Thursday, January 10, 2013
Monday, December 10, 2012
Be True to Yourself
James 1:14-27, Deuteronomy 10:16-18
Audio file is at the end of this text.
Read the 1st chapter of James to help us all understand how we can have a more "christlike" attitude. James had experienced Jesus for 30 years and realized that Jesus was who he sais he was. As Jesus' brother, James knew him in a special way. Their close relationship allows us to learn a lot about who Jesus really was and is.
James tells us that we must understand that Salvation is not about what we do, but about what God did for us. We simply, can't be good enough. The more we trust God the stronger our Faith becomes. Faith is like endurance, it is built up over time. Always remember to trust God over man. Our choice is either to be "born again" or death. Without Faith, death is the ultimate seperation from God.
In verse 19, James gives a good method of living. He says that we need to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. However, James is quick to point out that we should all be doers of God's word rather than just hearers.
It is often easy to fool a lot of people into believing that you are someone that you are not. It is not easy to fool yourself. Be true to yourself and realize that actions and words are important. To be a pure Christian , we must give out of an open heart, not because of what you expect in return. We must control our tongue and we must take care of those in need.
In Deuteronomy, we learn more about the expectations that God has for us. To keep ourselves unstained we must live in this world, but we don't have to be like everyone else.
Read the 1st chapter of James to help us all understand how we can have a more "christlike" attitude. James had experienced Jesus for 30 years and realized that Jesus was who he sais he was. As Jesus' brother, James knew him in a special way. Their close relationship allows us to learn a lot about who Jesus really was and is.
James tells us that we must understand that Salvation is not about what we do, but about what God did for us. We simply, can't be good enough. The more we trust God the stronger our Faith becomes. Faith is like endurance, it is built up over time. Always remember to trust God over man. Our choice is either to be "born again" or death. Without Faith, death is the ultimate seperation from God.
In verse 19, James gives a good method of living. He says that we need to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. However, James is quick to point out that we should all be doers of God's word rather than just hearers.
It is often easy to fool a lot of people into believing that you are someone that you are not. It is not easy to fool yourself. Be true to yourself and realize that actions and words are important. To be a pure Christian , we must give out of an open heart, not because of what you expect in return. We must control our tongue and we must take care of those in need.
In Deuteronomy, we learn more about the expectations that God has for us. To keep ourselves unstained we must live in this world, but we don't have to be like everyone else.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak
Do You Need A Winning Game Plan For Your Life? Go to the home page.
James 1:19-21
Audio file is at the end of this text.
Here's advice that can turn failure to success, frustration to peace and strained relationships to happy ones. James writes:
The Message translation of this passage says:
Imagine listening more than you speak! Listening is hard for most people as most of us are selfish and we're thinking about our own problems or what we are going to say next as we "pretend" to listen to others. When we listen, we are demonstrating that we truly care about the other person. After listening carefully, we are in position to be helpful and encouraging to the other person. Also, when we listen we learn.
James is not saying that we should not speak, he is saying that speaking should only follow a time of listening and learning from others.
Getting angry over silly things like having to wait as a train passes is a complete waste of energy. And, getting angry at the people in your life over silly little mistakes is unproductive. However, there is a time to get angry.
The leadership at Penn State should have been furious when they learned about a coach abusing young boys. But, no one got angry. Everyone who knew anything about the reports pretended the evil deeds never happened. Joe Paterno should have listened carefully to all of the facts then turned the guilty man over to the police so the legal system could do its work. It is morally wrong to abuse children and we have laws in this country to protect children from predators. Sadly, no one at Penn State got angry enough to protect the children. Of course we are to get angry but come to it slowly and carefully.
How do we keep ourselves in the mindset to listen a lot and speak a little and get angry only over the big things? Verse 21 says, "Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."
Immerse yourself in the word of God. Read it, think about it, memorize it, hang around others who do this and you'll have what you need. Putting into practice these three verses alone will save you from much heartache and pain.
James 1:19-21
Audio file is at the end of this text.
Here's advice that can turn failure to success, frustration to peace and strained relationships to happy ones. James writes:
"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and
slow to become angry, because anger does not
produce the righteousness that God desires."
The Message translation of this passage says:
"Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue,
and let anger straggle along in the rear.
God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger."
Imagine listening more than you speak! Listening is hard for most people as most of us are selfish and we're thinking about our own problems or what we are going to say next as we "pretend" to listen to others. When we listen, we are demonstrating that we truly care about the other person. After listening carefully, we are in position to be helpful and encouraging to the other person. Also, when we listen we learn.
James is not saying that we should not speak, he is saying that speaking should only follow a time of listening and learning from others.
Getting angry over silly things like having to wait as a train passes is a complete waste of energy. And, getting angry at the people in your life over silly little mistakes is unproductive. However, there is a time to get angry.
The leadership at Penn State should have been furious when they learned about a coach abusing young boys. But, no one got angry. Everyone who knew anything about the reports pretended the evil deeds never happened. Joe Paterno should have listened carefully to all of the facts then turned the guilty man over to the police so the legal system could do its work. It is morally wrong to abuse children and we have laws in this country to protect children from predators. Sadly, no one at Penn State got angry enough to protect the children. Of course we are to get angry but come to it slowly and carefully.
How do we keep ourselves in the mindset to listen a lot and speak a little and get angry only over the big things? Verse 21 says, "Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."
Immerse yourself in the word of God. Read it, think about it, memorize it, hang around others who do this and you'll have what you need. Putting into practice these three verses alone will save you from much heartache and pain.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Sight and Sound Tempts
Go to the home page: Do You Need A Winning Game Plan For Your Life?
James 1:12-18, Mark 7:17-23
Audio file is at the end of this text.
James, the brother of Jesus, writes with such confidence because he witnessed, over a 30-year period of time, perfection lived out. He saw his big brother, Jesus, obey their parents, do his homework, help around the house and all the while keeping an upbeat, positive attitude. James probably thought to himself that Jesus was an apple polisher--one of those kids who kissed up to the adults.
It took the death and resurrection of Jesus for James to realize that his brother was truly God. Jesus was the one sent to stop history and change the hearts of men and women. What a great promise he gives us here in verse 12. He says if we stick with Jesus, if we love Jesus, if we embrace Jesus and follow his example, we get a crown!
As Americans we're not used to seeing our leaders walk around with crowns on their heads but we use crowns to recognize achievement. Friday night our homecoming queen received a crown and she looked beautiful in it. It made her special; she stood out in the crowd. This verse promises us if we are obedient, we get a crown and I don't think you have to wait until you get to heaven for it. A Christian who is walking with Jesus I think has a glow, an effervescence, a special appearance, don't you think? So while we can count on literal crowns some day, you can have the glow of glory now.
When we fall away from Jesus and lose the glow of glory we tend to blame others. Here James is saying: don't blame God. God doesn't tempt us to do evil. It is our own desire to get off the Jesus path that gets us into trouble. It is the sights and sounds of evil that tempt us and so often these sights and sounds are so subtle that when you look back it almost seems like entrapment. Ask yourself, "What situations do I put myself in? Am I bringing on my problems by being in the wrong place, by looking at the wrong Web sites, by listening to the wrong music or the wrong people?"
Verse 14-15 reads, "Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown gives birth to death."
Sin creeps in due to our laziness and low standards. We must be careful what we look at and what we listen to. Jesus says in Mark 7:21-23, "For it is from within, out of a person's heart, that evil thoughts come---sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander. arrogance and folly. All of these evils come from inside and defile a person."
James throws up a big red flag and calls us out. He teaches us not to blame anyone for our sins. We are to look inside our own heart and remember that nothing evil comes from God and that, "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights."
James 1:12-18, Mark 7:17-23
Audio file is at the end of this text.
James, the brother of Jesus, writes with such confidence because he witnessed, over a 30-year period of time, perfection lived out. He saw his big brother, Jesus, obey their parents, do his homework, help around the house and all the while keeping an upbeat, positive attitude. James probably thought to himself that Jesus was an apple polisher--one of those kids who kissed up to the adults.
It took the death and resurrection of Jesus for James to realize that his brother was truly God. Jesus was the one sent to stop history and change the hearts of men and women. What a great promise he gives us here in verse 12. He says if we stick with Jesus, if we love Jesus, if we embrace Jesus and follow his example, we get a crown!
As Americans we're not used to seeing our leaders walk around with crowns on their heads but we use crowns to recognize achievement. Friday night our homecoming queen received a crown and she looked beautiful in it. It made her special; she stood out in the crowd. This verse promises us if we are obedient, we get a crown and I don't think you have to wait until you get to heaven for it. A Christian who is walking with Jesus I think has a glow, an effervescence, a special appearance, don't you think? So while we can count on literal crowns some day, you can have the glow of glory now.
When we fall away from Jesus and lose the glow of glory we tend to blame others. Here James is saying: don't blame God. God doesn't tempt us to do evil. It is our own desire to get off the Jesus path that gets us into trouble. It is the sights and sounds of evil that tempt us and so often these sights and sounds are so subtle that when you look back it almost seems like entrapment. Ask yourself, "What situations do I put myself in? Am I bringing on my problems by being in the wrong place, by looking at the wrong Web sites, by listening to the wrong music or the wrong people?"
Verse 14-15 reads, "Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown gives birth to death."
Sin creeps in due to our laziness and low standards. We must be careful what we look at and what we listen to. Jesus says in Mark 7:21-23, "For it is from within, out of a person's heart, that evil thoughts come---sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander. arrogance and folly. All of these evils come from inside and defile a person."
James throws up a big red flag and calls us out. He teaches us not to blame anyone for our sins. We are to look inside our own heart and remember that nothing evil comes from God and that, "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights."
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Called to Joy
Go to the home page: Do You Need A Winning Game Plan For Your Life?
Mark 3:20 says Jesus was called insane by own family. John 7:1-4 tells how those close to him thought he was running for public office! This makes it clear that Jesus was completely misunderstood by many including his siblings. Those close to him didn't know who Jesus really was. The resurrection changed everything. James, the brother of Jesus, moved from making fun of his older brother to worshiping him, teaching others about him and then dying for his cause. James was completely changed by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Have you been changed by your encounter with Jesus? Have you seen the resurrection?
Here's a one-question test you can give yourself: Am I able to stay joyful when I am going through hard times? Can I stay calm when people are making fun of me? This is the instruction James gives us in verse 2. He says, "Consider it pure joy when you face trials because those trials will produce perseverance." This is a very tough test, but, it is the call of the gospel. People without the power of Christ working in their lives get angry, frustrated, bitter or depressed when they face a tough situation. How do we differentiate ourselves if we get angry, frustrated, bitter or depressed when things don't go easy for us? How can we say we are following Christ if our lives look like those who are not?
When people hurt us we tend to want to strike back. James says, that is immature. We are to take the negative situation and stand strong in it. When you do this, you get stronger. Hopefully, the things that bother you when you were 20 won't bother you when you're 40. Maturing in Christ gives you endurance and an ability to put things in perspective.
Need wisdom? Who doesn't?! Verse 5 tells us to go straight to God when we need wisdom. How do we ask God for wisdom? We read the scripture which is the textbook for living. God has given us every answer to every question life throws at us. And, guess what? When you ask God for an answer to your question, God gives it graciously without thinking less of you.
James packs power in these few verses. Got joy? Got wisdom? Got stamina in the storms of life? That's the promise of the resurrection.
James 1:1-11, Mark 3:20, John 7:1-4
Audio of this message at the end of the text.
Have you ever been put down by others? Have you been made to feel small or inadequate? Sure. We all have. Jesus, too, experienced this.Audio of this message at the end of the text.
Mark 3:20 says Jesus was called insane by own family. John 7:1-4 tells how those close to him thought he was running for public office! This makes it clear that Jesus was completely misunderstood by many including his siblings. Those close to him didn't know who Jesus really was. The resurrection changed everything. James, the brother of Jesus, moved from making fun of his older brother to worshiping him, teaching others about him and then dying for his cause. James was completely changed by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Have you been changed by your encounter with Jesus? Have you seen the resurrection?
Here's a one-question test you can give yourself: Am I able to stay joyful when I am going through hard times? Can I stay calm when people are making fun of me? This is the instruction James gives us in verse 2. He says, "Consider it pure joy when you face trials because those trials will produce perseverance." This is a very tough test, but, it is the call of the gospel. People without the power of Christ working in their lives get angry, frustrated, bitter or depressed when they face a tough situation. How do we differentiate ourselves if we get angry, frustrated, bitter or depressed when things don't go easy for us? How can we say we are following Christ if our lives look like those who are not?
When people hurt us we tend to want to strike back. James says, that is immature. We are to take the negative situation and stand strong in it. When you do this, you get stronger. Hopefully, the things that bother you when you were 20 won't bother you when you're 40. Maturing in Christ gives you endurance and an ability to put things in perspective.
Need wisdom? Who doesn't?! Verse 5 tells us to go straight to God when we need wisdom. How do we ask God for wisdom? We read the scripture which is the textbook for living. God has given us every answer to every question life throws at us. And, guess what? When you ask God for an answer to your question, God gives it graciously without thinking less of you.
James packs power in these few verses. Got joy? Got wisdom? Got stamina in the storms of life? That's the promise of the resurrection.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Teach With Your Life
Go to the home page: Do You Need A Winning Game Plan For Your Life?
See the basic teaching in verses 11-13.
"If we die with Christ, we'll live with him.
If we stick it out with him, we'll rule with him;
If we turn our backs on him, he'll turn his back on us;
If we give up on him, he does not give up--
for there's no way he can be false to himself."
Next, in verse 14 Paul is clear that we are not to argue over small points. My father was working in Illinois as a pastor and was told by a man, "the problem in the town is right there." My father thought he was pointing to a saloon or a strip joint but the man was pointing to a Christian church of a different denomination. It is a waste of our valuable time, Paul says, to fight over small things as long as we agree that Jesus Christ is our personal savior and the savior of any individual who invites Christ into his or her heart. That is the gospel we are to teach and live out in our lives.
Look at verse 15 to see how we are to live out our faith in Christ. It says, "Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple."
A glance back at verse 6 shows us that Paul does not expect us all to be preachers. We are all to work at the thing we do best and all work can be done to bring glory to God. And, when we bring glory to God we attract the attention of our co-workers, our boss, our customers and our family. We attract positive attention because our lives are being lived by putting others first. When we strive to stay close to God, we teach the gospel with our lives.
II Timothy 2:1-15
Audio of this message at the end of the text.
Paul writes to Timothy to help him stay on track.
Verse one says, "So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me...." What had Timothy already heard?Audio of this message at the end of the text.
See the basic teaching in verses 11-13.
"If we die with Christ, we'll live with him.
If we stick it out with him, we'll rule with him;
If we turn our backs on him, he'll turn his back on us;
If we give up on him, he does not give up--
for there's no way he can be false to himself."
Next, in verse 14 Paul is clear that we are not to argue over small points. My father was working in Illinois as a pastor and was told by a man, "the problem in the town is right there." My father thought he was pointing to a saloon or a strip joint but the man was pointing to a Christian church of a different denomination. It is a waste of our valuable time, Paul says, to fight over small things as long as we agree that Jesus Christ is our personal savior and the savior of any individual who invites Christ into his or her heart. That is the gospel we are to teach and live out in our lives.
Look at verse 15 to see how we are to live out our faith in Christ. It says, "Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple."
A glance back at verse 6 shows us that Paul does not expect us all to be preachers. We are all to work at the thing we do best and all work can be done to bring glory to God. And, when we bring glory to God we attract the attention of our co-workers, our boss, our customers and our family. We attract positive attention because our lives are being lived by putting others first. When we strive to stay close to God, we teach the gospel with our lives.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
October 7 Audio File
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Our Holy Calling
Go to the home page: Do You Need A Winning Game Plan For Your Life?
Paul throws down the gauntlet and in verses 7-10 he writes, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."
The concept of eternal life is brand new at the time of this writing. It is hard for us to imagine this situation but do we live our lives confident of the resurrection? Do we really believe that we will follow Jesus' path to eternal life with him? Paul is challenging us to live what we say we believe. He is saying that our lives should be lived boldly, with no fear. We should be walking and talking our faith and standing out in the crowd of the timid and cautious. Paul says we have a holy calling and we must stand strong and say with him, "I couldn't be more sure of my ground--the One I've trusted in can take care of what he's trusted me to do right to the end."
I say, live like Jesus is standing right next to you because he is.
II Timothy 1:1-12
Audio File is at the end of this text.
Paul was an old man when he wrote to his protege, Timothy. Paul had gone on to Macedonia and left Timothy to lead the church at Ephesus and Paul knew that Timothy needed encouragement to stand strong. Audio File is at the end of this text.
Paul throws down the gauntlet and in verses 7-10 he writes, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."
The concept of eternal life is brand new at the time of this writing. It is hard for us to imagine this situation but do we live our lives confident of the resurrection? Do we really believe that we will follow Jesus' path to eternal life with him? Paul is challenging us to live what we say we believe. He is saying that our lives should be lived boldly, with no fear. We should be walking and talking our faith and standing out in the crowd of the timid and cautious. Paul says we have a holy calling and we must stand strong and say with him, "I couldn't be more sure of my ground--the One I've trusted in can take care of what he's trusted me to do right to the end."
I say, live like Jesus is standing right next to you because he is.
Monday, October 1, 2012
September 24 Audio File
September 16 Audio File
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Forgiving Frees Us
Go to the home page: Do You Need A Winning Game Plan For Your Life?
I will tell you from experience that carrying a grudge never harms the person you are angry with, it only hurts you. When you are able to let go of bad feelings for someone who hurt you, you are free to move ahead with your life. Letting a grudge go is like taking a fifty pound weight off your back. Why do we ignore this very clear instruction? Because the business of forgiveness is hard.
Acts 9:1-18 tells how God told Ananias to seek out Saul and lay hands on him and heal his eyesight. This would be like God telling you to forgive the man who has gone to the police to get a warrant for your arrest! Saul was busy rounding up and executing followers of Christ and Ananias considered Saul evil and dangerous.
Because Ananias was willing to forgive Saul and to follow God's instruction, Ananias was used by God to restore sight to a blind man! Then Ananias watched as God used Saul to spread the Gospel to all the people of the world.
Want to be part of a miracle? Want to see what God can do in your life if you let go of the pile of grudges you are carrying around?
When Jesus taught us to pray and gave us the instruction to forgive others when they hurt us, Jesus must have been thinking how pleased he was that Joseph had forgiven his brothers. As the baby of 12 sons, Joseph was an arrogant twit. I've talked about him before. However, he grew up when his brothers sold him into slavery. Off in Egypt, Joseph humbled himself before God and God used him in powerful, positive ways. Genesis 50:15-26 tells how the brothers got scared when their father died because they assumed that Joseph would seek revenge since their father was no longer around to in a way protect them from Joseph. It is moving to see that Joseph wept when he learned that his brothers were afraid of him. Joseph had moved on. He had forgiven his brothers and had accepted that the terrible thing they had done to him turned out to be God's plan. He said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
If you carry around hatred, resentment, or bitterness toward another person you are only hurting yourself. We are told to forgive just as Jesus forgives us. We are told to forgive because it moves us toward God and toward miracles and toward power. You might think, "I can't forgive and forget." I am telling you we have the promise, "You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you." God forgives the worst of the worst and he's been doing it since creation. It's time for you to get free and watch what God can do with your life. Take that burden of hate, resentment, bitterness, anger, and envy and drop it so that God can work miracles in and through you.
Matthew 6:12, Acts 9:1-18, Genesis 50:15-26
Audio of this message at the end of the text.
What keeps us from enjoying our relationship with God? One instruction so many ignore is found in the model prayer. Jesus tells us to pray, "forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors." Jesus may be talking about going easy on people who own you money but I believe his big point is we are to forgive people who hurt us or try to harm us. I don't think if you own rental property Jesus is saying that you don't get to collect on what a renter agreed to pay you. There might be a time when you need to show compassion to a person who owns you money, however, the big teaching point here is about carrying around a grudge or carrying around bad feelings for someone you believe has harmed you.
Audio of this message at the end of the text.
I will tell you from experience that carrying a grudge never harms the person you are angry with, it only hurts you. When you are able to let go of bad feelings for someone who hurt you, you are free to move ahead with your life. Letting a grudge go is like taking a fifty pound weight off your back. Why do we ignore this very clear instruction? Because the business of forgiveness is hard.
Acts 9:1-18 tells how God told Ananias to seek out Saul and lay hands on him and heal his eyesight. This would be like God telling you to forgive the man who has gone to the police to get a warrant for your arrest! Saul was busy rounding up and executing followers of Christ and Ananias considered Saul evil and dangerous.
Because Ananias was willing to forgive Saul and to follow God's instruction, Ananias was used by God to restore sight to a blind man! Then Ananias watched as God used Saul to spread the Gospel to all the people of the world.
Want to be part of a miracle? Want to see what God can do in your life if you let go of the pile of grudges you are carrying around?
When Jesus taught us to pray and gave us the instruction to forgive others when they hurt us, Jesus must have been thinking how pleased he was that Joseph had forgiven his brothers. As the baby of 12 sons, Joseph was an arrogant twit. I've talked about him before. However, he grew up when his brothers sold him into slavery. Off in Egypt, Joseph humbled himself before God and God used him in powerful, positive ways. Genesis 50:15-26 tells how the brothers got scared when their father died because they assumed that Joseph would seek revenge since their father was no longer around to in a way protect them from Joseph. It is moving to see that Joseph wept when he learned that his brothers were afraid of him. Joseph had moved on. He had forgiven his brothers and had accepted that the terrible thing they had done to him turned out to be God's plan. He said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
If you carry around hatred, resentment, or bitterness toward another person you are only hurting yourself. We are told to forgive just as Jesus forgives us. We are told to forgive because it moves us toward God and toward miracles and toward power. You might think, "I can't forgive and forget." I am telling you we have the promise, "You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you." God forgives the worst of the worst and he's been doing it since creation. It's time for you to get free and watch what God can do with your life. Take that burden of hate, resentment, bitterness, anger, and envy and drop it so that God can work miracles in and through you.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Steeped in Tradition
Go to the home page: Do You Need A Winning Game Plan For Your Life?
God told the Jews who were enslaved in Egypt for 400 years that they needed to prepare to leave. God, through Moses, told the people to: find a perfect lamb on the 10th day of the month; keep it penned up until the 14th day then slaughter it; take blood from the lamb and apply it to either side and across the top of their front door; roast the lamb over an open fire; eat the meat with bread made without yeast and bitter herbs; while eating be fully dressed with sandals on and walking stick in hand; eat fast; and, burn over the fire any leftovers.
What must the Jews have been thinking of their leaders, Moses and Aaron? They were thinking, "this sounds crazy. We are slaves, we're not going anywhere. Where are we going to find a perfect lamb? There are 3 million of us that have to find a perfect lamb! Bread with no yeast tastes terrible and bitter herbs taste even more terrible." We know that Moses had been pleading with the Pharaoh to let the Jews leave and God had sent down plagues so God had the attention of the Jews and they were at least open enough to the idea that Moses knew what he was doing. So, they followed the weird set of instructions and every family that kept to the plan was spared. Remember that passover means, God "passed over" every home in Egypt. Homes without blood on the door lost their firstborn child and firstborn animals. If a home had the blood on the door, it was spared this disaster.
In verse 14 of Exodus 12 God instructs us to celebrate this mighty act of faith. So once a year the Jews celebrate Passover to remember the exact day that they were obedient to God and that they were set free from Egypt.
What are you a slave to today? What enemy has you captured? Envy, greed, addiction, jealousy, anger? You need to travel away from what has you enslaved. You need to trust God's instruction for your life even though it might not make sense to you. For about 6,000 years God has been loving us and teaching us how to realize our full potential and that only comes when we are obedient to him. This is not some fly-by-night religion we are engaged in; what we study and what we do is steeped in tradition.
In Matthew 26 we find the story of Jesus keeping the annual Passover celebration. Jesus and his disciples were observant Jews so they stopped their regular activities of healing and preaching to follow the law God put in place thousands of years before. In verses 26-29 we receive the new instruction from Jesus. From this moment forward, Jesus will be the perfect lamb, he will die and his blood will cover us and when we stand face-to-face before God we will be seen as chosen. When we choose Jesus, God chooses us. We are God's chosen people, we are new Jews, we are protected from destruction, disaster and death. The blood of Jesus washes us clean. God sees us as his perfect lambs made perfect by the blood of Jesus.
What do you choose today? Will you follow the instruction God gives us as millions have over thousands of years? Or, will you decide that you can do life just fine on your own. What do you put your trust, God or yourself?
Exodus 12:1-12, Numbers 9:1, Matthew 26:17
Audio of this message at the end of the text.
Do you ever think about the depth of our faith traditions? Today as we observe what we now call, "The Lord's Supper," let's look back at the roots of this.
Audio of this message at the end of the text.
God told the Jews who were enslaved in Egypt for 400 years that they needed to prepare to leave. God, through Moses, told the people to: find a perfect lamb on the 10th day of the month; keep it penned up until the 14th day then slaughter it; take blood from the lamb and apply it to either side and across the top of their front door; roast the lamb over an open fire; eat the meat with bread made without yeast and bitter herbs; while eating be fully dressed with sandals on and walking stick in hand; eat fast; and, burn over the fire any leftovers.
What must the Jews have been thinking of their leaders, Moses and Aaron? They were thinking, "this sounds crazy. We are slaves, we're not going anywhere. Where are we going to find a perfect lamb? There are 3 million of us that have to find a perfect lamb! Bread with no yeast tastes terrible and bitter herbs taste even more terrible." We know that Moses had been pleading with the Pharaoh to let the Jews leave and God had sent down plagues so God had the attention of the Jews and they were at least open enough to the idea that Moses knew what he was doing. So, they followed the weird set of instructions and every family that kept to the plan was spared. Remember that passover means, God "passed over" every home in Egypt. Homes without blood on the door lost their firstborn child and firstborn animals. If a home had the blood on the door, it was spared this disaster.
In verse 14 of Exodus 12 God instructs us to celebrate this mighty act of faith. So once a year the Jews celebrate Passover to remember the exact day that they were obedient to God and that they were set free from Egypt.
What are you a slave to today? What enemy has you captured? Envy, greed, addiction, jealousy, anger? You need to travel away from what has you enslaved. You need to trust God's instruction for your life even though it might not make sense to you. For about 6,000 years God has been loving us and teaching us how to realize our full potential and that only comes when we are obedient to him. This is not some fly-by-night religion we are engaged in; what we study and what we do is steeped in tradition.
In Matthew 26 we find the story of Jesus keeping the annual Passover celebration. Jesus and his disciples were observant Jews so they stopped their regular activities of healing and preaching to follow the law God put in place thousands of years before. In verses 26-29 we receive the new instruction from Jesus. From this moment forward, Jesus will be the perfect lamb, he will die and his blood will cover us and when we stand face-to-face before God we will be seen as chosen. When we choose Jesus, God chooses us. We are God's chosen people, we are new Jews, we are protected from destruction, disaster and death. The blood of Jesus washes us clean. God sees us as his perfect lambs made perfect by the blood of Jesus.
What do you choose today? Will you follow the instruction God gives us as millions have over thousands of years? Or, will you decide that you can do life just fine on your own. What do you put your trust, God or yourself?
August 26 Audio File
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