WHAT ARE YOU AFTER?

Posted on August 13, 2021 by randscallawayffm

The search is over!  You finally found exactly what you were looking for to complete your longings!  You run to show and tell your family first, then your friends, then anyone who will listen!  Your search for perfection for you as you envisioned in your mind is over.  You are ecstatic.  No one can wipe that smile off your face!  So what is that?

So, what or who were you searching for to fulfill your life’s dream, to check off one more item on your bucket list, that person to marry or that perfect job?  What are you searching for?

What are you after, says Jesus?

John—God’s Love

John 1:35-51, The Message

(Emphasis mine)

Come and See for Yourself

The next day John was back at his post with two disciples who were watching.  He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby and said, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb.”  The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus.  Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, “What are you after?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

He replied, “Come along and see for yourself.”

They came, saw where he was living, and ended up staying with him for the day.  It was late afternoon when this happened.

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s witness and followed Jesus.  The first thing he did after finding where Jesus lived was find his own brother, Simon, telling him, “We’ve found the Messiah” that is, (‘Christ’).  He immediately led him to Jesus.

Jesus took one look up and said, “You’re John’s son, Simon?  From now on your name is Cephas” (or Peter which means “Rock”).

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.  When he got there, he ran across Philip and said, “Come, follow me.” (Philip’s hometown was Bethsaida, the same as Andrew and Peter.)

Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, “We’ve found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets.  It’s Jesus, Joseph’s son, the one from Nazareth!”  Nathanael said, “Nazareth?  You’ve got to be kidding.”

But Philip said, “Come, see for yourself.”

When Jesus saw him coming he said, “There’s a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body.”

Nathanael said, “Where did you get that idea?  You don’t know me.”

Jesus said, “You’ve become a believer simply because I say I saw you one day sitting under the fig tree?  You haven’t seen anything yet!  Before this day is over, you’re going to see heaven open and God’s angels descending to the Son of Man and ascending again.”

THINK ABOUT IT…

Imagine Jesus, looking over his shoulder with those loving eyes of mercy and grace, asking you and I, “Seriously, what are you after in life?”  Think about all the time we spend in search of something to add to our collections, searching always for the perfect thing to bring us joy and contentment.  When found, does it last?  Usually, not for long.

When we find what we are looking for we immediately text or post on Facebook, right?  We tell anyone who will listen standing nearby at home or at work, “Guess what, I found it!”  And then you show them.  But in our humanness, the receivers of our news of material acquisitions are actually jealous and envious and find it hard to share in your news…UNLESS…your news includes them.

Jesus is Good News for everyone!  The excitement of Andrew running to tell his brother, Peter, is contagious.  Our own hearts race at reading this passage, right?  Our minds are filled with amazement as this news of Jesus spreads quickly.  Imaging talking with the One, in person, and realizing who He is!  Yes, everyone in this passage runs excitedly to their family with “Come and see!”  The search for the One is over.  It is Jesus!  Jesus is the Messiah we have all read and heard about and have been waiting for!

John the Baptizer points out who Jesus is, the Passover Lamb of God, to the two men intently watching John preach.  “He is the One”, John shouts, “who will save the world”.  Two men now look in the direction of Jesus and then run to Him.  Over His shoulder, Jesus asks a very important, profound question of these interested searchers;

“What are you after?”  What becomes “who” in their lives.  They suddenly want to be where he is and do what he does.  So, they asked where He was staying.

Jesus follows up their question with, “Come along and see for yourself”.  Jesus is not just telling them where He is staying momentarily, He will be teaching them a new lifestyle. 

Friends, I don’t think this meeting was by accident!  These men were searching for meaning and significance for their mundane, Roman oppressed lives.  They became curious about John’s unorthodox preaching. So, they went to see for themselves. I believe they were called with readiness to listen to John’s message.  God prepared their tuned ears to hear John clearly with 20/20 vision to see Jesus as the One.  God knew them well, so Jesus knew them.  God knew their abilities as “excited tellers” as well as their willingness to follow.  God ended their search with finding Jesus.

What are you after?  Who are you after in this life?  This is a question Jesus is still asking each one of us daily.  What we truly believe will be expressed in our actions and behaviors.  So, Jesus continues to ask, What are you after with who are you living for as witness to the world? 

If you are after peace in troubles, forgiveness of all sins of your past and present, love like you have never known before, along with mercy and grace, then your search is over.  Jesus is the One!  Run after Jesus who is life eternal!

Believe and be saved.  Then go and tell…

Lord,

I love You with all that is in me.  I love how you speak into my heart as I read Your Word.  I hear your Holy Spirit more clearly when I take time to camp and meditate on Your Word with open eyes with ears to hear.  Now take what I have learned and help me, by your power and leading, to live it out loud.  My confidence is You, only You, dear Jesus.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

GOD IS GOD, WE ARE NOT

Posted on August 12, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Have you ever been mistaken as the “one in charge” as you work to follow the boss’s orders?  Those who work diligently to please the boss from a place of awe and respect, take their assignment seriously with great dedication.  They learn from the boss what is expected.  They begin to immolate the character of their boss so well and confidently that sometimes others begin to assume you are the boss! 

As leaders, we are often mistaken as the “one in charge” at times because of our dedication to accomplishing the purpose given to us.  But we are not in charge.  We take our orders and direction from the One who is.  God alone is in charge.  We are not.  He is God.  We are not.

We can learn from the Playbook of Life—God’s Word for lessons in establishing who are and who we are not.  John the Baptist knew who was in charge, knew the “boss” well, heard what He said, immolated His character, and carried out his purpose given to him by God.  John knew he was not God, not His Son, and not the prophet Elijah come back to life.  He was John.  His parents, Zachariah and Elizabeth, were told by God to name him John.  They obeyed. God was in charge from his birth.

John grew in the character of God, preached the words of God, lived an unorthodox lifestyle, but always knew who was in charge.  God.  He was not.  John knew that his mission was to prepare the way of the One and Only—Jesus, Son of God.  Jesus—The Word made flesh.  Jesus, God in flesh, who moved into the neighborhood of humanity to save the world from their sin.  “…my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer.”

“I’m telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.” –John

John—God’s Love

John 1:19-34, The Message

Thunder in the Desert

19-20 When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest. He didn’t evade the question. He told the plain truth: “I am not the Messiah.”

21 They pressed him, “Who, then? Elijah?”

“I am not.”

“The Prophet?”

“No.”

22 Exasperated, they said, “Who, then? We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something—anything!—about yourself.”

23 “I’m thunder in the desert: ‘Make the road straight for God!’ I’m doing what the prophet Isaiah preached.”

24-25 Those sent to question him were from the Pharisee party. Now they had a question of their own: “If you’re neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?”

26-27 John answered, “I only baptize using water. A person you don’t recognize has taken his stand in your midst. He comes after me, but he is not in second place to me. I’m not even worthy to hold his coat for him.”

28 These conversations took place in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing at the time.

The God-Revealer

29-31 The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’ I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God.”

32-34 John clinched his witness with this: “I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ That’s exactly what I saw happen, and I’m telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.”

THINK ABOUT IT…

We cannot get so wrapped up in the work God have given us to do that we begin to think we are in charge of His work.  We are not.  We are His servants who ask what God wants first then obey because of our great love for Him.  He is God.  We are not.

God saved us from all our sin by sending His Son Jesus.  Jesus saves.  We do not. God assigns us to go, tell, teach others about Jesus.  We, like John, point the way to God through Jesus Christ, His Son.  God is in charge.  Always.

It helps to remember God’s Word to the prophet Micah about what God wants daily from us:

“O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”  “Micah 6:8, NLT

How do we walk humbly with God, knowing He is in charge?  Paul tells us: “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”  Romans 12:1-2, The MSG

Lord,

No question about it, You are God!  Your servant, John the Baptizer, taught us how to live dedicated lives to you.  He taught us to speak your words boldly as you give the words to us.  He showed the world the way to your Son, always knowing that You were in charge.  He lived humbly.  He knew his purpose and fulfilled it even unto death.  He told spoke Truth and pointed everyone to the Person of Truth.  Truth is You.  Yes, You are God and we are not.  Continue to teach us.  Lead and guide us.  Thank you, Lord.  Show us what you want from us today.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

COME, SEE, BELIEVE THE LOVE OF GOD!

Posted on August 11, 2021 by randscallawayffm

“In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, God is presented as speaking the creation into existence.  God speaks the word and it happens:  heaven and earth, ocean and stream, trees and grass, birds and fish, animals and humans.  Everything, seen and unseen, called into being by God’s spoken word.

In deliberate parallel to the opening words of Genesis, John present God as speaking salvation into existence.  This time God’s word takes on human form and enters history in the person of Jesus.  Jesus speaks the word and it happens:  forgiveness and judgment, healing and illumination, mercy and grace, joy and love, freedom and resurrection.  Everything broken and fallen, sinful and diseased, called into salvation by God’s spoken word.

For, somewhere along the line things went wrong (Genesis tells that story, too) and are in desperate need of fixing.  The fixing is all accomplished by speaking—God speaking salvation into being in the person of Jesus.  Jesus, in this gospel account, not only speaks the word of God, He IS the Word of God!

Keeping company with these words, we begin to realize that our words are more important than we ever supposed.  Saying “I believe,” for instance, marks the difference between life and death.  Our words accrue dignity and gravity in conversations with Jesus.  For Jesus doesn’t impose salvation as a solution, he narrates salvation into being through leisurely conversation, intimate personal relationships, compassionate responses, passionate prayer, and—putting it all together—a sacrificial death.  We don’t causally walk away from words like that.”

This above introduction to the book of John was delivered by Eugene Peterson, a well-known theologian, pastor, and passionate Bible scholar whose life’s work was to put God’s Holy Word into the language we speak and understand today.  He spent his life as a pastor translating and paraphrasing God’s Word in ways those he pastored could relate and internalize so they could grow in more intimate relationship with God.  We applaud his work.  We will use The Message as we read through the book of John, Jesus’ beloved disciple, who wanted the world to believe in Jesus and realize the extent of His love.

Let’s begin…

John—God’s Love

John 1:1-18, The Message

The Life-Light

1 1-2 The Word was first,
    the Word present to God,
    God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
    in readiness for God from day one.

3-5 Everything was created through him;
    nothing—not one thing!—
    came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
    and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
    the darkness couldn’t put it out.

6-8 There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.

9-13 The Life-Light was the real thing:
    Every person entering Life
    he brings into Light.
He was in the world,
    the world was there through him,
    and yet the world didn’t even notice.
He came to his own people,
    but they didn’t want him.
But whoever did want him,
    who believed he was who he claimed
    and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
    their child-of-God selves.
These are the God-begotten,
    not blood-begotten,
    not flesh-begotten,
    not sex-begotten.

14 The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
    the one-of-a-kind glory,
    like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
    true from start to finish.

15 John pointed him out and called, “This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word.”

16-18 We all live off his generous abundance,
    gift after gift after gift.
We got the basics from Moses,
    and then this exuberant giving and receiving,
This endless knowing and understanding—
    all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.
No one has ever seen God,
    not so much as a glimpse.
This one-of-a-kind God-Expression,
    who exists at the very heart of the Father,
    has made him plain as day.

Jesus, Son of God, sent to save the world from sin, all because of God’s unconditional, relentless love for His creation.  Can we get an amen?  Can we raise a hallelujah or praise with grateful hearts?  Yes, and Amen!  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3;16

Believe and be saved.

Lord,

Teach us about your love and help us to realize the depth of your love for us in the coming days ahead.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

DIRECTION AND ASSURANCE

Posted on August 10, 2021 by randscallawayffm

You had one job…We are amused at the meme’s of mistakes portrayed of people who mess up in the factory, doing the one thing they are assigned to do, over and over again.  We laugh at their mistakes.  Yes, we laugh until it affects us personally then we are perturbed by the one job that didn’t happen and we are stuck with the results of a work gone wrong, especially if it affects our own lives, productivity, pleasure or bank account.

But it is no laughing matter when we, who say we believe in Jesus, completely ignore, neglect, pass-over opportunities, or refuse to “go, tell, disciple, baptizing in the Name of Jesus.  I’m wondering if when we see Jesus, face to face, will He say, “you had one job…”.  Or will He say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” 

Friends, are you like me this morning?  Are we thinking we might be guilty of neglect at times?  Let us take a minute to pause, reflect, pray for wisdom, strength, boldness, opportunity with the right words to say at the right time so we can do the “one job” assigned to all believers.  Helping others find and follow Jesus is a lifestyle not an event.

We don’t do this by ourselves!  Jesus is WITH us, His Holy Spirit living IN us!  What assurance we have in Jesus!  Indeed, this is blessed assurance from the heart of our Lord and Savior, “Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Can we Raise a Hallelujah!  Jesus gives authority, provides opportunity, gives us the words of Truth along with our personal testimony of praise for what He has done in us while giving us His extreme assurance to go and do the one job He told us to do.  Yes!

We have one mission…how great are we doing?

Matthew—God’s Word Fulfilled

Matthew 28:16-20, NLT

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Lord and Savior,

I repent of missed opportunities and pray for more times to “go and make disciples” assured beyond doubt that you are with me.  Make this commission more than a job or event but a lifestyle for me.  Teach me your ways and I will walk on your path.  Impress Your Words on my heart so I am ready to tell your story at a moment’s notice.  Give me boldness with your compassionate, unconditional love in expressing your story of salvation and freedom from sin.  May I never forget that you are with me.  Your Presence goes before me, beside me and behind me. Thank you, Lord.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

Posted on August 9, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Darkness brought on by the death of Jesus who carried all our sin.  But this Darkness is now defeated by the Light of Life!  Jesus, who’s body carried the scars from the beatings, whippings and the ultimate excruciating suffering from being nailed to a cross, has been brought back to life in the same body who left earth for a split second to go to hell and back to obtain our redemption with the bonus of life eternal.  Yes, He paid it all indeed.

But what was that like?  How did resurrection morning feel?

I still love the song written and sung by Sandi Patty years ago. “Was It a Morning Like This?”  The words and music draw us closer to the day the Marys went to visit the tomb of their beloved Friend and Lord who became their Savior.

Was it a morning like this?
When the Son still hid from Jerusalem
And Mary rose from her bed
To tend to the Lord she thought was dead

Was it a morning like this?
When Mary walked down from Jerusalem
And two angels stood at the tomb
Bearers of news she would hear soon

Did the grass sing?
Did the earth rejoice to feel You again?

Over and over like a trumpet underground
Did the earth seem to pound, “He is risen!”
Over and over in a never-ending round
“He is risen, hallelujah, hallelujah!”

Was it a morning like this?
When Peter and John ran from Jerusalem
And as they raced towards the tomb
Beneath their feet was there a tune?

Did the grass sing?
Did the earth rejoice to feel You again?

Over and over like a trumpet underground
Did the earth seem to pound, “He is risen!”
Over and over in a never-ending round
“He is risen, hallelujah, hallelujah!”

Over and over like a trumpet underground
Did the earth seem to pound, “He is risen!”
Over and over in a never-ending round
“He is risen, hallelujah, hallelujah!”

Was it a morning like this?
When my Lord looked out on Jerusalem

He is risen
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah!

Yes, Hallelujah, indeed!  What Great News of hope and clarity for why we live the life we do with Christ.  This earth life is only temporary as we live the hope of life eternal with Jesus who has defeated death and has prepared a place for you and I in God’s heaven!

Matthew—God’s Word Fulfilled

Matthew 28:1-15, NLT

The Resurrection

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

The Report of the Guard

11 As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. 12 A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. 13 They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ 14 If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” 15 So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.

THINK ABOUT THE FIRST WITNESSES!  IMAGINE BEING THERE!

The Guards – The earth, God created with Jesus by His side, shook in great earthquake proportions, showing the mighty power of God who is in control always.  The heavy stone, sealed by strong men, was rolled, tossed away like a cheap prop in a play, causing such fear in the Roman soldiers that they passed out!  Smiling here, because I think this is a bit comical along with the irony of strength the Romans think they have versus an angel of God, white and bright as blinding lighting, now sitting on top of the rolled away stone to speak the message of the Lord!  I have to think that the angel enjoyed his mission greatly along with watching the guards pass out!

The Marys – The beloved Marys, how they loved Jesus.  They watched in fear and amazement of seeing the stone tossed aside and the angel now turning to speak to them since the soldiers have gone to “sleep”.  “He’s risen, just as He said!”  Could Jesus words be echoing in their minds, about “the Temple being rebuilt in three days”?  We do know that Hopelessness has now been defeated.  Hope eternal is fully alive!  “I’m going away for a while, but I’ll be back”, said Jesus when as He walked with them. 

Could these words be ringing in their ears? 

Friends, how many times a day must we be reminded that Jesus IS coming back to claim His own?  Just as He said!  When in the middle of fear and trouble, do we remember what Jesus said and did to save us, with promises to help us through life, as He prepares a place for us with Him in eternity.  Don’t lose Hope!  Hope is alive!

NOW, GO QUICKLY AND TELL

For the Marys, fear is gone, Hope restored, overwhelming Joy turns grief to urgency in running, not walking, to go tell the others!  Imagine this joy!  We can only compare it to the time we repented and gave all to Jesus in surrender in return for His extreme gift of forgiveness!  Go back to that day and remember.  We might come close to this day of knowing Jesus is risen indeed–Just as He said—for the very first time!

AS THEY OBEYED, JESUS MET THEM!!

Friends, I am overwhelmed just now by the thought of Jesus meeting His Beloved on the path to obedience to “go and tell”!  Pause, let this sink in!  He meets us on our paths to our own obedience to God, too!  The Marys responded to Jesus in worship!  Do we worship when Jesus comes to us in the middle of our obedience?  Or do we rush ahead, missing these awesome moments, to get the mission accomplished?  Oh, the Marys didn’t!  Jesus, their beloved friends, Savior and Lord, has met them on the path with more encouragement and the more information for they have been faithful beyond the rest of the discipels.  “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”  Wow.

CONFLICTING STORIES—LIE VS. TRUTH

The lies are still being told today.  It didn’t happen, the scoffing world says.  Jesus did not rise again, that’s just a story.  The ones who killed Jesus gave the soldiers a bribe to lie and stick with the lie.  “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’” The religious leaders lied from a place of fear, pride, arrogance, and envy being led by evil. 

Obviously, we have a choice to believe the lie or believe, accept forgiveness, gain life eternal, and to go and tell the Truth.  Friends, choose wisely, our lives and those around us depend on what we spread.  Follow Truth, who is Jesus.

“I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

Oh Lord,

How we do remember by reading Matthew’s Good News!  You are our Hope, our Living Hope!  Keep us remembering, obeying, cherishing each word, worshiping You alone, telling and maturing in Your love.  Help us to tell Your Story, just as You said.  Thank you, Lord!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

REMEMBERING

Posted on August 7, 2021 by randscallawayffm

It is amazing and ironic at the same time that the religious leaders who manipulated the Roman government into killing Jesus, waking the next day remembering what He said about rising from the dead in three days.  You would think that they would be satisfied, still celebrating the deed that was finished with a body in a tomb.  But they heard enough of Jesus’ words to remember and do something about those words of Jesus. 

Why, we ask ourselves, who know what happens next?  Why go to the trouble to seal the tomb when a few humans would not be able to roll the stone away from the entrance?  Why give the fearful followers of Jesus this much credit to think they would still the body after rolling the stone away with great effort?  Could this nugget of truth be troubling those who studied the Law, the Scriptures rolled up in scrolls, passed down through the ages?  Yes, they remembered what Jesus said.  They took their last shot at trying to rid the world of the One sent to save the world. 

The women stood by the entrance and just watched, grieving over His death.  Were they going over in their minds all that Jesus had said?  As women, we are overthinkers, passionate about our families, nurturers of people.  These women did not run but they drew near to where the Body of their Lord was laid and watched while they grieved and remembered.

Pilot, who washed his hands of the whole incident of what to do with Jesus, is now approached again by the religious leaders.  Is he thinking, when will this all be over?  He gives in easily it seems for he remembers his wife’s dream while sentencing an innocent man to die on a cross.  The deed was done.  With the wave of a hand, he tells soldiers to seal the tomb “as best you can” to appease the religious once more.  He posts guards at the tomb who will experience the earth shake once more as Jesus rises from the dead in all His glory.  They will remember a totally different experience than anyone has ever had on earth.

But we get ahead of ourselves.  Today, we are trying to put ourselves inside the minds and attitudes of all the earthly characters who played a part in the fulfillment of Scripture, the prophecies of God, through men who belonged to Him and heard him, through the hearts of the women who loved Him deeply.  We see the irony of the religious leaders of the day, while being grateful to the rich man who decided to follow Jesus unto death on a cross and lovingly and carefully gave respect to the body of our Savior. 

Pause and let us remember…

Matthew—God’s Word Fulfilled

Matthew 27:57-66, NLT

The Burial of Jesus

57 As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, 58 went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. 59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. 60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. 61 Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63 They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ 64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”

65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” 66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.

GO DEEPER IN TRUTH AS WE REMEMBER…

(With the help of Warren Wiersbe, Theologian and Commentator)

“Though He was “crucified through weakness” (2 Cor. 13:4), He exercised wonderful power when He died. Three miracles took place simultaneously: The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; an earthquake opened many graves; some saints arose from the dead. The rending of the veil symbolized the wonderful truth that the way was now open to God (Heb. 10:14–26). There was no more need of temples, priests, altars, or sacrifices. Jesus had finished the work of salvation on the cross.”

“The earthquake reminds us of what happened at Mount Sinai when God gave the law to Moses (Ex. 19:16). The earthquake at Calvary signified that the demands of the law had been met and the curse of the law forever abolished (Heb. 12:18–24). The torn veil indicates that He conquered sin; the earthquake suggests that He conquered the law and fulfilled it; and the resurrections prove that He defeated death.”  Yes!

Wiersbe relates, “It is not likely that Joseph prepared that tomb for himself. He was a wealthy man and certainly would not want to be buried so near a place of execution. He prepared that tomb for Jesus, and he selected a site near Golgotha so that he and Nicodemus could bury Christ’s body quickly. Joseph and Nicodemus could very well have been in the garden waiting for Jesus to die. When they took Him from the cross, they defiled themselves and were not able to eat the Passover. But, what difference did it make? They had found the Lamb of God!”

In contrast to the loving care given by Jesus’ friends, notice the plottings and maneuvering of the Jewish leaders. The disciples had forgotten that Jesus promised to rise from the dead on the third day, but His enemies remembered. Pilate permitted the leaders to set a guard at the tomb. This guard put an official Roman seal on the stone. All of this was of God, for now it was impossible for anyone—friend or foe—to steal the body.

Yes, without realizing it, the Jewish leaders and the Roman government joined forces to help prove the resurrection of Jesus Christ!  Remember this in grateful praise for the One and Only who came to save the world from all sin, once and for all!

Lord and Savior,

Thank you.  Just thank you.  There are not enough words to express my grateful praise this morning so I will just remember with a sincere heart of gratitude.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED

Posted on August 6, 2021 by randscallawayffm

The religious leaders who were filled with pride, arrogance, and envy had succeeded in their plot designed to rid themselves of the man who called himself, Son of God and Son of Man.  Imaging the high fives and pats on the backs by the religious leaders who manipulated the Roman government, their enemy, into doing the deed to kill Jesus in the most tortuous way known to mankind—nailing a human to a cross made of rough, splintery wood planks. 

Oh, how they had their fun in the process as they mocked Judas, a disciple, who became part of their plan.  That was a bonus in their eyes.  They hadn’t planned on one of his own betraying Jesus.  Oh how they scoffed and mocked Judas who changed his mind and threw the coins back at them.  Most likely they celebrated as the coins were returned to them when you consider the mocking of Jesus. 

Yes, they got exactly what they wanted—for now.  However, the story does not end here.  We know the rest of the story.  The cross has the final word for our salvation.  Pause to reflect as we sing this song to the glory of God.  I hear this playing in the background of my mind as we study this passage this morning…

The Cross Has the Final Word, Newsboys

The cross has the final word
The cross has the final word
Sorrow may come in the darkest night
But the cross has the final word

There’s nothing stronger
Nothing higher
There’s nothing greater than the name of Jesus

All the honor
All the power
All the glory to the name of Jesus

The cross has the final word
The cross has the final word
Evil may put up its strongest fight
But the cross has the final word

There’s nothing stronger
Nothing higher
Nothing greater than the name of Jesus

All the honor
All the power
All the glory to the name of Jesus

The cross has the final word
The cross has the final word
The Savior has come with the morning light
The cross has the final word…

Matthew—God’s Word Fulfilled

Matthew 27:32-56, NLT

The Crucifixion

32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.

35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

The Death of Jesus

45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”

50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

54 The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

55 And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee.

THINK ABOUT IT…

To Jesus’ followers and devoted disciples, their new way of life is over.  Or so they think.

To the disciples who ran for protection from the murderers of their leader, fear takes over.

To the religious leaders, there is celebration.

To the women who stayed at the foot of the cross there is nothing but overwhelming grief because of their devoted love for Him.  His earthly mother was one of them.

To the soldiers who did the deed and stood watch over the dying, human body, there was something different about this man.  When the earth shook, fear took over because of what was happening around them as he died.  “This man truly was the Son of God!”

To those in the Temple at the time the curtain ripped in two pieces, leading to the Holy of Holies, the place where only one designated person could go to lay the sins of the people before God, was shock, horror and fear.  

To passersby, there was no thought, just the sport of mocking and ridicule on a busy Passover in the big city.

To Jesus, forgiveness.  “Forgive them, Lord for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

Pause for grateful prayer as we remember what Jesus did for us.

Yes, the religious leaders think they got what they wanted.  But God trumped their selfish plot to get what He had planned for us since Creation.  God’s Perfect Plan was successfully carried out by His Son who was willing to lay down his life for all who would believe in Him and be saved for eternity.  Jesus provided total and complete forgiveness for our sins which gave all who would believe in Him a way back to God in relationship with Him, the once and for all sacrifice. 

The ripped curtain was symbolic of this new way to God.  We can now approach God boldly because of Jesus’ forgiveness without a ceremonial procedure.  “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  Hebrews 14:6 

THE WAY has been made, courtesy of the blood of Christ, our Savior.

Do we really believe what we say we believe about God really real?  Pause and think.  Meditate on what Jesus did and why He did it.  Get real.  Be real. 

Lord,

Thank you, Jesus for all you went through as Son of Man and Son of God so that I can come directly to God boldly.  Thank you for forgiveness of all our sins.  “As far as the east is from the west”, our sins are forgiven.  Help us to remember them no more and move forward in this new life with You.  Guide us, lead us, transform us to be all you created us to be…then do for your glory.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

MOCKING OR MOCKED?

Posted on August 5, 2021 by randscallawayffm

If you live long enough on earth you will be mocked.  Prideful humans enjoy putting someone else down in order to lift themselves up in the eyes of the people in their circle of influence.  New people who come into their circle must be proven to be up to their standards and be just like them or they are quickly mocked and torn down to size, a size lower than the mockers.  

We learn skills of mocking on the playground.  We play “king of the hill” where only the strong and pushy remain on top.  When wisdom and maturity is slow to grow inside individuals, we carry this bully attitude into our adult life. Bullies love to mock and are gifted at sarcastically bringing others who do not follow them down to their knees…or they nail them to a cross of shame and humility.

Our passage of mocking leads to the final humiliation of our Lord.  The soldiers are allowed to have their way with Jesus, to mock Him with taunts about who He is in Truth.  Jesus said nothing and took the pain of these taunts as well as the beatings by the whips of leather and spikes cutting into his skin.  Scripture tells us he was unrecognizable by the time this mocking and beating subsided long enough so they could lead him to his final destination—the cross.

The Roman soldiers took great pride in their work of nailing humans to a cross in ways that held them there for all passers by to see, to mock and jeer with hate, until they died hours later.  To the Romans, this humiliation was a deterrent to crime and revolutions against the government. 

To God, it was the act of paying the debt of sin for all the world for whom He loved.  To Jesus, Son of God, who could have called thousands upon thousands of angels to rescue Him, it was an act of sacrificial love for you and for me.  Jesus laid down his life for our lives.  He died in our place.  He took the pain of our punishment, the mocking that hurt from the inside out, the beatings that hurt from the outside in so we could be set free from the entanglement and debt of sin.  Once and for all, Jesus died and rose again to save us.

The mocking still takes place today.  Jesus told us it would.  “And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:22) As a child of God, follower of Jesus, I tire of the mocking.  However, on days when I find myself in a place where I am not mocked, I may be the one doing the mocking!  We have to check our pride often to make sure we are not joining in the mocking of others in the Body of Christ.  When we mock others, Jesus said we are mocking Him.  Whatever we do to the least of these, we do to Him!  Our love for Him is based on our love for others!

Oh, how careful and focused we must be to stay so close to Jesus that we are mocked for our faith in Him.  I would rather be accused and mocked for following Christ than not be mocked or accused because of following anything that comes along.  My desire is to follow Jesus, to know Him, to share in His sufferings (mocking) like the apostle Paul who changed his political extremist life of mocking and killing Believers to becoming a powerful, God-led follower of Jesus Christ.  Read the powerful testimony of Saul to Paul who obtained a new name and a new direction for his life…

“Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” 

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ‘Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’” Philippians 3:7-14, NIV

PAUSE TO PRAY…

Am I mocked for my faith in Jesus?  Or am I doing the mocking?

Love God.  Love Others like He loves us.

Matthew—God’s Word Fulfilled

Matthew 27:27-44, NLT

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

The Crucifixion

32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.

35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

Oh Lord,

The extreme mocking you took for truly being Who you said you were touch my soul this morning.  The pain you took in my place overwhelms me.  I have no other words but thank you.  Thank you, God for sending your Son.  Thank you, Jesus for dying for my sin and rising again with hope for our resurrection someday to be with you forever.  Thank you, Holy Spirit for speaking to my soul today.  Guide me.  Lead me.  Mold and shape me to be before doing anything.  Help me to take the mocking gracefully with silence as you did.  Your silence spoke volumes.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

WHAT CRIME?

Posted on August 4, 2021 by randscallawayffm

Like children on a playground who like a good fight, guided by peer pressure into things they wouldn’t normally do, promised good things by influencers, or coerced to join them because they are more powerful, the crowds yell, “Crucify Him!”

God’s Chosen People have betrayed their long-awaited Messiah.  Prophets said they would and they did.  The prophets also told of the way Jesus would be killed for the sins of the world.  Isaiah, centuries earlier, gives the clearest description of how the Messiah would take the sins of world, yours and mine, beaten and put to death to pay our debt.  What crime?  Our crime of sin.  The wounds Jesus endured from his beatings brought healing to us.  Camp on that thought this morning.

Let’s visit Isaiah 53 before reading Matthew’s account;

“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”             (Isaiah 53, NIV)

Matthew—God’s Word Fulfilled

Matthew 27:11-23, NLT

Jesus’ Trial before Pilate

11 Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him.

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

12 But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent. 13 “Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. 14 But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.

15 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. 16 This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas. 17 As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)

19 Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”

The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

25 And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”

26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

WHAT CRIME? 

Even Pilot, a Roman official, caught in the middle of the plot to kill Jesus by the Jewish leaders, “knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.” 

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  2 Corinthians 5:21

WHY?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

From the beginning of Creation, God made humans in his image, (Imago Dei) with a desire and delight for his created to love Him back in an intimate, holy relationship.  He made a way for this to happen—Jesus.

HOW?

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Saved from what?  I’m a good person.  Being good isn’t the point, being saved by grace is essential to our faith in God and our growing relationship with Him through Jesus, His Son.  By the way, no one is “good”.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”  Romans 3:23-25

Our crime led to our punishment for our sin.  Jesus took the punishment for our sin as only “he who knew no sin” could.  Debt paid in full.  Praise God for a way out and back to Him in holy relationship!

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6, NIV  Jesus came to provide the Way to God, was Truth by example who led all who believe to Life, real life, eternal.

Lord and Savior,

Thank you for saving my soul and making me whole again.  Thank you for taking on the punishment we deserve for our sins in such a horrific way.  Thank you for leading us to God, telling the world about God then dying and rising again so we could have a pure, intimate, growing relationship with God!  I have not arrived.  The more I learn from you the more I want to learn more about You.  Continue to transform this saved soul into all you created me to be, then do according to your will and purpose.  Because now, I’m set free!  All because of You!  To You be all glory, honor and praise forevermore!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

WHAT DO WE CARE?

Posted on August 3, 2021 by randscallawayffm

It has been said that most successful companies care more about the profit than the people.  People are indispensable—until you do not add to the profit margin.  These places are most often not places that value your worth—only your output for bottom line results.  Working for a place that treats humans only as part of the machinery to thrive in business know that humans are as replaceable as any other moving part in the company.  Caring about humans gets in the way.

When leadership sees only the big picture without caring who they hurt to get there, it is possibly time to look for a new work unless you realize upfront what is expected of you to churn out the work, giving all you have to the company while staying ahead of the curve is okay with you.  We realize that humans are not important—only the work they do to make the leadership look good in the eyes of the world around them so what they are selling is bought at a high price. What do we care?

Who we give our souls to in this earthly life makes all the difference in God’s view of thinking.  When we realize that ultimately, we work to please God first, the work we choose to support us in this life will take on a different look and feel.  Putting God first in our job search leads us to workplaces that do care about humans who find that caring actually produces more success in the lives of people who then provide productive outcomes.  But be careful of those who only pretend to care—until they don’t.

In today’s passage, the irony of Law keeping and uncaring is taken to a new level by the religious leaders who have no relationship with God.  They have been plotting to kill Jesus who has been a constant problem to their selfish living.  They used Judas’ weakness of money management, who couldn’t keep his hands out the treasury bag meant for the followers living existence. 

Judas was an easy target because he was becoming disgruntled at Jesus’s ways.  He didn’t like the way Jesus handled life situations.  Jesus was not taking over the Roman government of oppression in an all-out revolt like he would have liked.  Judas was especially indignant at the woman who came in one evening and anointed Jesus with expensive perfume.  “We could have given the money to the poor”, but Judas was really thinking he could have had more money in the bag to use for his purposes.  Judas acted like he cared as a disciple of Jesus—but he did not care.  Judas only cared for himself.   Love was lost on his own selfish greed.  This “tipping point” led to the betrayal shortly after the anointing. 

However, the religious leaders are even more uncaring than Judas!  They used Judas to get to Jesus.  The tables of uncaring are turned on Judas when he realizes where this betrayal act is heading and he finally regrets what he did to Jesus, the man he had traveled alongside for months.  Judas tries to undo his act of betrayal by giving the price paid back to the leaders, but it is too late.  The plot has picked up steam and is now rolling to the final destination of what the leaders think will solve all their problems.  The leaders’ final words to Judas were, “What do we care?”  “That’s your problem.”

Matthew—God’s Word Fulfilled

Matthew 27:1-10, NLT

Judas Hangs Himself

Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

6 The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.” 7 After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. 8 That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. 9 This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,

“They took the thirty pieces of silver—
    the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,
10 and purchased the potter’s field,
    as the Lord directed.”

ONE LAST LOOK…

“Judas had returned to the scene. He witnessed the official trial and sentencing of Jesus and realized that He was condemned to die. Judas’s response was one of remorse and regret. The Greek word translated “repented himself” in Matthew 27:3 indicates, not a sorrow for sin that leads to a change of mind and action, (like Peter), but a regret at being caught, a remorse that leads to despair. Peter truly repented, and Jesus restored him. But Judas did not repent, and this led him to suicide. Judas had sold Jesus for the price of a slave (Ex. 21:32). In desperation, he threw the money on the temple floor and left. The law would not permit the use of this kind of tainted money for temple purposes (Deut. 23:18). The leaders were careful to observe the law even while they were guilty of breaking it. They used the money to buy a “potter’s field” where Jewish strangers who died could be properly buried.” (Warren Wiersbe, Commentator)

A distraught Judas, fulfills what God knew he would do, proceed with the last act of selfishness.  He hangs himself. 

The priests called the cemetery “the field of blood” because it was purchased with “blood money.” Judas’s suicide added more “blood” to the name, since it was he who contributed the money.  The leading priest wouldn’t waste good money.  “It wouldn’t be right” to put the blood money back into their treasury, so they do the next best thing.  They act like they care and buy a field so people not like them can be buried.  Wow.

God cares.  Believe.  Trust in His Care.

Abba, Father in Heaven, Lord,

Thank you for caring, loving, cherishing us, your created.  We are so loved, you died to save us from our own sin of selfishness, of going our own way without you, of failures and misunderstandings.  You care!  You really care about us.  You know each of us by name.  You know how many hairs are on our head.  You love us.  We love you.  You desire a growing intimate relationship with us that is full, abundant and good.  Very good.  Thank you for caring.  Thank you for taking our problems and solving them instead of throwing them back into our faces.  You are God.  There is no one like You.  I will forever be grateful for all you are to us and do for us each day!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment