DAY 30: 13 days to E-day

THIRTEEN DAYS TO EASTER!

Reading for today:
Matthew 24:3 - 25:46
The Olivet Discourse from Matthew

I cannot adequately express the difference it has made reading the record of Jesus' final weeks on earth through the filter of walking toward his crucifixion and impending death. When I was initially inspired to create a 40-day spiritual journey with that focus, I didn't realize how deeply it would impact me. In fact, that is why I had to change the ultimate focus to Easter and resurrection. The weight without the 'but there is more' was just too heavy. I needed hope dangled beyond the grave.

Jesus has taught many times - both to the disciples and to the masses, but in his final days in this teaching time on the Mt of Olives, it is the disciples who come to him privately and ask about his prophecy of the temple being destroyed. That question precipitates his 'teaching moment' and, as they sit around him on the mountainside, he tells them many things that are to come.

He forewarns them that many will come claiming to be Messiah - and not to be deceived.

A good warning. Many have been deceived. When I was on the trip to Israel, we went into Jordan to see the ancient city of Petra, and as the bus entered one city on our route, there was a very large sign that said, 'THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH. MOHAMMED IS HIS MESSENGER.' All who follow Allah and believe Mohammed have been deceived. It breaks my heart, because it comes close to me in people I love. Theirs is not the only false religion. They are not the only ones who have been deceived. Jesus warning on the Mt of Olives was +-1977 years ago - - long before the claims of Mohammed and many others who have followed. There were false Gods in Old Testament days as well. Satan provides lots of other diversions to try to keep people from accepting the One True GOD. They are all deceptions. My dilemma is in finding a way to dispel the darkness. Lead me, God, through the power of Your Holy Spirit. I love and do not want to offend - but I want eternal life with You for those I love! Peel away the layers and grant sight to the blind. Amen.

In this Matthew passage, Jesus talks both about the more imminent destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A D - and in a second layer, the end of the world - but he doesn't delineate specifically between them. It is in retrospect that we see the layers.

Matthew is the only one who records the story of the ten virgins - one of the examples given of the kingdom of heaven. Five wise. Five foolish. Five had the structure; the other five had both the structure and the truth to make the structure functional. It leaps out at me today that this reflects the church in its various distinctions as well as more definitively as individuals: those who only have the form, and those who are full of the 'oil' of the Holy Spirit. "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" comes quickly to mind. This recognition pierces me. I want to reflect His light! I want to make a difference to those lost in darkness - and sometimes that darkness is as close as the decency of a 'too comfortable' Christianity that denies Jesus his rightful place. I will mull this over throughout the day, I am sure!

Matthew is also the only one of the Gospels that tells us the story of the Sheep and the Goats in chapter 25:31-46.

At the end of time (which many believe is very soon) Yeshua, the Son of Man, will sit on his throne and all the nations will be gathered before him - but when he separates, it will not be by nations, but by individuals. There will be people of every nation who believe in Him, accept Him as Savior and are told, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

In Jesus story, the righteous who stood before Him ask, "When?"

'The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." I pay attention to the reality that he is referring to other believers in this passage: coming alongside believers who are hurting, hungry, disheartened, alone, homeless, ill, imprisoned.

I believe it is a logical segue to accept this as a challenge to take help and HOPE to others suffering from the same deficits...but help without HOPE is inadequate. When I help it is in Jesus' Name, and I need to be clear about that calling. I have not always offered HOPE with help.

Anyone who just wants to only believe in a warm, fuzzy God needs to read this Sermon on the Mount - the teaching to the disciples on the Mount of Olives so close to Jesus' death. Important final messages. The sheep will be separated from the goats - his analogy of those divided to go to eternal life - or eternal punishment. The reality of a heaven and a hell. We love to think of the former - and forget the latter is a reality. We cannot rest securely in our Salvation and disregard impending terror for all who don't believe. We have a story to tell - in our going we are to disciple, to share his story, to share our stories of His grace and redeeming love. May it be so.

Reality for today:

Just before the father of an 8-year-old boy was deployed, he sat his son down to break the news to him.

"Son," he said, looking him squarely in the eye man-to-man, "I'm going to be going away for a long time. I'm going to Iraq."

"Why?" his son asked, "Don't you know there's a war going on over there?"