I've been reading some of the accounts of what was happening in the Risen Lord's life, and noted that when I was commenting on important 'Forties' I failed to mention the 40 days between resurrection and ascension. What an amazing period of time for those who had been so totally devastated.
Our celebration of the Resurrection (Easter) was earlier last year. It was an amazing spiritual journey for me to walk through Jesus' journey to the cross last year, because once I was inspired to do that intentionally, I did a lot of study online and learned that in 2010 we were only 1 day off from the year Jesus was crucified (according to the calculations I found online), which made it an incredibly poignant journey to the cross. (In 33 A D, Jesus was crucified on Nisan 15, which is April 3 in present time for that year.)
Then because there was so much I didn't get to address in that journey, I wrote 'backtracking' blogs until I got through all of the things I wanted to address. I was just reading some of those this morning - and I noted some little things I have learned since that writing. I state several times in last year's blogs that the Jewish day begins at 6 p m the night before. That's not quite accurate, from what I have learned since that writing. It begins at sundown. Because of their latitude, their time of sundown doesn't differ as much as ours does. But - after being in Israel again in February, I realized that I had stated that in error before.
It is a reminder to me that people - including me - can be absolutely honest and not tell the truth. Perspective is not truth. It is perspective, no matter how emphatically it is stated. I've observed that people can be absolutely passionate about their beliefs, and be wrong.
Sometimes I state what I know as fact - and find out later I am wrong, as well, in spite of trying to gather the information I need. At some point I have to decide whose information to believe. The bottom line when it comes to Spiritual Truth is that the Bible is the final word. It is our plumb line. God will never tell anyone anything new that does not line up with the Bible. It is the litmus test.
If people are going to stake eternity on their beliefs, they'd better be certain that they know beyond a shadow of a doubt. Any religion that teaches that we cannot know for sure, or that teaches that we have to 'do' something to make ourselves acceptable to God, is founded in 'wrong teaching' and is part of the broad road that leads to destruction.
Jesus came that we might have life - and have it to the full. Abundant LIFE throughout eternity. It cost Him everything to make that offer. His gift to us is free - but it costs us everything to accept it. Mark 8:35 says, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it."
As the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
And in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Those verses are good reminders for me. I keep trying to live my own life - but it is not mine. It is the Lord's....
Just a little bunny trail.... The other day I said I would have loved to know what they sang that last night. The prescribed Psalms (songs) for that Passover Supper were Psalms 115-118, and the Great Hallel, Psalm 136. I retrieved that information in reviewing my blog posts backtracking to Good Friday last year....
So - we can be fairly confident of what they sang last:
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea[a] asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
24 and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
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