, Jesus is going to let an empty tomb do all the talking.

Jesus does in fact go to the feast in Jerusalem, but not like His half-brothers wanted Him to; instead, He goes privately, somewhat quietly. So, Luke 9:51, says, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

Verse 52 tells us that Jesus sent some of His disciples on ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for His arrival. But this Samaritan village, Luke writes, “did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem” (verse 53). Even though Jesus had performed miracles among the Samaritan people, lovingly healing them, their hatred for the Jews splashed over onto Jesus.

James and John were so angered that this village was turning them away that they asked Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” (verse 54). Let’s just burn this place to the ground! How is that for an evangelistic strategy? The Lord rebukes their attitude and then verse 56 says, “They went on to another village.”

Let me tell you, hatred for Christianity and the persecution of believers has not slowed down at all in these modern times. In fact, the history of the church is a history of persecution. It is easy to adopt the attitude of James and John and retaliate. But we need to remember that Jesus died on the cross for His enemies. And we need to see them as He did—not as enemies, but as our mission field.

Now, back to John 7, we find Jesus and His disciples quietly arriving in Jerusalem. But the city is not at all quiet about Jesus. In fact, the Jewish leaders are looking for Him (verses 10-11). They want to kill Him.

Midway through the festival Jesus enters the temple and begins teaching. He declares that His words are from God and that anyone who desires to do the will of God will recognize this. He says He has been sent from God and soon will be going to God.

Now each day of this festival, water was drawn from the pool of Siloam and taken to the temple and poured out on the altar. This symbolized God’s provision of water for Israel in the wilderness. On the last day of the feast, water was not drawn—this little ceremony was omitted. It is on this day that Jesus stands up and speaks these words:

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (verses 37-38)

Jesus declares Himself to be the one who satisfies spiritual thirst. The author John explains in verse 39 that this living water will come in the Person of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus will provide.

By the time He finishes His teaching, the leaders and crowd are divided. We see the various reactions in verses 40-41:

Some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee?”

The same reactions are being verbalized today. Was Jesus just a good man? A great moral example? A gifted teacher? Was He a deceiver, a paranoid lunatic, or was He truly the Messiah—God in the flesh? Well, I don’t really care about all those opinions out there, beloved; my concern is for you. What’s your opinion of Jesus today?

One of the most common opinions about Jesus that I continue to hear from many people is that Jesus was a good man but not God in the flesh—God incarnate. That opinion is quite popular, but it is also impossible. Either Jesus is God, or He was a very bad man and an even bigger liar. Let me explain.

If Jesus is not God the Son, then He was an imposter. Why? Well, because He claimed the ability to forgive sins! Back in Luke 7:48, He said to a woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” In Mark 2, when He said the same thing to a man, the onlookers said, in verse 7, “He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

That is precisely the point! If Jesus can forgive sin, He is God; but if He cannot forgive sin, He is an impostor trying to play God, and therefore He is not a good man at all. In fact, He would be an incredible egotist.

In John 10:9 Jesus said, “I am the door.” In John 14:6, He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” and stated that no one can get into heaven without going through Him. Jesus even made the claim that the Old Testament was written about Him (John 5:39)! These statements are true only if Jesus is God.

C. S. Lewis wrote these insightful words:

“You can spit at Jesus and kill Him . . . or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. You must make your choice. . . . Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman.[153]

So, who is Jesus to you, today? Are you like the half-brothers of Jesus, who thought He was deluded? Are you like the Samaritans, who refused to host Him in their homes? Or will you accept Him as God the Son, the one who gave Himself as the sacrifice for your sins? The choice is yours. Let me encourage you right now to believe in Him as your Messiah, the Son of God, the coming King of Kings.

The Woman Caught in Adultery John 8:1-11

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Jesus is making an appearance in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. To say that His appearance here is contentious and chaotic would be an understatement. The religious leaders have carefully devised a trap for Him that they undoubtedly consider so clever that there is no way Jesus can get out of it.

The Lord has just spent the night outside the city walls on the Mount of Olives. In the morning He goes back into the city to teach in the temple, where a large crowd has gathered. It is here that the Pharisees and scribes spring their trap.

They bring before Him a woman they have caught committing adultery. And they say to Jesus, “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” (John 8:5).

This is shocking. They have hauled this woman into the temple precinct, having caught her in the act. In fact, the word John uses for “caught” suggests the men literally pulled the adulterous couple away from each other. And the tense of the verb suggests those who pulled her away are the same ones who are still holding on to her when they come to Jesus.

Now if you are like me, you are wondering where the man is. He must have been caught too, right? Well, he is not anywhere in sight. That leads me to believe he is a part of this plan to entrap Jesus. In fact, John writes in verse 6, “This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.”

If Jesus orders her to be stoned to death, He is going to be arrested by the Roman authorities for insurrection because Jewish people could not legally put someone to death without Rome’s approval. And if Jesus says, “Let her go,” He is violating the law of Moses and is not qualified to be teaching or to be claiming to be the Messiah. This is a perfect setup!

Before we jump ahead to the conclusion, just imagine for a moment this woman’s situation. She is being used by religious leaders who do not care anything about her; she is being publicly shamed as those in the crowd stand gaping and whispering and pointing.

Jesus does not say anything to her or anyone else. Verse 6 says, “Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.” He just kneels down and scribbles something in the dirt. He then stands back up and announces, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (verse 7).

There is a deathly quiet in that courtyard now. They were not expecting such a response. Jesus is not dismissing the law of Moses, but by demanding that only an innocent person cast the first stone, He is putting the spotlight on the woman’s accusers and their evil motives. Then, “once more he bent down and wrote on the ground” (verse 8).

This is the only time in the New Testament Jesus is shown writing anything down. In fact, the normal verb for “writing,” graphō, isn’t used here; instead, a compound word that means “to record” is used. This same word is used in the Greek translation of Job 13:26, where it refers to “bitter things” recorded against Job.

So, what is Jesus writing? We cannot be certain, but I believe He is recording the sins these religious leaders were guilty of in their own private lives. They wanted to trick Him and expose this woman; now Jesus is exposing them.

They did not realize they were standing in front of God the Son, who knew every sin they had ever committed. He knows their violations of the law of Moses, and now He is effectively calling them out to give an account of their own sin.

Back in elementary school, I had a teacher in fifth grade named Miss Longnecker. And I remember getting into trouble in her class—more than once. Miss Longnecker had the practice of writing down my misbehavior and sending the note home with me. I was supposed to deliver it to my parents and have them sign it, as proof they had been told of my mischief. Of course, I knew I was in deep trouble when I got home. I only had two options—defect to the Soviet Union or take my punishment.

But then, I thought of a third option. I decided to forge my father’s signature. So, I got a pen and tried to write like my father, with a straight line for the letter K and curly swoops on the letter D in “Keith Davey.” I applied every ounce of skill I had at cursive writing. When I finished, it did not look anything like my father’s signature. So, I got a wet paper towel and smudged the ink so that it was barely readable. I planned to tell Miss Longnecker that it had fallen into the sink. I never was a smart sinner! I was caught, of course, and the punishment was worse than ever.

This reminds me of another middle school boy who wanted to skip school; so he called the school office that morning, and the principal happened to answer the phone. In his lowest voice, the boy said, “Tommy won’t be in school today.”

The principal was suspicious, and said, “May I ask who is speaking?” After a long pause, the voice replied, “This is my father speaking.” Tommy and I had the same IQ when it came to sin and rebellion.

Let me tell you, there’s something quite ridiculous about these religious leaders standing before the omniscient, all-knowing Son of God and thinking they can get away with their own sin.

What happens next is both humbling and encouraging:

When they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” (verses 9-10)

Imagine this scene. The temple is silenced by the disappearance of her accusers; they have slipped away one by one. In the quietness of this moment stands a somewhat disheveled woman, shoulders stooped in shame, her eyes perhaps still filled with fear. Jesus looks at her, and she looks up at Him and whispers an answer in verse 11: “No one, Lord.”

Did you notice that? She calls Him “Lord.” She has seen what He scribbled in the dirt and no doubt is struck by His omniscience. She knows for herself now that He is the Lord. Jesus says to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (verse 11).

Don’t misunderstand; Jesus does not ignore her sin. He has actually come to die for her sin. And because of her faith in Him now, He forgives her.

But Jesus not only forgives her past; He also challenges her future. This is no easy forgiveness. He does not say, “It’s all right. Don’t you worry about adultery; just try to be more careful next time.” Oh no! He effectively says to her, “If I am indeed your Lord, stop living a life of adultery!”

Jesus gives her a choice this day: go back to that man and her old life, or begin living a new life as a forgiven woman. We have every reason to believe her life was changed forever.

Beloved, the same is true for you today if you have placed your faith in Christ. No matter what you’ve done, the Lord has forgiven your past sin, your present sin, and even your future sin. The Bible says that Jesus canceled the record of debt that stood against you—that record of sin He could just as easily scribble in the dirt at your feet and mine. Jesus died on the cross to erase that record of sin forever (Colossians 2:14).

The Staggering Claims of Jesus John 8:12-59

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I have read that around a million people lose their eyesight—become blind—every year. Imagine almost 3,000 people a day losing their ability to see.

But let me tell you, there is a blindness far worse than the loss of physical sight. Today in our study in John 8, we are going to meet a group of people who choose to remain spiritually blind.

Jesus is in Jerusalem, attending the Feast of Tabernacles. Every morning during this festival, the high priest performed a ritual with great ceremony. He would walk to the pool of Siloam and fill a golden pitcher with water; then he would walk back to the temple and pour it next to the brazen altar. The people referred to this water as the water of salvation.

We have already noted back in John 7 that this ceremony gave Jesus the opportunity to offer this wonderful invitation:

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (verses 37-38)

The people did not need a ceremony—they needed a Savior. And that is certainly just as true today.

Now there was a second ceremony during this festival that was called the “Illumination of the Temple.” This took place in the treasury, also known as the Court of Women. In the center of that massive courtyard, four great candelabra were standing. Each of them stood some seventy-five feet high. And on the first evening of the Feast of Tabernacles, these four candelabra were lit, and it was said they gave light throughout Jerusalem. This ceremony reminded the people of the pillar of fire that led their forefathers though the wilderness.

Well now, in John 8, the festival has ended. In fact, those candelabra have just been extinguished. And Jesus, we are told later in verse 20, is in this very courtyard when He speaks again to the crowd and says in verse 12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In other words, He is saying, “You can’t extinguish the light that I have to give. My light isn’t temporary; it will give you sight—it will illuminate you with the truth that leads to everlasting life.”

And with that the Lord offers a challenge to follow Him; and Jesus says that those who do follow Him “will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” But the sad truth is that many people do not want to be exposed by the light of truth; they want to stay in the darkness.

One winter a man in our church gave us a truckload of white oak, already cut for firewood. We laid a couple of two-by-fours down to serve as a foundation to keep the firewood dry. Then we stacked the wood in rows on top.

The following spring, the firewood was just about all used up, and I was cleaning that area. I pulled up one of those two-by-fours, and immediately the ground underneath seemed to come alive with movement. There were all kinds of big bugs and little bugs, all scurrying around, trying to find cover. They had been exposed by the light of day and wanted nothing to do with it.

When Jesus came into Jerusalem and pulled up those rotten boards of empty religious ceremony, the Pharisees and scribes hated Jesus all the more for disturbing their darkness. And that fits Jesus’ prediction here that His light—His truth—will cause two kinds of reactions. People who love the darkness of sin are going to scurry for cover. But some people, by the grace of God, will have their sin exposed by the light of truth and choose the forgiveness that Christ offers.

Now with that, Jesus makes some amazing claims. In verse 23, He claims to have come directly from heaven. He says to these religious leaders, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”

Then He adds another astonishing claim—that He is God in the flesh. He says in verse 24, “Unless you believe that I am he [this “he” is a reference to God] you will die in your sins.” He then claims to fulfill the sign of the brazen serpent back in the days of Moses, as He says in verse 28, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he.” This, of course, is a reference to His coming crucifixion.

Jesus then makes the claim that He sets people free: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (verses 31-32).

Some of the people make the claim that as children of Abraham, they do not need to be set free—they are not slaves, in other words. Jesus responds in verse 34, saying that everyone who sins is a “slave to sin.” Sin comes equipped with shackles and chains. Jesus goes on to point out that they are indeed sinners in need of being set free by His light—His saving truth.

The Lord then makes a very serious statement about them. These religious leaders proudly claim to be Abraham’s children. Abraham is their father, so to speak. Well, the Lord knows that is true genetically, but not spiritually. Jesus says that they are not true children of Abraham because they do not possess Abraham’s faith. In fact, Jesus reminds them that they want to kill him, and all He has done is tell them the truth.

Then He makes this bold statement in verse 44:

“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.”

Essentially, He’s saying, “You think your father is Abraham? Well, the truth is, your father is the devil. You are doing his will, and you are blindly following his lies. You are spiritually related, not to Abraham, but to Satan.” You can imagine how that goes over. They are infuriated.

But Jesus adds even more fuel to their fury by stating in verse 56, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” In other words, “Abraham already knows who I am, and he couldn’t be happier about me.” And before the religious leaders can even figure out how to respond to this, Jesus adds another shocking claim in verse 58: “Before Abraham was, I am.”

Just listen to the staggering claims in this chapter. Jesus says He is the Light of the World; He came from heaven; He is God, He can free people from sin; He existed before Abraham.

People today who think Jesus was just a good man evidently have not read John 8. Jesus is a bold-faced liar if these staggering claims are not true. But if they are true—and they are—Jesus is much more than a good man.

Do these religious leaders understand Jesus’ claims? They sure do. Verse 59 says, “They picked up stones to throw at him.” They are going to try to stone Him to death for claiming to be eternal God. But it is not time for Jesus to die. We are told that He “hid himself and went out of the temple.”

These people did not just pick up stones; they chose to stay spiritually blind. Let me tell you, blindness happens to be the condition of our world. Satan has blinded the minds of those who do not believe. Our role, beloved, is not to water down the claims of Christ but to allow the Light of the World to shine through us into this dark world that desperately needs to be set free.

Choosing to Remain Spiritually Blind John 9:1-41

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In our last Wisdom Journey, we watched as Jesus dramatically claimed to be the Light of the World. He promised to all who were spiritually blind that He could give them sight—that is, He could grant them the light of eternal life.

Their response was to pick up stones to throw at Him. We’re told Jesus hid Himself from these spiritually blind men and slipped away. Now here in John 9 Jesus reveals Himself to a physically blind man, whose response is going to be very different.

The first two verses of chapter 9 set the stage:

As [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (verses 1-2)

Now the disciples are simply repeating the popular teaching of their day: if there is sickness, it is punishment for personal sin. Sickness has to be somebody’s fault.

Beloved, we are living in a suffering world, and all suffering can be traced back to the fall of mankind into sin. But every illness someone experiences is not always the result of some specific, personal sin. Sickness or suffering is not automatically the judgment of God in a person’s life. In fact, in this blind man’s case, Jesus says in verse 3, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

In other words, this man’s blindness was designed by God to allow the power of Christ to be demonstrated in his life. And let me tell you, beloved, your sickness today can reveal deeper truths about God’s character and God’s power in your life—whether you are healed or not.

Well, this blind man is about to reveal something about Jesus that was far more important than healing power. Jesus says in verse 5, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” You might recognize that expression from chapter 8, where Jesus dealt with the spiritual blindness and the darkness of unbelief. Jesus promised that He could effectively cure spiritual blindness if the people would follow Him.

So, what is about to happen is a link between what Jesus said in chapter 8 with what He does here in chapter 9. Follow this: If He can heal the physically blind, He most certainly can heal the spiritually blind. Verses 6-7 describe the physical miracle:

Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

We need to understand the Lord’s strange command here within the context of the Feast of Tabernacles, which has just concluded.

During this feast, the pool of Siloam was the place where the priest came and filled a pitcher with water to take back to the temple altar. This was a religious ceremony that symbolized God’s power and presence.

So, Jesus sends this blind man to that very pool; the man obeys and applies the water to his sightless eyes. When he blinks away the watery mist, the light comes flooding in. He can see! He tells curious onlookers that he has been healed by “the man called Jesus” (verses 8-12).

So, here is the point: If the nation of Israel will trust in Jesus, the Living Water, they also will be cured of spiritual blindness and come to see the light of everlasting life. They will be spiritually cured, not through religious ceremony, but through Christ.

Unfortunately, the rest of this chapter records the blind responses of the Pharisees. First, they cross-examine the beggar, who tells them exactly what happened. Some of the Pharisees argue that Jesus cannot be from God because this healing took place on the Sabbath. According to the Pharisees, it was all right to practice medicine on the Sabbath if life was in danger, but this blind man’s life was not threatened.

But now they are in a real fix, as verse 16 indicates. Here they are, all huddled up trying to figure this out, and one of them raises a question: “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” Giving sight to the blind was a messianic sign—this is what the Messiah is supposed to be able to do.

Some of them suggest that the man was not really blind at all—he is just making this up. So, they call in the beggar’s parents and question them. They respond in verses 20-21:

“We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he now sees we do not know . . . Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”

They do not want to get caught up in this controversy. Verse 22 says that they were fully aware that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ, the anointed Messiah, would be put out of the synagogue. This was a terrifying thing, because the people were taught that to be shut out of the synagogue was to be shut out from God.

But this beggar does not seem to be intimidated at all. When the religious leaders come back to him one final time they tell the healed man to “give glory to God” (verse 24). That was a legal phrase that meant, “Tell the truth.”

He replies, “Whether [Jesus] is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (verse 25). They simply cannot get around this man’s personal testimony. And by the way, you might not have all the answers today, but you do have your testimony of going from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight.

This beggar is also quite bold. He asks these Pharisees, “Do you also want to become his disciples?” (verse 27). In other words, do you also want to “see”?

The Pharisees are offended by this challenge. Verse 34 says, “They cast him out.” They excommunicated him from the synagogue. They made sure he could not show up and give his testimony at the next worship service.

I love what happens next:

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. (verses 35-38)

Here is a lifelong beggar, a blind man whose sight has been restored, yet he is abandoned by his fearful parents and attacked by the religious leaders. But Jesus finds him and embraces him.

The man has been told he cannot worship in the synagogue, yet here we see a worship service like no other. And this personal encounter with the Lord gives him strength to carry him through the difficult days ahead.

G. Campbell Morgan was one of the best-known Bible teachers of his generation. In 1888, he applied to enter the Wesleyan denomination as a minister. He had passed his written, theological exams but still faced the test of giving a trial sermon before a panel of scholars.

He did so poorly that his application was rejected. Morgan sent a telegram to his father with just one word, “Rejected.” His father replied, “Rejected on earth. Accepted in heaven.”[154] Morgan would go on to become a powerful Bible teacher, as well as a best-selling author. Great crowds would gather to hear him expound the Scriptures.

This blind man Jesus has healed might be rejected on earth, but he has been accepted in heaven. His faith in Jesus, the Light of the World, enables him to see spiritually as well as physically. The Pharisees, however, have chosen to remain blind to the truth.

“To see or not to see?” That is the question. What is your answer today?

The Good Shepherd John 10:1-21

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After the Feast of Tabernacles in John 7, Jesus has remained on in Jerusalem, patiently teaching, even as He endures the antagonism of the scribes and Pharisees. We saw in chapter 9 how He miraculously healed a blind man, which angered the religious leaders even more.

What happens next is also recorded in the Gospel of John. In chapter 10 Jesus delivers one of the warmest, most personal messages found in the Gospels. It will also serve as a rebuke to the leaders of the nation, Israel’s false shepherds.

Now before we dive in, let me remind you of Jeremiah 23 and Ezekiel 34, where Israel’s leaders are called shepherds—shepherds who led the nation astray. The prophets then predicted that the Messiah would be a true Shepherd who would restore and bless the nation. And you can be sure the Pharisees know all about these Old Testament passages.

Here in John 10 Jesus will present Himself as the one true Shepherd God promised to send to Israel.[155] Chapter 10 begins with Jesus speaking:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

Verse 6 tells us that the crowd does not understand what Jesus means. So, in verse 7 Jesus is a bit more direct. He says, “I am the door of the sheep.”

In that day, a shepherd would make a simple enclosure for his flock by piling rocks to set up a circular wall. Because there was not any door to this makeshift corral, he would actually lie down in the opening—he essentially became the door. Nothing could go out, or come in, except by going, as it were, through him.

Now if this crowd still missed the point, Jesus goes on to clarify even further in verse 9, saying, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” In effect, He’s saying, “If you want to join the flock, I am the only way in!”

With that, Jesus begins to point out the differences between Himself and the false shepherds, the false teachers of Israel—particularly the Pharisees. He says in verse 10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they [the sheep] may have life and have it abundantly.”

The word for “thief” is kleptēs. From it, we get the word kleptomaniac. The Greek word here refers to someone who steals with cunning and stealth. These false teachers are not stupid, by the way. They are smart and strategic in misleading the sheep.

They kill and destroy the flock. I think it’s interesting that the word translated “kill” indicates killing for food. In other words, these false shepherds do not really want to protect the flock; they want to live off the flock.

In verse 11 Jesus changes the analogy a bit to emphasize what kind of Shepherd He is. He says, “I am the good shepherd.” And what is it about this Shepherd that makes Him so uniquely good? Well, Jesus tells us, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” The Lord will repeat this statement in verses 15, 17, and 18. This expression “lay down his life” clearly refers to our Good Shepherd giving up His life as a sacrifice in order to save His flock.

Jesus then goes on to emphasize the contrast between a good shepherd and a false shepherd:

“He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” (verses 12-13)

The false shepherd is in it for the money; he is not in it for the protection of the sheep. The false shepherd wants to fleece his sheep, not feed his sheep. The good shepherd cares about his sheep. So, Jesus is making the case here that He is the Good Shepherd by way of His sacrifice for the sheep and His care and concern for the sheep.

He offers even more proof in verses 14 and 15, where He says, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.” This Greek verb for “know” is ginōskō, which refers to intimate knowledge that comes through personal relationship. The verb tense indicates Jesus takes the initiative in knowing His sheep and His sheep knowing Him!

Beloved, if you are in His flock, you got there because He made it possible for you to know Him. He opened your eyes to the truth of who He is. And you are learning all the time, more and more, about who He is. But Jesus says here that He knows you and me just like the Father knows Him and He knows the Father. We are always learning about Him. But He already knows everything about us—as intimately and completely as He and His Father know each other.

That means He already knows the best about you and the worst about you; so, He isn’t going to learn something about you that will make Him kick you out of the flock. He already knows you fully and completely, and He has already forgiven you when you put your trust in Him.

But there is even more to Jesus’ goodness as the one true Shepherd. His goodness embraces all who come to Him by faith. Jesus says in verse 15, “I lay down my life for the sheep.” And who are those sheep?

Well, the Gospels make it clear Jesus is the Jewish Messiah who came to the Jewish nation. They clearly are the primary object of His earthly ministry, so it might be tempting to think He has only them in mind when He speaks of His sheep.

But listen to what Jesus says in verse 16:

“And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Now this announcement no doubt shocks many of the Jews who hear it. But if there are some Gentiles present, Jesus’ words are incredibly encouraging to them. Those non-Jewish people whose hearts are tugging at them to believe in Jesus and give their lives to this Good Shepherd might have been wondering if they are invited. Well guess what; He will lay down His life for them as well.

Jesus goes on to reveal in verses 17-18 that all these promises hinge on His sacrificial death and resurrection. And His death will not be forced upon Him. He will lay down His life willingly. He’s not only the Shepherd, but He will also become the sacrificial lamb, dying for the sins of the world.

Now with this announcement, the listening crowd is divided. Many think He is out of His mind, that He is deluded, if not demon-possessed. Others in this crowd are confused; they can’t imagine that one who is demonized would be performing such wonderful miracles. And of course, there are some who believe He is indeed the Good Shepherd.

Beloved, the same reactions are taking place today. Jesus is still dividing people, as it were, based on their understanding of who He is. But what He said is still true: His sheep know Him and follow Him.

So, let me ask you, do you know Him as your Shepherd? Are you following Him today?

A Training Manual for Mission Trips Luke 10:1-9

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Near the end of World War II, a plane carrying members of the U. S. military crashed into the dense New Guinea jungle, where cannibals were known to live. A daring rescue attempt was needed from the air, and it did succeed.

A lieutenant colonel stood before sixty-six men in his battalion. He needed ten volunteers for the mission, but first he gave them an honest portrayal of what it involved. First, they would be jumping into unchartered territory. Second, the jungle was so thick they might not get past the trees. Third, if they survived the jump, the tribes who lived in that valley were cannibals. When he finished, he paused and then asked for volunteers, and all sixty-six men stepped forward.[156]

How’s that for a recruiting strategy? Life will be difficult, there will not be much rest along the way, the natives will be hostile to your message; but there are people in that valley who need to be rescued.

What happens next in our chronological study of the Gospels is recorded in Luke chapter 10. Jesus is giving seventy-two disciples an honest portrayal of the harvest field before He sends them out on what we could call their first missionary journey. Jesus presents the training manual beginning in verse 1:

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others [that is, other than the twelve disciples] and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.

Sending them out two by two not only provided fellowship and encouragement, but it also fulfilled the Old Testament’s requirement that two witnesses were needed to provide valid testimony.

Who are these seventy-two unnamed disciples? It’s possible that many of them were people whom Jesus had healed—formerly blind and lame men and lepers. Because they had been healed by a man whom the religious leaders were opposing, these people had never really been allowed back into Jewish society.[157]

And now Jesus appoints them, Luke writes. Here is a wonderful principle to draw from this scene: God has appointed you for a place, and He has appointed that place for you.

The word here for “appointed” refers to the appointment of someone to an office.[158] Jesus is not just tossing these disciples to the wind. He is appointing them to a place within His divine plan.

Let me tell you, beloved, you are not just randomly going through life in some haphazard series of circumstances. Your life is not an accident; it is an assignment. You happen to be on assignment from God.

Let me draw out another principle: There is always more to do than you can accomplish. Note what Jesus says here in verse 2:

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

That is a nice way of saying, “You are going to need help. The job is too big for you. So, pray for helpers.” Maybe you have already discovered that you are always going to need one more volunteer!

Take heart, beloved; you are praying to the Lord of the harvest, and that phrase means He is in charge of the entire operation. He alone can provide the people and the provision you need as you serve Him on assignment. So, pray and trust Him to provide.

Here is another principle from their training manual: Obedience to Christ will not automatically make your life comfortable. Jesus says in verse 3, “Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” That’s like saying, “Strap on your parachute; I am going to send you down there where cannibals live.”

There is nothing more defenseless than a lamb among a pack of wolves. But the most important words in this text are these: “I am sending you.” That is another way of saying, “You are not going to be alone.” You see, their defenselessness will remind them of their dependence. If they live or die, it will be by His appointment and only by His permission, because He sent them. And because He sent them, no one can stop them unless by His own divine appointment.

Is the Lord asking us to do something He would not do? Oh, let me remind you that Jesus will eventually show these disciples what it means to become a lamb surrounded by wolves—the Lamb of God will be crucified, according to divine appointment.

Here is a fourth principle as you keep a realistic perspective on your appointed assignment: The Lord is just as interested in developing your walk as He is in your delivering His word.

We get that from these traveling instructions beginning here in verse 4: “Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.” Jesus is not telling these disciples not to be friendly but to treat their mission with urgency. In these days a “greeting” could last through a meal or an entire day. The lack of a moneybag and extra clothing created total dependency on the Lord’s provision.

When you are serving the Lord, it is easy to become more interested in what God is doing through you than what God is doing for you and miss those moments of provision. I think that is the point of verses 5-6 and the potential of a “son of peace” being their host. A “son of peace” would be someone interested in believing their gospel message.[159] These disciples will have to trust the Lord to lead them to such a host—and they are going to have to trust Him when they do not find someone sympathetic to their ministry.

Now here is another principle: Don’t forget that people you encounter are to be served, not used. In verse 7 Jesus says, “Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide . . . Do not go from house to house.”

In other words, don’t be on the lookout for nicer lodging or a better offer. These disciples are not supposed to try to move up the ladder as they stay in some village. Jesus tells them to stay in the first house that offers them hospitality.

Here is another principle: Expect your personal comfort zone to be stretched in ways you did not expect. Note Jesus’ instruction in verse 8: “Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.”

He is saying that wherever you land, and whatever home offers you hospitality, eat whatever they are cooking. When my three brothers and I traveled with our missionary parents, and we pulled into some driveway where we were invited to eat dinner, my mother always turned around and repeated that little poem: “Where He leads me, I will follow; what He feeds me, I will swallow.” That is exactly the point here with these seventy-two men.

There is one more principle I want to highlight—principle number 7: Make sure you deflect any praise back to God. Jesus says in verse 9, “Heal the sick . . . and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” They are representatives of the King of a coming kingdom.

You can imagine the excitement in these villages over these miracle-working disciples. The blind can see, the lame can walk, the disabled are cured, and the paralyzed are up and walking about without pain. The village leaders would want to meet them; the crowds would want to honor them; invitations for housing and meals would follow.

So, notice carefully what the seventy-two are told to say: “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” This is not about them; this is about the kingdom of God. This is about our King. This is a taste of His power, and He alone deserves all praise and honor and glory.

Perspectives for Balancing Ministry Life Luke 10:10-24

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In our last Wisdom Journey, we had a stiff wind in our sail as we breezed through seven principles Jesus taught to seventy-two disciples. He was preparing them for a short-term gospel outreach.

We now arrive at verse 10 of Luke chapter 10, and the first word we read is “but.” This, of course, marks a contrast to what these seventy-two disciples have already learned.

The ministry before them is exciting but it’s going to be challenging. They will encounter blessings but also problems. So, as the Lord continues to prepare them for their ministry assignment, He offers them some perspectives to shape their thinking. These perspectives are just as valuable for us as we take the gospel to our world and are especially needed by those serving in vocational ministry today.

Here is the first perspective: There will be times when your ministry will not be appreciated or desired. The Lord says in verse 10, “But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you.” These disciples are probably wondering, How is that possible? Jesus gave us His power to perform miracles—the lame will walk, and the blind will see. Who would not want us? Is that possible? Jesus is telling them, “It’s not just possible; it’s predictable. Expect it; anticipate it.”

There will be times in your ministry when a friendly face never shows up, when your needs are ignored, when you are rejected or ridiculed. This is a reminder that no matter what you say or do, you might not be well received.

And that is because the message is so convicting. The gospel is a message of salvation and grace, but also of sin and guilt. That is why this second perspective is something disciples of every generation need to have—and here it is: The message of the gospel not only provides an invitation; it delivers an ultimatum.

Should a village or town reject these disciples, here is what Jesus tells them to do:

“Go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’” (verses 10-11)

This is a public warning delivered in the streets. The Greek word for a street here (platus) refers to a well-traveled street. It is where the greatest number of people will hear the verdict.[160]

Jesus goes on to say in verse 12, “It will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.” When Jesus refers to “that day” it is a reference to the final judgment of the unbelieving world, described in Revelation 20. This is shocking to hear—Sodom will be judged less harshly than villages that reject these disciples.

This shocking statement is followed by another one in verses 13 and 14:

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.”

These Jewish villages will suffer greater judgment than pagan Gentile cities like Tyre and Sidon!

And then to the city that served as the Lord’s ministry base, He delivers yet another shocking indictment—verse 15: “And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.”

In addressing these various Jewish cities, Jesus uses the word “woe” in verse 13. “Woe to you” is an expression that conveys a serious warning, but if you had heard Jesus, you would have heard sorrow in His voice. The word “woe” is a lamenting, sorrowful warning.[161] Jesus is presenting this rather tragic revelation: the greater your exposure to the truth, the greater your future judgment if you reject the gospel of Christ.

Now here is a third perspective to keep in mind: Rejection is not necessarily about you; it is ultimately about Jesus. Jesus says in verse 16:

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

These cities and villages—and individuals—who reject the King’s representatives are rejecting the King. We should not take rejection personally if we are faithfully declaring the Lord’s message.

By the way, this is a subtle warning to these seventy-two disciples. The rejection of their message does not mean they are to change their message to make it less offensive or more appealing. Jesus never trained His disciples to be appreciated; He prepared them to be rejected.

Now following verse 16, these men take off in pairs and then sometime later—a few weeks more than likely—they return. Verse 17 says, “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’”

Verse 18 records the Lord’s immediate reply: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” I believe Jesus is reminding them that Satan fell because of his pride. Jesus is effectively warning them not to swell up with pride over their ministry success.

The Lord then provides some much-needed balance with another perspective for us to consider: Your joy must not depend on ministry perfection but on your final destination. These disciples are all excited about their miraculous power and the ability to cast out demons. They all had some measure of what we would call an exciting short-term mission trip. But the Lord says to them here in verse 20, “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

The word “written” means inscribed formally. It was used in reference to wills, marriage documents, peace treaties, and the city registry of its citizens. Jesus is essentially saying, “If you are a believer, your name has been written in the registry of heaven.”

And with that, verse 21 tells us: “In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father.’” Let me stop there and point out that we see all three persons of the Trinity in this praise and prayer meeting. Jesus “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you Father.’” How wonderful to consider that the triune God is involved in rejoicing over the fruit of gospel ministry.

That leads me to another perspective to remember: Encouragement in the harvest field depends on the mystery of God at work in the world.

Look at verse 21 again:

What a mystery—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are involved in our lives, out there in the harvest field where we have been assigned. And that means, we are not alone in His work. God is involved behind the scenes.

Here is one more encouraging perspective to keep in mind: Where we are in redemptive history invites us to give praise to God.

Listen to Jesus here in verses 23-24:

“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

You are blessed! why? Because you know so much more in this New Testament dispensation than the prophet Isaiah or King David knew. You have a completed Bible; you can introduce the Messiah by His name. You are on the other side of His empty tomb; you even have a description of heaven that the prophets and kings did not have.

Let’s take advantage of all we have today. Let’s keep these perspectives before us, as we invite our world to follow Him—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Are There Any Good Samaritans Left? Luke 10:25-37

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Every state in the United States has Good Samaritan laws—laws that give legal protection to those who attempt to help others in an emergency. They actually encourage people to do the right thing without fear of legal repercussions.

I think it is fascinating that the legal concept behind Good Samaritan laws today comes from a conversation Jesus had with a lawyer 2000 years ago. As we continue our chronological study through the Gospels, we now pick up the narrative here in Luke 10, verse 25:

And behold, a lawyer stood up and put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Now obviously, this is not a legal question; this is a theological question. This Jewish lawyer is a scholar in the law of Moses, and he wants to know how many rules he needs to keep in order to get into heaven.

So, Jesus gives him a pop quiz here in verse 26: “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The lawyer answers by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.” Then he adds Leviticus 19:18: “And [love] your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus grades his answer and says here in verse 28, “You have answered correctly.” In other words, “You get an A+.” And since he had dedicated his life to studying the law of God, everybody who knew him also would have given him a perfect score in the school of religion.

However, the last part of his answer is where Jesus is going to push back. It is one thing to say you love God; after all, who can see into someone’s heart to know if the person really loves God or not? It is another thing to say you love your neighbor—that is visible to everyone. Jesus is going to show this man that the real test of loving God is how you love your neighbor.

The lawyer asks Jesus a clever question—verse 29: “But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’”

By Jesus’ time, the Jewish rabbis had defined a person’s neighbor as a fellow Jew—another follower of God. They had defined loving your neighbor as loving people who loved you back. And, beloved, that’s the standard rule of thumb to this day! We love people who love us back.

So, Jesus begins to tell a parable that radically redefines your neighbor and shows what love for your neighbor really looks like:

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.” (verse 30)

The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was about seventeen miles; it was a rough road, winding through areas where caves dotted the hillsides, creating perfect hideouts for bandits. In fact, so many people were robbed and injured or killed on this stretch of road that it was nicknamed “The Bloody Way.”

Jesus continues in verse 31: “Now by chance a priest was going down that road”—that is, in the same direction. A priest represented the height of devotion to God. Here was a man who supposedly loved God; in fact, he was considered the servant of God. But Jesus says, “And when [the priest] saw him he passed by on the other side.” He literally changed lanes. If anybody was considered good enough to get into the kingdom, it was one of Israel’s priests. But he passed by on the other side. Why?

Well, we are not told, but there is a clue back in the book of Numbers 19. There verse 11 says that anyone who comes into contact with a dead body will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. The beaten man might be dead. And as you know, being quarantined for seven days is a hassle.

Bible scholars tell us that Jericho had the largest population of priests living outside of Jerusalem at that time. It was quite possible that such a priest would be returning home after having served his tour of duty in the temple. He had just come from serving God. If anybody would stop to help, it surely would be him.

Now another man came walking down this road—verse 32: “So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.” He changed lanes as well. The Lord’s audience is probably still shocked the priest did not help; but they definitely expect the Levite to stop. His occupation was assisting the priests and serving in the temple.

Both of these men got that A+ on the religious report card, so it would seem obvious that they loved God. But they both walked away.

Now Jesus’ listeners would have understood the danger of helping this man. Thieves could still be nearby; this could be a trap; they could become the next victim. So, the surprising thing here is not that these two men didn’t stop to help; the surprising thing is that someone will!

At this point Jesus’ story takes a shockingly unexpected turn:

But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn. (verses 33-34)

The implication in this story is that this beaten man was a Jew. The Jews and the Samaritans had hated one another for centuries. So this man is the last person one would expect to stop and help a Jewish man on the roadside.

But his compassion was comprehensive: he poured wine on his wounds to disinfect them and oil to relieve them. He bandaged the wounds and set him on his own animal, presumably a donkey, and took him to an inn.

Most people think the Samaritan checked the man into the hotel and then took off. That is not what happened at all—verse 34: “He . . . brought him to an inn and took care of him.” That means he took care of him through the night, at the most critical stage in this man’s condition. He did not hand him off; he stayed with him through the night.

In verse 35, Jesus tells us what he did the next day:

He took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, “Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.”

This amount of money would have been enough to cover his room and board for more than a month. Compassion, care, generosity, concern—the point is, somebody who loves God will demonstrate such things to show love to his neighbor.

So, with that, Jesus turns to this lawyer and asks him one more question:

“Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” (verses 36-37)

Notice, he cannot even bring himself to say, “The Samaritan.” He has gotten the point, but he is not going to repent of his prejudice and pride. He wants to continue claiming to love God while hating the Samaritans.

Through this parable Jesus is not telling us we can earn our way into the kingdom by loving other people. He is telling us what it looks like to demonstrate the loving heart of the King—how to act like King Jesus.

Fellow Christian, this is exactly what He did for you. He found you, helpless, hopeless, empty, and broken. He had compassion on you. He stooped down to pick you up. He restored your life. Just like Him, let’s treat others with compassion and grace and love.

Becoming Like Mary and Martha Luke 10:38-42

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The Sunday school teacher asked her kindergarten students what they would do if Jesus came to their home unexpectedly. A little boy raised his hand and said, “I would put a Bible out on the coffee table.” Smart kid.

Something like this actually happened in the record of Scripture in Luke chapter 10. The Lord Jesus unexpectedly showed up at a home in a small village.

Let me break this surprise visit down into three scenes. We’ll call the first scene The Invitation. It opens in verse 38: “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.”

Also living in this house is Martha’s sister, Mary. Their brother Lazarus, whom we meet elsewhere in the Gospels,[162] also lives here, but he is not mentioned by Luke. Perhaps he was away at the time.

When Martha welcomes Jesus into their home, she is also welcoming all His disciples. There are going to be a lot of mouths to feed. And although the traditional, full meal is not until later, she is not about to serve crackers and cheese. So, her mind is racing through a million details all at once. After everyone is settled and seated, Jesus begins teaching. And verse 39 tells us that Mary “sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.”

Now we move into the second scene, which we will call The Interruption. Verse 40 tells us that while Mary is listening to Jesus teach, Martha is “distracted with much serving.”

The word Luke uses here for Martha being distracted means to be dragged away, or pulled along mentally and emotionally.[163] Everyone else is enjoying the Lord’s ministry, but Martha has been dragged away by tasks that do matter, but not at the moment. Martha’s actions are not wrong, but her attitude is.

Apparently, up to the point when Jesus determined it was time to teach, Mary had been helping Martha with all the immediate needs of hospitality. But somewhere between chopping the cabbage and cleaning the carrots, Martha became aware that Mary had disappeared.[164] She goes looking for her, and she spots her, sitting, listening to Jesus.

Martha literally walks over and interrupts the Lord’s lecture. She says to Him here in verse 40, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?”

Martha is being driven, obviously, by her temperament, her nature—what we might call her “wiring”—to put on a feast. She just cannot bring herself to offer anybody a sandwich instead. It has to be a full meal.

Martha is allowing her pride to govern her gift of hospitality. Here she is, pressing full-steam ahead in her preparations and serving, and she is missing this incredible moment of learning at the feet of the King of the universe.

However, there is another problem buried in Martha’s complaint that surfaces in our own lives to this day. She says to Jesus, “Tell her then to help me.” In essence, what she is saying is, “What I am doing is more important than what my sister is doing. Lord, you need to make her serve You like I am serving You. You need to make her see the need like I do; she needs to think like I do.”

Don’t we at times complain to the Lord in a similar manner? “Lord, why can’t other Christians think like I do, and see needs like I do, and serve You like I am serving You?” This is the spirit of Martha.

Now Martha is passionate about serving her guests well. It is an important role, and she is no doubt very good at it. But the reality is that she is focused more on herself and her tasks and her desire to serve in her way, and she is upset that Mary is not lending a hand. Why is Mary not helping her serve the guests instead of sitting and listening?

There is a principle to learn here: our service to others and to Christ can be spoiled by a self-centered spirit.[165] Martha is suggesting that if Jesus cares about her, He will take her side and tell Mary to get up and go in there and help with the dishes.

The original construction of her complaint here implies that she is expecting a positive response from the Lord. She is anticipating the Lord saying, “Yes, I do care, Martha; so, Mary, go help your sister.”[166]

But instead, the Lord moves us into scene three, which we will call The Instruction. Note verses 41-42: “But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.’”

Martha’s problem is focusing on something that does not matter as much as something else. Jesus is not telling her, “Martha, everything you have been doing doesn’t matter.” He is saying, “Martha, everything you’ve been doing is distracting you at this moment from something better. You love to serve, and yes, we want to eat; but right now, we have a little worship service going on, and you are missing out.” This is not a problem with her activity; this is a problem with her priority.

It is not just about the physical meal she is cooking—as helpful as that is and as much as they are going to enjoy it. It’s about the spiritual meal Jesus is delivering.

The Lord is giving us a lesson here in balance; a proper balance between working and worshiping. Beloved, there will always be a thousand responsibilities that can keep you from sitting at the Lord’s feet.

This scene is included in God’s Word because the Lord knows we have the same tug-of-war between responsibilities and relationship. And so often we find it easier to be occupied for Christ than to be occupied with Christ.[167]

Jesus says in verse 42, “Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” The Lord is making a play on words here; the word for “portion” is the same word used for a portion of food.[168] In other words, Jesus is saying, “Martha, while you were focused on the meal you were providing, Mary was focused on the meal I was providing, a meal that will sustain you throughout life.”

We are not told what happened next, but we have every reason to believe Martha was moved by the tender instruction and invitation from the Lord, and she sat down next to her sister and received this meal—the Word—from her Lord.

Did she learn to serve Him with gladness? Did she learn to serve Him without expecting others to serve Him in the same way?

We have a clue in John 12 that she did. The last time Jesus visits their home, we are told that His twelve disciples are with Him, and Lazarus has joined his two sisters. Their little home is packed again for supper.

So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served. . . . Mary . . . took a pound of expensive ointment . . . and anointed the feet of Jesus. (John 12:2-3)

Martha was still Martha, and Mary was still Mary—different, unique, but both lovingly served their Lord with their own special contribution. But at this meal, this time, Martha gave not one word of complaint.

Beloved, I think we ought to be a little more like both of these women. Charles Wesley, the hymnwriter, penned some lines of poetry based on this scene. Wesley’s hymn called for balance, adopting the best of both Mary’s and Martha’s service. Some of the lyrics go like this:

Faithful to my Lord’s commands,

I will choose the better part—

Serve with Martha’s hands,

And listen with Mary’s heart.[169]

Let’s follow that advice. Let’s fulfill our responsibilities to the Lord but not forget our relationship with the Lord. Let’s enjoy our relationship with Him but not forget our responsibilities to Him.

Let’s serve Him and worship Him today.

The Model Prayer Luke 11:1-4

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Just about every Christian I meet would agree that prayer should be a priority in life. But the truth is, according to one religious survey, only about 20 percent of Christians spend ten minutes or more in prayer daily.[170]

Chapter 11 of Luke’s Gospel begins by telling us, “Jesus was praying in a certain place.” Jesus is not just praying; He is providing a model. And apparently, His disciples are watching. Whether they can hear His words or not on this occasion, they had heard Him pray before.

And now one of the disciples is moved to make a request of Jesus, and he makes it on behalf of them all: “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” By the way, this is the only time the disciples ever asked Jesus to teach them how to do something; they request that He teach them how to pray.

The Lord responds by doing just that. He gives them something, not necessarily to memorize, but to serve as a model for prayer.

Most people call this model prayer the Lord’s Prayer, when it really should be called the Disciples’ Prayer. If you’ve been sailing along with me on this Wisdom Journey, you might recall our earlier lesson from Matthew 6, where Jesus spoke similar words as these in the Sermon on the Mount.

But I believe these are two different occasions. The Sermon on the Mount was delivered to a massive crowd, but here the Lord speaks to His disciples. And that explains why the two prayers have slightly different wording. This model prayer in Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the characteristics of true, God-honoring prayer. I want to pull out six different characteristics.

First, genuine prayer is focused on the divine audience. Jesus begins in verse 2 by addressing the prayer to the “Father.” Now that would be a shocking way to start praying. Why? Because the Jewish people knew nothing about this kind of intimate, family communion. God was referred to as “Father” only seven times in the Old Testament, and even then, it was a national reference and not personal.

Opening with “Father” is a wonderful invitation to the children of God, but it is also a qualifier. In other words, you cannot pray unless you can call God your Father. When God the Son becomes your personal Savior, God the Father becomes your personal Father. And it is on this basis you can approach Him with confidence.

Second, genuine prayer honors God’s reputation, or “name.” Verse 2 continues, “Hallowed [sacred] be your name.” This is essentially praying, “Let me keep Your name sacred in the way I live; as Your child, help me to live in such a way that nobody would be surprised to learn that You are my Father.” Beloved, God’s reputation is not one ounce better than your reputation out there in the world; your reputation actually determines His reputation to others.

Third, genuine prayer should be focused on God’s kingdom. Verse 2 concludes, “Your kingdom come.” Beloved, this request has room for only one King. If we are going to be the king of our own castle, then we cannot pray this prayer. We want Him to reign in our lives.

But this request actually looks forward to, and prays for, the coming of Christ’s literal, millennial kingdom on earth. That kingdom will follow the seven-year tribulation, which brings that generation of Israel to full repentance.

We live our lives, looking forward to the coming reign of Christ on earth. One author writes that the kingdom of God is not just a destination for where we will live one day; it is a motivation for the way we live right now.[171]

Verse 3 shifts from the glory of heaven, as one author puts it, “down to the dusty streets of everyday life.”[172] “Give us each day our daily bread” gives us another characteristic of genuine prayer: it recognizes our dependence on God.

This kind of prayer request involves more than just bread on our breakfast plate. This request actually leads us to live today and trust God for tomorrow. Jesus is teaching us to be satisfied with bread for today. And every time we satisfy our hunger, we have one more reason to thank Him. And as I have already said in earlier studies, the Lord is teaching us to pray for bread, not cake. “Lord, give us just what we truly need, one day at a time.”

The Lord teaches us another prayer request in verse 4: “Forgive us our sins.” This is the fifth characteristic of genuine prayer: it acknowledges our need for forgiveness. By the way, this request is why this is not the Lord’s prayer—Jesus never needs to pray this, because Jesus cannot and did not sin.

This is our prayer, and keep in mind, this is not a prayer for salvation; it is a prayer for communion with God on a daily basis. This is our daily prayer—and we do not have to be saved every day. We are saved and sealed forever the moment we trust Christ as our Savior. So, this request, “forgive us our sins,” is a prayer for daily forgiveness so we can have daily communion with our Father. When I sin against my wife with some selfish act or unkind word, I don’t have to marry her all over again; but I do need to restore fellowship with her, by asking her forgiveness. That is the picture here.

Verse 4 does not end with our asking God for forgiveness. Jesus adds this significant phrase: “for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” Now do not misunderstand this; Jesus is not saying God forgives us because we have forgiven others; He is saying we should forgive other people just like we have been forgiven.

So, in a very personal manner, the Lord effectively teaches His disciples to pray, “Father, teach us to treat other people’s debts like You have treated ours.”

Yes, somebody out there is indebted to you. They owe you something—they owe you an apology, money, restitution, kindness, gratitude. Then God brings them to a recognition of their offense, and they come to you and ask your forgiveness. So, what will you do?

Well, forgiven people ought to be forgiving people. And beloved, you are never more like your heavenly Father than when you choose to forgive someone—and you are never more unlike Him than when you refuse.

Now the last characteristic of genuine prayer is that it seeks help in resisting temptation. Verse 4 concludes, “And lead us not into temptation.” Now that almost sounds like God is responsible for us being tempted, and we are asking Him not to do it. The idea, however, is this: “Cause us not to yield to temptation.”[173]

Satan is the original tempter; his kingdom works in cooperation with our fallen flesh, putting an appealing face on sin—and he never lets up. He never lets up because sin is something we are always interested in.

So, this prayer is an admission that our hearts are the problem: they are like little sin-manufacturing plants, where temptation is invited to come and work and then given a key to every room in the building.

You can’t decide to get rid of temptation, but you can decide not to go along with it—you can decide not to hide it, plan for it, or make room for it. Martin Luther, the reformer, made this point 500 years ago when he wrote, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from [making a] nest in your hair.”[174]

And with that, the Lord wraps up this model prayer. Why do we need to pray? English pastor George MacDonald, once wrote, “Communion with God is the one need of the soul beyond all other need: prayer is the beginning of that communion.”[175]

That is at the heart of genuine prayer—to have communion with our Father, whom we need every single day.

How To Get the Attention of God Luke 11:5-13

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In our last Wisdom Journey, Jesus answered the disciples’ request to teach them how to pray. The model prayer He taught them was thirty-six words in English and can easily be spoken in less than twenty seconds. But it is a prayer packed with power. Still, I can imagine the disciples sort of sitting there, thinking, Is that all? Are we really going to get the attention of our heavenly Father with a twenty-second prayer?

And Jesus is reading their minds—He is aware of their questions and doubts. And He is also aware that they don’t know much about God the Father—and that is the deeper issue. Beloved, I am convinced the challenging issue is not so much that we do not know very well how to pray but that we do not know very well the living God to whom we pray.

So, Jesus begins teaching them His disciples a little more about the nature of God the Father. He does this by launching into two parables about prayer. But understand this ahead of time: these parables are designed to teach them—and us— more about our heavenly Father.

The first parable begins here in Luke 11 at verse 5:

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’?” (verses 5-7)

Which of you has a friend who would act like that? Well, the Lord is expecting the disciples to say, “Friends don’t act that way.”[176]

People in that day often traveled at night to avoid the heat of the day; so, they might show up at the homes of family members or friends unannounced and unexpected. In their culture, hospitality was a matter of personal honor. It was a duty, and it was shameful to refuse it. This neighbor did not have any food for his unexpected guests, and he had a crisis on his hands.

So, he keeps on knocking at his friend’s door. Jesus continues here in verse 8:

“I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence [persistence] he will rise and give him whatever he needs.”

Now many Christians will read this and say, “I get the point. I need to keep pounding on the door because God will get tired of me knocking; He will eventually give in, and I will get what I want.”

But that’s exactly the opposite point Jesus is making. Jesus is not giving us a comparison; He is giving us a contrast. Your friend might be reluctant, but God is not like your friend.

God the Father will never think you are a nuisance. “Oh, here he comes, knocking again!” Jesus continues:

“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (verses 9-10)

In other words, there is nothing wrong with being persistent in praying. Persistence reflects your passion and your predicament. Just know that persistence is not a means of wearing God down so that He finally gives in.

Someone spoke these insightful words:

Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His willingness. Persistence is not an attempt to change God’s mind but to get ourselves to the place where we accept His answer.[177]

Think about it: every prayer He does not seem to answer is actually answered. The answer might be, “No, not now,” or it might be, “No, not ever.” It might be, “No, not that, but here is something better.”

Now many Christians have taken this text to mean that Jesus is giving us a blank check to get the answer we want or everything we ask for. Just keep knocking, and God will eventually give us our will. No, beloved, true prayer is submitting our will to His.

The point Jesus is making here is that you can always knock, you can always seek, and you can always ask because God is always available. You can’t come to Him too often.[178] You can’t come to Him at the wrong time. You can’t come to Him with something too small. Jesus is describing God the Father as always reachable.

Jesus also describes God the Father as always honorable. And that is the point of the second parable, which begins here in verses 11-12:

“What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?”

A man’s son wants a fish for lunch, but his father slips him a snake. More than likely, the snake referenced here is a tiny water snake often used in those days as fishing bait.[179] So instead of a fish, he hands his son some fishing bait. Or his son wants an egg to eat, and his father hands him a dead scorpion, which, when dead rolls up to about the size of an egg.

Jesus is saying, “Can you imagine a father doing this to his son?” The Lord is expecting a negative response—of course not! No decent father would do that. Even most sinful fathers would not deceive their children like that.

Now it is possible that you might find some father on earth that disgraceful and that deceitful and that dishonorable, but God is not like any father on earth. He is honorable; He will never deceive His children or look for ways to harm them.

Jesus is answering the questions we have about prayer: Does my heavenly Father really care about me? Is He really listening? Does He get tired of me? Is He willing to help me? And the answer is yes. He cares, He hears, He knows. Your heavenly Father is the perfect Father. And that is the point of the parable here, as Jesus says, in verse 13:

“If you then, who are evil [sinful], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

If a father knows how to give good gifts, imagine how thrilled God the Father will be in sending His gifts to us—including the gift of the Holy Spirit, who indwells us and guides us today.

So, as you go spend time praying to your heavenly Father, do so with the confidence that He is available and His intentions are always honorable. Prayer can be a conversation you begin in the morning and you continue at times throughout the day.

I remember reading about the time when Billy Graham arrived at the Today show studio to be interviewed on live television. When he arrived, one of his assistants was informed that a private room had been set aside for prayer before the broadcast. Billy Graham’s assistant explained that the room would not be needed. The staff member was a little surprised that he would not want to pray some, before going on a live television show. His assistant explained, “Mr. Graham started praying when he got up this morning, he prayed while eating his breakfast, he prayed on the way over here in the car, and he’ll probably be praying during the interview.”[180]

That is a worthy example of a conversational prayer life. But it is based on the biblical revelation of the nature and person of God the Father. He is always reachable, always honorable, and always available; so you can come to Him with the simplest, most sincere prayer—anytime and all the time—knowing that He hears, He welcomes you, and He will answer to your benefit and for His glory.

Whose Side Are You On? Luke 11:14-28

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Now as we set sail on our Wisdom Journey here in Luke chapter 11, Jesus is about six months away from His crucifixion. While His ministry continues in Judea, He is slowly making His way to Jerusalem for the final time. He is fully aware that the Jewish leaders are watching His every move, hoping for a chance to end the threat to their power that they perceive Him to be.

Verse 14 informs us, “He was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.” They marveled because they knew that only God had the power to command the demonic world. And Jesus is not using any special incense or incantations like the rabbis did. But instead of marveling—and rejoicing—the religious leaders are infuriated. Frankly, they are being shown up here by the authentic, divine power of Jesus.

It is one thing to argue with Jesus’ teaching—they are still trying to figure out how to do that—but it is another thing entirely to ignore His power.[181]

So, Jesus’ opponents are left with one option—here it is, in verse 15: “But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.’” They cannot deny what He’s doing, so they attempt to discredit how He is doing it. They say it is by Satan’s (Beelzebul’s) power, and not God’s. Beelzebul means “lord of the house,” a reference to Satan’s dark kingdom power.

Verse 16 tells us that others in the crowd begin demanding that Jesus give “a sign from heaven” to prove He is not in league with the devil. This, of course, is ridiculous, because He has just given them a sign from heaven by casting out a demon. As one author stated, they now want signs that those signs were signs.[182]

Instead of giving them yet another sign, Jesus makes them think. He enrolls them in a crash course in logic, as if to say, “Why don’t you use your minds for a change?” Here is what He says:

“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?” (verses 17-18)

In other words, if Satan is casting out his own demons, then the demonic world is divided against itself. Jesus continues in verse 19:

“If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.”

Let me paraphrase Jesus’ words here: “If Satan is the one empowering Me, who is empowering your religious leaders when they cast out demons?”

Jesus now lands the final blow on their twisted logic; He says in verse 20, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Again, paraphrasing, Jesus says, “If Satan’s kingdom is powerless against Me, isn’t it obvious that I am the king of a greater kingdom and that my kingdom is empowered by the finger of God?”

These religious leaders would immediately understand this allusion back to Exodus, where Pharaoh’s magicians finally yielded to the supremacy of the God of Moses and told Pharaoh “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19).

Jesus’ further allusion in Luke 11:21-22 about the strong man (Satan) and the stronger man (Jesus) illustrates the fatal flaw in His critics’ logic. Jesus is effectively saying, “I am the physical, tangible incarnation of the finger of God. And because of who I am, and the superior power of my kingdom, isn’t it time you decided whether are you My follower or not? I am drawing a line in the sand; you need to make a decision.”

Here is the direct challenge in verse 23: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Satan is scattering and destroying; Jesus is gathering and building. Whose side are you on? You have to choose. Warren Wiersbe writes, “We must make a choice, and if we choose to make no choice, we are really choosing against Him.”[183]

There is no such thing as neutrality in true Christianity. You cannot sit on the fence. Neutrality is unbelief. You cannot take Jesus as your example but not your Leader; you cannot take Him as your Savior but not your Sovereign. I believe that is why Jesus goes on here to distinguish between moral reformation and spiritual regeneration:

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.” (verses 24-26)

The point is that a moral reformation without spiritual regeneration is worthless in combating the kingdom of darkness. Here is someone Jesus describes as morally upright. He has swept out the more obvious sins, so to speak; he has turned over a new leaf in life; but the spiritual vacuum still exists.

He is deceived by his own sense of morality and spirituality, and this only opens the door to allow even more evil to sweep in and lead him farther and farther from the kingdom of light and into the clutches of the kingdom of darkness. “It is not enough to empty out what’s wrong,” one author wrote; we need to be filled with all that is right as we follow Jesus Christ.[184]

Immediately after this, there is another response from the crowd. This one is closer to the truth, but it still misses the point. Verse 27:

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”

This is actually a compliment. It was common in these days, both in Roman culture and Jewish culture, to praise someone by congratulating his or her mother.[185] This woman is saying to Jesus, “Your mother was so blessed to have a son like You.” I can assure you, that is something my mother never heard when I was growing up!

Jesus does not rebuke her. He does not scold the woman for this compliment; He just tells her she is missing the point. He says to her here in verse 28, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” The original construction could be translated, “Yes, but blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”

Jesus does not want to be complimented, admired, or applauded. He is demanding worship and obedience to His word. In these events, Jesus is revealing the power of His word.

· His word frees the demonized man.

· His word overpowers the kingdom of Satan.

· His word fills the emptiness of your soul.

And His word is like a line drawn in the sand, inviting you to cross over it and follow Him into the kingdom of heaven. Make your decision to follow Jesus now.

A research project of Columbia University from a few years ago found that the average person consciously makes around 70 decisions a day, from what to wear to what to eat for lunch. That adds up to around 25,000 decisions a year. Over an average lifetime of 75 to 80 years, a person will make some 2 million decisions.[186]

But of those two million decisions, none will ever be as important as your decision to claim Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. I made that decision when I was seventeen years old—I decided whose side I was on.

What about you today? Whose side are you on? Listen, a hundred years from now, you will still be grateful that you decided to follow Jesus.

The Opportunity of a Lifetime Luke 11:29-36

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Years ago, a young engineer invented the world’s first digital camera. He was so convinced of its potential, he met with his supervisors where he worked—at a famous camera company called Kodak. They rejected his idea and turned down the opportunity to develop and market this new invention.[187]

Today, the digital world is the standard. Kodak eventually went through bankruptcy as the camera industry changed almost overnight. They missed a great opportunity.

It is one thing to turn down a great opportunity and lose a lot of money. It is another thing to turn down a great opportunity and lose eternal life. That is exactly what we see happening in the Gospel of Luke as the multitudes are listening to Jesus preach.

Luke chapter 11 verse 29 says, “When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, ‘This generation is an evil generation.’” How is that for a sermon introduction—“You are all a bunch of sinners”?

Clearly, Jesus is not interested in public approval. He is not running for office; He is delivering an eternal warning. It is a warning to the Jewish people not to miss the greatest opportunity they will ever be offered. That opportunity is to invest their lives in His kingdom by trusting Him for salvation and claiming Him as their Messiah.

However, the people just want another sign; they want more fireworks, a miraculous show. And Jesus refuses. Instead, He says to them, “No sign will be given . . . except the sign of Jonah.” He says here in verse 30, “For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.”

The cruel, pagan people of Nineveh repented after Jonah delivered the warning from God. Jesus is effectively saying that His Jewish audience is less receptive to God’s message. Frankly, they are more hardheaded than the Ninevites, because they refuse to repent at the preaching of someone far greater than Jonah—the Lord Jesus Himself.

Listen to what He says in verse 32:

“The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”

Well, this is not what this huge crowd was expecting to hear. Indeed, Jesus’ saying the ancient Ninevites are getting into the kingdom but this rebellious Jewish nation is not has to be infuriating to them.

And the Lord is not finished with His sermon just yet. Not only does He say that He is a greater prophet than Jonah, but He also adds that He is a wiser king than Solomon—verse 31:

“The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”

Jesus takes His audience back to the book of 1 Kings, which describes the queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon in Jerusalem (1 Kings 10:1-13). Solomon’s wisdom answered her deepest questions; His glorious kingdom of gold, she said, left her speechless. Bible scholars have wondered if she professed faith in the God of Solomon and of Israel. Well, according to what Jesus says here—that she will be among those who judge the unbelieving world one day—there is no reason to wonder at all; she certainly did believe.

Jesus is effectively saying that both this queen and the people of Nineveh saw the opportunity of a lifetime and seized it. And they are going to stand as witnesses at the last judgment against the Jewish people who rejected Jesus.

The message to the unbeliever today is this: You don’t need a sign; you don’t need a miracle to believe; you have the Word of God. Do not reject the greatest opportunity you will ever have in life—the opportunity to become a follower of the true and living God.

The message to the believer here is straightforward as well: You don’t need a miracle or a sign either, because you have the Word of God. Let’s obey what we have learned and follow Him today and trust Him for tomorrow.

Now the Lord provides a challenge to act on what we know to be true, as He speaks in verse 33:

“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.”

Jesus is saying, “My light—My truth—is out in the open; I am not hiding anything, so stop wandering around in the darkness.”

The Lord now makes a related analogy in verse 34:

“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad [evil], your body is full of darkness.”

In other words, when you receive the light of what Jesus is preaching, it lights up a lamp of truth inside you. It provides light for your walk, truth for your decisions, and guidance for your lifestyle.

However, if you refuse the light of God’s word, your body—that is, your lifestyle—continues on into the darkness of moral, ethical, and relational confusion and corruption. When you reject the light, you condemn yourself to walk in darkness.

With that, Jesus delivers a pretty serious warning in verse 35: “Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.” Now Jesus is not saying that everybody has some kind of inner light. The light Jesus is talking about—true spiritual enlightenment—comes into us from outside of us. It comes from God alone.[188]

Jesus is warning His hearers in this verse not to reject the light they have already seen and heard from Jesus; do not turn away from it. Here is a wonderful promise in verse 36:

“If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”

In other words, receive and believe the truth of His word; allow His truth to literally come into your soul and take up residence in your life. When you do, it will shine outwardly, so to speak, and give off light—wisdom, insight, truth—to those around you who are still in darkness.

This is the challenge for the believer—to receive the light and live out the light. Or as the apostle Peter put it, we are to “proclaim the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Wherever God places you—in that office, that career, that classroom—turn on the light, and proclaim how excellent the Lord is!

I went to the optometrist a while back. I sat down in the chair, and he lowered that contraption in front of me, where I was to look through a series of lenses. He would ask me, “Which one is better—that one or this one?” And I would say, “That one.” “Which one is clearer now—that one or this one?” And I would say, “This one.” After three or four times, something occurred to me. I pulled back and said to him, “Doctor, you probably already know which one is better for me, don’t you?” He just smiled and said, “Yes, I do.”

Even as believers, we still have vision problems—perception issues. We still need daily clarity and insight. And beloved, the Lord already knows which way we ought to go. That is why He has provided His Word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105).

We ought to pray daily something like this: “Lord, I need your light to change my life, to clarify my perspective, to repair my distorted vision. And Lord, give me then the joy of letting You shine through me as a light to the dark world around me, for your glory and praise. Amen.”

Becoming a Better Hypocrite Luke 11.37-54

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I read about an emperor in China who formed his own personal orchestra of several hundred people. Being a member of this royal orchestra was very prestigious, and it brought personal fame and fortune. One member of the orchestra was actually an imposter. He had somehow maneuvered his way into the flute section of the orchestra.

One day the emperor announced that each member of the orchestra would be scheduled to come to the palace and perform a solo piece for the royal court. Knowing his scam was about to be discovered, rather than confess his hypocrisy and face his shame, the imposter took his own life. Out of this event came the phrase, “He refused to face the music.”[189]

Well, here in a Pharisee’s dining room in Judea, some religious leaders are about to face the music—they are going to be called out by the Lord and exposed for their hypocrisy.

This scene takes place in Luke chapter 11; and what we see is a classic description of hypocrisy—which is a danger every Christian faces. In fact, if you would like to become a “better” hypocrite, here are six ways to do just that!

And the first is this: Focus on external appearances rather than internal attitudes.

While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. (verses 37-38)

By the time of Christ, this hand washing was not so much related to dirty hands; it was a religious ritual some 500 years old.[190]

Jesus can read their minds, as is clear from His words here in verses 39-40:

“You Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?”

In other words, “If you want to be clean before God, you don’t need your hands washed; you need your heart washed—that is where sin grows.” So, number 1: If you want to be a better hypocrite, focus more on external appearances than on heart attitudes.

Number 2: Applaud yourself for small successes, while turning a blind eye to greater failures. Verse 42:

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God.”

The law of Moses never commanded tithing every herb and spice.[191] But these hypocrites are counting out these tiny little seeds, while ignoring the major issues of treating people justly and lovingly.

Here is the third step to becoming a better hypocrite: Learn to value public commendation more than personal character. Jesus communicates that in verse 43: “Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.”

In those days the best seats in the synagogue were down front. In all my years of pastoring, evidently, the best seats have always been in the back, but not here. And this front row was reserved for religious leaders. In fact, these seats were actually behind the speaker’s podium, facing the audience. You were somebody if you sat up there.

Jesus goes on to say, “Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it” (verse 44).

Now to come into contact with a tombstone or walk over a grave was prohibited by the Mosaic law—it made a person ceremonially unclean for seven days according to Numbers 19. A lot of these laws were God’s way of protecting his people from the spread of disease, long before germs and microbiology were discovered.

Jesus compares the Pharisees to “unmarked graves” that people unwittingly touch, making them unclean. So, He is effectively saying that anybody who comes into contact with these Pharisees is becoming corrupted and defiled.

Listen, religious hypocrites are never going to help you become more holy. They are really not interested in you anyway. So, beware of those who are more interested in impressing you than helping you develop godly character.

Now if you would like to stay open to the wrong influences out there and become an even better hypocrite, do this instead—number four: Be quick to teach others to do things you refuse to practice yourself.

Listen to Jesus’ words here in verse 46:

“Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.”

Jesus is referring to religious rituals, traditions, and rules, literally thousands of them, taught by these “lawyers,” or experts in the Mosaic law, and imposed on the lives of the people. The word Jesus uses for “burdens” refers to an incredibly heavy burden that no person can bear.[192] And the “experts” are not going to lift a finger to help you. In fact, Jesus indicates here they don’t even follow these rules themselves.

Beloved, Christianity is not a burden of rules you will never remember perfectly. Christianity is an honest relationship with your Savior who died for every sin, every failure, every shortcoming.

But if you really want to be a better hypocrite, here is number 5: Admire people who cannot challenge how you think or live.

Listen to Jesus here in verses 47-48:

“Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs.”

The religious leaders had built monuments honoring former prophets their forefathers had murdered! Oh, they claim to admire those prophets, but look at them—they are already planning to kill the greatest prophet ever, the Lord Jesus. One author noted that it is so much easier to admire dead Christians than to imitate living Christians—that is, those who confront us and challenge us.[193]

The truth is, these Pharisees and lawyers are hindering people from discovering the truth of the gospel. Jesus says as much here in verse 52:

“You have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

Jesus essentially says, “You should have put out a welcome mat, but instead, you are trying to lock the door and hide the key.”[194]

Well, if you still want to become a better hypocrite, here is one final step: Whenever you are exposed to convicting truth, do not repent; resist.

As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say. (verses 53-54)

Rather than consider Jesus’ words, they get angry. Who does He think He is? I will tell you who He is; He is that Emperor, and He’s calling them—and us—to face the music.

It is easy to see the hypocrisy in these men, but I wonder if we can see our own hypocrisy in the mirror of God’s Word.

Several decades ago, a rather famous Christian musician was being interviewed, and he made this transparent admission: “My tendency is to only let people know enough about me to give you a good impression. I am a recovering hypocrite.”[195]

That is true for all of us. So, let’s be careful; let’s face the music of God’s Word and avoid the path that will lead us to becoming better hypocrites. Instead, let’s become more humble and dependent followers of Christ.

Justifiable Fear in Life Luke 12:1-12

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Some time ago I did an online search for the word fear—there were over a million results. Much of it concerned fear related to things that are unlikely to happen or will never happen. People today are afraid of the sun running out of heat or the earth running out of water and trees. Those fears are unnecessary because the Bible promises that all four seasons—winter, spring, summer, and fall—are going to continue until the final judgment. That promise was given to Noah back in Genesis 8:22: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

While there is a lot of unjustified fear today, there are some things we ought to be afraid of. And here in Luke chapter 12, Jesus effectively encourages what we could call justifiable fears. Here is the first one, in principle form: We ought to be afraid of living a lie.

Luke chapter 12 begins this way:

When so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. (verses 1-3)

He is saying, “You ought to be afraid of living a hypocritical life.” Jesus says that this religious hypocrisy of the Pharisees is like leaven. Leaven is yeast and had become, among the Jews, a symbol of the permeating power of sin. Hypocrisy does to your heart what yeast does to bread dough—it puffs us up in pride.[196] If it is not checked, the yeast of sin will permeate every aspect of thinking and living.

Second, we need to be afraid of forgetting the future. Jesus continues here in verses 4-5:

“Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear; fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

Now Jesus knew His disciples would face martyrdom. Almost all the original twelve disciples will be martyred. And I assure you, beloved, it is possible to be afraid of standing for Christ. But Jesus says here, instead of fearing the rejection of people, you should fear instead the rejection of God.

Jesus then moves on to speak some encouraging words to His disciples:

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. . . . Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (verses 6-7)

Sparrows were the least expensive food purchased in the marketplace in these days. They were considered the boniest, cheapest meat you could buy—almost worthless in value.[197]

The Lord is effectively telling His disciples that no matter how worthless they might be in the marketplace of the world, they are precious to God. Beloved, God will never forget you; He will never lose sight of you. You are of great value to Him because you belong to His Son, your Savior.

Jesus also says here in verse 7, “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” That’s how comprehensive His awareness of you is. I have read that the average person loses between 50 and 100 hairs a day. For some of us, it is going a lot faster than that! Well, God knows this kind of detail about you—every day, He knows every thing about you. And that includes everything from your past, and everything about your future.

But here is something else we ought to fear in life—number 3: We should be afraid of compromising with our culture.

Jesus continues, adding this:

“Everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” (verses 8-9)

Now Jesus is not saying that if you fail to acknowledge Christ at some moment in life, Jesus is going to reject you and you will not go to heaven after all.

The word Jesus uses here for “acknowledging” Him is the same word for confessing Him. The word in this context means “to say the same thing about Jesus that Jesus says about Himself.”[198]

So, Jesus is speaking of someone who denies that He is the Messiah—someone who eventually comes to some point in his life where he goes along with the culture and says that Jesus was just another prophet or a good teacher but not God the Son, who came to die for our sins, save us from judgment and hell, and take us to heaven. Let me tell you, if you deny these truths, Jesus will deny you.

Jesus is not talking about losing your nerve; He is talking about denying who Jesus is.[199] And that is tantamount to blaspheming the Holy Spirit according to verse 10. Speaking against Jesus can be forgiven if you ask Him, but speaking against the Spirit here describes a lifelong rebellion without repentance. The person committing this unrepentant attitude, refusing to confess Jesus, is sinning against the Spirit of God—whose role is to convict the world of sin. That is a sin that cannot be overlooked. Someone who dies in that condition will not be pardoned.

But if you are an unbeliever today and your conscience is troubled and you are wondering if it is too late for you to believe, let me tell you this: It is not too late because your conscience is troubled. That “troubling” feeling you have is the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Wherever you are right now, let me encourage you to stop and yield to the invitation of the Spirit, to accept Jesus as your Messiah and Lord.

Now with that, Jesus seems to speak more specifically to His disciples in verses 11-12:

“When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Now I have heard plenty of preachers misinterpret this text. This verse does not give you an excuse not to study and prepare your lesson or sermon. I agree with the author who said that if the Bible teacher does not know what he is going to say five minutes before he speaks, most people will not remember what he said five minutes after he is finished.[200]

The Lord is referring here to those sudden moments in life you are not expecting—when you are put on the spot with a question from someone at work or school, and all of a sudden you need to respond. You haven’t had time to prepare anything. That is when you simply speak the truth that God brings to your mind, and then you leave the rest to God.

Well, the Lord has addressed a number of fears and warnings about what we ought to be afraid of, but the Lord also provides encouragement for us today. Here are two reminders of what you should not be afraid of.

First, don’t be afraid of getting lost in the crowd. The Lord is committed to shepherding you through life. If He knows how many hairs are on your head, He knows what is going on inside your head too. He knows what you are facing today, and He is not going to lose sight of you.

Second, don’t be afraid of facing difficult times alone. In those surprising, unexpected moments when you have not had time to prepare for that pressure or that emergency, remember you are not walking into it alone.

How to Conquer Anxiety Luke 12:13-34

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In our last Wisdom Journey, Jesus taught the huge crowd gathered about Him whom they should fear—not the Pharisees and their traditions, not any man, but the almighty God alone. Apparently, one man was too much into his bank account and was not listening.

This man speaks rather irreverently to Jesus in Luke chapter 12, verse 13: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus bluntly refuses to get involved, saying, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”

It was typical for rabbis of this day to be sought out as mediators for legal disputes, especially as it related to the Mosaic law.[201]But that is not the mission of Jesus. He is not setting up a little business on the side to settle legal disputes.

Now we know from Jewish law that the firstborn received as his birthright twice the inheritance received by younger siblings. The oldest brother was then responsible for the support of his mother, along with any unmarried sisters in his family. That is why he received more.[202]

Well, the younger brother is speaking here, and he’s become impatient waiting for his share. But Jesus sees in his heart something more than impatience. In verse 15, Jesus says, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness.” Covetousness, or greed, is the real issue here.

We are to be on guard—literally, post a guard at the doorway of our heart. Money happens to be neutral; but our desire for it can become sinful.

Jesus says in verse 15, “For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” A fulfilling life has absolutely nothing to do with how many things you possess.

Today, advertisers target elementary-school-age children to the tune of over $15 billion a year.[203] And that is because children can be taught that what they have is not new enough or good enough or exciting enough.Even children can experience the cravings of covetousness.

Now to drive home this point, Jesus tells a parable, beginning in verse 16.

“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (verses 16-21)

The problem with this farmer isn’t his surplus; it’s his spirit. He takes no thought of God or anybody in need around him; he is a fool because his life is built around himself. He is governed by the fear that one day he might not have enough.

Jesus turns to His disciples specifically and speaks to them:

“Do not be anxious [don’t worry] about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” (verses 22-23)

Now you might be thinking, If I don’t look after my needs, who will? Jesus delivers an answer to that question. In fact, He gives us a three-part antidote to anxiety.

Part one is to think correctly! He says in verse 24, “Consider the ravens.” This word for “consider” means to think, based on knowledge.[204] In other words, when you are weighed down by worry, tell yourself the truth.

What is the truth? God “feeds” the ravens, and you are of “much more value” than they are. Think about it: no amount of worry will add to your days or change God’s timing in His caring for your needs (verses 25-26). And as Jesus goes on to say, if God provides for lilies, which last only a brief time,[205] He is going to provide for your needs—and you are going to live forever (verses 27-28).

Listen, beloved, if God is powerful enough to create your life, He is powerful enough to direct your life. So, think about that truth—think correctly.

The second antidote against worry is to live generously. Jesus says in verse 33, “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.” Do not misunderstand; Jesus does not say here to sell all your possessions and give everything you have to the needy. Otherwise, you would be needy, and somebody else would have to bail you out.[206]

One author explains that the Lord is encouraging us to hold on to our possessions loosely—to live with an open hand.[207] And by the way, your possessions include your time, your talents, testimony, and spiritual gifts, to name a few.

Here’s part three in this divine antidote to anxiety: we are to invest eternally! Listen to Jesus here in verses 33-34:

“Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Beloved, earth’s moneybags have holes in them. Our stuff will not last, and it isn’t going to satisfy us either. Here is the Lord’s advice—invest in things that last forever. God lasts forever, so invest in spreading His gospel; people last forever, so invest in ministry to them.

I am reminded of a young man born in the 1800s who became a partner in a retail business and eventually full owner. He soon became wealthy through a chain of stores that earned him more and more profits each year.

Then the stock market crash of 1929 left him in financial ruin. Broken emotionally and mentally and crushed by the weight of anxiety about the future, he began to lose his grip on sanity.

In 1931, he checked himself into the Battle Creek Sanitarium, where he wrote farewell notes to his family and friends, assuming he would die there. One night he tiptoed downstairs to roam around and heard music from the hospital’s chapel.

A few people had gathered and were singing a hymn. He went in, sat down, and listened.

It was God’s divine appointment for him because the words of that hymn brought to his memory the gospel of his past that he had rejected. He knew the gospel in those words were God’s message for him. He returned to his room and gave his life to Christ.

He would tell people from then on that he had been born again in a sanitarium. His mental health returned, and he was dismissed from the institution with a newfound passion for Christ. Even though he was fifty-six years old, he returned to the retail business and again quickly began to succeed. As his wealth grew, he gave more and more to charitable causes, especially those connected to the gospel of Christ. He continued leading his company until he died in 1971 at the age of ninety-five.

His name was James Cash Penney. We know him as J. C. Penney. The year he died his stores earned over $4 billion in revenue.[208]

But for J. C. Penney, what mattered most was that he had begun thinking clearly, living generously, and investing eternally. And by the way, the hymn he heard that night in the sanitarium was inspired by this text in Luke’s Gospel. Some of the lyrics go like this:

Be not dismayed what e’er betide,

God will take care of you . . .

Through every day, o’er all the way;

He will take care of you. . . .

No matter what may be the test,

God will take care of you.[209]

That is the antidote to anxiety—knowing that God will take care of you.

What To Do While You Wait Luke 12:35-48

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In our chronological study through the Gospels, Luke has shown us in chapter 12 what it looks like to live for ourselves. He described a younger brother who tried to get Jesus to help him acquire his inheritance. Evidently his older brother was moving too slowly. Jesus challenged him instead to beware of greed. With that, the Lord delivered a parable about a man whose barns were full, but he coveted more.

So, we have here a greedy young man whining about what he does not have, and we have a greedy older man wishing for more of what he already has. And Jesus is effectively issuing a warning to both His hearers and us: Don’t whine about what you don’t have. Don’t wish for more of what you already have. In fact, don’t worry about what you are going to need to have.

So, what do we do?

Well, the Lord now answers that question by delivering two imperatives—two commands. You could put an exclamation point in your Bible after each one of them here in verse 35: “Stay dressed for action (!) and keep your lamps burning (!).”

“Stay dressed for action” literally means to keep your loins girded. In this culture, both men and women wore long tunics. When a man needed to run or climb, he would gather the material in the back and pulled it forward and up between his legs and tucked it into their belt.[210] He was then ready to move.

The second imperative is “keep your lamps burning.” The Lord is about to describe two nighttime scenes where readiness is portrayed by keeping oil lamps burning. So, with these exclamation points, we’d say today something like, “Keep the porch light on, and keep your sleeves rolled up.”[211]

The immediate context here is alertness and readiness in light of the Lord’s return. So, Jesus is saying we are to live for Him, always anticipating His soon coming.[212]

The Lord gives two illustrations of readiness. The first is here in verse 36:

“Be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.”

Jewish wedding feasts lasted well into the night, so faithful servants were determined to stay alert and awake until the master arrived.

Now verse 39:

“If the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.”

With this illustration, the Lord is emphasizing that His arrival will at an unexpected time.

Peter asks a question in verse 41: “Lord, are you telling this parable for us [the disciples] or for all [the whole crowd]?” He wonders if this is going to be on the final exam—should he be taking notes?

Instead of directly answering Peter’s question, Jesus describes two kinds of stewards, or household managers. These stewards will represent believers and unbelievers—so the Lord is indeed speaking to everybody here.

The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.” (verses 42-44)

The Lord basically is asking what kind of stewards we are. Are we faithful stewards of what He has assigned to us?

Let me ask you a question: What has the Lord assigned you today? A sink full of dishes or a laundry basket that seems to stay full? Is it a Bible study or children’s program? Is it long hours at a job where you are living out your testimony of excellence and integrity?

My first secretary at the church—in fact, the first person I hired after planting the Shepherds Church—was a woman named Caroline. She served in various roles for around twenty-five years. Well, when her health was failing and she was in the hospital, I went to see her. She was troubled with being bedridden and didn’t like it at all. The Lord impressed on my heart to say, “Now Ms. Caroline, as long as I’ve known you, you’ve faithfully fulfilled your assignments. And now—well, this is your assignment from the Lord.” She put her head back down on her pillow and said with some determination; “Yes, this is my assignment from the Lord.” She went home to be with the Lord a few days later.

I do not know what your assignment from the Lord is, but the question is, will you accept it and fulfill it as you wait on Him and trust Him?

Jesus goes on here to describe three unfaithful stewards in verses 45-48. One steward is violently rebellious against his master. The second steward knows his master’s will but ignores it. The third steward acts in a manner that does not please his master. Jesus’ point here is that all three are punished according to what each one knew of the master’s will.

I think this parable communicates the truth that there are varying levels of punishment when unbelievers are judged in that final judgment. The same principle applies to believers: there will be different levels of rewards in heaven one day. Some believers will receive greater rewards than others according to 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. We are all going to be happier than we can imagine, but at the same time, some believers will be given greater responsibilities in the kingdom than others. And I have to tell you, I personally think we are going to be surprised at how generous the Lord is in rewarding us. We do not deserve any of it, frankly; and that is why the Bible tells us we will cast our crowns—our rewards—at His feet (Revelation 4:10).

We tend to think the Lord rewards all the great things, the great influence, those great steps of faith—and He will. But the devil is happy to make us think those are the only things God rewards because it will discourage us if we don’t do some great thing for God. And consequently, we miss doing some “small” things for God.

What Jesus is describing is being a steward who is rewarded for faithfully doing the small things as well as the great things, as we wait for the Lord to come for His church.

Sam Gordon tells the true story of a tourist who was exploring the beautiful estates in northern Italy. He arrived at an old castle; and even though it wasn’t open for tourists at the time, he opened the ornamental front gate and went inside.

He saw beautiful flowers blooming with extravagant color and shrubbery perfectly manicured. He noticed a gardener on his hands and knees, clipping blades of grass near the castle wall. He ventured over and said, “I hope you don’t mind a visitor having a look at your gardens.” The gardener replied, “I’m glad to have a guest.”

The visitor walked around the beautifully kept grounds and eventually returned and asked, “Is the owner here today?” “I’m afraid not,” the gardener replied. “He’s been away now for twelve years.”

The visitor said, “You mean, he hasn’t been back here for twelve years?” The gardener said, “That’s right.”

“Well, then, who tells you what to do?” the tourist asked. The gardener explained that the owner had an agent in a town nearby who communicated with him.

When asked if he ever saw the owner personally, the gardener, still clipping the grass, replied,

“No, he just sends instructions through his agent.”

The tourist was amazed, “You have everything so well kept. It’s beautiful here—it looks like you’re expecting him sometime tomorrow.”

The gardener paused and said, “Oh, no, not tomorrow; I expect him sometime today.”[213]

We should think and act the same way, beloved: “I’m waiting for Him, I’m watching for Him, I’m working for Him; and just think, He could come for us, sometime today.”

Settling Your Debt with God Luke 12:49-59

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There is an oft-repeated legend in Christian circles, and the word legend is appropriate. The principle, however, is certainly true.

It’s the legend of Satan calling a council of demons to determine the best strategy for keeping people from believing the truth of the gospel. One group of demons presented their case that what they would do is deceive people into believing the gospel is not true. And Satan said, “That will certainly work among many people.” And it certainly has.

Another group of demons disagreed and said that what they would do is tell people that Christianity is true, but other religions are equally true. Even though Satan knew some people would figure out that many roads actually lead to many different gods, not the same God, he agreed that this approach would deceive many people.

Finally, a third group said, “No, what will work universally among all of humanity is this: we plan to tell them that it is all true—that Jesus is the only way, that there is a real heaven and hell, that they need to believe the gospel. We will tell them all of that, but we will convince them that there is plenty of time.

And Satan said, “That strategy will work best of all.”

I find it interesting that as the Lord’s ministry attracts more and more people—and the Gospel of Luke tells us that they are following Him by the thousands—the Lord often stops and warns them of the coming judgment of God. He is telling them there is not much time.

We are back today in Luke chapter 12, where the Lord stops once again and delivers what would have been a rather shocking message. Let me categorize His warning under four statements.

First, Jesus reminds them of something that has been promised. He says in verse 49, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” Jesus is warning this massive audience of a coming firestorm of judgment—and He is claiming to be responsible for sending that judgment. People think all Jesus ever taught was the Golden Rule—be nice to people. Well, this does not sound like the Golden Rule to me.

This opening phrase here, “I came,” or “I have come,” is a technical term used to refer to the [scope] of His mission.[214] Part of Jesus’ mission is to bring judgment upon the earth. This is the other side of Jesus the world out there does not want to hear about. They are not interested in hearing about judgment, which is why they want to keep quoting the Golden Rule.

What is the fire going to involve? Well, the apostle Peter answers that in detail over in 2 Peter 3, where he writes this:

[Scoffers] deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and … the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. (verse 5-7)

This fire of judgment has not been kindled yet; it will take place, according to Revelation 20, at the end of the millennial kingdom. At that time unbelievers from all of human history will be brought before what the Bible calls the great white throne—the throne of blazing purity—to be judged by God.

Now if your faith today is in Christ, you have nothing to worry about. This judgment is not for you at all. But Jesus reminds His audience of something that has been promised—the coming fire of judgment.

Second, Jesus informs them of something He wants to move past. Back in Luke 12, Jesus says in verse 50, “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!” This is an unusually transparent revelation of how the Lord is feeling as He draws closer to His crucifixion. Luke is the only Gospel writer to include this moment where Jesus reveals how He is feeling.

He is distressed over what it will mean when He is baptized—immersed—in our sin. He will bear in His body all our sin (1 Peter 2:24), have all our iniquity placed upon Him (Isaiah 53:6), be saturated with the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), and be separated from fellowship with God the Father for the first and only time as He suffers the eternal penalty for our sins (Matthew 27:46).

Jesus wants to get past this event. By the way, this transparent admission from our Lord ought to destroy the false spirituality of Christians who think it is a sin to admit discouragement or distress with some ordeal they are facing.

Beloved, perhaps right now you are distressed to the breaking point. Jesus knows exactly what that feels like and will comfort you. He is your very present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Third, the Lord warns His hearers of something that will soon take place. The believers in the crowd, in fact, are about to feel pressure like they’ve never felt before. Jesus makes this clear as He continues in verse 51:

“Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. . . . father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (verses 51, 53)

Today, in many countries it is illegal to convert to Christianity. Family members will even conspire with the government to expose a new believer, which for the Christian amounts to a death sentence. Following Christ might not mean a death sentence for you, but it might mean your family’s disapproval.[215]

So, the Lord warns them of something that has been promised (judgment), something He wants to move past (crucifixion), and something that will soon take place (family division).

Now, fourth, the Lord rebukes them for their failure with something in the present. Listen to His words:

“When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” (verses 54-56)

They can predict a coming rainstorm but not the coming storm of judgment.

Jesus then reminds them that it is much better to settle a debt out of court than to face the judge. In other words, you do not want to stand before the Judge of the universe. There’s no appeals court, there is no pardon, at the great white throne. Settle your debt of sin with God today.

How? Jesus said back in verse 50, “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!” That Greek word for “accomplished” means “paid in full.” It was a word used for a criminal who paid the penalty for his crimes.

Just before He died on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), using the same Greek word for “accomplished.” Jesus was saying, “I have fully paid the debt of sin.”

So, you can now settle your debt out of court. The punishment for your crimes, your sins, has been paid for by Christ. You will never stand before Him in judgment, if you have stood before Him in faith at that old rugged cross.

There is a storm coming—the storm of God’s judgment against all who refuse His sacrifice on the cross. Settle with God today before it is eternally too late.

Learning from Unexpected Moments in Life Luke 13:1-21

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As we begin Luke chapter 13, I am struck by how Jesus uses the unexpected events of life to draw people to Himself. In fact, the Lord is about to use some unexpected events to teach some very practical lessons in life.

First, Jesus addresses an unexpected evil. Verse 1 says, “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.” We know from history that Pilate would kill Jewish people who threatened his rule. More than likely, these Galileans were planning some sort of uprising against Rome.

No doubt people were saying, “Well, they had it coming; they were plotting a revolt. They were sinful men.”

Jesus responds in verses 2-3:

“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

In other words, He is saying, “Stop trying to figure out if they deserved to die; the question is whether you are ready to die and meet your Maker.”

Next, we have here an unexpected accident. A tower fell and killed several people, and some were wondering why God would let that happen. Jesus addresses this in verses 4-5:

“Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

So, were those who died in this accident worse sinners than others?

We know from history that Pilate built an aqueduct in Jerusalem to the pool of Siloam; and he paid for it by stealing money from the temple treasury.[216] This tower—more than likely connected to Pilate’s building project—collapsed, killing eighteen people. The implication is that many people believed the Jewish carpenters and masons working on this project were being paid with this stolen money. They were traitors to the nation and deserved to die.[217]

Again, Jesus doesn’t get involved in that debate. He just asks the question, “What if that tower had fallen on you? What’s going to happen when you stand before God one day?” Then Jesus says, “[You had better] Repent, [or else] you will all likewise perish” (verse 5).

Now the Lord delivers a parable in which He describes an unexpected mercy. Beginning with verse 6, He tells of a fig tree that has not produced any fruit for three years. The owner of the vineyard tells his gardener to cut it down, but the gardener pleads for mercy, so to speak, to allow the tree to live one more year; while he gives the tree some special attention.

The Jewish people would have known Jesus was speaking to them about their own fruitless spiritual condition. The fig tree was a symbol of Israel (Micah 7:1). This unfruitful fig tree was the unrepentant nation. Cutting it down was a picture of judgment. But what is unexpected here is that God is going to extend His mercy for a little while longer.

One author called this parable the gospel of the second chance until the final chance.[218] What about you today? Eventually one more chance to give your life to Christ will become your final chance. His mercy is not going to last forever.

Now we have an unexpected miracle. Look at verses 10-11:

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.

This “disabling spirit” is not possessing her—Jesus does not cast out a demon. In fact, in verse 16, Jesus calls her a daughter of Abraham; she is a woman of true faith in God. She is more like Job, who was physically tormented by the demonic world but only by God’s permission.

The Lord has reserved her healing for this moment in this synagogue as evidence that He’s the Messiah.

He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. (Verses 12-13)

The synagogue leader is not happy at all. In fact, he is angry, supposedly because Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Jesus calls out his hypocrisy. He points out that they will care for a donkey on the Sabbath, so why not help this poor woman on a Sabbath?

This Jewish leader is actually angry because he knows this miracle proves who Jesus is. This miracle was a taste of the Lord’s kingdom power.[219] In fact, Jesus uses this healing to begin teaching about His kingdom. The Lord says here in verses 18-19:

“What is the kingdom of God like? . . . It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

It starts small, but it grows into magnificent shelter. It rescued one woman here, but one day it will provide shelter around the world. It is just a little seed the size of a pinhead. But just wait, beloved; the kingdom will one day cover the earth.

Next, in verse 21, the Lord says the kingdom is like yeast in bread. It is currently unseen, but it is working from the inside out, and one day it will affect everything.[220] One day, the Lord’s kingdom on earth will include Jews and Gentiles—believers from around the world who have claimed the Lord as their Messiah.

Sometime ago I met a young man who was born of Jewish and Gentile parents. He was raised in Judaism, but he began to wonder, as a young adult, if Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

He began attending The Shepherd’s Church and then asked to meet with me. I assigned him a book to read that gave him the basics of Christianity. Frankly, I thought it would give him something to think about for a month or so. Well, he was back, three days later. I gave him another book to read and also assigned him to read the Gospel of John—he was back a week later.

After another meeting of questions and answers, I gave him even more to read—and again, he read it all within days. He came to see me and told me he was ready for something more to read. I told him there was nothing more he needed—that he did not need more information; he needed to make a decision. He said he wasn’t ready, and after I prayed for him, he left my office. Frankly, I didn’t think I would ever see him again.

Then I received a note from him a few weeks later. He wrote that after leaving church one Sunday morning, after I had preached on this chapter in the Gospel of Luke, urging people to make a decision for Christ, he gave his life to Christ while stopped at a traffic light. He ended his note by writing, “No more waiting. The matter is settled with God.”

Beloved, that’s the message here in Luke 13—life is filled with unexpected evil, unexpected disasters, unexpected turns, and even unexpected death. Frankly we do not know what God is going to allow in this world, what He is going to do. But there is one thing we can expect Him to do: the Bible says that if you confess your sins, you can expect Him to forgive you (1 John 1:9); the Bible says that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).

Maybe you are at a red light right now. Confess Him as your Lord and Savior, and let me tell you, you can expect Him to hear you and answer you, and it will be settled forever.

The Evidence Speaks for Itself John 10:22-42

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As we continue our chronological study through the Gospels, we are moving from Luke’s Gospel back to the Gospel of John. Since leaving the Festival of Tabernacles in the fall season, Jesus has been in the region of Perea, east of Jerusalem and across the Jordan River. Here He is able to avoid the hostile leaders of both the Romans and Jews.

After a couple of months, the timeline picks back up here in John chapter 10. Now it is wintertime—and time for the Feast of Dedication, or Feast of Lights. Today, this is called the season of Hanukkah.

This feast was not commanded in the Old Testament, but it had been celebrated for centuries because it was so important to the nation of Israel; and here is why. The temple in Jerusalem was purified and rededicated by a Jewish patriot named Judas Maccabeus in 164 B.C. And that’s because Antiochus IV, a Syrian invader, had gone into the temple a few years earlier and sacrificed a pig on the brazen altar—he literally offered a sacrifice of a pig to Jupiter, his god. The deeper reason was his attempt to destroy worship in the temple and eliminate Judaism.[221] Judas Maccabeus gathered an army and eventually defeated Antiochus. This festival of dedication marks the time when he cleansed the temple and put it back into operation.

It was during the temple rededication that the Jewish people supposedly witnessed a miracle. Even though there was only enough kosher olive oil to keep the temple’s giant menorah candles burning for one day, the flames continued flickering for eight days, allowing the priests to find a fresh supply. This inspired the institution of this annual, eight-day festival.

Now during this festival, John 10:23 tells us that “Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.” It is not long before He is recognized, and we are told that “the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly’” (verse 24).

The truth is, Jesus has already told them who He is, as He tells them here in verses 25-26:

“I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.”

This is a pretty blunt answer. I don’t think He is writing them off as a lost cause, however; in fact, I believe this is an invitation. Jesus is effectively saying, “You’re not among my sheep—at least not yet.”

Then Jesus delivers these wonderful words:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (verses 27-28)

This is an invitation to them—and to you. Would you like to join His flock? Would you like to say with King David, “The Lord is my shepherd”? Well, what are you waiting for? And that is the Lord’s invitation to them here, during this festival in Jerusalem.

If you are wondering how secure you will be if you accept Christ as your Savior—well, the Lord answers that in verses 29-30:

“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

And there you have it. And don’t miss that once again Jesus answers their question. Yes, He is the Son of God; God the Father and the Lord are equal in essence. They are one in purpose and deity. When Jesus declares here, “I and the Father are one,” that is another way of saying, “If I am offering you eternal life, then God the Father is offering you eternal life. If I am telling you that you are secure in Me forever, then you are secure in God the Father forever.”

Is Jesus really claiming to be equally divine with God the Father? Well, the Jewish priests and leaders certainly understood it that way, because we are told in verse 31, “The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.” They went out and collected all the rocks they are going to need to stone Jesus to death.

John adds that little word “again”—“The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.” This is not the first time they have wanted to kill Him.

Now if Jesus were an ordinary man, we might expect the text to read, “And after seeing the pile of rocks, Jesus and His disciples took off running for the hills!” But Jesus is not going anywhere just yet. He keeps engaging them in conversation, saying here in verse 32, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”

In other words, “After all you have seen Me do for you—the people I have healed; the lessons I have taught, the miracles I have performed—after all of those good works, you want to kill me?”

Notice how they respond in verse 33, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” They got the point all right. Let me tell you, people today who say Jesus never claimed to be God have not been reading the Gospel of John.

Beginning in verse 34, Jesus argues back by quoting Psalm 82:6, where God refers to dishonest judges as “gods”—little g. These were individuals given God’s authority as judges. They were referred to as the sons of God—that is, representatives of God on earth.

What Jesus is saying is this: “If unjust judges can be called the sons of God, why can’t I—especially since I have proved that I am the Son of God through My miraculous works?”

Jesus continues in that line of reasoning in verses 37-38:

“If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

Jesus does not expect to be believed simply because of His words. Take a look at His miraculous works! Even Nicodemus, a member of Israel’s supreme court, the Sanhedrin, said back in John 3, “No one could perform [those] miraculous signs . . . if God were not with Him.”[222]

Only God can do what Jesus is doing! Even the rabbis were teaching that God alone can heal leprosy, give sight to the blind, and raise the dead.

But here in the temple courtyard, the religious leaders are blinded by their own ambition, and verse 39 says, “Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.”

By the way, did Jesus give up on those rock-throwing opponents? No. He loved them so much He went to the cross to die for them, and His invitation was open for them until the day they died. I love the fact that the book of Acts will record for us that many priests came to saving faith in the Lord Jesus (Acts 6:7). They just could not deny the evidence—the truth, the empty tomb—any longer.

So, do not give up on those people around you who want to silence your testimony of faith in Christ. Keep loving them, reaching out to them, and praying for them. Only God knows, but one day they might just realize they cannot ignore the evidence any longer, and in humble faith they will ask Jesus to be their Shepherd—and they will join the flock of God.

Why Are So Few People Saved? Luke 13:22-30

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The average person on the street today believes salvation can be custom made—just be sincerely religious, and it will all work out. I have often heard the rather famous quote of Gandhi, who once said that all religions are fundamentally the same. But that is not what the Bible says at all. Jesus clearly said, “No one comes to the Father [that is, reaches heaven] except through me” (John 14:6).

And consider this: If Jesus is just one of many ways to God, why was He not intelligent enough to stay in heaven? Why did He need to come and die for our sins and go through all that agony of rejection and crucifixion? Let me tell you, the popular view that you can make up your own way to heaven will always be appealing because you get to play God and create your own path in life.

In this Wisdom Journey, we are back in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 13, where Jesus is asked a really interesting question about salvation. And I want to pull from this text what I will call five truths about eternal life.

Here’s the first truth: Salvation demands a heart of humility. And that, my friend, is a big problem with people today.

Verse 22 says:

He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?”

Now you notice this question assumes there are not going to be that many saved. I believe this person is really asking the question, “Lord, is there room for me?” That is the most important question anyone will ever ask: Am I on my way to live with God in heaven?

Instead of dealing with the number of people saved, however, the Lord answers in verse 24,

“Strive to enter through the narrow door.” The word “strive” does not mean you have to work your way in; the Greek word here refers to being focused on where you are going. It is actually an athletic term; today we would use it to say, “Keep your eye on the ball.”[223] Jesus says here, “Keep your eye on the narrow door.”

The narrowness of the door not speak so much about its size as it does its singularity. Beloved, the gospel is narrow. That is because all truth is narrow. It is like my first-grade math test. There is only one answer to 2 + 2. It isn’t 5 or 3. Math is narrow. So is that runway your pilot needs to land on. So is that prescription from the doctor’s office—it is that one and not any other, or you are in trouble.

Jesus said in John 10:9, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” Are you humble enough to come His way—on His terms?

Here is the second truth about salvation: There is a time limit on the invitation.

Jesus goes on to say in verse 24, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” Well, why not? Verse 25 tells us:

“When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’”

Now Jesus is using a common illustration from His generation. In those days, the city gates would be closed for the night. People returning to the city after dark had to find lodging outside the city walls, regardless of their standing or social status. And the same was true of a household closing its doors at night.[224]

Jesus is saying there is a time limit on the offer of salvation. The time to respond is now—today. Hebrews 4:7 says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Listen, my friend, what makes you think you can reject Jesus today but you’re going to want Him twenty years from now? No, your heart is just going to be twenty years more hardened than it is today.

Noah preached to people for more than a century! Every year their hearts just grew harder; in fact, no one believed a flood was coming. And when God shut the door of the ark and the rain began to fall, I am sure everybody wanted in—but it was too late.

If you’re alive, there is still time; but there is no guarantee you will be alive this same time tomorrow.

Here is the third truth about salvation: Being familiar with the things of God does not make you a member of the family of God.

Jesus says in verse 26, “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’” They’re arguing, “We knew you, and listened to you when you came to our village.”

But being exposed to the truth of Christ does not mean you have accepted the truth about Christ. As one writer has pointed out, if knowing all about Jesus guaranteed somebody a place in heaven, Judas would be on the front row.[225] Hearing the gospel is not the same thing as believing the gospel and giving your life to Christ.

Here’s the fourth truth about salvation: Ignoring God’s invitation will have eternal consequences. Jesus will one day say to those who have rejected Him the words He cites in verse 27: “‘I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’”

Those who reject Him, Jesus says in verse 28, will be “cast out” into hell, which is described here as a place where there “will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Weeping is a sign of sadness, and gnashing of teeth is an expression of hatred (Psalm 35:16).[226]Beloved, everyone in hell will be sad they are there; but at the same time, they will be filled with hatred toward God.

Here is the good news: If you are still alive, there is still time to avoid the judgment of God and eternal suffering in hell.

With that, here is the final truth about salvation—number 5: You can accept His invitation, no matter who you are or what you have done. Jesus delivers a global invitation here in verses 29-30:

“And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Those who enter through the door of salvation, Jesus says, are arriving from all four points of the compass—north, south, east, and west. The Bible tells us that the inhabitants of heaven are from every tongue, tribe, and nation—they are from all around the world.[227]

So, these are the clear truths about salvation! First, salvation demands a heart of humility. We come His way and on His terms.

Second, there’s a time limit on the offer of salvation. And time is running out!

Third, being familiar with the things of God does not mean you belong to the family of God. And, fourth, ignoring God’s invitation will have eternal consequences.

But, here is the good news: fifth, you can accept His invitation, and it does not matter who you are or what you have done.

Let me invite you right now to ask Jesus to forgive your sin and reserve a place for you in heaven one day. The Bible says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13). That includes you!

The Lord of Human History Luke 13:31-35

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More than likely, you have never heard of Hugh Johnson or Harlow Curtis. Although these men were from different generations and even different countries, they had this in common: at some point in their lives, they were honored as Time magazine’s Man of the Year. The fact that you probably don’t know who they are, or even how their lives benefited the world, is testimony that their significance on earth did not last very long.

Another man, back in 1938, received Time magazine’s Man of the Year award—his name was Adolph Hitler. Sometimes the wrong man receives the accolades of his generation.

If Time Magazine was around 2,000 years ago, a powerful leader in the Middle East would have no doubt received the honor. His official name was King Herod Antipas. He was the son of Herod the Great, who tried to trick the magi and then later ordered the murder of little boys in the region of Bethlehem. After his father’s death, Herod Antipas began ruling the land of Galilee.

And just like his father, Antipas was brutal and immoral. He was responsible for killing John the Baptist. He is also the Herod before whom Jesus will eventually stand trial.

But from all the external evidence, Herod would have been a natural choice for the Man of the Year. He was in control of destinies and legacies. But in hindsight, Herod was not the one ruling—Heaven was. Herod’s throne was temporary; God’s throne is eternal.

Now for the first time, the Gospel of Luke connects the ministry of Jesus with the rule of King Herod Antipas. And the exchange produces some fireworks.

Here in chapter 13, Jesus has invited people to enter the family of God through the narrow gate—and remember, that gate is narrow, not so much in size, but in singularity. There is only one way; there is only one door into heaven, and John’s Gospel teaches that Jesus Himself is the door (see John 10:9; 14:6).

As the Lord is preaching, He is suddenly interrupted. We read in verse 31, “At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to Him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’” In other words, “You had better run for Your life. Herod has put a price on your head.”

The Lord’s response provides several principles we can apply today as we recognize that God is ultimately in control of nations, empires, thrones, and even pagan kings.

The first principle is this: Serving the Lord faithfully will not eliminate enemies. Imagine the tragic irony of Herod’s attitude here: “Herod wants to kill you.” The healing ministry of Jesus should have earned Him an invitation to dinner at Herod’s palace, not a threat on His life. By the way, beloved, the only time Jesus will stand in Herod’s palace is just before His crucifixion.

I invite you to turn over every stone in Scripture to see if you can find a faithful servant of the Lord who did not have to endure hardship or criticism or even danger. Beloved, if you begin to openly profess Jesus Christ as your Lord, just watch; enemies are going to line up faster than friends.

Listen to what the Bible promises the believer in 2 Timothy 3:12: “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Serving God faithfully will not eliminate enemies and critics.

Maybe you have made some enemies recently, and all you have been trying to do is the right thing. How should you respond? Well, that leads me to the second principle we can apply: Opposition should not reroute your mission or rewrite your message.

Jesus responds here by telling the Pharisees in verse 32, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.’”

I agree with those Bible scholars who suggest that the Lord is using a little bit of holy sarcasm here.[228]In this day, a fox was someone who was crafty—an insignificant person who makes a nuisance of himself.[229]It is as if the Lord is saying, “Herod might think he is crafty, but he is just a nuisance; in fact, he is a rather insignificant nuisance in the timeline of history.”

Jesus is actually demonstrating confidence in His Father. His death is predetermined by the triune God, and until the time arrives for the Lord to die, Herod cannot do a thing about it.[230]

Now did you notice that Jesus says He is going to keep on casting out demons and curing people? In other words, He is not going to change His mission of mercy or His message of forgiveness; He is going to stay right on track, all the way to that third day—a reference to His victorious resurrection from the grave.

Jesus is effectively quoting the perspective of Psalm 31:15: “My times are in your hand.” Say that with Him: “My life is under the supervision of God. It might not look like it at the moment, but my life is unfolding by God’s design.” Beloved, nothing will derail God’s designs. And when you believe that Heaven rules, your circumstances and even your enemies can be viewed differently.

And that is the third principle I want to draw from this passage—here it is: Antagonism and rejection should not eliminate your spirit of compassion. After hearing about Herod’s threat to His own life, listen to what Jesus says in verse 34:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

One author noted that this is “not an expression of anger, but a sob of anguish.”[231] Jesus is weeping over the unbelief of the nation of Israel and what it will bring. The Lord foresees destruction coming for Jerusalem, and He predicts it when He says, “Your house is forsaken” (verse 35).

But then the Lord looks way beyond their rejection to a wonderful day out there in the future when, the Lord says, “You will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” This is a reference to the return of Christ following the tribulation period and the regathering of Israel in the land. The apostle Paul will write that God has not abandoned Israel, and in that coming day “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). That is incredible compassion!

Perhaps as a believer, you too have people in your life who have broken your heart by rejecting your pleading with them to be gathered to Christ. Do not let their rejection eliminate your spirit of compassion toward them.

I think of Joseph Stalin, who was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year in 1942. As a young man he had attended seminary, planning to enter the ministry; but he lived an immoral life and eventually left seminary. He declared himself an atheist and became a brutal dictator. His daughter defected to the U.S. after her father’s death, and she described the final moment before he died. He suddenly sat up in his bed, raised his clenched fist defiantly toward the ceiling, then fell back on his pillow and died.[232] It was as if he was rejecting, one final time, an invitation to surrender to God.

My friend, I don’t know where you stand today with God; but if you are an unbeliever, Jesus is not mocking you. He is weeping over you, as He did the city of Jerusalem. He is willing to save you today, if you will accept His invitation. And let me tell you, this could be your final invitation.

If you have accepted Christ, pause right now and thank Him for saving you—for opening your eyes to the truth that He is the Lord of the universe, the one who is truly King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Conversations at the Dinner Table with Jesus Luke 14:1-24

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Martin Luther, the reformer, was not only bold and brilliant, but at the same time he was down to earth—he made the Bible understandable. His dining room table was typically surrounded with religious leaders, political leaders, university students, and neighbors. His conversations with them were interesting, convicting, and encouraging. They were also dangerous because he challenged the religious traditions of his day.

Many of his conversations were written down and were eventually published in 1624, 78 years after he died. The book is simply called, The Table Talk of Martin Luther. It’s been republished many times during the past 400 years. In fact, I opened my copy and read through some of his statements there at his dinner table—like this one:

We have neglected . . . the pure and clear Word [of God], and have . . . gone from the clear fountain to the foul puddle [of] filthy water [taught by] monks and friars.[233]

You can imagine the problem this little book created for the Catholic Church. Pope Gregory XIII ordered Table Talk to be burned as heresy and anyone hiding a copy of it was to be burned to death, right along with the book.[234]

Martin Luther was simply doing what the Lord Jesus was doing at the dinner table—reintroducing the clean water of biblical truth.

Jesus is now eating with religious leaders, disciples, and neighbors. Here in Luke chapter 14, the Lord has accepted a dinner invitation to a meal. Luke writes in verse 1 that it was at the “house of a ruler of the Pharisees.” There is a man suffering from a disease who is evidently near the front door. This suggests that he was planted there to see if the Lord would heal him and, in the opinion of the Pharisees, violate the Sabbath day. The man is described in verse 2 as having “dropsy.” This is a condition in which the body swells with excess fluids.[235]

While everyone watches, sure enough, the Lord heals this man and sends him on his way. Jesus then turns to the religious leaders and says to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” (verse 5).

Well, the answer is obvious. They would do everything in their power to save their son and their farm animals. Verse 6 says, “They could not reply to these things.” Of course they can’t, but they are not going to admit Jesus is right either.

Well, now that He has got their attention, Jesus takes the opportunity to teach them something else. He had observed that when they arrived at this dinner banquet, they had all scrambled for places of honor, which would have been near the host of this meal.

So, Jesus now tells a parable about a wedding feast. To summarize it, Jesus says the one who sits down in a place of honor might end up being humiliated when the host asks him to give up his seat when a more distinguished guest arrives. On the other hand, the one who chooses a seat in the back is going to be honored before everyone if the host invites him to move to a more honorable location.

Jesus knows where the sensitive nerve is—and, quite frankly, He pokes it with this parable. Jesus concludes the parable in verse 11, saying, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Listen, beloved, this principle is not just for them; it is also for you and me. God will humble those who seek to honor themselves. Those who humble themselves before the Lord will be exalted before Him.

Now in verse 12, the Lord speaks to the man hosting this dinner party. Jesus points out that inviting important friends and guests will certainly get him invitations to their dinner parties in the future. However, if he truly wants the blessing of God, Jesus tells him, “Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you” (verses 13-14). In other words, they will never be able to invite you over and effectively pay you back.

This kind of invitation list reveals someone who demonstrates the heart of God, someone who is humble and compassionate. Jesus then promises that at the coming resurrection, God will reward that kind of attitude toward others.

Somebody at this dinner party speaks up and says, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” (verse 15). He is basically assuming that all these religious leaders—if not every member of the nation of Israel—is going to enjoy eating dinner in the kingdom.

Jesus answers that wrong assumption by telling another parable. He says in verse 16, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.” Now let me stop here and tell you that a feast in these days was quite an undertaking. Invitations were sent out far in advance, and normally the day of the event was announced, but not the exact time. Once the host heard back who planned on attending, his household spent several days preparing the food.

So, when those steaks were just about ready to take off the grill and those mashed potatoes were about ready for a spoonful of butter—by the way, this is the kind of meal I would have attended—the host would send out a servant to all who had accepted the invitation and tell them it was time to start making their way to his home.

But Jesus describes the host’s servant coming back from running around the village and telling his master, “You won’t believe it! All those who said they were coming, aren’t coming. One fellow said, ‘I have bought a field, and I have to go see it.’ Another said, ‘I’ve bought some oxen I need to examine,” and still another, “I just got married!”

All of these were not only terrible excuses; they were essentially lies. You don’t buy a field without looking at it first; you don’t buy oxen and then go take a look at them. And you don’t say, “Well, I just got married,” as if to imply your wife will not let you leave the house—it’s all her fault.

These lame excuses indicate they really do not care about the banquet, and—worse—they really do not care about the host. They show absolutely no respect for him.

With that, the host in Jesus’ parable sends his servant out to invite others—namely, “the poor and crippled and blind and lame” (verse 21). As for those people who were originally invited, the host says in verse 24, “None of those men . . . shall taste my banquet.”

Now this parable happens to be a national warning not to reject the grace of God. God invited Israel to repent and trust Him. But these religious leaders—and the nation as a whole—are ignoring the invitation and have no respect for the Son of God. They have nothing but lame excuses.

Let me ask you something: Are you rejecting the invitation of God to come to the banquet table of salvation? If so, what is your excuse?

· I’m too young; I want to live my life for a while.

· I’m too old; it’s too late to admit I have been wrong.

· I’m going to have to give up sinful pleasures if I follow Christ.

· I don’t need saving; I’m better than a lot of people I know who go to church.[236]

All terrible excuses for rejecting God’s gracious invitation.

Will you one day sit at the table of feasting and joy in the Lord’s coming kingdom? I hope you will—you have been invited, by the way. Let me encourage you to accept His invitation today. Send in your RSVP by faith in Christ alone—and do that today.

Will the Real Disciples Sign Up Luke 14:25-35

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During World War II, the United States commissioned the construction of a pipeline to deliver oil from a remote Alaskan oilfield to a refinery some 1200 miles away. This would ensure a fuel supply for trucks and planes if other sources were cut off. A contractor hiring workers for this project posted a sign at recruiting stations that read as follows:

This is no picnic. Working and living conditions on this job are as difficult as those encountered on any construction job ever done in the United States or foreign territory. Men hired for this job will be required to work and live under the most extreme conditions imaginable. Temperature will range from 90˚ above zero to 70˚ below zero. Men will have to fight swamps, rivers, ice and cold. Mosquitos, flies, and gnats will not only be annoying but will cause bodily harm. If you are not prepared to work under these and similar conditions, do not apply.[237]

With that advertising strategy, you might be surprised to learn that many men signed up to serve.

Well today, as we sail into Luke’s Gospel account and watch what happens next, Jesus is just a few short months from His crucifixion; He is ministering east of the Jordan River in Perea. And we are told here in Luke 14:25 that “great crowds accompanied him.”

He is literally surrounded by a mob of people—and frankly, they are following Him physically but not spiritually. And Jesus is not interested in making friends; He is interested in making disciples.

So, at this point, the Lord stops and begins to deliver a message to those who truly want to follow Him. They must consider the very real cost of being His disciple. Are they willing to completely commit themselves to Him? It is no picnic! Let me break down the Lord’s message here into four challenges.

First, the Lord challenges the crowd to arrange their love life in order of priority. He says in verse 26:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

That is quite a dramatic statement. Not only is it shocking to our ears, but it also seems to contradict earlier passages about loving your enemies and honoring your parents and loving your children. Now He is saying we have to hate them all!

In our world today, the word hate refers to dislike and hostility. But in the literature of the Near Eastern world, hate was a word that referred to priorities.[238]

That is the idea in Romans 9:13, where we are told that God loved Jacob and hated Esau. That is not a statement of emotion but of determination.[239] God determined that Jacob would be His priority in carrying out the Abrahamic covenant, and not Esau.

What, then, is Jesus saying to this crowd? Is He telling them to tear up their Christmas lists and stop calling their parents? No, He is saying that all other relationships are lower on the priority list—Jesus takes first place. So, we have to get our love life, so to speak, in the right order.

Here is the second challenge: They need to accept the ridicule and rejection of the world. Jesus says in verse 27, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” The phrase here, “come after me,” literally expresses the idea of getting in line behind someone.[240]

This multitude is following Jesus on His way to Jerusalem, and they think they are in a parade. Jesus knows it is a death march—it is going to take Him to Calvary. It is going to include ridicule and mockery and rejection and suffering. Jesus says—quite literally—“If you want to follow Me, get in line behind Me and expect to be handed your own cross.”

Now beloved, be careful that you don’t make this passage a list of requirements for salvation, as some have. Salvation is not justification by faith plus works. Jesus is not giving us a checklist in order to be saved; He is giving us a checklist on what life means now that we are saved.

And Jesus is making a statement that His generation would immediately understand. The cross represented the most humiliating death in the Roman Empire. It was the death no one wanted to die. The cross was not only the tree of torture but also a symbol of shame.

Taking up your cross in the first century would have been the most dramatic way of announcing that your life was no longer your own—that you are no longer in charge of your destiny.

Jesus is not handing out crowns; He is handing out crosses, as it were. We are invited to get in line behind Him—to declare that we are not in charge of our destiny and we are willing to accept the ridicule and rejection of the world.

Jesus goes on to deliver a third challenge to this mob of people: they need to anticipate the cost of their commitment. The Lord uses two illustrations to make His point. The first one comes from a construction site.

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’” (verses 28-30)

He may be referring here to a watchtower set in a vineyard or to a barn. In either case, someone who starts building without calculating the cost is foolish. He only sets himself up for ridicule if he’s unable to complete it.

The second illustration comes from the battlefield.

“Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.” (verses 31-32)

No king is going to rush into battle without doing a headcount. And this king realizes he is outnumbered two to one. So, the wisest thing to do is write up a peace treaty.

In other words, building a life for Christ—going out on the battlefield for Christ—is not a matter of emotion but of calculation. Think it through, and then trust the Lord as you walk with Him to provide what you need.

There is one more challenge here as the Lord summarizes His teaching; here it is: assume that expectations will change along the journey. Jesus says here in verse 33, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

The word “therefore” goes back and basically summarizes everything Jesus has already said in this encounter.[241] Therefore, be prepared to renounce everything as you pick up your cross.

The word for “renounce” is the word used often in the New Testament for saying farewell—saying goodbye.[242] This crowd of people had high expectations for following Jesus. They expected miracle lunches on the hillside and miraculous healings when they got sick. Jesus is effectively rewriting their expectations, telling them what it really means to walk with the Lord.

Being a disciple just might involve:

· Saying goodbye to other relationships that hinder your walk with God

· Saying farewell to the approval and acceptance of others

· Saying farewell to some activity or enterprise that does not put Christ first

· Saying goodbye to some expectation that God chooses not to fulfill

Being a disciple means simply saying this: Nothing matters more to me than belonging to and walking with my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.[243]

What We’ll Know about Earth, When We’re in Heaven Luke 15:1-10

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Years ago, a little boy faithfully attended a Sunday school in Chicago. When his parents moved to another part of the city, the boy still attended the same Sunday school, although it meant a long, tiresome walk each Sunday. When asked why he was willing to walk so far when he could attend a Sunday school closer to home, he replied, “Because they love [me] over there.”[244]

There is no doubt in my mind that people were attracted to Jesus because they knew He loved them. He even loved the outcasts and sinners of His day. And, of course, this invited the scorn of the proud, self-righteous Pharisees.

Now as we continue our chronological study of the Gospels, we sail into Luke chapter 15 on our Wisdom Journey, where we read in verses 1-2:

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

According to the religious traditions, if you ate a meal with people who were ceremonially unclean, that made you ceremonially unclean. A Pharisee would never get near a tax collector—he would not associate with religious outcasts. Because Jesus is putting out the welcome mat for such people, the Pharisees and scribes condemn Him.

In response, Jesus delivers three parables—three down-to-earth stories with heavenly meaning. They all have to do with finding something or someone that is lost. We will look at the first two parables in this study.

Jesus’ first parable is about a lost sheep—verse 4:

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?”

That is what a good shepherd does. No shepherd is going to say, “Well, you win some; you lose some.” Every night as shepherds rounded up their flocks, they counted them. A hundred sheep, by the way, would be a large flock. Bible scholars say this indicates Jesus is describing a community flock of sheep, where there would be several shepherds involved in their care. And that explains how one of the shepherds could leave the ninety-nine and go off searching for one lost sheep.

In his diligent care for the sheep, the shepherd would take his rod every night and part the wool to see if there were any parasites or wounds. The fleece could easily hide problems. When we speak today of “pulling the wool over someone’s eyes,” we are using an expression that comes from the world of shepherding.

Jesus says in verse 5 that when the shepherd finds the lost sheep, “he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” He then connects this with the joy of heaven over finding a lost sinner: “Just so . . . there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” (verse 7).

Jesus then tells a second parable—this one about a lost coin. In verse 8 He describes a woman who loses one of her ten coins. Scholars familiar with this culture suggest that these coins were part of her wedding dowry. They would often be fashioned into a piece of jewelry worn on a headdress.[245]

This coin, then, has great sentimental value. She sweeps up the entire house. In these days, the dirt floors of the ordinary person would be covered with straw and reeds, so she is hunting for a needle in a haystack. She sweeps up everything and then sifts through it all, until she finds the coin.

And when she finds it, Jesus says, “She calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost’” (verse 9).

Her diligent search is rewarded, and there is much rejoicing. She is so happy, in fact, that she calls her friends and neighbors together to rejoice with her in finding the coin. Jesus, of course, is illustrating the joy in heaven over a sinner being saved.

This is what the Pharisees do not understand. They think a lost sinner is worthless: “Good riddance!” Rabbis in Jesus’ day taught that God rejoiced when a sinner died. Jesus is teaching that God rejoices when a sinner is saved.

I love the analogy of one author, who wrote that this is God in His grace, stooping down to find you in the dirty places of earth; bending down and sifting through the dust and debris in order to lift the treasure of His redeemed from the garbage into which it has fallen.[246]

Maybe you have the impression that you need to clean yourself up before coming to Christ; you need to straighten out your life before God will accept you. You have it in the wrong order. He finds you, and He makes you acceptable. He finds you in the dirt of earth, in the dustbin of sin, covered with the grime of guilt. You don’t clean yourself up before coming to Him; you come to Him, and He cleans you up.

In fact, for the rest of your life, He is going to be cleaning you up and dusting you off. Then one day His work in you will be completed, and with your glorified, perfected heart, soul, and mind, you’ll enter the presence of the Lord (Philippians 1:6). Then you’ll see your Shepherd, who searched for you and took you from the realm of the lost and brought you into the realm of the found.

You say, “I want to be among those who have been found!” You can be, but you must first admit you are lost—covered with sin and in need of a Savior.

Now Jesus says something very interesting here as He pulls back the curtain of heaven, saying, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (verse 10). He is repeating the point He made in verse 7—that there is “joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.” Here He says there is joy in the presence of the angels.

Over a hundred years ago, J. C. Ryle noted that Jesus repeats this truth in order to meet our unbelief. We can’t believe it, but it’s true that the perfect joy of heaven experiences moments of increase.[247]

Think about it: perfect joy in heaven actually experiences moments of even greater joy. Why? Because someone lost has been found. A sinner has been saved.

The typical interpretation here is that the angels are doing the celebrating along with God. Well, the angels probably are rejoicing, and the Lord certainly is, but that is not what Jesus says here. He says there is joy “before the angels.” Literally, they are not the ones celebrating; they are watching the celebration. So, who is celebrating?

To answer that, we need to back up a moment. The Bible says that whenever a believer dies, his spirit immediately goes to be with the Lord in the Father’s house—in heaven.

Those who are rejoicing in the presence of the angels are no doubt those in heaven who are friends and family members of that one who just came to faith in Christ—and they begin this joyful celebration.

Consider the implication of what Jesus is revealing: somehow—and we don’t know how—they learn that their unsaved friend or family member has just been saved. And their joy in heaven immediately increases and breaks into celebration.

But maybe you have always thought that when people get to heaven, they do not care about anything that happens on earth? Since they are now in the presence of God, why would they care about what is happening on earth?

Well evidently, they do care. They care about the conversion of sinners. And these believers who have died and gone to heaven rejoice when someone they knew on earth who was not a believer becomes a Christian.

That is breaking news in heaven. And with that breaking news of some lost sinner being found, a celebration begins.

The Prodigal Luke 15:11-19

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From the beginning of creation, the first couple—Adam and Eve—ran from God. And since then, the story of human history is the story of prodigals, convinced by the lie of Satan that doing things their own way is the road to freedom. Well, that road is always going to lead to trouble and despair.

Jesus has been telling some parables about God searching for the lost: a lost sheep, a lost coin, and now a lost son. Luke’s the only Gospel writer who records the parable of the prodigal son.

If we divided this parable into scenes, the first scene could be called: Burning Your Bridges Behind You. It begins in Luke 15:11:

“There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. (verses 11-12)

The implication here is that this father is a widow; he is older now; his sons are grown men. The older son would receive two-thirds of the family estate, and the younger son one-third.

In this culture it was shameful for a son to demand his inheritance while his father was still alive. So, this is a shocking and painful request. The younger son is essentially saying to his father, “I am tired of waiting for you to die so I can get my hands on what I have got coming.” One Bible scholar wrote that in this culture, this was tantamount to telling his father, “I wish you were dead.”[248]

He is not just tired of waiting for his father to die; he is tired of living under his father’s authority and his father’s morality. Let me tell you, he was a prodigal long before he left home.

Now Jesus tells us in verse 13: “Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country.” The word used for “gathered” probably means he turned everything into currency.[249] He only wants the cash value of the land and cattle. He doesn’t want cows; he wants cash. But most of all, he wants out.

He is going to burn every bridge behind him. I can just imagine his father standing there on the roadside as he watches his son leave—and perhaps never return again. Maybe you have been there in his sandals; maybe you are there right now—you know the taste of those bitter tears as you have watched a child or a loved one run away from God.

The next scene opens, and I will call it Looking for Freedom from People Who Are Enslaved. Jesus says in verse 13 that he “took a journey into a far country, and there squandered his property in reckless living.”

The far country implies that he has traveled outside of Jewish territory. And the fact that he will end up working on a hog farm gives you the idea that he has left Judaism behind, as well as his heritage—and the God of Israel.

Jesus says he spent his inheritance in “reckless living.” This refers to drunken debauchery. The older brother will say later that he had spent his money on prostitutes. The prodigal is trying to find freedom among people who are already enslaved to sin.

But make no mistake; at this point, he is saying to himself, “This is the life I’ve dreamed of; these are my friends. This is home.”

By the way, beloved, do not try to convince people who are sinning that they are not having a good time. Oh no, sin is pleasurable; independence from God feels like freedom. But, of course, it does not last.

Let me call this third scene Watching Wild Oats Come to Harvest. Jesus continues His parable:

“And when he had spent everything, a sever famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.” (verses 14-16)

Now to the Lord’s Jewish audience, the picture Jesus is painting is of a life that is completely beyond redemption. I mean, you cannot get any worse than this—you cannot get any lower and deeper in sin than this prodigal son.

To top it off, his friends disappear as soon as his money runs out. He is abandoned by everyone, just like he abandoned everyone back home.

Before going any farther, let me offer two suggestions for those who are praying for some prodigal out there in the world today. First, ask God to help you build a bridge to your loved one—not for compromising but for communicating. Keep the conversation open, and lovingly insert gospel truth whenever appropriate; but just remember, your prodigal probably knows all the verses already by heart.

Second, don’t pray for the prodigal’s good fortune; pray for God to send a great famine. Pray for God to bring that one to an empty place that reveals the emptiness in his or her life. Beloved, don’t pray that God will keep the prodigal out of the fire—ask God to heat it up. Remember, prodigals do not come to their senses in the father’s house; they tend to come to their senses in the pigpen.

Now with that, the prodigal reaches this point of desperation. And I believe what happens next is altogether misunderstood by many in the church today. Jesus continues:

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”’” (verses 17-19)

Now you might think the son is demonstrating repentance here—not at all! He is starving; and he comes to himself—literally, he comes to his senses. It is as if he wakes up and says to himself, “What in the world am I doing here feeding pigs when my father’s hired servants have not missed a meal?”

What this prodigal does is come up with a speech he hopes will soften up his father, just enough to give him a job. He plans on going home, not to repent, but to negotiate for employment.

But isn’t he going to say to his father, “I have sinned against God and against you”? Well, let me tell you, these Pharisees probably recognize that Jesus is using the words Pharaoh said to Moses, to try to stop the plagues. He said these same words: “I have sinned against … God, and against you” (Exodus 10:16).

According to verse 19 the prodigal also plans to say, “Treat me as one of your hired servants.” This word for “hired servants” is not the word for slaves or servants. It’s a financial word the apostle Paul uses in referring to paying a salary (“honor”) to elders who faithfully preach (1 Timothy 5:17).

When he says, “Treat me as one of your hired servants,” he is literally saying, “Fashion me—make this out of me.” In other words, here is his speech, boiled down to the truth: “Listen Dad, here is what I want you to do. I want you to pay for my apprenticeship so I can learn a new trade as a skilled, salaried craftsman.”

This would allow him to live in the village independent of his father and make a new career that allowed him to regain some standing in the community. At this point, he is planning to come home and save face; he is coming home for financial assistance.

He still wants money from his dad. But he is about to discover the unlimited treasure of his father’s grace. More on that in our next Wisdom Journey study.

Two Prodigal Sons Luke 15:20-32

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The story of the prodigal son is perhaps the Lord’s best-known parable. Yet as familiar as we might be with it, we think of it as the parable of the prodigal son. However, this is really a parable of two prodigal sons.

· Both sons are lost—one son becomes a prodigal when he runs away from home; the other son is a prodigal while staying at home.

· Both sons defy their father’s wishes.

· Both sons break their father’s heart.

· The father leaves the house in order to find both of them.

· In fact, both of them need to be found.

Remember, this is the third of three parables in Luke 15. Jesus is telling these parables in response to the Pharisees and scribes, who grumbled over the fact that Jesus was eating a meal with all kinds of sinners who would never darken the door of a synagogue.

Jesus is making the point that His mission is to seek and to save those who are lost. The lost need to be found. And when they are, the hosts of heaven rejoice.

So far, we have seen the younger brother demand his inheritance before his father has died. That was a shameful demand. But the father divides the inheritance, and his younger son takes off. After wasting his inheritance in reckless living, the Bible says he came to his senses. Out there feeding pigs but starving to death himself, he comes up with a plan and decides to return home.

Now most people read this and think he has repented out there in the pigpen. But this is not real repentance. He has come up with an apology, but Jesus actually quotes him as saying the same words Pharaoh said to Moses in order to escape from the plagues. Pharoah said, “I have sinned against God and before you.” And that’s exactly what the prodigal is going to say. But then he plans to add this last phrase: “Treat me as”—literally, “make of me”—“one of your hired servants.” The Greek word for “servants” refers to hired craftsmen. He’s planning to ask his father to finance an apprenticeship and make him into a professional craftsman and put him on the payroll. He can continue living an independent life, and—who knows?—he might even pay his father back. But he is not going home to confess; he is going home to try to save face.

What happens next, though, is shocking—especially to the scribes and Pharisees listening to Jesus tell this dramatic story. Four scenes quickly unfold here, and the first scene highlights the father’s grace. Verse 20 says, “While he [the son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” The word here for “ran” literally means to race. In this culture, older men did not run. Running was considered beneath the dignified posture of an older man in the Middle East.[250]

Why is he racing to his son? Or better yet, who is he racing to his son? In this day and age, the prodigal’s sinful decisions shamed not only his father and his family but the entire village as well. Two things might very well happen to this prodigal son. The villagers could follow the letter of the law and have him stoned to death, or they could perform what is called the kezazah ceremony. They would fill a jar with burnt beans and throw it at his feet, signifying by this public act that he would never receive anything from them—he would be banished from their village forever.[251]

Let me tell you, the father is racing to get to his prodigal son first. This is where the parable becomes a picture of God the Son, who left His Father’s house and came running to seek and to save the lost.

The second scene highlights the son’s guilt—verse 21: “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’”

Notice that he does not make that last statement about financial assistance. He is blown away by his father’s love and compassion. The prodigal’s tone completely changes. Now he simply says, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son”—period. There is no negotiation—just humble, true confession.

The third scene highlights the father’s gifts. Verse 22: “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.’”

The “best robe” is literally the “first robe.” This is the father’s robe, worn on feast days and grand occasions.[252]

The father says to do this quickly. Why? So that any arriving mob from the village would understand there has been reconciliation. The son is under the protection of his father; he is effectively wearing his father’s reputation. What a picture of salvation, where we, filthy sinners, are robed with the righteousness—the reputation—of Christ.

The father has a ring put on his son’s hand and shoes on his feet. The ring is a seal of family authority, granting him the right to transact business in his father’s name. Likewise, beloved, as God’s children, we transact eternal business in God’s name today. Shoes symbolized family membership; slaves did not wear shoes, but family members did.

Then the father calls for a celebration feast, saying in verse 24, “My son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”

Now what did this son do to deserve this? Nothing! And that is the point: you don’t pay God back for salvation—it is a gift of God’s grace.

This brings us to the final scene, beginning here in verse 25. It highlights the brother’s grumbling.

Verse 28 tells us the older brother arrives home and is immediately resentful; he refuses to join in the celebration. His father is receiving a sinner and eating with him, and he is grumbling.

The Lord is obviously identifying him with the Pharisees—they are unwilling to eat a meal with someone they think does not deserve it, and they are grumbling.

When his father comes out to him, the older brother has this to say:

“‘These many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’” (verses 29-30)

Now I must admit that I find myself agreeing with him; I kind of feel sorry for him. It doesn’t seem fair to me either. But remember this: grace is never about fairness; grace offers undeserved forgiveness.

This older son looks good, but he has the heart of a Pharisee. He has kept the rules; he is respectable, dependable, moral, obedient. He deserves this kind of treatment from his father.[253] But he is missing the point. Grace is not a reward; it’s a gift!

The truth is, the older brother cared more about himself than his father’s happiness. He cared more about himself than his brother’s restoration.

Where do you see yourself in this parable? Do you see yourself in the older brother—as one who has kept the rules and believes he deserves better treatment from the Father? If that’s you, let me encourage you to confess your heart attitude of pride and thank God for the gifts of undeserved grace.

Do you see yourself in the younger brother—as one who has run away from God but now realizes he is unworthy of the Father’s gifts of grace? If that’s you, right where you are—right now—humbly ask the Lord for His gracious gift of forgiveness and salvation. Remember, these gifts are yours for free, because Jesus paid it all.

Principles for Money Managers Luke 16:1-13

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Somebody once said the most sensitive nerve in your body is the one that runs from your heart to your wallet. I believe it.

The truth is, Jesus wants us to become more sensitive stewards—better money managers—with what He has given to us in life. Here in Luke chapter 16, Jesus tells a parable in which all the participants are going about it the wrong way. He begins in verse 1:

“There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management [stewardship], for you can no longer be manager.” (verses 1-2)

“Wasting [the rich man’s] possessions” meant squandering them through neglect of duty.[254]He just didn’t care. Once the business owner finds out, he immediately demands an audit—a written statement of financial accounts.[255]

Jesus continues in verse 3:

“And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.’”

It appears that ditch digging and begging are his only two options. He says here in verse 4, “I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.”

Evidently his management position provided him with a housing benefit, so he is going to lose both his paycheck and a place to live. He comes up with a clever little plan that Jesus describes for us:

Summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do

you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take

your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how

much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him,

‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’” (verses 5-7)

The first man owes a hundred measures of oil—that was 800 gallons of olive oil and worth about three years of the average person’s annual salary. The second man owes 100 measures of wheat, which was worth about seven years of the average person’s annual salary.[256] Judging from the size of these debts, the men are more than likely wealthy merchants in oil and wheat.

So, this manager knows that by allowing them to reduce their debt, they are going to owe him some big favors in the future. He is being generous, but the rich man’s money is not his to give. He’s applying what we call the first rule of politics: always be generous with other people’s money.[257]

Now don’t miss this: this plan is not going to work unless these clients are willing to write fake invoices in their own hand. They have to be just as deceitful as the manager is—and they are.

What about the rich man? He finally shows up, and what does he do? “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness” (verse 8).

He should have arrested him, not commended him; and he should have arrested the clients who cheated his business out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. But instead, he turns a blind eye and says to this manager, “You are one clever manager.”

Why doesn’t he call for an investigation? Well, for him, what could have been a total loss of unpaid debts is now going to be a gain of at least half the amount. Hey, he can write off the rest as company losses and then pay less on his corporate taxes—he likes this plan!

Now many people read this parable and assume it is teaching that God is unjust. Beloved, nowhere in this parable is this rich man a picture of God. He is a picture of the sons of this world—he is equally shrewd, equally devoted to money, equally willing to compromise his character for a little more currency.

And with that, Jesus makes an application. Let me put it in the form of three principles that will make us as believers better money managers with what God has given to us.

Here is the first principle: Be strategic with the opportunities you have. In the latter part of verse 8, Jesus says, “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.”

Jesus is not commending them to us; He is comparing them to us. Here is what He is telling us:

· Look at the way people of the world think up clever ways to advance their agenda.

· Look at the way they market their propaganda.

What are we doing, as sons of light—a phrase used in the New Testament for believers? What if we were as clever and creative in advancing the gospel as the unsaved are in getting more money?

Beloved, our urgency is not for the sake of currency; our urgency is for the sake of eternity. Be strategic with the opportunities you have.

The second principle is this: Be intentional with the money you have. Jesus puts it this way in verse 9:

“Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails [when you die] they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.”

“Unrighteous wealth” is simply a reference to worldly wealth. This is the currency of your country—it’s the money you get paid at your job; it’s of this world. One day it is going to go out of style. It will be worthless. Gold will become stuff that God uses to pave the streets of heaven; it will be ordinary asphalt.

Jesus is effectively saying, “Use your wealth intentionally; use it to make friends for eternity—that is, reach people with it so that people will be in heaven because of your investment.”

Have you ever thought that some of your best friends are people you have not met yet? You will meet them in heaven because you allowed your sacrifice, your talent, your treasure to be invested in their eternal future.

Now principle number 3: Be faithful no matter how much you have. Jesus says here in verses 10-11:

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is

dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been

faithful in the unrighteous [worldly] wealth, who will entrust to you the true

[eternal] riches?”

It’s easy to think we could really manage things if we had a lot of money. Jesus says here that what matters is whether you can handle a little bit of money. That is a true test of faithful stewardship.

It has often been told that when Peter Marshall served as chaplain of the United States Senate, a senator approached Peter and asked him to pray for him that God would help him begin giving again at least 10 percent of his income to the Lord’s work. He told the chaplain, “I was making $20,000 a year, and I could afford to give $2,000. But, you see, Peter, I’m now making $500,000 a year, and there’s just no way I can afford a tithe of $50,000.”

So, they bowed their heads, and Peter prayed, “Lord would you please reduce this man’s salary so he can afford to give once again.”

Money is not the problem; devotion to money is. The problem is not what you possess; it is what possesses you. So, what is mastering you today?

Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and money” (verse 13). You cannot be mastered by money and by God at the same time.

Money can be a tyrant, and it can be a trap; but it can also be a tool. Let’s become better money managers—investing in the lives of people who will become our friends forever when we meet them one day in heaven.

A Case for Divorce and Remarriage Luke 16:14-18

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If you attend a traditional wedding today, you will hear some vows exchanged—promises to have and to hold from this day forward. Those are solemn words, and they go all the way back to God’s ideal for marriage, which includes harmony and permanency and unity.

Now the trouble with marriage is that it is the union of two sinners. You may have thought marriage would be easy—until you got married! Then you realized you were so different from your spouse—and you have been working at understanding that person ever since.

One man who had been married for over fifty years told me one Sunday morning after the service that he and his wife are very different. He said, “We’re so different, the only thing we have in common is that we were married on the same day.”

Let me tell you, God put into place this unwritten law that opposites attract. Marriage becomes the greatest tool of spiritual development you have on earth.

But what happens when a spouse decides to pursue a lifestyle that is sinful or begins to embrace a sinful addiction or becomes physically abusive? Is divorce biblically justified?

We are in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 16. Jesus has just finished giving a parable about the godly use of money, and we read in verse 14, “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.”

Jesus knows their hearts—He knows they don’t really care about God’s Word. He says to them in verse 17, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.”

Even the smallest dot is important. Jesus is referring to that the little serif—that little pen stroke that distinguishes Hebrew consonants.[258]The liberals love to say that the Bible contains the word of God; no, the Bible is the Word of God—even that little dot.

Jesus brings up an illustration to prove these Pharisees were trying to get around the Word of God—verse 18: “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”

Jesus’ gives a fuller statement regarding the issue in Matthew 19:9, where, in a different context, He says, “I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” Here He adds what we call an exception clause to a permanent marriage—the exception of sexual immorality.

In the Lord’s day, there were two schools of rabbinical thought with regard to divorce, and they both quoted Deuteronomy 24:1:

When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her . . . he [may write] her a certificate of divorce.

The conservative school defined “indecency” as adultery. The more liberal school, represented by the Pharisees, focused on the phrase “she finds no favor in his eyes.” The rabbis defined this lack of favor to include burning his dinner, speaking to another man on the street, or even talking too loudly.[259]

However, a woman could divorce her husband only if he became an apostate, a criminal, or a leper.[260] So obviously, divorce was nearly impossible for a woman, even if her husband was self-centered, immoral, and cruel.

What Jesus does here is clarify the law. He says divorce can take place if either spouse commits “sexual immorality.” The Greek word here is porneia. Some versions translate it “fornication,” but it’s a broad term for sexual immorality.

Don’t misunderstand, Jesus does not say, “You must get a divorce because of sexual immorality.” Divorce isn’t required, but it is permitted.

Sexual immorality is not automatic grounds for divorce, but it certainly is grounds for genuine repentance. For those who are married to someone who refuses to genuinely repent, the Lord opens the door with this exception clause so the innocent spouse can be free to divorce and remarry.

Now you might be wondering if immorality is the only grounds for a biblically justifiable divorce and remarriage. The apostle Paul speaks to this in 1 Corinthians 7:

To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)

Paul is talking here about a Christian couple who have no biblical grounds for divorce. Should one of the spouses leave, that one is not free to marry someone else. Paul says the one who leaves should either remain unmarried or reconcile with his or her spouse.

Paul then adds these words in verse 12: “To the rest I say (I, not the Lord).” This does not mean Paul is just giving his own opinion. It means the Lord had not delivered this instruction during His ministry, so Paul is not quoting Jesus here. He is now being led by the Holy Spirit to give further direction to the believer:

If any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. (verses 12-13)

The word “consent” is critical here. It is a word that refers to pleasing agreement—a mutual desire to be together.[261]

Consent is a two-way street. So, if there is a clear desire, even from an unbelieving spouse, to pursue the wedding vows, Paul says, do not divorce that spouse.

But if that is not the case—if there are decisions and addictions and actions that clearly communicate a spouse really does not consent to live responsibly as a husband or wife—Paul presents that as an act of abandonment. He says in verse 15, “But if the unbelieving partner separates”—and I might add, the partner who is acting like an unbeliever—“let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved.”

In other words, do not fight it or argue about it; allow it. In fact, there is nothing that forbids the innocent spouse from initiating it. Paul writes here, “God has called you to peace.” And that is your goal now: to leave the battle behind with that sinful, unrepentant spouse whose decisions acted out abandonment—a lack of consent to dwell with you.

Paul says here in verse 15, “In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved.” This is the only time in the New Testament this phrase, “in such cases,” is found. It means, “In cases like these, which involve abandonment.” It is an umbrella phrase for any kind of case that reveals the spouse is not genuinely repenting and genuinely demonstrating consent to live respectfully and agreeably with his or her spouse.

I believe those other cases that effectively communicate abandonment of the wedding vows would include unrepentant immorality; unrepentant pornography, gambling, and other addictions like drugs and alcohol that accompany a lifestyle of deception; stealing from the household income; verbal threats of physical harm; and most certainly, any kind of physical abuse.

There is a popular view out there in the Christian community that says a wife should endure physical abuse like a missionary endures persecution. Absolutely not! Let me tell you, leaving an unrepentant, cheating, stealing, drunken, deceitful, immoral, abusive spouse is a better way to witness to our world what God considers a marriage to be than supporting and subsidizing a spouse who dishonors the sanctity of marriage.

In cases like these, there is biblical ground for divorce and remarriage so that the believer can show the world what a true, biblical marriage is all about.

Shocking Truths about Life after Death Luke 16:19-31

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Sometimes the best way to get a message across to people is to shock them with the truth. That is exactly what Jesus is about to do here in Luke’s Gospel account. He is going to talk about the afterlife—the comfort of paradise and the torment of hell.

Vance Havner was a famous evangelist of the last century from my home state of North Carolina. At one point he was pastoring a small country church, and he preached on hell. A farmer came up afterward. He was rather upset and told him, “Preach on the meek and lowly Jesus.” Havner responded, “That’s where I got my information about hell.”[262] Let me tell you, Jesus warned His audience about hell more than any other person in the New Testament.

Jesus has been telling a number of parables, so another one here would certainly fit with that pattern. Many interpreters, however, suggest this is not a parable, because Jesus never named anybody in a parable, like He is about to here. But either way, the truth remains: Whether Jesus is describing a real event or not, He is describing a real place, as He speaks in Luke 16:

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.” (verses 19-23)

You could entitle this account, “The Great Reversal.” The rich man had everything imaginable—he even dressed in “purple.” A purple garment in these days would cost three years of the average person’s salary. Everybody would assume this man had earned God’s favor.

Lazarus was a poor beggar. Everyone would assume he was experiencing God’s judgment. Here he is, having been laid at the rich man’s gate—the verb indicates abandonment at the gate.

In these days, people ate with their fingers, and the wealthy did not use napkins, but bread, to wipe their fingers. Lazarus hoped to get some of that bread to eat.

Jesus simply says that both men died. Lazarus ends up at “Abraham’s side,” or bosom. This represents the seat of honor, at the table next to Abraham. But the rich man ends up in the place of torment in Hades. This would have been totally shocking to the Pharisees! Evidently Lazarus had nothing but God, and the rich man had everything but God.

Now let me pull over here and explain something about the afterlife that Jesus is revealing. We think of heaven and hell as the final place for the saved and unsaved, and that’s true. But at this point, before the resurrection of Christ, and before the final judgment of unbelievers, Jesus is describing a temporary place with two compartments for the spirits of the deceased.

The Old Testament speaks of sheol as the place of the dead. Both unbelievers and believers are said to go to sheol. Hades is the Greek term for sheol. The New Testament indicates this is a temporary place of the dead, with believers in the comfort of Abraham’s presence—another name for “paradise”—and unbelievers in a place of suffering in Hades.

Now when Jesus rose from the dead, Old Testament believers in paradise were transferred to heaven (Ephesians 4:8); and since then, every believer immediately goes to heaven upon death. The apostle Paul wrote that to “be away from the body” is to be “at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

So, the comfort side of Hades is now empty, but the suffering side is still in full operation. Every unbeliever to this day goes to Hades and awaits the final judgment, where, according to Revelation 20, Hades will be poured out into the lake of fire, which is eternal hell.

Jesus is describing the situation at that time—prior to His resurrection—picturing life beyond the grave. I want to point out six different truths about the afterlife from the Lord’s words here in Luke 16.

First, no one who dies ceases to exist. And by the way, nobody is sleeping either. The word for sleep is used of the dead simply as a way of describing their body, sleeping as it were, lying there in the tomb. But we are shown here that immediately upon death, these men are awake and fully aware of either judgment or joy.

Second, the soul or spirit is given a temporary, physical body. Jesus describes the two men immediately experiencing either enjoyment and conversation or suffering and thirst.

This rich man says in verse 24, “Send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.” Evidently Lazarus has a finger and this rich man has a tongue.

Here is another truth about life beyond the grave: Individuals are recognizable in their temporary bodies. The rich man, Lazarus, and Abraham are not floating spirits that have become one with the universe. They are still identifiable as individuals. They are distinct, conscious, communicating, emotional, physical, literal people. They even have the same names.

Fourth, people have memories of life on earth. This rich man remembers his brothers, and he knows they do not follow God either.

This tormented man pleads with Abraham:

“Send [Lazarus] to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” (verses 27-28)

Surely, he thinks, if someone like Lazarus miraculously returned from the dead, his unbelieving brothers would repent and believe and avoid this place of torment. Abraham replies in verse 31, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” They have the Old Testament, the Word of God.

We need to hear this today, beloved. Abraham clearly says that miracles will not convince unbelievers of the truth of the gospel.

Just deliver the Word of God, and allow it to do the work of conviction. Martin Luther, the reformer, once said some 500 years ago, “I simply taught, preached, wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing. The Word of God did it all.”

But wouldn’t a miracle change their minds? Well, Jesus did raise a man from the dead—ironically a man named Lazarus—and what was the response? The religious leaders still plotted to kill Jesus, and they wanted to kill Lazarus too if they got the chance. If someone denies the Word of God, all the miracles in the world will not change their minds.

Here is the fifth truth: Those who have died have an unchangeable destiny. Abraham explains to this man that the gulf between heaven and hell is uncrossable. There is a great chasm between the two, and it is fixed; it’s unbridgeable—forever impassable. Whatever you decide about Jesus in this life is a decision you will live with forever.

Here’s one final truth we observe: There is no such thing as unbelief after death. Those who would not believe the truth while they lived on earth will one day know that it is true. It will be undeniable. They will know the truth, but it will be eternally too late.

This was a surprising message to the religious leaders, and it might be shocking to you today. But it is not presented just to be shocking but to give you an invitation. The Bible says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Don’t wait! Let me tell you; it is not safe to die until you have trusted in Jesus for your future, eternal destination.

When It’s Wrong to Forgive Someone Luke 17:1-10

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By the time we reach Luke 17, Jesus is about three years into His public ministry. He has begun preparing the disciples in very realistic terms for what it will mean to serve Him in a hostile world.

I want to summarize His teaching through this next passage of Scripture by boiling down the Lord’s training into three reminders. The first reminder is simply this: Be careful! Listen to the Lord’s words in verse 1:

And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!”

Let me tell you, the world is no friend to your desire to live a godly life. Temptation and sin are inevitable. Every day you get out of bed you are going to face a test of integrity. None of us is going to be free from sin and temptation until we see Jesus.

The Lord’s concern here is that His disciples do not become the source of temptation for others. Jesus says, “Woe to the one through whom [temptations] come!” The word for “temptation” is the Greek word skandalon, which gives us the word scandal. It literally means to “trap.” The Lord is warning us here not to live in such a way that we trip up someone else.

He continues in verse 2:

“It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.”

That is quite a warning, isn’t it? You cause some child—or some child in the faith—to be spiritually harmed because of your temptation to sin, and it would be better for you to be tied to a large millstone and cast into the sea. It would be better to drown than cause a little one to enter a life of sin.[263]

This same warning from the Lord is recorded in Matthew 18 and Mark 9. More specifically it refers to young or new believers.[264] So, pay attention to how you are living. Be careful, so that your life is worth imitating as you walk with Christ.

Now the second reminder is to be forgiving. Jesus says in verse 3, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” Our first duty to sinning believers is to rebuke them, or warn them—with the goal of repentance and restoration to fellowship.

If they repent, it is our duty to forgive them. And this forgiveness is to be given even if someone sins repeatedly and each time repents. Jesus says in verse 4 that even “if he sins against you seven times in the day . . . you must forgive him.”

“Seven times” is a reference to forgiving without limits. But notice the qualifying statement: we are to forgive every time there is genuine repentance.

What about someone who doesn’t repent? Notice here that forgiveness depends on repentance. Verse 3 again: “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.”

I hear preachers today praying that God will forgive America. God is not going to forgive America, because America is not repenting. In fact, America is not even asking for forgiveness.

What is often overlooked is the road map. Repentance leads someone to ask for forgiveness, and that leads to forgiveness and fellowship. Forgiveness is a two-way street that leads to fellowship. You cannot have fellowship with someone who refuses to repent of his or her sin against you.

Maybe you are going through that struggle right now. Somebody has hurt you, maligned you, abused you; you might be the victim of someone’s crime. So how do you forgive that person if there is no repentance? Well, in a very real way, you can’t. You might not even be able to talk to the person because he or she has moved away.

But listen, you can talk to the Lord about the person. You can imitate Jesus on the cross who said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Jesus didn’t say that to them; He said it in prayer to His Father. Forgiveness was a transaction in prayer between Jesus and His heavenly Father.

So also, for you today, forgiveness might be between you and the Lord. That other person may never ask for your forgiveness. The individual might even be dead today and long gone. But you can go to the Lord and hand that person over to Him and say, “Lord, I forgive him the way you forgave those Roman soldiers and religious leaders who crucified You. I want a forgiving spirit before You, Lord; in fact, I am going to hand that person over to You and stop reliving his sin against me. Lord, I am going to trust Your will for my life, like Joseph who was sold to the Egyptians according to Your will. I am going to trust Your will; I am going to give You my resentment against this person’s actions. I am putting it in Your hands from now on.”

Beloved, you might not be able to enjoy renewed fellowship with someone who has sinned against you unless that person repents, but you can enjoy renewed fellowship with the Lord.

Someone once said that we don’t get to choose our crosses, but we get to choose our responses. A forgiving spirit before the Lord is one of those responses we should choose.

And if that person comes to you and apologizes, Jesus says, “Even if it’s seven times, forgive them.”

Well, no wonder the disciples followed up this teaching by saying to the Lord in verse 5, “Increase our faith!” They are going to need more faith to trust Him and forgive like that.

Now the Lord moves on to give them the reminder to serve faithfully:

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?” (verses 7-9)

Jesus is describing the normal social structure in His day. The household servant did not expect to get any thanks for working hard all day and then into the night.

But the Lord applies this illustration to His disciples in verse 10:

“So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

You know what allows you to live carefully so that others watching you will not be tempted to sin? Do you know what gives you a forgiving spirit? Do you know what keeps you humbly serving the Lord? Here it is: the attitude that you are an unworthy servant.

God in His grace chose us; by His grace He has even chosen to use us. And we know our hearts, don’t we? We know we are unworthy in and of ourselves.

But here is the amazing thing—the Lord will honor us one day. He will reward us for every little act of service. Beloved, I believe we will be surprised at how joyfully and eagerly the Lord rewards us at the coming judgment seat of Christ, when believers are given crowns and jewels that represent even our smallest efforts (2 Corinthians 5:10).

But here is what we are going to do with our rewards. The Bible tells us we will cast them at His feet, as if to admit, “Lord, whatever good we did, we just did out duty through Your power.” And as we cast our crowns at His feet, the Bible says we will be saying to the Lord, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power” (Revelation 4:10-11).

So, between today and that day of reward, let us serve Him humbly; let us live for Him carefully, and let us have a spirit of forgiveness as disciples of Jesus!

An Earlier Resurrection John 11:1-53

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In our chronological study of the Gospels, we come now to John 11 and the record of another resurrection.

Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha lived near Jerusalem in the village of Bethany; they were close friends of Jesus. Verse 3 tells us the sisters send word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, he whom you love [Lazarus] is ill.” Now these sisters undoubtedly believed Jesus would pack up and come running. I mean there should be a perk like that if you are a friend of Jesus. He cannot give you front row seats at the symphony, but He can heal your friends and family.

But instead of running to Bethany, Jesus does something else:

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. (verses 5-6)

That doesn’t make any sense! He loved them, but then He delayed another two days. Well, let me tell you, these two sisters wanted Jesus to reveal His power to heal sickness. Jesus is going to wait until Lazarus dies so that He can reveal His power over the grave.

Two days later, when Jesus announces to His disciples that they are going to head over to Bethany, they are concerned for His safety. After all, there are death threats against Him. But Jesus says to them, “Lazarus has fallen asleep” (verse 11). Well, they miss the point, so He tells them “plainly” in verse 14, “Lazarus has died.” Death looks like the body is sleeping, which is why “sleep” is often used to describe someone who has died.

When Jesus finally arrives, Mary stays in the house—she is pretty upset with Jesus—but Martha rushes out to meet Him. She just blurts out in verse 21, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” She is upset with Him too.

But note the exchange that follows:

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (verses 23-26)

Jesus says not only that He has the power to bring someone back to life, but also that He is the resurrection and the life. In other words, He is the source of resurrection life.

Jesus says, “Do you believe this?” Martha answers in verse 27, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

I want you to notice that Jesus does not ask Martha how she feels; it is what she believes that is important! Beloved, there will be times when you don’t feel like you understand what Jesus is doing. His delays may be painful. But the question is not how you feel about what is going on right now in your life. The question is, do you believe that Jesus is capable and trustworthy in managing your life?

Well, with that, Mary finally comes out of the house and falls down at Jesus’ feet and, like her sister, says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (verse 32).

Verse 33 states, “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.” The Greek word translated “troubled” is also used of a horse that is breathing heavily. Jesus feels the pain of those tears from Mary and Martha.

As Jesus arrives at the tomb, verse 35 simply says, “Jesus wept.” By the way, this does not mean a little tear trickled down His check; you could render this, “Jesus burst into tears.”

But why weep in view of what He knows He is going to do? I believe this reveals that He is indeed touched by the feelings of our infirmities. He shares our sorrows over what sin and death have brought into the world.

But why did Jesus wait until Lazarus had been dead for a total of four days now? I believe it is because the rabbis were teaching the superstition that the soul hovered over the body for three days, hoping, if possible, to reenter it. Jesus is giving no place for any superstitious belief regarding Lazarus. He is leaving no doubt whatsoever that Lazarus is dead and beyond hope.

When Jesus calls for the family cave, or crypt, to be opened, Martha objects, expecting the stench of death. Jesus tells her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you will see the glory of God?” (verse 40).

Then Jesus prays briefly and afterward cries out, “Lazarus, come out” (verse 43). The church leader Augustine wrote centuries ago that if Jesus had not called Lazarus by name, the entire cemetery would have emptied at that moment!

But look what happens:

The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (verse 44)

This is a wonderful picture of the Lord’s power to bring someone who died back to life. He is the resurrection and the life.

I want to point out two responses to this miracle. First, there is belief. Verse 45 says, “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him.”

How could you disbelieve after watching a dead man come out of the tomb? Oh, but some did! The other reaction to this miracle is willful blindness. Some reported this miracle to the Pharisees! And how did they respond? Verses 47-48:

The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Caiaphas, the high priest, speaks up here and adds in verse 50 these prophetic words: “It is better . . . that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” In other words, “Let’s kill Jesus before the Roman army comes and wipes us all out for following a false king and Messiah.”

Verse 53 tells us, “From that day on they made plans to put him to death.” They did everything they could to keep from seeing and hearing the truth.

James Montgomery Boice once wrote about a man who refused every invitation to visit the church he lived near. One day he was walking by and heard music and decided to go in and sit near the back of the church until the music finished.

But when the music was over, and the preacher stood up to preach, the man realized he was hemmed in by all the people; he could not leave without being noticed. So, he decided to slouch down and put his fingers in his ears so he could not hear.

A little housefly began buzzing around his nose. He ignored it as long as he could, but finally swatted at it, just as the pastor said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what God says.”[265] That did it. The man listened and then gave his heart to Christ.

Beloved, the religious leaders have their fingers in their ears and their hands over their eyes. Even the raising of Lazarus does not faze them. They are just going to try to swat it all away.

Here is the warning perhaps to you today: If you do not personally know the Lord Jesus as your God and Savior, do not cover your ears and your eyes. Jesus is the resurrection and the life; if you believe in Him, He will one day take you from death to everlasting life.

Lessons on Living from a Leper Luke 17:11-19; John 11:54

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At this point in our chronological study through the four Gospels, and the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the Lord is only a few weeks from His arrest and crucifixion—and He knows it.

Just a few days earlier, the Lord miraculously raised Lazarus from the dead. This took place in the village of Bethany, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives and only a couple of miles from Jerusalem. The raising of Lazarus, as amazing as it was, only hardened the resolve of the Jewish leaders to kill Jesus whenever they could get the chance. In fact, the Gospel of John records for us that the religious leaders, including the chief priest, “made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus” (John 12:10-11).

What do you do with the resurrection evidence of Lazarus, who’s now back on the streets? Well, you try to put him to death so he cannot testify of the power of Christ. How is that for hardness of heart? So now the religious leaders are hoping to kill both Lazarus and Jesus!

But Jesus is fully in control of His destiny, and no matter what the religious leaders are planning, He still has work to do. And part of that work includes further training of His twelve disciples. Back in John 11:54 we are told of a change that followed Lazarus’s resurrection:

Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the [Jewish leaders], but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.

Ephraim was around fourteen miles north of Jerusalem. It was near the wilderness region and secluded enough to keep the crowds away for a little while.

Now back in Luke 17:11 we read, “On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.” Apparently, after a little while in Ephraim, Jesus and the disciples traveled farther north.

The ultimate goal of their journey is Jerusalem to the south, so it is possible Jesus planned to join some supporters and family members from Galilee who would soon make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover.

Luke tells us that as they enter a village, they are confronted by ten lepers who cry out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us” (verse 13).

Jesus’ response is interesting. He does not immediately heal them; He says to them in verse 14, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” This was what a person cured of leprosy was supposed to do. The priest would examine the person to determine he was cured and could reenter normal life and worship. But these lepers are not healed yet; so, Jesus is effectively telling them to take a step of faith and start heading over to the local priest. The Bible records, “And as they went they were cleansed.”

Charles Ryrie pointed out that “leprosy appears in two forms. One affects the nerves and the other the skin. It is the latter which seems to be the type spoken of everywhere in the Bible.” When this kind of leprosy appears, swelling affects the face, the legs, and the feet; the skin becomes dry and scaly. Ulcers occur and often spread, causing disfigurement.[266]

So here is the picture. These men believe Jesus can cure them. And all ten are healed. As they leave to head over to the priest, they notice that their bodies feel differently. They remove rags from skin ulcers and perhaps watch as the ulcers disappear. They see and feel something miraculous happening to them.

Can you imagine the joy as these lepers discard their filthy rags and, now without pain in their once-swollen joints, pick up the pace—maybe even begin to run?

But then we read this:

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. (verses 15-16)

This man knew the seriousness of his condition. He knew he was helpless. And he recognized that Jesus had healed him. And he recognized the Lord’s grace in all of this—that Jesus did not have to do this. He could offer Jesus nothing but gratitude and praise.

Then Luke adds this significant note in verse 16: “He was a Samaritan.” This implies that the other nine were Jewish. Jesus says, “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (verse 18). The Greek word for “foreigner” (allogenēs) was typically used to describe pagan idolaters, who were unable to enter the temple precinct to worship God even if they wanted to.

So Jesus is setting up a rather ironic contrast between this one grateful Samaritan and the ungrateful Jewish lepers who were healed. The Samaritan is the only one who voices any kind of acknowledgment of God’s mighty work.

Let me ask you something: Has God done anything for you? Of course He has! Romans 5:8 says, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We are corrupt; we have a terminal case of sin. We have nothing to offer God but rags and the disfigurement of sin. So, when is the last time you thanked God for His work in curing your sin problem, by His grace?

And beyond that, as people of God, we ought to follow this Samaritan’s example and be different—and let me tell you, if you are thankful for God right now, you are different! We should recognize that God has worked and is working in our lives. And for that we owe Him our gratitude.

Well, this is one noisy leper. He is shouting out to the people in this village what God has just done for him. God has worked in his life, and he is not about to keep it to himself.

The other nine apparently don’t care about Jesus—they are focused on the healing. The majority of people—even Christians—act the same way today. This healed leper gets it; he realizes that everything he is and everything he will be is due to Jesus working in his life. Therefore, he glorifies God and gives thanks to Him.

This reminds me of what the psalmist said in Psalm 30, verses 10‑12:

Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper! You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

So, this one man comes back to Jesus and does the only thing he can do in adoration. He kneels down before Jesus and gives glory to God.

Now if we are like this leper, we will recognize that God has worked in our lives—that God is continually at work in our lives—and we will thank Him for what He does in our lives. But let me point out an important principle here: Expressing gratitude for a blessing just might lead to a greater blessing in life.

And for this leper, it is a blessing that will last forever. Listen to what Jesus says to this man who has come back to fall at His feet and praise God: “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well” (verse 19). Literally translated, He says, “Your faith has savedyou.”

Out of gratitude for what Jesus did for him physically, the healed man comes back to thank Jesus and to praise God, and he discovers that Jesus also has the ability to heal him spiritually. Jesus affirms this man’s faith and gratitude by effectively saying to him, “You are now saved forever.”

The Timing of the Coming Kingdom Luke 17:20-37

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In 1879, George De Long and the crew of the USS Jeannette sailed into the Arctic Ocean. They were searching for an open polar sea, believed to be surrounded by a ring of ice. They thought that if they could make it through the ice barrier, they would find smooth sailing at the North Pole. They never found that open sea, of course, because it did not exist. It was a popular theory of the time, and De Long assumed it was true.

When his ship became trapped in the ice, the crew abandoned the vessel and set off across the ice. Some made it to Siberia and survived. Others, including George De Long did not.[267] Let me tell you, historical events like these have a way of reminding us that following wrong assumptions can be dangerous—and even deadly.

The Pharisees and religious leaders in Israel had made the wrong assumption about Jesus. They were convinced He was not the Messiah; they also assumed that they were guaranteed a place in God’s kingdom since they were related to Abraham. Well, these assumptions were not only dangerous, but they were deadly wrong.

Here they come again, attempting to trap Jesus with some difficult questions. In Luke 17:20 they ask Jesus “when the kingdom of God would come.”

In one sense, this is a great question, since Jesus has been preaching that the kingdom is at hand. But their rejection of Jesus leads us to interpret their question this way: “If You are really the king, isn’t it about time we saw Your kingdom? At least show us another kingdom miracle!”

Jesus’ answer is, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed.” Furthermore, He says in verse 21, “The kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

They think they have a reservation for the front row in God’s kingdom; Jesus tells them they are not going to see the kingdom at all if they continue to reject the King who is standing in the middle of them. They don’t need a miracle; they need to accept Him as the Messiah.

Now remember, the kingdom Jesus has been announcing is His kingdom rule on earth for a thousand years. This is the kingdom He offered to Israel. But the nation as a whole has rejected Him and as a result, that kingdom will arrive at Christ’s second coming, following seven years of tribulation on the earth.

And with that, Jesus turns to His disciples. They have been listening in and no doubt have some questions of their own, so Jesus gives them some private tutoring on the subject of His coming kingdom.

First, He explains the timing of the kingdom’s arrival:

“The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them.” (verses 22-23)

Jesus is predicting that they will long for His return and the establishment of His earthly kingdom, but they will not see it—not yet. In the meantime, Jesus warns them to not be deceived by those who insist the kingdom has arrived. Jesus says that His coming will be obvious and undeniable. Look at verse 24: “As the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.”

That is a reference to His glorious second coming. But here in His first coming, there is a cross to suffer. Jesus declares in verse 25, “He [the Messiah] must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”

So, with regard to the question of when the kingdom will come, Jesus says it is still a way off in the distance. First comes His own suffering and a time when the disciples will desire His coming but will not see it. The precise time of Jesus’ second coming and the establishment of His kingdom on earth is not disclosed to them—or us. However, when it arrives, like a thunderstorm, nobody is going to miss it.

The Lord then goes on to describe the conditions on the earth when He returns:

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all.” (verses 26-29)

In both cases—the days of Noah and the days of Lot—people were going about their daily routines. They were eating, drinking, marrying, building, buying, and selling. And they ignored the preaching and the warning of coming judgment, until that judgment came suddenly upon them. And Jesus says here in verse 30, “So will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”

Now this encouragement is specifically for those who will come to faith in Christ during the end-times tribulation—those difficult and dangerous days while the antichrist is ruling. The Lord is telling them to be prepared and ready for the arrival of King Jesus as He returns to establish His thousand-year kingdom on earth.

Jesus then continues in verse 31:

“On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.”

In other words, when the Lord returns, some will be prepared; others will not. Here He pictures those who are so attached to the things of this world—their possessions—that they have ignored the Lord and all His warnings. They are unsaved, still putting earthly concerns above spiritual concerns.

Jesus then says in verse 32, “Remember Lot’s wife.” She was so enamored with what Sodom held for her, she could not detach herself from it.

She is the perfect example of the warning Jesus delivers in verse 33: “Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.” Jesus used very similar wording back in Luke 9:24, where He connected this concept with taking up one’s cross and following Him. He is saying here, “Don’t wait till it is too late. Choose to follow Me now. If you are concerned only with preserving your life and living your life for whatever you can get out of it, then you are really not following Me.”

Jesus concludes His teaching on the coming kingdom by emphasizing that it will be a time of judgment. Some will be taken and others left, He says here in verses 34-35. He’s not describing the rapture by the way. Remember, Jesus is talking about His return after the tribulation to establish His kingdom. The ones “taken” here are those taken away to judgment, and the ones left are the believers who are now able to enter His kingdom.

Now the disciples want to know where these people are taken away to in judgment. “Where, Lord?” they ask in verse 37. That is, where do they go? Jesus answers, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” This is a metaphor describing the place of terrible judgment.

The Pharisees assumed there was a place waiting for them in God’s kingdom. Yet, they were unwilling to follow the King. The lesson is one for all people: Don’t assume you have a position in the kingdom if you reject the King, Jesus. What have you done with Jesus? Reject Him, and judgment is coming. Be prepared to see Him. Believe in Him as your Savior and Lord. Follow Him today.

How to Keep from Losing Heart Luke 18:1-14

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All Christians agree that prayer is extremely important. But how few Christians actually act as if it really is! Many seem satisfied with offering a prayer at mealtime and maybe a brief one before retiring for the night. You might pray during rush hour that the slowpoke in front of you would get out of the way!

One church surveyed their members and asked them if they wanted the weekly prayer meeting to continue, and almost 100 percent said yes. But less than 20 percent of them ever showed up for the prayer meeting.

Evidently Jesus understood the importance of prayer. By His words and example, it is clear Jesus loved to talk to His Father in prayer. Now what happens next here in our study through the Gospels is an important lesson on prayer, as Jesus delivers two parables on that subject.

As we begin in Luke 18, we read that Jesus tells a “parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” In other words, Jesus is about to teach them—and us—how to live without losing heart.

The first parable begins in verse 2:

“In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’”

Now this widow has several things working against her. She has been mistreated in some way, which is why she is seeking justice. As a widow, she does not have a husband to represent her, and in these days, a woman was not even allowed to present evidence in a court of law. Furthermore, it is likely she has little influence and even less money to mount a case. And to top it all off, Jesus just described the judge as crooked: he neither feared God nor respected mankind.

It would seem that this woman does not stand a chance. But Jesus describes this widow as one persistent woman. She comes to the judge again and again, asking for justice and relief. He doesn’t answer the door or pick up the phone; he ignores her and tries to avoid her at all costs. But she just will not let up! And finally—finally—the judge gives in just to get this woman off his back and out of his courtroom.

The Lord continues in verses 6-7:

“Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?”

Now listen, beloved, Jesus is not using this judge as a picture of our heavenly Father; Jesus is giving us a contrast between this judge and our heavenly Father. God does not have to be badgered with our prayers until He gets so annoyed that He gives us what we want just to get us off His back.

The point of this parable is that our heavenly Father is so unlike this crooked judge that He is always available and always respectful and will always do what is absolutely right and just. In fact, Jesus says here in verse 8, “He will give justice to them speedily.”

So, don’t lose heart. Keep praying! And keep praying especially for God’s kingdom of righteousness to come. It may yet be some time before that occurs, but when it does, we are all going to say, “It seemed like it was taking forever, but now we know it only took a matter of time, as God worked all things out for our good.”

This parable is followed by a question that’s directly related to the second coming of Jesus as He arrives in a future day to establish His kingdom on earth. Jesus says here in verse 8, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Literally, He says, “Will he find the faith” when He comes back? And the answer is absolutely yes! Even after the church is raptured and the tribulation begins, millions of people over the next seven years—from every tongue, tribe, and nation, the book of Revelation records—will place their faith in Christ, even though they have suffered through the dark days of that coming judgment.

What will they need to do to survive the discouraging days of the tribulation? How will they not lose heart? Through persistent prayer, as they await the second coming of Christ.[268]

While the first parable is addressed to Jesus’ disciples, the second parable is directed to self-righteous unbelievers, those who trust in themselves and assume they are right with God. Jesus presents another contrast here, this one between two men praying in the temple. He says in verse 10, “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.”

Now as far as the Jewish people in general are concerned, tax collectors had no right to pray at all. They were the scum of the earth, having collaborated with the Romans to take advantage of their own Jewish people. They purchased from the Romans the right to tax their fellow Jews, then raised taxes above what Rome required to line their own pockets. What is a tax collector doing praying in the temple?

The other man is a Pharisee, an upstanding moral, religious leader in the community. As far as the people are concerned, the Pharisee had every right to pray to God. They assumed that if a tax collector prayed, God would be holding His nose; but if a Pharisee prayed, God would be opening His arms.

The Pharisee prays here in verses 11-12:

“God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.”

This isn’t a prayer meeting; this is a brag session. “Lord, look at how lucky You are to have someone like me on your side.” This Pharisee’s prayer is simply the reading of his resume—his long list of good works.

Then the tax collector prays:

“But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” (verse 13)

He is not comparing himself to the Pharisee; he is comparing himself to the holiness of God. The Pharisee is bragging; the tax collector is begging—“God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

My friend, only when you have left your spiritual resume behind and recognized that you have nothing to offer a holy God—only when you come to Him that way—can you receive salvation as His gift to you.

Jesus concludes in verse 14:

“I tell you, this man [the tax collector] went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

“Justified” means to be declared righteous. It is a legal term for the judge declaring you innocent. The Pharisee tried to justify himself before God; the tax collector was justified by God Himself.

You cannot trust in yourself and trust in God at the same time. But when you trust in God alone, you experience His forgiveness and justification—a declaration that you are now right with God.

Both of these parables are about prayer, but they are about more than just prayer. You see, your prayers reflect your relationship with the Lord.

Do you want to lose heart in life? Then focus on yourself—pray in a way that covers up your sin and attempts to impress God and others.

Do you want to live in such a way that you do not lose heart? Then pray honestly, persistently, humbly, as you trust in God alone.

The Meaning of Marriage and the Value of Children Matthew 19:1-15; Mark 10:1-16; Luke 18:15-17

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I read some time ago the statement that “the family is under attack today like never before.”[269] Now I don’t think very many Christians would argue with that statement. I agree with it in one sense, but I happen to disagree with it in another sense. The family has been under attack since God created the first one. It did not take Satan very long at all to divide and conquer Adam and Eve. It did not take very long for the seeds of jealousy and resentment to grow in the heart of Cain, their firstborn son, who rose up and murdered his younger brother, Abel. And that was the first family on planet earth.

Let me rephrase that statement to read this way: The family is under attack in every generation. From the moment God instituted marriage and the family, Satan has been unrelenting in his attempts to weaken the marriage commitment, to devalue the blessing of children, and even to redefine the meaning of gender and the meaning of marriage today.

I think it is interesting that two thousand years ago Jesus confronted some of these same issues. He is making His way now toward Jerusalem for the final time. He is traveling south from the Galilee region and east of the Jordan River, into the area known as Perea. There, we read in Matthew 19:2, “Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.”

And it is not long, of course, before the Pharisees show up to antagonize Him. They ask Him the age-old question He has answered before; but here it comes again—verse 3: “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?”

Now we have already dealt with this subject twice before in our Wisdom Journey. I noted that the Bible allows divorce for adultery—and that includes immorality—and also when there is abandonment. Abandonment is when one spouse does not consent to dwell with the other in harmony, as set forth in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. The word Paul uses there for consent refers to pleasing agreement. And let me tell you, even if a person says he wants to stay married, if he subjects his spouse to abuse or addictions or threats or deception, such actions clearly indicate a lack of consent; and the suffering spouse is no longer bound to that individual (1 Corinthians 7:15).

But why are these Pharisees coming around to ask Jesus this question all over again? Well, I think geography has a lot to do with it. Jesus is in Perea, and this area is governed by King Herod Antipas.

Earlier, Herod had convinced his brother Philip’s wife to divorce Philip and marry him. It was a tabloid scandal at the time. But John the Baptist publicly condemned them for it, and Herod’s new wife ended up having John the Baptist beheaded as a result. Well, these Pharisees are hoping Jesus will get into hot water with Herod by answering their question on divorce.

But instead, Jesus delivers this brilliant answer here in Matthew 19:4-5:

“Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?”

In other words, He’s saying, “You Pharisees only want to talk about how easy it should be to get a divorce, but I want to talk about God’s design for marriage.”

Jesus quotes from Genesis 2, where the first marriage is described. There are some timeless principles here that give us the meaning of marriage as God designed it. First is the principle of severance. Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother.”

Marriage does not mean that you eliminate all your other family relationships—that you cannot call family members on the phone or visit them over Christmas break. No, this means that the marital relationship has priority over every other relationship—even good old Mom and Dad.

The meaning of marriage also includes the principle of permanence: “A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife.” The Hebrew verb for “hold fast” means to bond—literally, glue together. This describes a lifelong bond.

Then there is the principle of oneness. At the end of verse 24, the Bible says, “and they shall become one flesh.” The Hebrew word for “one” here is echod—it means “uniquely one.” In marriage two people become uniquely one. And this is more than sexual or physical oneness; this is one-ness in purpose, one-ness in direction, one-ness in life.

Jesus takes these Pharisees all the way back to Genesis and the creation account. Mankind did not invent marriage; God did. Mankind did not come up with the idea of family; God did. The only thing we do with it is mess it up—that is our contribution. But if we follow the design of God, we can experience and enjoy the meaning of marriage: severance and permanence and oneness.

You will never fully master the meaning of marriage, but if you belong to the Master who created marriage, He can empower you to humbly pursue what He designed.

Now back in Matthew 19:10, the disciples follow up with an honest question. It is essentially this: “Since we’re sinners and we might fail in marriage, wouldn’t it be better to never get married in the first place?”

Jesus answers that there are some whom God calls to be single; it is really a matter of following what God wants for your life as He reveals it. With that, Jesus refers to three kinds of single individuals here in verse 12:

“There are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.”

First, Jesus refers to some men who are born with physical defects that render them unable to have children, and the likelihood is that they will remain unmarried. Second, some men were castrated for some kind of appointment; we know from history that kings often castrated servants who would manage their harem or hold some position in the palace. Third, some believers effectively choose to live as eunuchs—that is, single for life—because of their ministry responsibilities.[270]

Two of my cousins—two women—served on a mission field that effectively eliminated the potential for marriage. They chose singleness for the sake of the gospel.

What happens next is a rather fitting follow-up to a discussion on marriage:

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (verses 13-14)

Now Jesus does not say that the kingdom belongs to children but to those who are like children—with nothing to offer the Lord but childlike humility and trust.

The disciples, like their culture around them, viewed children as a nuisance and a distraction. But far from being a nuisance and a distraction, children are a part of Jesus’ ministry, and He delivers a powerful message through His actions: do everything you can to help a child come to Jesus.

If you are serving in some ministry for the sake of children, well, here is your verse: “Let the little children come to me.” And let me thank you for helping children come to Jesus. Many people, including myself, can remember the impact of a loving children’s worker, a Sunday school teacher, or a Bible study leader who showed interest in us and helped us. Beloved, yours is a precious ministry because, just as that little chorus says, children are precious in His sight.

The Gospel Is Not for Good People Matthew 19:16–20:16; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30

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When we left Jesus in our last Wisdom Journey, He was stressing the need for childlike humility and faith. As He continues on His final journey to Jerusalem, He encounters a man who is pretty convinced he is good enough to get into heaven.

Luke describes this rich young man as a “ruler” (Luke 18:18). Possibly he is a ruler of a local synagogue or perhaps even a member of the Sanhedrin[271]—the supreme court of Israel. Clearly, he is a model of morality—a religious leader and a very prominent one.

But he is troubled about something. In fact, he has come to the conclusion that he is missing something necessary to go to heaven. And so, he comes to Jesus to find out what it is.

He asks Jesus here in Matthew 19:16, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And Jesus responds a little surprisingly in verse 17, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”

I must tell you, that is a very surprising answer. I would have jumped right in with a gospel presentation—we are saved by faith alone. It looks like Jesus is agreeing with this man that eternal life is earned through good works. What is Jesus doing?

Well, remember, Jesus knows this man’s heart. He knows that if this man is going to receive eternal life, he must realize the depth of his own sin. He is already confident that he is a good man, but he just needs to do one more good thing to make it into heaven. He is just not sure what that one good thing is.

So, Jesus points him to the law—and the commandments. And the man responds in verse 18 by asking Jesus, “Which ones?” So, Jesus rattles off six commandments, knowing that this man will mentally check them off as accomplished:

“You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (verses 18-19)

Verse 20: “The young man said to him, ‘All these I have kept. [That is, I checked all the boxes.] What do I still lack?’” Then Jesus delivers another surprising answer in verse 21:

“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Ah, now Jesus is getting to the heart of this man’s sin. Jesus knows he loves his money and his possessions and his social standing above everything else. He conformed outwardly, but he secretly nursed a covetous, proud, greedy heart.

Verse 22 tells us, “He went away sorrowful.” His actions make it clear that he values possessions over people; he cherishes his greed more than he actually wants God.

The truth is, the gospel is not for good people who seem to check all the boxes. It is for people who recognize they are sinners; they will never check off all the boxes perfectly—they need to be saved.

With that, the Lord turns around and uses this encounter as a teachable moment for His disciples, as He speaks to them in verses 23-24:

“Only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Now you might have heard that there was a gate in the old city of Jerusalem called the Needle Gate and that camels could not enter it without kneeling down. That is an interesting idea; the only trouble is, it is not true. It is what we might call an “urban legend.” Jesus is describing a literal camel and a literal needle—and a camel is never going to be squeezed through the eye of a needle.

The disciples get the picture immediately, because they respond, “Who then can be saved?” (verse 25).

Jesus answers in the next verse: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” In other words, salvation is impossible to achieve—you cannot earn it. Heaven is not a reward for good behavior. It is a gift given to sinners who receive it by faith in Christ alone.

The rich man walked away because he was unwilling to leave all to accept God’s gift by faith and follow Jesus. Now Peter says to Jesus, “We have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” (verse 27).

I love Peter—the Sunday school class leader—who raises his hand and effectively says, “Lord, we disciples have a lot of struggles, but being rich like that guy isn’t one of them. We’ve walked away from any kind of prosperous business or life; so, if you don’t mind my asking, what will there be for us in the coming kingdom?”[272]

You might think the Lord would jump down Peter’s throat, rebuking him. Instead, the Lord actually encourages him—and us as well—by speaking of when He returns and establishes His kingdom:

“In the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (verses 28-30)

That rich man who just walked away was first, preeminent on earth at the moment. But the disciples, poor as dirt, will one day be preeminent as co-rulers with the Lord in His kingdom.

With that the Lord delivers a parable in Matthew 20 to illustrate this:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.” (verses 1-2)

In these days, a denarius represented the normal pay for a day’s work.

Well, as the day wears on, the owner of the vineyard sees the need for more workers. So, he returns to the marketplace at the third hour, or 9:00 a.m., to enlist more workers. No specific pay is promised, but the owner promises to pay them “whatever is right,” according to verse 4. Then again, verses 5 and 6 tell us, he goes back to get more workers at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

When the workday ends, the laborers are paid their wages. And amazingly, they are each paid one denarius for their work—even the ones who started later in the day. As expected, those who worked all day begin to grumble. The master responds to them with these words:

“I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” (verses 13-15)

It was true. He kept his word; he didn’t cheat anyone. He was simply generous with the later workers. Then in verse 30 Jesus repeats the principle He gave earlier: “The last will be first, and the first last.”

So, what is the point? The point is that we are all going to be rewarded by the Lord, not based on what we deserve, but based on His incredible generosity.

Salvation is all of God’s grace. The rewards we will one day receive for serving the Lord will still be the result of God’s grace. We will all sing the same song the apostle Paul sang, as it were, in 1 Corinthians 15:10: “By the grace of God I am what I am.”

Me First! Matthew 20:17-28; Mark 10:32-45; Luke 18:31-34

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The Guinness Book of World Records records a host of things people have accomplished—records they have set, which set them apart. Frankly, it amazes me what people have done to get a world record.

One world record is held by a man who sat up in a tree for a total of 431 days. Another entry in the record book is for a college student who took a 340-hour shower—it lasted 14 days. Of course, if he were anything like my college roommates, he needed it. Then there is the housewife who holds the world record for throwing a two-and-a-half-pound rolling pin—that tool used in the kitchen for spreading out dough. Well, she threw a rolling pin 175 feet in the air. I imagine all she has to do is reach for that rolling pin, and her husband immediately takes out the trash—with no complaints!

It might not be sitting in a tree or throwing a rolling pin, but there is, in all of us, a desire to be first—to be the best at something.

Webster defines ambition as “an ardent desire for rank, fame, personal advancement.”[273]What happens next is recorded in the Gospel of Mark in two different scenes, which at first seem disconnected. However, they are very much connected in that they show the stark contrast between the humility of Christ and the ambition of His disciples.

In chapter 10, we are reminded in verse 32 that Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem. We are also given this interesting comment: “Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.” This amazement and fear are probably the result of Jesus’ determination to go to Jerusalem, where religious leaders are determined to kill Him (see John 10:19-39).

To add to their amazement and fear, Jesus doesn’t hide anything from them as He speaks

“See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” (verses 33-34)

Now this is the third announcement Jesus has made of His coming death and resurrection. Back in Mark 8:31 when He made this announcement, Peter had rebuked Him. The second time He told the disciples what was coming, in Mark 9:31, we are told they did not understand His words. And Luke’s parallel account of this third announcement here in Mark 10 records again that the disciples do not comprehend what He is saying.

Proof that they are clueless is revealed in what happens next:

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” (verses 35-36)

Matthew 20 tells us the mother of James and John makes this request on their behalf while James and John are standing there. Mark emphasizes that the request originated with these two cowards, who let their mother do the talking.

But here is why she thought she had an inside track. The mother of James and John was named Salome. The descriptions of her and other women later at the cross suggest she was the sister of Jesus’ mother Mary (see Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; John 19:25).

If so, the family relationship may have made James and John think they had the best chance at this honored position. They wanted the world record, so to speak, of sitting closest to Jesus in the coming kingdom.

This request reveals that they did not grasp what Jesus repeatedly predicted—that He would first suffer and die. It also reveals the “me-first” attitude of the disciples. And it included all of them, by the way. Earlier in Mark’s Gospel, they were arguing over which of them was the greatest (Mark 9:34). And even in the upper room, on the night of Jesus’ arrest, they will be sitting around arguing about which of them is the greatest disciple (Luke 22:24).

You have to wonder why Jesus put up with them and how He could even use such ambitious, self-centered men. Well, I’m glad He did because that gives you and me hope that He will use us as well. The truth is, Jesus uses imperfect people who can easily get caught up in a “me-first” attitude.

Here is Jesus’ response to the two disciples:

“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” (Mark 10:38).

The “cup” was a symbol in the Old Testament for hardship and anguish (Isaiah 51:17). Likewise, “baptism” is used here to picture being fully immersed in suffering.

Jesus is asking, “Can you handle the anguish I am about to experience?” And believe it or not, James and John respond, “We are able.” They are confidently saying, “Yeah, we can handle it!”

Jesus answers in verses 39-40:

“The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

In other words, “Yes, you will indeed suffer like Me one day. But only God the Father will determine someone’s position in the coming kingdom.”

Now the request of James and John actually makes the other disciples angry. Verse 41 says that the other ten disciples are “indignant at James and John.” This only reveals their own ambition. They had the same desire! So now, Jesus addresses this attitude of “me-first”—an attitude that has taken the world by storm:

“You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.” (verse 42)

Both expressions Jesus uses here—“lord it over them” and “exercise authority”—stress the idea of using authority in a domineering and oppressive way. This is how the world acts; this is how you prove you are in first place. You show off your importance by making other people serve you; you make others feel miserable because it makes you feel superior.

Well, in contrast Jesus says this:

“But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” (verses 43-44)

The standard of God for greatness is defined as serving others. The word for “servant” (diakonos) emphasizes the work of serving others. We get our word deacon—a servant to others—from it. The word here for “slave” (doulos) emphasizes a subservient relationship to the master.[274] So we are to serve others, considering them superior to us. That is true greatness.

Jesus now applies this definition of true greatness to His incarnation—His departure from the glory of heaven to join the human race and suffer for our sins. He says, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (verse 45).

The word here for “ransom” originally referred to the price paid for the release of a slave. In other words, Jesus died to emancipate us all. We were all slaves to sin and death, but Jesus came to set us free.

He is true greatness. And as we imitate Him to those around us, we will not live by the standard that says, “Me first,” but rather, “Me last—and you first.”

Living Today as if It Were Your Last Day Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35–19:28

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John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church back in the 1700s, was once asked how he would spend his remaining time if he knew that tomorrow was his last day. He replied:

“Why … just as I intend to spend it now. I would preach this evening . . . and again at five tomorrow morning; after that I would ride to Tewkesbury, preach in the afternoon, and meet the societies in the evening. I would then go to . . . Martin’s house . . . talk and pray with the family as usual, retire to my room at 10 o’clock, commend myself to my heavenly Father, lie down to rest, and wake up in Glory.”[275]

In our Wisdom Journey, Jesus is rapidly approaching the end of His earthly life and ministry, and what a profound testimony it is that He does not change a thing. He keeps right on with His ministry as usual—healing, saving, and teaching.

We are following Him as He arrives in Jericho, in the Jordan Valley about seventeen miles east of Jerusalem. Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us about some interesting events that occur along the way.

Luke 18:35, says, “As [Jesus] drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.” When he hears Jesus is passing by, he cries out in verse 38, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

People tell him to be quiet, but he continues crying out; and eventually Jesus tells His disciples to bring the blind man over to Him. Jesus then asks him in verse 41, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man answers, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” This man has no doubt that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of David, and that He is capable of doing what the rabbis taught only God could do: give sight to the blind.

The account continues:

Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. (verses 42-43)

Mark 10:46 actually gives the name of this blind beggar—Bartimaeus. Matthew 20 adds that there are two blind men crying out to Jesus. Bartimaeus is evidently the spokesman for the two men.

By the way, Luke says Jesus is coming to Jericho, while Matthew and Mark write that He is going out of Jericho. The liberals love to jump on this kind of apparent discrepancy, but the truth is, there were two Jerichos—the Old Testament Jericho, which was in ruins, and the current Jericho just two miles south, where people lived. Evidently, Jesus was leaving the ruins of old Jericho—I imagine He was teaching His disciples a little more about that amazing miracle when the walls came tumbling down. And as He was approaching the new city of Jericho, these two men cried out for healing.[276]

The next event, recorded only by Dr. Luke, is familiar to many of us. As Jesus is passing through Jericho, one of the residents is anxious to catch a glimpse of Him, but he is having trouble because he is so short. Just about every child in church has learned the song about Zacchaeus, that “wee little man” who climbed up the sycamore tree.

He might have been a little man, but he was a big problem in that community. Luke calls him, a “chief tax collector” (Luke 19:2). Tax collectors were the scum of the earth because of their collaboration with Rome and their crooked tax schemes that lined their pockets at the expense of their fellow Jews.

Jesus stops underneath that limb where Zacchaeus is perched and says to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today” (verse 5).

We are so familiar with this story, we can easily overlook the fact that Jesus knows this man’s name, although they have never been introduced. And He doesn’t just know Zacchaeus’s name; He knows everything about Zacchaeus’s crooked life—He knows everything about the tax collector’s sinful heart.

Zacchaeus is thrilled with this opportunity and invites Jesus to his home. Luke tells us in verse 8 that at some point later Zacchaeus makes this statement:

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”

This is evidence of true repentance and faith in Christ. The Old Testament law required full restitution, but Zacchaeus is willing to repay fourfold.

I remember a man who embezzled nearly a million dollars from his company. When he was caught, I went over to his house, and he seemed to be very sorry for what he had done. But when I talked to him about paying back what he had stolen, he looked at me like I had come up with some kind of crazy idea. He told me his embezzlement was forgiven by God and he did not need to pay anything back.

Making restitution is evidence of genuine repentance. Zacchaeus is demonstrating that here. He is essentially going to empty his bank account to make everything right with all those people from whom he has stolen money through the years.

Then Jesus announces His own mission in life in verse 10: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” That is the reason He had to come to Zacchaeus’s house. Beloved, Jesus is not just on a mission to save people; He is on a mission to save one lost sinner at a time. I happen to be one of them. How about you?

In verse 11 Jesus begins to tell a parable about the coming kingdom. A nobleman is going away to be appointed king. He is going to return eventually, but when he returns, many of the citizens will not want to acknowledge him as their king.

Before he leaves, he calls ten of his servants and gives them each a “mina,” which is equivalent to about three months’ wages. They are to invest the money so that it will grow until he returns.

Now Jesus fast-forwards this parable to that moment when the king returns. He calls his servants to give an account for their investments. Those who have managed his money wisely are rewarded with even greater management opportunities.

But one of these servants returns the king’s mina to him and explains he has done nothing but wrap it up in a handkerchief and hide it away. He even has the audacity to blame the king, saying in verse 21 that because the king is “a severe man” he did not want to risk anything. The king replies, “Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?” (verse 23). The king then takes that man’s mina and gives it to the man who had most faithfully and wisely managed what he had been given.

What is this parable teaching? First, Jesus’ kingdom will not be established immediately. Like the nobleman, Jesus is going away, but He will return to establish His kingdom.

Second, as believers await His return, they are to be faithful in managing the resources God has given them. In light of Jesus’ priority on the salvation of the lost, He has in mind our use of resources to reach people with the gospel.

Finally, those who reject King Jesus are going to suffer His righteous judgment.

What has God given you? What if today was your last day? Would you change the way you are investing your spiritual gifts, your finances, your time, and your talents? Let’s manage them today in a way that will not bring us regret. Let’s join the mission of Jesus, who is seeking and saving the lost today.

Unforgettable Acts of Love Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 11:55–12:8

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Today on our Wisdom Journey, Jesus and His disciples have left Jericho. The town is surely buzzing over the recent conversion of Zacchaeus. What happens next is an expression of love so magnificent that 2000 years later we are still amazed by it.

Matthew, Mark, and John all record this event. I want to follow the account given to us in John’s Gospel, in chapter 12, beginning at verse 1:

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.

This is a family of three siblings: Martha, Mary, and their brother, Lazarus. Nothing in Scripture mentions any spouses or even parents. These three are more than likely single adults—and all three are very close to Jesus. Matthew and Mark tell us the meal takes place in the home of a man known as “Simon the Leper.”[277]

Martha is busy serving, and Lazarus is at the table with Jesus. Mary now appears on the scene in verse 3:

Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.

This act is rooted in love and worship. It was not uncommon in these days for devotees to pour perfume on idols and clean them with their hair as an act of deep humility and devotion. But there is more here in Mary’s sacrificial gift. First, this is a subtle recognition of Christ’s coming death and burial. She is effectively anointing Him as one anointed a body for burial. You could say she is giving Him flowers while He is alive rather than putting them on His grave.

Second, this is symbolic of Christ’s royalty. The typical anointing with this kind of extravagance was reserved for the anointing of a new king. When Mary anoints Jesus, she is acknowledging Him as King.

Third, this is an example of uninhibited generosity. In verse 3 John calls the ointment “pure,” which means undiluted. This particular ointment was made from an herb that grew in the mountains of India; at great cost it was manufactured and then imported in little white, alabaster bottles.

According to verse 5, this perfume was worth “three hundred denarii,” which was about an entire year’s salary for the average working person. You could call this little bottle liquid gold.

At this point the scene is interrupted by Judas Iscariot. He has something to say about this. In fact, these are his first recorded words in Scripture—verse 5: “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”

Oh, he cares about poor people, does he? There is no evidence Judas ever gave to the poor. His complaint is a smoke screen to cover his own selfish hypocrisy. John makes that clear in verse 6:

He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Judas was a “thief,” or kleptēs in the Greek language. This gives us our word kleptomaniac. He is just upset he cannot get his hands on some extra money.

Jesus quickly comes to Mary’s defense:

“Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” (verses 7-8)

Mark 14:6 adds that Jesus also said, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.”

This makes me wonder what beautiful thing I have done for the Lord. What is it God has given me to give away? Time? Talent? Interest in others? What alabaster vase am I willing to break open in honor of Christ? Beloved, who needs what you and I can give them today?

I remember a wonderful story, written many years ago. It was about a fifth-grade teacher named Mrs. Thompson. She was a terrific teacher, but one of her students, Teddy Stoddard, seemed uninterested in school. His appearance was untidy, and he was often unpleasant.

She checked his earlier grades and read comments from former teachers. His first-grade teacher had written, “Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners . . . he is a joy to be around.”

His second-grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is an excellent student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness.”

His third-grade teacher wrote, “His mother’s death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn’t show much interest.”

Then his fourth-grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is withdrawn and doesn’t show much interest in school. He doesn’t have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class.”

Mrs. Thompson now knew the source of his appearance and lack of interest.

When her students brought her gifts before the Christmas break, Teddy handed her a gift wrapped in a brown grocery bag. When she opened it, out fell a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a partially used bottle of inexpensive perfume.

Some of the children laughed, but Mrs. Thomson immediately put on the bracelet, exclaiming how pretty it was, and she put some of the perfume on her wrist.

At the end of the day, Teddy lingered behind long enough to say, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mother used to smell.”

When Teddy left, Mrs. Thompson sat at her desk and wept. And that same day, she changed; she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.

And she paid particular attention to Teddy Stoddard. By the end of that school year, Teddy showed dramatic improvement. The next year she received a note from Teddy, telling her she was the best teacher he had ever had.

Six years passed, and she got another note from Teddy. He told her he had finished high school and was heading off to college. Four more years passed, and another note came. Teddy was graduating from college with highest honors. He added that she was still his best and favorite teacher ever.

Another four years passed, and Teddy wrote again, explaining that he had decided to go on to medical school. He wrote that she was still his favorite teacher. He signed his letter, “Theodore Stoddard, M.D.”

Another letter arrived soon after that. Teddy was getting married. His father had died a couple years earlier, and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might sit in the place usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

And so, Mrs. Thompson went to the wedding and sat where Teddy’s mother would have sat.[278] She deserved to sit there, because years earlier, she had broken her vase and poured it out on a little boy. He never forgot her gift of love.

Matthew’s account of Mary’s act adds this statement by Jesus in chapter 26, verse 13:

“Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Sacrificial gifts of love are not forgotten. It is as if we can still smell the fragrance of Mary’s sacrifice. I love the expression back in John 12:3: “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

There were other gifts that made this one possible. Simon gave the gift of hospitality; Martha gave the gift of an evening meal; Lazarus gave the gift of friendship. And now Mary gives her sacrificial gift of worship.

And remember this: when you worship the Lord—when you are willing to pour out the contents of your life for the Lord—you are going to be a fragrant blessing to someone. And more than likely, they are never going to forget what you have done.

Palm Branches and an Unbroken Colt Matthew 21:1-11, 14-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:9-19

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As this Wisdom Journey embarks, it is now Sunday, the beginning of what we call Passion Week—that week from Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem to His trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. Jesus must still be carrying the aroma of the perfume Mary had anointed Him with, as He and His disciples leave Bethany and head west toward Jerusalem, only two miles away on the other side of the Mount of Olives.

All four Gospels tell us that when they arrive at a village called Bethphage, Jesus sends two disciples into town to fetch an unbroken colt upon which He plans to ride into Jerusalem. This is a young donkey that has never been ridden before. This act will fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, given some 500 years earlier, that the King would arrive, sitting on a donkey’s colt (see John 12:15).

Not only does this fulfill prophecy, but it is also a miracle of Christ’s authority over creation. Imagine riding an unbroken donkey. I don’t know how many cowboys might be reading this, but at rodeos I have attended, we hold our breath when a cowboy tries to ride a bucking bronco for just eight seconds. Let me tell you, this donkey ride through a mob of shouting, singing, palm-branch-waving people is nothing less than a miracle.

Now riding a donkey at this time was a royal symbol of peace. So, Jesus is signifying that He is royalty. He is the King, but He has come in peace.

John 12:12-13 describes the scene:

The large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him.

Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, estimated that Jerusalem’s population grew to some three million people during the Passover. And John tells us this is a large crowd that comes to meet him carrying palm branches, an activity reserved for honoring the arrival of royalty.

Revelation 7 shows believers from all around the world, standing before the throne of God, with palm branches in their hands. One day, beloved, you and I will be there waving palm branches before King Jesus.

In John 12:13, we are told the crowd is chanting, “Hosanna!” Hosanna is the Hebrew word for “save us now.” The Jewish people are expecting Jesus to ride into town, overthrow Rome, and restore the kingdom of Israel. They are planning on a revolution; Jesus is planning on a resurrection.

The crowd is also singing one of their favorite psalms: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (verse 13). This is one of their Passover songs from Psalm 118. But they have added a line here. Notice they are singing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.”

They are ready to crown Him King. They think it is time for a coronation! Jesus knows that it is almost time for His crucifixion.

Remember, beloved, we have the advantage of the entire account. That is not the case with the disciples—and they are deeply confused. Only later will they connect the dots and figure out the prophetic words and the symbols.

But for now, we read this:

His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. (verses 16-18)

So, the news has spread all around. Any remaining doubts about Jesus’ power have been eliminated by the raising of Lazarus from the dead. That miracle had undeniably revealed that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the King of Israel.

But what about the Jewish leaders? As we have already seen, John 11:53 tells us, “They made plans to put [Jesus] to death.” And then we read here John 12:10 that “the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were … believing in Jesus.” Now these religious leaders are forced to stand on the sidelines while thousands of people shout praises to Jesus and declare Him their long-awaited Messiah.

The religious leaders just look at each other in frustration and say, “Look, the world has gone after him” (verse 19). They want to kill Him; the people want to crown Him.

It is ironic that on this Sunday, it was traditional for the priests to read Psalm 24 in the temple. So, while the people outside are singing Hosanna to Jesus, the priests are inside the temple reading Psalm 24, which includes these words:

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty! (verses 7-8)

For just a moment, the world is arrested by the truth of who Jesus is. While the unbelieving world wants to silence the gospel truth of Christ, it seems that all of Jerusalem is alive with people glorifying and praising the Son of God.

I remember watching the funeral service of one of our former United States presidents. The entire service was carried on television and radio. Millions of people tuned in. It was prime time, which is typically when the honor and values of Christianity are being undermined. Then Billy Graham got up to preach. While millions of unbelievers watched, while the media were forced to focus in, while ungodly politicians sat quietly, this old evangelist preached the gospel of Jesus Christ—he even called everybody sinners who need the Savior! I was sitting there in my living room, alternating between “Amen” and “Go get ’em.” The world was silenced for a moment, forced to observe the glory of Christ.

Matthew 21:14 tells us that Jesus then enters the temple and heals blind and lame people. Luke 19:39 records the Pharisees’ pitiful objection to all the public adulation and excitement, telling Jesus to rebuke His disciples. Jesus answers them in verse 40, saying that if these people were silent, the very stones would cry out.

And after this first day in Jerusalem, Matthew 21:17 says, “And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.”

Luke 19:41-44 records that Jesus is moved to tears as He looks upon the city, knowing that their ultimate rejection of Him will lead to devastation. Beloved, mark this down: to oppose Christ is a hopeless task. You cannot stop the sovereign plan of God. God is not wringing His hands over the latest decision to come out of Washington. He is not nervous about the latest evil idea being advanced. God has never once called an emergency meeting of the Trinity.

There will be people in every generation who spend their lifetime opposing Christ, rejecting Him and ridiculing Him. They are found on college campuses, behind news anchor desks, in major publishing houses, and in liberal pulpits.

But the only thing they destroy is their own lives. I think of the atheist philosopher, Voltaire, who predicted the end of Christianity. He relentlessly attacked the Bible and the gospel. In the irony of God’s plans, after Voltaire’s death, his home was purchased by the Geneva Bible Society, which distributed Bibles around that part of the world.

Beloved, the religious leaders should have waved a white flag and bowed in surrender before their Messiah. But they didn’t. So, the cross of Christ is now one day closer, according to the plan of God.

Cleaning His Father’s House . . . Again! Matthew 21:12-13, 18-22; Mark 11:12-26; Luke 19:45-48; 21:37-38

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As we continue our Wisdom Journey through the Passover week, leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross, these final acts of Jesus are anything but random or haphazard—they are deeply intentional and important.

When Jesus entered the city on what we today call Palm Sunday, He went to the temple and looked around. Then He left with His disciples to spend the night back in Bethany, more than likely at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

Well, now it is Monday, and they are traveling back to the temple. Two events are going to take place: first, the cursing of the fig tree, and second, the cleansing of the temple.

If you compare the Gospels, Matthew’s account records the cleansing of the temple before the cursing of the fig tree; Mark’s account reverses the order. Matthew puts the cursing of the fig tree and Jesus’ explanation at the same time, but in Mark’s account, there is a full day in between.

It is helpful to know that Matthew is condensing the narrative. And by now, you have probably realized that the Gospels do not always record everything in consecutive or chronological order. Matthew does not specify a time frame for these events, but Mark does. So, we will follow Mark’s expanded account as we continue in our Wisdom Journey to study the Gospels chronologically.

It is early Monday morning as Jesus and the Twelve are walking back to the city of Jerusalem. We are told here in Mark 11:12 that Jesus is hungry. Seeing a fig tree in leaf, He approaches it but finds no fruit—only leaves. Verse 13 notes, “It was not the season for figs.”

Jesus then says to the fig tree in verse 14, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” The text also notes, “His disciples heard it.”

Now it is not the season for figs, as the text says, so this particular tree stands out for having leaves early. It appears to hold out the promise of figs, but there are none.

We will come back to this fig tree a little later, but let me tell you, it is connected to what happens next in the temple. The temple should be a place of spiritual fruit—a nourishing place for people to be satisfied spiritually. But while it looks fruitful, it is actually barren.

Then we read this in verse 15:

[Jesus] entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

He is literally cleaning His Father’s house again. Jesus, of course, did this same thing three years earlier, as recorded back in John 2.

Every adult male was required to attend Passover in Jerusalem, but none of them could enter the temple until they had paid a temple tax that amounted to two-days’ salary. This was no small sacrifice. It should have been free entrance, but you can imagine with thousands upon thousands of Jewish pilgrims arriving to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem, what this income meant for the corrupt priesthood. This one entrance fee alone would have brought in millions of dollars for the priests.

In addition to the entrance fees, the outer court of the temple had been turned into a marketplace, where sacrificial animals were sold to the worshipers. If pilgrims arrived with their own animals for sacrifices, the priests would routinely find something wrong with them—some blemish or defect that disqualified them for the Passover sacrifice. The worshipers would have no choice but to purchase temple-sanctioned animals, and the prices were exorbitant. All of this was nothing less than extortion in the name of religion.

The priests and temple authorities had not stopped these practices. Even though Jesus had cleaned them out three years earlier, they are back at it again. So, Jesus drives out all these merchants and money-changers and says in verse 17, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

The chief priests and scribes are furious with Jesus, and verse 18 tells us they were “seeking a way to destroy him.”

With that, let’s jump ahead to the next morning, when Jesus and the disciples are walking by that same fig tree Jesus had cursed the day before. Peter says, “Look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered” (Mark 11:21).

Now don’t misunderstand this miracle. Jesus did not curse this tree because it was evil. And He did not destroy it because He was upset that it did not satisfy His hunger. After all, He could just as easily have miraculously caused the tree to produce fruit right there on the spot.

Jesus is using the fig tree as an object lesson. His cursing of this tree ties back to a parable He told in Luke 13 about a barren fig tree. It failed to produce fruit for—how long?—three years. That parable pointed to the nation of Israel, which had not produced the fruit of repentance.

Jesus’ first cleansing of the temple was a call to national reformation and repentance. How long has it been since He cleansed the temple the first time? Three years! Now Jesus is back again, and there is still no fruit. So, the cursing of the fig tree points to the coming judgment upon the unrepentant nation.

Oh, it has the leaves of religious beauty and tradition, but there is no genuine spiritual fruit. There is a great difference between religion and true repentance and faith.

This miracle also has important lessons for us personally, as it did for the disciples. This is a warning against hypocrisy. We can look good but still not bear genuine spiritual fruit.

There is another lesson here for us as well. The temple Jesus has just “cleansed” was supposed to be a house of prayer, but there was no real faith there. Now Jesus encourages His disciples to be men of faith—and men of faith are men of prayer. And prayer, according to the will of God, is capable of doing mighty things for God’s glory.

Here is what Jesus says:

“Have faith in God. . . . Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (verses 22-24)

In other words, true faith in the power of God can accomplish great things for God. I love the principle William Carey, the great missionary, lived by as he would often say, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

Now this text is not a blank check to get whatever you want out of life. There are other conditions to praying given in the New Testament. For one, we are to pray in His name. That means whenever we offer a prayer that Jesus can sign His name to—that is, it is according to His will—that prayer is going to be accomplished.

Perhaps Jesus here is implicitly condemning all the prayers taking place in the temple. The priests were praying all sorts of prayers, and the people were responding in prayer. But think of it—they were all praying to God but at the same time rejecting the Son of God.

Oh, there are a lot of people today who are praying, talking about their prayers, and reading prayers in church, but their prayers really have nothing to do with honoring and obeying Jesus. Let me tell you, if you do not really care about King Jesus, your prayers are not getting past the living room ceiling—or the ceiling of some church or cathedral either, for that matter.

The Only Way to Live John 12:20-50

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As we track along with the Lord on this final week of His ministry, we are still at Monday, and Jesus is still in Jerusalem. We are in John chapter 12 now, and as the crucifixion draws ever nearer, the Lord speaks openly about it and what it means for the whole world.

We are told here, beginning in verse 20, that some Greeks show up and want to see Jesus. These are Gentiles who have adopted Judaism to some degree, and they worship Israel’s God. Philip and Andrew tell Jesus that these men want to meet with Him.

The text does not tell us if Jesus actually meets with them, though we can probably assume that He did. What He says here, though, is more than likely spoken in their presence:

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (verses 23-24)

Jesus’ death is going to be like seed planted in the ground that grows and bears much fruit. And a lot of that fruit, beloved, happens to be Gentile believers from all around the world.

Jesus continues in verses 25-26:

“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

The Lord already has stated this principle repeatedly in the Gospels (See Matthew 10:27-39; 16:24-25; Luke 9:23-24; 14:26-27). This is really the only way to live. You truly begin to live when you die to self; and in dying to yourself, you find a life worth living.

Now you might notice that Jesus keeps referring here to “whoever” and “anyone.” In other words, the gospel invitation is open to whomever believes. The King James Version says in Revelation 22:17, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

I like the way D. L. Moody used to put it, when he preached back in the 1800s. He would say something like, “There are only two kinds of people in the world today; the whosoever wills and the whosoever wont’s.” Which one are you today, my friend?

Now Jesus admits here in verse 27 that His soul is “troubled,” or agitated, over what is immediately ahead for Him. But even still, His prayer is not, “Father, get me out of this” but “Father, glorify your name.” This was His purpose for coming into the world—to glorify His Father—to honor His Father in this great plan of salvation.

And all of a sudden, Jesus’ desire to see the Father glorified is given divine approval here in verse 28: “Then a voice came from heaven: ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him” (verse 29).

Imagine hearing a voice thundering from heaven. This is the same voice that had thundered three years earlier, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). This is the voice of God the Father, who affirmed the Lord Jesus as deity, as a representative of the Godhead—fully God, though fully man.

Jesus then says to the stunned crowd in verse 31, “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” In other words, Jesus is proclaiming victory over Satan through His own coming death and resurrection.

Even more than that, the Lord says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (verse 32). John adds in verse 33 that Jesus is indicating “what kind of death he was going to die.” He is going to be lifted up on a cross.

This lifting up will draw “all people” to Him. This does not mean that everybody will be saved. After all, Jesus has already spoken about the judgment of the unbeliever (See, for example, John 5:28-29). What Jesus means is that His death will be an invitation for all the world to believe. Beloved, the cross will become a lighthouse whose beacon will eventually reach around the world.

Even as the clock ticks down toward His crucifixion, Jesus is focused on His mission to seek and to save those who are lost.

Now with that, John’s Gospel account makes two observations. First, John writes in verse 37, “Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him.” You might think that miracles like raising the dead and giving sight to the blind—and now hearing a voice thundering from heaven—would lead everybody to believe. But the general response is still unbelief. John points out in the following verses that their unbelief is in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah that their eyes are blind and their hardened hearts will not believe.

The second observation is recorded here in verses 42-43:

Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

How tragic it is that these people know Jesus is God the Son but they are going to keep quiet about it so they will not face mockery and opposition. That sounds like a lot of so-called Christians I know today. They say they believe in Christ, but they are silent believers. They are evidently on a secret mission—to keep their belief in Christ a secret.

I remember attending a funeral and talking there to an older Christian I knew pretty well—faithful to his church, his wife was a regular soloist, their children were outstanding young people. This man had carpooled for decades with the man who had just died. I asked him how the deceased man had responded to the gospel that this man certainly would have shared with him. Well, he hung his head and said, “You know, I never once brought up the Lord. I never even told him I was a Christian. And how I regret that now.”

Too often, just as here in John 12, the unbelievers are vocal, but the believers are silent. Jesus sure could use some support about now, but the pressure of their culture keeps these people silent and secret about their belief in Christ.

What we have in the remaining verses of chapter 12 is a summary of Jesus’ invitation to believe in Him. He cries out to the crowd in verse 46. “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” It occurs to me that these words from Jesus just might be the last words these people hear from the Lord—the last invitation they will receive from Him.

Beloved, let’s live our lives openly and courageously as followers of Christ. Let’s join Jesus in His mission to invite the “whosoever wills” to trust in Him for salvation and everlasting life, while there is still time.

At a missions conference in South Carolina, a college-aged woman testified that she had decided to openly live out her commitment to Christ. She held up a sheet of paper—it was blank, with only her signature written at the bottom. She said, “This piece of paper is God’s plan for my life. I don’t know what He’s going to write on it, but I have already signed my name to it. I have accepted His will without knowing what it is, and I am trusting Him as He writes in the details.”

Let me tell you something: that is the only way to really live.

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When Winning Is More Important than Truth Matthew 21:23-32; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8

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The Scottish author and pastor George MacDonald once wrote back in the 1800s, “When someone argues for victory instead of truth, he can be sure of one ally, that is the devil.”[279]

We are watching now the opponents of Jesus mount an attack. They are not interested in the truth—they only want victory. And you can be sure their ally is the devil himself.

Jesus is just a few days away from His crucifixion, and He knows it. He entered Jerusalem on Sunday; then on Monday we watched Him drive the merchants and money changers out of the temple. Now it is Tuesday morning, and Jesus has returned to teach again in the temple.

This marks the beginning of a rather long day, with a number of challenges from the religious leaders. Let’s follow Matthew’s account of this day, beginning in chapter 21, verse 23:

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

They are like an ornery policeman stopping you and demanding to see your driver’s license. They are upset Jesus is teaching, so they ask for His credentials. The parallel accounts in Mark and Luke add that the scribes are present, along with the elders and chief priests. These three groups—chief priests, scribes, and elders—made up the Jewish council of seventy known as the Sanhedrin, Israel’s supreme court. So, this is not just a policeman here; this is the entire court system tracking Jesus down.

The chief priests were from the party of the Sadducees, and the scribes were primarily Pharisees. The elders were tribal leaders, and many of them served in the priesthood.[280]

So, these representatives of the Sanhedrin come up to Jesus and ask Him for His driver’s license so to speak. Who gave Him the right to ride around the temple precinct doing whatever He wanted to do?

Now their question is not just an ornery one; it is a legitimate one. The leaders of the Jewish nation were responsible to keep false teachers off the road. So, they are trying to pull Jesus over here into a logical “ditch,” frankly, and take the keys away.

They know He never studied under the respected rabbis, so He does not have credentials from the local seminary. And if Jesus says He is authorized by God, well, they can accuse Him of blaspheming for suggesting He is speaking for God.

Jesus is fully aware of what they are trying to do, and He quickly turns it back on them:

Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. [In other words, “If you answer My question, I’ll answer yours.”] The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” (verses 24-25)

Now the pressure is on them. The prophet, John the Baptist, was not endorsed by them either, but the people recognized him as a prophet from God. If they deny John’s prophetic ministry, they will anger the crowds; but if they acknowledge John as a true prophet, they are confessing their own guilt because they are rejecting Jesus, the one John the Baptist introduced as the Messiah.

As we say in the south, these religious leaders are in a pickle. And I really don’t know what that means, but it doesn’t sound good! They huddle up to talk it over:

“If we say, [his authority was]‘From heaven,’ [Jesus] will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” (verses 25-26)

So, the leaders break out of their little huddle and say to Jesus, in verse 27, “We do not know.” Well, they should have known—and they actually did know. They also knew who empowered Jesus, but they did not want to give up their traditions and their sin and their power and let Him rule their lives.

With that, Jesus refuses to answer their question. He knows they are not interested in the truth anyway.

But Jesus does not stop with that; He delivers three parables that all relate to the religious leaders’ rejection of Him. The first parable begins in verse 28:

“A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.” (verses 28-30)

When Jesus asks the crowd which of the two sons did his father’s will, His hearers give the obvious answer in verse 31: the first son. He refused at first but regretted his words and then did what his father asked. The other son promised obedience but never followed through.

In case the religious leaders missed the point, Jesus says to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you” (verse 31).

Wow! What a stunning rebuke. The two kinds of people considered most sinful in Israel were tax collectors and prostitutes. And Jesus says they are getting into the kingdom before chief priests, scribes, and elders.

Jesus goes on to explain why:

“For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.” (verse 32)

In other words, “Tax collectors and prostitutes confessed their sin and believed the gospel of the Messiah preached by John the Baptist, but you religious leaders didn’t think you had any need to repent of anything.”

Let me tell you, the religious leaders are becoming more hostile and aggressive in attacking Jesus, and Jesus is becoming more pointed and courageous in exposing them. There are a lot of people who think Jesus was a meek and mild wallflower who couldn’t help but get pushed around. Well, they have not read far enough into the Gospel accounts.

Beloved, Jesus will tell them the truth so courageously and so forcefully that He will effectively lead them to do what He wants them to do, and that is put Him on a cross.

If Jesus visited the average religious establishment today, they would want to kill Him too. And that is because Jesus makes abundantly clear that religious devotion does not equal faith and religious traditions do not equal salvation. The church, the cathedral, the mosque, or the temple is not automatically a doorway into heaven—it may very well be the doorway into hell.

Jesus demonstrated true spiritual authority when He challenged these religious leaders. They questioned His authority when they should have submitted to it. They stood in judgment of Him, when they should have recognized that He would one day be their eternal judge.

Let’s learn from this, beloved. If we truly love people, let’s tell them the truth. If your neighbors’ house was on fire tonight at midnight, you would not stay in your house and decide that it would be unkind to wake them up. They need a good night’s rest; and besides, they would have to run outside in their pajamas, and that would be embarrassing.

No, because you care about them, you’ll bang on their door and warn them to get out while they can. So also, we must tell others about sin and the coming judgment. These are truths that will rescue the people God has placed in the traffic pattern of our lives. Let’s be as courageous as Jesus was and, in love, tell people the truth.

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The King’s Banquet Invitation Matthew 21:33–22:14; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19

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In 1631, the royal publisher in London produced a new edition of the King James Bible. The only problem was the proofers made a mistake in Exodus 20, the famous passage listing the Ten Commandments. The word not was accidentally left out of one of the commandments so that verse 14 read, “Thou shalt commit adultery.” You can only imagine the scandal of this oversight. When the shocking mistake was discovered, the king ordered all the copies destroyed and the publisher fined 300 pounds, which in today’s economy would be about $70,000.[281] Some copies of that edition managed to survive, however, and it became known as the Sinner’s Bible or the Wicked Bible—and you can understand why. That little typo was embarrassing, and costly.

Well, the supreme court of Israel—the chief priests, scribes, and elders—are making, not only a costly mistake, but an eternally dangerous one at that. They have misread the character of Jesus Christ. And the consequences will not be financial, but eternal.

Jesus is back in the temple teaching, and He delivers two more parables aimed at these religious leaders who are denying Christ and His claim to have a future, glorious kingdom.

Mark and Luke record only the first parable, so we will turn to Matthew’s Gospel, which records both of them. Jesus is standing in the temple courtyard, delivering this stinging parable, beginning in chapter 21, verse 33:

“There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country.”

Jesus is clearly drawing upon the imagery of Isaiah 5, where Israel is portrayed as the Lord’s vineyard. Well, this vineyard Jesus is describing is now in the hands of tenant farmers who are supposed to bring in a harvest of fruit.

When harvesttime arrives, the owner sends some servants to collect the fruit. But the tenants are unwilling to keep their agreement—they want all the fruit for themselves. Jesus says in verse 35, “The tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.” When more servants are sent, they get the same violent reception.

Finally, showing extreme patience, the owner decides to send his own son to collect the harvest, thinking the tenants will certainly show him due respect. But the result is tragic:

“When the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.” (verses 38-39)

Jesus asks His audience what they think the owner is bound to do, and they answer in verse 41:

“He will put those wretches to a miserable death and [rent] the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

Here is the analogy Jesus is delivering: God set apart His vineyard, Israel, as His own choice property, and He entrusted the nation to the care her religious leaders. When God sent prophets to warn them of their greed and unfaithfulness, they killed God’s messengers; and now they are about to kill God’s own Son, the Lord Jesus.

Just in case the Lord’s audience does not get the picture, Jesus quotes from Psalm 118. This is the same psalm the people were chanting as they waved their palm branches and welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem, shouting, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The words Jesus quotes from this messianic psalm are these: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” The Son who will be killed will be honored by God as “the cornerstone.”

But what are the consequences of rejecting the Son of God? Jesus says, “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits” (verse 43). In other words, the kingdom that was offered to this unbelieving generation of Israelites will be taken away from them and given to a future, believing generation of Israel, who will repent and follow Christ as He returns to set up His kingdom on earth.

But there is another consequence here. The stone that is rejected—Jesus Christ Himself—will become a stone of judgment, crushing all who reject Him.

The last two verses of chapter 21 record that the chief priests and Pharisees fully understood that this parable applied to them. There is no way they can get around the truth of their rejection of Christ. But instead of reflection and repentance, they are moving ahead with their plans to arrest Jesus. In fact, the only reason they are delaying His arrest is because they fear the crowds, who consider Jesus a true prophet of God.

Jesus now goes on with the second parable in Matthew 22. This time there is a king giving a wedding feast for his son. However, when he sends servants to tell those previously invited that the feast is ready, the servants are ignored; nobody comes to the wedding feast.

So, the father of the groom sends another round of servants to invite everyone to the wedding feast. Jesus describes the response this time in verses 5-6:

But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.

The graciousness and patience of the king is met with hatred and murder. The king sends his soldiers and puts to death all of these killers and sets fire to their city. He then sends his servants out to invite to the wedding feast anyone they can find along the road so that the wedding hall is eventually filled.

Now here in verse 11 a rather peculiar element is introduced. Among those who come to the feast is a man who does not have on the traditional wedding garments the king had given to everyone as gifts. This man did not want to come dressed in the king’s gift; he wanted to come in his own way.

And Jesus declares that the king says, “Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (verse 13). This is a picture of eternal judgment.

At the end of this parable, Jesus does not provide any explanation—He does not need to. The meaning is clear: If you choose to enter the kingdom in your own clothing of good works, you will be cast out; but if you arrive wearing God’s gift of salvation, you will be welcomed into the wedding feast.

What about the Lord’s warning implied by the king’s burning the city to the ground? That is actually a prediction of the destruction coming on Jerusalem because of their unbelief. Their city would be judged by God as a reminder that they had rejected the Son of God. Sure enough, in AD 70, the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem, burning much of it to the ground. And to this day, it is nothing like it once was. But in a future day—in the kingdom of Christ—the Bible describes the rebuilding of the city and the temple in unbelievable splendor and glory.

In the meantime, do not forget this: whether the world wants to believe it or not, you cannot sneak into the kingdom on your own terms; you have to accept the King’s invitation by way of Jesus the Messiah. You cannot arrive at the kingdom feast wearing your own clothing—what you have made with your own hands. You must be wearing His gift of salvation.

And let me tell you, if you will accept the King’s invitation today, He will robe you in the garments of salvation, and you will never be turned away.

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Trick Questions and Brilliant Answers Matthew 22:15-33; Mark 12:13-27; Luke 20:20-40

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A book written some years ago had the bold title How to Argue and Win Every Time.[282] I haven’t read it, but I am sure the author knows a lot more on the subject than I do because I don’t win every argument. In fact, I can’t even convince my wife that chocolate-covered donuts are good for you. Maybe I ought to read that book.

Well, let me tell you, Jesus has been hounded and pursued by some really argumentative people throughout His entire ministry. We know some of them who were called Pharisees. As far as they were concerned, they believed they could win every argument and impress everybody with their knowledge. But as we have seen, they have been no match for the Lord Jesus.

Now in our chronological study through the Gospels, it is still Tuesday of Passover week, and Jesus is still teaching in the temple. We read here in Matthew 22:15, “Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words.” They keep trying to trap Jesus with some trick question—to try and get Him to say something or take a position that might alienate Him from the Jewish people or make Him liable to prosecution by the Roman authorities (see Luke 20:20).

What is interesting here is that the Pharisees have joined forces with the Herodians, mentioned in Matthew 22:16. Now we are pretty familiar with the Pharisees, these zealous keepers of man-made laws and traditions as a way to earn righteousness. They also despised the presence and rule of the Roman government.

The Herodians, on the other hand, were deeply involved with politics. Their support of King Herod and his royal family gave them the name Herodians. King Herod ruled by appointment from the Roman government, so the Herodians and the Roman government were supportive of one another.

I say all that to say that the Pharisees and the Herodians did not like each other—they never got along. But all of a sudden, they are best friends. Why? Because they all hated Jesus.

And as that old saying goes, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” And here they come together to try to trip up Jesus with this question: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (verse 17).

Okay, this is indeed a clever, tricky question. If Jesus says, “Yes, you ought to pay taxes to Rome” the people are going to start mumbling about this prophet of God. He might even be considered a traitor to the nation of Israel, in league with Rome.

But if Jesus says, “No, you don’t have to pay taxes,” He is going to be in trouble with the Roman Empire because empires do not usually put up with tax evaders.

So, how is Jesus going to get out of this trap? Well, before answering them, Jesus pulls off their masks and says here in verse 18, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?” In other words, “I know what you are doing, and you do not want an answer; you just want Me tripped up.”

Jesus then continues in verse 19, “Show me the coin for the tax.” When He’s shown a Roman denarius, He asks them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” (verse 20). And they answer, “Caesar’s.” So, Jesus says, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (verse 21).

In essence, He is saying, “If the coin bears Caesar’s image, it belongs to this world, and that means you are obligated to pay this world’s taxes.” But then Jesus goes to the heart of the problem by adding this phrase: “[But give] to God the things that are God’s.”

Their real problem is not a tax issue; it is a heart issue. They have never given to God what they owe Him; namely, their hearts and their lives!

I love the fact that there is no response from the Pharisees or Herodians. You could have heard crickets out there in the temple courtyard. Verse 22 says that those who heard Jesus’ words “marveled.” They were stunned with the depth and brilliance of His answer.

Up next to challenge Jesus are some Sadducees in verse 23. The Sadducees dominated the Sanhedrin, the supreme court of Israel, and the high priest came from the ranks of the Sadducees. They upheld only the law of Moses, the first five books of the Old Testament. And they did not believe in angels, or any kind of resurrection from the dead, or future, eternal life.

What trick question have the Sadducees come up with here? No surprise here—they have a trick question about the resurrection! They are obviously not interested in an answer; they just want to try to make Jesus’ belief in the resurrection seem silly and absurd.

Here is their question:

“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.” (verses 24-28)

So, this woman had seven husbands, and they all died. I would have to say that I would be a little suspicious of this woman—marry her and you are dead. Well, back to the point: Whose wife will she be in heaven?

Jesus responds with a strong rebuke in verse 29: “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” Jesus is saying they don’t know anything about the Bible or the character of God. By the way, I believe Jesus would say the same thing to many religious leaders in our world today—they do not know the Bible, and they do not know anything about God.

Well, Jesus goes on to say to them, “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven” (verse 30). In other words, marriage does not continue on forever. I think my wife might be encouraged by that—she is not going to be my wife forever. The institution of marriage no longer exists in heaven.

Then Jesus goes on to say to them in verse 31, “As for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God?” While they are scratching their heads, trying to figure out what verse that might be, Jesus quotes the words of God to Moses at the burning bush: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (verse 32). Then Jesus comments, “He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”

What is Jesus’ point? God spoke to Moses hundreds of years after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died; but Jesus quotes God the Father speaking in the present tense: He is their God, not He was their God. Jesus is clearly explaining that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still alive even though they have died.

Well, you can hear those crickets out there in the courtyard again. The Sadducees are completely shut down. Verse 33 says the people “were astonished at his teaching.” Who wouldn’t be? Jesus offers incredibly brilliant answers to these difficult questions.

Jesus takes them all back to school by turning their attention to the Scriptures. And isn’t that the real problem? Isn’t that the problem many people have today? They are trying to figure out life—and even life beyond the grave—while at the same time ignoring what God has said in the Bible.

Let’s believe His Word. Let’s not try to win an argument with God but believe Him, follow Him, and surrender our lives to Him today.

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Son of David . . . Son of God Matthew 22:34-46; Mark 12:28-37; Luke 20:41-44

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Today on our Wisdom Journey, we are back in the temple on Tuesday of the Passover celebration in Jerusalem. The crowd has swelled by some two million pilgrims who have packed in and around the city. A great crowd is listening to Jesus, the Master Teacher, answer question after question.

He evidently did not mind questions. In fact, like any good teacher, He used them to instruct and guide and teach His audience.

Now in Matthew 22, a lawyer, who is a Pharisee, approaches Jesus with a question. The word here for “lawyer” (verse 35) is another name for a scribe—someone who was an expert in the law of Moses and most often a teacher of the law as well.

This man asks Jesus, “Which is the great commandment in the Law?” (verse 36). The Pharisees have planned this question to try to trap Jesus. Mark’s Gospel indicates that this lawyer ends up becoming more sympathetic to Jesus as the two of them have this conversation (Mark 12:32-34).[283]

The question he asks was actually a hot topic of debate. The rabbis of Jesus’ day loved to debate these commandments. They identified 613 biblical commandments. And by the time of Jesus, they had added hundreds and hundreds of additional commandments—commandments that were tacked on to the biblical commandments. With all these commandments being taught to the people, the religious leaders were constantly debating among themselves which commandments were more important than others.

So now, they are trying to get Jesus to jump into the debate. They want Him to take sides: “Jesus, which commandment is the most important?”

Jesus doesn’t even take a breath to pause and think it over. He immediately quotes Deuteronomy chapter 6:5: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This commandment, Jesus says in verse 38, “is the great and first commandment.” It is the primary, the most foundational, commandment—loving God with your whole being.

But the Lord does not stop there. He goes on in verse 39 to say, “And a second [commandment] is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The Lord is quoting Leviticus 19:18.

Maybe you have heard somebody say that you cannot love others until you first learn to love yourself. That is not at all what Jesus is saying! He is not commanding you to love yourself. He is commanding you to love other people like you already love yourself.

These two commandments are closely connected and cannot really be separated. Loving God without loving others created in His image is not possible; and loving others without loving God is not really love in the truest sense.

Have you ever thought about the fact that loving God summarizes the first four of the Ten Commandments, while love for others summarizes the last six of the Ten Commandments? If you love God and you worship God, you are not going to steal from other people and lie to other people and commit adultery against your spouse.

That is why Jesus says here in verse 40, “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Mark’s account tells us this man is greatly impressed with Jesus’ answer. He even acknowledges that Jesus has spoken the truth and that obedience to these two commands is more important than sacrifices and offerings. Jesus responds in Mark chapter 12:34, saying, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” In other words, you are on the right track. In fact, Jesus’ words are encouraging him to take the next step—embrace the Lord in faith.

Now it is time for Jesus to ask a question of His own. He asks the Pharisees a question here in Matthew 22:42: “What do you think about the Christ [that is, the anointed Messiah]? Whose son is he?” The Pharisees are quick to answer that the Messiah is “the son of David.”

And they are correct. The Messiah was to be a son of David, according to the Scriptures. “Son of David” was an accepted messianic title, since the Messiah would be a descendant of King David. By the way, these religious leaders knew that Jesus had been welcomed into Jerusalem a few days earlier by the people, who were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:9). They no doubt checked out the Lord’s genealogy and confirmed what Matthew 1 clearly shows—that Jesus was a descendant of King David.

Of course, the Pharisees will not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, but they cannot deny that the title “Son of David” is messianic. So, with that the Lord goes one step further. The Pharisees were looking for a political Messiah—someone to deliver them from Roman oppression. Jesus now points them to an Old Testament passage that reveals the Messiah is more than a political savior.

Jesus asks them in verse 43 if the Christ—the Messiah—is David’s son, why does David call Him his Lord? Jesus then quotes Psalm 110:1: “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ I will paraphrase what David is writing: “God said to my Messiah, ‘Sit at my right hand,’” the place of honor.

Jesus then asks this question in verse 45: “If then David calls him [the Messiah] Lord, how is he [David’s] son?” Now Jesus is not trying to confuse His audience but to make them think. Jesus is pointing out that a son of David—a descendant of David—is actually the Son of God. David was writing prophecy here without fully understanding it at the time. David’s Messiah is the Lord; and the Lord will be a descendant of David.

How is that possible? Well, we know what David did not know: Jesus was the miraculously conceived Son of God and legally descended from David—both Mary and Joseph were in the family line of King David. Wow, Jesus is revealing to them, from Old Testament Scripture, that the Messiah is deity—not just a political leader, but the sovereign Lord of the universe.

This verse from Psalm 110 is one of the most frequently quoted passages in the New Testament. And no wonder. Look at what this short verse teaches. It indicates that Jesus Christ was eternally preexistent as God the Son, for it shows God the Father speaking to Jesus long before He was born on earth. It illustrates the plurality of the Godhead, or the Trinity—that while God is one, the Godhead consists of three eternally distinct and equal persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. This is shown through a conversation taking place between the Father and the Son long before the Son entered this world as a baby boy.

I have to chuckle here because Matthew records that after this, no one dared ask Jesus any further questions. Mark’s Gospel adds that the people were glad to hear Him. I imagine they were glad to see these proud Pharisees put in their place.

So, Jesus has just identified the greatest commandment: to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Jesus also has presented the greatest question a person can answer: Is He the Son of God, the divine Messiah?

How would you answer that in your own heart today? My prayer is that you not only know who He is—which in itself is not enough, by the way, since the devil knows who He is! My prayer is that you will know who He is and then trust Him personally as your living God. Ask Him to be your Messiah, your Redeemer, and your personal Savior. And He will.

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The Final Sermon of Jesus Matthew 23:1-39; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45–21:4

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If you have ever heard some old, faithful pastor deliver his final sermon, his farewell sermon—and I have heard a few over the years—it is usually encouraging and uplifting and challenging words that are long remembered and cherished.

Well, you had better buckle up, because Jesus is about to deliver His final public sermon, and it is going to be long remembered by those who hear it. It is a powerful message of warning and judgment.

Jesus is in the temple court, where He has handled all the tricky, devious questions and challenges from Pharisees, scribes, Herodians, and Sadducees. Now in Matthew 23 He concludes His time of teaching in the temple with a message that begins this way:

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.” (verses 2-3)

They are sitting in the seat of Moses—teaching the law of Moses, that is. The commands they teach ought to be observed. But these teachers are not themselves personally living by them.

I remember listening to a man preach on the radio, a best-selling author who traveled the world holding audiences spellbound. It was only after he died that it was proved he had mistresses in several different countries where he traveled. He was not practicing what he was preaching. Years ago, my wife and I were in Vienna, Austria, touring a beautiful mansion and grounds a Catholic Bishop had built centuries earlier. The guide said that this bishop lived there with his mistress and their children.

These men Jesus is describing hold positions of honor in their religious communities. They are preaching, but they are not practicing.

Jesus describes how these religious hypocrites love to put on their followers the burden of traditions and rules that they will not bear themselves (verse 4). All they want is attention for themselves (verse 5). They want the places of honor in public (verse 6). And they love to be addressed with special titles (verse 7).

They loved titles. I remember years ago receiving an honorary doctorate. It was a very kind gesture, but it made my head swell up. I finally took the diploma down and put it in the closet and removed the title Dr. from any books or literature that we published since that time. I agree with an old preacher who once said an honorary doctorate is like putting whipped cream on an onion. Well, I am an onion. And whipped cream did not help me one bit.

Jesus says in verse 9, “And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father who is in heaven.” Jesus is not referring to your biological father but to any spiritual leader. Do not call him father. Frankly we are all ordinary clay pots into whom the glorious gospel has been poured (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Now along that same line, Jesus has a reminder for them in verses 11-12:

“The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

The scribes and Pharisees who are standing there are probably seething with anger as Jesus effectively warns the people about them. But they have not heard anything yet! Jesus now begins to address them directly with a series of woes. A woe is essentially a pronouncement of judgment. It is not vindictive or spiteful, but it is a severe warning.

There are seven woes in this chapter, and each one gives a reason for it. And keep in mind that Jesus is describing the scribes and Pharisees as a whole. Some are, in fact, sincere and actually seeking the truth about Jesus. And some are going to come to faith later on.

Jesus begins in verse 13:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.”

In other words, “Your rejection of Christ is bad enough, but you are leading others to reject the Lord as well.”

The second woe, in verse 15, is related to their pursuit of making new converts. Jesus says that their converts actually become children of hell—they are more lost than ever.

In the third woe, in verse 16, Jesus calls the scribes and Pharisees “blind guides” who make all kinds of pious-sounding vows or oaths; but they do not mean any of it. They find convenient ways to break their promises whenever they want to.

Woe number four is in verse 23. Jesus says, “You tithe mint and dill . . . and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.” Here they are, almost comically, counting out little tiny dill seeds so they can tithe one out of ten. Yet they ignore far more important matters of integrity and justice. As Jesus puts it in verse 24, they try to avoid swallowing a little gnat, but then they will swallow a camel! That is, they focus on minor things and minimize major things.

Both the fifth woe in verse 25 and the sixth one in verse 27 emphasize hypocrisy again. Jesus says they are like a cup that appears clean on the outside but is filthy inside. Nobody does that. I drink coffee just about every morning. If that bothers you, I hope you will get over it soon. Now I would never leave coffee in my cup from yesterday and just clean and wipe off the outside. A clean cup is clean outside and inside.

Jesus goes on to say that these religious leaders are like whitewashed tombs, with clean headstones hiding the death that’s on the inside. He says in verse 28, “You also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

The seventh and final woe highlights this same kind of hypocrisy. These religious leaders built beautiful tombs for prophets whom their ancestors had martyred. Jesus says to them that they share the same killer instinct of their forefathers—even now they are plotting to kill Jesus.

Jesus then hammers down the verdict in verse 33: “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?” Beloved, I cannot imagine stronger words from Jesus.

This stirring, convicting message is followed by two incidents. First, in verse 37 Jesus laments over Jerusalem—He weeps over the nation Israel. He grieves that judgment is coming.[284]

He concludes by saying in verse 39, “You will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Now that is a little a ray of hope for Israel. God has not abandoned them entirely. The Bible tells us that one day the nation will welcome Jesus back when He returns at His second coming to establish His millennial kingdom!

Then there is one more brief scene recorded in both Mark and Luke’s Gospels while Jesus is still in the temple court. He has evidently taken a seat, and He is watching as people are putting money into the temple offering boxes. Mark 12:42 records, “A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins.” This amounted to less than a cent. Note what Jesus says to His disciples here in verses 43-44:

“This poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had.”

Here is a woman who stands in vivid contrast to those hypocrites. She is not putting on a show for others. She has no idea the Lord of the universe is watching her. There is no hypocrisy, just simple, honest, sacrificial worship of her Lord.

Beloved, let’s be more like her and less like these religious leaders as we seek to exalt the name of Christ in our world today.

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A Conversation about the End Times Matthew 24:1-28; Mark 13:1-23; Luke 21:5-24

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Today we set sail into the most interesting prophetic portion of the Gospel accounts. Jesus has predicted the coming desolation of Jerusalem. As the Lord and His disciples now walk over toward the Mount of Olives, the Gospels of Mark and Luke record that they are admiring the magnificence and beauty of the temple. In Matthew’s account, Jesus responds with this prediction: “Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2).

As they reach the Mount of Olives, where they have a spectacular view of the temple, Jesus sits down to rest. The disciples ask Him in verse 3, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Now remember, they are not anticipating Jesus’ death and resurrection—though they should be by now. They are still wondering when Jesus will manifest Himself as Israel’s reigning Messiah.[285]

We need to understand that the disciples have no concept of the rapture, which at this point has not been revealed. They are equally confused about the second coming of Christ. Just like the Old Testament prophets, they have no knowledge of the dispensation of the church age. They do not know anything about the rapture; the disciples think Jesus is going to bring in the kingdom any day now. You might be familiar with Acts 1:6, where the disciples ask the resurrected Lord, just before He ascends back to heaven, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

So, keep in mind that these future elements—a rapture, a tribulation, a thousand-year reign—are all going to be revealed in the years to come as the New Testament is completely written.

When Jesus says to the disciples here that the stones of the temple will be dismantled in a great devastation, He is referring to the coming destruction of the temple that will take place in AD 70 at the hands of the Roman army. But then Jesus goes on to describe the tribulation that will precede His return, not in the clouds to rapture His church, but when He returns to earth to set up His kingdom (Revelation 19).

The main point to remember is that Jesus is describing in Matthew 24 the tribulation period, that seven-year time of trouble that comes upon the earth after the rapture—that great event Paul describes in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

Here in Matthew 24 and 25, we have what is called the Olivet Discourse. It is a conversation on the Mount of Olives, and it all relates to the tribulation period and then Jesus Christ’s return at the end of the tribulation to establish His kingdom on earth. Mark and Luke give a condensed version of this discourse, so we will follow Matthew’s Gospel account.

Listen as Jesus describes the coming tribulation in verses 4-8:

“See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.”

Notice Jesus uses the pronoun “you” throughout this passage. He is speaking to His disciples, as if they are going to go through this period of time. They will not, of course; this message is intended for all the believers who will have accepted Christ during the tribulation. The Bible tells us that many people will come to faith in Christ after the rapture of the church—and many of them will be Jewish people (see Revelation 7).

The events Jesus outlines here in Matthew’s Gospel are signs of His approaching return at the end of the tribulation. The Lord calls them “birth pains,” meaning the end is not here yet, but it is near.

Now the Lord gives special warnings to Jewish followers of Christ during the tribulation—again using the pronoun “you.” He says in verse 9, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.” Because of their faith in Christ, Jewish believers will become the special target of the Antichrist and the God-hating world at large.

There will be a general falling away from the truth by those who initially profess faith in Christ. Betrayal, persecution, deception by false prophets, lawless immorality, and violence will grip this world during the tribulation. Think about it: the church is gone—the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit through millions of Christians disappears overnight. The wickedness of the world will ignite like never before.

In spite of this horrific prediction, there are two rays of hope. First, those who “endure to the end will be saved,” Jesus says in verse 13. Many new believers will be martyred for their faith, but those believers who physically survive the tribulation will see Christ return with His redeemed. They will enter the kingdom era of Christ in their physical bodies.[286] In fact, it will be these millions of believers who have come to Christ during the tribulation over whom we, the church, will co-reign with Christ in His glorious kingdom.

The second ray of hope is found in verse 14. The Lord also predicts that “this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world” before the end comes. The gospel of Christ and His kingdom will be proclaimed worldwide during the tribulation, and people will come to faith in Him by the millions.

Jesus then warns of the “abomination of desolation” in verse 15. What, exactly, is this? The Old Testament prophet Daniel mentions it in chapter 9 of his book and places it at the very middle of the tribulation. He attributes it to the “prince who is to come” (verse 26). This is the one we call the Antichrist. During the tribulation he will ascend to a position of worldwide leadership. But at the midpoint of the tribulation, he will break his peace covenant with Israel, desecrate the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, and, as 2 Thessalonians 2:4 tells us, he will declare himself to be God.

Jesus issues a warning here to believers living in and around Jerusalem during this future time to flee. Why? The abomination of desolation will initiate a period of severe persecution of all who refuse to worship the Antichrist, especially Jewish believers.

So, here in the Olivet Discourse, Jesus makes it clear that seven years of great trouble will come upon the world just prior to His return to establish His thousand-year kingdom on earth. This seven-year period will especially be a time of testing for Israel, but it will also prepare them to believe in Christ and rejoice when the Lord returns; for there will be no crucifixion this time but a coronation of King Jesus.

If you have trusted in Christ, you will be kept from the tribulation; you will be raptured to meet Christ in the clouds and taken back to the Father’s house—heaven. And beloved, I personally believe that while the tribulation is taking place on earth, we will be in heaven undergoing special training for our assignments when we descend with the Lord to co-reign with Him in the coming kingdom.

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Ready and Waiting Matthew 24:29-51; Mark 13:24-37; Luke 21:25-36

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The return of Jesus Christ to Planet Earth is never presented in the Bible as just some interesting fact—simply as something that will happen one day. It is actually presented as an ultimatum that demands not only belief but response. In other words, will you believe that Jesus is coming again? And will you live your life now in light of seeing Him one day?

We are sailing back into Matthew 24, continuing our study of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse. In the first portion of chapter 24, the Lord has outlined the troubling events and conditions on earth during the future tribulation period, following the rapture of the church.

During the seven-year tribulation, millions of people will be saved, including many Jewish people. It is to these future Jewish believers that Jesus is actually speaking here; and I think this is going to be the most read chapter in the New Testament during the tribulation period. Jesus warns them of great persecution, especially after the Antichrist declares himself to be God.

We pick up now in verse 29 with Jesus speaking:

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

He is saying that after the events He has just described, some culminating signs will appear at the end of the seven-year tribulation period. The cosmic disruption in our solar system—in fact, in the entire universe—all point to the coming of the Lord, whom verse 30 describes as “coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Everyone on earth will witness the Lord’s return with His redeemed. And Jesus predicts here that “all the tribes of the earth will mourn.” This mourning reflects their realization that judgment has arrived.

Christ’s return will be accompanied by His gathering of all those who have come to faith during the tribulation period. Jesus says in verse 31, “He [the Son of Man] will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Those who have believed in Christ will enter the kingdom; those who have followed the Antichrist will be sent to await their final judgment.

Now the question on the disciples’ minds is this: When is this going to happen? In verse 32 Jesus introduces a “lesson”—literally a parable—from a fig tree. He says, “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.”

He then adds, “So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates” (verse 33). “These things” refers to the signs of Christ’s return. When these signs appear, His return will soon follow.

Then in verse 34 Jesus says, “This generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” That future generation that experiences the tribulation and sees these signs will also see Christ’s return in glory and the establishment of His kingdom.[287] Now in case anybody thinks the Lord is just guessing here, He adds in verse 35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

So, with that information, the tribulation believers have an approximate time for Christ’s return. They know the tribulation will last for seven years. However, Jesus says in verse 36, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” That is, God the Father retains the right to pull the trigger, so to speak, on the specific day and hour, a time that only He knows.

Now this verse does not mean that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not entirely omniscient, or all-knowing. This reference tracks back to a Jewish wedding in which the father tells his son, the groom, when to go and get his bride. The son certainly knows the day of his wedding, but he yields to his father the right to look over at him and say “Ok, now is the time.”

What Jesus is emphasizing here is that tribulation believers need to be, first, alert and watching for Him, and, second, faithfully serving Him as they wait.

To emphasize alertness concerning His coming again, Jesus compares the end of the tribulation to the days of Noah:

“For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (verses 37-39)

Everybody will be going about the daily routines of life during the tribulation. Just like the world of Noah’s day, which was suddenly, unexpectedly overwhelmed by the great flood, the unbelieving world will be caught completely by surprise when the Lord descends to earth to bring holy judgment.

Here is what will happen, Jesus says in verse 40: “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.” And in the next verse, He says, “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.”

This has caused some confusion, because believers of this church age will be raptured, or “taken away.” But the context here is very different. Tribulation believers will be the ones left to enter the millennial kingdom of Christ, and unbelievers will be taken away to judgment. So, Jesus says to those future believers here in verse 42, “Stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” He adds in verse 44, “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

And what does it mean to be ready? Well, whether it is the future tribulation believers or us today as we await the rapture of the church, it means to be living in light of His coming—in anticipation of His appearance. And that means faithfully serving Him daily.

That’s the point Jesus makes as He continues:

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.” (verses 45-47)

This is the faithful servant, the one who goes about his life faithfully fulfilling his duties. He is just doing what he has been left here on earth to do: honoring and serving the Lord by serving others, sharing the gospel with friends and neighbors, and being an example of godliness and integrity. And just think, as one author put it, “The faithful servant of Jesus will be rewarded with rank and authority in the kingdom.”[288]

The unbeliever might profess to have faith in Christ, but he really does not believe the Lord is coming back. Verse 49 describes his wickedness and selfishness and abuse of others. Christ’s return is going to reward him with terrifying judgment.

We are not living in the tribulation period, but we should be looking forward to the first phase of Christ’s return, when He comes in the clouds to remove us from the earth at the rapture. This is our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13), and if we are truly convinced that He is coming, we ought to be living in anticipation of it.

Let’s walk with Him now in right living; let’s serve Him now with gladness. And let’s be alert. Jesus Christ’s coming could be just around the corner of human history.

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A Warning and a Promise Matthew 25:1–26:5, 14-16; Mark 14:1-2, 10-11; Luke 22:1-6

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As we continue our chronological study through the Gospels, Mark 14, Luke 22, and Matthew 25 all contribute to this scene on the Mount of Olives—we call it the Olivet Discourse. Jesus is sitting on this hillside teaching His disciples about the events leading up to His return, following the tribulation period. This is all new to them.

Now keep in mind that even though the Lord is instructing His disciples—and us today—His words are specifically directed to a future generation of believers who will become followers of Christ during the seven-year tribulation period. And I assure you, they are especially going to appreciate Matthew 25.

The Lord now delivers two parables to highlight the need for these tribulation believers to be watching for His return. This return is not the rapture. That takes place before the tribulation when the Lord calls up His redeemed to the clouds and whisks them away to the Father’s house. Here in Matthew 25, Jesus is speaking about His coming all the way down to earth—right here to Jerusalem—at the end of the tribulation.

This first parable describes a coming judgment on all those who follow the Antichrist:

“The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.” (verses 1-4)

In the custom of that day, the bridegroom would go to get his bride and bring her back for the wedding feast. These young women in the parable are waiting to join the procession back to the bridegroom’s house for the feast. You could call them bridesmaids. When the bridegroom shows up at midnight, five of these women have no oil for their lamps, and they are left out in the dark. Jesus says in verse 13, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

This next parable describes a man who gave his servants money to invest—one was given five talents, another two talents, and another one talent. By the way, a talent was worth around sixteen years of salary for the average person. A talent was the largest unit of currency during the days of Jesus. Sixteen years of salary is a lot of money.

Jesus then describes what happens next:

“He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.” (verses 16-18)

Jesus says that when the master returns, he commends the two servants who have invested wisely, calling them each a “good and faithful servant.” But He condemns the servant who buried his money in the ground, calling him in verse 26 a “wicked and slothful servant.” He was too lazy to do anything with the money—he didn’t even earn interest. The master orders that this man be punished.

The moral of the story is obvious: true believers care about their Lord’s desires, and unbelievers do not care at all.

Now through the rest of chapter 25 Jesus gives a literal description of coming judgment, beginning in verse 31:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” (verses 31-32)

Again, Jesus is speaking of His return at the end of the tribulation when He sits on the throne of His millennial kingdom. All the nations—all those still alive on earth—will be gathered before His throne to be judged. Those who believe in Christ will enter into His thousand-year kingdom. Now don’t confuse this judgment with the one described in Revelation 20. That is the great white throne judgment, which will take place a thousand years later. If your head is spinning right about now, just hang on. We are going to take quite a bit of time to explain all this further when our Wisdom Journey sails into the book of Revelation.

Verses 34-36:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’”

Do not misunderstand this. Their compassion does not earn them a place in the kingdom; it just proves they belong to the King. But they are curious, and they ask the Lord when they did those kind deeds to Him.

King Jesus answers in verse 40, “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Specifically, these brothers are Jewish believers who have suffered during the rampage of the Antichrist. The Antichrist will try to stamp out the nation of Israel, thus voiding all the promises of God to His chosen people. Of course, the Antichrist will fail miserably. And all who follow him will receive eternal suffering. Jesus says, “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous”—those right with God through Christ—will go “into eternal life” (verse 46).

People don’t want to hear about divine judgment. It is not a pleasant topic, but it is real. Poison ought to have a warning label on it, right? The world is being warned of coming judgment. And here is the good news: we don’t have to drink that bottle of poison. Jesus drank it for us when He died on the cross for our sins and took our judgment—that excruciating separation from His Father and death on the cross. If we believe in Him and follow Him, we will never face judgment from God because Jesus, as one author put it, took the cup and drank our damnation dry.[289]

Now think about this: as Jesus is informing His disciples of eternal judgment, sitting there among them is a disciple named Judas Iscariot. I wonderful what he is thinking!

Matthew shifts to Judas in chapter 26:

Then . . . Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. (verses 14-15)

Let me tell you, thirty pieces of silver was the price someone paid for an old slave, a servant who really could not do all that much work for the household. That is how little Judas thinks of Jesus. That is how little the religious leaders think of Jesus. They want Him dead, but they are not going to dish out much money at all to get Judas to betray Him.

So, here is the message: Don’t be like Judas. If you are an unbeliever, don’t sit there Sunday after Sunday—or even listening to this program—and ignore the warning about the poison of death and judgment. And for those of us who do believe, let’s be encouraged. Jesus is giving us a glimpse into the future, and as it unfolds—guess what—sin does not win, evil does not win, and the Antichrist does not win. Satan will fail entirely. All of God’s promises will come true.

And His promise to you today is that He works everything together for your good. That is a promise He is keeping right now. No matter how things look, He is keeping His promise to you.

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Twelve Pairs of Dirty Feet Matthew 26:17-20; Mark 14:12-17; Luke 22:24-30; John 13:1-20

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As we begin this Wisdom Journey, the Lord Jesus is now preparing for a final meal with His disciples. Luke’s Gospel, in chapter 22, tells us, sadly, what happens as the disciples gather in an upper room:

A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest [or the least], and the leader as one who serves.” (verses 24-26)

Can you imagine how Jesus must feel—just hours away from His arrest and suffering? He has poured His life into these men to model humility, and they are fixated on who is going to be in the spotlight.

Jesus patiently continues teaching them in verse 27:

“For who is the greater [by worldly standards], one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”

He then reminds them that they will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel in the coming kingdom. Frankly, I would be looking for twelve new disciples!

John 13 picks up the narrative at this point and records what Jesus does next:

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. (verses 3-4)

In these days, roads were dusty, and sandals were common. A large waterpot was typically placed at the entrance of a house, and a household servant would arrive with a ladle and a towel to wash the dirty feet of the guests as they came in.

When people ate, they reclined on a simple mat on the floor, propping themselves up with an elbow, facing a low, rectangular, wooden table. If their feet were dirty, everybody knew it. But there is no household servant anywhere in this picture.

And not any of the disciples are volunteering! But we are told in verse 5, to the shock of the disciples, “[Jesus] poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

In case they were wondering why, He plainly tells them:

“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (verses 13-14)

Now some wonderful Christians would say here that Jesus is instituting another ordinance of the church—that we ought to wash one another’s feet. But the Lord is not giving them a mandate; He is giving them a model. This is not an ordinance; this is an object lesson. He clearly says in verse 15, “I have given you an example.” In other words, there are a thousand ways to be a servant-leader—to humbly serve other people.

I imagine you could have heard a pin drop in this upper room. No doubt, eyes turned down in shame as they saw their Lord and Master playing the role of servant in washing their dirty feet. And by the way, this included Judas Iscariot. I would have pinched his toes instead of washing his feet!

When the Lord arrives at Peter’s feet, Peter pulls them away and says, “You shall never wash my feet” (verse 8). In the original language Peter uses the double negative ou mē, which is a way of emphasizing the negative. He is saying, “Lord, there is absolutely no way in the world you are going to wash my feet!”

Jesus says to him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” The word translated “share” here refers to fellowship. The Lord is telling him, “If I don’t wash you, you cannot have fellowship with Me.”

In verse 9 Peter essentially says, “Well then, give me a full bath—feet, hands, and head as well.” Jesus responds in verse 10, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”

The Lord is referring to two different baths. One is the bath of regeneration. This is salvation—where you are totally cleansed, once and for all, from the penalty of sin. You only need this bath one time. As Paul wrote in Titus 3:5, “He saved us . . . by the washing of regeneration.”

Then there is another bath we will call the bath of restoration. This is restored fellowship that comes when the believer confesses his daily sin. David prayed for this in Psalm 51:7: “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” The bath of regeneration gets you into the family of God. The bath of restoration keeps you in fellowship with God.

You might have noticed Jesus says that not every one of them has been cleaned, or redeemed.” And this is a reference to Judas—he has never been saved. Let me tell you, there are many people who you would think are part of the family of God, but inwardly, secretly, they are not interested in Jesus at all. They have never had the bath of regeneration, which comes through faith in Jesus Christ. This scene sends a message that just because you are familiar with Jesus does not mean you are a part of His family. So, if you are an unbeliever today, here is the message: give your heart and your life to Christ.

There are two messages here for the believer. First, you cannot have fellowship with Christ if you have dirty feet. Dirty feet here represent a lack of fellowship because of sin that has broken that close relationship with your Lord. You need to confess it; and frankly, your feet are going to get dirty every day. So daily confess your sin, and keep that fellowship with the Lord fresh and clean.

Here is the second message: Serve others as Christ did, and you will experience a unique happiness in Him. Jesus says in verse 17, “If you know these things, blessed [happy] are you if you do them.” Spiritual happiness is not the result of information but application. Roll up your sleeves, and wrap the towel around your waist, and wash a few feet; and you will experience satisfaction and happiness in the Lord.

Jesus refers to Judas in verse 18, saying, “He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.” Yet Jesus washes his feet too.

What a convicting example. I tend to wash the feet of somebody who is going to wash my feet in return. The truth is, if we will wash the feet of only those who will return our acts of service with appreciation, we might never serve anybody. Many Christians today will not wash anybody’s feet, so to speak, because it does not offer them anything in return.

Think about this upper room scene: Jesus washed all twelve pairs of dirty feet. What was their response? They can’t wait to sit on their own throne in the kingdom. Thomas is still going to doubt Him, Judas will still betray Him, and Peter will still deny Him. In fact, they will all run away from Him in a matter of hours. But He washed their feet anyway.

Notice that we are not told if Jesus had His feet washed that night. Did somebody volunteer? I would guess that after this lesson was over, the disciples crowded around their beloved Master and all took part in demonstrating their humble service in washing His feet.

But we do know this: all but one of these disciples devoted their lives—to their dying breath—to modeling the servant leadership they learned about this night in the upper room.

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The Most Famous Traitor in Scripture Matthew 26:21-22; Mark 14:18-19; Luke 22:21-23; John 13:21-22

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During the American revolution in the 1700s, a patriot officer had begun establishing himself as a military genius. In fact, he only tasted defeat in one battle.

In February of 1777, Congress created five new major generalships, and he fully expected to be one of the five; but he was passed over for younger, healthier men. This created deep resentment in his heart, and he would have resigned, had not George Washington personally pleaded with him to remain. Well, he stayed and went on to lead his troops brilliantly until he was seriously wounded in battle. With that, his resentment and bitterness reached a point where he grew to secretly hate the American cause.

When George Washington appointed him as the commander of West Point, this brilliant soldier decided to turn traitor. His name was Benedict Arnold, and he secretly planned to give West Point over to the British.

It might have worked, but the British agent who delivered the details was captured en route, and the betrayal was uncovered. Benedict Arnold quickly escaped onboard a British ship. He fled to England, where he lived out his life and died a crippled old man, ostracized, and unloved—a man who became known as the most famous traitor in American history.

I have never met anyone who named their son Benedict. And just as no American would name their son Benedict, I don’t think anyone who knows the Bible would ever name their son Judas. To this day, that name carries the stench of betrayal. Think about it—Benedict Arnold might have betrayed America, but Judas betrayed the Messiah.

Now at this point in our chronological study through the four Gospels, we are less than twenty-four hours away from the cross. It is during His final meal with His disciples that Jesus lets Judas know that He is aware of the plans for betrayal. All four Gospels record this event, but we will focus on John chapter 13.

Before we dive in and point fingers at this man’s treason against the kingdom of heaven, however, we should consider the challenge of Judas’s biography. You see, becoming a traitor is not that difficult. In fact, betrayal is the twin sister of selfishness. If you are determined to come in first place, to be promoted, then everybody else becomes less important than you. And whenever you are forced to choose between yourself and someone else, you will gladly lay down someone else’s life for your own. Traitors are simply people who have to be first.

In verse 21 Jesus says to His disciples, “One of you will betray me.” And of course, not one of the disciples immediately pointed to Judas and said, “We knew it!” We tend to picture Judas walking around with shifty eyes and a wicked sneer on his lips. But the truth is, Judas was a respected leader among the disciples. He was so highly respected that they wanted him taking care of their moneybag. Nobody suspected Judas. And keep in mind that Judas had, by all indications, faithfully followed the Lord for three years.

If Judas were in your church today, he would arrive early, set up the chairs, make coffee, and teach Sunday school. In fact, he would probably be a deacon or on the elder board. Only Jesus knew who he was—a traitor in the making.

But this revelation does raise some questions. Question number 1 is this: If Judas would betray Jesus, and Jesus knew it, why did Jesus choose Judas to begin with?

Jesus chose the twelve purposefully and sovereignly. Mark 3:16 says, “He appointed the twelve.” He knew whom He was calling, and He knew what each of them would do. And He knew the prophet Zechariah had already foretold that the Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12).

He also knew that Peter would deny Him but that he would also repent and preach the first sermon in the new dispensation of grace. He knew that John would be exiled to Patmos, where he would write the book of Revelation. He knew James would be the first apostle to be martyred for his faith. Jesus chose Judas, knowing exactly what Judas would do, but also knowing that his actions would fit like a puzzle piece into redemptive history.

Question number 2: If Judas was chosen to fulfill prophetic Scripture, did he really have any choice in the matter? The answer is yes! Judas was not a puppet on a string; he was not set up. He exercised his free will, yet the decisions of his free will fit within God’s sovereign will.

Keep in mind that Jesus Christ gave Judas every opportunity in the world not to betray Him. He discipled him for over three years; He washed Judas’s feet in the upper room; at this last supper He gave Judas the seat of honor; and even later in the garden when Judas arrived to identify Him with a kiss, Jesus called him “friend.”

Question number 3: Why did Judas follow Jesus all this time before betraying Him? Well in summary, Judas believed that Jesus would overthrow Rome and restore Israel as a preeminent nation.

Jesus knew this all along! John’s Gospel recorded all the way back in chapter 6 that “Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him” (verse 64).

To everyone else Judas looked like, talked like, and acted like a true disciple. Do not overlook the fact that at one point he had been sent out with the other disciples to preach, heal the sick, and cast out demons (Matthew 10:5-8). Jesus alone in this upper room knew who Judas really was.

When I was right around sixteen years of age, I worked after school on the campus of my high school—a program that reduced my tuition costs, which was a help to my missionary parents, who sacrificed greatly to put me in that Christian school. But I was not a Christian myself—and as far as I was concerned, nobody knew that but God and me.

I was mopping the gymnasium floor when the headmaster, Mr. Garrick, walked out onto the floor. There had been a party over the weekend with drinking. I had not gone to that party, but it was assumed I had. Eventually, after some investigation, the powers that be would confirm that I had not gone after all.

That did not change the fact that I was not a believer. I kept up a fairly decent image, but my heart was far from God. Well, Mr. Garrick suddenly showed up, and I can still hear his heels clicking on that gymnasium floor. He approached, quietly looked at me, and simply said, “I know who you are.” And without another word, he walked away. Let me tell you, that was incredibly convicting. And God used him in a mighty way. In fact, a year later, I gave my life to Christ.

Well, you can imagine how deeply convicting it was for the Lord here to quietly announce that one of the disciples would betray Him. John 13:22 says, “The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.” Matthew 26:22 and Mark 14:19 even record that the disciples began to ask Jesus, “Is it I?” Jesus knew it was Judas, who was probably sitting there red-faced and under deep conviction.

Remember beloved, betrayal is the logical extension of selfishness. Frankly, we can be traitors in our own selfish ways—in our marriages, our parenting, our ministries, our friendships, our neighborhoods, and our workplace. And it’s because we want what we want, when we want it, at any cost—we are going to be first.

Putting a damper on our self-centeredness is an everyday discipline. We need to surrender daily to the controlling power of the Holy Spirit, as He works through the Word of God. Let us do that today.

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A Closer Look at Judas Matthew 26:23-25; Mark 14:20-21; John 13:23-30

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I want to go back into that upper room and take a closer look at Jesus’ sad and rather tragic encounter with Judas Iscariot. We are in John chapter 13, where Jesus has just revealed that one of the twelve disciples will betray Him. The other disciples have no idea, at this point, who it is.

You cannot help but ask why Judas did it. Given the many opportunities he had to place his trust in Jesus, why would he turn against Jesus and betray Him into the hands of those who were plotting to kill Him? I believe there are at least three reasons for Judas’s betrayal of the Lord.

First was his attraction to money. Back in chapter 12, when Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume, Judas objected. He said it would have been better to sell the perfume and give the money to the poor. I have no doubt that some of the other disciples nodded in agreement. That makes a lot of sense, and it makes Judas appear compassionate toward the needy. But John adds this in verse 6:

He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Imagine that! Stealing money from the disciples—stealing from Jesus no less. That is worse than stealing hymnals or Bibles from the church sanctuary. Judas did not care about the poor. He was following Jesus because Jesus was his meal ticket. And many people are doing the same thing today in the name of religion. They are making money off their religious activities.

Judas not only had an attraction to money, but he also had great affection for Jerusalem. Like any Jewish patriot, Judas desired the kingdom of God. Here is Jesus with divine power, claiming to be God incarnate. Judas is thinking, I’ll throw my lot in with Him and bring in the kingdom!

But at the height of His popularity, Jesus starts talking about dying! Dying! Judas knew then and there that Jesus was not the Messiah he had been waiting for! He decided he had better reestablish a good relationship with the leaders of Jerusalem rather than continue on with these foolish men and this failure of a Messiah.

I believe the third reason Judas betrayed Jesus was his avid hatred for Rome. There is an interesting detail about Judas’s name. He is very frequently referred to as “Judas Iscariot.” The word Iscariot may be a Greek form of the Hebrew ish kerioth, meaning “man of Kerioth,” indicating his hometown.

However, the word Iscariot could be a derivative of the Latin term sicarius, which designated a member of a radical zealot party that violently opposed Roman rule. They were called sicarii, after the sica, a dagger they concealed in their robes and used to carry out assassinations. The word is used in plural form in the book of Acts (21:38), where it is translated “assassins.”

Judas was very likely a former member of the sacarii—an assassin who would be more than willing to cut the throat of anybody in league with Rome. He was looking forward to the overthrow of Pilate and King Herod, and Jesus seemed to him like the man who was going to do it.

But now he is disappointed, angry, frustrated. Jesus is not what he thought He was. He is not going to reign. Indeed, He is going to die on a Roman cross of all things.

Now back here in John 13, verse 23 tells us that after Jesus reveals there is a betrayer in the room, Peter motions to John, who is reclining next to Jesus, to ask the Lord who the betrayer is.

I believe that if Jesus had been clear that it was Judas, Judas would not have gotten out of that room alive. In fact, we will learn later on that Peter needed a little sword practice anyway.

But here in verse 26, Jesus vaguely answers John, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” Then we are told that “when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas.”

Now Jesus probably handed bread to several disciples nearby, as any host would have done. But Judas knows what the Lord means. And I believe this is one more invitation for Judas to repent and stop his plans of betrayal. Instead, Judas takes the bread and hardens his heart against the Lord’s loving invitation.

Verse 27 says, “Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly.’” Verse 30 then records, “He immediately went out. And it was night.” And let me tell you, for Judas, daylight never came again.

Judas stands as a warning for every unbeliever today. He demonstrates that it is possible to associate with Christ without accepting Christ. It is possible to associate with the things of God and the people of God without being a child of God.

For the believer, there is a warning here as well: It is possible to resist God’s plans when they conflict with our plans.

Jesus disappointed Judas, but Jesus will also disappoint the other disciples. They will soon run for the hills after Jesus is arrested.[290]

Is God disappointing you today? Are His plans surprising you, frustrating you? Is God just not cooperating with your plans? Maybe after serving Him faithfully for many years, you find that life is not getting easier; it is only growing harder. It seems unfair.

In his book, Disappointment with God, Philip Yancey tells the story of family friends named the Woodsons.

The Woodsons had two children—Peggie and Joey—both born with cystic fibrosis. Peggie and Joey stayed skinny no matter how much food they ate. They coughed constantly and labored to breathe—twice a day [their mother] Meg had to pound on their chests to clear out mucus. They spent several weeks each year in a local hospital, and both grew up knowing they would probably die before reaching adulthood.

Joey, a bright, happy, all-American boy, died at the age of twelve. Peggie defied the odds by living much longer. I joined Meg in desperate prayers for Peggie. . . . Peggie survived several health crises in high school and went away to college. She seemed to grow stronger, not weaker, and our hopes rose that she would find healing after all.

But there was no miracle. Peggie died at the age of twenty-three.[291]

No doubt the parents wrestled with frustration and sadness over God’s plans. But eventually, they trusted Him to always do what is right.

As believers it can sometimes be frustrating knowing that God has all power and all understanding. We know He can rescue. He can restore. He can heal. He can bring about conception. He can open that career opportunity. He can do it with one stroke of His finger. But when He doesn’t, is He sitting on His divine hands?

When you are at that point, beloved, you have two options. One option is to listen to the voice of the accuser, who says what he said to Judas 2,000 years ago: “Lord, You disappointed my hopes; You didn’t come through with my expectations. You have made my life difficult, so I am going to take my life back into my own hands.”

Perhaps you have been betrayed. Maybe you have come to the conclusion that you deserve a little revenge, a little resentment. Remember, Jesus knew what Judas would do, yet He washed the feet of Judas; and out there in the garden of Gethsemane, when Judas showed up with soldiers, the Lord called him His friend.

The first option is to take control of your own life. The second option is to say, “Lord, I don’t understand what You are doing in my life, but I am willing to accept whatever you do. Even if You choose never to explain why, I will follow You.”

Let’s do that today.

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A New Commandment of Love Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:31-38

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Our study today reminds me of the stages of growth that occur in the life and development of a child.

Stage 1 is infancy. The principal statement here is, “Help me out!” The focus at this stage is survival.

Stage 2 is discovery. The principal statement is, “Tell me what to do!” The primary focus is learning—and a growing child learns everything from walking to talking.

Stage 3 moves from discovery to personalization. The primary statement is “Show me how to do it!” The focus is challenge.

Stage 4 is maturity. “Watch me take off on my own.” Here the focus is reproduction.

Here is the question: What stage are you living in as a disciple of the Lord?

Beloved, the mark of a mature disciple is not knowledge; it is reproduction. That is what makes Jesus’ comment here in the upper room so powerful. He says in John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” In other words, Jesus is saying, “I want you, the disciple, to begin reproducing Me, the Discipler, in and through your life.”

Now, granted, as believers, we never completely leave each stage of development behind. In fact, God never intended us to get beyond the need for teaching and encouragement and challenges. We are always going to need someone to tell us, help us, and show us. Discipleship is a continual process of learning and doing and teaching—and sometimes failing.

Before we move on, we should note that Satan entered Judas, according to John 13:27, and Judas has now left the upper room. It is then that Jesus speaks here verses 31-32:

“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.”

So, the possession of Judas by Satan and the departure of Judas commences the final steps in the process of Jesus’ glorification as the Messiah. In other words, His “hour” has finally come.

However, this is going to require some instruction, which Jesus begins to deliver here in verse 33:

“Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’”

This is the only time in the Gospels Jesus calls His disciples “little children.” This is an affectionate term often used by Greeks to describe the relationship between a mother and her infant. As a mother would say, “My little sweet boy” or “girl,” Jesus is saying, “My dear little children, I am going to go away, and you can’t come with Me.” He is anticipating His death and return to the Father. This means the disciples will not be able to join Him immediately.[292]

Why does He use this affectionate term? I believe it is because He is preparing them for one of the most frightening things a child can experience—being alone. In a very real sense, the disciples, at this moment are experiencing childlike fear.

That fear is heard in what Peter says in verse 36: “Lord, where are you going?” He follows this in verse 37 with, “Why can I not follow you now?” And then the self-confident declaration, “I will lay down my life for you.”

The Lord says to Peter, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times” (verse 38). We will see the fulfillment of this prophecy a little later in our Wisdom Journey. Matthew and Mark add that Jesus says all the disciples will abandon Him that night, fleeing like scattered sheep.

It seems like Peter and the others have not heard Jesus’ command in verse 34 at all. They are focused on dealing with the idea of His departure, but it is this overlooked command that is the answer to their fears. Listen to it again: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

He is telling them they are not going to be alone. They have each other. They are going to have a spiritual family where the love of Christ is reproduced in them and through them.

In the next chapter, Jesus will tell them the Holy Spirit will come as a comforter. But beloved, He is not giving them the Holy Spirit so they won’t need each other! And that is true for us too.

In fact, His disciples’ remarkable love is going to be noticed. Jesus says in verse 35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” He is saying the world will know His disciples by this one badge, this one characteristic—love for one another.

But what is so new about this commandment? First, this is a new concept of love. The word for love here is agapē—agapaō is the verb form. It refers to a conscious choice to sacrifice, to commit, to give. With agapē love, you don’t fall in love; you choose to love. The word agapē was seldom used in the secular world—it was considered boring and bland. The Greek writers preferred other words for love like eros for erotic love, or epithumia for passionate love, or even storgē for family love. It is interesting that God chose to use agapē almost exclusively in references to the gospel, marriage and family, and the church.

Second, this is not just a new concept of love; there is now a new example of love: Jesus says here, “Just as I have loved you.” He is saying, “Move to the fourth stage here. I have showed you how; now reproduce this kind of love in your own lives.”

When Jesus says, “Love one another,” we tend to think of the whole body of Christ. But this command was initially given to eleven men. They looked around at each other with all their different personalities, backgrounds, and opinions. Jesus is not saying to them, “Try to love each other; give it your best shot.” No, He is saying, “Love each other like I have loved you!”

Now think about this: Jesus is actually giving the world the opportunity to test our authenticity. It is as if Jesus says to the world, “I am going to give you the measuring stick to test the authenticity of those who say they belong to Me. You decide for yourselves, based on what you see!” Beloved, what do they see in you?

After the U.S.S. Pueblo was captured by the North Koreans back in 1968, the surviving crew members were thrown into a brutal captivity. In one particular instance, thirteen of the men were required to sit in a rigid manner around a table for hours. Finally, the door was violently flung open and a guard brutally beat the man in the first chair with the butt of his rifle. The next day, as each man sat at his assigned place, again the door was thrown open, and the man in the first chair was brutally beaten. On the third day, it happened again to the same man. Knowing the man could not survive, another young sailor took his place. When the door was flung open, the guard automatically beat the new victim senseless. For weeks, each day a new man stepped forward to sit in that horrible chair, knowing what would happen. At last, the guards gave up in exasperation. They were simply unable to defeat the kind of love these men had for one another.

Let’s not forget that the world is watching us. So, let’s look for ways to show our world the love of Christ today.

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Preventing Spiritual Amnesia Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20

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Following World War II, there were more than 200 Frenchmen who returned to Paris suffering from amnesia. They had been prisoners of war and had suffered through a horrible ordeal of starvation and torture. In most cases, their identities were quickly established from Red Cross records or with the help of fellow prisoners. But after all efforts were exhausted, there were still thirty-two unidentified soldiers. The doctors who were treating these men knew their chances for recovery would be impossible unless they were reunited with their friends and relatives.

They decided to publish photographs of the men on the front page of newspapers around the country and announce a date when anyone having information should come to the Opera House in Paris. On that day, a huge crowd gathered inside the opera house—it was standing room only. Then in a dramatic moment, the first soldier walked out onto the stage, stood in the spotlight, and slowly turned completely around so that everyone could get a full view of him. Before the hushed audience, he said—as instructed—“Does anybody know who I am?” Can you imagine such a sorrowful, anguished question? Does anybody out there know who I am? Well, all these men were reunited that day with their families.

Has it ever occurred to you that people today are racing around, basically attempting to answer that same question: “Does anybody know who I am and where I really belong?”

If you are a Christian, the gospel has answered that question for you. You were a sinner, separated from the God who created you and loved you enough to send His Son to die for you so that you could be saved. And now by faith in Christ alone, you are a Christian—a member of God’s family. That is who you are. You belong to Him.

The trouble is, we still battle a unique form of spiritual amnesia—it is like we keep forgetting that we belong to Him. And the Lord is about to deal with that here in the Gospel of Luke in chapter 22. Jesus is with His disciples in the upper room to observe the Passover. In a matter of hours, He is going to be crucified.

His substitutionary death in payment for the sins of the world is central—it is absolutely essential to our salvation. Without Christ’s death and His bodily resurrection, the Christian faith itself is meaningless. The importance of Jesus’ death on the cross is obvious.

The problem is we get caught up in the busy rush hour of life and service—all those troubling concerns that capture our attention and occupy our time. As a result, we tend to forget what is most important!

And Jesus knows that. So, the Lord introduces to His disciples this precious ordinance called the Lord’s Supper, or communion. This ordinance is intended to help us remember Him.

We begin here at verse 14:

When the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (verses 14-16)

The Lord is informing His disciples that this is the last Passover He will eat with them until the establishment of His kingdom on earth, following the tribulation period. When He returns, everything the Passover pointed to—the sacrificial Lamb who would deliver people from their sin and reign victorious—all of that will be fulfilled.

But Jesus introduces something new—something that was not found in the traditional Jewish Passover. Luke records it for us in verses 19-20:

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.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

Jesus is clearly introducing symbols here. The bread represents His body, and the cup represents His shed blood.

Now it is important to understand that this bread is not His literal flesh and the contents of the cup are not His physical blood. I want to emphasize this because there has been a lot of confusion and mysticism over the Lord’s Supper for centuries. To this day, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that in the hand of the priest, these elements become Jesus’ body and blood. Communion then becomes a repetition of Jesus’ death. Jesus is crucified again—and again and again.

Let me tell you, this makes the death of Christ no more effective than the Old Testament sacrifices, which had to be repeated constantly. It also denies the truth of passages like Hebrews 10:12, which tells us Christ’s death was a single sacrifice—once for all time. His death for our sins two thousand years ago is eternally sufficient to pay for our sins forever. And by the way, you do not need a priest to give you Jesus. You get Jesus once and for all when you ask Him yourself to become your Savior.

The eating and drinking are part of the symbolism of the Passover, when a family ate the sacrificial lamb. Jesus is the final sacrificial Lamb. The idea of eating and drinking Jesus is a symbol that you have accepted Him into your very being—your existence—as a child of God. And beloved, you do not become a child of God every time you have communion. Just as Jesus was crucified once and for all, you are saved once and for all.

You do not partake of this table to become a Christian; it is something you do because you are a Christian. In fact, it is for Christians only. You will note that Jesus waited until Judas had left the room to institute this special ordinance of communion.

So, Jesus Christ is saying to His disciples here, “Listen, after I’m gone, I want you to begin a new practice. Take ordinary bread and wine and partake of them as symbolic reminders of My sacrifice of body and blood. And this is to be done in remembrance of Me.” So, to this day, by way of communion, we are to remember Him and what He has done for us.

Jesus also tells His disciples that this table is not only for remembrance but is also a table of expectation. He says to them in verse 18, “For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

By the way, Jesus calls it, “the fruit of the vine,” not “My blood.” He says, “I’ll not drink of the fruit of this vine—like you disciples do—until my kingdom comes.” So, we are not only remembering what Jesus did in the past but also what Jesus is going to do in the future—set up His kingdom!

Beloved, our greatest problem as we live in this world is not that we will deny the deity of Christ or that He rose from the dead. The greater problem is that we tend to forget what Jesus did and what He is coming to do in the future. We forget we belong to Him when we go into that classroom or boardroom or locker room or dorm room. We make decisions like He is not in the room with us, like we do not belong to His family.

Jesus says, “Do this in remembrance of me.” The Greek word for “remembrance” here is anamnēsis. The negative form of that word gives us our word amnesia—“not remembering.” Jesus says to observe communion to help us get over our amnesia.

Every time you observe the Lord’s Supper, you engage in the process of preventing spiritual amnesia. You remember who you are—a sinner, saved by grace. You remember who He is—the sacrificial Lamb. You remember that you belong to His family. And you remember that He is coming again.

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How to Kill Anxiety John 14:1-3

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The beloved cartoon character Charlie Brown once announced to his little friends, “I have a new philosophy. I’m only going to dread one day at a time.”[293] As we begin our study in John chapter 14, Peter and the disciples are in the upper room with Jesus; and as Jesus announces that He is going to be betrayed and leave them, they are dreading every minute of it.

We all can relate to anxiety, can’t we? We know what it feels like when the wheels come flying off of our carefully laid plans. Thankfully, for the disciples and us, Jesus gives us three truths, three principles, we need to remember when anxiety begins to set in. I like to think of this as Jesus telling us how to kill anxiety.

Here is the first of three principles to remember—Principle #1: Christ is completely trustworthy.

Here in verse 1 Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” The word for “trouble” is tarasso; it means to be distressed, in turmoil—to be crippled by anxiety.

By the way, Jesus is not giving us suggestions here—these are commands. You can literally translate this, “Stop letting your hearts be troubled. Keep on believing in God, and keep on believing in Me.” In essence, He is saying, “Keep trusting Me even though you don’t understand what you are about to see happen to Me—keep on believing!”

So, Jesus begins by reminding the disciples that He is completely trustworthy. Therefore, they need to stop agonizing in their hearts. The next few verses have been considered through the ages some of the most comforting words in all of Scripture.

We all struggle with anxious and painful moments. Every day someone listening to this Wisdom Journey learns of a cancer diagnosis. Someone is anxious he might lose his job; someone is deeply worried about a child or a grandchild who is running away from the Lord, and there’s someone out there afraid her marriage is on the verge of collapse. Add to that the troubles in our nation’s future, the economy, global threats, and let me tell you, it is easy to join Charlie Brown and start dreading one day at a time. What are we to do? Here is the advice of the Lord Jesus, who, by the way, is a matter of hours from the cross of Calvary. He says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, and keep on believing in Me.”

So, the first principle is that Jesus Christ is completely trustworthy. Believe this truth, and remind yourself of it often.

Here is Principle #2: Our future home in heaven is a promised reality. Jesus says in verse 2, “In my Father’s house are many rooms [or dwelling places]. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”

If you talk to people about heaven, you will get a variety of impressions—and a lot of it is not all that encouraging. One honest little kid named David was asked, “What is heaven like?” and he said, “Heaven is kind of big, and you sit around playing a harp.” One little girl answered that question by saying, “Heaven will be the happiest part of my dead life.”

What is heaven really like? The King James Version translates this verse, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” This translation has sparked a lot of imagination that falls into the category of “what I get to live in if I’m a really good Christian.”

The word used in the original language is monē, and it can be translated “rooms” or “abodes.” The truth is, every Christian has a room—a dwelling place—inside the Father’s house. Jesus is not saying that if you are a good Christian, you are going to be three blocks away in your house, and if you are not a good Christian, you are going to be 300 miles away. No, we are all inside.

This was immediately understood in the Lord’s generation because when a son married his bride, another wing was just added onto his father’s house. When another son married, another wing was added. Eventually the original dwelling would become a set of dwellings that enclosed a patio in the middle.

So, you will not be living miles away from the Father, depending on how good you were. Beloved, we will all be under the same roof, as the bride of Christ, in the Father’s house. We will all be in the immediate presence of the Lord forever!

There is another misconception here that comes from Jesus’ words, “I go to prepare a place for you.” Many people have pictured Jesus with a hammer and some blueprints as He is engaged in the process of building. I heard somebody say once that it is a good thing the Lord was a carpenter so He would know how to build. That is nonsense.

Beloved, when Jesus ascended back to heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. He did not start a construction business.

The Lord is referring to the fact that He has gone before us. He is leading the way so that we can safely follow in His footsteps. Jesus is our forerunner. He has already climbed through the dark tunnel of death. He has ripped the stinger out of death and made a clear path from this earth to heaven. Your home in heaven is a promised reality!

There is one more principle that will crush anxiety in your heart and mind. Not only is Jesus completely trustworthy, and not only is heaven your promised reality, but Principle #3: Your future is guaranteed permanently!

In verse 3 Jesus says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” He is coming for us. We are invited, not just to a place, but to a Person. He is saying, “Heaven is My Father’s house. I’m going to be there, and you are going to be with Me.”

And that is a guarantee whether your faith is weak or strong, whether you have little faith or great faith, whether you are a mature disciple or just beginning your walk with Him, whether you have been a Christian for years or you have just received Him. You are on your way home! Death is merely the hand that opens the doorway into heaven.

About 100 years after the Lord ascended to heaven, the Greek scholar Aristides explained one of the reasons for the impact Christianity was having in the world, writing these words:

If any . . . man among them [the Christians] passes from the world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God; and they escort his body as if he were setting out from one place to another near.[294]

As one songwriter put it, we will step on shore and find it heaven, we will take hold of a hand and find it is God’s, we will breathe new air and find it celestial. And yes, one day we will wake up in glory and find it home.[295]

Do you have an anxious heart today? Do you have unanswered questions, fears, and doubts? Of course you do. This is God’s word for you: you are not home yet. There will come a day when all your questions will be answered, all your fears will be put to rest, and all your tears will be wiped way.

In the meantime, if you want to kill those anxious thoughts and apply healing to your hurting heart, remember this: Jesus Christ is completely trustworthy, regardless of what you see happening around you; your home in heaven is already prepared and waiting; and your future with Christ is guaranteed forever.

One day Jesus will call you to Himself—by death or through the rapture of the church. And that will be the day when you and I are finally, finally home.

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Comfort for Troubled Hearts John 14:4-7

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We are going to set the main sail and move quickly back into John chapter 14 for another visit here in the upper room. The disciples are discouraged and somewhat confused because Jesus has just told them He is leaving and they are not going with Him. Frankly, they have no idea the cross is just a few hours away.

The disciple Thomas often gets a bad rap for being a slow learner in class, but he now asks a question, and I am grateful he did. His question is going to open the door to one of the most powerful statements in all the Bible about salvation.

Their conversation actually begins in verse 3 with Jesus speaking:

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (verses 3-6)

The emphasis in the original language of verse 6 can be accurately conveyed with this translation: “I am the only way; I am the only truth; I am the only life.” I want to explain each of these statements in Christ’s answer to Thomas.

First, Jesus says, “I am the way.” That is a powerful statement. Jesus is not telling Thomas and the other disciples that He will show them the way to heaven, He is telling them He is the way! And that is a lot more comforting.

Imagine that you have come to a strange town and you are looking for a place to sleep. But your phone has died, you forgot your charger, and there is no GPS. You have to find someone to give you directions to the nearest hotel. So, you pull into a gas station, and the attendant tells you to go two blocks and turn left, then go three miles and turn right, and then at the second stop light turn left. Well, that is helpful, but imagine, instead, that he tells you he is getting off work in five minutes and he will take you there himself. In that case, he does not tell you the way; he becomes the way.

That is what Jesus is saying, “I am the way. In fact, I will personally take you there one day.”

But there are a lot of people out there who want to choose their own way, thinking they can get to heaven in whatever way seems right to them. That is not only foolish; it will be fatal. The Bible says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Second, Jesus says, “I am . . . the truth.” If you want to know the truth about heaven, listen to Jesus. If you want to know the truth about how to live your life, follow Jesus. In fact, if you want to know what God acts like and sounds like, look at Jesus. He is the embodiment of God.

That is what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote in his letter to the Colossians, “For in him [Jesus Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (2:9). If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. If you want to know what the power of God is like, look at the power of Jesus! He is the embodiment of God in the flesh.

The question, then, is this: Is Jesus telling the truth? Unbelieving society views the Bible as interesting legends and folk stories. Well, is this carpenter from Nazareth just inventing fanciful tales to encourage a following? Is He just telling clever stories? Or is He indeed the truth?

The greatest proof that He is the truth is this: His grave is empty. He rose from the dead. The founders of all the major world religions have this in common: they are dead. In contrast, Jesus is alive today! Jesus’ teaching also contrasts with that of the religions of the world. They tell you to do a myriad of things in order to make it to their version of paradise. Jesus is the only one who says, “You don’t have to do anything—apart from believe that I have done everything for you already.”

Third, Jesus says, “I am . . . the life.” The apostle John was captivated by this word “life,” or zōē in the Greek language. He used this little word more than any other biblical writer. Here, as it often does, it carries the sense of eternal life.

Listen beloved, if you want to experience life worth living now, and then the thrilling dimensions of eternal life later, there is only one way to get it—through faith in the source of that life, Jesus Christ. Jesus says, “I am … the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

The world’s religions all try to do the same thing—take bad people and make them better. Only Jesus Christ qualifies to take dead people and give them eternal life.

Some years ago, I read about a tragic fire in Colorado. An article in USA Today told the story of the thirty-five firefighters who survived the fire on Storm King Mountain and the fourteen who died there. But what caught my attention was that the deaths were largely the result of wrong decisions. Of course, they had only seconds to decide what to do.

Each firefighter carries in a belt pouch a blanket called a shelter. It consists of a thin layer of aluminum foil glued to a layer of thin glass. It’s clothlike, less than an inch thick, and weighs about three pounds. It can be opened so the firefighter can lie under it in an emergency, offering limited protection against the fire.

The firefighters had been able to contain the fire on Storm King Mountain to less than fifty acres, but, on a Wednesday afternoon, powerful winds whipped the fire up so that it covered two thousand acres in less than five hours. Many of the firefighters were trapped. One firefighter said that, without warning, it just exploded. It sounded like a tornado, and everybody got out of there as fast as they could.

The article quoted one firefighter, saying, “The guys who used their shelters died. The guys who made it back onto the ground already burned lived.”

When I read this, I thought of unsaved humanity running for its life before the flames of eternal judgment, hoping in a little layer of good works, covered with baptism or money or morality. None of that will withstand the heat of God’s holy wrath.

The only ones who will live are those who stand on ground where the fires of God’s wrath have already burned. My friend, that ground is none other than Jesus Christ, for against Him the wrath of God has already been revealed, and all those who stand in Him are safe. The Bible promises this: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

So, here is true comfort for troubled hearts:

1. If you are lost, Jesus Christ is the way.

2. If you are deceived by others, Jesus Christ is the truth.

3. If you are without meaning today, Jesus Christ is the life.

Listen to Him. Follow Him. Believe in Him. He is telling the truth when He declares to Thomas and these disciples, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

That will bring eternal comfort to your heart, beginning today.

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Learning to Wait John 14:8-14

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I have read that during the average lifetime, a person will spend a total of three years in meetings, six years sleeping, and five years waiting—whether it is waiting in rush-hour traffic, in a line for food, or in a doctor’s office. It may be nobody’s fault we have to spend so much time waiting, but waiting can bring a sense of frustration. Nobody likes to wait, especially for something that is significant or important.

Well, the disciples are frustrated because Jesus has just told them He is leaving them for a place where they cannot go just yet. They are going to have to wait.

Now it is Philip’s turn to raise his hand and make a request here in John 14:8: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” You could summarize his request this way: “Lord, You have said you are going somewhere we have never been, and we are going to have to wait to go there ourselves. In the meantime, could you give us something tangible? Could you give us a vision of our heavenly Father?”

In a voice I believe was gentle yet firm, pointed yet kind, Jesus responds in verse 9:

“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’”

There is no stronger passage for declaring the deity of Jesus Christ than this one. Jesus is saying, “You want to see the Father? You are looking at Him.”

So, from this conversation, the Lord is going to give them several truths to hang their faith on. Look at verses 10-11:

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”

Jesus says, “You hear Me speak—they are the words of God the Father. You see the works I do—they are the works of God.” The words and works of Christ are tangible hooks you can hang your shield of faith on!

I often talk to believers who doubt their salvation. For many of them the doubts arise because they do not know enough about the words and works of Jesus.

The apostle John will write in 1 John 5:13, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” He gives this record so that his believing readers can know they have eternal life. Beloved, there is a connection between what has been written and knowing you have eternal life. Our assurance comes from reading the record of Christ’s words and works. And that is what He is telling Philip.

Jesus then says something interesting here. In fact, it has caused quite a bit of confusion through misinterpretation. Jesus says in verse 12, “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

Now I believe God is performing miracles today in a myriad of ways, but I do not believe He has made any of us miracle workers. But can we do greater things than Jesus did? The answer is yes—that is what Jesus says here. That sounds like we should be able to raise the dead, walk on water, and heal anybody who is sick.

Well, the key to understanding this is discovering what Jesus meant when He said we will do “greater works.”

I believe this refers to two things. First, our works are greater in duration. The skin of a leper whom Christ healed would in time become wrinkled with age, and he would die. But if you lead a leper to salvation, though his disease might not be healed, one day he will live in heaven with a new body.

Jesus fed more than 5,000 hungry people, but they got hungry again. But when you feed people the gospel, their soul will be satisfied forever.

This does not mean the miracles of Jesus were unimportant, but Jesus is telling His disciples that the works they will do one day will last longer—they will be eternally significant.

Second, our works are not only greater in duration, but they are also greater in distance. If you study the life of Jesus, you will discover His ministry was geographically limited. He only traveled about 100 miles from north to south and some 40 miles from east to west. He never preached a sermon outside of Palestine. Faraway countries never heard His name during His earthly life.

Jesus is effectively telling His disciples they will be part of an operation that reaches around the world—a ministry that is far more extensive than His own three years of ministry. And we are included in that worldwide ministry today.

And don’t overlook the last words of verse 12, where Jesus explains why this will be possible: “Because I am going to the Father.” In other words, we are not doing greater things because we are more powerful or our faith is stronger, but because Jesus is interceding today on our behalf.

That introduces us to a sweeping promise regarding prayer in verse 13:

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

Now does this mean that Jesus is going to give us anything if we ask in faith, believing? It sure sounds like it.

This reminds me of the little boy who was told that God answers prayer, and he wanted a little brother, so he started praying for one. His parents chuckled over it, and this little boy kept believing and praying. Finally, he got tired of waiting and stopped praying. However, nine months later, Mom came home from the hospital with not one baby brother but twin baby brothers. As they introduced their son to his new brothers, they said, “Now aren’t you glad you prayed?” and he said, “Yes, but aren’t you glad I quit when I did?”

Don’t we all wonder about how effective our prayers really are? Yes, many prayers are answered, but why do many others remain unanswered? Jesus seems to be telling us here that if we believed strongly enough, we would get answers to every prayer we prayed. But is that really what He is saying?

Look carefully here, and you will see there are two qualifications, or guidelines—what I call guardrails—for prayer.

First, we are to pray in Jesus’ name. That means we are praying a prayer that He is going to sign His name to—it is a request He agrees with.

Second, the main purpose of prayer is not to get our will done in heaven but God’s will done on earth. So, we pray according to His glory and His plans and His will.

When our children were first learning to color in their little coloring books, they had the same problems all children have: choosing the right color and coloring within the lines.

As children of our heavenly Father, prayer is the same way: we need to learn how to color our requests appropriately. We have to learn to pray inside the lines—within His guidelines. Prayer in the name of Christ and for the will of God is coloring the right picture the right way!

The truth is, God always answers the prayers of His children. However, the answer might be, “Yes, right away,” or “No, not ever,” or “No, not now; you’re going to have to wait.”

And so we pray and wait but with confidence, beloved, that our heavenly Father hears us, cares about us, and will always do what is right for us—both now and forever.

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Introducing the Holy Spirit John 14:15-31

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As we open this Wisdom Journey, Jesus and His disciples are in the upper room, just hours before His arrest. The intensity is growing as the disciples try to wrap their heads around the fact that Jesus, their constant companion for three and a half years, is soon going away.

Bear in mind that Jesus is still training His apostles to lead His church, but at this point, as they consider ministering without Jesus at their side, the word that is probably coming to their minds is impossible! Frankly, I often think of the Christian life in terms of that word—impossible.

As I have mentioned before, back in the 1800s Hudson Taylor would often bring balance to his China Inland missionary staff, reminding them that the work is always in three stages: impossible, difficult, done. But how does something move from impossible to achievable? Jesus answers that question here in John chapter 14:

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (verses 16-17)

Let me jump ahead briefly and borrow from John 16 as we unpack this truth. Jesus says there in verse 7, “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.”

Jesus is effectively introducing the indwelling ministry of the third person of the Godhead, God the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells His disciples that the ministry of the Holy Spirit will give them an even greater advantage than the Lord’s physical ministry among them.

What does He mean? Well, the first advantage is that the Holy Spirit is our encouraging, ever-present help. Here in John 14:16, Jesus says He will ask the Father, and the Father will give them “another Helper” who will be with them forever.

Now your Bible version may use the word “Comforter” here rather than “Helper.” When many of us today hear the word comforter, we think of a blanket. But the English word comforter is derived from a combination of two Latin words that together mean “to fortify, to strengthen.”

The Greek word for Helper or Comforter here in verse 16 is paraklētos, which literally means, “one called alongside,” especially to give aid. This is a promise of a strengthening, encouraging, uplifting Helper.

When Jesus says that the Father is going to send “another Helper,” that word translated “another” refers to another of the same kind. In other words, the Holy Spirit is of the same divine essence—He is God the Spirit in the same way that Jesus is God the Son.

The truth is that we are often in panic mode. We need answers, we need help, we need insight, reassurance; we need things we don’t even know we need. Our feelings and circumstances often overwhelm us, and all we can do is say, “Lord, send help.” And the Holy Spirit takes over from there!

Here is the second advantage: The Holy Spirit is our living, constant companion. Jesus describes the Spirit in verse 17 as “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive.” Again, Jesus emphasizes that He will dwell with us and be in us.

Imagine that! You have a divine helper, encourager, uplifter, dwelling within you. The Holy Spirit is not just close to you; He is indwelling you. You do not have to have some unusual experience to get more of Him. He has taken up residence inside you. You cannot get any more of Him, but you can sure give Him more of yourself.

This truth is not only encouraging; it is rather convicting as well. What movie did you watch last night? The Holy Spirit watched it with you. What did you do on that date last weekend? God the Holy Spirit was there. What did you write on your tax forms last year? What did you say under your breath about someone in church? Whatever you wrote, whatever you said, whatever you watched, God was there.

In verses 18-24, Jesus unloads all kinds of details in rapid-fire fashion. He delivers information related to what is ahead for His followers and the relationship they will have with Jesus and God the Father. And this points to another advantage of the indwelling Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is our faithful, illuminating teacher. Verse 26:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Jesus knows that He has much more to say and teach, but the disciples are not ready for it. At this point they are not even anticipating the crucifixion, much less His resurrection. And they certainly do not know anything about the coming dispensation of grace and the church age that is just around the corner. They have no idea of the global mission the Lord has planned for them.

They are like first graders about to begin a college graduate’s career. Talk about impossible! Well, let me tell you, the Spirit’s presence will be the divine answer.

The Holy Spirit will bring to the minds of these apostles the words and works of Jesus Christ so they can write them down by means of inspiration. This will become the New Testament, the Spirit-inspired record that is our source of illumination to this day.

As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable.” It is profitable, Paul writes, for four things:

For teaching—It tells you what to believe.
For reproof—It tells you where you are wrong.
For correction—It tells you what is right.
For training—It shows you how to do what is right

The Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures now clarifies the Scriptures to our hearts and lives so we can be taught at any time, in any location, what to believe and how to behave.

What is the net result of all this? It is peace, as Jesus tells us in verse 27. Notice how He comes full circle in His teaching. He began in verse 1 by saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” and now He ends here by saying the same thing:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

The world longs for and hopes for a sense of inner peace. Jesus says that this kind of peace is a gift from God the Father to all who believe in God the Son and are then indwelt by the comforting, encouraging, uplifting Holy Spirit.

In verse 29, Jesus assures the disciples that He has told them what they need to know about the coming hours. They have not connected all the dots, so to speak, but the peace He has given and the Holy Spirit who is coming will sustain them in the days and years ahead.

Then the Lord says to them in verse 31, “Rise, let us go from here.” I find that an encouraging command for us today. Every day we can rise and face another day, knowing that we are not alone—the Holy Spirit is our ever-present helper, our constant companion, and our illuminating teacher.

You might be facing something impossible today—a family situation, a financial issue, a physical need, or a problem at work or school. Face that impossibility in the security of knowing the Holy Spirit is right there with you. He has the ability to move you through the stages of that particular challenge. He can take you from impossible, to difficult, to done.

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Finding Joy in a Vineyard John 15:1-11

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In Texas there is a famous oil field known as Yates Pool. During the depression years in the early 1900s, this land was a sheep ranch owned by Mr. Yates. These were difficult times, and Mr. Yates was barely able to keep his ranch going and make the mortgage payments. Day after day, as he grazed his sheep over those rolling west Texas hills, he was troubled about how he would pay his bills.

Then an oil company came into the area and told Mr. Yates there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill, and he agreed and signed a lease. At just over 1,000 feet deep, they struck a huge oil reserve that ended up producing 80,000 barrels a day. More wells were drilled, many of which produced even more oil than the original well. And Mr. Yates owned it all.[296]

Even though he had owned the oil and mineral rights from the day he purchased the land, he lived for years in poverty. Potentially, positionally, he was a multimillionaire; yet experientially, he was poverty-stricken. Why? Well, he owned it, but he did not experience the benefits of that which was hidden deep underground.

I can’t think of a better illustration for one of the great perspectives we need as believers today. Too many Christians attempt to make something of themselves by their own efforts, diligently working to overcome their inabilities; and yet they still live spiritually impoverished lives because they miss out on what is underneath—the hidden power of Christ within them.

As the Lord is teaching His disciples in these final hours before His crucifixion, one of the truths He wants them to grasp is the wealth of spiritual power and fruitfulness they have at their disposal.

Here in John 15, Jesus begins teaching through an extended metaphor—a word picture that invites us into a busy Middle Eastern vineyard.

He begins in verse 1:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser [the caretaker]. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.” (verses 1-3)

We notice right away the owner and operator of the vineyard is God the Father. The massive grapevine is the Lord Jesus, the branches are believers, and the juicy clusters of grapes represent spiritual fruit through the power of the gospel.

Now beloved, you need to keep in mind that in any allegory or metaphor, not all the details carry some kind of deep theological truth. Some details simply add color and culture to the story.

So, what does Jesus want these first disciples—and us—to grasp here? What is the analogy between a believer and a vineyard? I believe there are two connecting principles here.

The first principle is this: Spiritual fruit bearing is the result of a spiritual relationship with Christ.

The key to a branch bearing fruit is its relationship to the vine. Jesus spells out the spiritual principle for us:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (verses 4-5)

If we are convinced we can produce fruit, we will just keep on trying. And we will experience nothing but frustration. The truth is, a branch does not produce fruit; it bears fruit.

While Christians understand that salvation is not earned but is the gracious work of God, some seem to believe that fruit is earned—that growing up in Christ depends on their faithfulness and their discipline and their efforts. Now we understand that discipline and faithfulness are needed. But listen, beloved, Jesus makes it very clear here in verse 5, when He says, “Apart from me, you can do nothing.” He does not say, “You can do a few things.” No, “You can do nothing.”

Christians are not just weak; in ourselves, we do not have any strength at all. Our dependence on the Lord is not partial—it is total.

So how do we bear fruit? What is the solution? Well, the key word here is “abide.” That word is going to appear in this passage eleven times. It means “to remain, to stay put.”

If we are to enjoy fruitful ministry, we must be willing, as branches, to stay in a fresh relationship with Jesus, the Vine. He is the source of vitality and strength. To pull away from the Vine is to become a barren branch, doing ministry in our own strength, which Jesus has just promised will be ineffective.

The fruit of God’s character—love, joy, peace, longsuffering—is all the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We do not produce it; we simply bear it, as we abide in Him.

So, our focus today needs to be on abiding in Christ. We need to stay put in Him, stay close to Him, remain obedient to Him, develop that daily conversation in prayer with Him, and rest on His promise that He is at work in us, developing those Christlike character qualities. As the apostle Paul says in Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.”

Jesus also issues a warning here to those who appear to belong to Christ but really desire no relationship with Him at all. He says in verse 6, “If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown in the fire and burned.” In other words, if there is no abiding, no relationship with Jesus, then the fire of judgment is their end.

So, the first principle is that spiritual fruit bearing is the result of a spiritual relationship with Christ. The second principle is this: Spiritual fruit bearing is the result of loving obedience to Christ.

Listen to what Jesus says in verses 9 and 10:

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”

The truth is, even on our best days as Christians, we fail in this regard. We drift into self-centeredness, and Jesus knows that. That is why He points us to His own loving obedience to the Father as our example. Notice again, He says, “Keep my commandments . . . just as I have kept my Father’s commandments.”

He is encouraging us to act like Him. Can you imagine Jesus rolling His eyes when the Father commanded Him to teach someone or serve someone? Or course not. The Lord Jesus voluntarily and faithfully chose to obey the will of His Father. Even though we consistently fail, Jesus remains our model of loving obedience.

Jesus is effectively telling His disciples—then and now—that this kind of loving obedience taps into a well of spiritual strength. We do not end up producing oil of course, but something is produced in us as a result of loving obedience. And the Lord tells us in verse 11 what it is: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Think about it this way: As we depend on this invisible connection between us and our Lord, as we depend entirely on the strength of Christ in our daily lives, something is produced. It isn’t a barrel of oil, but you might call it a barrel of joy—joy for each and every day.

Spiritual fruit, spiritual growth, and the joy that comes with it is the direct result of abiding in Christ and lovingly obeying His Word.

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A Friend of the King John 15:12-17

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Maybe you have had the experience of needing to entrust a major project to someone else. Before you leave that person in charge, you leave behind some key principles to follow. And with that you are basically out the door.

Well, here in John 15, that is exactly what Jesus is doing with His eleven disciples in the upper room. He is anticipating His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. And He is delivering some key principles, not just about what they are to do, but also about how they should act as His representatives on earth. So, this applies to His disciples—like you and me—to this very day.

First, we are given a new perspective. Here in this upper room, Jesus now says in verse 12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” That is not a new thought; Jesus has said this multiple times since Judas left the room. What He is going to do now, though, is give them a deeper perspective on love.

He says in verse 13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Of course, Jesus is thinking about the cross; the disciples are probably looking around the room at each other and thinking, I like these guys, but I don’t know if I like the idea of laying down my life for them.

Maybe you have noticed as we have studied through the Gospels how dangerous it was for Jesus and His disciples in Israel. The Pharisees were openly plotting Jesus’ murder, and the Romans were eager to crush any would-be king and his followers. The church is no safer today, with thousands of people martyred for their faith every year.

On one hand, laying down your life for other believers means that you will humbly work against division, jealousy, and any other conflict that threatens our unity and bond of love. On the other hand, it might mean that if you publicly identify as a Christian, and perhaps especially if you serve as a church leader, your career or, in some cultures, even your life is threatened. Believers who love one another should be willing to lay their lives down for their brothers and sisters in Christ. This is a new perspective on love.

Next Jesus says that we are given a new title. He says in verse 15:

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

This is a precious compliment that these disciples would instantly understand. The Greek word for “friend” here was often used of “a friend at court.”[297] This described the inner circle of friends around a king.

In this culture, the friends of the king had immediate access to the king. The emperor would talk to his friends before he talked to his generals and political statesmen. King David understood this kind of closeness with God when he wrote in Psalm 25:14, “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”

How amazing and how encouraging it is to know that the Lord is not only our Savior and our King but also our Friend. He is the Friend of all friends. He died for us, rose for us, redeemed us, and is now interceding on our behalf in the courts of heaven. As the hymn writer put it, “What a friend we have in Jesus.”

We have a new perspective, and we have a new title. Now, third, we are given a new appointment.

Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit” (verse 16). Think about this: it is one thing for Jesus to consider us friends, but to appoint us as His representatives—to entrust us with His reputation—now that is an incredible appointment!

Being a friend of Jesus—publicly serving as His representative—is a high privilege, but it is also a challenging proposition. The world will be watching your every move, listening to your every word. Just stand up for God’s Word and the exclusive claim of Christ as Savior, and get ready! People will start attacking your faith in Christ and scrutinizing your life for some inconsistency or failure. Yes, your appointment is a high privilege, but it is also a heavy responsibility.

Over in chapter 17, Jesus clarifies our appointment as He prays to the Father in verse 18: “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” And the Gospel of Matthew closes with this familiar command from the Lord:

“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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

That is our appointment, not just for pastors and churches, but for every believer. Wherever God has appointed you in the traffic patterns of life, you are to represent Him, share the truth about Him, and help disciple others who are learning how to walk with Him.

Here at the end of John 15:16, Jesus says, “I . . . appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide [or remain].” Again, we do not produce the fruit, but like branches on a fruit tree, we bear the fruit—we support the fruit.

As Christ’s representatives we are sent into the world as living advertisements for Christ. Do we debate people into the kingdom? Do we try to scare them so they will turn to Christ? No, we attract them by our love for each other and by the fruit of godly character.

And don’t overlook these last few words in verse 16: “that your fruit should abide.” Your fruit will last!

I went to the grocery store the other day to pick up some bananas. My wife doesn’t send me to the store very often because I will come back with a dozen doughnuts. As far as I’m concerned, they are as important as bananas.

Now she asked me to get bananas that were not quite ripe. And that is because they spoil so quickly. They go from yellow to brown in a matter of days. Jesus says here that spiritual fruit remains forever.

So, understand this: we are the advertisements of an eternal kingdom; we have been given a new perspective, a new assignment, and even a new title—we are now the friends of Jesus.

The Lord tucks this little promise into the last part of verse 16: “So that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” We have already covered the fact that prayer is not a blank check; it must be “signed” by the Lord’s name, meaning it must be according to His will. But I think in this context, the Lord includes this little promise as an invitation. Because you are a friend of the family, you can bring any request and every burden to the Lord—He loves you, He cares about you, and He is the Friend beyond all friends.

I don’t know what you are facing today. I don’t know about your trials and burdens and temptations. Jesus knows them all. And as we come to the end of today’s Wisdom Journey, let me remind you that here, on the night before the Lord is going to die, He lovingly says to His anxious, frightened disciples, “I have an assignment for you, and I want you to know that I consider you my friends.”

Beloved, if you know Him as your Savior, He considers you His friend. And that means He is your friend too! And as your friend, He will never leave you or forsake you. He is your friend forever!

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How to Handle the World’s Hatred John 15:18-27

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Bill Watterson, an American cartoonist and author of a popular comic strip for many years, once said, “Things are never quite as scary [in life] when you’ve got a best friend.”[298]Well, for the eleven disciples in the upper room with Jesus—who has just announced they are His friends—that is a statement that is about to be put to the test.

Our Wisdom Journey through the Gospels chronologically now brings us back to John chapter 15, where Jesus makes this rather frightening prediction:

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (verses 18-19)

Jesus is saying, “Listen, there is going to be a penalty for being My friend; the world is going to hate you, revile you, ridicule you, desert you, ignore you—exactly as they have done to Me.” Beloved, we are presenting a false advertisement when we try to sell Jesus to the masses as a cure-all for every trial and problem.

You give Jesus your life, and He just might double your problems. What the Lord says here flies in the face of today’s prosperity gospel, which promises health and wealth and good times. The truth is, if Jesus Christ is your friend, you might lose your job instead of keeping it. You might lose your friends instead of gaining new ones.

In verse 20 Jesus explains why this is inevitable:

“Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

In verse 24 Jesus says, “They have seen [My works] and hated both me and my Father.” And in verse 25 He says, “They hated me without a cause.”[299]The implication is that they will do the same to the Lord’s followers—without cause.

The Lord delivers a realistic view but also adds the encouraging remark that they will not be alone:

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness.” (verses 26-27)

The Lord’s followers will not be alone, but that is not going to remove the threat of persecution from a world that hates Christ. In fact, the word here for “witness” is the Greek work martureō, from which we get the word martyr. Being faithful to Christ may lead to martyrdom. In fact, most of these disciples will die a martyr’s death—boiled in oil, crucified, speared to death.

Keep in mind that the apostle John is writing his Gospel account when the church was beginning to face the constant threat of persecution. In fact, hatred of Christianity had been brewing for a long time. This was a day when many gods were worshiped, along with Caesar. It was required to offer a pinch of incense annually and call Caesar “Lord,” but the Christians would not do that. They would call no one Lord but Jesus. As a result, they were considered traitorous, dangerous, disloyal. They were misunderstood as insurrectionists because they claimed another king who would one day rule the world. They were even said to be cannibals because their world misunderstood the symbolism of communion.

When a great fire devastated Rome in AD 64, the Roman emperor Nero was widely suspected of starting it in order to begin some new building programs. But to remove suspicion, Nero accused the Christians of starting the fire and, with that, began a violent persecution of believers.

Here in John 15, Jesus is saying to His disciples and to us, “You want to follow Me? I am not offering you a health, wealth, and prosperity plan. I am offering you a rugged cross on earth—but a crown of gold in heaven.”

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy and said, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Listen, if you conform to the world, you will get along. But when you begin to shine as a light in this dark world, you will soon discover you are not only out of step but you are out of place! In a very real sense, believers are the conscience of the world, reminding them of their sin and need for the Savior—and the world does not want to hear it.

That is the point of John 15:21-22:

“But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.”

Jesus is not talking here about sin in general, because whether He came to earth or not, people would still be sinners. Jesus is referring to the sin of rejecting the gospel.

Have you ever lived with the guilt of sin and a conscience that just would not be quiet? That is what the world is living with and is reminded of when you show up at work and when you bow your head in the cafeteria before eating your lunch. You remind them of their sin and their rejection of the gospel.

And the world is going to respond with hatred and resentment. You might not be tortured and put to death, but you might be ostracized or ignored or passed over for a promotion.

Let me tell you, the simmering hatred for Jesus Christ comes to the surface whenever the church or a Christian shines brightly in the world. It might cost you a great deal. But just remember, 100 years from now you will have lost nothing but gained everything.

There are three practical lessons we can learn from Jesus’ teaching about hatred and persecution here in John 15.

First, we should remember that while hatred is unfounded and unjustified, it should be expected. Jesus says, “If they persecuted me [and they have], they will also persecute you” (verse 20). And for the past 2,000 years, the church has suffered around the globe at different times and in different ways.

Second, we should remember that the world’s hatred is evidence we are fulfilling our mission. So do not run from that job, that family member, that neighbor—keep shining the light of the gospel. If you are attacked and persecuted, you are simply on the Enemy’s radar for promoting and advancing the gospel of Christ.

Third, we should remember the world’s hatred for us must be countered by our love for each other. This entire section we have just studied follows the Lord’s commandment in verse 12 for His disciples to love one another. The world system will never love us; so, let’s make sure we love one another. That will be a powerful testimony to an unbelieving world.

I read recently about Jackie Robinson, the first African American player in Major League baseball. He joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, but it was not an easy beginning for this young man. Prejudiced crowds jeered and threatened him. During a game in Cincinnati, the jeers were especially harsh. As the Dodgers took the field in the first inning and the crowd began to jeer, a teammate of Robinson’s stopped where Jackie was, near first base. He threw his arm around Jackie’s shoulders and stood there beside him.[300]The jeering did not entirely stop, but now it was shared, not by one lonely player, but by two good friends.

Jesus is telling us here that the world is going to heckle, jeer, and persecute His followers and even kill them. Encouragement will come as we throw our arms around one another’s shoulders and share the weight and suffering—and stay the course.

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How to Keep from Falling Away John 16:1-33

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We arrive today at the final section of teaching from the Lord in the upper room. At this moment, in other places around Jerusalem, religious leaders are huddled together in closed-door meetings, soldiers are gathering their swords, and Judas is bargaining for the price of his own soul.

There is tender concern and love in the Lord’s heart for His disciples. In fact, this passage begins in verse 1 with the Lord telling them, “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.” This expression “falling away” carries the idea of losing heart.

Jesus is now going to summarize several themes that He has taught the disciples over the course of these last few days. He is like a preacher wrapping up his sermon by saying, “Now let’s review the main points before we close.” There are five points He is going to review here in John 16.

Point number 1: Persecution is guaranteed! You might think Jesus would have recruited more followers by saying, “If you follow me, you will have it made.” But He is not interested in recruiting followers; He is interested in making disciples. So, He tells them the truth: “They will put you out of the synagogues” (verse 2).

That was serious. The synagogue was the place of fellowship, friendship, weddings, festivals, village meetings. To be barred from the synagogue was to be cut off from every friend and family member, every advantage, every economic possibility. For the Jewish person, to be barred from the synagogue meant living and dying alone.

But that is not all. Jesus goes on to say in verse 2, “The hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.” They are going to be hunted down in the name of some religion. And by the way, before his conversion, Saul of Tarsus will fulfill this prophecy (see Acts 7:58; 8:1).

Is Jesus just trying to terrify His disciples? No. He explains, “But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you” (verse 4).

Now Jesus does not stop with what they can expect. He goes on to tell His disciples how they can survive—and survive with joy.

Jesus’ second point is this: The Helper is on the way! Verses 6-7:

“But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

We have already discussed the Lord’s comments on the advantages of the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the believer. He is our constant, indwelling, ever-present Helper. “Helper” here is paraklētos, literally, “one called alongside of you.”

Jesus is saying, “I’m eventually going up, but the Spirit is coming down to create the New Testament church, to indwell all believers, to effectively walk alongside of you, guiding you into all truth” (verse 13). Persecution is guaranteed, but the Person of the Holy Spirit is on the way!

Here is Jesus’ third point: Sorrow and confusion are only temporary! He says in verse 16, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” Some of the disciples admit they are confused by this.

Jesus is referring to His death—when He disappears—followed by His resurrection three days later when they will see Him again. Jesus says they will experience deep anguish but then great joy. He illustrates that kind of emotional swing by going into the delivery room at the local hospital—at least for us today:

“You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.” (verses 20-21)

I have often thought that a second-born child is the result of a mother forgetting her anguish and only remembering her joy. And since I am a second-born child, I am grateful my mother went through it all over again.

Now here is the fourth point Jesus is rehearsing: Prayer is the primary lifeline. The Lord’s resurrection is going to answer many of the disciples’ questions. Jesus says in verse 23 their questions will eventually be replaced by prayers to the Father in Jesus’ name. And He promises in verse 24 that their prayer life will bring them joy and many answered prayers, according to the will of God.

The Lord’s fifth and final point is this: Courage will always be needed. Verses 32-33:

“The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.”

Do not miss that, beloved. Jesus does not say you will find peace in your circumstances. Rather, you will find peace in Him in the midst of your circumstances.

When our children were young, before bedtime my wife would read novels and biographies to them, typically in the living room with our children perched around her. One of them would be brushing their mother’s hair, which was their clever way to get their mother to read longer than usual. It’s a memory I cherish to this day. One of the books my wife read was the missionary biography of Adoniram Judson.

Judson was barely into his work in Burma when he was taken captive and charged as an English spy. His wife, Anne, explored every possible channel to have him released.

Meanwhile, Adoniram was imprisoned in a tiny cell with other prisoners. The temperature was unbearably hot, and they were not allowed to bathe; the conditions were putrid and terrible. One day the officials decided to torment Adoniram even more by hoisting him up by his thumbs. Pain filled every fiber of his being. When he returned to his cell, Anne, would arrive for a visit and she would always say to him, “Hold on, Adoniram; God will give us the victory.” After months of incarceration, Adoniram was released to serve as an interpreter between the English and Burmese, as they sought to reach a peace settlement. He was separated from Anne for some time. During that time no one told him that Anne was dying.

Months later he was freed to return home, his body so broken it was a miracle he could walk. As he slowly limped toward his home, he saw a child sitting in the dirt, a little girl so covered with filth that he failed at first to recognize her as his own daughter. When he arrived at their simple hut, he went in, and squinting through the darkness he saw Anne, weak and frail. Hugging their youngest daughter to his chest, he knelt down and wept, calling his wife’s name over and over. One author wrote, “His hot tears fell on her face and slowly her eyes began to move with recognition.”[301]She struggled to speak, and then as she passed away, her last words to him were, “Hold on, Adoniram; God will give us the victory.”

This is the message of Christ to His disciples. As chapter 16 concludes, the Lord speaks these words in verse 33:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.”

That sounds a lot like, “Hold on; God will give you the victory.” No matter how challenging, how painful, how difficult, hold on. God will give you the victory.

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Listening to Jesus Pray for Us John 17

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In our Wisdom Journey we are now going to slip inside the prayer closet of the Lord Jesus and listen in as God the Son talks to God the Father. He prays a prayer, recorded here in John chapter 17, that is so filled with great truths that we can, one author wrote, “grasp only fragments of them.”[302]

At this point, the cross is only hours away. Now, if you knew you were going to die in less than twenty-four hours, what would you pray about? As we listen in on Jesus’ prayer to the Father, we are going to discover something amazing, moving, and humbling—Jesus is praying for you and me. He is about to make four special requests for His disciples—then and now.

The first request is that we experience a close relationship with our heavenly Father. Here is what He prays in verses 1-3:

“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

I must tell you, there is something special about hearing someone pray for you. For many years, my missionary father would call me early on Sunday morning to pray for me. I used to tease him that he only wanted to make sure I was out of bed. He would ask me about my sermon for that morning, and then he would pray—and it was always an encouraging prayer.

Well, as special as that was for me, we discover in John 17 that Jesus is praying for all of us! You can take your pencil and write in your name every place in this chapter where He mentions His followers. And what is His first request for you? He is praying that you will know the only true God.

That key word “know” means to know by personal experience or relationship. It is the word used for intimate knowledge like that between a husband and wife. It is a word that refers to knowledge by close association and deep friendship.

Jesus declares here that this relationship defines eternal life. He says, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God.”

The second prayer request concerns the security of our salvation. Listen to the Lord’s prayer in verses 9-10:

“I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.”

He cannot pray this for the unbelieving world because they do not belong to Him. Keep in mind that only moments earlier, Judas had left the upper room.

Jesus now prays about the tragedy of Judas’s unbelief:

“While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” (verse 12)

The Lord makes it clear that Judas was never a believer. He was a pretender.

No one who truly belongs to Jesus Christ will be lost in the end. Somebody might say, “Okay, someone cannot lose the gift of salvation, but what if that person wants to give it back?” Well, let me tell you, if someone does not want the Lord, that person never had the Lord. Would a blind person who has been given the gift of sight decide he wants to be blind again?

Beloved, you cannot lose your salvation, but you can reveal to the world that you never had it to begin with. True believers, Paul writes in Ephesians 1:13, have the Holy Spirit indwelling them, sealing them. Literally God puts His seal on them, pledging to bring them safely home.

Now some people don’t like the idea of eternal security because they believe it will give people the right to go sin and live for the devil. Well, that is like telling people that if they purchase a health insurance policy, they can drink poison and play with loaded guns. Eternal security does not make a Christian want to live in sin any more than buying car insurance makes you want to drive off a bridge. Eternal security does not lead to license; it leads to liberty. You are secure in Christ, not because you are sinless, but because Christ satisfied your sin-debt forever.

In fact, the next prayer request relates to holy living. Jesus’ third request on our behalf is for purity in the world.

Verses 15-17:

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

“Sanctify” here in verse 17, means “to set apart for holy service.” It cannot mean sinless perfection; otherwise, Jesus would not say in verse 19 that He has sanctified Himself.

The point is, just as Jesus was separated for His unique service, so you and I are separated for our unique service—whatever God has in store for us. Jesus is praying that we will have contact with the world without being contaminated by the world.

Beloved, one of the primary reasons we are not winning the world to Christ is because we are not living that differently from the world. As my old professor, Howard Hendricks, used to say in class, “The more like the world you become, the less you will impact it for Jesus Christ.”

Finally, Jesus presents to the Father a fourth prayer request—for unity in the church. Verses 20-21:

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Jesus is praying for the church, which will soon be formed on the Day of Pentecost. This prayer is for the unity of the church. And throughout the New Testament, our unity is not based on personality but theology. The unity Jesus is praying about is based on the truth of His deity, His resurrection, His inspired Word, His return, and a future, literal heaven and hell. Sadly, not every local church gathering believes even these foundational doctrines.

In fact, today, much of the church believes unity is not based on truth but is based on love. Let me tell you, love without truth is just sentimental emotion; truth without love is unkind legalism. We are to love one another, and the church is to be built on the truths of Scripture.

Jesus does makes one more unifying request in verse 24, and it might come as a surprise to you. Jesus prays, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me.”

We often pray to stay here on earth; Jesus wants us to be in heaven with Him! I often think about the fact that every time a believer dies, one of the Lord’s prayers just got answered.

Well, we have to slip out of this sacred prayer chamber now. We have been privileged to hear the Savior whisper His deepest desires to the Father as He has prayed for us. His prayer requests happen to be our privileges today. What are they?

· A close personal relationship with our heavenly Father

· The eternal security of our salvation

· A testimony of purity and integrity in our world

· And unity in our churches, based on the foundation of biblical truth and accompanied by love

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Going Through Gardens Called Gethsemane Matthew 26:30, 36-39a; Mark 14:26, 32-35a; Luke 22:39-44; John18:1

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The most intense hours any human has ever known is upon us on in this Wisdom Journey. Jesus is spending His last hours preparing His heart for the cross, while also preparing the disciples for their mission as apostles of the church.

When you chronologically combine all the Gospel accounts, you learn that at the end of their time in the upper room, Jesus and the disciples sing a hymn—more than likely the last of the five Passover psalms, Psalm 118. Then, Matthew 26:30 tells us, “They went out to the Mount of Olives.” They go out of the walled city, eastward across the brook Kidron, and up the mount.

By the way, this is the only place in the New Testament this brook is mentioned. Kidron means “dark or turbid,” from the Hebrew verb qadar. In 2 Samuel 15, David fled over this same brook from his rebellious son Absalom. And now Jesus, the son of David is slipping across this same brook as Judas finalizes his plans of betraying the true King of Israel.

Luke mentions the disciples are following Jesus. They eventually arrive at a place called Gethsemane. John 18:1 calls it a garden, which may indicate an enclosed area. Since “Gethsemane” means “oil press,” there was probably an olive press located there. In fact, the press may have been inside a large cave there on the Mount of Olives. Even to this day, ancient olive trees are growing near a cave, which has been renovated and turned into a little chapel. I can remember contemplating these events when I had the opportunity to stand in this garden on the Mount of Olives.

As we watch the Lord arrive at the garden of Gethsemane, we are going to witness something that is profoundly moving and also rather mysterious. Now we cannot appreciate the struggle that will take place here unless we understand that we are watching Jesus, the man—fully God, but fully, entirely man—and He’s going to struggle in this garden, just as you might be struggling in your own garden of Gethsemane today.

Here is the Son of Man, tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). We are going to watch and learn and worship and marvel at the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sin of the world.

I have read that before a war broke out in the last century, soldiers dug forty thousand graves in the desert sands. They did not dig these graves for enemy soldiers; they dug the graves for themselves. Those graves were testimonials to their willingness to die. Jesus is effectively digging His own grave here in the garden, signifying His willingness to die.

In Matthew 26:36-38 we read this:

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee [that is, James and John], he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

Why are these three disciples invited? Frankly, I believe the reason He takes them with Him is not for protection or even companionship primarily, though their presence would be welcomed. I believe He wants them there to learn. We are told later that they keep falling asleep. But before nodding off to sleep, they would certainly see and hear the Lord struggling with all that the cross would entail. This will all, I am sure, come back to their hearts and minds later on.

This is how you handle your Gethsemanes! This is how you prepare for a cross of suffering. This is what you do when you are surrounded by sorrow, when you are overwhelmed by distress! More than likely, your closest friends will not be able to understand your deepest feelings; indeed, they might fall asleep, while you agonize alone.

I want to point out two key words here that reveal the genuine struggle in the heart of Jesus, the man. The first word is in verse 37, which tells us, “[He] began to be sorrowful.” “Sorrowful” implies a shrinking from trouble or thought of trouble, which nevertheless cannot be escaped.

The second word is also in verse 37, which tells us, “He began to be . . . troubled.” “Troubled” means to be overwhelmed with distress. It can be translated “surrounded by sorrow.”

Beloved, don’t ever forget that Jesus is not an actor trying to feel the part, trying to feel what a human being would feel at this moment. Yes, He’s 100 percent divine, but He’s also 100 percent human. He doesn’t need to be told what human feelings are; He experiences them fully.

Why such agony? Is it because He knows He has been betrayed, sold by one of his friends for thirty pieces of silver, the price of an old slave in these days? Is He troubled in knowing the eleven will desert Him, that Peter will deny knowing Him, that the nation of Israel will reject Him?

Is it the coming transfer onto Him of the sin of the whole world? Is it the beating and physical pain He will endure? Is it the loss of fellowship and intimacy with His Father He will experience?

The answer is yes! Yes, He is agonizing over all these things and a million times more. He is being crushed for our iniquity.

Mark’s Gospel adds this in chapter 14:

And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. (verses 34-35)

The words “he fell on the ground and prayed” are in the imperfect tense. This indicates action in progress.

If you have hanging on your wall that famous painting of Jesus praying in the garden, kneeling at a stone, with His hands folded in prayer, that’s okay—He might have prayed that way at some other time. But not here. Not this time.

The verb tense tells us that He fell to the ground and prayed; He got up, went a little further, and fell down again and prayed; He picked Himself back up, staggered a few more steps, and fell down again and prayed.” And Hebrews 5:7 adds that He did this “with loud cries and tears.”

Here is your Savior, staggering, falling, crying; stumbling, collapsing, crying—in agonized prayer to His Father.

Luke chapter 22:44 tells us His agony was so intense “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” The medical community calls this hematidrosis, the bursting of the capillaries underneath the surface of the skin. The clotting blood mixes with the sweat of the person under duress and emerges on the skin, blood red.

Frankly, we cannot imagine the sorrow, the pressure, the pain. No wonder Luke tells us the Father sent an angel from heaven to strengthen Jesus (verse 43).

We will never experience the degree of agony Jesus endured in the garden of Gethsemane, but your Gethsemane is still agonizing, isn’t it? Often you find yourself wrestling to bring your will alongside that of your heavenly Father’s, struggling with the plan He has laid out for you, agonizing over things that cannot be changed, and praying for strength to make it through the next moment, the next day. Beloved, Gethsemanes are the inevitable experiences of all who follow Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul even invited it when he wrote of his desire that he “may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). Why did he welcome sufferings? He knew that Gethsemane experiences are a chisel in the hand of God to sculpt us into the image of His Son.

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Drinking the Cup of God’s Wrath Matthew 26:39b-46; Mark 14:35b-42; Luke 22:45-46

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As we set sail today on our Wisdom Journey, we are traveling back up the Mount of Olives to the garden of Gethsemane. The word Gethsemane means “oil press.” And like an oil press squeezing out the last drops from the olives, so the pressure upon Jesus at this moment is incredibly, eternally, significant.

The Gospels of Matthew and Mark record exactly what Jesus prayed there in the garden. I want to point out two aspects of this agonizing prayer of the Lord.

The first aspect I want you to notice is the Lord’s surrender. In Matthew 26:39, Jesus prays, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Then notice verse 42: “Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.’”

Twice Jesus says, “My Father.” Through all this lonely experience, Jesus, the man, never loses the sense of His trust and dependence upon the Father. He continues to address Him by this precious title, “My Father.”

And this is a tremendous example for us, because Jesus never said, “Where are You?” or “You must not love Me anymore!” We tend to draw the wrong conclusions from our Gethsemanes. We assume that pain and suffering are evidences that God is either absent or that He does not care.

A mark of Christlike maturity is being able to pray in your garden of Gethsemane experience with the confidence of “My Father! I know You are mine! I know I can still trust You. I know You have not left me alone!”

A second aspect of Jesus’ prayer is the Lord’s honest struggle. Again, in verse 39, Jesus prays, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Then, compare it with verse 42 again: “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

What is this “cup” that is causing the Lord such agony of soul? The Bible uses this imagery often in the Old Testament to refer to the wrath of God. For example, the psalmist writes this in Psalm 75:7-8:

But it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.

The wrath of God against the sin of the world is what Jesus means by the cup. As fully man, Jesus certainly is dreading the terrible physical suffering the cross will bring Him. But that suffering would be nothing compared to experiencing the righteous wrath of God that would be poured out on Him as He bore the sin of the world.

It would be necessary, as He bore in His body our sin (1 Peter 2:24), that God the Father would turn away from Him, severing the intimacy of the Godhead. No, the Trinity would not, even for a split second, be reduced to something less than the triune God, but for those few hours on the cross, fellowship would be lost while God the Son became sin for us.

The Son of God knows He will experience the wrath of God on our behalf. And since He is a man, He can suffer its full penalty, which includes death. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). But because He is God, He can pay for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and in a matter of hours pay an eternity of debt for you and me.

If there is any way possible, Jesus wants to avoid the unimaginable agony before Him. But, clearly, His greater concern is accomplishing the will of His Father.

Beloved, when you are praying in your own garden of Gethsemane, when you are surrounded by sorrow, you are tempted to try to conform your heavenly Father’s will to yours—to try to convince Him to see things your way. What a blessing here to see the model of our Lord, who surrendered His will to His Father’s.

In summarizing the model Jesus gives us here in the garden, three words come to mind. The first word is realize. Realize that Gethsemanes are experiences for every believer to go through. In his second letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul wrote, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (3:12). Suffering is a part of everyone’s life, simply by virtue of living in this world. But on top of that, believers who seek to live godly lives for the Lord are guaranteed persecution. There is simply no avoiding pain, suffering, and persecution.

But then, the apostle Peter adds this good news for us in 1 Peter 5:10:

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

We need to realize that our Gethsemanes are inevitable and yet temporary. And they do, in the end, strengthen and establish us in the faith.

The second word is remember. Remember that a close walk with Christ does not lead you away from Gethsemane but takes you through it. Walking with God does not erase the potential of pain. Fellowship with the Father does not help us avoid sorrow; it helps us walk through it. In fact, staying close to Christ in a crisis has a way of transforming the garden of Gethsemane into a classroom where some of the deepest lessons can be learned.

Realize, remember, and—one more key word: recognize. Recognize that when you are agonizing in the garden, close friends can be reassuring, but they cannot serve as replacements for your heavenly Father.

In fact, just look at the Lord’s closest disciples, Peter, James and John, whom the Lord invited to join Him in the garden. These are His closest friends on earth. But look at Matthew 26:40-41:

And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

That encouragement apparently was not enough:

And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (verses 43-46)

Two times He asks His friends to pray with Him and certainly pray for Him. Two times He urges them to stay awake. And both times they go to sleep.

But listen, beloved, when you are experiencing a trip to Gethsemane, no one—not husband, wife, father, mother, friend, or associate—will completely understand. Only one will. Jesus knows exactly what it is like. He knows what you are going through. He understands.

So, here in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus looks ahead and sees all the agony of the cup that He will drink dry on our behalf. And He concludes His time here by saying to His Father, “Your will be done.”

From this moment forward, there is no sound or sense of hesitation. Jesus walks forward, showing us all how to walk through Gethsemane as well.

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The Kiss of Betrayal Matthew 26:47-50a; Mark 14:43-45; Luke 22:47-48; John 18:2-6

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As the prayer meeting between Jesus and His Father concludes there in the garden of Gethsemane, Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Jesus wakes up His three sleeping disciples and announces, “The hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand” (26:45-46). With that rather stunning announcement, John chapter 18 gives us the details of what happens next.

The first character to enter the garden is Judas—we already know he is now possessed by Satan himself. Verse 2 tells us that Judas knew this garden well, because “Jesus often met there with his disciples.”

We also know that Judas has already sold his soul, as it were, for thirty coins of silver. He was not about to follow someone who would not overthrow Rome; if there was no kingdom and crown in Judas’s near future, he wasn’t interested. Of course, the tragedy is that Judas would be wearing that crown today in heaven, awaiting the coming kingdom, had he believed in Jesus.

Frankly, Judas is a hard man for me to understand. How could he reach the point of betraying the Lamb of God? He had walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, eaten with Jesus, and slept on the same hillsides and in the same borrowed homes with Jesus. He had followed Him for years, marveling as the Lord’s miracles unfolded. The lame walked, the blind saw, the dead were raised. How do you sell Him out for thirty pieces of silver? The truth is, beloved, the mystery of darkness has been hard at work; the archenemy of Jesus, Satan himself, has successfully blinded the eyes of Judas. One author wrote of Judas that he saw the miracles of Jesus but never accepted the mission of Jesus.[303]

Verse 3 has always struck me as somewhat comical:

So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

They are acting as if they can bind the Creator of the universe! They are armed to the teeth. And they are evidently expecting, and prepared for, several possible scenarios here.

First, they are prepared for deception. No doubt that is why the plan was for Judas to identify Jesus with a kiss. They expected one of the other disciples to step forward and say, “I’m Jesus. Take me!”

So as this mob enters the garden, Mark’s Gospel records that Judas goes up to Jesus and says, “Rabbi!” And then, “he kissed him” (14:45). The word here for “kiss” is the Greek word kataphileō. It is a word of affection that indicates a hug and perhaps more than one kiss on the check—or a kiss on both cheeks.

This was common during these days—and, in fact, in many countries to this day. It signified affection, which makes Judas’s act all the more despicable.

Imagine, beloved, the unseen, spiritual drama taking place here: Judas, indwelt by Satan, is kissing the cheek of the Savior—the serpent is embracing the Son. The hot breath of that old dragon is upon the cheek of the Deliverer! And do not mistake it for one moment—Jesus knows it!

Still, there is no angry response from Jesus. I would have said, “Judas, you’re making me sick; get away from me!” But in Matthew 26:50, Jesus addresses him kindly, saying, “Friend, do what you came to do.”

Can you imagine that? “Friend, do what you came to do.”

Betrayal is always a terrible thing, but when it comes with a kiss—that is, when it comes from a loved one, a supposed friend or relative—it is especially heartbreaking. But Jesus is modeling for us a godly response to betrayers.

Earlier, in Matthew 5, the Lord had preached, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (verse 44). Now here in Matthew 26, the Lord is practicing what He has been preaching.

Second, the mob was not only expecting deception; they were also expecting some form of cowardice. Again, John 18:3 says they come “with lanterns and torches.” But the Passover moon would have been full and bright; verse 18 tells us the night was cold and therefore more than likely cloudless and clear. There was enough light to clearly see their way into the garden on this moonlit night. A torch or two for the leaders would have been sufficient.

So why all the torches and lanterns among them? One reason—they expected Jesus to hide. They thought they might have to search among the trees and in the hillside nooks and crannies to find Jesus. They will need every lantern possible to peer up into the olive trees and behind every rock! But instead of hiding, verse 4 says that Jesus steps forward and identifies Himself as the man they are seeking!

I believe they were expecting one more thing here as they entered the garden; they were expecting resistance! Verse 3 tells us that Judas came with a “band of soldiers.” The Greek term indicates a Roman cohort, which would normally consist of six hundred armed Roman soldiers. There are also officers from the chief priests and Sanhedrin, who had their own private police force to keep the peace and carry out judicial orders.

So, there are literally hundreds of soldiers, armed to the teeth, to arrest an unarmed carpenter! Why? Let me tell you, they knew He was no ordinary man. They had seen His miracles and demonstrations of power. So, they are prepared—they think—for a little supernatural resistance.

John’s Gospel records what happens next:

Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. (verses 4-6)

You need to understand that the Lord is doing more than simply confirming that He is Jesus.

He actually announces His deity. He responds with the expression found often in John’s Gospel—ego eimi—simply, “I am.” Jesus is declaring His eternal deity!

When the name of God was revealed for the first time to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:14, Moses asked God what He should tell the people when they asked the name of the one who sent him. And God responded, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” In other words, my name is “I am.”

Several times throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus has used this expression, thus identifying Himself with the God of Israel (6:35; 8:12; 10:7, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5). Now, Jesus again claims the name of almighty God—“I am.”

Verse 6 records, “When Jesus said to them, ‘I am [he]’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” What Jesus does is give one little puff of divine power and knocks them over. It is as if Jesus pulls back the curtain on His deity for one brief second, and they all do what everyone will do in the presence of God—fall down before Him.

They have not come to arrest Him. He has arrived to arrest them. He will let them get back up on their feet and tie His hands, and He will act as if they have power over Him. But He is willingly, actively leading the way.

Beloved, in a very real sense, Jesus is not going to be murdered; He is going to be sacrificed. He is going to willingly lay down His life as the final Passover Lamb, who came to earth to die for your sins and mine.

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A Mob, a Sword, and the Promise of Peace Matthew 26:50b-56; Mark 14:46-52; Luke 22:49-53; John 18:7-11

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As we sail back to the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus has just finished praying His great High Priestly Prayer in John 17. He has also prayed alone in the garden. With that concluded, Jesus announces to His disciples that soldiers are on their way; and sure enough, Judas and more than 600 soldiers rush into the garden to identify and arrest the Lord. But when the Lord steps forward in John 18:4 and asks, “Whom do you seek?” they answered in verse 5, “Jesus of Nazareth.” And Jesus replies, “I am he”—ego eimi—literally, “I am.” That was the great name of Jehovah God, given to Moses at the burning bush 1500 years earlier, when Moses asked God to tell him His name. God’s answer was, “I am.”

Jesus effectively announces here that the one who had spoken to Moses at the burning bush is now standing before them in the garden of Gethsemane.

As soon as Jesus says, “I am,” verse 6 says, “They drew back and fell to the ground.” The whole crowd falls down by the Lord’s invisible power. It is just one little puff of divine power, and it knocks them all over like bowling pins.

Make no mistake, beloved, Jesus is in command here! No one is taking His life away—He is choosing to give it away. He is not hiding—He is revealing. He is not cowering—He is in command. Indeed, He is helping this group of frightened soldiers take Him into custody.

As the arresting party pick themselves up off the ground, Jesus says, “If you seek me, [then] let these men go” (verse 8). In other words, Jesus is making sure there will only be His cross, not eleven more. None of the disciples will die along with Him. This, as John points out in verse 9, is in fulfillment of Jesus’ own words back in John 17:12.

Now Peter, who has been standing nearby taking this all in, decides it is time to take action. So, in verse 10, we read, “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.).” Now either Malchus was quick enough to duck, or Peter’s aim was off.

By the way, we often highlight the cowardice of Peter later in the courtyard, but we rarely talk about Peter’s courage in the garden. But I must say, I am not sure what Peter was thinking. Perhaps he thought that if he got into deep enough trouble, Jesus would just knock everybody down again. So, Peter swings and literally cuts off this servant’s ear.

We can imagine the scene: The servant screams in pain, blood pouring through his fingers, as he clutches the side of his head. And no doubt 600 soldiers unsheathe their swords and move toward Peter to execute him on the spot.

Now what?

Matthew records in chapter 26 that Jesus immediately steps forward and commands Peter, “Put your sword back into its place. . . . Do you think I cannot appeal to my Father, and He will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” (verses 52-53). That’s 72,000 angels, by the way!

Beloved, 72,000 angels would swoop down in an instant to save their Creator and Master if they were called upon to do so. But Jesus does not want to be rescued. He has come to earth for this very purpose—to be our Redeemer. One author wrote, “Peter fought the wrong enemy, used the wrong weapon, had the wrong motive, and accomplished the wrong result!”[304]

All four Gospels record that Peter’s sword literally cut off the servant’s ear; but only Dr. Luke’s account records that “[Jesus] touched his ear and healed him” (22:51). The noun used here for “ear” literally refers to the place of his ear. You could woodenly translate it, “Jesus touched where had been his ear.” I want to point this out so we do not overlook an amazing miracle here. Jesus does not stoop down and pick up the severed ear and reattach it; He touches the side of his head, and a new ear appears in its place.

This isn’t a medical re-attachment; this is miracle re-creation! Only our creator God has the power to create something out of nothing.

So, imagine this stunning sight. There is Malchus’s severed ear lying on the ground, but he suddenly has a brand-new right ear! Furthermore, there is no more bleeding, no more cries of pain.

I have to stop and wonder about the future of Malchus, a temple assistant. Did his boss, the high priest, forbid him to speak of the matter? Was he pressured into denying it ever happened? Was he fired from his job? We don’t know, but we can be sure that Malchus never forgot that night, that encounter, that grace from the Carpenter from Galilee, who is the Master of eternity.

Now notice the underlying perspective of Jesus, again in John 18. Verse 11 says, “So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Drinking the cup here speaks of experiencing the suffering of God’s wrath. Jesus is referring to all the suffering He is about to experience—physical suffering, yes, but more so, spiritual suffering as He becomes saturated with the sins of the world as He dies on the cross for you and me.

Has it ever occurred to you that Jesus was able to drink this cup because, as verse 11 tells us, He knew the cup came from the hand of His Father? The plan of God was at work.

Are you in a deep valley today? Have you been betrayed? Are you rejected? Are you suffering? Don’t be afraid! Your heavenly Father knows why, and He knows best.

And listen, beloved, accepting what God unveils for you in your life today will have an immediate internal impact. Jesus gave this promise back in John 14:27:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Take another look inside this garden scene. For the soldiers and the mob, it is pandemonium. For the disciples, it is panic. For Jesus, there is peace.

What best describes your heart today? Pandemonium? Panic? Or Peace?

Most people today think that if you have peace when everyone around you is in a panic, you must not understand the problem! Well, that is not true for Christians. We understand that following Christ does not eliminate problems, but we also know His peace can be experienced in the midst of the storms of life.

What cup has the Father given you today? What has He allowed to plow into the traffic pattern of your life out of nowhere?

I received a letter from a woman whose husband had left her—not for another woman, but for another man. What made it even more devastating to her was to learn that same evening that the other man was her own father! Unknown to her, this had been going on for some time. But in just one evening, her world fell apart. She wrote that she had begun visiting our church and was learning all over again what it meant to trust her heavenly Father, knowing that even with this cup of suffering, He had not forgotten her; He had not abandoned her.

Beloved, the only way you will ever be able to drink from your cup of suffering is to understand that it arrived with the permission of your heavenly Father. He has a plan for your future and for your good and He is ultimately molding you into the image of His Son, your Savior and Redeemer and Friend.

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An Arrest at Midnight John 18:12-14, 19-23

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For centuries children have been singing nursery rhymes that, over the course of time, have lost their original meaning. For instance, many children know some version of the poem that originated from the streets of London, England.

Ring-a-ring o’ roses,

a pocket full of posies,

A-tishoo! A-tishoo!

We all fall down!

Now that little rhyme was written in the mid-1600s during the epidemic known as the Black Death. Each phrase of the rhyme referred to the symptoms:

· “Ring-a-ring o’ roses” was a reference to little red rashes that developed on the skin.

· “A pocket full of posies” referred to the belief that evil smells were the poisonous breath of demons which afflicted people with the disease. So, if you stuffed your pockets with posies, you could avoid the disease.

· “A-tishoo! A-tishoo!” referred to the sneezing that accompanied the illness.

· And “We all fall down” meant that if you got the plague, you died.

Now today it is a little innocent rhyme. But centuries ago, it was a little song of sadness and grief.

As we approach the Gospel passages that describe the several court appearances of Jesus, it is easy to skim over the words and not realize the depth of horror and sadness the Lord endured. We typically race to the crucifixion and then on to the resurrection without taking much time to look at these illegal trials of Jesus and all the tragedy involved in the process.

John’s Gospel tells us what happened immediately following the arrest of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. Here in John chapter 18, the Lord is led from the garden to nothing less than an illegal, corrupt trial. Look at verses 12 and 13:

So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

You might notice that instead of taking Jesus to the current high priest, Caiaphas, they bring him to the wealthy estate of Annas. They are evidently following orders here, as Annas wants the first look at this Galilean Carpenter.

It is not hard to understand why. Annas was the most powerful Jew in Jerusalem. He had served as the high priest about twenty years earlier, yet he still had control of virtually everything religious in Jerusalem. He controlled the temple system, the selling of sacrificial animals, and the money changing, where exorbitant rates were charged. He is even referred to by the title “high priest” in this passage.

When Jesus overturned the tables earlier and threw the money changers out of the court of the Gentiles in the temple, He was exposing the corruption of religion in His nation’s day. And the corrupt leader over all of it was Annas.

The Old Testament law called for the high priest to serve his entire lifetime. But by the time of Christ, the Romans had begun appointing high priests who were sympathetic to Rome. They wanted someone who was willing to be controlled by the Roman Empire. Whoever served as high priest, was a man who had sold out—he did not represent God; he represented the Roman government.

Several years earlier, Annas had been replaced by Rome, but he had exerted enough influence to ensure that five of his sons, as well as his son-in-law Caiaphas, the current high priest, all held this office. This family was like a mafia family today. They were the mob bosses of organized, corrupt religion.

So, Annas wanted to meet this carpenter who had caused him sleepless nights and a bad case of high blood pressure. Jesus was the nightmare he longed to get rid of.

Now verses 19-20:

The high priest [Annas] then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.”

The Lord essentially says that the high priest’s questions have already been answered because He had taught openly—Jesus did nothing in secret. This was an implicit accusation that this secret, midnight hearing was illegal. You can be sure that everybody is tuned in now!

Everybody knows Annas is a crooked, cheating embezzler, and they have probably all been bribed or threatened by this old hypocrite. Now they see a simple carpenter putting Annas in his place. Nobody does that to Annas!

In fact, someone quickly comes to the former high priest’s defense in verse 22:

When [Jesus] had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?”

This guy must have been the bailiff standing next to Judge Annas. And he knows the high priest, the judge, has just been royally exposed and embarrassed, and he punches Jesus—more than likely in the face.

Jesus responds in verse 23, saying, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?”

Some time ago I asked a man in our church who is a federal judge what would happen if a defendant accused the judge of something and the bailiff turned and punched the defendant in the face. This judge told me that the bailiff would be on trial himself in the very near future.

But that did not happen here! Verse 24 tells us, “Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the [current] high priest.” Even with that bailiff’s help, Jesus proved to be too much for old Annas to handle. The Lord’s words had pierced right through this religious hypocrite.

So now Jesus, probably nursing a bloody nose, is taken in the middle of the night to another man who is equally corrupt. And the illegal trials of Jesus continue.

A child named Michael was in Sunday school class in Rochester, New York, listening as his teacher explained this passage of Scripture. The teacher noticed she had Michael’s undivided attention, and when she finished, she asked, “Does anybody have any questions?” Michael shot his hand up and said, “I just want to know one thing,” he said: “Where were the state police when all this was going on?”

Well, the “state police” were in on it too. The irony is that the Jewish people prided themselves on their legal system—especially their supreme court, the Sanhedrin. This body was composed of twenty-three priests, twenty-three scribes, and twenty-three elders, plus the high priest.

You may recall from our study in the Gospels that Jesus repeatedly told His disciples that He would be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes and they would condemn Him to death. He was referring to the Sanhedrin, the supreme court of Israel, before whom He would stand, knowing He would be unjustly condemned.

Can you imagine the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States descending from their benches and coming around to begin beating a prisoner accused of blasphemy. Well, in our next Wisdom Journey, the Sanhedrin will descend upon Jesus, spitting in his face, slapping Him and cursing Him. Let me tell you who the real blasphemers were on this night—all these religious leaders. From the front office to the back alley, so to speak, they were corrupt and committed to putting this prisoner to death.

Have you heard of this prisoner? Did you know He surrendered His rights to a fair trial so that you would never have to stand trial before God? Did you know He faced the wrath of hypocritical men so that you would never have to face the wrath of a holy God?

Oh, I hope and pray today that you have given your life to this innocent prisoner, this holy Lamb of God—this Redeemer, the Son of God, who died for you.

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The Most Corrupt Trial in Human History Matthew 26:57, 59-68; Mark 14:53, 55-65; Luke 22:54a, 63-65

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Nothing turns my stomach any more than the exposure of a crooked judge—a judge who condemned an innocent person. I suppose the only thing that bothers me more than that is when the corrupt official is a religious leader.

Well, we are about to watch as Jesus is condemned by both crooked judges and corrupt religious leaders. And this particular series of illegal trials represents the hinge of history because the verdict will impact the whole world and all of human history.

Having been questioned by the former high priest Annas, Jesus now stands before Caiaphas, the current high priest. Caiaphas is joined by members of the Sanhedrin, and they have all made up their minds already. Evidence does not matter. They are just looking for some kind of legal justification to cover their unjust actions. But in the process, they are going to violate six different legal principles that governed the courts of the nation of Israel.

Legal principle number 1 is this: Trials were not allowed to be held secretly at night. In Matthew 26:57, the Bible records, “Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.” Remember “scribes and elders” refers to Israel’s supreme court. So, imagine the members of the Sanhedrin arriving by torchlight in the middle of the night to the estate of the high priest. This is going to be an illegal trial, held at night because they do not want the public to be aware of what they are doing; and they just cannot wait any longer to condemn Jesus.

The second legal principle they violate here is this: At least two witnesses must come forward and agree in their testimony. I am sure you have heard about those high school students who decided to skip school for the morning; when they finally showed up after lunch, they told the principal they had had a flat tire. He immediately separated them, handed each of them a piece of paper and told them to write down which tire it was.

That is the problem here. Witnesses appear, but they cannot get their stories straight. Now under normal procedures, the witnesses would present their testimony and then be questioned separately to confirm their accusation. You need to know that there were no prosecutors in a Hebrew court. The witnesses served as the prosecution, and the Sanhedrin served as the defense.

If witnesses gave false testimony, the court would make them pay the penalty the accused would have received. That certainly discouraged perjury!

But here is how corrupt this trial is:

The chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none. (verses 59-60)

They are actively looking for liars! But the liars cannot get their lies in order until—more than likely after some private coaching—verse 60 says, “At last two [witnesses] came forward and said, ‘This man said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.”’” They are accusing Jesus of planning to destroy the temple!

Now at this point, legal principle number 3 is violated—here it is: The accused was never required to respond to a witness. However, the high priest demands here in verse 62, “Have you no answer to make?” Verse 63 tells us, “But Jesus remained silent.” This is the silence of innocence, the silence of integrity; and on a deeper level, this is silence based on trust in the sovereign plans of His heavenly Father. Remember, this was part of the cup He was willing to drink.

Let me ask you this: What is the greatest insult you have experienced in life? Maybe today you are at the mercy of someone in power who is corrupt or prejudiced against you. Let me encourage you to look at Jesus here. He is right, but He is being wronged. But the record of history is going to prove He was right, and they were wrong. For now, He will continue trusting His heavenly Father.

Legal principle number 4 is now violated—here it is: The accused was never required to testify against himself. But Caiaphas says to Jesus in verse 63, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” He is basically placing Jesus under oath and demanding that Jesus incriminate Himself!

Jesus still has every right to refuse to answer, but at this point, He speaks. And here is why: just as Jesus helped those soldiers arrest Him in the garden, He is going to help the Sanhedrin condemn Him—verse 64:

Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

This is what they had hoped to hear. Jesus is claiming to be deity, none other than the divine Messiah.

And in case they missed it, Jesus even adds this prophecy—again verse 64—“You will see the Son of Man … coming on the clouds of heaven.” This is a picture of the final, divine judgment, and Jesus claims to be that divine Judge.

He is effectively saying, “You are judging Me now, but I will judge you one day. You want to condemn Me today, but if you do not believe in Me, you will be condemned one day.” Jesus is not the one on trial here—these men are.

Now here is a fifth legal principle that is violated by the Sanhedrin: A death sentence was passed only after a day of fasting. Jewish records reveal that none of the seventy-one members of the Sanhedrin were to eat or drink anything for an entire day before issuing a death penalty. They were to spend the day considering the gravity of such a verdict.

But this verdict is brought immediately. Caiaphas calls for an immediate vote: “Then the high priest … said … ‘What is your judgment?’ They answered, ‘He deserves death’” (verses 65-66).

No day of fasting here, just an immediate, unanimous vote for death. And with that, the supreme court of Israel violated yet another legal principle—here it is: A unanimous vote for the death penalty allowed the accused to go free.

A unanimous vote in our world would be required for the death penalty, but here in ancient Israel, they believed that a unanimous vote implied something was wrong, that there was a lack of critical thinking, a prejudiced jury, or a lack of mercy. So, a unanimous vote of the council immediately allowed the prisoner to go free.

But instead of releasing Jesus, the Sanhedrin now physically attack Him. Picture this scene:

Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us,

you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” (verses 67-68)

Can you imagine the supreme court delivering a guilty verdict and a death sentence and then descending from their bench to come and spit in the face of the defendant and slap him around?

This is horrifying and cruel and wicked. Indeed, it is the very height of corruption. Here is the supreme court of Israel turning into a vicious mob—spitting, hitting, cursing, and mocking Jesus.

He took it all, on your behalf, beloved—and mine. This innocent, gracious, loving Lord Jesus was tried before Israel’s high court so you will never have to be tried before the court of heaven. Jesus was condemned to die on earth, so that you can live forever with Him in heaven.

Let me ask you this today: Are you rejecting Him, as they did; or will you worship Him—this pure, righteous, merciful Messiah, the Son of God?

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How to Successfully Prepare to Fail John 18:15-18, 25-27

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How would you like to have the entire world read about your failure to live up to some promise you made? How would you feel if for the rest of your life, people were given a written record of some act of cowardly unfaithfulness to the Lord? Well, that is exactly what we have in the record of Scripture regarding the apostle Peter and his denial—2,000 years later, we are still reading about his failure.

Now before we read it again, keep in mind that Peter alone was willing to trust Jesus and walk out to Him on the water; it was Peter alone who swung a sword in the garden of Gethsemane to protect Jesus. And now it is Peter, standing out here in the courtyard of Caiaphas, as Jesus stands trial before the Sanhedrin.

All four Gospels record Peter’s denials, but today I want to touch on just a few verses in John’s Gospel and then try to understand why this happened. We begin in John 18:15:

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.

This other disciple is certainly John, who referred to himself in the third person throughout his Gospel. So, John also followed along here, but he has got some connections, and he is allowed into the high priest’s courtyard. John then speaks to the servant girl who keeps the door, arranging for her to let Peter into the courtyard as well.

Verse 16 tells us that Peter is almost immediately recognized by this servant, who says to him, in verse 17, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” Peter simply replies, “I am not” and then walks over to a firepit to keep warm.

Again, in verse 25, Peter is asked, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” And he denies it again, saying, “I am not.” Then we read this:

A relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.” (verses 26-27)

How in the world does someone deny the Lord—especially someone like Peter?

Well, for one thing, we never sin suddenly—just out of the blue. When we fail and fall, it is because that moment of sin has been in the making for some time!

Peter illustrates what I call preparation for spiritual failure. If you want to fail spiritually, or morally or ethically, well, stir into your life these ingredients. They will guarantee disaster, even to the point of denying Christ in the public square.

We will call the first ingredient self-confidence. You might remember at the disciples’ last meal with the Lord in the upper room in Matthew chapter 26, Jesus predicted that they would all abandon Him that night. Peter responded in verse 33, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Essentially, he is saying, “Lord, I can understand why these other fellows will fail you, but I am stronger than they are.” Peter thinks he is a spiritual giant—he is way too self-confident of his loyalty to Christ.

So, if you want to successfully prepare to fail, stir into your life self-confidence; then add another ingredient we will call defiance.

Jesus goes on to inform Peter that he will be the chief denier—he will deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows in the morning. And Peter scoffs back at the Lord, in verse 35, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” He is basically telling the Lord, “You don’t know what You are talking about. I know better than You.”

You want to fail? You want to guarantee a wrong turn in life? Then start telling the Lord He does not understand your situation and the pressure you are under. He does not understand your overbearing spouse or your miserable job; He does not know what justifies your sin.

Let me tell you, beloved, Peter’s defiance of Jesus, the Living Word, is no different from you arguing with the written Word. A lack of submission to God’s Word will set you up to fall down.

The next ingredient is prayerlessness. This is really just another symptom of self-confidence. The night before, Jesus had asked Peter to pray with Him in the garden of Gethsemane, but Peter, along with James and John, went to sleep.

Jesus had said to them in the garden in Matthew 26:41, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” In other words, you had better pray so that you do not enter into temptation unprepared. Beloved, there is a direct relationship between praying and purity—between prayerlessness and faithlessness. Peter missed the prayer meeting and entered into this courtyard unprepared.

Now prayer is rightly called a spiritual discipline, not spiritual recreation. And that is because it is hard work. It is not an indoor sport, or we would spend all Sunday afternoon engaged in it.

That is why the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, in 1 Timothy 4:7, “Train yourself for godliness.” “Train” translates the Greek word gumnazō, from which we get gymnasium. Paul is telling Timothy to go into that spiritual gymnasium and work up a spiritual sweat. Godliness is not a coincidence any more than muscles are. It takes work—disciplined choices—every day!

When you became a Christian, you became a “gymnast.” You were given a membership card in the spiritual athletic program of the kingdom. So, what’s the tone of your spiritual muscles today? Without prayer, you are going to be flabby and weak! Peter fell apart in public because he had ignored the Lord in private.

The fourth ingredient of spiritual failure is independence. Earlier, John 18 tells us that in the garden Peter bravely tried to prevent the Lord from being arrested. He swung his little sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Jesus made it very clear that fighting was not a part of His plan, and He strongly rebuked Peter.

Peter wanted to do things his own way. Jesus said, “Pray.” Peter went to sleep. Jesus said, “Let me wash your feet.” Peter said, “Not on Your life.” Jesus said, “It’s time for My arrest.” Peter chopped off an ear. Jesus said, “You’re going to deny Me three times.” Peter said, “You couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Peter was a self-made, independent man. In fact, the only time Peter came in second was when he lost the footrace with John to the empty tomb. Peter was a natural-born leader, with willpower and courage. He would have been a terrific advertisement for some conference on self-esteem. He had train cars full of it.

But God is very gracious. The Lord is patiently training Peter; in fact, He is fashioning Peter into a much smaller vessel—one small enough to hold the Lord’s great power and gracious Spirit. At this point, Peter is a giant vessel, and frankly, he is full of himself. He is so full, he is ready to tip over and fall.

Self-confidence, defiance, prayerlessness, and independence are all ingredients of spiritual failure. Peter had them all—and I do too. How about you? How we need to thank the Lord for His patience with all of us.

And did you know the New Testament reveals that while Peter failed, he ended up growing as a result of it? He never forgot the sound of that rooster—it did something to him as he wept bitter tears over his failure.

Did he learn over time? Oh yes. As an old apostle, Peter will write these words:

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:5-7)

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The Rooster Crowed Twice Matthew 26:58, 69-75; Mark 14:54, 66-72; Luke 22:54b-62; John 18:15-18, 25-27

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As we set sail again in our Wisdom Journey, I want to slip back into that cold courtyard where Peter is warming himself by the fire. All four Gospels record this event, not because they want to bury Peter in disgrace, but because the Lord has a lot to teach us all about Peter’s failure. And I believe that is because Peter’s failure resembles our own at times.

Jesus has been arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, and Peter, along with John, have followed the soldiers into the high priest’s courtyard. John has some personal connections here and may have gained access to the house itself. But we know Peter is out in the courtyard, shivering in the night air.

Three scenes unfold here. The first scene is recorded for us beginning in Matthew 26:69:

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.”

Notice how she refers to Jesus, not as “Jesus the Messiah,” or “Jesus the miracle worker,” or even “Jesus the Rabbi,” but as “Jesus the Galilean.” We know from history that referring to someone as a “Galilean” was a slur—a put-down. Galileans were considered uneducated and backward, especially to the Jews who lived in Jerusalem. So, there is a mocking tone to her voice here as she effectively says, “So, you’re one of the disciples of that ignorant carpenter, aren’t you?” Verse 70 says, “But he denied it before them all, saying, ‘I do not know what you mean.’”

Just hours earlier, Peter was ready to take on 600 soldiers, but now he is caught off guard by ridicule. There is a principle to learn in this: Being courageous in some big battle does not guarantee victory in a little battle. Peter was prepared for a big sword fight but not for a little servant girl!

The second scene takes place sometime later. John’s Gospel tells us that Peter was standing and warming himself by a charcoal fire (John 18:18). And at that point, Matthew’s Gospel adds this:

And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” (26:71-72)

These servant girls just will not leave Peter alone! You could render Peter’s words here, “I swear to you, I do not know him.”

There is another principle to learn at this point, and here it is: The safest sheep in the flock are those that are closest to the Shepherd. But Peter is moving in the other direction. Perhaps by now he has heard the yelling and the threatening of the religious leaders inside the house. The tension is mounting; so, Peter thinks, If I can put a little distance between myself and the Lord, maybe I’ll get out of here alive.

Maybe today you are under pressure because of your faith in Christ. Distancing yourself from Jesus might bring some temporary relief, but it will only set the stage for greater failure.

Now in this third scene—about an hour later, according to Luke 22:59—another accuser speaks up. John 18:26 tells us more specifically that this person was related to Malchus, the man whose ear Peter had lopped off in the garden. The news has evidently flown throughout Jerusalem. They have already put Peter’s mug shot up online. John records that this man says to Peter, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Then other people chime in, as Matthew records:

The bystanders . . . said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your [Galilean] accent betrays you.” Then [Peter] began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” (26:73-74)

He is cornered! But instead of confessing Jesus as his Master, Peter offers his strongest denial yet. Matthew tells us this includes repeated loud cursing and swearing, which indicates the crowd has turned on him and it is a yelling match.

Matthew then writes in verse 74, “And immediately the rooster crowed.” Now here is something many Christians are not aware of. Mark 14:72 says, “And immediately the rooster crowed a second time.”

The liberals love to jump on this as an error in the Bible. But as we have learned in our Wisdom Journey, combining the Gospel accounts gives us the fullest storyline. These eyewitnesses simply focused on different details.

The rooster crowed once after Peter’s first denial, as Mark 14:68 records. And by the way, this was God’s gracious reminder to Peter—and it was a reminder he ignored. Now, after Peter’s third denial, the rooster crows again here in verse 72. And as Mark states, this is exactly what Jesus had warned Peter: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

In the Old Testament, two witnesses were needed to prove guilt. It is as if Jesus is allowing this rooster to provide a double witness to Peter’s failure.

Picture the scene at this point in the narrative: Inside, Jesus is being falsely accused, spit upon, beaten, and mocked. Outside, Peter, His closest disciple, is cursing and swearing that he does not know the Lord at all.

I will never forget reading of a young mother who rescued her little baby girl when their house caught on fire. She fought her way through the flames into her daughter’s room and pulled her to safety. In the process, her hands were terribly burned and her face permanently scarred.

That little girl grew up to become a popular teenager. When her senior class took a boat trip, her mother volunteered to come along and help with meals. That afternoon, the girls were on deck and began talking about the woman’s scarred hands and face. One girl asked, “Who in the world is that ugly woman?”

Not knowing her mother was near enough to hear, her own daughter said, “I don’t know!” You can just feel the sadness and pain that woman felt that day.

Luke writes that as soon as the rooster crowed, “the Lord turned and looked at Peter” (Luke 22:61). Perhaps it was through an open window or doorway, but their eyes met at just that moment. What Peter saw in the eyes of the Lord was not hatred or anger but undoubtedly sadness and grief. Jesus, fully God yet fully man surely was crushed by Peter’s denial.

No doubt, Peter caught his breath, remembered the prophecy of his denial, and was immediately overwhelmed with guilt. Luke writes in verse 62, “He went out and wept bitterly.” You could translate that, “He sobbed uncontrollably.”

You might expect to never hear of Peter again. But there is one final principle to learn here: Great failure can be followed by gracious forgiveness.

Do you think you have sinned too greatly for Jesus to forgive you? Have you disappointed your Lord to the point that you think He does not love you anymore?

Well, let me remind you that after Jesus rose from the dead, Mark’s Gospel records in chapter 16 that an angel tells the women who have arrived to anoint the Lord’s body that He is risen. And then the angel instructs women, “Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you” (verse 7).

Why mention Peter specifically? Because he was the one man who thought Jesus would never want to see him again. The Lord was letting him know ahead of time that he was forgiven.

The same goes for you, beloved. If you have failed Him in some way, your failure is not fatal. He is willing to forgive you and restore you with open arms.

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Eternal Contrasts between Judas and Peter Matthew 27:1, 3-10; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66-71

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When you study the Gospel accounts chronologically, you end up with Peter’s denial of Jesus followed by Judas’s betrayal. Sandwiched between is the mock trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the nation of Israel.

Following Peter’s denial of Christ, he leaves that courtyard sobbing uncontrollably, remorseful and repentant. But in this Wisdom Journey, we will not find the same response or heart condition in many others who appear in these dramatic events.

Luke chapter 22 gives us the most details of the final phase of Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin. Verses 63-64:

Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?”

Jewish law permitted public flogging of a condemned person; but it did not permit the treatment described here—mocking and beating—and certainly not before a person had been proven guilty in a public trial.[305]

But evidently this treatment went on through the night hours, as indicated in verse 66:

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council.

In other words, the Sanhedrin reconvenes at daybreak. This probably allowed other members to join them who were unable to get there the night before. And since that nighttime trial was illegal, they have to create a façade of legal respectability.

And now the Sanhedrin demands of Jesus, “If you are the Christ, tell us” (verse 67). I want to point out here that again Jesus is going to help His enemies accomplish their murderous desires. So, He effectively lights the fuse for them, saying, “If I tell you, you will not believe … but from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God” (verses 67, 69).

Jesus is claiming a messianic title here: Son of Man. He is also claiming to sit on the very throne of God—the right hand of God is a reference to the place of God’s authority and power. And the Sanhedrin certainly understands what He is saying. So, they question Him further:

“Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say [correctly] that I am.” Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.” (verses 70-71)

The claim to be the Son of God to them is blasphemy worthy of death.

Now with that, we shift to another event that is taking place over in Matthew 27:

Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. (verse 3)

Judas is experiencing remorse, but in contrast to Peter there is no repentance. This verse says that Judas “changed his mind.” Even though he does not believe Jesus is God’s Son, he has changed his mind about being a part of putting an innocent man to death. He evidently feels regret over being complicit in Jesus’ crucifixion.

Beloved, nobody is going to go to heaven because they feel badly that Jesus was crucified. You go to heaven when you realize He was crucified for you. You don’t even go to heaven because you realize you have sinned. You go to heaven because you have asked to be saved.

Judas is overwhelmed by his betrayal of an innocent man, yet he refuses to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. Still, he wants to get rid of this blood money in an attempt to alleviate his guilt. So, he says to the chief priests and elders in verse 4, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” Their response is, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” In other words, “What do we care about the innocence of Jesus? That’s your problem!”

I have no doubt that Judas was familiar with Deuteronomy 27:25, “Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.” Judas knows he is guilty of accepting a bribe like that; he has broken the law. But the religious leaders cannot do anything about it, because they are the ones who paid him the money—they have all broken the law.

So, Matthew 27:5, tells us Judas throws the silver coins into the temple and departs. The Greek term for “temple” here is naos, which means the inner, holy place where only priests could go. Judas throws the money into this area. It is as if he wants to make sure the priests have to handle this blood money. Tragically, verse 5 tells us that Judas goes out and hangs himself. His guilt led him to despair and death; in contrast, Peter’s guilt led him to repentance and forgiveness.

The only other place we read of Judas’s suicide is in the first chapter of the book of Acts. The additional details there suggests that Judas hanged himself from a limb, but after his death either the limb broke or the rope broke, and his body fell down into a ravine and burst open.

I can’t help but think that while Jesus hung on a tree, so to speak, Judas was hanging from his. On one tree was the Savior. On the other tree was an unrepentant sinner, deceived and empowered by the Serpent.

I want to make a couple of observations here. First, Judas demonstrates that it is possible to appear religious and yet be unredeemed. You might know people like that in your world—they live like the devil on Saturday but sing in the choir on Sunday.

It might be somebody you live with, or work with, or go to school with; it might even be the person sitting in your seat right now. On the outside, everything appears to be right, but you and God know that everything is wrong.

Here is a second observation I want to make: It is possible to serve Christ without loving Christ. Judas was one of the original twelve disciples. He had even been sent out on a mission trip to preach and heal the sick. Judas could quote Scripture, but he did not know the Author of Scripture.

My third observation is this: It is possible to hear the truth without applying the truth. Frankly, this is not just Judas’s problem; it is my problem—and it is your problem too. We all run that risk every time we learn something from God’s Word. That is why it is possible for believers to grow old in their faith, without growing up in their faith. They have been through the Bible, but the Bible never went through them. As one of my professors used to say, it is possible as Christians to become like bad photographs—overexposed to the light and underdeveloped.

Matthew informs us that Judas’s blood money went toward the purchase of a field. Just as the Old Testament prophesied,[306] this field was purchased by the priests with the thirty pieces of silver. That field was used as a burial ground for strangers and became known to everybody around Jerusalem as “The Field of Blood.” Appropriately, the daily reminder of rejecting Jesus Christ would be a cemetery.

What a perfect picture of man-made religion. The best that religion can do is offer you a nice gravesite. As I have toured the cathedrals of Europe, this truth occurred to me time and time again, as these sanctuaries were really nothing more than high-priced mausoleums.

Beloved, we who have placed our faith in the Redeemer get far more than a nice grave. We have received forgiveness from our guilt and sin; we have received the gift of salvation. And one day we will be taken beyond the grave into the presence of our risen Savior—into His presence forever!

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The Release of a Death Row Inmate Matthew 27:2, 11-23; Mark 15:1-14; Luke 23:1-22; John 18:28-40

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All four Gospels record what happens to Jesus, now that the supreme court of Israel has found Him guilty of claiming to be the Son of God. Matthew 27:2 tells us that the mob takes Jesus bound to the Roman governor, Pilate, and John 18 records that Pilate comes out to them, wanting to know what charge they are bringing against their prisoner (verses 28-29).

Luke 23:2 gives their answer:

“We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

Pilate seizes on that last accusation and asks Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” (verse 3). John’s Gospel tells us that Pilate took Jesus back into his headquarters to ask Him this question privately (John 18:33). Pilate wants to know if Jesus is a political threat—is He really the King of the Jews?

Jesus calmly answers that He is a King, but He also assures Pilate He is not the kind of king Pilate envisions; He is not a threat to Pilate or Rome. Twice in John 18:36, Jesus says His kingdom is not of this world. He goes on to say in verse 37, “For this purpose . . . I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Pilate has no idea that he’s talking to the one who is the truth when he asks Jesus in verse 38, “What is truth?” Pilate is in a culture like ours today, where truth is fluid—whatever is true for you is true, even if it is different from my truth—so we both can be right. Actually, we both can be wrong.

But Pilate does not want to debate the philosophy of truth with Jesus, so he goes back out to the mob and says in verse 38, “I find no fault in him.” Luke 23:5, records their response to Pilate: “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”

Ah, the mention of Galilee gives Pilate an idea. He can hand Jesus off to Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, who just happens to be in Jerusalem at this time.

So, Pilate sends Jesus to Herod. Luke 23:6-11 reveals that Herod is happy to see Jesus, but he only wants Jesus to perform some miracle. Herod wants a little magic show. Jesus will not perform; He even refuses to speak when Herod questions Him. This makes Herod angry, and he mocks the Lord and sends Him back to Pilate.

Then Pilate remembers something and devises a clever little plan to get this innocent, misguided rabbi off his hands. He says to the crowd in John 18:39, “You have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover.” Matthew 27:17 says that Pilate gives the crowd a choice between his releasing Jesus or a prisoner by the name of Barabbas.

Some time earlier the Romans had captured this killer named Barabbas. Pilate is sure the people would rather have Jesus than this dangerous felon.

Matthew then inserts a comment here in verse 19, revealing that Pilate’s desire to find a way to release Jesus is also motivated by a message from his wife. She told him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” We do not know if her dream was God-sent, but Pilate, like most superstitious Romans, takes her dream seriously.

Now let’s go back to Barabbas for a moment. The name Barabbas can mean either “son of the father” or “son of a rabbi.” This was a conventional way of referring to someone, just as Jesus once referred to Simon Peter as “Simon Bar-Jonah”—that is, “Simon, the son of Jonah” (Matthew 16:17). I believe Barabbas was the son of a rabbi—he was what we would call today a “preacher’s kid.” He’s also a prodigal.

There is something else that is fascinating about Barabbas’s name. The ancient Syriac and Armenian translations of the New Testament give him a first name. In Greek it is the name Iēsous—Jesus!

The nation of Israel is not ignorant about Barabbas. He has a police record a mile long. Matthew refers to him as a “notorious prisoner” (Matthew 27:16); Mark says that Barabbas “committed murder” (Mark 15:7); Luke says that he led an insurrection somewhere in this region against Rome (Luke 23:19); and John refers to him as a “robber” (18:40). Barabbas was not a very nice man.

So, we have here in this dramatic scene Jesus the Christ and Jesus the son of a rabbi. Imagine the irony of Pilate as he asks the crowd to choose whom they want released—Jesus the Healer or Jesus the killer.

The crowd chooses Barabbas! Let me tell you, he would have been a hero among the zealots, the nationalistic Jews who wanted to be rid of Roman rule. Barabbas was their Robin Hood. He was what they were looking for in a Messiah.

As for the religious leaders, they did not want Barabbas’s troublemaking with Rome. But they chose Jesus Barabbas simply because he wasn’t Jesus the Christ.

So with that, Pilate asks what they want him to do with Jesus the Christ. They answer, “Let him be crucified!” (Matthew 27:22). And when Pilate asks, “Why, what evil has he done?” (verse 23) “they shouted all the more, ‘Let him be crucified!’” The Greek language indicates they kept screaming this chant: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

It is my opinion that the center cross on Golgotha would have been for Barabbas. More than likely, those two thieves on either side were members of his gang.

The release of Barabbas is a wonderful parable of the gospel. He illustrates humanity, condemned already and awaiting final judgment. But back in Luke 4:18, Jesus said He had come “to proclaim liberty to the captives.” That is exactly what Jesus does here.

We are not told how Barabbas responded to the jailer as his cell door was unlocked. But imagine with me how Barabbas could have responded.

He could have said, “I have sinned too greatly—I’m a notorious criminal, a murderer, number one on Rome’s most-wanted list. There is no way I deserve to get out of prison.” Beloved, isn’t it wonderful that Jesus died for sinners—for death row inmates and guilty people like you and me.

Barabbas could have said, “I’m not guilty! And I am not leaving my cell until Pilate apologizes and declares me innocent.” There are a lot of people today who will not admit they are guilty sinners; they refuse to accept God’s verdict and refuse to accept His pardon.

They remind me of an old comedian who was looking over his x-rays with his doctor. “It’s bad news,” the doctor said. “You are going to need open-heart surgery. It will be painful and cost thousands of dollars.” The patient thought for a moment and then said, “Listen, doctor, for a hundred dollars could you just touch up the x-rays?”

That is what a lot of religious people are doing all around the world today. They are going to their temples, their synagogues, their mosques, and their churches to basically touch up their x-rays.

Radical heart surgery is needed. We are terminally ill with sin. It needs to be admitted, confessed, and forgiven. If you want to get out of prison and into heaven, admit your sin and ask for the grace of God.

What did Barabbas have to do to be freed on this day? He just had to walk out of that cell—that was it. Why? Because his freedom was paid for by the other Jesus, the Lamb of God who would be sacrificed in his place—the Savior who died in your place and mine.

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A Tragic Miscarriage of Justice Matthew 27:24-26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:23-25; John 19:1-16a

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When an individual is tried, convicted, and punished for a crime that person did not commit, we refer to that as a tragic miscarriage of justice. I am always deeply troubled to read in the news of someone who suffered many years in prison, before being proven innocent—through new evidence or traces of DNA or some other forensic method.

Well, multiply that injustice many times over, and you might come close to describing the trial of Jesus before the Jewish world and now the Roman world. It is nothing short of a tragic miscarriage of justice.

The Jewish Sanhedrin has declared Jesus to be worthy of death. But Pilate has repeatedly, publicly declared that Jesus is innocent! In fact, three times in John’s Gospel, Pilate says, “I find no guilt in him.” (John 18:38; 19:4, 6). He wants to throw the case out of court for lack of evidence. But Jesus’ enemies are not giving in, and the pressure on Pilate is mounting.

John chapter 19 records what happens next—verse 1-2:

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe [the color of royalty].

This flogging most likely takes place in the Roman palace, using a whip with sharp metal or pieces of bone attached to three leather straps.[307] They will eventually press down on the Lord’s head a crown made of twisted thorns—probably from a date palm, which has thorns that can be some twelve inches long.

The description continues:

They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” (verses 3-5)

I believe Pilate is attempting to provoke some sort of sympathy with this brutal punishment and mockery of Jesus. And with his statement, “Behold the man!” he is effectively saying, “Look at Him! He’s bleeding; He’s an ordinary man. Does He look like a king to you? I have punished Him already. Isn’t this enough?”

Are they satisfied? Of course not. We read this in verse 6:

When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.”

These religious leaders know they are not allowed to execute anyone without Rome’s approval; they need Pilate’s permission.[308]

So now, the Jewish leaders respond by telling Pilate the real reason for their hatred of Jesus—verse 7: “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.”

Beloved, some people argue that Jesus never claimed to be anything more than a rabbi. Well, the entire Jewish nation knew differently. They had tried to kill Him twice before because He claimed to be deity.

This new piece of information creates new fear in Pilate. He had sensed there was something different about this Jesus. And now, hearing this charge brings even greater alarm to him. Verse 9 tells us, “He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer.’”

If Jesus had answered Pilate or performed some miracle, would He have been released? Perhaps, but Jesus did not come to earth so He could be released; He came to earth so we could be redeemed.

Pilate is frustrated by Jesus’ silence and warns the Lord that he has the authority to release Him or crucify Him. And to that Jesus responds in verse 11:

“You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

He is informing Pilate that he is not as powerful as he thinks he is. God is the one in charge here. Jesus also says that Pilate’s guilt is not as great as that of the high priest, along with the religious leaders, the Sanhedrin, who knew what they were doing when they handed Him over to Pilate.

It is doubtful Pilate grasps much of this, but he knows Jesus is innocent, and—who knows?—maybe Jesus is the son of a god, which is probably what Pilate would understand by this claim. This was all enough to motivate him to release Jesus, and verse 12 says, “From then on Pilate sought to release him.”

The Jewish leaders have some political leverage, though, that they have been holding back till now. They say here in the latter part of verse 12, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”

In other words, they’re threatening to report to Caesar that Pilate released a man who was a direct threat to the throne—a man who claimed to be a king above Caesar. Obviously, if Pilate is ignoring a threat to the empire, it will endanger Pilate’s position, for he will not be “Caesar’s friend.” By the way, “Friend of Caesar” was an official title of favor given to reward faithful service to the king.[309]

Now Pilate faces a decision. Is he going to choose to be a friend of the king of the Roman Empire or a friend to the King of the Jews?

You happen to make that decision every day—in the shop, in the university classroom, in the corporate environment, in the political world. Whose friend are you going to be—a friend to this world system, or a friend of the King of Kings?

Despite the warning of his wife (Matthew 27:19) and the complete lack of evidence against Jesus, Pilate chooses what he sees as being in his best interest. Look at verse 13: “So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat.” This is where the final decision will be rendered.

The author John notes in verse 14, “Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour.” It is 6:00 a.m. It is Passover, when each family slaughters an unblemished lamb; and in just a few hours, the pure Lamb of God will be slaughtered by the united family of humanity.

The innocence of Jesus has been established in court. The Lamb of God is without blemish. Other witnesses at the cross will add their testimony to His innocence. Even Judas, who tried to return the blood money, declared that he had betrayed innocent blood (Matthew 27:4). The only thing Jesus is guilty of is telling the truth—beloved, He is guilty of being the Son of God.

When Pilate tells the crowd to behold their King here in John 19:14, they again demand His crucifixion. They even shout aloud, here in verse 15, “We have no king but Caesar.”

With that, verse 16 sadly records, “[Pilate] delivered him over to them to be crucified.”

Matthew 27:24 reports that just before he turns Jesus over to be crucified, Pilate washes his hands before the crowd and says, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.” Let me tell you, no matter how religious you are or how powerful you are, washing your hands will not cleanse your heart or your conscience. Only the blood sacrifice of God the Son can cleanse you from the guilt of sin.

Even though this was a terrible miscarriage of justice, it was planned from eternity past. But what is your verdict today? Jesus stands in the courtroom of your heart. And His blood is either on your hands because you are guilty of denying Him, or His blood has cleansed your heart, and you are forgiven forever.

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The Via Dolorosa Matthew 27:27-32; Mark 15:16-21; Luke 23:26-32; John 19:16b-17a

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We begin in this Wisdom Journey to follow the footsteps of Jesus down the Via Dolorosa—the way of suffering, the path from Pilate’s palace to Calvary. Calvary is the Latin term for skull. This place is also called Golgotha, the Aramaic word for skull. This was the place of death by crucifixion.

The events here are both horrifying and healing. This is where we are shown that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Roman governor Pilate failed to release Jesus as he knew he should. He caved in to the Jewish leaders who threatened to report him to Caesar as a traitor and turned Jesus over for crucifixion.

Pilate had hoped to appease the Lord’s accusers by having Him scourged rather than killed. Scourging was standard preparation for crucifixion. During the days of Christ, this horrific beating was commonly referred to as the “half-way death.” Most of its victims slipped into a state of shock, and some died before they ever reached the cross. Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, wrote about a man who was scourged until his bones were laid open.[310]

Now I do not intend to be graphic for the sake of sensationalism, but I do not want to sanitize this scene either. I want us to see this practice for what it was.

Before scourging, the victim would be stripped of his clothing. He was then bound to a stone post with his hands tied above him. Professional torturers who administered the beating were known as “lictors”—which is where we get our expression, “take a licking.” Typically, there were two of them alternating their blows. Their weapon was a flagellum, a whiplike instrument with a short, wooden handle and long leather straps. The straps were braided in varying lengths, and stones and pieces of sheep bones, or even metal, were sewn, at intervals, into the braided leather.

Several years ago, a detailed report on the medical aspects of the scourging and crucifixion of Jesus was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It describes the scourging as follows:

As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the victim’s back with full force, the iron balls, or stones, would cause deep contusions and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and underlying tissues. Then, as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock. The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.[311]

The average victim would endure the incredible pain of this flogging and then be crucified, but Jesus endured even more suffering from these Roman soldiers who were, no doubt, demonically inspired to insult and mock this supposed “King of the Jews.”

Matthew describes what they do next:

They . . . put a scarlet robe on him [the color of royalty], 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!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. (Matthew 27:28-30)

That would have driven these six- to twelve-inch thorns into His head. And, beloved, there is no mention of Jesus pulling that crown of thorns off or letting the royal robe slip from His bleeding shoulders. He stands quietly, as a lamb—the Lamb—silent before His slaughterers, now an unrecognizable mass of swollen, bruised, and bleeding flesh.

Verse 31 says, “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.” It was the custom of this day for the condemned man to be taken, procession-style, down this path of suffering. The victim was paraded through the streets of the city not only to display him to the crowds and announce his crime, but also to make the statement that you did not mess with the Roman Empire—and in Jesus’ case, it showed that you did not upset the Jewish traditions.

John writes, “So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross” (John 19:16-17). Now let me pull over and correct the mental picture most people probably have here. Jesus was actually carrying His crossbeam. A Roman cross designed for crucifixion weighed around three hundred pounds. The victims did not drag a three-hundred-pound cross half a mile and then up a hill—especially victims suffering incredible blood loss from flogging.

We know from both Jewish and Roman historians that the vertical piece of the cross was already installed in the ground. It was called the stipe; it was permanently anchored at the site of execution. By the way, we know from history that thousands of people were crucified during Jesus’ lifetime—this was Rome’s favorite form of execution. Crucifixion was originally designed by the Persians but was perfected by the Romans for maximum suffering and a slow death.

Jesus is carrying the crossbeam, the horizontal bar called the patibulum. When the victim arrived at the crucifixion site, the patibulum would be placed on the ground, and the condemned man would lie down on the ground on his back. His hands would be nailed to that crossbeam, and the soldiers would then lift him up on his feet and raise his arms and the crossbeam up and onto the upright beam, attaching it by means of what is known as a mortice and tenon joint. That is, the crossbeam had a hole in the center of it so that it slipped down onto the vertical beam.

There is another mental picture that needs correcting here, beloved. This was not a tall, t-shaped cross some ten feet tall. The cross looked more like a capital T, and it stood only about six feet high. This allowed people to curse the victim to his face, spit at him, and mock him. Many victims would be attacked and eaten by wild animals if they hung on their cross through the night.

Typically, the image people have is of Jesus dragging a ten-foot cross down cobbled streets until He falls down. Well, He is carrying the crossbeam, not the whole cross, and there is not one verse that says Jesus stumbled or fell. But from His beating and the extended blood loss, it is evident that Jesus will be unable to continue carrying His crossbeam, which itself would have weighed around a hundred pounds.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record what happens next. Mark writes this:

They compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. (Mark 15:21)

Cyrene is in northern Africa, and there was a large Jewish population there. Simon more than likely had traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The fact that he is identified here as the father of Alexander and Rufus indicates that his two sons were known to the early church. In fact, Rufus is quite possibly the believer Paul mentions in Romans 16:13. It is also very possible that this encounter would lead Simon of Cyrene to faith in Christ, as he walked up this hill, carrying a blood-soaked crossbeam, and then listened as the Lamb of God cried out, “It is finished.”

Luke 23:27 adds that as Jesus makes His way along this path of suffering, women are weeping for Him. Jesus responds in verse 28, saying, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” He then refers to the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jewish nation, which has lasted, beloved, to this very day.

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Bridge Building on a Rugged Cross Matthew 27:33-44; Mark 15:22-32; Luke 23:33, 34b-38; John 19:17b-24

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In our last study, we began to watch as Jesus began His journey along the Via Dolorosa—the way of suffering. He is horribly beaten, exhausted, and bloodied as He now arrives at the place of execution. It is called “Golgotha” in the Gospels, which is Aramaic for “skull” (Matthew 27:33). The Latin name for it is Calvary, which also refers to the skull. This is the place of death.

In Mark 15:23, we read, “They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.” Compassionate women from the city had taken on this ministry of mercy, providing this particular drink for those who were going to be crucified. Myrrh mixed with wine was a narcotic—a pain-reducing drink. But Jesus is not about to allow any alleviation of His suffering that might muddle His mind. He has ministry to take care of from His cross, as He is going to offer some eternally significant words.

Crucifixion was an invention of the Assyrians and the Persians, who practiced this form of execution a thousand years before the time of Christ. Alexander the Great was fond of this form of execution. He introduced the practice to the Carthaginians, and later, the Romans developed it to produce a slow death with maximum pain and suffering.

To prolong the process of death, they added a block of wood to serve as a crude seat, or sedulum. This sedulum allowed victims to push themselves up to fill their lungs with air. But it also prolonged their agony, with some victims surviving for days before dying from some combination of dehydration, shock, blood loss, or paralysis of the diaphragm—if they were not attacked at night and eaten by wild animals.

A crucifixion victim was nailed to the cross with spikes. Because the spikes would easily tear through the tissue and small bones of the palm of the hand, the practice was to nail the spikes through the wrist, which was considered part of the hand.

Then, the feet would be nailed. The legs would be turned together to the side in a crouching position. The feet would be overlapped so that both ankles could be nailed through with a single spike.

Some years ago, the bones of a young man who had been crucified were uncovered. His wrist bones were punctured, and a spike was still anchored, having been nailed through his ankles.[312]

It goes without saying perhaps, but I want to emphasize that the pain would have been excruciating. In fact, the word excruciating comes from the Latin term that literally means “out of the cross.” This form of death created its own vocabulary for pain and suffering.

Roman citizens were guaranteed that no matter what crimes they committed, they would never need to fear death by crucifixion. Crucifixion was the most terrifying, painful, humiliating way to die.

But has it ever occurred to you that the Gospels never dwell on the physical aspects of the Lord’s crucifixion? Instead of volumes of information, there are just a few verses. They simply tell us, as John 19:18 does, “They crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.” Matthew tells us both these men were “robbers” (27:38).

Then we read this detail in John 19:

Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. (verses 19-20)

This leads to the following exchange in verses 21-22:

So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’ Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

Pilate knew he had sent an innocent man to death because of the Jewish leaders’ threats. He knew these words would infuriate the Jewish leaders, and he gladly rubbed salt in their wounds.

But imagine, the first gospel tract ever published was by the hand of a pagan ruler—and thousands of Jews would read it in their own Aramaic language! It was also written in Latin, the language of the Roman Empire; and it was written in Greek, the language of the world at large. Although Pilate meant this as an insult to the Jews, it becomes an invitation—the entire world can make Him their King. This inscription was not a record of his crime but an announcement of His royal character—He is the King!

Now verse 23:

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

This was overtime pay for these soldiers. The clothing of the criminals would be added to their own wardrobes as payment for this distasteful duty.

Jesus had a seamless inner tunic, or chitōn, which was valuable—evidently the gift of some wealthy individual, or perhaps handsewn by some believing woman. Verse 24 tells us the soldiers do not want to cut it up, so they “cast lots for it”—they essentially throw dice. Little do they know they are actually fulfilling the prophecy of Psalm 22:18: “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

By the way, there was one other person in Jerusalem who wore a garment like this. A chitōn was part of the high priest’s garments. Who would be more deserving of such a tunic than our Great High Priest?

The word for priest, in Latin, means, “bridge builder.” The high priest was supposed to build a bridge, as it were, between God and man. But no human high priest could ever do that completely, eternally.

And what is Jesus, our High Priest about to do? He will build a bridge from earth to heaven, a bridge in the form of this old rugged cross.

When you look at this scene, you are struck with the sense of reality. Let’s not sugarcoat anything here. Let’s not sanitize it and try to clean it up. It is brutal, inhuman, undeserved, and it is excruciating.

Jesus’ physical pain is compounded by emotional pain. Even as He is dying, the chief priests and others all mockingly say in Luke 23:35, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ.” To the very end, they reject the truth of who He truly is. And the truth is, He did not come to save Himself; rather He came to sacrifice Himself in order to save you and me. We don’t like to suffer anything; He voluntarily suffered everything for you and me.

Beloved, there is nothing you can experience that Jesus is not able to understand. Your painful rejections, your deepest disappointments—He understands them fully. He experienced betrayal, denial, injustice, torture, abandonment, thirst, humiliation.

When you come to this scene, you are struck with the sense of reality, but you should leave it with a spirit of rejoicing. This crucifixion scene declares that God is in control of the worst of circumstances. To the world, the life of Jesus is wasted—His cause has failed. But the truth is, God’s divine plan of the ages—down to soldiers throwing dice for the Lord’s tunic—is perfectly completed. In this darkest hour of human history—and every dark hour since—God is completely in control. I like to say that even when it is chaos out there, God is in control of the chaos.

Just make sure, my friend, that you have personally made your way across this bridge built by the Savior’s death on a cross. Make sure you have walked across the living Bridge right into the family of God.

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Unexpected Words from a Dying Man Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23.34a, 39-44; John 19:25-27

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There is something very solemn about a person’s last words. In the face of death, what a person truly believes comes to the surface.

I think of Voltaire, the noted French agnostic who had attempted, with his writings, to destroy the credibility of Christianity. On his deathbed he said to his doctor, “I am abandoned by God and man!”[313] On the other hand, Charles Spurgeon, the famous pastor and author from London, England, in the 1800s, said these final words: “Jesus died for me.”[314]

Last words reveal what matters most.

Now the Lord Jesus is about to deliver his final words, prior to His death. They not only reveal who He is, but also why He died on the cross.

What would you expect to hear from someone dying in agony on a cross? Well, the Lord is going to make seven statements from the cross, often referred to as His seven last words.

The first statement spoken by the Lord is recorded in Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” The verb tense indicates this phrase was repeated over and over again.

Imagine the soldiers nailing His wrists to the cross. They hoist Him up and seat Him on the saddle—the sedulum—and turn His legs and overlap His ankles and drive a single spike through them. Jesus is in extreme pain, yet He keeps saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” The Gospel accounts tell us the soldiers mocked Him, the religious leaders jeered at Him, the criminals crucified on either side of Him cursed Him—and Jesus is saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

That statement is significant because Jesus is acting as High Priest, interceding for sinful humans who, because of the hardness of their hearts, cannot see that He truly is the Lamb of God.

Luke also records the second statement. He begins setting the context in verse 39: “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’”

Both of these men had initially cursed at Jesus (Matthew 27:44), but one of them now has a change of heart. He rebukes his fellow criminal here in Luke 23:

“Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” (verses 40-41)

This is an incredible admission! He confesses his guilt, admits he deserves the death penalty, and then announces what everybody already knew—that Jesus has done nothing wrong; He is innocent! What courage!

Beloved, this is faith and trust in Christ! And we know that because he now turns toward Jesus and says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (verse 42).

No doubt he has been contemplating that placard nailed above Jesus’ head, “This is the King of the Jews.” He is evidently a Jewish man, and he now believes by faith that Jesus really is a King and He really does have a kingdom. “Lord, I want to be in Your kingdom.”

And Jesus responds in verse 43, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” What a wonderful conversion! This condemned thief is now promised a home in heaven!

This man becomes a powerful lesson on the doctrine of salvation. He can’t go back and live a better life; he can’t join a church; he can’t be baptized; he can’t do good deeds. The only thing he can do is declare His belief and trust in Jesus as his king, as his Messiah.

And, by the way, Jesus says, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Following death, you immediately enter either heaven or hell, not some place where you sleep, not some halfway house of purgatory where you suffer and pay for your sins before getting into heaven. No, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

As we chronologically piece together these moments, John 19 records the Lord’s third statement. We are told there are four women at the cross, including Mary, Jesus’ mother. Then we read in verses 26-27:

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Now the Roman Catholic Church says Jesus gave John the apostle to Mary, thus making her the patroness over him and all the apostles, and the church, and every believer since. But there is nothing in this verse that even hints at such a thing.

Jesus is simply fulfilling His earthly responsibility as the firstborn son to see that His mother is cared for. So, this is His last will and testament, so to speak—and it is very brief. After all, Jesus has no earthly possessions to give to anybody. In fact, the soldiers are gambling for His clothing at this very moment.

The Bible is silent where Joseph is concerned, but we can be certain he died several years earlier. The children Mary and Joseph had after the virgin birth of Jesus are mentioned in Matthew 13:55-56. That is why the Bible calls Jesus her firstborn Son, not her only Son. Jesus is fulfilling His duty as the oldest son—He is handing over to John the responsibility of caring for His mother.

At noontime, sometime after this statement, darkness falls across the land. For three hours, according to Matthew 27:45, the light of the sun somehow is blotted out, even though it is early afternoon. We have every reason to believe that this darkness covered the entire planet. The Greek word for “land” here in verse 45 is gē, which can be translated “earth.”

This is clearly a supernatural darkness, but why? I believe it is now dark for several reasons. First, this darkness is a judgment. The rabbis had long taught that the darkening of the sun was a judgment of God for some terrible sin. I believe God is sending a message that mankind has committed the most terrible crime in human history.

Second, this darkness would have been understood in these days as a symbol of mourning. Look at Amos 8:9-10:

“On that day,” declares the Lord God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. . . . I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.”

How prophetic that is! The only Son, the Son of God, is going to die.

Now third, darkness here needs to be understood in the context of the Passover. You may remember the ten plagues God sent on Egypt that forced Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. The ninth plague was darkness over the land of Egypt for three days. That darkness preceded the killing of the Passover lamb, as each Israelite family took a lamb, killed it, and sprinkled its blood on the doorway of the home to protect them from the tenth and final plague. And what was that plague? The death of the firstborn.

Now here, the firstborn Son is about to die on the cross, and darkness covers the land—not for three days, but for three hours. It is during this time, that Jesus, the final Passover Lamb, takes on the sin of the world. He is experiencing the wrath of God the Father as He bears the sin of the whole world.

We will stop here for now. But as we will see, Jesus has more to say from the cross—more declarations that give those of us who believe everlasting hope and assurance of everlasting life.

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It Is Finished Matthew 27:46-56; Mark 15:34-41; Luke 23:45-49; John 19:28-30

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In our study of the Gospels chronologically, combining and coordinating eyewitness accounts, we have learned that Jesus was on the cross from 9:00 a.m. until noon, and then darkness enveloped the earth for three hours. Prior to this period of darkness, Jesus spoke on three occasions. Now, as the darkness nears the end—around 3:00 p.m.—Jesus speaks again.

In Matthew 27:46, Jesus cries out from the darkness, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” Jesus, as fully man, is experiencing a loss of fellowship with the Father—something He has never known before. He is actually quoting here the words of the psalmist in Psalm 22:1 to express the horrible feeling of forsakenness and separation.

Why has God the Father forsaken God the Son? Because on the cross Jesus is suffering the wrath of God the Father, as our iniquities are laid upon Him (Isaiah 53:4-6). At this moment Jesus is saturated with the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and therefore forsaken by God the Father.

Think about that: Jesus was forsaken by the Father so that you might never be forsaken by the Father. Jesus experienced isolation so that you will never be alone. Jesus battled through the darkness so that you might live in the kingdom of light.

With that, the Lord’s next statement is recorded in John 19:28: “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”

Earlier, Jesus had refused a drink of wine mixed with myrrh because that was an anesthetic, designed as a narcotic to dull the pain, and it would have dulled His mind. But now, in verse 29, a sponge filled with sour wine is offered to Him, and He accepts it. This quenches His thirst temporarily and allows Him to speak his final statements.

I cannot help but think that this is the one who said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37) and “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again” (John 4:14). And now He is thirsty.

Here is something else to contemplate: Jesus Christ began His ministry hungry—after fasting in the wilderness and defeating Satan’s temptations. Now Jesus ends His ministry thirsty—as He defeats Satan’s power.

Through faith in Christ, you and I are headed for an eternal place where no thirst, spiritual or physical, will exist. At the end of the Bible, in Revelation 22:17, we find these words: “Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

Now back in John chapter 19, verse 30, we read: “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” “It is finished!” is one Greek word, tetelestai. Jesus shouts this from the cross, and it literally means, “Paid in full!”

Tetelstai was a common word in Christ’s day. When a Greek artist completed a painting of sculpture, he would step back and say, “Tetelestai.” “The masterpiece is completed!”

If you went to the market in these days and purchased something, you would get a receipt with the word tetelestai written on it, meaning you had paid for the product—you own it. And if you stole from that marketplace and got put in jail for six months, the jailer would write your crime on a little piece of parchment, along with the dates of your sentence, and then tack it to the door of your cell. Six months later, when your sentence was complete, he would write on that parchment this word tetelestai and hand it to you as you are set free. You had paid in full the penalty for your crime.

The Bible tells us that as sinners we are in debt to God because we have broken His law, and the law we have broken demands payment. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 6:23 that the wages for sin, the payment for sin, is death. Here at the cross, as Jesus bears our sin, He is paying the price for it by dying on our behalf.

And Jesus does not cry out, “I am finished” but “It is finished.” What is finished? The masterpiece of salvation. The debt that demanded payment, the crime that demanded punishment—that is now paid in full, and salvation can be offered to you and me as a free gift from God.

Luke’s Gospel records Jesus’ final words: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (23:46). In other words, there is no lapse in time between His death and the Father’s presence. Jesus did not go to hell for three days and suffer down there. He immediately entered and enjoyed the Father’s presence.

John’s Gospel says He then “gave up his spirit” (19:30). Get this right, beloved; Jesus voluntarily surrendered His life at the right time—after the payment for sin was completed. As one author put it, “Jesus was Master even in his death.”[315]

What happens next? Let me tell you, some pretty wild things take place. First, Matthew 27:51 says, “The curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”

That thick curtain, or veil, separated the Holy of Holies, which represented God’s unapproachable presence, from the place where priests ministered daily. But some invisible hand reaches up to the top of this thirty-foot curtain and rips it straight down to the ground. This symbolizes that through Jesus, we now have access into God’s presence.

Matthew then says there is an earthquake that splits rocks and opens up some tombs—and for a reason—verses 52-53:

The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who [had died] were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Can you imagine this? Tombs are opened, and then three days later, after the Lord’s resurrection, these deceased Old Testament believers are raised to life. Their bodies are put back together in a picture of the coming resurrection, and they go into Jerusalem testifying to Christ’s power over death. Most scholars believe they will ascend back to heaven when the Lord does in a few weeks.

We are not told who these believers were. What if this miracle included Boaz and Ruth, who were buried nearby in Bethlehem? What if one of them was John the Baptist, who had been executed perhaps a year and a half earlier? We do not know who they were, but you can imagine the impact they made for the gospel.

Then back on Mount Calvary, as the earth begins to shake and as Jesus dies, the Roman centurion in charge of this execution says in verse 54, “Truly this was the Son of God!” He is wiser than all the religious leaders out there who are going to sew that curtain back up and keep trying to earn their way to heaven.

The religions of this world will tell you that if you want to see God, you have to do something, join something, give something, become something. Jesus effectively says to the believer, “Access is now granted; the work is now finished.”

Years ago, a man sarcastically said to evangelist Alexander Wooten, “Tell me what I have to do to become a Christian.” Alexander replied, “It’s too late.” The man was shocked and said, “What do you mean, it’s too late? Tell me what I have to do to become a Christian.” The old evangelist replied, “It’s too late, because everything has already been done, by Christ.”

That is the message of this cross. The work of salvation is completed. It is finished.

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Was Jesus Crucified on Thursday or Friday? Matthew 28:1; Mark 15:42-43; John 19:30-31

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Jesus has now died—not because His life was taken, but because He willingly gave it up to fulfill God’s plan of redemption for humanity. His body hangs lifeless on a cross just outside the city of Jerusalem.

There are many details in the Gospel accounts that reveal the physical, spiritual, and even symbolic beauty of the Lord’s sacrifice for us. But I believe some of the symbolic beauty of the timing of the Lord’s crucifixion has been lost because of the traditional view that the Lord was crucified on Friday. I believe the evidence points to a crucifixion on Thursday.

Now I am not bringing this up to try to be sensational or unique. Frankly, Bible scholars have struggled over the chronology of these weekend events. In fact, I know of four different timetables related to the Lord’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection crafted by people I admire.

And beloved, none of these views are heresy—they are not heaven-or-hell doctrines. I am bringing this up, not because I want a lot of hate mail, but because I believe some of the symbolic beauty is lost here, as I will show you in this Wisdom Journey.

The major problem with a Friday crucifixion is that it does not allow enough time to fulfill the Lord’s connection of his burial and resurrection with the prophet Jonah. Listen to what the Lord says here in Matthew 12:40:

“For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Now I realize that the Jewish reckoning would claim that a portion of a day or a portion of a night would be considered a whole day or night. Jesus was certainly buried for a portion of a day on Friday, Saturday, and on Sunday morning, when He arose.

The problem here is that Jesus says He will be in the tomb, not only three days, but also three nights. If Jesus was crucified on Friday afternoon, then you have Friday night and Saturday night, but there’s not even a sliver of a third night, no matter how you slice it!

Now we are actually given some clues in the Gospel accounts that make this mystery something we can solve together.

There are three key passages, and the first one is in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 15. By the way, this is the primary passage used by the traditional view to establish a Friday crucifixion. Look at verses 42-43:

And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.”

Now we are going to look at Joseph in detail next time, but for now, the traditional view seems to be true because Joseph asks Pilate for Jesus’ body on the day before the Sabbath. And that would be Friday.

But here is the point that is often overlooked. During the Passover festival, there was an additional day set aside as a memorial-day Sabbath. This special memorial day was actually called by the nation of Israel, a High Sabbath.

According to Leviticus 23, this special memorial Sabbath day, this High Sabbath, was to be treated just like any other Saturday Sabbath. No work was to be done by the Jewish people, just contemplation and worship as they remembered their miraculous redemption from Egypt on that first Passover. Now is it possible that this High Sabbath landed on Friday of this particular year so you effectively had two Sabbaths in a row?

Well, we can thank John here, because he is the only Gospel writer who lets us in on this incredible fact. Note what he writes in chapter 19:

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since [this] was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. (verses 30-31)

In other words, since the next day was the Sabbath, Jewish leaders did not want these Jewish criminals hanging on their crosses. They wanted them dead and buried.

And John tells us that the next day was not a normal Saturday Sabbath, but a High Sabbath. What do you know? This year, these two Sabbaths were back-to-back, Friday and Saturday.

There is another verse that hints at this chronology. Matthew 28:1 says Mary Magdalene and another woman—and there were others (Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10)—arrived at the tomb early Sunday morning following the Sabbath. The Greek New Testament uses a plural noun, not a singular noun, so that it should be translated, “Now after the Sabbaths,” these women arrived on Sunday. This is a plural noun, because the memorial Sabbath and the Saturday Sabbath were back-to-back on this year.

Now here is where the beauty of the symbolism comes into play, as we understand that Thursday was the crucifixion and Friday was a memorial Sabbath day of Passover rest.

If you travel back to that original Passover in the land of Egypt, you will remember that the Lord had announced that the last of the ten plagues was coming. Everyone who wanted their firstborn son to live through the night had to select a lamb, kill it, and put its blood on the doorposts of their home. They were to eat the lamb together as families. And the homes with the lamb’s blood applied would be passed over and spared from death—thus the word Passover.

God told Moses to instruct the nation to choose their Passover lamb on the tenth day of Nisan, which is our March/April timetable. They were to keep the lamb for four days. Then on the fourteenth day, they were to kill the lamb and eat it that evening.

Through the centuries, the Jewish people continued to follow Moses’ guidelines for that very first Passover. Now travel all the way to Jesus’ day, when the tenth of Nisan this year fell on a Sunday, and people began arriving in Jerusalem with their Passover lambs.

Josephus was a first-century Jewish historian, who lived in Israel. He wrote about a Passover festival in Jerusalem when two million people arrived, bringing a total of 250,000 lambs to be sacrificed and eaten to remember their redemption from Egypt.

Now let me coordinate the Passover events with the Lord’s activity here. On Sunday the tenth, all the Passover lambs are brought to Jerusalem on the day we now call Palm Sunday. On this same Sunday, Jesus comes riding on a donkey into the city of Jerusalem. Imagine, Jesus is arriving, effectively surrounded by thousands of Passover lambs. And just as these lambs are destined to be sacrificed, so Jesus is destined to be sacrificed for the redemption of all who believe.

Then on the fourteenth, four days later on Thursday, the lambs are killed and eaten as the nation celebrates their rescue by the blood of the Passover lambs. So also, on that day Jesus is crucified, and His blood is shed for the rescue of all who trust in Him.

Then on Friday the High Sabbath day takes place, and the nation rests and remembers their salvation from God’s judgment. And Jesus lies in a tomb—the one who promised rest for all who would believe in Him and safety from God’s eternal judgment.

What beautiful symbolism! What divinely orchestrated timing—down to the last detail. Let me tell you, God’s plan of salvation is a beautiful story of redemption.

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Sealed Inside a Garden Tomb Matthew 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:31-42

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The last words of Jesus have been spoken. The earthquake that followed His death has subsided; and not only the centurion, but others there with him, have just said in Matthew 27:54, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

With that, three events take place in the hours that follow. John 19:31 records this:

Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.

This is the High Sabbath that will take place the following day, on Friday. In our last session, we covered the fact that Jesus was crucified on Thursday, as the nation killed their Passover lambs. Now, with this special Passover Sabbath beginning at sundown, the Jewish officials do not want these three Jewish men hanging on crosses, messing up their religious festival. Imagine the irony here; the religious leaders do not want the one they should have worshiped interfering with their worship ceremony.

So, they want Pilate’s soldiers to break the legs of these men and hasten their death. Pushing them off the sedulum—that seat made of a block of wood—and then breaking their legs would make it impossible for these victims, in their weakened condition, to push themselves up in order to breathe.

The soldiers do just that to the two thieves; but they find, in verse 33, that Jesus is already dead. Just to make sure, verse 34 says a soldier “pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.”

The reason it is so important to note these facts is, as John points out here in verses 36 and 37, they fulfill two messianic prophecies. First, like a Passover lamb whose bones were not to be broken, so the Lord’s bones—as the final Passover Lamb—were not broken (Exodus 12:46). Second, the prophet Zechariah says that one day, as Jesus descends in His second coming, the nation of Israel will look upon the one who was pierced (Zechariah 12:10).

By the way, this all confirms that Jesus truly died. No one can seriously claim that Jesus somehow revived in the tomb.

Next, we are introduced to a man named Joseph of Arimathea. He is described in John 19:38 as “a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews.” Luke’s Gospel gives further details:

He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action. (Luke 23:50-51)

Here is a member of the Supreme Court, the Sanhedrin. Whether he had been silent throughout the Sanhedrin’s illegal proceedings or his objections were drowned out in the rush to destroy Jesus, his commitment to the Lord is now revealed.

He comes to Pilate and publicly requests the body of Jesus. And Pilate agrees.

To the shock of the public—and certainly to his friends on the Sanhedrin—Joseph recovers the Lord’s body. But he is not alone. John 19 adds a wonderful surprise:

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices. (verses 39-40)

So, two members of the Sanhedrin join forces to bury Jesus and—do not miss this—effectively end their religious careers and their seats in the Sanhedrin.

Now the place of burial is in a garden near the crucifixion site, and it’s described in Matthew chapter 27 as Joseph of Arimathea’s personal tomb. Verse 60 says he laid Jesus’ body in “his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.”

What is described here is a typical first-century, cave-like tomb with only one entrance. A large stone would be placed in a trough and then rolled down with the help of gravity to cover the tomb’s entrance. Once this stone was in place, it would take several men to roll it uphill and away from the entrance.

Normally, generations of a family would be buried in a single tomb. This tomb, however, has never been used—and it is not going to be used for long.

The importance of Jesus’ burial in this tomb is threefold. First, this fulfills the messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53:9, which said the Messiah would be “with a rich man in his death.” And so He was.

Second, it confirms again that Jesus is truly dead, now wrapped in linen cloths sealed with sticky substance nearly 100 pounds in weight. This is critical, because without the Messiah’s death, there can be no genuine claim to resurrection life.

Third, Jesus is buried in the tomb of this prominent Supreme Court Justice, and the Gospels tell us that Mary Magdalene and other women are watching the preparation and burial of the Lord’s body (Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55-56). In other words, there is no room for the ridiculous idea that these women and disciples evidently went to the wrong tomb on Sunday morning, and finding that tomb empty, they made the mistake of thinking Jesus had risen from the dead.

Add to that the fact that this tomb is now heavily guarded, as Matthew records:

The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’” (Matthew 27:62-63)

We are not sure how they knew this—it is possible Judas had told them. But what is interesting to me is that the religious leaders remembered something the disciples seem to have forgotten.

Now the leaders do not believe the prediction; they are just afraid the disciples might try to steal the body and claim Jesus rose from the dead. So, they ask Pilate to secure the tomb for at least three days. Pilate agrees, and we are told in verse 66 that they “made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.”

There are at least four soldiers guarding the tomb. They are armed with spears, swords, and daggers and protected with armor. They are highly disciplined and committed to fulfilling their duty.

And the tomb is sealed. A cord was stretched across the stone covering the entrance and sealed at each end. The seal was of clay with a signet ring pressed into it. Anyone who broke this seal would have received the death penalty; and if the guards were bribed, they knew it would spell the end of their lives as well.

These details are all important because together they eliminate the possibility of fraud. There is no way the disciples can overpower these soldiers, move the stone, and remove and hide the body of Jesus—and then successfully claim He had risen from the dead. Let me tell you, God is setting the stage for Jesus’ resurrection so that it cannot be explained away.

So where are the disciples at the moment? Singing about the Lord’s coming resurrection? Plotting to steal His body? Gathering enough money to bribe the guards? No.

The truth is, they are not expecting a resurrection! They are disillusioned and confused. Any memory of Jesus’ promised resurrection is buried by their fears. They are now in hiding.

This is a good reminder for us. When the Lord seems to be absent, when life takes an unexpected and disappointing turn, the Lord is alive, and He is still at work. He does not want us to go into hiding, but to openly serve Him and take His message to the world around us.

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Now Comes the Good Part! Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10

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A family was watching a movie about the life of Christ. One of the children was taking it all in as Jesus journeyed to Calvary, and little tears rolled down her cheeks. She was silent as Jesus was taken down from the cross and then put into the tomb. Then she broke into a great big smile and announced to her family, “And now comes the good part!”

Indeed, it does.

We sail now into resurrection Sunday. All four Gospels give us different details, and it takes all four accounts to give us the fullest picture of what happens next.

Matthew 28, Mark 16, and Luke 24 tell us that a group of women get up early Sunday morning to head to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with spices. This group includes Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, and other unnamed women as well.

As they hurry down the path, they have not really thought through everything. Mark 16:3, tells us they are saying, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” Well, that is a big problem—not to mention the Roman guards and the seal that has been put in place.

But Matthew 28 tells us how their problem was already solved! There had been an earthquake earlier that morning. Verses 2-4:

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. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

By the time the women arrive, the guards have fled the scene. And this stone is no longer an obstacle. In fact, Luke and John refer to the stone being rolled up and away from the tomb. It is out of its trough; it has been picked up and thrown away from the tomb as if it were a little marble. And beloved, this stone was rolled away, not to let Jesus out, but to let everybody else in.

I think it is wonderful that during these days when women were not even allowed to testify in a court of law, God chooses them to be the first to testify of the Lord’s resurrection. Maybe that is because they are courageous women. While the disciples are hiding out, these women are heading out.

As they arrive, it is immediately obvious that something unusual has happened. John 20:2 says that upon seeing the stone tossed away like it was, Mary Magdalene immediately runs back to tell the disciples. The other women venture inside the tomb, and Jesus is not in there. But somebody else is!

Mark 16:5 describes an angel as a “young man.” Matthew calls him an angel, and Luke tells us that there are two angels in the tomb, robed in dazzling apparel.

Just one of the angels speaks:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6)

Then the angel gives these women an assignment—verse 7:

“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.”

You can imagine them running from the tomb. Mark’s Gospel writes that they are gripped with “trembling and astonishment” (Mark 16:8). Their hearts are racing, as well as their feet. They are racing to tell the disciples this incredible news—Jesus is alive!

By the way, we have been given that same assignment today—to tell our world that Jesus is alive! However, I feel that the church today is shuffling around, rather than racing ahead, with the news.

The Gospel of John inserts here that Mary Magdalene, who had left the tomb without hearing the angels’ message, runs to Peter and John. She has already drawn her own conclusion, for she says here in John 20:2, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” She is convinced that Jesus’ body has been stolen by those Romans soldiers or Jewish leaders—somebody took Him away!

With that, Peter and John begin a footrace to the tomb. John is younger and faster, and he arrives first. Verse 5 says, “And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.”

Then Peter arrives, probably huffing and puffing, in verse 6. He brushes past John and goes right on inside, and John follows him. Mary Magdalene was right—the body of Jesus is missing. But two things grab their attention. First, the grave clothes are lying there, the “linen cloths” that had been used by Nicodemus and Joseph to wrap the body of Jesus.

Now in these days, as the body was wrapped in strips of linen, the overlapping edges of the linen cloths would be coated with gummy spices so they would hold together. John’s Gospel gives us the details that this linen shroud was made up of strips, interlaced with seventy-five pounds of gummy spices (John 19:39-40).

So, the end result would look a lot like those photographs we have seen of Egyptian mummies. Then, as we are told here, another cloth was used to cover the face and head.

After three days and nights, the spices would have begun to harden, so when the disciples enter the tomb, they are struck immediately by these linen wrappings, still in their folds. That is, the linen wrappings are still in the form of the body they once wrapped around; only now, they are slightly caved in because the body is gone.

Listen, if you had been in the tomb at the moment Jesus’ body was raised from the dead, would you have seen Jesus stir and struggle to sit up and unwrap His linen burial clothes? No. Had that been the case, the wrappings would have been torn and scattered everywhere. But these linen strips are still lying there—like an empty cocoon after the butterfly has flown away.

Now back here in John 20:1, we read that Mary Magdalene came and “saw” that the stone was moved. The Greek word for saw (blepō) was the typical verb for physical vision. She never really thought about what it meant for the stone to be tossed aside like a pebble.

Peter walks into the tomb, and verse 6 tells us, “He saw the linen cloths lying there.” This Greek word is theōreō, which gives us our word theorize. So, he sees this scene, and he is puzzled; he is trying to come up with a theory as to what happened.

But when John enters the tomb, verse 8 says, “he saw and believed.” The Greek verb here (horaō) means to see with discernment; it indicates that John has connected the dots—he has correctly discerned the meaning.[316]

To this day, people hear the news of this empty tomb. And most people do not think about what it means. Some people see it and try to create some theory about what happened; but others, like John, see it and understand what it means. John is the first disciple to believe that Jesus is indeed alive. How about you?

Like that little girl said to her family, now comes the good part. Oh yes, this is the best part—this is the heart of the gospel. Jesus is risen indeed!

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The Cover-up Conspiracy Matthew 28:9-15; Mark 16:9-11; John 20:11-19

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A pastor wrote some time ago about his three‑year‑old daughter, Nicole, who was excited about Easter Sunday. She had helped her mother pick out her dress to wear that coming Lord’s Day. As they stopped by the store to pick out a new pair of shoes, he looked down at her and reminded her that Easter Sunday was not just about new shoes. He said, “Sweetheart, do you remember what this Sunday stands for?” And she looked up at him and smiled and said, “Oh yes, Daddy. It means surprise!”

I could not agree more. From a human perspective, that word sums up what is happening here: Surprise, death! Surprise, Satan! Surprise, sin! Surprise, fearful disciples! Jesus Christ is alive.

Mary Magdalene had followed behind Peter and John as they ran to the tomb. Now, after they have evidently left, she arrives and stands outside the tomb, weeping.

John 20:11, records that as she weeps, she looks into the tomb and sees two angels, and they ask her why she is crying. She responds in verse 13, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

Moments later, Jesus Himself appears and asks her, ‘Why are you weeping?” (verse 15). Mary thinks He is the gardener. But when Jesus calls her by name, she recognizes Him through her tears and apparently falls at His feet, clinging to Him with joy.

Mary is the first person to see the resurrected Lord. According to Matthew 28:9, other women soon see Him as well. The Lord now gives Mary an assignment here in John 20:17 to go and tell the disciples that she has seen Him alive.

I find it interesting that the first witness here is a woman. According to Jewish customs, a woman was not allowed to present evidence in a court of law. Let me tell you, Jesus will give women dignity and honor. Even today, as I have traveled the world, I find that a nation that is under the influence of the gospel treats women with dignity and respect. But in a nation that despises the gospel, women are often mistreated and oppressed.

Sometime later that evening—this is still resurrection Sunday—Jesus suddenly appears to the disciples as a group. John records this appearance in verse 19:

The doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

I have to tell you, if I were the Lord, my first word would not have been “Peace.” I would have given them all a tongue-lashing they would never forget. After all, they had abandoned the Lord and denied the Lord. They had not believed the promise of the Lord that He would rise again. And now they are hiding behind closed doors.

But how gracious is the Lord. He says, “Peace be with you.”

While the Lord is meeting with them, Matthew informs us that the Roman soldiers who were guarding the tomb are meeting with the Jewish religious leaders, telling them “all that had taken place” (Matthew 28:11). They’re retelling the shocking events of an earthquake and of the angel descending from heaven and rolling away the stone.

Now what are the religious leaders going to do? These Roman guards are not lying. In fact, their failure to guard the tomb makes them liable to the death penalty. The religious leaders never discount their story; they just come up with a cover-up conspiracy:

They gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to [Pilate’s] ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day. (verses 12-15)

Even as Matthew is writing this account, this is the cover-up conspiracy out on the street.

Over the years, other cover-up conspiracies will be circulated. I have found at least six of them that have gained a following.

Of course, this first one, which we have just read, is that the disciples faked Jesus’ resurrection by stealing His body. I would love to get one of those soldiers on the witness stand and ask him, “Now let’s start from the beginning again—when did the disciples steal the body? Oh, it happened when you were asleep? Well, if you were asleep, how do you know it was the disciples who stole the body? And by the way, how did they move that huge boulder without waking you up?”

This conspiracy is obviously untrue. In fact, these fearful disciples will turn into courageous apostles overnight, willing to die as martyrs. And it is not because they stole the Lord’s body and lied about it; it is because they had seen Jesus, alive.

Another cover-up is that the religious leaders stole Jesus’ body. Well, if they had, don’t you think they would have discredited the apostles and the early church by simply producing the body of Jesus? They never did, because they never could.

A third cover-up, of more recent origin, is called the Passover plot. This conspiracy proposes that Jesus was an impostor who wanted to convince people He was the Messiah. He even planned to fake His death and be taken down from the cross still alive. Then, once He was in the tomb, the disciples would take Him out, and He would present Himself to everyone as the resurrected Lord. Of course, this theory is refuted by that Roman soldier who decided to pierce the Lord’s side with His spear, proving that Jesus was already dead.

A fourth cover-up claims that everybody went to the wrong tomb. This was before GPS, so these women and the disciples got their directions mixed up, went to the wrong tomb, and found it empty. Despite the women having personally witnessed the burial in a clearly identified tomb, they supposedly were confused. And apparently, the angels were confused too because they were at the wrong tomb as well (Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6)!

Now a fifth cover-up conspiracy, which I believe takes a great amount of faith to believe, is called the swoon theory. This says that Jesus did not die on the cross, and in the coolness of that tomb, He revived.

Never mind the brutal scourging, the blood loss, the crucifixion, and being wrapped and put in a tomb without food or water for three days. But somehow Jesus revives, and He is stronger than ever. He tosses aside that massive stone and sends the Roman soldiers running.

Finally, there is the hallucination theory. This one is bizarre, but believe it or not, books have been written proposing it. It claims the resurrection appearances were mass hallucinations. It has even been argued that Jesus was just a code name for an ancient mushroom that caused hallucinations. Jesus’ followers were people addicted to this type of mushroom. And that other stuff about a real person who arose from the dead was make-believe. Well, I don’t mean to be unkind, but you are probably going to need to eat one of those mushrooms to believe that theory.

The truth is, these Gospel accounts are consistent and sensible. These are divinely inspired accounts. In fact, these eyewitness accounts will literally change the lives of these disciples. Here they are, beloved, hiding behind locked doors in fear for their lives. And a few weeks later, they are standing publicly before the world declaring without fear or hesitation that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. And soon the New Testament church will be created upon the foundation of that reality.

What Jesus said He would do, He did. Who Jesus said He was, He is. And beloved, everything He said He will do, He will do one day as well.

He is alive, and He is coming back to rule and reign in His glorious kingdom.

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The Road to Emmaus Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35

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At this point in our Wisdom Journey, the Gospel accounts shift their attention away from Jerusalem and onto a pair of men walking down a dusty road toward a little village named Emmaus. For some three years, they had given their lives to Jesus, following in His footsteps. One of the men is named Cleopas, and the other disciple remains anonymous.

Luke’s Gospel gives us five scenes in this real-life drama; and by the way, this is taking place on resurrection Sunday, a little later in the day and just outside the city of Jerusalem.

The curtain goes up on scene one, revealing two disciples whose hearts are overwhelmed with sadness. Verse 13 says, “That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.”

These are not just two men but “two of them.” They are not part of the of the original Twelve but likely part of that larger group of seventy-two disciples whom the Lord had trained and sent out to preach and heal back in Luke 10. They had a tremendous ministry following the Lord during these days leading up to the crucifixion.

But now Jesus is dead. And as far as these disciples are concerned, three years have gone down the drain. Their dreams are dashed—the cross has punctured their plans. So, they have packed their bags, thrown away their sermon outlines and study notes, and are leaving Jerusalem to go try to pick their lives back up.

Scene two then opens in verse 15: “While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them,” apparently, overtaking them from behind. Here they are, sharing their disillusionment about Jesus, and Jesus joins them!

However, verse 16 says, “Their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Jesus does not want them to recognize Him just yet.

As the Lord steps up to walk alongside them, He asks in verse 17, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” In other words, “What’s got you fellows so upset?”

Cleopas says, with a little bit of sarcasm here in verse 18, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” He is effectively asking the Lord, “Don’t you ever get out?” Jesus could have said, “Yes, just this morning, and I left the door wide open!”

Jesus could have said a lot of things, but He patiently responds in verse 19, “What things?” He is a master teacher, and He wants to draw out His students’ innermost thoughts.

So, they begin to unload the details on this man they have just met who seems to be clueless about what has been going on:

They said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.” (verses 19-21)

They go on to tell Jesus that some women had found the tomb empty and even reported seeing angels who told them Jesus was alive.

Despite having all these pieces to the puzzle, these two men cannot put the pieces together; so, they have packed up and are heading home.

Now Jesus could reveal to them at this very moment who He is. But He doesn’t. And I believe it is because Jesus wants their faith to be tied, not to their sight, but to Scripture.

And with that, scene three begins with Jesus teaching them the Scriptures. He starts in verses 25-26:

“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

The cross was not the end; it was the beginning. It did not destroy the Messiah’s glory; it defeated the Messiah’s enemy. His death was not a dead end; it was a doorway into eternal glory for all His followers!

In verse 27 Jesus begins a Survey of Old Testament Studies 101. We read, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

What a moment! Jesus Christ is teaching a crash course through the entire Old Testament, showing how it all points to Him. Here is the living Word explaining the written Word.

We are never told what Jesus said in this survey class. This is the greatest lesson never recorded. But then again, even though we do not have the lesson, we have His lesson material—it is called the Bible.

Now in scene four, they arrive in the village of Emmaus, and these two disciples urge Jesus to stay with them and eat dinner. Jesus agrees, and then in verse 30-31 we read this:

[Jesus] took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

Reaching out to hand them bread undoubtedly exposes His nail-pierced hands, and the light suddenly dawns on them. Their eyes are now opened to recognize Jesus. Beloved, the Lord showed them His hands last because He wanted to show them the Scriptures first.This is the foundation of our hope—the Word of God.

So, to this day, the question is not, “What have you seen or experienced in order to believe in Jesus?” The question is, “What does the Bible say in order to believe Jesus is the Messiah?”

With His mission here now complete, Jesus suddenly, miraculously, disappears. And notice the disciples’ response in verse 32:

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

Jesus pursued these men while they were heading in the wrong direction. Perhaps, He is pursuing you too! Stop and turn toward Him. Listen to His words recorded in the Bible.

Now scene five takes place in Jerusalem, to which these two revived men immediately return. Luke writes in verse 33, “And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem.” In other words, they are saying, “Never mind that the day is over; never mind the hour is late. We are going to get on the road back to hope, back to the ministry, back to the other disciples. We have work to do!”

When they arrive, their testimony is added to even more good news. The disciples are all excited about yet another appearance. They are saying here in verse 34, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”

This appearance to Simon (Peter) is not recorded in the Gospels, though it is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:5, where Peter is called Cephas.

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 15:4 that the Scriptures were written so that “we might have hope.” Well, these disciples had lost hope! They were going to Emmaus, and that road was taking them away from hope—it was taking them in the wrong direction!

The same can happen to you and me today. We can become disillusioned, discouraged at times, unable to put the pieces of life’s puzzle together. Here is the good news: Jesus Christ knows the road you are on. He knows where you are today—geographically, spiritually, and emotionally.

Go back to the Scriptures. Go back to God’s promises. Go back to the Bible. The Scriptures point us back to the Author, reminding us that He is walking down that dusty road. Even though for a little while we might not recognize it, He is with us—and He is everything we need.

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From Cowardice to Courage Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-31

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Back in 1916 Georgia Tech’s football team took on tiny Cumberland College. Georgia Tech was a football powerhouse, and it quickly humiliated Cumberland College. The game ended with an embarrassing score of 222 to 0. The Cumberland players were tired, bruised, and discouraged. In fact, near the end of the game, Cumberland quarterback Ed Edwards fumbled a snap from center. As the Tech linemen charged into the backfield, Edwards yelled to his fullback to pick it up! That battered and bruised fullback yelled back, “You dropped it; you pick it up!”[317]

If the score had been kept between the disciples and the world, it would have been the world—222; the disciples—0. The disciples are discouraged and defeated. In fact, they are hiding out behind locked doors for fear of the Jewish leaders. It is going to take a miracle for them to pick up the ball and run with it again.

The resurrection of Jesus is that miracle. Several things happen in John 20 that will turn this defeated little team of disciples into a powerhouse team of ambassadors for Christ.

We begin at verse 19, which we touched on in an earlier Wisdom Journey:

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them.

By the way, this reveals that His glorified body is capable of transcending any physical barrier. It also reveals that when you are absolutely discouraged and afraid, you cannot lock Him out. He shows up and says to His disciples here in verse 19, “Peace be with you.”

“Peace” is much more than “Hello” or “God bless you.” It is a statement of blessing for those who are in a right relationship with the Lord.[318] No matter what you are going through today, my friend, hear the Lord reassure you with this word “peace.” God is in control, and you belong to Him by faith in Christ.

In Luke’s Gospel the focus is on how startled the disciples are to see Jesus (Luke 24:37); and that is because at first, they think they are looking at a ghost. I can understand why.

John’s Gospel tells us here in verse 20 that Jesus quiets their fears by showing “them his hands and his side.” Luke adds that He shows them His feet as well (Luke 24:39-40).

The word translated “showed” in John 20:20 means “displayed.” Jesus must have slipped one arm out of the sleeve and showed them his pierced side, as well as His pierced hands and feet. He has chosen to keep some of His scars. Indeed, the only scars in heaven will be His.

Luke records that Jesus also eats some fish. This shows that even though He can pass through locked doors, He is still a real person, made of glorified flesh and bones.

Jesus then reminds them of their apostolic mission, saying in John 20:21, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” This told them at least two things. First, Jesus is not going to kick them off the football team and go gather a new one. That is encouraging. Second, they have a responsibility in light of His resurrection. That is challenging—to them and to us today.

We are not supposed to hide behind closed doors or in some commune or monastery in the mountains. There is a world out there that is thirsty for truth, and they are drinking from muddy puddles. We have the water of life, and we are not to keep it to ourselves.

Verse 22 says, “When [Jesus] had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” Now don’t misunderstand; the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit will come fifty days later on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. What Jesus gives them here is a one-time, temporary enablement that will empower them as they wait nearly two months for the descent of the Holy Spirit and the creation of the New Testament church.

Then in verse 23, Jesus says to them, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Again, this text has been misunderstood to mean that Peter and the apostles began a priesthood that had the power—even to this day—to forgive people’s sins. Not at all. In fact, the two verbs here translated “forgiven” and “withheld” are perfect passives in the Greek New Testament. Jesus is saying that the disciples can tell people that “their sins have already been forgiven” or “forgiveness has already been withheld.”

In other words, Jesus is telling the disciples—and us today—that we can actually announce with confidence to those who believe in Jesus Christ that their sins have now been forgiven, forever. We did not forgive them; Jesus did! And with confidence we also can tell those who reject Jesus that their sins have not been forgiven.[319]

Now with that, John’s Gospel adds here in verse 24 that somebody is missing: “Thomas . . . was not with them when Jesus came.” When Thomas hears about Jesus’ appearance from his fellow disciples, however, he is skeptical. Listen to his words in verse 25:

“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Thomas carried his faith in his fingertips. He was like many people today, who are only going to trust what they can see and touch. John fast-forwards to eight days later, and this time Thomas is with the other disciples. Jesus appears, again announcing peace, and then He looks directly at Thomas and says in verse 27, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

That is exactly the evidence Thomas had demanded; but now, in the Lord’s presence, his doubts disappear and he says, “My Lord and my God!” (verse 28). This is the first time in the Gospels Jesus is addressed in this way.

This is what theologians call the great Christological announcement that silences the cults and world religions and naysayers regarding the singular deity of Christ. And would you notice, Jesus does not correct Thomas. He does not say, “Now Thomas, you’re going too far here.” No, He accepts Thomas’s declaration that He is God, and He welcomes Thomas’s worship of Him as God in the flesh.

Now this next verse is especially for you and me—and frankly, for every disciple throughout human history:

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (verse 29)

That blessing is for you, beloved. There is a special commendation, a special reward one day, because you believed in Christ without ever having the opportunity to touch His hands and His side and His feet.

Perhaps today, you are discouraged and defeated and doubting. It might feel like the score in life is 222 to nothing and you are on the losing team. Oh, you wish you could see the Lord’s face, like Thomas. I understand. There are times I would like the same thing.

But, beloved, while you cannot watch Him eat a fish dinner, He is in your house today; while you cannot see Him, He can see you. Listen to His heart commend you for believing in this written Word, trusting, believing, waiting until that moment when you finally see Him.

In the meantime, don’t worry about the score. It might feel like 220 to nothing, but just remember, the game is not over. And when it finally is, you can be sure that a joyful victory celebration will begin—and it will never end.

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A Refresher Course on Fishing: 101 John 21:1-14

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After Jesus’ resurrection, and even after Jesus appeared to His disciples, those disciples remained unsure of their future. In fact, seven of them go back to fishing!

What happens next is recorded only in John’s Gospel. As we study these verses together, I want to make several observations. And here is the first one: The Lord often uses ordinary places to teach us special lessons.

Chapter 21 opens with Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, and two other unnamed disciples back out on the Sea of Tiberias—usually called the Sea of Galilee. They are riding on the familiar waters of their hometown lake.

For you, beloved, that familiar place might be the laundry room, the kitchen, the school room, the board room, the classroom. Those familiar surroundings have a way of becoming a canvas upon which Jesus can paint the most profound lessons.

Now, observation number two is this: The Lord takes us to places of confidence to teach us our need for dependence.

Verse 3 says, “They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.” Listen, these men know every good fishing spot on this lake—they are experts at their craft; they are experienced and confident. And what is true for them here can be true for us now: sometimes in our field of expertise, we can fail. And that should teach us, all over again, that self-confidence needs to be replaced by dependence on Him.

They don’t know it, but the Lord has kept those fish out of their nets. And that is because He is about to do something miraculous.

In fact, here in verses 4-5, the Lord appears on the seashore and calls out to them—though the disciples do not yet recognize Him:

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”

The Lord is not asking because He does not know the answer. He is bringing them to admit their failure, which would have been difficult for these men to do.

I have read that Thomas Edison, the inventor, would often go fishing without any bait on his hook. He had no intention or desire to catch anything—it was just a time to think and to relax. Well, Simon Peter is not Thomas Edison. He is not out there to relax; he is out there to catch fish—as are the other disciples.

Now verse 6: “[Jesus] said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” I am not a fisherman, but that sounds like a rather strange command. You have been throwing the net over the left side of the boat; now throw it over the right side—a difference of just a few feet.

But the fishermen comply, probably thinking they have nothing to lose. Verse 6 again: “So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because of the quantity of fish.” It is at this point they realize it is Jesus on the shore (verse 7) and He has just guided every fish in that area to swim right into their net.

The point He is teaching them, though, is about far more than fish; it is about life. Follow His directions, and there will be fulfillment and fruitfulness. Disregard His advice, and your life will be like an empty net.

Let me make another observation: Special surprises are often hidden behind doorways labeled “simple obedience.”

It is possible that the disciples could have refused the Lord’s instructions and simply rowed to shore. He still would have fed them and then taught them the connection between disobedience and empty nets. But they would have missed this incredible miracle described in verse 6. Read it again: “They were not able to haul [the net] in, because of the quantity of fish.” They obeyed, and the result was surprising—and amazing.

Beloved, when you choose to obey the Lord, even in the simplest of ways, you probably ought to buckle your seat belt because life might deliver some interesting turns and some unpredictable events. You do not know what God is going to do next. And that is why a lot of Christians stay close to shore to begin with—they fear the unplanned and the unexpected nature of obeying the call of God.

Now, with that in mind, let me encourage you with another observation: The Lord’s direction will always be accompanied by His provision. Wherever the Lord directs you, He will be there to develop you. He will never lead you and then leave you.

Think about these fishermen. They have spent their lives around the Sea of Galilee. But now, John will end up in Ephesus, Thomas will go to India, and Andrew will travel to Russia. Talk about unexpected and unplanned lives! Yet, they would not trade any of it, for life back on the familiar waves in Galilee.

They learned over a lifetime of ministry that God’s calling guarantees God’s enabling. If He wants you to fish, He already knows where the fish are and how many fish you will catch. He knows when you need encouragement, and He knows when it is time to row in to shore and take a break.

Now, let me offer one final observation: The Lord is always willing to forgive us and to provide even more opportunities to serve Him.

Recognizing now that it is indeed Jesus there on the shore, Peter swims ashore, and the others drag their nets full of fish onto the seashore. Once there, verse 9 tells us that Jesus had prepared a “a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.”

These disciples had all failed the Lord. They had abandoned Him in His darkest hours. Yet here Jesus says to them, “Come and have breakfast” (verse 12). In this culture, to offer a meal to someone who had wronged you was to show that you had forgiven that person. That is what the Lord is doing here. He has forgiven them; He has not given up on them; He still has plans for them. He is telling them, “Don’t quit; stay the course.”

According to one popular legend, Poland’s famous pianist and prime minister, Paderewski, was performing. The concert hall was packed, and everyone was waiting in anticipation. A mother had bought tickets for herself and her little boy, who had recently begun taking lessons. They soon found their seats, near the front of the hall. The boy sat in awe of the surroundings, especially that magnificent grand piano waiting on stage.

The mother found a friend nearby to talk with, and her son slipped away. Suddenly, the sound of the piano was heard, and the audience looked up to see this little boy seated on the bench, innocently picking out, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

His mother gasped, and the crowd laughed. Soon, however, people began to demand that he be removed from the stage. Before his mother could get to her son, Paderewski had heard the commotion and appeared on the stage. He quickly moved to the piano and whispered to the boy, “Don’t stop.”

He reached around with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Then, with his right arm, now encircling the child, he added a running obbligato. Together, beautifully, the old concert master and the young boy played, and all the while, Paderewski was whispering, “Don’t stop, son. Don’t quit; play on.”

I think we are like that little boy when it comes to life and serving the Lord. Even when we fail Him and confess to Him, He faithfully forgives us. He continues to encircle us and direct us. Frankly, no matter how old we are, not one of us is all that accomplished. We play wrong notes and lose our concentration. Our hands grow tired, and our minds get distracted. But Jesus is always on stage with us; and He whispers to us—even today—“Don’t quit. Don’t stop; play on.”

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The Restoration of a Broken Life John 21:15-25

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Simon Peter and six other disciples are sitting before a charcoal fire on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Peter is drying off from swimming ashore following that miracle catch of fish. This breakfast, prepared by Jesus Himself of fish and bread, is the Lord’s way of reinstating these men into ministry.

Peter would naturally assume the Lord would never be interested in using him again. But following breakfast, a conversation between them takes place. It is nothing less than a wonderful revelation of how the Lord uses broken hearts and broken people for His glory.

This is going to be the restoration of a broken life. We begin at John 21:15:

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

Don’t miss the name change here. Jesus does not say, “Simon Peter” but “Simon, son of John,” as if to say, “I named you Peter—“Little Rock”—but that meant you would be steadfast and consistent. You thought you already were, but you denied knowing me out there in the courtyard in the face of some servant girls who challenged you. So, let’s just drop that “rock” part of your name and go back to the basics. Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter answers, “Lord, you know that I love you.”

Expositors do not all agree on the significance of two different Greek words used here in this conversation that are both translated “love.” Some say this is just stylistic variation and does not matter. I believe John knew exactly what he was doing in writing this account and he took special care to record it exactly.

The term for love that Jesus uses is agapaō—this is a strong, unfailing, loyal love. The term Peter responds with is phileō—it is the word for warm, affectionate friendship.

We are told later that this conversation grieved Peter (verse 17). More than likely that is because Jesus asked him the same question three times, mirroring Peter’s three denials of Jesus.

The self-confidence Peter had declared in the upper room is now gone—experience has crushed it out of him. And frankly, the Lord is going to crush him even more. Beloved, the Lord will not use proud, self-assured vessels; He is looking for broken, crushed, contrite vessels.

You will notice that Jesus does not just ask, “Do you love me?” but “Do you love me more than these?” Who or what are “these”? Some think Jesus is talking about Peter’s fishing business. Others think it is a reference to Peter’s love for his friends and family.

I believe Jesus is tying this question back to that earlier, upper room conversation, where Peter boasted, “Even though they all fall away, I will not” (Mark 14:29). He was essentially saying, “Lord, I love You more than all these other disciples!”

Now Jesus asks, “Simon, Son of John, do you really love me more than these other men?” And it is as if Peter admits, “Lord, I cannot say that now, like I once did; but I do have warm affection for You as my friend.”

Then Jesus stuns, not with a personal rebuke, but with a personal commission: “Feed My lambs” (verse 15). This is a reference to tending the younger lambs who easily wander away. I am sure Peter is quite shocked.

Next, we read, “[Jesus] said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’” (verse 16).

Again, He is asking, “Do you have that strong, loyal love for Me?” And again, Peter effectively responds, “Lord, You know I care deeply about You as my friend.”

And there is another shocking follow-up here. It is as if the Lord says, “I can work with that,” for He again recommissions Peter, this time saying, “Tend my sheep” (verse 16)—literally, “Shepherd my sheep.”

Now keep in mind, Peter is a fisherman, not a shepherd. He is being called to a different kind of profession. Fisherman don’t care for their fish; fishermen don’t nurse fish back to health; fishermen don’t carry wounded fish on their shoulders.

Shepherds feed and lead and protect and discipline and love their sheep. And who can do that better than one who has been broken and forgiven—a shepherd who depends upon his Chief Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, daily?

Now verse 17:

[Jesus] said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

In this third question, Jesus changes his term for love—he uses Peter’s word. It is as if the Good Shepherd is graciously stooping down to the level of His crushed lamb; He drops the use of agapaō and uses phileō, and, in effect, says, “Okay, Peter, do you really have deep affection for Me?”

I believe Peter is deeply moved all over again at the unfailing love and grace of the Lord, against whom he has so deeply sinned. Yet Jesus still has an important role for him: “Feed my sheep.”

Then in verse 18, the Lord delivers a rather strange prophecy to Peter:

“When you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

John adds in the next verse that Jesus said this “to show by what kind of death [Peter] was to glorify God.” In other words, Peter’s hands will be stretched out on a cross. Indeed, tradition informs us that Peter was crucified—though, by his personal request, upside down, because he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same manner the Lord had. Here is the good news for Peter: though he will die, he will remain true to the Lord.

Having heard what his own future holds, Peter then looks at his friend John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (verse 20), and says to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” (verse 21).

Peter is asking, “What are you going to do with John?” And Jesus teaches Peter a lesson we all need to learn: it is unwise to compare what God does in our lives with what He does in the lives of other believers.

The Lord responds rather bluntly in verse 22: “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” That is, “Don’t compare yourself to him; you just keep following Me.”

John wraps up his Gospel with two statements. First, he says in verse 24 that everything he has written is true. Second, in verse 25, he says that he did not write down everything Jesus said and did. In fact, if everything were recorded, he says, “The world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

If you are like me, you would love to have a few more chapters! We do not have everything we would like to know, but we have everything we need to know to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

So, this is the account of Jesus’ restoration of Simon Peter. And think about this: Jesus could have asked Peter a thousand different questions here:

· Peter, are you sorry for what you did?

· Peter, have you truly repented?

· Peter, will you promise never to deny Me again?

There is none of that. It is simply, “Do you love Me?”

And this is the mark of growth in Peter. Before, he would have tried to explain the depth of his love for Jesus. Now he simply and honestly responds, “Lord, You know everything about me—even my heart.” And Jesus effectively says, “I can work with that; now go and feed My sheep.”

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The Church’s Great Omission Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:44-53

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For followers of Christ, missions must never be just a passing thought but rather our passion in life. We are on a search-and-rescue mission, joining with Jesus, who came to seek and to save those who were lost (Luke 19:10). In missions we are joining our heavenly Father as He seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). As long as there are people who are not worshiping the Lord, the work of missions is to continue. This is why one author wrote, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”[320]

So, as we complete our Wisdom Journey through the Gospels, it really should not surprise us to find a concluding emphasis on a universal missionary command, which we call the “The Great Commission.” Sadly, today, it is more like “The Great Omission.”

In the last paragraph of Matthew 28, Jesus not only presents the Great Commission but also outlines the strategy for the Great Commission:

And Jesus came and said to them [the disciples], “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (verses 18-20)

Do these closing words sound like a suggestion? Does it sound like Jesus is leaving this up for a vote?

This is not The Great Suggestion; this is The Great Commission. And it is not complicated, beloved. Here is a rather simple strategy: evangelize, baptize, and teach. That is our mission!

One of the best indicators of a healthy church is not how many people it seats but how many it sends. The financial strength of a church today is not how much it saves in the bank but how much it invests in the mission. I happen to believe that a church either gives away or passes away.

Now let’s turn over to the last few verses in Mark’s Gospel, at chapter 16. Mark records in verse 15 these words of the Lord: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

Matthew provided the strategy for our mission; Mark provides the scope of the Great Commission. Our mission is worldwide.

Mark goes on to record the supernatural signs that will accompany this apostolic community and authenticate their message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The New Testament had not yet been written. Christians could not gather and study the book of Romans or even read these Gospel accounts until later. Prior to the completion of the Bible, God gave these temporary, supernatural, undeniable signs to accompany the early apostolic community. Whether it was speaking in a language they had never learned in school, surviving snake bites or poisoning by enemies of the church, or casting out demons, God miraculously established their ministry with signs that only God could produce.

Today, if anyone wants to know if I represent the truth of God’s Word, they do not have to hear me speak in Mandarin or watch me raise somebody from the dead or heal some terminal disease. All they have to do is test what I say against the completed Word of God.

Next, in Luke chapter 24, we are given the substance of the Great Commission. Look here at verses 45-47:

Then [Jesus] opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

The substance of the Great Commission is the simple gospel message. But this is the challenge, isn’t it? The reason the gospel is not readily believed by everybody you talk to is because of the content. People might believe that Jesus rose from the dead, but they are not going to immediately admit they are sinners and repent of their sin.

Many churches today try to get people to accept the gospel, while continuing in their sinful lifestyles. Let me tell you, Jesus is not interested in adapting to your lifestyle; He is going to change everything about you from the inside out.

Jesus has one final thing to say here in Luke 24:

“Behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (verse 49)

Here Jesus speaks of the strength for carrying out the Great Commission—namely, the Holy Spirit, who will come to indwell the disciples. The importance of this truth is emphasized by the fact that these are the last recorded words of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, which concludes with a brief description of Jesus’ ascension into heaven (verses 50-53).

Now keep in mind the Holy Spirit will descend on the Day of Pentecost, a little later, as the New Testament church is created. And from that moment on, every believer is immediately and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit upon receiving Christ.

But as we saw previously in our Wisdom Journey in John 20, Jesus also provided the spiritual strength the disciples would need until the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost. There we read in verse 22, “[Jesus] breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

Jesus gives the disciples a unique foretaste of the Spirit’s power that is going to enable them to stand up under intense pressure and opposition until they are permanently empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Finally, the Gospels clearly give us the source of the Great Commission—Jesus Christ Himself. He is the one who gives this mission directly to His followers, telling them—and us—to take the gospel into all the world, making disciples of all nations. Indeed, as He says in John 20:21, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

By the way, this Great Commission is not delivered to ordained professionals here; there are no graduate degrees represented among these disciples. They are fishermen and perhaps businessmen and craftsmen.

Part of our failure today is we seem to believe this Great Commission is given to somebody else—a pastor or some vocational missionary. Jesus delivered this command—this commission—to people like us, to every believer. We are to take the gospel out into the public square where we work and live—where we swing a hammer or teach a class or draw up a business plan.

Maybe you are thinking, Well, I don’t have much to offer the cause of Christ. Perhaps you remember Aesop’s fable about the crow who was dying of thirst. He came across a long-necked jar, and he could see water down in the jar, but he could not reach it. So, he got a little pebble and dropped it into the jar. Over and over, one by one, he dropped pebbles down the neck of that jar, and he raised the water level until he finally was able to drink.

Beloved, you and I are just little pebbles, working together to bring the water of life to our world. We don’t have to wait till we earn an advanced degree. We don’t have to wonder where to begin or what to say. The Lord Himself is the source of our commission, and He has clearly set forth the strategy, scope, and substance of it, and He has provided the strength to accomplish it. We just need to follow Him and do His will, one little pebble at a time.

BACK TO THE TOP

[1] Daniel 8:1-8, 18-21; 11:2-3.

[2] Herod Agrippa I in Acts chapter 12 and Herod Agrippa II in Acts 25 and 26 were the grandson and great-grandson, respectively, of Herod the Great and had authority in various areas.

⁴ See Acts 23:8.

5 See Matthew 26:25.

[5] Quoted in James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of John: An Expositional Commentary, Volume 1 (Zondervan, 1975), 40.

[6] Quoted in Warren Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Victor Books, 1988), 14.

[7] R. Kent Hughes, Luke, Volume One (Crossway Books, 1998), 26.

[8] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (InterVarsity Press, 1993), 48.

[9] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 61.

[10] Michael Grant, The Twelve Caesars (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1975), 65.

[11] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Luke: Life Application Bible Commentary (Tyndale House, 1997), 41.

[12] Swindoll, 65.

[13] Swindoll, 69.

[14] Grant, 79.

[15] John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of Luke (Kregel, 2005), 78.

[16] R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 1 (Crossway, 1998), 95.

[17] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Compassionate: Luke 1-13 (Victor Books, 1989), 32.

[18] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Westminster Press, 1975), 29.

[19] R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 1 (Crossway, 1998), 99.

[20] Ibid., 100.

[21] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of Luke’s Gospel (Augsburg Publishing, 1946), 162.

[22] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 77.

[23] Cited by Os Guinness, The Call (Thomas Nelson, 2003), 202.

[24] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 83.

[25] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 94.

[26] Flavius Josephus, Josephus: Complete Works, trans. William Whiston (Kregel, 1960), Wars of the Jews, 2.14.3, 6.9.3.

[27] Alfred Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Harper & Row, 1971), 1:371.

[28] See Exodus 12:15.

[29] William R. Moody, The Life of Dwight L. Moody (Fleming Revell Company, 1900), 139.

[30] Ibid.

[31] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 195.

[32] J. Reiling and J. L. Swellengrebel, A Translator's Handbook on the Gospel of Luke (United Bible Societies, 1971), 203.

[33] Garland, 195.

[34] See Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 111.

[35] Thanks to Dr. Douglas Bookman of Shepherds Theological Seminary for this insight.

[36] Luke 5:3, 10; Matthew 4:18, Mark 1:16.

[37] Matthew 8:2–4; Mark 1:40–45; Luke 5:12–16.

[38] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Westminster Press, 1975), 60.

[39] Ibid.

[40] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 155.

[41] John D. Grassmick, “Mark” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament (Victor Books, 1983), 114.

[42] Ibid.

[43] Mishnah, Avot 1:4.

[44] Darrel L. Bock, Luke 1:1–9:50, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker, 1994), 447.

[45] John MacArthur, Twelve Ordinary Men (W Publishing Group, 2002), 39.

[46] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), 146.

[47] The traditions concerning the disciples in the years following Jesus’ earthly ministry are summarized in William Steuart McBirnie, The Search for the Twelve Apostles (Living Books, 1973) and MacArthur, Twelve Ordinary Men.

[48] Ibid., 74.

[49] Ibid., 78.

[50] G. Campbell Morgan, The Great Physician (Fleming Revell, 1937), 4.

[51] The traditions concerning the disciples in the years following Jesus’ earthly ministry are summarized in William Steuart McBirnie, The Search for the Twelve Apostles (Living Books, 1973) and John MacArthur, Twelve Ordinary Men (W Publishing Group, 2002).

[52] Ibid., 33.

[53] MacArthur, 164.

[54] The traditions concerning the disciples in the years following Jesus’ earthly ministry are summarized in William Steuart McBirnie, The search for the Twelve Apostles (Living Books, 1973) and John MacArthur, Twelve Ordinary Men (W Publishing Group, 2002).

[55] A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve (reprint, Zondervan, 1963), 34.

[56] MacArthur, 176.

[57] Bruce, 35-36.

[58] R. Kent Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount (Crossway, 2001), 19.

[59] Warren W. Wiersbe, Meet Your King (Victor Books, 1980), 34.

[60] R. Kent Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount (Crossway, 2001), 46.

[61] Ibid., 62.

[62] Robert L. Peterson and Alexander Strauch, Agape Leadership (Lewis & Roth Publishers, 1991), 44.

[63] John MacArthur, Kingdom Living Here and Now (Moody Press, 1980), 159.

[64] Warren Wiersbe, Live Like a King (Moody Press, 1976), 138.

[65] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Westminster Press, 1956), 187.

[66] Louis A. Barbieri Jr., “Matthew,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, ed. John. F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 30.

[67] John MacArthur, 1 Peter (Moody Publishers, 2004), 177.

[68] David Crary, “Key to a Good Marriage?” www.ap.org

[69] William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 (Westminster Press, 1975), 168.

[70] D. A. Carson, “Matthew,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 9, ed. Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland (Zondervan, 2010), 198.

[71] Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Hendrickson Academic, 1992), 432.

[72] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Work of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 183.

[73] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 463.

[74] Garland, 419.

[75] See Joshua Brown, “The Nine Financiers, a Parable About Power,” Forbes, forbes.com, July 25, 2012; Charles R. Swindoll, James: Practical and Authentic Living (Insight for Living, 1991), 159.

[76] William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, volume 1 (Westminster Press, 1975), 239.

[77] David Grossman, “Australia’s GPS Was Off Because the Whole Country Moved,” PopularMechanics.com, July 7, 2016; Chris Foxx, “Australia Plans New Co-Ordinates To Fix Sat-Nav Gap,” BBC.com, July 29, 2016.

[78] William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew: Volume 1 (Westminster Press, 1975), 301.

[79] Matthew 8:5-13.

[80] Walter C. Kaiser Jr. et al., Hard Sayings of the Bible (InterVarsity, 1996), 459.

[81] R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 1 (Crossway Books, 1998), 254.

[82] J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (reprint, Evangelical Press, 1985), 104.

[83] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Westminster Press, 1975), 87.

[84] S. Pearce Carey, William Carey (The Watchman Trust, 1923), 126.

[85] We are following Luke’s account here, which is paralleled in Matthew 11.

[86] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 176.

[87] James Montgomery Boice, Romans: An Expositional Commentary, Volume 1 (Baker, 1991), 960.

[88] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), 182.

[89] John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of Luke (Kregel, 2005), 156.

[90] G. Campbell Morgan, The Great Physician (Revell, 1938), 139.

[91] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 326.

[92] Warren Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Victor Books, 1988), 80.

[93] Christa Threlfall, “Which One Will Love Him More?” Bible Study Magazine, September/October 2021, 5.

[94] Biographies of Gladys Aylward include Gladys Aylward and Christine Hunter, Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman (Moody Press, 1970) and Alan Burgess, The Small Woman (E. P. Dutton Co., 1957).

[95] J. C. Ryle, Expository Notes on the Gospels: Luke (Evangelical Press, 1985), 119.

[96] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 342.

[97] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 194.

[98] Phyllis Thompson, A Transparent Woman: The Compelling Story of Glady Aylward (Zondervan, 1971), 183.

[99] John Oxenham, “Your Place.”

[100] Matthew 12:24, Mark 3:22

[101] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 214.

[102] Warren Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Victor Books, 1988), 86.

[103] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 216.

[104] Ibid., 321.

[105] R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 2 (Crossway, 1998), 93.

[106] Michael G. Vanlaningham, “Matthew,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Moody Publishers, 2014), 1477.

[107] Dale Ralph Davis, Luke: The Year of the Lord’s Favor (Christian Focus, 2021), 242.

[108] Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol. 1 (Longmans, Green, and Co., 1896), 594.

[109] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 2d ed. (InterVarsity Press, 1993), 81.

[110] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), 208.

[111] Ibid.

[112] G. Campbell Morgan, The Great Physician (Revell, 1938), 156.

[113] Ivor Powell, Luke’s Thrilling Gospel (Kregel, 1984), 201; R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 1 (Crossway, 1998), 307.

[114] Charles R. Swindoll, The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart (Word Publishing, 1998), 274.

[115] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 367.

[116] Ibid.

[117] William Hendriksen, The Gospel of Luke, New Testament Commentary (Baker, 1978), 457.

[118] See John 9:1-2 and Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Eerdmans, 1971), 477-78.

[119] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel (Augsburg Publishing, 1946), 506.

[120] Quoted in R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 1 (Crossway, 1998), 332.

[121] Marian Anderson, “Marian Anderson on the Power of Prayer,” Guideposts, March 1954, guideposts.org.

[122] Homer A. Kent Jr., Light in the Darkness: Studies in the Gospel of John (Baker, 1974), 108.

[123] Quoted in J. W. Shepard, The Christ of the Gospels (Eerdmans, 1952), 281.

[124] John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of Luke (Kregel, 2005), 156.

[125] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1: New Testament (Victor Books, 1996), 54.

[126] Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol. 2 (Longmans, Green, and Co., 1896), 43.

[127] John D. Grassmick, “Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, ed. John. F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Victor Books, 1985), 136.

[128] Michael H. Hart, The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential People in History (Citadel, 2000).

[129] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 246-47.

[130] “Accepting Jesus Means Firing the Committee in Our Heart,” Sermon Illustrations, preachingtoday.com.

[131] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Victor Books, 1989), 207.

[132] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 231.

[133] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 397.

[134] Ibid., 394.

[135] Ivor Powell, Luke’s Thrilling Gospel (Kregel, 1984), 228.

[136] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), 252.

[137] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Victor Books, 1989), 106.

[138] Dr. Douglas Bookman at Shepherds Theological Seminary has significantly contributed to my understanding of this text.

[139] Mark Manson, “Pro Basketball Coach Exposes the ‘Disease of More,’” cited in Sermon Illustration, preachingtoday.com.

[140] R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 1 (Crossway, 1998), 366.

[141] Ibid., 364-65.

[142] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 247.

[143] Ivor Powell, Luke’s Thrilling Gospel (Kregel, 1984), 239.

[144] See Stephen Davey, In Pursuit of Prodigals (Kress Biblical Resources, 2010).

[145] Soren Kierkegaard, “Followers, Not Admirers,” in Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter (Plough Publishing, 2003), 55-60.

[146] The parallel account in Matthew 8:19-22 mentions just two of these conversations.

[147] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 255.

[148] Ibid., 215-16.

[149] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 272, citing William F. Arndt.

[150] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel (Augsburg Publishing, 1946), 563.

[151] Darrell L. Bock, Luke 9:51–24:53, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker, 1996), 983.

[152] See Stephen Davey, Philippians, Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Charity House, 2019), 263-64.

[153] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Macmillan, 1952), 56.

[154] Jill Morgan, A Man of the Word (Wipf and Stock, 2010), 59-60.

[155] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 293-94.

[156] Mitchell Zuckoff, Lost in Shangri-La (Harper Perennial, 2012), 213.

[157] Ivor Powell, Luke’s Thrilling Gospel (Kregel, 1984), 247.

[158] Fritz Rienecker, Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, ed. Cleon L. Rogers Jr. (Regency, 1980), 169.

[159] Thomas Constable, Notes on Luke, 2017 edition (Sonic Light, 2017), 169, planobiblechapel.org.

[160] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel (Augsburg Publishing, 1946), 573.

[161] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 264.

[162] See John 11:1–12:19.

[163] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 283.

[164] G. Campbell Morgan, The Great Physician (Revell, 1938), 226.

[165] John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of Luke (Kregel, 2005), 162.

[166] Darrell L. Bock, Luke 9:51–24:53, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker, 1996), 1041.

[167] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 303.

[168] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 454.

[169] Quoted in Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Victor Books, 1988), 118.

[170] “Infographic: How Is Your Prayer Life?” crossway.com, November 2, 2019.

[171] Warren W. Wiersbe, On Earth as It Is in Heaven (Baker Books, 2010), 68.

[172] R. Albert Mohler Jr., The Prayer that Turns the World Upside Down (Nelson Books, 2018), 110.

[173] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 291.

[174] J. I. Packer, Praying the Lord’s Prayer (Crossway, 2007), 93.

[175] George MacDonald, Unspoken Sermons (reprint, Cosimo, 2007), 166.

[176] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 465.

[177] These words or very similar ones have been attributed to Martin Luther and Phillips Brooks. The source is unknown.

[178] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel (Augsburg Publishing, 1946), 627.

[179] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), 293.

[180] Harold Myra and Marshall Shelley, The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham (Zondervan, 2005), 293.

[181] Ivor Powell, Luke’s Thrilling Gospel (Kregel, 1984), 270.

[182] Dale Ralph Davis, Luke: The Year of the Lord’s Favor (Christian Focus, 2021), 206.

[183] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Compassionate: Luke 1–13 (Victor Books, 1989), 126.

[184] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), 298.

[185] David E. Garland, “Luke” in Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, vol. 1, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Zondervan, 2002). 42.

[186] Cited in John Ortberg, All the Places to Go (Tyndale House, 2015), 8.

[187] “The Big Question,” The Atlantic, April 16, 2014.

[188] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 488.

[189] Robert Jeffress, The Solomon Secrets (Waterbrook, 2002), 128.

[190] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 307.

[191] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), 305.

[192] John MacArthur, Luke 11-17 (Moody Publishers, 2013), 104.

[193] J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (reprint, Evangelical Press, 1975), 206.

[194] Swindoll, 315.

[195] “Recovering Hypocrite,” Sermon Illustrations, preachingtoday.com.

[196] Warren Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Victor Books, 1988), 135.

[197] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 321.

[198] Ibid.

[199] Dale Ralph Davis, Luke: The Year of the Lord’s Favor (Christian Focus, 2021), 218.

[200] John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of Luke (Kregel, 2005), 180.

[201] Clinton E. Arnold, ed., Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, volume 1 (Zondervan, 2002), 427.

[202] Ivor Powell, Luke’s Thrilling Gospel (Kregel, 1984), 286.

[203] Katy Kelly and Linda Kulman, “Kid Power,” U. S. News and World Report, usnews.com, September 5, 2004.

[204] Fritz Rienecker, Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, ed. Cleon L. Rogers Jr. (Regency, 1980), 177.

[205] Clinton E. Arnold, ed., Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, volume 1 (Zondervan, 2002), 429.

[206] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel (Augsburg Publishing, 1946), 694.

[207] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 334.

[208] Adapted from Paul Harvey, “The Rest of The Story.” See also, Isadore Barmash, “J. C. Penney of Store Chain Dies; Built Business on ‘Golden Rule,’” New York Times, February 13, 1971, nytimes. com.

[209] Civilla D. Martin, “God Will Take Care of You.”

[210] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 336.

[211] Dale Ralph Davis, Luke: The Year of the Lord’s Favor (Christian Focus, 2021), 229.

[212] Swindoll, 336.

[213] Sam Gordon, Hope and Glory: The Timeless Message of I & II Thessalonians (Ambassador International, 2005), 56.

[214] John MacArthur, Luke 11-17 (Moody Publishers, 2011), 170.

[215] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), 333.

[216] Clinton E. Arnold, ed., Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, volume 1 (Zondervan, 2002), 433.

[217] Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, and Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), 338.

[218] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Westminster Press, 1975), 176.

[219] R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 2 (Crossway, 1998), 89.

[220] Ibid., 93.

[221] Thomas Constable, Notes on John, 2016 edition (Sonic Light, 2016), 202, planobiblechapel.org.

[222] Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, ed. John. F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Victor Books, 1985), 312.

[223] Warren Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Victor Books, 1988), 154.

[224] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 359.

[225] R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 2 (Crossway, 1998), 99.

[226] Clinton E. Arnold, ed., Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, volume 1 (Zondervan, 2002), 438.

[227] Dale Ralph Davis, Luke 1–13: The Year of the Lord’s Favor (Christian Focus, 2021), 247.

[228] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Compassionate (Victor Books, 1988), 155.

[229] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 559.

[230] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 328.

[231] Wiersbe, 155.

[232] Robert J. Morgan, “More Than Wonderful—Part 5,” robertjmorgan.com, March 19, 2022.

[233] Martin Luther, Table Talk, trans. William Hazlitt (Christian Classics Ethereal Library, n.d.), 37-38.

[234] Ibid., 2.

[235] I. Howard Marshall, Commentary on Luke, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Eerdmans, 1978), 579.

[236] Ivor Powell, Luke’s Thrilling Gospel (Kregel, 1984), 325.

[237] Jane Haigh, The Alaska Highway: A Historic Photographic Journey (Wolf Creek Books, 2001), 50.

[238] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 373.

[239] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), 332.

[240] Swindoll, 374.

[241] Dale Ralph Davis, Luke 14–25: On the Road to Jerusalem (Christian Focus, 2021), 27.

[242] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 603.

[243] Davis, 27.

[244] D. L. Moody, Moody’s Stories (Bible Truth, n.d.), 128.

[245] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 615.

[246] Ivor Powell, Luke’s Thrilling Gospel (Kregel, 1965), 335.

[247] J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (reprint, Evangelical Press, 1975), 258.

[248] Clinton E. Arnold, ed., Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, volume 1 (Zondervan, 2002), 447.

[249] Fritz Rienecker, Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, ed. Cleon L. Rogers Jr. (Regency, 1980), 186.

[250] David E. Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan, 2011), 628.

[251] Kenneth E. Bailey, Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes (Eerdmans, 1983), 168, 181.

[252] Ibid., 185.

[253] R. Kent Hughes, Luke: Volume 2 (Crossway, 1998), 144.

[254] Fritz Rienecker, Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, ed. Cleon L. Rogers Jr. (Regency, 1980), 188.

[255] Clinton E. Arnold, ed., Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, volume 1 (Zondervan, 2002), 449.

[256] Ibid.

[257] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Luke (Zondervan, 2012), 391.

[258] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Westminster Press, 1975), 211.

[259] Ibid., 212.

[260] Ibid., 211.

[261] Fritz Rienecker, Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, ed. Cleon L. Rogers Jr. (Regency, 1980), 406.

[262] Vance Havner, “On This Rock I Stand” and Other Messages (Baker, 1981), 26.

[263] Leon Morris, Luke: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (InterVarsity, 1988), 279.

[264] See Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42.

[265] James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of John: An Expositional Commentary, Volume 3 (Zondervan, 1975), 922.

[266] Charles Ryrie, The Miracles of Our Lord (ECS Ministries, 2005), 43-44.

[267] This story is recounted at length in Hampton Sides, In the Kingdom of Ice (Doubleday, 2014).

[268] Robert H. Stein, Luke, The New American Commentary, vol. 24 (Broadman, 1992), 447.

[269] Ken Ham and Steve Ham, Raising Godly Children in an Ungodly World (New Leaf, 2008), 151.

[270] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Matthew: Volume 2 (Tyndale House, 2020), 105.

[271] Robert H. Stein, Luke, The New American Commentary, vol. 24 (Broadman, 1992), 456.

[272] Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Matthew: Volume 2 (Tyndale House, 2020), 116.

[273] Cited in Charles R. Swindoll, Christ at the Crossroads (Insight for Living, 1991), 39.

[274] Richard C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament (Reprint, Eerdmans, 1976), 32.

[275] Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations (Assurance Publishers, 1979), 405.

[276] Homer A. Kent Jr., The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Studies in Mark (BMH Books, 2005), 153-54.

[277] Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3.

[278] Elizabeth Silance Ballard, “The Teacher,” Home Life magazine, March 1976.

[279] The New Dictionary of Thoughts: A Cyclopedia of Quotations (Britkin Publishing, 1927), 29.

[280] J. A. Thompson, “Sanhedrin,” in The New Bible Dictionary, ed. J. D. Douglas (Eerdmans, 1962), 1143.

[281] See, for example, F. F. Bruce, History of the Bible in English (Oxford University Press, 1978), 108.

[282] Gerry Spence, How to Argue and Win Every Time (St. Martin’s Griffin, 1995).

[283] D. A. Carson, “Matthew,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 9, ed. Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland (Zondervan, 2010), 522.

[284] Ed Glasscock, Matthew, Moody Gospel Commentary (Moody Press, 1997), 457.

[285] Michael J. Vlach, He Will Reign Forever (Lampion Press, 2017), 382.

[286] Louis A. Barbieri Jr., “Matthew,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, ed. John. F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Victor Books, 1985), 77.

[287] John F. Walvoord, Matthew: Thy Kingdom Come (Moody Press, 1974), 193.

[288] Ed Glasscock, Matthew, Moody Gospel Commentary (Moody Press, 1997), 478.

[289] Charles Spurgeon, “The Death of Christ,” sermon, January 24, 1858, spurgeon.org.

[290] See Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27, 50.

[291] Philip Yancey, Disappointment with God (Zondervan, 2015), 172.

[292] Homer A. Kent Jr., Light in the Darkness: Studies in the Gospel of John (Baker, 1974), 171.

[293] BrainyQuote. Brainyquote.com

[294] Aristides, “The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher,” Early Christian Writings, earlychristianwritings.com.

[295] Don Wyrtzen, “Finally Home.”

[296] “Untapped Spiritual Resources,” Sermon Illustrations, preachingtoday.com, quoting Bill Bright.

[297]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1: New Testament (Victor Books, 1996), 357.

[298] “101 Best Friend Quotes to Show Your BFF How Much Their Friendship Means to You,” Parade, February 13, 2023, https://parade.com.

[299] See Psalms 35:19; 69:4; 109:3.

[300] Peter Golenbock, Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers (Dover Publications, 1984), 153.

[301]David Jeremiah, Escape the Coming Night: A Message of Hope in a Time of Crisis, updated edition (W Publishing, 2018), 106.

[302] William Barclay, The Gospel of John, vol. 2 (St. Andrew’s Press, 1963), 243.

[303] Max Lucado, On the Anvil (Tyndale House 1985, 2008), 26.

[304] Warrren W. Wiersbe, Be Transformed (David C. Cook, 1986), 109.

[305] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 2nd ed. (InterVarsity, 2014), 170.

[306] Matthew here quotes Zechariah 11:12-13, but by attributing it to Jeremiah he is alluding to a similar text in Jeremiah 18–19. Essentially, he is “blending” texts and citing just one of the sources. See Keener, IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 119.

[307] John F. Hart, “John,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Moody Publishers, 2014), 1657.

[308] Homer A. Kent Jr., Light in the Darkness: Studies in the Gospel of John (Baker, 1974), 206. See John 18:31.

[309] J. Ramsey Michaels, John, New International Biblical Commentary (Hendrickson Publishers, 1989), 320.

[310] Josephus, Jewish War, VI.5.3.

[311] William D. Edwards, Wesley J. Gabel, and Floyd E. Hosmer, “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ,” Journal of the American Medical Association 255 (April 1986), 11:1457.

[312] Vassilios Tzaferis, “Crucifixion—The Archaeological Evidence,” Biblical Archaeology Review, January/February, 1985, 44-53.

[313] “Dying Statements of the Unsaved,” Bible.org.

[314] Gordon Curly, “Cries from the Cross: The Word of Forgiveness,” Sermon Central, sermoncentral.com, November 29, 2010.

[315] Robert H. Stein, Luke, The New American Commentary, vol. 24 (Broadman, 1992), 596.

[316] W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, and William White Jr., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nelson, 1985), New Testament, 556-57.

[317] Rose Eveleth, “In 1916, Georgia Tech Beat Cumberland College, 222-0,” Smithsonian.com, August 2, 2013.

[318] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Eerdmans, 1971), 658.

[319] John F. Hart, “John,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Moody Publishers, 2014), 1661.

[320] John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad! 3d ed. (Baker Academic, 2010), 15.