After Jesus was arrested, he was taken to the governor, Pilate. After examining Jesus, Pilate determined that he had done no wrong, and wanted to set Jesus free.
There was a custom to release a prisoner at the Passover festival, so Pilate suggested that Jesus be set free. However, the Jewish leaders stirred up the crowd to ask that Pilate release a notorious criminal named Barabbas instead.
Ironically, the name “Barabbas” means “son of the father”. So, the crowd was faced with the choice between the true Son of the Father, Jesus, and a poor substitute for the real thing.
Sadly, the crowd chose the poor substitute instead of Jesus. Barabbas was set free, and Jesus was sent to the cross where he would die for the sins of the world.
We are still faced with similar choices today. Every day people choose a poor substitute for the real thing rather than choosing the true Son of God. Be careful what kind of decisions you make!
Numbers 21 records an interesting part of the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness to the promised land. It seems that they grew impatient and started grumbling against God. Well, God doesn’t like to hear people grumble, especially against him, so he sent venomous snakes that bit the people, and many of them died.
At this point the people came to Moses, admitted their sin, and asked him to pray that the Lord would take the snakes away. So, Moses prayed for the people.
Then the Lord told Moses to make a snake and put it up on a pole. Whoever would get bitten could then come and look at it and live. So, Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
There are some lessons to be learned from this incident.
First, God doesn’t like complaining. The Bible warns us about this time after time, yet many Christians seem to make grumbling their hobby! Do your best not to grumble and complain, because God reserves the right to punish those who do so.
A second lesson to learn is the need to repent. Once we realize that we have sinned, we need to confess that sin to God and repent. Jesus says not once, but twice, in Luke 13:1-5 that those who refuse to repent will perish.
Third, we need to understand that the Lord is willing to offer forgiveness for those who do repent. Just as he made provisions for the Israelites in Numbers 21, God made it possible for everyone in the world to be forgiven when he sent his Son Jesus to die for the sins of the world.
Jesus refers to this episode when he says in John 3:14-15, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Here Jesus is predicting the sacrificial death that he would die on the cross to pay for the sins of mankind.
In a way, we are all snakebit, because, as Rom.3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But when we place our trust in the crucified Jesus, God takes away our sins and removes from us the penalty of those sins. Rom.6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
A.C.T.S. is an acronym that many people have used over the years as an outline for their prayers. There are several variations of this plan that focuses on some of the fundamentals of prayer. I have taken one of them and adapted it just a little bit. Perhaps it will be of some benefit to you.
“A” is for “adoration”. A good way to begin a prayer is with worship. There are many prayers in Scripture that recognize God’s awesome holiness. God alone is worthy of such adoration. Psalm 95:6-7 urges us, “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” This verse stresses how we should approach God, by humbly bowing before him and recognizing his Lordship of our lives. Scripture says that he is worthy to be worshiped for who he is and what he does. So, a good place to start our prayer is with adoration.
“C” stands for “confession”. Every time we pray is an opportunity to admit our sins and shortcomings to God. Psalm 32:5 says, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” The New Testament also instructs us to practice confession in our prayers. 1 John 1:8-10 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” We can’t hide our sins from God. He knows what we have done wrong. The best approach is to confess our sins when we pray to him.
“T” is for “thanksgiving”. Gratefulness is a key ingredient to our prayers. We should be extremely thankful for all the many blessings that God showers on us constantly. Phil.4: 6 implores us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Too often we start asking God for things before we have properly thanked him for the things he has already given us! Let’s make sure we take some time to be grateful in our daily prayers.
“S” stands for “supplication”. This is the part of prayer where we ask God for his blessings, both physical and spiritual. I refer you once again to Phil.4:6, which says that after you have expressed your thanks, then you can “present your requests to God.” We should never cease to be amazed that the God who created the universe is willing not only to listen to our prayers, but also to respond to the requests that we make for ourselves and for others.
I hope that this exercise in prayer is beneficial to you and that it helps you to deepen your relationship with God.
My wife and I love the water. We enjoy watching boats go up and down the Ohio River, which flows about 400 yards from our house. Some of our favorite vacations, such as cruises, involve water.
One trip took us to Niagara Falls. We stayed on the Canadian side of the falls. It was our first trip north of the border.
We went on several excursions in our 3 days at Niagara. One was a cable car ride over the whirlpool downstream from the falls. Another was a walk along the whitewater rapids. We also walked behind the falls to get a different perspective. One of the most memorable experiences of the whole vacation was our ride on the Maid of the Mist, a boat that takes passengers so close to the falls that it feels like you are in a pouring rain.
At night the falls are illuminated with a fantastic display of lights, including various colors that change from time to time.
I suppose the most amazing aspect of Niagara Falls is the sheer power of the water as it roars over the cliff to its destination below. People flock to view its magnificence, and they take pictures to record their experience for later enjoyment.
Gazing at the falls reminded me of how significant water is in the Bible. In the very beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” (Gen.1:1-2). It was through the miraculously parted waters of the Red Sea that God enabled his people to escape slavery in Egypt and enter into the Promised Land (Ex.14). David writes that our Good Shepherd leads us beside the still waters (Ps.23). Isaiah 55:1 urges us—“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters…”
In the New Testament, we see that several of Jesus’ miracles involve water: turning the water into wine, walking on water and calming the storm, to name a few. Jesus compares the spiritual blessings he offers to water. “Jesus answered, “everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (Jn.4:13-14). In fact, Jesus teaches that in order to enter his kingdom we must be “born of water and the Spirit” (Jn.3:5).
People who believed in the message of Jesus and his apostles flocked to the water, where they repented and were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. About 3,000 were added to the church after Peter preached his sermon on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38-41). People continued to be buried with Jesus through baptism and were raised to live a new life (Rom.6:4). The process continues today for anyone who wants to receive Jesus as his or her Savior.
The San Francisco 49ers used the last pick of the 2022 NFL draft to pick quarterback Brock Purdy. The last player chosen in the draft has been labelled “Mr. Irrelevant”, because few players chosen last ever make a significant impact in the league.
However, Purdy has beaten the odds. He took over the starting quarterback job because of injuries last season and has done a great job, leading the 49ers to a berth in this year’s Super Bowl.
That’s quite an unlikely story, yet that’s what happened.
In a similar fashion, God uses unlikely people like you and me to be instrumental in his radical plan to save the world through Jesus. 1 Cor.1:26-27 says, “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
Whatever we might think about ourselves, we are certainly not irrelevant!
People often use the word “miracle” inappropriately. Sometimes people talk about “the miracle of birth”. While childbirth is an amazing and wonderful event, it is hardly miraculous. It is a perfectly natural event. I once heard someone say that every time we travel in a car and arrive safely at our destination it is a miracle. Not hardly!
Before we go any farther, let’s try to define the word. A miracle is an action that goes against the laws of nature and creates or enhances faith in God. Miracles are rare events that don’t happen every day. They cannot happen naturally. A miracle is when God intervenes during the course of human events and does something that is otherwise impossible. The intended result of a miracle is to either cause people to start believing in God, or to increase the faith that they already have.
Sometimes we must distinguish between a miracle and the daily providential care of God. For example, suppose that a bridge falls immediately after you cross it. Was that a miracle? No, bridges sometimes collapse because of the law of gravity. Now if a bridge that had collapsed reassembled itself right before you needed to cross it, that would be a miracle!
We see miracles in the Old Testament: The Red Sea parted, an axe head floated to the top of the water, a donkey talked, the dead were raised, and fire came down from heaven to burn up a water-soaked sacrifice.
More often we think about the miracles Jesus performed in the New Testament: Changing water to wine, walking on water, calming the storm, exorcisms, various healings, and raising the dead.
There are several purposes for the miracles of Jesus: To prove his identity, to demonstrate his mission to save, to draw a crowd, to show compassion, to reward faithfulness, to fulfill prophecy, and to display the glory of God.
Notice that Jesus enabled his disciples to perform miracles as they went out preaching the good news of the kingdom. This would ensure that their message would be heeded by those who were truly seeking God.
Notice also that the apostles performed miracles after the crucified and resurrected Jesus ascended into heaven. This was to convey the idea that the church would continue the ministry of Jesus here on earth.
The primary purpose of Jesus’ miracles was to demonstrate God’s salvation. Miracles give us a brief look at heaven, where there will be no more crying, suffering, death or pain. When Jesus performed a miracle, he brought a little bit of heaven to earth for a moment.
(For this article, I relied heavily on a lecture given by Mark Scott.)
John 14:1-6 is a passage of Scripture often used in funeral sermons. It conveys hope and comfort for those who desperately need it. It is a source of inspiration for all who follow Jesus.
Jesus begins this passage by telling his disciples that they should not let their hearts continue to be troubled. We can’t avoid ever experiencing negative feelings since we live in a world that offers much that is troubling. However, we are not to live our lives in a constant state of turmoil and despair. The secret of overcoming a troubled heart is to continue to believe in God and Jesus. Living a life of faith can help us endure any trouble this world has to offer.
Jesus then teaches that his Father’s house has room for all believers, and that he is going to prepare a place for us there. His leaving would no doubt become a source for further troubling of their hearts. However, he encourages them, and us, that he will come back for his own people and that he will take us to that place where we can be with him forever. These are indeed encouraging words for any troubled heart!
He goes on to offer the assurance that they know the way to the place where he is going. Thomas then asks how they could possibly know the way since they didn’t know where he was going.
Jesus then gives his oft-quoted reply— “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (14:6).
Here Jesus claims to be the key to life. Thomas a Kempis had this to say about this verse— “Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living.” Everything hinges on Jesus.
Many are offended by the exclusive nature of Christianity. They insist that there surely must be other ways to God besides through Jesus. The Bible, however, gives us no other options. It is up to God himself to set the requirements to meet him. It is up to us to accept his terms.
In a way Christianity is exclusive, since Jesus is indeed the only way to God. But at the same time, Christianity is extremely inclusive in the sense that whoever believes in Jesus will not have to perish but can have eternal life (John 3:16). “Whoever” includes everybody! The only way people are excluded from God’s presence is through their own choice.
Rest assured that Jesus has prepared a place for you to live with him forever. Through his death and resurrection Jesus has made the arrangements for us. All we must do is to trust him and accept his terms for our salvation. That is good news for any troubled heart!
The above picture tells a powerful story. The eagle’s love and devotion for its young is sacrificial. It is willing to go to great lengths to ensure the safety and well-being of its young. Such a display of love is indeed inspiring.
This reminds us of the love of God. God loves his children sacrificially, to the extent that he would send his Son Jesus to die for us. His love for us is on-going, offering us continued protection that will endure throughout this life, and for all eternity.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”—Matt.23:37.
“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”—Rom.6:1-4.
Everyone is buried in one way or another. Some are buried in their sins. Others have submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and have been buried with him in baptism.
Which way of being buried do you prefer? It seems like an easy choice to make!
“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”—Acts 22:16.
I have always believed that the second coming of Jesus Christ could happen at any time. There are those who maintain that there are various biblical prophecies that must be fulfilled first, but others insist that that it could be understood that these prophecies have already been fulfilled. The Bible seems to give the readers the impression that Jesus could return in their lifetime, therefore, we must always remain diligent, watching and praying. It seems that the next great event on God’s calendar is when Jesus returns to earth to gather his church to himself.
1 Thess.4:13-18 addresses the return of Jesus. The believers at Thessalonica had some incorrect beliefs about the second coming. Paul wrote to them to supply them with important information so they would not be uninformed about this critical teaching.
Apparently, they were under the impression that none of them would die before Jesus returned. Since some of them had indeed passed away, they were concerned that those believers who had died would miss out on the blessings that were promised to God’s people at the end of time. Or perhaps they were worried that the teaching about the second coming was flawed since some believers had died. Paul assures them that this was not the case.
Believers who are still alive at the time of Christ’s return will not have any advantage over those who have died, or “fallen asleep”. In fact, the dead in Christ will rise first, then those who are alive and in Christ will be caught up in the air to meet the Lord. Verses 17b-18 finish out the chapter with these words: “…And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
How encouraging these words are! There will indeed come a time when Jesus returns for his church! Not even death can separate us from the love of God! No one who is in Christ will miss out on the blessing of eternal life! How encouraging indeed!
While the word “heaven” is not found in this passage, the concept certainly is. We will be with the Lord! That is what heaven truly is. We often anticipate the pearly gates and streets of gold, but the truly magnificent aspect about heaven is that we will be in the presence of Jesus!
There is a current song that rejoices in the fact that “heaven changes everything”. When Jesus returns to gather his church, every negative situation that believers have faced will be forever changed. Any hurt or disappointment you have endured on earth will disappear! To think that the greatest pain in your life will be forever taken away is a tremendously encouraging thought! Rev.21:3-4 says, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”
All of this will occur when Jesus returns. Let us encourage one another with that truth.
Jesustrek 