Daily Archives: April 4, 2013

He Is Not There!

Christian Life, , ,

HE IS NOT HERE!

“They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, ‘Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here but raised up. Remember how He told you when you were still back in Galilee that He had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross and in three days rise up?’ Then they remembered Jesus’ words.” Luke 24:4-8 (The Message).

Funny how  grief blotted out the women’s ability to think straight! Had they remembered Jesus’ words, they could have saved themselves a whole weekend of emotional pain, and unnecessary activity and expense. Instead of weeping useless tears and spending their time and money preparing to preserve the body of Jesus for a little while longer, they could have enjoyed their Sabbath in anticipation of their beloved Master’s return.

I have often wondered why their minds refused to receive the promise of His resurrection. His disciples had heard the same information many times but they still didn’t get it. For some reason the women, who were far more receptive than the men, didn’t get it either. They believed He was dead and that He would stay dead and their belief brought forth the flood of grief that shut out the possibility for them, of His words being fulfilled.

Not even angelic visitors from the other side could convince them that Jesus was alive. The appearance of these two men was so startling that the women were overwhelmed and fell down in worship. They must have made an impression on them. No one can meet an unearthly being like these and not take note!

It took this powerful visitation to remind them of Jesus’ promise. but even that did not seem to have the desired effect on them. They remembered, yes, but what else? As the story unfolds, we will see how unbelief was like a disease that spread among Jesus’ followers.

As much as this was part of their journey, so it is a part of ours. The robust faith of the early church was the product of a painful process of failure and learning which formed the foundation of their unshakable confidence in their Lord. He was as dead as anyone could be, but He rose again and was powerfully alive and at work in and among them.

They only knew that because they had passed through the terrible grief of their loss to the indescribable joy of His resurrection. Their faith was not automatic and neither is ours. But our experience must never end at the tomb with eyes blinded by sorrow and ears deaf to His promise. Like them, we must pass through death to resurrection, through sorrow to joy and through despair to hope.

No matter what our pain or loss might be, it gains its true value only when we come through it to a faith in God stronger and more secure than before the trial. Suffering has no value if it does not take us into a peace and security that does not make sense in the natural. It is rooted in a God who is with us and for us because He did not leave His Son’s body to rot in a rocky tomb.

No religion, based on human imagination with roots men’s minds, not in history, can match the story of Jesus. His life, death and resurrection happened as God said it would, and with that comes the certainty that everything else He said is true. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (NIV).

Humanity On Display

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HUMANITY ON DISPLAY

“The men in charge of Jesus began poking fun at Him, slapping Him around. They put a blindfold on Him and taunted, ‘Who hit you that time?’ They were having a grand time with Him.” Luke 22:63-65 (The Message).

The arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus put humanity on display like no other event in history. For a few hours men had God in their power, so they thought, and they showed Him exactly what they thought of Him. They were unaware that He had purposely given Himself over to them so that they could show their true colours.

Every level and category of human being was represented there, from the highest civil and religious authority in the land to the ordinary people; they all had a hand in exposing the depth of wickedness in the human heart.

Judas, a close and trusted follower, set the ball rolling. He treacherously sold Jesus out to His enemies by leading the soldiers and temple police, sent by the religious leaders, to arrest Him at His favourite spot in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The disciples’ loyalty to their Master was paper-thin. When the chips were down, they fled to save themselves and Peter denied that he even knew Him. They forget everything He ever taught them and all their protests that they loved Him and left Him to suffer alone.

The religious leaders harboured a grudge against Him because He clashed with their greed and power over the people, cloaked in religion. They hated Him for His goodness; they used their position to manipulate the justice system for their own ends and to force Pilate to sentence Him to death.

The Sanhedrin, the highest judicial court of the land, was made up of the Chief Priests, Caiaphas and his father-in-law, Annas, and the religious hierarchy. Of all the people in Israel, they should have had the strictest code of justice. Jesus’ trial was such a mockery of justice that it made Pilate look like a saint.

They had tried and sentenced Him before His arrest. It was their intention to find Him guilty, no matter what, and to kill Him even If He were innocent, not because He was a dangerous criminal but because they hated Him. They were even prepared to let a rabble-rousing murderer by the name of Barabbas loose on society again, rather than release Jesus.

The ordinary people were so fickle that they switched from celebrating His arrival on a donkey the week before to becoming a menacing mob, supporting their religious leaders and baying for Jesus’ blood so forcefully that Pilate gave in to prevent a riot and to save his own skin.

King Herod tried to turn Jesus into an entertainer, taunting Him into doing miracles to tickle his fancy. When Jesus refused to capitulate, he became nasty, using his own royal robe to mock and insult Him. He discarded Jesus with contempt, sending Him back to Pilate to do as he pleased with Him.

The soldiers callously played with Jesus like a cat plays with a mouse. They tortured and tormented Him with words and cruelty to try to get a response out of Him. His calm and submissive demeanour enraged them so much that they “lost it” with Him but they could not bend Him to retaliate to their vicious behaviour. These men had nothing personal against Jesus. They simply joined in the fight and made it their own.

Against the backdrop of the worst of human prejudice, Jesus was unmoved. He was serene, polite and gentle. When the women bewailed His fate on His way to the cross, He dismissed His own suffering by warning them of theirs. He submitted to the nails; he spoke welcoming words to the repentant thief by His side and He forgave His tormentors.

It is no wonder that the Roman centurion who had observed many crucifixions, burst out, “Surely this man was the Son of God.”

“When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2;23-24 (NIV).

It’s A Dark Night

Christian Life, ,

IT’S A DARK NIGHT

“Jesus spoke to those who had come — high priests, Temple police, religious leaders. ’What is this, jumping me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I’ve been with you in the Temple and you’ve not so much as lifted a hand against me. But do it your way — it’s a dark night, a dark hour.'” Luke 22:51-53 (The Message).

Darkness…night! It’s amazing what people will do under cover of darkness that they will not do in the daylight! What is there about darkness that affects the way we think? Darkness in the Bible means much more than the absence of light. The theme of darkness is introduced in the first chapter of the Bible and is carried through to the last book.

Before God stepped in to restore the earth after He had created it, it was shrouded in darkness. Even the light of His presence did not penetrate the darkness until He took positive action. Why was that? Lucifer and a third of the angels tried to dethrone God and take over His role as God, but God threw them out of heaven down to the earth (Revelation 12:7-9). The darkness over the earth was symbolic of the moral darkness that the presence of Satan brought.

What did God do? His first words to rectify the situation were: “‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Genesis 1:3 (NIV). But there is a problem. According to the Genesis account, He created the heavenly bodies on the fourth day. What was this light that shone on the earth on the first day?

John gives us the answer. “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it…The light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognise Him….The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us…” John 1:3-5, 9-10, 14a (NIV).

Just as God had confined Satan’s sphere of influence to the earth, so He assigned the earth to His Son before He began the work of restoration, to exercise His divine power and influence to win His erring sons and daughters back to Himself.

Darkness symbolises the state of mind that the devil’s deception brings. Satan is both deceived and the deceiver. Jesus called him “a murderer and the father of lies” (John 8:44). When human beings follow his lying suggestions, they lose their ability to think rationally and logically and are in a state of “darkness”. Moral darkness obscures the light of truth just as physical darkness hides people’s evil deeds.

There is no such thing as a battle between light and darkness. Wherever the light shines, darkness is dispelled. They cannot co-exist. Jesus is the light that brings light to every person who is born into the world, but those who receive Him are “enlightened” with the truth that God exists, that He is good and that He is in charge, not the devil.

Men are accountable to God and He has provided mercy and forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. Every other philosophy and religion is a hoax to keep people in the darkness of deception that leads away from God to destruction.

Jesus and His opponents were entering the darkest hour in human history. Not even the holocaust can eclipse what men did to God on that day. Although His warning went unheeded, it had to be, and it happened because of the depth of the darkness that held those captive who wanted Him dead.

Jesus said to them, “This is your hour — when darkness reigns.” Luke 22:53b (NIV). Darkness did not triumph over light; it only hid the light for a few hours but the rejoicing that men’s darkness brought in hell was premature and short-lived. It was temporary, for an “hour”. Three days afterwards, the light erupted from the tomb and lived again, and His light continues to shine on the earth and in the hearts of those who believe in him!

It’s Not Your Fight

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IT’S NOT YOUR FIGHT

“Then Jesus said, ‘When I sent you out and without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?’

“‘Nothing,’ they answered,

“He said to them, ‘But now, if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag, and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: “And He was numbered with the transgressors,” and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfilment.’

“The disciples said, ‘See, Lord, here are two swords.’

“‘That is enough,’ He replied.” Luke 22:35-38 (The Message).

Why did Jesus seem to be contradicting Himself? Why no equipment then but fully equipped now?

Firstly, He questioned them regarding their preaching trip when He instructed them to rely on the partnership of the people to whom they would be ministering, to take care of their physical needs. This is how God’s kingdom works. It is a principle in His kingdom that those who preach the gospel should live off the gospel.

There is no such thing as using the world’s system of buying and selling, i.e., fund raising, to raise money for the work of the kingdom. The kingdom of God derives its resources from giving and receiving which God initiates and multiplies supernaturally to meet all the needs.

Secondly, He made it clear that this situation demanded the world’s resources because they would be in a conflict with the dominion of darkness. There would be no partnership with other people here; it would be every man for himself and they would be required to take care of their own needs in the crisis.

Strange that Jesus even instructed them to sell an important part of their clothing if necessary — their all-purpose outer garment — to buy a sword. It was not intended for battle but for self-defence. Peter used his sword to defend Jesus, not himself, and that was not His intention.

Jesus also explains His reason for His apparent contradiction. He would be falling into the hands of “transgressors”, not people who were sympathetic to Him. He did not want His disciples caught up in the situation at the expense of their lives at this stage. They were not to be the victims of the injustice meted out to Him. Better that they were armed to defend themselves than to become the victims of some over-enthusiastic supporter of the religious crowd who were baying for His blood.

There would come a time in the disciples’ lives when the use of the sword would be inappropriate. James would be beheaded; Peter would be imprisoned and awaiting the same fate because of their obedience to Jesus. They would submit to the hatred of the world system then, just as Jesus was doing now, without resistance because they were citizens of an everlasting kingdom.

It is important that we, as followers of Jesus, keep in mind that we are living in two kingdoms simultaneously. We are, of necessity, citizens of this world and subject to the systems of this world but we are also citizens of the kingdom of God and subject to the way God governs in His kingdom. We are to be in submission to Him and to apply the ways of His kingdom to the way we live in this world. We are “in the world but not of it.”

At this point it was Jesus’ fight. He had to stand alone in this conflict. He had to take on the entire kingdom of darkness and come out of it the winner so that, when His disciples entered the battle, all they would have to do would be to stand in the victory He won for them.

“Therefore put on the full armour of God so that, when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and, after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 (NIV).

Jesus Came…

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JESUS CAME…

“That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognise who He was.

“He asked, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?’

“They just stood there, long faced like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, ‘Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?'” Luke 24:13-19 (The Message).

Jesus must have enjoyed His little game with these disciples. They were not part of the Twelve, but they were disciples, nevertheless, people who were committed to this Rabbi and learning to walk in His yoke. The events of the past few days had hit them as hard as they had hit the remaining eleven disciples.

They were going over and over the tragedy they had witnessed, just like we do, in a sort-of cathartic way. Sharing their pain was a way of trying to come to terms with it. When a stranger came alongside them, they were so engrossed in their grief and frustration that they took little notice of Him.

Luke continues the “mystery” of the missing Jesus. The women had not seen Him. They had evidence that something unusual had happened but that was all. Peter had not seen Him. His visit to the tomb turned up nothing. Now Jesus joins this grieving pair and they are too preoccupied to notice who was walking with them.

Imagine their surprise when their unknown companion had no idea what they are talking about! Jesus egged them on, pretending to be ignorant of the dramatic events they were recounting. He must have chuckled to Himself, anticipating the moment when He would make Himself known to them. It was also a beautiful moment, a moment of opportunity – to share with them in the clearest way possible, the meaning of the story in which they were fully involved.

They were oblivious to the obvious clues surrounding this stranger because of their emotional state. They believed that their beloved Master was dead. Because of that, they were full of sorrow and despair. This is how the human psyche works. Our emotions are the symptom of what we believe. If the interpretation of our experiences is faulty, we will feel the emotional pain of that false belief.

Most often times we see ourselves as the victims in difficult circumstances. Because of our inborn sense of worthlessness aggravated and confirmed by the way we are often mistreated by family or peers, we interpret our experiences as confirmation of who we think we are.

The minds of these disciples blotted out the possibility of Jesus being alive. Instead they believed their false idea that He was dead and with Him all their hopes. All they could do was to come to terms with their grief and bitter disappointment.

But Jesus was about to change that! Only an encounter with Him can expose and change our faulty interpretations and replace our emotional pain with peace. It takes an honest admission that we are wrong to bring about this radical and permanent release from pain.