TWENTY SEVEN DAYS TO EASTER.
Reading list for today:
John 11 (especially verses 45-57)
Matthew 19:1-12
Luke 17:11
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In John 11, John doesn't keep things sequential. Since he is writing in retrospect - his identification of who Mary is jumps ahead of the story.
This chapter apparently covers almost 2 months of Jesus' life. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead about 2 months prior to his own death on the cross - and it was at that point that the Jews became serious about trying to find a way to kill him. The end of this chapter tells us a bit more about where Jesus spent some of his time between leaving Capernaum and ultimately going to Jerusalem...precisely to stay out of the path of those who sought to kill him. He knows his destiny and he knows the timing that has to be maintained for it to all be in God's plan.
Because we jump back in time more than a month here, we observe that Martha's proclamation of Yeshua as Meshiach (Jesus as Messiah, the Christ) precedes Peter's similar proclamation.
I'm just going to take a little side-trip here. I am on a journey to the cross - and beyond - and I've been told I have a few people who are joining me so I need to provide an explanation for your benefit. When I went to Israel 4 years ago, the tour was led by a Messianic Jewish Rabbi. I knew that Jesus' given name at birth was Yeshua, but that trip cemented that more solidly in my mind. Yeshua translated directly to English is Joshua, which means Savior. Our translations, however, passed from Hebrew to Greek 'Ioseos' and then to English 'Jesus.' We don't name kids Jesus, like they do in Mexico, but we do name them Joshua. I have a son-in-law named Joshua. Anyway, his Hebrew name (actually likely Aramaic name) written as we write (since theirs is hieroglyphics that I cannot read) was Yeshua ha Meshiach, which, if translated directly to English would be 'Joshua the Messiah' but since it went through Greek first, which translated it Ioseos Christos - Jesus the Christ - the name that is most familiar to us is Jesus. When God said, "... and you will name the child...." the name He gave him was Yeshua. I use them interchangeably. Both are dear to me. As a child in an Assembly of God church in Wilder, Idaho, I learned a little African chorus and in it he was 'Yesu' - and last year when missionaries were here from Algeria, I learned that Jesus himself appeared to an Algerian Muslim man in a dream, and identified himself as 'Isa al Masih.' Jesus the Messiah identifies himself in every language! That's what is exciting - - but I just wanted you to understand why I occasionally use Yeshua. That's what his parents called him - and it's what disciples called him....
This is the first time I have ever followed a disciplined reading plan taking me to the cross. I'm noticing a lot more details about the journey in that process, but I cannot ignore that here, just 2 months prior to his own death, Jesus tells Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
And Martha replies, "Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
A total aside here: Because we live in such a liberated society, we fail to pay attention to how much time Jesus gave Martha - a woman. She sat at his feet. She learned from him. He was her friend. Jesus was the one who elevated women to a place of equality and dignity. All of western civilization has him to thank for that honor. We each have appropriate roles, and that is important to acknowledge, but they are roles of respect, not roles of dominance. Thank you, Lord! Lest any male read something into this that I am not saying, my husband is head of our home, and I have incredible respect for him in how he handles that role - but he doesn't dominate to fill his rightful place. I just think it is worth paying attention to. Jesus lived in a male-dominated society where women were not equals. Yet he honored Martha in his life - and other women as well.
OK - - back to the point of what Martha stated. She recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah - the One - and there is only One. There is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved. The Bible makes that point very clear. Only one Savior. Only One who came to take on the weight of humanity's sin. Only One. We can either accept Him or reject Him - the choice is ours - but there is only one way. That's why it is narrow. We can't have salad-bar options for truth. He is Truth. There is no other. His journey to the cross reiterates that over and over again.
My sequential reading for this journey has primarily been through Matthew; however, from here on, in my effort to be sequential and share His journey to the cross and beyond, my reading list includes portions of all of the synoptic gospels...with some other sporadic additions along the way.
(The verse in Luke just corroborates that 'on his way to Jerusalem' Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.) It's actually hard to be logical-sequential bouncing back and forth between different authors of the New Testament - but lets join Matthew again.
One of the points I wanted to make from our portion of Matthew for today is that Jesus was leaving his chosen town of Capernaum for the last time. He was the only one who knew that. It changes the rest of the journey, seeing it through his eyes. He is giving 'final messages' and healing people, and instead of being 'converted' because of the witness of Jesus' wonderful deeds, the Pharisees are still intent on trying to make a trap of words.
The specific issue Jesus is challenged to respond to is divorce, and Jesus responds with a reply that is repeated in most Christian marriages. Jesus' explanation makes it clear that divorce was certainly not God's desire. He created man and woman - and intended faithfulness. As part of sin that plan became broken.
I've been divorced. I know that divorce breaks God's heart. I also know His forgiveness. Eons ago, I married the wrong person for the wrong reasons, and paid the price. I wanted so desperately to be loved. I had been 'in love' my Senior year of High School - and turned down an offer of marriage because I wanted to go to college - but I didn't want to be an old maid. I got a little too caught up in that fear by my Sophomore year in college - just because I hadn't had any dating opportunities. My standard for dating was really specific, so there weren't many people I could date in high school. The first item on my list was that they had to be a Christian. I met guys at church camp - and youth rallies - and had a couple of long-distance 'boyfriends' through the years - but they weren't really 'dating' relationships until my Senior year. I would have married 'him' later I thought - but not right then. I really, really wanted to go to college! 'He' was bent on finding a wife - and did! I set myself up for believing I had lost my one wonderful opportunity.
Most of my friends were being asked out on frequent dates my freshman year of college. Meanwhile, I wasn't asked out on any. Only a couple of us were 'left behind.' So, the next fall when one very 'fun' young man singled me out as the one he was interested in I fell in love with love. I ruined what could have been a life-long friendship by marrying him. We were engaged longer than we were married. During the time we were engaged, I tried to give 'the ring' back to him more than once - - but he convinced me that it was just pre-marriage jitters, and that God had shown him.... Hello! God was showing me something different - and I didn't have enough security in hearing his voice to 'hear' Him. Even the day I was married I told a high school friend, "If all of these people hadn't come I'd back out." Dean Pecota came all the way to Idaho to marry us. My friend from Baton Rouge, LA that I met on our Operation Mobilization Mission Trip a year before came up for the wedding. Relatives and some very special college classmates came. I felt trapped. I made a conscious choice that day to 'live through my children.' I deliberated about talking to Dean Pecota - but I didn't. I believed my future would be better than my past and that I could pull it off. I loved his family and thought that would be enough. The happiness of 'being in love with love' was brief. I deluded myself that I could play the role - but that illusion lasted only a little while.
One beautiful child was born to us - and a year later I miscarried, and that plummeted me into the worst period of my life. I live with the consequences of that sin. I am not implying divorce fixed my original mistake. It doesn't. I lost out on God's best plan for my life, and sometimes that still stings. But God forgives. I learned from my mistake - my sin - and God had Plan B (and, Plan B is a good plan!) I know that in some people's lives He has to go to Plan C. And D. And beyond the alphabet.... before they get to the end of their rope and let Him be Lord in their life. Remember the last chapter and the huge lesson of forgiveness. God does not ask us to forgive and then be unwilling to Himself. And, wonderfully, God uses our mistakes for His glory. They are redeemed when we can help someone else walk through their journey and lay their burdens and 'mistakes' (AKA sins) at the foot of the cross and accept the forgiveness God so generously offers through the blood of His Son. I am a child of God's grace - - amazing, amazing grace.
When I was a Health Educator - and when I was a youth leader, I told kids they should never have pre-marital sex, but I also told them, "I was a virgin when I got married, but I saved it for the wrong person. If you have doubts, don't." Breaking an engagement would certainly have created some upset and tears - but I am convinced we would both have found the person who was right for us without the horrible pain our divorce has caused - not just for us, but for so many other people, including that sweet boy we both call son. I'm not sharing this to cause further pain - and I'm not telling the story of how it all played out. But - I know there are others who have experienced this pain, and that knowing God forgives is important. That's why I'm sharing the skeletal information.
When people ask me, my stock answer is, 'We were both guilty of being 22." The continued pain, of course, is the effect on my son; and the fact that his father walked away from the Lord, and I have not heard anything indicating that he has come back. I know God's grace is there for both of us - but we each have to accept it....
I don't want to risk being too transparent in this venue - but I also know the reality of God redeeming what has happened in my life by His using it to help others, so I cannot walk past this passage without sharing some of my personal journey.
I know now that being single is not the worst thing that could have happened. Being married to the wrong person is far worse - because the loneliness that comes from being alone inside a marriage hurts more than any other loneliness ever could hurt.
Jesus calls some people to be single - but it is a calling. Some people are single by default - and long to be married - and I am praying for several people in that place in life right now - that God will miraculously bring the right 'other' to be their other half.
It makes such a difference reading these passages, knowing where Jesus was in his own life....every 'final word' is significant! He's counting down.
Humor for the day:
Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at Grandma's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. As soon as Johnny had something on his plate he started eating.
"Johnny, you must wait until we say a prayer!" His mother exclaimed.
"No, I don't have to," replied Johnny.
"Of course you do," his mother replied. "We always pray before we eat."
"That's at our house," Johnny explained, "But this is Grandma's house, and she knows how to cook."
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