Tag Archives: Bible Study

Fourth Sunday of Lent – I Thirst

Lent Devotions
Lent Week Three – for Catch up.
Week four started March 11, and Week five starts March 18. I’m so sorry for the delay – thank you for your patience with me as we prepare to move!

Fourth Sunday of Lent
I thirst


Music

Ho Everyone that thirsteth – Sheri Yohe
(I like the version that we used to sing, but, it’s not available!)

Scripture

John 19:28-30 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The Finished Work of Jesus
28 After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, He said, “I’m thirsty!” 29 A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop[a] and held it up to His mouth.

30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” Then bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Devotion

Jesus was giving up his life, for us.
Jesus was suffering intensely, for us.
Jesus was dying, for us.

And he says “I Thirst”

I have been meditating upon these words, and I have found a blog that explains very nicely what I’d like to present.
Adam Hamilton’s Blog “I thirst”: More here than meets the eye.”

One that I was looking for was to what prophecy did this refer? Quoting from Adam Hamilton’s blog:

At the surface, Jesus’ words, “I thirst,” John tells us, lead to the fulfillment of Scripture. What Scripture did Jesus fulfill by making this statement? Most scholars think it is Psalm 69:21b: “For my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” When he said he was thirsty and was offered wine vinegar, Jesus was pointing us back to this verse from Psalm 69. He was saying, “Look, what I’m doing now was written centuries ago. It is part of God’s plan that was set in place long before now.”

The others being his humanity – thirsting; His reference to the drinking his blood; his reference to HIMSELF drinking of the cup; and reference to the living water.

There is a comment on this blog that talks about some other symbolism in this event, written by anonymous. It gives some food for thought:

My friend, I’m sorry but I think you missed it. “as a sponge was dipped in wine vinegar, affixed to a stick and lifted up to Jesus.” That stick holds the key to the passage which John is talking about.
Numbers 19 is the laws for purification in which a Red Heifer (Jesus) is sacrificed outside the camp, then burned in a fire with cedar wood (the cross) scarlet yarn (the robe which was put on Jesus while they were mocking him) and hyssop (the very wood used to raise the wine to Jesus.) The ashes from that fire were mixed into water from a running water source (the hebrew for running water, moving water, and Living Water is the same). It was that water which was used to purify the parts of the tabernacle worship as well as to purify the people who were unclean from touching a dead thing, they would be washed on the third day and on the seventh day then at the beginning of the eighth or new day they would be clean and allowed back in the camp. This is all a picture of how Jesus sacrifice on the cross is for our purification.
When John says that Jesus was fulfilling Scripture it wasn’t a fulfillment of prophecy, an emphasis on His humanity, an expression of finishing his suffering, or that the Living Water had dried up, but it was actually a fulfillment of the Law.
“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

Even with this comment, I believe that Adam does a wonderful job of speaking to those concepts of this very passage, therefore, I’m going to speak to OUR thirst!

Isaiah 55:1-3 King James Version (KJV)
55 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, he talks about a different kind of water…one that would never leave you thirsting again.
There is talk in the Bible about fresh water and that from cisterns – and that some will choose cistern water over fresh.
When Jesus talks to the disciples, He warns them of false sheep – lions that seek to devour…to test the spirits.
There is TRUE water, and there is FALSE water.

What are we to thirst after?
First – WHY???
BECAUSE water is so vital to our life.
USGS says that our bodies are approximately 60% water.
A medical article says that the body us up to 75% water, and talks about the symptoms of dehydration.

Years ago, I was struggling with my own issues with dehydration.
My electrolytes would get out of whack, and I could not function.
I was missing the signs of dehydration – I was so far PAST thirst.

Dehydration is deadly – both physically, and spiritually. I compared the two!

We are to remember Jesus’s sacrifice by eating his flesh(bread) and drinking his blood (wine) – we are to remember, so that we continue to desire HIM.

Then WHAT are we to thirst after?
We are given a promise, if we thirst after righteousness:

Matthew 5:6 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
6 Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed,
for they will be filled.

When Jesus speaks, even in a very seemingly simple phrase such as “I Thirst” – there is so much to be gathered from him. It was said of Elijah that not one word of his ever fell to the ground wasted. How much MORE the words of Jesus.

He was broken and spilled out for us…and as he was breathing his last words, he gave us a reminder…a proof text…and a promise…in one simple phrase – ‘I thirst’.

Broken and Spilled Out – Steve Green

Are we willing to be broken and spilled out?

Do we thirst to be filled with the living water by turning away from the worldly cisterns?

Do we remember daily the price with which we were purchased?

Prayer and Worship
Come to the Water – Matt Maher
Come to the Water – Paul Baloche
All Who are thirsty – Vineyard

 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Lent Week Five – upper room talks, and then the Garden (TBD 2024)

What is LENT? (a link to all of the LENT devotions)
Wikipedia has a very complete explanation for many of the Christian denominations that observe LENT.
Short and simple, it’s making oneself prepared through humility to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the Christian equivalent to Passover for the Jews.
We’ve created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join us! – 40 days of Lent!

Lent Week Five – Upper Room Talks, and then the Garden

TBD – by Lent 2024
23 – (3/20) Spirit of Truth – John 16:5-16
24 – (3/21) Sorrow to joy – John 16:17-33 smiley face sad face flipper
?? – Upper Room – Advice – to Simon, to all Lk 31-38; John 16, maybe John 16:1-4
25 – (3/22) Jesus’ prayer for Himself – John 17:1-5
26 – (3/23) Jesus’ prayer for disciples John 17:6-19
27 – (3/24) Jesus’ prayer for believers John 17:20-26
28 – (3/25) Gethsemane – Lk 22:39-46; Mt 26:36 – John 18:1

(3-26) 4th SUNDAY WORSHIP – REMEMBER THE RESURRECTION “it is finished” guest post

Lenten Cross Instructions
Our Lenten cross in progress.

I want these to be family activities, therefore, I’m going to list a few free coloring page websites here:

 

~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Older woman with shades of coral in jewelry and sweater, glasses, silver and brown hair.

M. Christine Wildman

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 Lent Day Seventeen – 3-5 – Many Mansions

Lent Devotions
Lent Week Three – for Catch up.
Week four started March 5,
and Week five starts March 11.
I’m so sorry for the delay – thank you for your patience with me as we prepare to move!

Lent Day Seventeen
In My Father’s House are many rooms
(some photos are from my trip to Germany, some from purchased photo sources.)

Music
I’ve got a mansion just over the hill top – Gaither & Jeanne Johnson
In my Father’s House – Elvis

Scripture

John 14:1-4 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Devotion
In my house there are many mansions

Continuing the Discussion in the upper room
The disciples were not really thrilled that Jesus was talking about leaving them. He had promised to send a comforter. They didn’t understand. We’ll talk about the comforter on another day. One of the things he says is that where he goes they cannot go, they cannot follow him and that he goes to prepare a place for us. He’ll come back and bring us home.

When he talks to the thief on the cross, he says today you will be with me in Paradise. So we can take from that that where Jesus is going is Paradise. He’s going there because his work here on Earth is done, yet He lets us know that he is going there to prepare a place for us.

Keith Green sings the song that talks about Jesus preparing a place for us and he’s been working on it for two thousand years.
I can’t wait to get to Heaven – Keith Green

What kind of place would you prepare for someone that you loved enough to die for and were looking forward to have come and live with you?

My story

In my married life, we have had houses that we have owned several times. One of the things that my husband has made sure of in every place was that he planted flowers. He planted flower gardens specifically so that I would have flowers as often as flowers would grow wherever we were living. One place I remember was the first time I had had gladiolas and they grew so tall and so pretty against the front porch. We’ve had irises and lilies and crocuses and snowdrops and tulips and daffodils and roses and so many other plants that every time I looked at them, I was touched my the love of my husband who had bought them and had prepared them for me.

Currently, our daughter and son-in-law have found a house for us that has part of the property that is right up against their property. Prior to this they had specified a room in their house specifically for me to come and be able to stay and visit without having to pay for a hotel room. It is so precious to my heart that they prepared a place for me in their new home. The next plan was that we would build a small little home for me and my husband to live on in their property, or remodel one of the outbuildings or something. The were preparing to have a home for me in case anything happened and I needed to move close to them, and so that I could be part of their life without having to stay in a hotel.

Just recently, this nearby house came on the market, and our son-in-law found it and suggested that we consider it. I actually believe that if they could do all the work to get the house prepared and ready and such like, they would. They have three small boys. Those three small boys are an extra perk for living close by as well! My point is, they have been looking for a place for me in case anything ever happened to my husband, so that they would take care of me and that I would not have to be concerned about living so far away. They have also been preparing a place for me because they want me to love close, to be close!


I have friends who have recently had houses built for themselves and the excitement of getting the house made just for themselves is palpable.

I’ve had friends move into rustic cabins in the woods that has been a dream home for them for years and their excitement of that was palpable.

I have fixed up rooms as guest rooms in the excitement of someone coming to stay with me and visit and I want the place to be special, comfortable, and warm for the person to visit.

How much more so, does Jesus love us and want to prepare a place for us?

Have you ever seen a palace? Really seen one up close, not just in a photograph? Have you gone to somewhere and some large city and walked toward some Grand Mansion thing with all of the intricate Woodwork and tile work and glass work? These were made by people for people that were very, very special.

 

The Taj mahal was built for a wife who died in childbirth…https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

There are many examples…https://weburbanist.com/2010/02/10/architectural-love-story-10-castles-built-for-love/

Not of these are free of damaged, sadness, or trauma. They also fulfill the law of thermal Dynamics… All things tend towards disorder… Without constant up keep, the dissolve. Not very heavenly!

When you look at the description of the parts of the Tabernacle you see the elaborate detail that God required for his Tabernacle as made by human hands. When you read about the temples and all that was put into them again for God but made by human hands, exquisite! Still exposed to the 2nd law of thermal Dynamics!

Jesus has gone to heaven, to prepare a place for us, with his intimate knowing of our personality, our joys, and our desires. My husband just shared with me a thing from Billy Graham that said “if my happiness in heaven depends upon having my special dog there, God will make sure my dog is there.” If our joy is made full by being in the presence of God, then we have to believe that the place that Jesus is preparing for us will be a place that provides Utmost Joy completely separate from all the sorrows here on Earth.

This castle in Germany was ostentatious…I could not get all of it in one photo!  The description of Heaven has the streets paved with gold. The doors into the New Jerusalem the gates are actual slabs of precious gems. And… It’s eternal!

There is a verse that says no eye has seen nor ear heard nor can we comprehend the riches that God has for us.

1 Corinthians 2:9 King James Version (KJV)
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

And that doesn’t mean that we’re going to have piles of gold and piles of silver and such because it won’t mean anything. It will have no value because we will not need to buy and sell. Or, there value is so diminished in light of all the Holy richness of God! What it means the riches of God is our joy, peace, love, grace, and mercy against such there is no law(Galatians 5)! Whatever it takes to fill our hearts exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask or think(Ephesians 3:20-21), that is what our place will have and be.

Then again, we have Psalm 23 makes me lie down in Green Pastures and beside the Still Waters and he restores my soul. If our hearts are full of Jesus now, how much more being in his presence will fill us overflowing.

I don’t know what the place is, and I know that there are versions, some that say rooms. Some say mansions and some say a place. I don’t know.

What I do know is he has gone to prepare a place for us that we will dwell eternally in his presence in the presence of God in the fullness of joy and love that we cannot even comprehend. Will it be like the garden before Adam and Eve sinned? I don’t know! I know the tree of life will be there! I know that there will be living water there! And I know that everyone who has ever love God and believed on Jesus even before they knew his name, will be there I know that there are people that have gone on before me that I rejoice in there death in Christ because I know that I will see them again for eternity. I know that people I know down here when I move from one place to another that even if I never see them again on the face of this Earth, I will send I will spend eternity with them in the presence of God.

Sometimes I’m so full of love for Jesus and exuberant In Worship that I think all I need is a space right before the father to spend eternity singing his praises and Thanksgiving for all that he has done for me. If there is more than that, praise God. If that is all there is, that is all I need.

For some reason, Jesus told the disciples that he was going to a prepare a place for them, and that was part of his comfort to them as he was going to head off to the cross. Knowing that there is a place for us as our comfort when someone passes away. For those who have terminal illnesses that God has not chosen to heal, that is our comfort. As Billy Graham said we’re just changing our address.

HOME – Chris Tomlin

Do you know if Jesus is preparing a place for you?

If you don’t know, please go to these two links and make your eternal future secure.
Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation

Worship and Prayer
This world is not my home – Gaither
In My Father’s House – Mick Flavin

~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Older woman with shades of coral in jewelry and sweater, glasses, silver and brown hair.

M. Christine Wildman

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Third Sunday of Lent – Why hast thou forsaken me?

Lent Devotions

Lent Week Three just passed.
Lent Week Four is coming up.

We have created a facebook group in which to follow and discuss, please join! – 40 days of Lent!

If you are doing the Lenten Cross – light all but two. I am starting from the bottom, it seems symbolic to me. Here’s a photo of my cross:

third Sunday of Lent

Music
At Calvary – Casting Crowns
Didn’t He – Randy Matthews

Scripture

Matthew 27:45-48 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The Death of Jesus
45 From noon until three in the afternoon[a] darkness came over the whole land.[b] 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá[c] sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken[d] Me?”[e]

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah!”

Mark 15:33-36 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The Death of Jesus
33 When it was noon,[a] darkness came over the whole land[b] until three in the afternoon.[c] 34 And at three[d] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá[e] sabachtháni?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”[f]

35 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “Look, He’s calling for Elijah!” 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, offered Him a drink, and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down!”

Psalm 22

Devotion
Have you ever felt like you were so bad that God turned his back on you? I have!

Have you ever felt like God just wasn’t listening? I have!

Have you ever heard the scripture verse about the heavens are brass?
Check out all the variations of Deuteronomy 28:23 – talking about God will not hear the prayers of the people!

When I am in times of depression, distress, despair, my mind does not work correctly. I have cognitive disorders and distortions from the various mental illnesses. I have struggled with fear of abandonment! Fear of betrayal! And fear of being left behind! I also can imagine all sorts of unforgivable sins I’ve committed…though theologically, they are NOT the unforgivable sin!

Jesus saying these words strikes me to my heart. Jim is going to talk about the theological aspects of this but just on the surface to think that Christ would feel forsaken by his father hurts my heart. The fact that Christ is one third of the whole Godhead, boggles my mind! How does one part forsake another part?

I’m going to talk about the feeling of being forsaken.

I will never leave you nor forsake you!

Hebrews 13:5 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
5 Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

I Will
This is a promise, that is so dear to my heart.

Never! That is an eternal word! Never ever will he leave us.

Leave!
I’ve talked a lot about how sin separated us from God and from fellowship with God.
I’ve talked a lot about Christ dying on the cross specifically to give us a way back to fellowship.

From Come Back to Jesus
Jesus talks about us being in the palm of God’s hands and no man can take us out.
In Lent day 16, Jim gave us some links about Calvin’s teaching on the security of the Saints. If we are in the palm of God’s hand, and no one can take us out of that Palm, then we are always always with God.

I admit, there are times it does not feel like it. To Me.

Nor!
That’s a contraction that specifies negatives. Which makes it say I will never leave you oh, I will never forsake you. Never no never! Pretty definite!

Forsake!
Forsake has so many connotations in my mind.
It’s not just leaving, it’s betraying a trust!
It’s breaking a promise!
It’s not just leaving, it is leaving someone high and dry!
Interesting that Jesus asks us to forsake the things of this world to turn towards him.
That connotation of forsake talks about making sure that those things are no longer in our heart, and that Jesus is more important.
So if we go back to Jesus saying he will not forsake us there is nothing that is more important to him than us.

My God…why hast thou forsaken me?
I know that this is the first line of Psalm 22.
Psalm 22 is a cry of someone who believes that they have been forsaken by God! David has written out his heart cry!

  • It turns from despair that God is not listening
  • to remembering the promises and times that he did in past and
  • declaring that he will in the future.

I’m not really sure of the timing of this song. I don’t have it in the notes that I have here. There are so many times that David was in trouble and was crying out to God and was praying for deliverance! Therefore, Pick a time!

Back to Hebrews 13:5:
With me.
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23
I am a little dense sometimes, but I just realized that Psalm 23 comes after Psalm 22. I’m not sure of the order in which they were written, but I believe that there is a purpose for this order!

The Valley of the shadow of death is a dark place. It doesn’t say that God will take us out of the Valley of the shadow of death, but that he would be with us and walk with us. With the rod and the staff, He will guide us and keep us safe, like a Shepherd does his sheep as they go from one place to the other. It might be a dangerous place that they have to get through to go from one good feeding place to another. The Shepherd keeps a watch on the sheep, and does all, including laying down his life, to protect the sheep.

John 14:23 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
23 Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Luke 23:43 New International Version (NIV)
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

In the garden, Adam and Eve walked with God. The break, the leaving, is what we cause when we sinned.
Genesis 3

Enoch walked with God and was no more because God caught him up in the clouds. Enoch walked so closely with God, that he didn’t even have to die!

Genesis 5:24 King James Version (KJV)
24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

The key here that I want to point out is that God the son has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
When David cried out “my God my God why has thou forsaken me,” God had not forsaken him. He just felt like it because he couldn’t see what God could see.

I have an inkling that that is exactly what Jesus was stating that, not so much that he was stating that God had forsaken him, but the fullness of Psalm 22. Where David was saying why did you forsake me and he goes on with the rest of the psalm and basically says God never forsakes us and God keeps his promises and God.

As we know the end of the story is that Jesus went to deliver the captives, He rose from the dead and talked to all the folks that were there. If you look at one of the gospels it says that hundreds came to life when Jesus rose from the dead, and were walking around and people saw them. Then Jesus ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father. God kept his promise. But in the mortal, finite mind, when darkness fell and Jesus’s body died it looked as though all hope was lost.

Here’s a twist. As Jesus was talking to the disciples and he let them know that he was leaving but that he would send a comforter, which was his way of saying I’m not going to leave you alone. This is just part of the Triune God, that Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the price for our sin, so that the Holy Spirit could come and dwell our hearts. We HAD TO BE MADE NEW SO THE HOLY SPIRIT COULD INDWELL US! and help us to take control of our minds and emotions and spirits.

The disciples had walked with God as in Walking With Jesus for 3 years. Now he tells them he’s going to die. Then he tells him that he’s going to leave, and they’re freaking out.

We have to remember that the Jews were very anti polytheism, therefore they didn’t really know that God was Triune. Jesus came and said that he and the father were one and the Holy Spirit came down like a dove as He,  the son, was being baptized and the Father’s voice says “this is my son” proving that there are three Personalities in the Godhead. This is rather disconcerting to these Jewish men. He’s going to send a comforter, and it’s supposed to be as good as having Jesus? They had no idea what was going on.  Of course they had seen Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, but if Jesus Is Dead who’s going to raise Jesus from the dead?. That is a very good question and they didn’t have an answer.

So the big theological question is if God is Triune and God the Father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit are all one, how does God the Father turn his back on God the son?

~~~~ Jim’s thoughts ~~~~

My thoughts on Christ’s cry of forsakenness.

I love what Matthew Henry points out that it was a “loud cry”, not a whimper.  He did not die gradually, but suddenly.

For all of Christ’s utterances on the cross, I like to keep in mind the point of Him being there.  To be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. We know that the sacrifices in the OT were a type (or pointed to) the cross. Whatever is true of them is true of Christ’s sacrifice as well.  Nothing that Christ said on the cross or that was done to Him can make His sacrifice violate the pattern; it has to fit the type.

  1. The sacrifice was chosen
    1. Ex 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
    2. Math 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
  2. The sacrifice was perfect and w/o blemish “a lamb w/o blemish”
    1. Ex 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
    2. John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
  3. The sacrifice had to be applied in the way specified in order to be effective
    1. Ex 12:7And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
    2. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
  4. Christ was our sacrifice (so He did what was necessary)
    1. Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.
    2. Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
    3. Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

It seems to me, that as Christ was fully God, it was impossible for Him to be killed in any normal sense; so His death (no matter what was done to His body) had to be a voluntary one.  

John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Everything Christ did, He did volitionally to fulfill the Father’s will and plan.

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

I have no idea to what extent the Father and the Son were separated at Christ’s death, just like I have no idea how the eternal God spent 9 months in Mary’s womb, then 2-3 years not being able to speak, and 12 years or so not being able to take care of Himself (as to earning a living, etc.) and 30 years not revealing Himself to anyone.

Just as we can not really understand the “how” of the Incarnation, I don’t think we can really understand the “how” of Christ’s death on the cross.  I like to think that His cry of forsakenness was the indication that He had fully suffered as a man, that He had reached the point (known only to God) that was necessary for Him to be our perfect sacrifice.  “It is finished”

John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

~~~~ end of Jim’s thoughts ~~~~

There are other thoughts in the commentaries that Bible Hub provides for Matthew 27:46

 

One of the things that is said is that Jesus has experienced all that we have experienced.

Hebrews 4:15 New International Version (NIV)
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Until his death on the cross, he never felt like there is a possibility that God had forsaken him. Now as our high priest he knows what that feels like even though he knew what God was going to do.

The one thing that I can absolutely State without any doubt is that God keeps his promises.
He promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
Who chose to sin and separate themselves from God?
First it was Lucifer,
then it was Adam and Eve,
and then you can go on down the line until we are the ones that chose to separate ourselves.

God has given us two great works to show his presence and to draw us to him.
One being creation that screams of a Creator,
and the other being the Bible that tells how to be reunited with the Creator.

So the choice now is are you going to forsake God or not?

Worship and prayer
At Calvary – Mercy Me
Your Grace Finds me – Matt Redmon

If you are not sure if you have ever made the choice FOR God…not FORsaking God…Here are some links to help:
Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation

 

~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Jim and Christi Wildman November 2020

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 Lent Day Sixteen – 3/3 Dear Peter

Lent Devotions
Lent Week Two for catch up.
Lent Week Three – this week.

We have created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join! – 40 days of Lent!

Lent Day Sixteen
Peter Warned and falls.

Music
Peter walked on water!
Save me – Peter’s Song – Ian Calk

Matthew 26:31-35 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Peter’s Denial Predicted
31 Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away[a] because of Me, for it is written:

I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.[b]

32 But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

33 Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away!”

34 “I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!”

35 “Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You!” And all the disciples said the same thing.

Matthew 26:69-75 Denial

Mark 14:27-31 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Peter’s Denial Predicted
27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will run away,[a][b] because it is written:

I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.[c]

28 But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

29 Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away, I will certainly not!”

30 “I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times!”

31 But he kept insisting, “If I have to die with You, I will never deny You!” And they all said the same thing.

Mark 14:66-72 denial

Luke 22:31-34 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Peter’s Denial Predicted
31 “Simon, Simon,[a] look out! Satan has asked to sift you[b] like wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you[c] that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

33 “Lord,” he told Him, “I’m ready to go with You both to prison and to death!”

34 “I tell you, Peter,” He said, “the rooster will not crow today until[d] you deny three times that you know Me!”

Luke 22:54-62 Denial

John 13:36-38 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Peter’s Denials Predicted
36 “Lord,” Simon Peter said to Him, “where are You going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”

37 “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You!”

38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? I assure you: A rooster will not crow until you have denied Me three times.

John 18:15-18 and John 18:25-27

Devotion
Peter’s loyalty tested

I love Peter! I see myself in some of Peter, and there are parts of Peter that I wish I saw in myself. I see myself in Peter in the ways that his mouth opens up and says things before he really thinks it through! I wish that I saw in myself the courage to step out of the boat by just asking Jesus “call me” and I will come walk to you on the water. Peter was willing to take up a sword to fight for Jesus.
Peter was willing to argue with Jesus about whether or not he should died in Jerusalem and whether or not he should have his feet washed or his whole body washed. Now those aren’t necessarily things that I would like to have as part of my walk except that Peter had this courageous faith. Yes, sometimes he was off in his application, but he was wholeheartedly following the Lord. I think that pleased the Lord!

It’s easier to steer a ship that is moving, than one that is standing still!

With this background, when Jesus says that there’s someone here who will betrays him and whatever and Peter says
“no not me”,
it had to take him a back to be told
“oh Peter, before the cock crows twice you will have denied me thrice.

Jesus loved Peter so much, even though he was impetuous and kind of a wild kind of guy. when Jesus knew that the devil was asking to attack Peter so Jesus prayed specifically that the devil would not prevail against Peter.

Luke 22:31-32 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Peter’s Denial Predicted
31 “Simon, Simon,[a] look out! Satan has asked to sift you[b] like wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you[c] that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

  • Peter walked on water! Matthew 14:22-33
  • Peter declared Christ was the Son of God! Matthew 16:13-17
  • Peter was one of the chosen three, Peter, James and John, that went with Jesus to the Mount of transfigurarion. Matthew 17
  • Peter was the one Jesus went up to and specifically made a point of asking him to feed his sheep. John 21:15-17

He was warned!
I don’t know about you but sometimes I think if I’m told I’m going to mess up in the area, I’m going to do all I can to not mess up!. I am sure that Peter was preparing to not do anything that could set him up for denying him. Wouldn’t you? Peter had lifted a sword and cut off the ear of one that came to take Jesus away (Mt 26:51-54, lk 22:50;Mk 14:47; John 18:10-11)! Yet, when he was face to face with accusations, he crumbled.

In John 18, we hear that Peter got into the courtyard because John(who always referred to himself as “a disciple”) knew the high priest and was able to get Peter in, though he would stay in the courtyard. Apparently those guys from Nazareth had as unique of an accent as folks that we here in America recognize as from New York, Boston or let’s say those that come from Jamaica.

As far as I’m concerned all the southern types of accents have started rolling together for me, though many years ago, when I knew which cousins were from what state, I could differentiate between the southern states. Not anymore.

Peter didn’t keep his mouth shut, or at least when someone else said “hey I saw you with that man Jesus!” he said no not me. He was exposed because of his accent. On the other hand, if you want to see this a different way, this was Passover. Everybody from Israel, every Jew that could make it, was in Jerusalem for Passover. He could have hidden amongst all the visitors! He just denied it.

“No, not me!”
Cockadoodledoo

Then another denial.

And another, which is stated he started to curse, which is the third

Cockadoodledoo

I’m just combining the different gospels….

As it would happen, Peter looked up and saw Jesus being marched off and Jesus looked into his eyes and their eyes met. Peter realized what had happened. Luke 22:61. All of the gospels says he went off and wept bitterly.

How does this relate when you look at Judas?

Judas was certain that Jesus was on the wrong path, and he turned him over to the high priest.

I don’t think Peter was questioning Jesus’s path, but he was finding out that he wasn’t so quick to want to die for Jesus.

Judas was willing to take money to turn Jesus over. It doesn’t say that they were going to kill him, but that they were going to take Jesus into custody.

Peter was not willing to put his life on the line and pay the cost to be associated with Jesus.

When both men realized what they had done, they went into deep despair.
Peter went back to fishing, figuring he was unworthy to serve the Lord. He may have not known anything else to do, because his whole plan was to walk with Jesus and now Jesus was dead. “Now what do we do?” He did what he needed to do, he went back to fishing.
Judas tried to get rid of the “blood” money he had gotten for turning Jesus in, and the Pharisees basically said “it’s not our problem that’s your problem”. Judas took his own life.

I have to wonder, like I said in the blog about Judas,
did he miss the concept of forgiveness?
Did he miss the concept that there was going to be a price to be paid and that then there would be grace?
Did he miss that Jesus allowed him to participate even though Jesus knew that he was a thief?

Then I wonder, what did Peter know the Judas didn’t?
Did Peter have some basis of Faith like David in Psalm 22, Psalm 23, Psalm 51 and Psalm 55(to list a few) that somehow God was a loving God and fully intended to forgive?

When I get to the itty bitty bible study on 1st and 2nd Peter I’m going to be looking at what theme does Peter have, in order to see where his understanding about Jesus is.

Then again, his understanding changed dramatically when he and Jesus stood on the beach after Jesus rose again.
It also probably changed in the upper room, both when Jesus came to see them, and the wonderful story in Acts 2 and Peter preached the whole BIBLE!

I wonder what Peter learned from his experience with JESUS. When Peter stepped out of the boat in faith and walked on the water, and then he looked around at the storm and he took his eyes off Jesus, and said “Lord Jesus save me”, and Jesus reached out his hands and caught him. I wonder, did that impact Peters understanding that Jesus knows we’re going to mess up, and Jesus would forgive. This experience had to be enormously impactful to this fisherman!

There is only one way that we will know. That is when we stand before Jesus and we start celebrating with all the saints that have gone before us, and we can look at Peter and say “hey what’s up? What did you know the Judas didn’t?”

The next thing that I think of every time I talk about what I’m going to ask God about when I get to heaven is this; will I care?

So there’s a couple of points that I take from Peters confession of loyalty, denial, an ultimate forgiveness and call to walk in his calling.

1. Never be so arrogant as to assume that I cannot stumble and fall. Pride does go before a fall and a haughty spirit Before Destruction(Proverbs 16:18). There’s a reason this and other Bible verses exist! Humility! Christ was humble. Humility is one of the key character qualities God wants in our lives. 2nd Chronicles 7:14 says if my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and seek my face and turn from their Wicked Ways then I will hear them and then I will heal their land. There’s a few stops in that verse.

    1. MY People
    2. Humble themselves
    3. Seek my face
    4. Turn from their Wicked Ways

    How did Peter do?

    • Peter walked with Christ, and was counted as one of ‘them’.
    • Peter humbled himself, weeping bitterly in repentance.
    • When he heard that Jesus had risen from the dead he didn’t just seek him, he ran. as much as he could. to the Grave.
    • Then when Jesus confronted him, Peter turned from his Wicked Ways.
    • God healed his relationship with Jesus.


    2. Short accounts
    Of course I’m not going to hold anything against Peter for going off and going back to fishing or whatever, because, come on! Jesus was dead! Peter didn’t have 1st John to explain that he could go to Jesus for forgiveness.

    But we can recognize once we realize that we have sinned that we need to go to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. That’s in 1st John 1:9 – 2:3. The longer we wallow in despair over sin, the longer it takes for us to be forgiven.

    Peter’s letter talks about “if you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God he will lift you up in due time.”

    1 Peter 5:6-7 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
    6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time,[a] 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

    Then, there’s this verse:

    Proverbs 3:11-12 King James Version (KJV)
    11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
    12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

    It shows that chastisement confirms that we are his children, and we can rejoice because we know that we’re being taught a lesson! That goes with James!

    James 1:2-4 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
    Trials and Maturity
    2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,
    3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
    4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

    I believe that this is the key difference between Peter and Judas. I’m not sure Judas ever made the full transition into being adopted as a child of God. Whereas Peter knew something was going to happen, he just didn’t understand what. Also, this became part of Peter’s testimony and teachings!

    3. Another part of this test is be ready to be confronted and convicted. Here’s another difference between Peter and Judas.

    Peter was convicted,
    Judas was condemned.

    The Holy Spirit Will convict us of sin and that is our chastisement to teach us to turn away from sin.
    The enemy condemns us and that turns to self-destruction. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1!

    There is conviction,
    There is chastisement, and just like the 2 Chronicles 7:14 verse, the point is to cause us to turn away from sin so that God can heal our land.

    In James’s explanation of prayer for the sick it says “if any has committed any sins let him confess their sins and they will be healed.” Peter didn’t need to confess to Jesus, because he was looking eye-to-eye at Jesus just as the cock crowed. Jesus still confronted him “Peter do you love me? Then feed my sheep.”

    There are some teachings about which Greek word was used each time Jesus said Peter do you love me as in which word love whether it’s agape or whether it’s phileo. Thoughtco.com has a great explanation of the four types of love in the Bible.
    In John 21, Jesus asked do you agape love me and Peter said Lord you know I phileo love you. Jesus wanted Peter to say I agape love you, Yet Jesus gives up, and simply asks Peter the third time, do you phileo love me?

    Jesus would not allow Peter to wallow in his sin.
    Jesus would not allow Peter to be crippled by the sin.
    Jesus made sure in the time he had between his resurrection and his Ascension that he got Peter pointed on the right path.

    I have no idea how things may have been different for Judas if he understood a little bit more about mercy and Grace. Someone had to turn Jesus in I suppose, otherwise there wouldn’t have been the fulfilled prophecy about the 30 pieces of silver. I don’t know.

    I do know that
    I depend on the faithfulness of God’s love, Mercy, Grace, and forgiveness, as taught by Jesus Christ before he died on the cross for my sins.
    I depend on Jesus Christ as my Advocate with the father.
    I depend on Jesus Christ understanding what I’m going through so that he can help me and give me leading and give me guidance.
    I depend on the Holy Spirit dwelling Within Me to teach me and to guide me and to comfort me and to cause me to grow into the fullness of God.
    I depend on my father God to keep his promise the by my believing on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I am a new creation all things all old things are passed away and all things are created new and by leaning on God, I can become more and more like Jesus everyday.

    That is what I see from the life of Peter. He goes from the older fisherman, to a teacher, miracle worker, being sent forth by Jesus to an apostle that helps start the very Foundation of the Christian Movement. He also was part of the leadership the interactive with Paul.

    At the end of Peter’s life we’re told that not only did he give his life for Christ, but that he chose to be hung on a cross upside down. He said he was not worthy to be hung in the same manner as his Lord. He did have the opportunity to give the ultimate sacrifice for his Lord.

    I can’t imagine the gospel story without Peter.
    I am so thankful he said yes to follow Christ.
    I am so thankful that in the gospels we see him as such an exuberant follower. And
    I am so thankful that we have the story of his denial followed by the story of Christ specifically calling him to feed his sheep because we all in some way, big or small, everyday, deny Christ.

    All of us rise from some fantastic spiritual high and say “Yes Lord call me to walk on the water”.
    All of us have seen the storms we take our eyes off Christ and we start to sink and we need to cry out “Save Me Lord!” At least I think everyone.
    I know I do.
    And I am thankful that the apostles, the disciples, the leaders of the beginning of the Christian church, were not perfect. Looking at their lives gives me hope!

    My question to you is, again, are you at Judas or a Peter?

    Do you know about the forgiveness of sins for those who seek God and desire to be a child of God?

    Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
    Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation

    My other question, in light of Judas from the previous day of Lent, are you despairing?
    Do you feel that God has given up on you?

    For the third Sunday in Lent I’m talking about Jesus crying out “my God my God why has Thou forsaken me?” I suggest you read that and if you need more help with despair and depression that causes you to consider harming yourself, please go to my post about suicide, or call 1-800-273-TALK for help right now. Once you have taken your own life, there is no hope to be changed, healed, delivered, empowered, and set free. The time for that is before suicide.

    Prayer and Worship
    I have decided to Follow Jesus – Elevation Worship
    Give me Faith – Elevation Worship
    Give My Life to YOU/Our King has Come – Elevation Worship
    You make me Brave – Amanda Cook and Bethel Music
    No longer a Slave – Bethel Worship

  2. ~~~~~~~Hi!
    My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

    Thanks for joining me in this journey,
    In His hands and under His wings,
    ~Christi
    Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

    Older woman with shades of coral in jewelry and sweater, glasses, silver and brown hair.

    M. Christine Wildman

    “The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
    If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
    If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” –     from My Utmost for His highest

    Copyrights and Legal-eze
    There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Lent Week Four – Upper Room Talks – updated 2023

What is LENT? (a link to all of the LENT devotions)
Wikipedia has a very complete explanation for many of the christian denominations that observe LENT.
Short and simple, it’s making oneself prepared through humility to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the Christian equivalent to Passover for the Jews.
We’ve created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join us! – 40 days of Lent!

Lent Week Four – Upper Room Talks – Several New in 2023!

  • Lenten Cross Instructions
    Our Lenten cross in progress.

     

    I want these to be family activities, therefore, I’m going to list a few free coloring page websites here:

     

    ~~~~~~~

    Hi!
    My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

    Thanks for joining me in this journey,
    In His hands and under His wings,
    ~Christi
    Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

    Older woman with shades of coral in jewelry and sweater, glasses, silver and brown hair.

    M. Christine Wildman

    “The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
    If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
    If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” –     from My Utmost for His highest

    Copyrights and Legal-eze
    There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 Lent day Fifteen – 3/2 Betrayal

Lent Devotions
Lent Week Two for catch up.
Lent Week Three – next week.

We have created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join! – 40 days of Lent!

Lent Day Fifteen
Judas exposed

John 13:21-28 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Judas’s Betrayal Predicted
21 When Jesus had said this, He was troubled in His spirit and testified, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me!”

22 The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one He was speaking about. 23 One of His disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus.[a] 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was He was talking about. 25 So he leaned back against Jesus and asked Him, “Lord, who is it?”

26 Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” When He had dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.[b] 27 After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Therefore Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

28 None of those reclining at the table knew why He told him this.

Matthew 26:20-25 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
20 When evening came, He was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, He said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me.”

22 Deeply distressed, each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”

23 He replied, “The one who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl—he will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, His betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”

“You have said it,” He told him.

Mark 14:17-20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Betrayal at the Passover
17 When evening came, He arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me!”

19 They began to be distressed and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?”

20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping bread with Me in the bowl.

Crosswalk provides a nice discussion on the deeper meaning of the thirty coins.

I shared in Lent day Nine that I felt that Judas may not have realized that the enemy had entered him.

There is a progression.

  • he gets upset about the woman using the anointing oil, rather than selling it. Matthew 26
  • John says it’s because he’s a thief and concerned about money. John 12
  • He goes to the leaders – asks how much will you give me? Matthew 26
  • HE CONTINUES TO WALK WITH JESUS! is he decieved?
  • HE PARTICIPATES IN THE LORD’S SUPPER – THE BREAD AND THE CUP – THE FOOT WASHING. does he know?
  • Jesus confronts him, politely, discretely, but Judas KNOWS that Jesus KNOWS! the above Scriptures
  • and he betrays Jesus with kiss.
  • In his distress and dispair Judas hangs himself – Matthew 27:3-10

Matthew 27:3-10 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. 4 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.

“What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!”

5 So he threw the silver into the sanctuary and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.

6 The chief priests took the silver and said, “It’s not lawful to put it into the temple treasury,[a] since it is blood money.”[b] 7 So they conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners. 8 Therefore that field has been called “Blood Field” to this day. 9 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

They took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of Him whose price was set by the Israelites, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.[c]

Tomorrow, we’re looking at Peter. What is the difference between Judas and Peter? Why did Judas commit suicide and Peter did not?

I believe it is the heart issue.
We’ve talked a lot about how works are the evidence of our salvation. The outward sign of our inner work is how the Episcopalians describe sacraments. Neither the sacraments, nor the disciplines of faith, nor even the fruits gain us salvation, but they are evidences of our salvation. Jesus said that we can know them by their fruit.

    • Judas was willing to betray this man – but Peter was not willing to have him wash his feet!
    • Judas was known to be a thief – but Peter was willing to step out on water, and was declaring his dying loyalty!
    • Judas did not understand the concept of forgiveness – Peter had been taught over and over, and was alive to experience Christ’s forgiveness.

Denying Christ comes with heavy penalty –

1 John 2:20-23 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge.[a] 21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? This one is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well.

There’s not much difference between denying and betraying…except that Peter knew of the forgiveness of God.

Esau despised his birthright – Genesis 25, and when he lost his inheritance, he cried out for forgiveness. Genesis 27:38.
He rejected God’s grace upon his life.

Hebrews 12:14-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Warning against Rejecting God’s Grace
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord. 15 Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many. 16 And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for one meal. 17 For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance, though he sought it with tears.

We are given warnings that time could run out!

Hebrews 6:4-8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
4 For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit,
5 tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age,
6 and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt.
7 For ground that has drunk the rain that has often fallen on it and that produces vegetation useful to those it is cultivated for receives a blessing from God.
8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and will be burned at the end.

Psalms 2:12 Holman Christian Standard Bible
Pay homage to the Son or He will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for His anger may ignite at any moment. All those who take refuge in Him are happy.

Isaiah 55:6-7 King James Version (KJV)
6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Psalm 55 is a prayer in response to betrayal by a friend.

As Jesus said over and over, one who was chosen became a devil.
For me, this answers the question of free will.
Judas was chosen.
He chose to betray Christ.
He chose to take his own life, rather than seek forgiveness as far as we know.

Peter was chosen.
He chose to deny Christ.
He chose to re-evaluate his life, and Jesus called him to feed His sheep.

You and I are chosen.
I choose to follow Jesus.
What will you choose?

Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation

Prayer and Worship

You Love me Still – Sidewalk Prophets
Just AS I am – Mercy Me
Your Grace Finds me – Matt Redmon

I have a very special place in my heart for those that are struggling with suicide.

~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Older woman with shades of coral in jewelry and sweater, glasses, silver and brown hair.

M. Christine Wildman

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 Lent Day Fourteen – 3/1 – Jesus washes feet

Lent Devotions
Lent Week Two for catch up.
Lent Week Three – this week.

We have created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join! – 40 days of Lent!

Lent Day Fourteen
Jesus washes the disciples feet.

Music
The Servant Song – Maranatha Music Band
Take My Life – Chris Tomlin

Scripture

John 13:2-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
2 Now by the time of supper, the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Him. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God. 4 So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. 5 Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t understand now, but afterward you will know.”
8 “You will never wash my feet—ever!” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him. This is why He said, “You are not all clean.”

The Meaning of Footwashing
12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined[a] again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you.
16 “I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master,[b] and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Devotion

“Servant”
I looked up the definition of servant from Vines via Blue Letter Bible, and it means Bond slave. It means servant. It means everything that you would think that slave would mean. If you’ve ever watched Downton Abbey, you’ve actually seen the issue between Masters and servants. They do not interact. The Masters do not serve the servants. But our Master chose to serve his servants.

The job for washing someone’s feet, the most disgusting job other than possibly one other area of the body, was for the low man/woman on the totem pole. The upper servants didn’t do this. This was the lowest of the low servants. Add to that, the knowledge of what was on the ground back when it was Jesus’s day(no paved sidewalks with gutters that all of the gross stuff could wash down into).
For your information:
I’ve even heard some people say that they didn’t really even go out behind the house to go to the bathroom mad. When they had to go to the bathroom, they just went. Apparently, not true! I did some research on Ancient biblical practices of personal hygiene.
Toilets in Biblical times – NT and Rome
Toilets in Biblical Times – Old Testament with levitical rituals.
Suffice it to say, it wasn’t just dirt on the ground that these people were walking in their sandals.

I happen to live in Florida. Nine months out of the year, if not more, we wear sandals. That’s just because restaurants and stores require shoes on our feet in order to enter! I can wash everything on my body and walk around outside and come in and take off my sandals and I have lines from the dirt that has gotten on my feet, even though my feet have been above the so-called dirt because of my sandals. All sandals do is protect the bottoms of your feet from rocks and such. In Jesus’ day, they all wore sandals.

Jesus was listening to the guys as they were trying to figure out who was the greatest. He was going to teach that the kingdom of God is based on a servant heart. We have the discourse between Jesus and Peter as Jesus sets up to wash Peters feet. Peter is not going to have anything to do with this man that he believes is the son of God, the Messiah, the Christ, washing his feet. He’s not going to have anything to do with someone who deserves so much glory and worship and honor bowing down before him and doing the work of the most base servant.

In Wycliffe’s Bible Commentary, he supposes that

The materials for washing the feet were present(Lk 22:10) but there was no servant (Jesus had requested privacy). One of the disciples might have volunteered, but all were too proud. At this time they were disputing as to which of them should be regarded as the greatest (Lk 22:24)

Maybe Peter was embarrassed – shamed that HE had not volunteered to do the washing before the meal!

Jesus looks at him and says “if you won’t let me wash your feet you have nothing to do with me.”
So then Peter, good old Peter, says “then wash me all of me from the the head to my feet!”

Jesus says “no, you are clean but not your feet.”
So Peter finally acquiesces.

What is the POINT? Why did John make sure this story was IN the gospels?
There are two points to this story that I am interested in today.
1. the Servant heart.
The God of the universe obviously had a servant heart to decide to leave His glory and be born a baby, needing to have His diapers changed and to be fed and being born where He had to be laid down in a Manger! He chose to participate in the filthiness that is man! Even though He was without sin and He was not filthy, He chose to enter the world of man. That is the epitome of the master choosing to come as a servant.

2. Why did Jesus insist on only washing Peters feet and not his whole self? I believe that this has something to do with being washed clean at salvation but having our feet get dirty by walking in this world. I believe this shows us that we’re only saved once, but we need to have our feet washed often and by Jesus so that we are clean to come before the throne.

I searched Blue Letter Bible on the word servant. In the Old Testament

  • Abraham is called a servant of God
  • Moses is called a servant of God
  • David is called a servant of God
  • Job is called, BY GOD, a servant of God
  • the prophets called themselves Servants of God,
  • those who were the followers of God identified as servants to their master God.

Many many verses about being a servant can be found in Psalms and proverbs. Psalm 119 specifically talks a lot about being a servant to God’s law.

What does this have to do with God being our servant? Jesus was trying to point out and to exemplify the fact that in the kingdom of God the first shall be last, the last shall be first. (Matthew 20:16) Those that serve have higher regard to God than those who are served. When you think of the fact that original sin was lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16 with Genesis 3:6) which actually is three facets to selfishness or plain and simple pride, you recognize that humility exemplifies God.  It is one of the character qualities that God expects out of someone who calls himself by his name. If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and seek my face…(2 Chronicles 7:14) .  God embodies humility, and expects it of us.  When you recognize this, it’s not surprising that Jesus would humble himself to serve. It was less painful than the cross – the ultimate humble sacrifice.

There’s also the concept that and so many other things that in our fallen, worldly, finite minds seems upside down and backwards. Then again it’s because of our fallen, worldly, finite, minds that things ARE upside down and backwards. His ways are higher than our ways and we do not see things the way he sees things unless he opens our eyes.

Isaiah 55:8-9 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not My ways.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
9 “For as heaven is higher than earth,
so My ways are higher than your ways,
and My thoughts than your thoughts.

This is the last chance Jesus has to teach his disciples. I’m going to be discussing what things did Jesus decide to teach in the upper room. By washing His disciples feet He wanted to impress upon them that He had come to serve. He wanted to impress upon them that He was sending them forth to serve.

Many of the Jews thought that when the Messiah came he was going to come riding on a stallion with an army to set Jerusalem free and deliver them into this great Kingdom reigning and ruling over all the world, or at least just delivering them from Rome. That was not what Christ’s first coming was about. His first coming was to be an offering. He knew he was coming to be the lamb that would be slain on behalf of an ungrateful world.
He knew that his death on the cross would be a complete humiliation in the public arena.

Greater love has no man but that he would lay down his life for another. John 15:13
When someone throws themselves on a grenade or steps in front of the vehicle while pushing someone out of the way, or any sort of thing along these lines, they are considered Heroes. The fact that they put their life on the line for someone else, whether they knew them or not, is considered the ultimate gift. The same as said for any person in the military that gave their life on behalf of the United States, that they had given The Ultimate Gift. The military, the police, the fireman and such are all called public servants. They do put their lives on the line for others.

How much more the perfect Son of God, taking on our penalty for our sin by dying, how much more of a servant’s heart is this? Then He asks of us to be servant leaders. He asks us not lead by bullying or manipulation or Bible beating, but to lead by serving. Quite a few Parables talk about serving another. This whole concept of serving held great importance to Jesus Christ. He was trying to give his disciples a very tangible memory that would hopefully not fade away.

Why the feet and not the whole body?

I think this is a statement of salvation. Because once one chooses to follow Christ, believes in the Lord Jesus Christ believes that he is the Son of God that he died on the cross for our sins and rose from the grave (which they didn’t know yet), that person is saved.

Romans 6:23 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

These disciples had declared Jesus was there Lord, they had given up their old lives to walk with Jesus. They did have to change their ways, because they were walking with Jesus! And Jesus’s life was perfect! They would have wanted to impress Jesus and would try to be the best people they could be to please Jesus. Their works would not gain the them salvation but their works would be the evidence of their salvation.

Did they still sin? Of course they did.
We have multiple evidences of Peter spouting off at the mouth and Jesus reprimanding him. We can be sure not one disciple was perfect because not one disciple was raptured! The Apostle John wrote in 1 John that we aren’t supposed to sin but if you sin… Then we we have an advocate with the father… Jesus Christ intercedes for us and cleanses us from sin. That’s 1st John 1:9-2:2.

John doesn’t say that okay you messed up you need to get saved again. John just said you needed to confess your sins. James talks about if any of you is sick let him call for the Elders of the church. If he’s committed sin Let Him confess, and then they will be healed. James 5:14-16 Sin can have an effect on our physical health! We know sins have an effect on our fellowship with God, and have ever since Adam and Eve left the garden. So it’s not that we don’t get dirty, just that we don’t need to be saved again.

Now here we could go off on the once saved always saved Doctrine and while I believe that there’s some aspect to that I believe that there is an abuse of that wear one person wants told me that they got saved but because they started smoking again they were unsaved and need to get saved again. That’s two extremes. This would be a perfect place to put some sort of a study on the security of the believer but that really gets into some deep theology and I think there are plenty of places online which would answer those theological questions.

Here’s two links to Calvin’s explanations:
Perseverance of the Saints:

And

P – Preservation of the Saints
~ Thanks to my husband Jim for finding these references!

We’ve been washed by the water of the word and cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ therefore we are saved.
But we walk in the world which is filthy.
We have a fallen nature that we constantly fight.
We sin and those who say they do not sin are liars which is a sin. Just ask 1st John 1.
We need to wash our feet, we need to be washed from the effects of the world upon us as we walk around with in it.
We don’t need to be saved again, we don’t need to be baptized again, we just need to be washed so that we could come to the table and fellowship with our father.

The one thing I am sure of is eternity. Every human being has eternal life. And every human being gets to choose where they will spend their eternal life. With God or without God, and as I talked about the other day the place where the rich man was when he was asking Abraham to send Lazarus to talk to his family, didn’t sound like such a nice place.

Prayer and Worship
Make Me a Servant – Maranatha Music
Here’s My Heart Lord – Casting Crowns
If We are the Body – Casting Crowns
I will serve the Lord– Carmen

To Be a servant of God – you must first be a child of God!
Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation

Whiter than Snow – Lenny LeBlanc
Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow – Best Loved Hymns

Blue Letter Bible has Elizabeth Elliott’s talks on Servanthood.

 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 LENT Day Thirteen – 2/28 – the Bread and the Cup

Lent Devotions
Lent Week Two for catch up.
Lent Week Three – this week.

We have created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join! – 40 days of Lent!
Lent Day Thirteen
The Bread and the Cup

Music

I am the Bread of Life – John Michael Talbot
I am the Bread of Life – The Jesus Peace

Scripture

Mark 14:22-26 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The First Lord’s Supper
22 As they were eating, He took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it;[a] this is My body.”

23 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them, and so they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is My blood that establishes the covenant;[b] it is shed for many. 25 I assure you: I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way[c] in the kingdom of God.” 26 After singing psalms,[d] they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 26:26-30
Luke 22:14-20

Devotion

On Lent Day Eleven, I talked about Communion. We are commanded to do it IN REMEMBRANCE of Jesus Christ. If you missed my opinion on the importance, you might want to review!

What are we remembering? His death, burial and resurrection – but the parts of the communion remind us of HIS death on our behalf.

There are TWO elements, emblems, or symbols – whichever way you want to call them. Those that believe in transubstantiation call them “The Host”. That may be what ALL liturgical denominations call them, I don’t know. I’m only familiar with Catholic and Episcopalian terminology, and even that, my catholic is not always accurate!

Bread
What is he telling them to remember with the bread?
The bread is his flesh. Now, at this point nothing has happened to his flesh because He is the perfect lamb without blemish and without spot. He is sitting at the Passover Table with His friends…not broken yet. This is taking the Old Testament Passover, where the matzo bread is broken and telling them that that is a foreshadowing of His body that is going to be broken.

The next day he gets whipped and ridiculed and beaten and those who have studied the effects of crucifixion and the beatings that Christ endured say that his body was completely broken. Wikipedia has a full explanation of all things Crucifixion. There is only one reason for the body of Jesus Christ to be broken, that is because by his stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5 King James Version (KJV)
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed.

That passage also says that he was bruised for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.
Romans 4:25

1 Peter 2:21-24 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
21 For you were called to this,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example,
so that you should follow in His steps.
22 He did not commit sin,
and no deceit was found in His mouth;[a]
23 when He was reviled,
He did not revile in return;
when He was suffering,
He did not threaten
but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.
24 He Himself bore our sins
in His body on the tree,
so that, having died to sins,
we might live for righteousness;
you have been healed by His wounds.

God the Creator did not have to come to Earth in the form of a man for any other reason than He knew He was the only solution to our problem which is being separated from God. We may not have known that it was a problem. The problem started by the very ones who had experience Perfection of walking in the perfect garden with God. Even before that, by Lucifer that had experience walking in the presence of God before creation! Our spirits know there is an emptiness, desiring the supernatural in our lives.

Our bodies are broken because sin is in the world and the world has fallen.
Our bodies hurt and degenerate and get disease because of death entered the world hand in hand with sin.
The only way to pay the price for mankind’s sin was for the perfect man to lay down his life and allow his body to be broken for us.

In Passover in old time, they would take a lamb and it would have to be a perfect lamb so it was probably the best lamb of the whole herd. They had to care for this Lambs that it would not get a scratch that would not get a blemish it had to be perfect. Then for four days before Passover they had to bring the lamb into their home and make it part of their family. So think of this as a very special pet that the whole family knows and loves and cares for. Everyone knows that at the end of the week this lamb is going to be killed. Everyone in the family is going to go up to this beloved animal, who has lived with them in close proximity, who has been cared for and protected and provided for, and they will lay their hands upon this lamb and speak their sins from the past year over this lamb. Then they would kill it. Then they would roast the lamb and the lamb would be there Passover dinner. They would eat the lamb who had died for their sin. Exodus 12

When this foreshadowing was explained by Christ at the Lord’s supper there were those that did not take it well.

John 6:47-58 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
47 “I assure you: Anyone who believes[a] has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

52 At that, the Jews argued among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

53 So Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54 Anyone who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day, 55 because My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink. 56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood lives in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna[b] your fathers ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”

In some faith communities, even today, it is considered cannibalism! “what do you mean you’re eating the Flesh of Christ and drinking his blood? That’s cannibalism!”

For your own future research you can Google transubstantiation and determine whatever you want to believe along those lines. Here are a few starter links, and for the record, they do not agree.

Wikipedea – transubstantiation
Got Questions – Transubstantiation
Catholic.com – Transubstantian for Beginners

  • I believe, the blood in the cup is not blood but a symbol of the blood of Christ.
  • I believe, the bread is not the Flesh of Christ but a symbol to help us remember what happened 2018 years ago.
  • I believe, that I have a good biblical basis for this because the lamb that was slain for Adam and Eve and every animal that was slain there after for a sin offering was a foreshadowing of the perfect lamb that was going to come and give us life. This was no longer a foreshadowing, but a remembrance of what HAS happened.
  • I believe that this is the remembrance of drinking the wine and eating the Passover lamb.

I lean on 1 Corinthians 11:16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other custom, nor do the churches of God.
Not in regards to the Lord’s Supper, but in regards to the position on communion.

Foreshadows
I was looking up the traditions of matzo bread for Passover and matzo bread is cut in stripes and pierced so that it will not bubble in any way shape or form, so that it does not show any evidence of yeast in it even if it is just flour and water. Think of using a fork to pierce the pie crust so that it will not bubble while being baked.

First, no yeast = no sin. Yeast stands for sin in the Bible.
Jesus had no sin.
Stripes?
Jesus was whipped and had stripes across his body.
Pierced?
Jesus’s hands and feet were pierced with the nails and his side was pierced with a sword.

My thoughts on the bread:
As we think about Jesus giving up his life on our behalf, we can do like the non denominational churches do and have regular bread that we all tear off a piece. Because of my faith background, though, that, well, it seems all cool and great and everything but in my faith history it does not seem like the communion bread. You can chalk that up to my preference or gospel, but, it is what it is! The Wafers that I was given as an Episcopalian, the wafers that I have participated in in Catholic mass are flat, just plain flat. They taste like I imagine homemade paste would taste, which would be flour and water. That is kind of what I expect, so maybe this is just my opinion because this is my history.

Matzo?
I really like that it’s pierced and it has lines like stripes. So that when I would look at the bread given, an even more complete reminder is presented of what Jesus’s body went through on my behalf.

CUP or specifically, the wine in the cup.

The cup which represents the blood.
Again, I speak to the laws, the Jews were not allowed to drink blood. Therefore, I believe that the cup of wine that Jesus called his blood was symbolic, just like the Jews knew that the blood shed for them was symbolic of a messiah that was to come.

There are those that are adamant it must be wine, there are those that are adamant that it can’t be wine, there are those that will argue whether or not Jesus had wine and they’ll even argue that he did not make wine at the wedding.

    • I don’t know. As I’ve said before, I’m not a seminary theologian with degrees behind my name.
    • I do know, from gardening, that grape juice, without being fermented, turns to vinegar just like any juice. It rots, it doesn’t ferment into a a delicious drink that people would enjoy drinking.
    • I do know that it could not be kept in the refrigerator in Jesus’ day.
    • I do know that it couldn’t be kept Frozen in the little cardboard containers that you add water to for reconstitution.
    • I really don’t have any specific designation one way or the other.
    • In my opinion, it makes sense that it was some sort of wine, because of storage issues.

Again, I lean on 1 Corinthians 11:16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other[e] custom, nor do the churches of God.
Again, not in regards to the Lord’s Supper, but in regards to the position on communion.

Back to my faith history. When I took a sip of wine from The Chalice at the Eucharist, the bitterness of the wine and the burning as it went down my throat made me feel like there was some cleansing power. It was a more tangible reminder! Grape juice, for me, is sweet, and washes down the dry bread.

Cleansing – that’s what the blood does for us. “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin”  1John 1:7.
The blood of Jesus Christ pays the price for sin, “for the wages of sin is death but the gift of Christ is eternal life through Christ Jesus” Romans 6:23.

Since it is illegal in the Old Testament, and unclean or ungodly to drink blood, this does not mean that the wine or the grape juice turns to blood, it’s a remembrance. Just like I said above on the aspect of the bread being a remembrance of what Christ has done for us, the cup for Passover and there are four which I’m going to go deeper in when I’m discussing the whole aspect of Passover that cup that was the Passover cup of wine was what Christ lifted up and said “this is my blood which is shed for you drink this in remembrance of me.”

Could this be Him warning them all that they’re going to have to take up their crosses that their bodies would be broken and their blood would be shed on his behalf? We know it’s true.

Mark 10:37-40 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
37 They answered Him, “Allow us to sit at Your right and at Your left in Your glory.”

38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

39 “We are able,” they told Him.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with. 40 But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to give; instead, it is for those it has been prepared for.”

Does that ring true here in the United States of America? No, because for the most part we have freedom of religion here and freedom to practice our religion as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else. Therefore, I choose wine, to help me to remember the bitterness of bleeding for me – to remember the need for cleansing – to remember the price that was paid for me.

A Teaching on the Living Blood
One year, in a church we attended, a pastor named Bill preached a teaching called The Living blood of Christ. It was very interesting. Bill was a farmer and Bill drove country roads and Bill saw roadkill all the time. He looked at the roadkill and the blood that would be on the ground would rot and die and just become rancid or wash off or disappear or whatever. He pointed out that life is in the blood.

Leviticus 17:11 King James Version (KJV)
11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

He pointed out that Jesus’s blood is still living and still efficacious to cover our sins. His blood was perfect, because His blood was part of the Divine God man. His blood does not rot, nor disappear. He did have to bleed out, He had to give every drop of His blood to pay for every sin ever committed and that ever would be committed until the day that we have the new heavens and the new Earth and He Reigns and rules in our world. HIS BLOOD IS ALIVE AND POWERFUL TO THIS DAY!

You see, every one of those animals, all the way back to Adam and Eve, that were slain to pay for the price of sin, their blood stopped being a payment at the point that that animal died. The blood was bled out and that was it. You sinned again and you had to kill another animal! Their blood died once it was given out. The blood of Jesus Christ continues to pay the price for us when we come to Him and ask Him for forgiveness. The blood of Jesus Christ continues to be efficacious for The Sinner who turns their life to him and says I believe that Jesus is Christ even though that blood was shed somewhere between 0 and 33AD.

Every year, I keep hearing that we should have Christmas everyday! “People should celebrate Christmas all year long!” Here’s my concern. While he had to be born fulfilling all of the prophecies, if he had not gone to the cross, none of the other would have mattered.

THEREFORE – Let’s celebrate Resurrection Day every day! Give thanks every day for what Christ did for us on Calvary!

Prayer and Worship
Communion Song – Barry McQuire
Communion Song – Third Day
Hallelujah for the Cross – Newsboys

Lent Day eight explains the need to make a response.

Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation is classic.
 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 LENT Day Twelve – 2/27 New Covenant

Lent Devotions
Lent Week Two for catch up.
Lent Week Three – this week.

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Lent Day Twelve
New Covenant

Music and Worship
God Sent His son – Divine Hymns

Scripture

Luke 22:14-20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The First Lord’s Supper
14 When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

20 In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you.

Matthew 26:26-30 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The First Lord’s Supper
26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.” 27 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way in My Father’s kingdom with you.” 30 After singing psalms, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Mark 14:22-26 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

What is the New Covenant?

We were studying in Romans 2 & 3 and in one version it talks about “prior to the law there was no sin.” I was asked, how did Adam and Eve know of sin? or Abraham? etc.? I started by discussing the concept of Adam and Eve having innocence vs holiness. Did Adam and Eve know it was sin to eat from the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil? Yes! God said “don’t do this and if you do this you will die” (Genesis 2,3). They had given given a command and they were told the consequence and they made the choice.

Did Cain know it was wrong to kill his brother Abel? Well, God had been talking to him about anger(Genesis 4) and that because he was angry(maybe hiding), sin was sitting at his doorstep and was trying to cause him problems. Still, he killed his brother! Why? Jealousy! He did not say when God judged him that God had no right to judge him for what he did. He said that the Judgment was too grievous.

In both of these cases, something died. Adam and Eve sinned and an animal died on their behalf but they gave up their fellowship with God. Cain killed his brother. His brother’s blood wouldn’t be a sacrifice, but blood was shed becauise of sin! He was sent away and removed from fellowship from his family.

King David sinned and cried out for forgiveness and I’m sure gave plenty of sacrifices. His sin, followed by death of his son, caused him heartache. More than anything, King David’s cry was “cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalm 51

Basically, we can go through any one who sinned and had to pay the price and suffer the consequence and realized that they wanted to get back what they lost. Sin brings death and division.

  • The Adamic Covenant was the animal that was slain for Adam and Eve. They were kicked out of the Garden.
  • The Noahic Covenant was the clean animals that were slain (all the people that had been sinning was the death penalty, and separation). ONLY NOAH was found righteous and his family were saved on his behalf.
  • The Abrahamic Covenant was around the offering of Isaac and God giving a ram in his stead. Leave idolatry! even family. Go where you are sent!
  • The Mosaic Covenant was the Ten Commandments and of course the sacrifices(Passover lamb) and such at The Exodus. This instituted Israel being separate and unique from the World.

These are all animals that were sacrificed to pay the price for man’s sin.
God does not desire the blood of bulls and goats but of a contrite heart.

Back to David’s psalm asking forgiveness:

Psalm 51:16-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
You are not pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

And Samuel explains the preference of God:

1 Sam 15:22 Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Samuel said: Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.

It was not God’s original intention for anything to die.  His word in Genesis 2 was that when man sinned, death would enter the garden. I believe, though, that God, in His perfect wisdom, knew that this creation that He had created was going to turn on Him. Why? Because he had created the angels with perfect glorified bodies, that lived in his perfect presence and they fell and there is no sacrifice for them.

God knew that his creation had/has an enemy, because He gave His creation, including the angels, the right to say “no.” God knew that His enemy, man’s enemy, would attack man at his basic levels – lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of Life. (1 John 2:16  with Genesis 3). God also knew, that in the fullness of time, He would send His son Jesus, to be the final lamb, the perfect lamb, to be slain and make good the price of his Justice. The old Covenant was based on the blood of lambs, goats, Rams, Bulls, animals, Etc. The New Covenant is based on the blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God.

Jeremiah prophesied of another covenant!

Jeremiah 31:31-34 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The New Covenant
31 “Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
32 This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke even though I had married them”—the Lord’s declaration.
33 “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the Lord’s declaration. “I will put My teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people.
34 No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”

The Writer of Hebrews explains the difference in the OLD and NEW Testaments in Hebrews 9:13 – 10:18

The short version:

Hebrews 9:13-15 King James Version (KJV)
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

We are PARTICIPANTS in this NEW COVENANT! Just like those that had to purchase the sacrificial animal and slay it in the OLD covenant – we have a cost to count, and some dying to do.

An excerpt from 2018 Lent day Eleven is this:

So when we participate in communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, what actually happens?

The definition that I started this with says the sharing of intimate emotional and spiritual things, For me, this really says what this is all about! As two or more gathered Jesus is in our midst. (Matthew 18:20)
When we gather together, we acknowledge that we are all part of the body of Christ and that is a sharing of sorts. (1 Corinthians 12)

In another way, when we participate in this celebration, we are saying that we are willing to take up our cross, to crucify our flesh physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually – whatever is needed to grow into the fullness of Christ. We are saying that we believe that the blood of Jesus Christ was perfect to cleanse us and we’re making sure that our accounts with God are kept short. In a way, we are choosing to participate in his suffering symbolically. There are many on this planet that don’t have the choice whether or not they suffer with Christ or participate in his sufferings because they are under horrendous persecution. They can have their heads cut off, they can be burned at the stake, they can have acid thrown on them, and/or they can be raped, pillaged, whatever without any protection.

In the United States of America, we are kind of handicapped in that we have a soft cushioned, velvet covered cross that’s only holding our arms up with suspenders that don’t really hurt. They’re a little uncomfortable, maybe. Our feet and hands? Well, actually, we can get down off our cross anytime we want to! Because we have to choose! We have a choice.

A very scary verse for me is “too much to whom much is given much will be required.” (Luke 12:48) Those who have nothing don’t have any difficulty giving up their nothing for Christ! Yes, they do have to make choices. I’m not belittling their choice, but if you have no food you don’t have to give up food for Christ because you don’t have to give up what you don’t have! If you have access to fast food restaurants everywhere and you have five or ten dollars in your pocket anytime and you can go and get whatever burger, fries and chocolate shake you want anytime, anywhere and God asks you to give that up, sometimes we take that personally! “You want my burger and fries God?”
And God says
“no, I want your heart.”

The New Covenant was paid for by the BLOOD of JESUS Christ…and His broken Body. HIS DEATH!!! our responsibility is gratitude. We choose to respond…
We can be like Judas
or we can choose to follow Jesus – in our offering to HIM in Thanks!
For other writings of mine on Choose and Choice, please go click in the word cloud to the right of this article!

Every year, I keep hearing that we should have Christmas everyday! “People should celebrate Christmas all year long!” Here’s my concern. While he had to be born fulfilling all of the prophecies, if he had not gone to the cross, none of the other would have mattered.

THEREFORE – Let’s celebrate Resurrection Day every day! Give thanks every day for what Christ did for us on Calvary!

Prayer and Worship

We Remember You – Maranatha Praise Band

He Paid a Debt – Church of Christ

This song was intrumental in my salvation walk – and I do not have the copyrighted youtube version, but, here’s this:

 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.