HE IS RISEN!

This post was originally generated in 2010 when I wrote my very first Lent blog.  At this point I have coalesced those 2010 blog entries with some other writing and am doing the final edits on them as a book titled, Lead Me to the Cross.  But I wanted to re-share this part today in celebration of Resurrection. 

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Readings for today:

Matthew 28

Mark 16:1-8

Luke 24:1-49

Resurrection Day (Easter) is the most important day in Christianity. We wouldn’t be Christians without Easter. Anyone can die, but only God can raise himself from the dead! It is beyond belief, unfathomable. It is no wonder Yeshua’s followers didn’t get it, didn’t hear what he had repeatedly told them. Who would? 

I loved putting together puzzles as a kid, and even well into adulthood – just haven’t done one for a while – but these passages provide us a puzzle worthy of challenge. It is a perfect example of who said what, and who’s testimony for precision is most credible. It’s also a model of what is most important to mention in one’s view is not equally important in another’s. But the main message is there and is undeniable. The tomb was empty. Jesus did the impossible. He rose from the dead! He appeared to the women and most of his disciples; Thomas was the only one who wasn’t there. 

Jesus was risen indeed!

I love Easter morning when we joyously proclaim, “He is risen!” and the resounding response of, “He is risen indeed!” 

MAJESTY

by Lola Cain

“A King who ruled in majesty”

That’s what people wanted him to be!

No crown of thorns or whip of shame

No cross on which to bear our blame

No nails, no spear, no agony

No death upon a criminal’s tree

No burial in a borrowed grave

No resurrection power to save!

Thank God for His eternal plan

for justifying fallen man

He came as atoning sacrifice

in sending His Son to pay the price

Coming incarnate to earth to die

He redeemed His created from Satan’s lie

Thank you, Sacrificial Lamb, 

For overriding the will of man!

The veil was rent! God’s plan complete!

We now can worship at his feet!

We enter his presence unafraid 

by the blood that Jesus shed to save!

Thank the LORD, he rose again

victory over death to win

Thank Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

An anthem sung by heavenly hosts!

“He’s risen,” we shout. “HE’S RISEN INDEED!”

The cornerstone of our Christian creed

And coming once, he’ll come again

His promised victory over sin

“It’s finished,” his final words on the cross

Our redemption sealed. Our salvation bought.

Now he reigns eternally

What both God and man wanted him to be: 

“A KING WHO RULES IN MAJESTY!”

Thank You, LORD! 

Love, 

Lola

Joseph of Arimathea was questioned about why he would be willing to give his prime location gravesite to a crucified, rejected man, and Joseph replied, “It won’t be a problem. He only needs it for the weekend.” 

                                                                        Author unknown

Journey to the Cross 2017, Day 36

Tuesday, Day 36:  The Final Week  

Countdown – 5 days

Reading for today:
Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
Matthew 21:20-22
Mark 11:20-26

Jesus final day of public teaching; teaching in the temple; authority challenged
Matthew 21:23-27; 21:28 - 23:39
Mark 11:27-33; 12:1-44
Luke 20:1-8; 20:9-21:4

Olivet Discourse
Matthew 24, 25
Luke 21:5-36

Jesus’ final message on this specific Tuesday
Matthew 25:31-46

Today is Tuesday, Nisan 12.  Nisan 12 was on March 31 in 2010, and is today – April 11 – in 2017.  I like paying attention to equivalent time. 

I discussed Jesus’ teaching given on the Mt of Olives earlier – but this is actually when it occurred. There was just too much to cover on this one day – and even so, I am overwhelmed with all He covered in his final communication to the then-adoring masses and the increasingly-angry spiritual leaders of His fellow Jewish people.

“If you believe you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer . . .” yet we are also taught that is contingent on praying in God’s will, getting our direction first from Him – then praying in faith with the conviction of assurance of what He desires.

Mark 11:25 adds something Matthew does not – telling us that when we stand praying, if we hold anything against anyone, forgive – so that our Father in heaven may forgive us our sins.... Verse 26 is a footnote instead of being in the text of the NIV – and it states, ...if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your sins. It is a clear Biblical teaching – even included in the Lord’s Prayer...‘forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors’. I originally learned it as ‘forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us’ but I prefer the image of debtor. In either version of the prayer, the point is obvious. Want forgiveness? Grant forgiveness. And the lesson is repeated here with the same terms.

At this point in the journey toward the cross – and Resurrection – I am extremely grateful that I covered some of this territory in earlier blogs. At this juncture the masses are clueless about what will occur in just 3 days – as are the disciples. Jesus warned them well in advance – repeatedly – but their ears have heard the adulation of the crowds and that adulation crowds out any concerns that may try to surface. Still, with the focus of the Passover feast, they have committed time to be with Jesus, and he leaves them with repeated messages that will replay over and over in days soon to come...too soon....

Jesus is walking toward the cross and our salvation with singular purpose and focused intention. But all the while what impresses me so completely is that He keeps on keeping on – just as He compels and encourages us to do.

On Tuesday He taught in the temple...and later His time of instruction was on the Mount of Olives with just 4 of his disciples.

He silenced the religious leaders for the moment by asking them a question about John the Baptist in response to their question about his authority. It was a good tactic. I know that I don’t have to enter every debate or attend every argument I am invited to – that there is a difference between responding to sincere searching versus defiant defenses – one being constructive, and one not. Jesus had already made His claims clear. Their hearts were not receptive and He knew it. In fact, their only purpose in asking the question was to add one more arrow to their quiver with which to pierce Him. They were out for blood.

In yesterday’s reading Jesus cursed a fig tree. Today he uses it as an object lesson for receiving answers to our prayers. I need time to grapple with this – to pray over it, and see what the Holy Spirit might reveal....  It wasn’t even the season for figs, yet He cursed the tree for not having any....

................

Postscript for 2017:

Seven years after first writing this, I still do not have an answer for why he would curse a tree for not having figs when it wasn't in season....  But I do know that we will be held accountable for the gifts – the fruit if you will –  that he gives us.  Just as God did with Moses he asks all of us “What is that in your hand?” 

Postscript on April 12 – the day after I wrote the prior postscript:

Oh my goodness!  I was just granted the insight to understand this thanks to the Holy Spirit’s revelation in response to my query. (Thank you, Lord!)

Jesus, as Creator, knew the trees – just as he knows us – and he would have known that this particular tree didn’t produce any figs in the prior season.  He cursed the tree for not producing any fruit – and it hadn’t been! 

I am reminded that sometimes there are those who profess to be Christians but who aren’t producing any fruit.

That is the proof for Christian faith.  And if the tree is not producing – or in our case, the vine, then it is pruned…. 

Lord, help me be fruitful!

The Journey to the Cross 2017, Day 5

If it looks like we skipped a day by not numbering yesterday, this is a reminder that the Sundays leading up to Resurrection Sunday do not count in the 40-day countdown of Lent.

Monday, Day 5: Matthew 5                            

There is so much in Matthew Chapter 5.  ‘Do not resist an evil person’ leaps out to me – as does ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’  The reality is I do pray for those who misrepresent, malign and misunderstand me – but I am not truly persecuted, though sometimes I feel like it.  Sunday’s message at church talked  about the persecuted church – the truly persecuted – and in the light of that comparison, this is hard teaching . . . . Our Christian faith teaches forgiveness. Letting stuff go.

This chapter includes the Beatitudes, and a healthy ‘be’ attitude is the best kind . . . . We cannot always affect our circumstances, but we can affect our attitude.

Lord, when I need an attitude adjustment, nudge me to praise. You inhabit the praises of your people.

Chapter 5 ends with an impossible directive: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” I know I can’t actually do it - but by His grace, I can press toward the mark – and I’ll get a lot further intentionally pressing forward than I will if I don’t try.

Lord, help me be an intentional Christian today. I’m so grateful you impute righteousness to us, and that you see us through the filter of your Son!

Humor for today:
A young woman who was having no luck finding employment through all of the normal avenues decided to go door-to-door in a posh neighborhood and seek odd jobs. She bravely walked up to the door of the first home, knocked and asked the man who answered the door if there were any chores she could do to earn money.

The man replied, “Can you paint?”

“I sure can.” She replied confidently.

“Well, then, you can paint my porch if we can agree on a price.”

“How about $50 dollars,” she replied, “Is that O K?”

“That’ll be just fine. You’ll find the paint in the garage.”

He, of course, was ecstatic. He had been avoiding the project for a long time, and was getting tired of his wife bugging him about it. Now he had this drop dead gorgeous blond willing to do it for a mere $50.! He closed the door, feeling quite smug.

About an hour later, there was another knock on the door. It was the blond. “I’m all done,” she reported, “I had lots of paint so I gave it two coats - and, by the way,” she continued, “It’s a Ferrari, not a porch.”

HEAD’S UP:
We are frequently warned about scams.  

I received a call from a young man claiming to be my grandson. I asked him for his name, and he said scoldingly, “Grandma, you know my name . . . .” I said, “Well, I still want to know your name.” And he hung up. The reality is, I was forewarned about that one. I know someone who fell victim to it a year earlier. The young man who called her said, “Hi Grandma” and she responded with “Brian, is that you?” Then he had her hooked . . . .told her his tall tale of trouble, and that he was going to be jailed in Canada if he didn’t pay the fine immediately . . . and she went straight to Western Union and sent the requested money - - a couple thousand dollars, as I recall . . . . She truly thought she was helping her grandson.

Another scam happened to my Cambodian friends who helped someone because the person claimed to be a Christian – but the reality is there was a hefty pay-off for helping that was promised.  All they had to do was give the person the money needed up front, and as soon as the immediate problem was resolved, they were to be handsomely rewarded.  BEWARE!  Anything too good to be true is! (Except Salvation through Jesus Christ).   They lost their money and a nice Rolex watch in the process of trying to help. 

Just this morning I got an email telling me I had won a brand new BMW.  I get email scams fairly often.  Some even seem legit  – but I check them out . . . . I got an e-mail once that said my account at a certain bank had been compromised and they needed me to fill out the online form to get it cleared up. I went straight to the bank, and they were already aware of the scam . . . an effort to get my I D.

Another one that is fairly recent is calling people acting like they are the Court system  – telling you that you are going to be arrested for failing to show up for your jury duty . . .  and in the process of your being flustered they get your personal info from you and steal your identity, drain your accounts and leave you wondering how it happened.

We are told we are to be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves . . . .hopefully a word to the wise is sufficient.