Category: Gospels
My appointed time is near!
Scripture reading for February 9th: Matthew 26:14-46, Psalm 29, Proverbs 8:14-26
Jesus was in total control and had full understanding of what would happen. Judas had already gone to the chief priests and inquired of what they would be willing to give him for handing Jesus over. The agreed upon price was thirty silver coins. ( Zechariah wrote about this about 500 years earlier in Zechariah 11:12)
Jesus instructed the disciples to go and prepare a place for the Passover meal. He told them to tell a certain man that His appointed time was near and He wanted to celebrate the Passover at his house. Evidently this man would understand what that meant. Jesus knew He had an appointment to keep. He was going to be the final Passover sacrifice for the sins of the world.
At the Passover meal, Jesus announced that one of them would betray Him. (Matthew 26:20-31) He then identified Judas as that very one when Judas asked if it was he. I believe that Jesus was trying His very best to give Judas the opportunity to repent of his reprehensible deed. What mercy our Lord showed toward one who would betray Him!
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:26-29) Jesus was again teaching His disciples about the nature of His coming death. He would give His body to be beaten, bruised, and crucified for their sake, as well as for all mankind. Jesus would give His blood as a covenant with those who would believe on Him for the forgiveness of their sins. This cup would be His final cup with them until the fullness of the Father’s Kingdom came.
Today we know that the appointed time of Jesus’ return is near. We must be fully trusting in His broken body and shed blood as our only hope of eternal salvation. Are you ready to drink this cup with Jesus in the Father’s kingdom?
A beautiful thing!
Scripture reading for February 8th: Matthew 25:31-26:13, Psalm 28, Proverbs 8:11-13
Jesus finished His teaching on the signs of the end of the age and again reminded the disciples of the coming Passover and His pending crucifixion. There should have been no doubt as to what He meant as He again emphasized the fact that He would be handed over to those who were plotting to kill Him. (Matthew 26:1-4) The high priest, Caiaphas, assembled the chief priests and elders in his home to find a way to arrest Jesus and kill Him. It is amazing that those who taught the Law of God could so violate the commandments in order to crucify the Son of God.
Jesus was visiting the home of Simon the Leper in Bethany when a woman came and paid Him a visit. This woman had a jar of expensive perfume and poured it on His head. “When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why the waste?’ they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”(Matthew 26:8-13)
Even though Jesus had again reminded these disciples that He would soon die, their thoughts were on the money that the perfume would buy. They had a good motive: giving to the poor! Jesus rebuked them and stuck up for the unnamed woman. He said she had done a beautiful thing to Him. She was evidently more sensitive to the coming events than those who walked with Him every day.
Worship and honoring Jesus should always take priority in our daily lives. Good works at the neglect of giving the Lord the honor He deserved was a poor choice then and is now. What the woman did is now mentioned around the world as Jesus promised her. This is another example of His total understanding of future events. Let’s seek to do that which has eternal value!
Well done! Good and faithful servant!
Scripture reading for February 7th: Matthew 25:14-30, Psalm 28, Proverbs 8:1-10
Everybody likes the reward of a job well done! We all long to have significance and recognition for making a contribution with our efforts. Much of our lives are spent in doing things that often have no one to commend us. In fact, often there are many who criticize us for our decisions or efforts. The world values that which is popular or exciting. God has told us in His word about the things that will bring us rewards and commendation. Let’s look at this today and evaluate our obedience to God’s commands.
Jesus finished His message about what it would be like when He returned at the end of the age with a final parable. This was a story of a rich man going on a journey and placing his servants in charge of his property. Each of of three servants were given talents (property or money) according to their ability. One got one talent, another got two talents and another got five talents. Each servant chose how to use the investments. The one with five, gained five more. The one with two gained two more. The one with one talent hid his in the ground and made no profit.
After a long time, the master returned and asked for an accounting. The two servants that had wisely invested got a well-deserved commendation,“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things! Come share in your master’s happiness.” (Matthew 25:21) The last servant got a stern rebuke and thrown out into the darkness. (Matthew 25:28-30)
Jesus summed up what he was looking for in order to give rewards. “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:34-36) Jesus told them that when they did these things to the least of these, they did it to Him! Go for the reward!
The Midnight Cry!
Scripture reading for February 6th: Matthew 25:1-13, Psalm 26, Proverbs 7:24-27
As Jesus was closing out this last message and answering His disciples questions about the end of the age, He told a parable about ten virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom to come for them. This story would have resonated with those in His culture immediately because of the customs there surrounding a wedding. When we understand what they did, this parable opens up another emphasis on being prepared and the perils of lack of preparation.
It was the custom of the day for the bride and her bridal party to prepare for the wedding day for up to a year prior to the actual wedding. The bridegroom was busy preparing a house for his bride and would come to get her when it was ready. The exact time was not set because this was part of the mystery and excitement of the wedding. As the date approached, the bridal party knew that the bridegroom could come at any time and take them to the wedding feast. The bridal party in the story knew that the bridegroom would come soon and went out to meet him. He delayed his coming and the virgins fell asleep. (Matthew 25:1-4)
“At midnight the cry rang out; ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil’ our lamps are going out.’ “‘No;’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.” “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said, ‘Open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.'” “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:6-13)
Five foolish virgins were not prepared. The delay had exposed their lack of preparation and consequent need for oil for their lamps. At that late hour, there was no time to get what they needed. When seeking entrance to the banquet, the bridegroom refused them entrance! Not all the visible church will attend the wedding!
Get ready for the trumpet!
Scripture reading for February 5th: Matthew 24:29-51, Psalm 25, Proverbs 7:6-23
“When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more, When the morning breaks eternal bright and fair, When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.” (Gray)
This old hymn has a lot of theology in it from Matthew 24 where Jesus taught His disciples what it would be like at the end of the age. “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the nations of the earth will mourn. they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31)
Jesus told the disciples that He would come back on the clouds of the sky in power and great glory. When this happened, the people of the nations of the earth would mourn. This event would happen suddenly and many will mourn because they have not made preparations that they should have made. Those who were ready would be gathered by the angels from all over the earth. This event is what we call the “rapture” or “catching up” of believers.
It is described in 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 in more detail. The trumpet will sound and first the dead in Christ will rise. Those who believe and are living on the earth will be caught up next to meet the Lord in the air. This will all happen in a moment, “in the twinkling of an eye” at the last trumpet. (1st Corinthians 15:51-53) We will then always be with the Lord.
Jesus warned His followers that they must be ready because this would happen suddenly and at a time when no one expected. No one would know the day or hour, but those who knew the Lord would live in a state of readiness. They would be trusting in Christ and doing what God had asked them to do. (Matthew 24:42-46) Those who were not ready and doing what Christ asked them to do when this event occurred would be left out! They would suffer with the hypocrites! Get ready for the trumpet!
The End of the Age!
Scripture reading for February 4th: Matthew 24:1-28, Psalm 24, Proverbs 7:1-5
As Jesus was nearing the end of His time on earth, He took time to answer the disciple’s questions concerning events that would take place in the future. One characteristic of our great God is that He knows the end from the beginning. He has perfect knowledge of future events and has even written them down, proving that He alone is God. That is the nature of prophesy and Jesus spoke prophetically to His close followers.
They had two questions following His statement that the temple in Jerusalem would be torn down, with not one stone left upon another. They wanted to know when this would happen and what would be the signs leading up to this event and the end of the age. “Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, bu the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. These are the beginnings of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:4-8)
Jesus answered these questions with a straight-forward warning against deception. Deception would be a sign of the coming end of the age. There would be religious deception coming from people who came in His name, but were really not His. These people would be working to deceive many people. This would require watchfulness and discernment. The disciples must know what was real and be able to spot these deceivers. They would need to exercise caution and stay close to the Lord Himself.
There would also be turmoil in the world among the nations and peoples. Wars and rumors of wars would abound and earthquakes and famines would bring destruction and pain to many people. These would be just the beginning of this time of the end. It would be like labor pains in a woman ready to give birth. The time would be near and those who had spiritual eyes could see and know what it would be like. Do you see signs of the end of the age? Are you ready for Jesus’ return?
As a hen gathers her chicks!
Scripture reading for February 3rd: Matthew 23:20-39, Psalm 23, Proverbs 6:27-35
Mother hen’s are very protective. I remember a story that happened after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. A prairie chicken mother was killed instantly and frozen in time by the searing wave of heat that came from the eruption. A worker in the area a few days later came upon the charred body of the hen and gave it a kick with his foot. Out from under the body of the hen came a small brood of live chicks who had survived by huddling under their mother who gave her life protecting them.
Jesus used a similar example as He looked out over Jerusalem after giving the religious leaders a prophetic warning concerning their need to repent of hypocrisy and find a true relationship with God. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.'” (Matthew 23:37-39) God’s heart was to save His people just like the prairie hen who gave her life to save her chicks. The problem with sinful man was their unwillingness to come to Jesus for salvation. Religious people like to work for their salvation and put on the religious shows that Jesus labeled ‘hypocrisy’. When God tried to warn them by sending His messengers the prophets and now His own Son, they killed the prophets and now were ready to do away with the Son!
God must draw a person before they can be saved. (John 6:44) The Holy Spirit works through preaching to convict of sin, righteousness, and the coming judgment. (John 16:8-10) Jesus Christ is the way, truth and life, and no one can come to the Father but by Him. The Trinity is unified in their desire to see all saved and come to safety under God’s protective wings. The only thing keeping us away is our willingness to welcome their help!
Woe to you hypocrites!
Scripture reading for February 2nd: Matthew 23:1-19, Psalm 22, Proverbs 6:20-26
Hypocrisy was one of Jesus’ pet peeves. The word for hypocrisy implies “play-acting”, and describes a person who learns a part to put on a show. Unfortunately, religious people are very prone to this type of thing and it made Jesus angry. He addressed the crowds that came to Him concerning their teachers and leaders. He told them that they should obey them and show them respect as they taught the law of God, but that they should not do as they did. They simply did not practice what they preached! (Matthew 23:3)
Hypocrites do what they do for men and not for God. They like to be seen as righteous and above the common person. They wear special clothes, like to have titles and social prominence and preeminence. In Jesus’ day, the liked the title of “Rabbi” which meant “teacher” and “father” which was a term endearing respect. Jesus reminded that they had one Father, who was in heaven, and one “Teacher” who was the Christ! If they truly wanted to be great, they should be the servant of all. (Matthew 23:5-12)
Hypocrites, by play-acting, actually hinder God’s kingdom from advancing because those who lead in this manner are really building up their own kingdom. They are still part of the devil’s crowd and have not experienced true redemption. They teach others to do as they do instead of humbly repenting of their sins and finding true freedom by learning from Christ and finding God as their heavenly father. They build large followings of people that use them as their “teacher” and “father” and learn to put on the same show for men!
Woe is the end result of a lifestyle of hypocrisy. Woe is trouble and heartache and ultimately weeping and gnashing of teeth. It is God’s displeasure for eternity as a consequence of seeking man’s approval by putting on a religious show. It is a condition that Jesus wanted no one to experience! My prayer for myself is that God would continue to reveal hypocrisy in my own life and lead me in His ways. I want to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Wouldn’t you rather too?
The power of God!
Scripture reading for February 1st: Matthew 22:23-46, Psalm 21, Proverbs 6:1-19
Today’s reading tells of a group of Sadducees who came to Jesus to test Him. The Sadducees were what we might describe as non-charismatic Jews of Jesus’ day. They did not believe in miracles and especially the resurrection of the dead. For them, this was not reasonable and was just superstitious. They contrasted with the Pharisees who did believe in miracles and the resurrection of the dead. These Sadducees had what they thought was an question that would prove Jesus was not the Messiah.
Their question concerned the teaching of Moses where if a man died without having children, his brother was to marry his widow and have children for his brother. They proposed that this happened to a widow who had been married to seven brothers who had all died without producing children. (Matthew 22:23-32) (Deuteronomy 25:5-6) Their question for Jesus was, “Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” (Matthew 22:27)
“Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead–have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” ” (Matthew 22:29-32) Jesus turned their question into a time of teaching for them. He gave them truth to help their understanding but did not fall into the trap that they had designed. He took the Scripture and clearly showed that God viewed the patriarchs as alive. The greater need was not to argue about issues of heaven, but to believe in resurrection and eternal life!
God’s power is sufficient to meet our every need. If we have honest questions, God can help us with answers. He has given us His Word to know truth and to bring faith alive in our hearts. We must take Him at His word and believe! All who come to God must believe that He is alive and rewards those who seek Him! (Hebrews 11:6) Many are like the Sadducee s, sad because they don’t believe the Scriptures or the power of God!
Embarrassed at the Wedding!
Scripture reading for January 31st: Matthew 22:1-22, Psalms 20, Proverbs 5:21-23
Jesus knew that the religious leaders were plotting to arrest Him. He spoke to them again in a parable that would help them to see their precarious position. This parable had some common elements relating to the culture of that day for all who heard. There was the King who had a son that was getting married and a planned wedding banquet. There were the servants sent out to remind the guests of the banquet and confirm their attendance. There were those invited to this wedding banquet and then there were those who were found on the street and invited to come and fill the banquet hall for the dinner. There was one man who attended the banquet without proper clothes. This cast of characters and the wedding banquet were woven into a simple story that could bring understanding to those with teachable hearts.
The servants were initially sent out to the invited guests with the invitation. These guests either ignored the invitation and often mistreated and killed the servants who were sent to them. This enraged the King and He sent His army to destroy those invited guests and burn their city. Other servants were then sent out to find anyone, good or bad, who would come to the banquet. When the King arrived at the banquet he noticed a man who had no wedding clothes. This man had no excuse and was bound and thrown from the banquet hall. The moral of this parable was, “For many are invited but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)
Jesus’ story was directed at the religious leaders of the Jews and they knew it! They were the invited guests who had mistreated the prophets that the King (God) had sent to them. They had killed some of them and were at present plotting to kill the King’s Son! God had judged the nation by sending them into captivity for seventy years and their city was burned. God would now send disciples to gather all who would come to the feast–Jew or Gentile. Those accepting Christ would be clothed with His righteousness! (2nd Corinthians 5:21) Any man who was not properly clothed would be thrown into the darkness (hell). This was and is a warning to all. The proper garments are deeds of righteousness done by faith. (Revelation 19:7-9) Don’t be embarrassed at this wedding!