Tag Archives: Son of Man

Exposed!

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EXPOSED!

When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, He said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me – one who is eating with me.’ They were saddened, and one by one they said to Him, ‘Surely you don’t mean me?’ ‘It is one of the Twelve,’ He replied, ‘one who dips bread in the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better if he had not been born.’ (Mark 14: 17-21)

Why did Jesus not say outright who the traitor was? He obviously knew what would happen and who would be responsible for selling Him out to the Jewish hierarchy. Was He giving Judas an opportunity to change his mind without divulging his identity? And yet it had to be because it was the will of the Father that He die as an offering for sin. How does one reconcile the sovereignty of God and the free will of man? We cannot!

Judas knew what he was about to do, but the other eleven disciples were mystified. It was impossible that the guilty one did not to know that he would be a traitor. They were also not aware that they would all desert Him, but that was to be a spur-of-the-moment action prompted by fear. On the other hand, betrayal was a premeditated decision, and Judas was well aware that it was he who was planning the evil deed. No way would he own up at that moment! The rest of the disciples would have dealt with him if they knew who it was.

Jesus used a sign to indicate that He knew the identity of the traitor, more for Judas’ sake than for the other disciples. Even then they did not pick up the clue. They were not aware of what Judas was planning in his heart. Betrayal? What would he do? They let the moment pass without understanding its significance.

Jesus has shown Judas, through various gestures that, in spite of what he was planning, He held nothing against him. It was Judas who had the place of honour at the table. He reclined on Jesus’ left, close enough for Jesus to hold a conversation with him. John sat on His right and leaned against Him while the other disciples were arranged around the table. It was Judas who received the bread dipped in the bowl of sauce which was a sign of special friendship – and Judas received it without protest! What more could Jesus do to convey His message of love. Even at that moment He did not judge him.

But He did warn him. ”Judas, you are in great peril. The decision you have made and the action you take tonight will decide your destiny.” But Judas was unmoved. His mind was made up, his intention already conveyed to the chief priests, and there was no going back.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.’ Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,’ He said to them. ‘Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’ (Mark 14: 22-25)

A familiar ceremony for the disciples, but strange words! Never before had anyone hosting the Passover Feast spoken words like His. They were familiar with every step in the process of celebrating the exodus from Egypt and they knew the meaning of all the symbolism, but what was He talking about? His body? His blood? On the many occasions He had tried to get them used to the idea that He was going to die a violent death at the hands of the religious leaders, they dismissed His words without another thought. As much as He kept at it, so much they forgot because it made no sense to them.

But now it was the central focus of His words and actions and they could not ignore this addition to the familiar things that happened at the Passover meal. The bread and the wine would become the central focus of a new “Passover” supper that would be celebrated throughout the world by every believer in every country throughout every generation – until He comes, as Paul recorded in 1 Cor. 11, to remember the new “exodus” from the dominion of darkness and slavery to sin.

As uncomprehending as the disciples were then, it would take the reality of His death and the horror of what they had to witness, the astonishing event of His resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost to bring all these event together into one great “lightbulb moment” for the eleven men who were left after Judas took his life.

Sometimes it takes a similar moment for the things in our lives that are incomprehensible at the time, to fall into place and make sense when everything seems to be spinning out of control. If we wait and trust, God will reveal His purpose.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

 

After Suffering – Glory

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AFTER SUFFERING – GLORY

But in those days, following that distress, ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And He will send His angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens (Mark 13: 24-27).

What extravagant language Jesus used to describe the events surrounding His coming! Massive disturbances in the sky, as though the heavenly bodies themselves have to make way for the Son of God, as He comes in great power and glory to sweep up His chosen people from the outer reaches of the universe to accompany Him on His return to earth. What a gathering that will be!

He is the victorious one, but He chooses to share His victory with His beloved people. After all, it was for us that He came to earth, and suffered and died so that He could reconcile us to the Father and call us back into His forever family to share the bounty of His generosity. In an instant, His people will be gathered from everywhere to join Him in His triumphant return.

The terrible events, both in the natural world and in the suffering the enemies of God are inflicting on His people are but the labour pains which will give birth to a new heaven and a new earth. God will deal with those who oppose Him by taking it out on His people.

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This includes you because you believed our testimony to you (2 Thess. 1:6-10).

Did you get what Paul wrote? He echoed the very words of Jesus – power and great glory; accompanied by the angels and the vast retinue of His people who will be the evidence of His victory – a massive, innumerable gathering of God’s family to celebrate Jesus’ triumph over His enemies.

And what about His enemies? He’ll have His feet on their necks alright! All those who have slaughtered His people in the name of their gods – under His feet. All those who have ignored, maligned and ridiculed His to escape their accountability to Him – under His feet. All those who have propagated lies about Him and done everything to distort and disfigure His Word – under His feet. All those who have lived as though He does not exist – under His feet. And the devil himself who spawned all the rebellion – under His feet. And then the last enemy, death – under His feet!

Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to His Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For He ‘has put everything under His feet’ (1 Cor. 15: 25-27).

Beware, enemies of Jesus, for the Day of Judgment is coming. The door of opportunity is still open. Jesus has paved the way for everyone who believes in Him, who confesses Him as Lord and believes that God raised Him from the dead, to return to the Father. Death will close that door forever. Who, in his right mind, would refuse an offer of eternal life in the presence of the most loving and generous Person ever? Only those who are blinded by the devil and deafened to the voice of God by their own sinful, and stubborn hearts.

To His disciples He said, “Be alert! Be on your guard! Be ready!” To the world He calls,

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon (Isa. 55: 6-7).

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

 

Selective Hearing

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SELECTIVE HEARING

They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again He took the Twelve aside and told them what was to happen to Him.

‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ He said, ‘and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles who will mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. Three days later He will rise.’ (Mark 10: 32-34).

How many times had Jesus told the disciples that He was going to suffer and die in Jerusalem? Read his words again. Could He have been more explicit and given them more detail than this? Step by step He told them what would happen to Him in Jerusalem. Surely they would have remembered at least some of His words when it happened.

What was it in His words that either cancelled out what He told them or, alternatively, sparked faith that would not have been fazed by His death? “Three days later He will rise again.’ Every time He spoke of His death, He told them that He would rise again. Since the two events were tied together, they refused to listen to Him because rising again was outside their experience.

O yes, they were with Jesus when He raised a few people from the dead. They had seen it but His words still didn’t penetrate their reluctant brains. They could not process the idea that their Master would be ripped away from them by violent death. Why would anyone want to kill Him? People from all over followed Him. Even then, He had to take them aside from the crowd to remind them of His words to them. Surely their very presence would protect Him from anyone who had evil intent.

They knew that Jesus was not afraid to tell people the truth, even if it offended them, and offend the religious leaders He did. Sometimes they worried that He had gone too far. He seemed to provoke them deliberately, accusing them of being blind guides and whited sepulchres. That kind of talk would not win their favour. Why did He do it? Why didn’t He just leave them alone? These men were powerful and influential. They could turn the Roman authorities against Him in a heartbeat.

What offended the religious authorities even more was His claim to be the Son of God. They just could not stomach those words because to them it was blasphemy. How could a mere man claim to be God? Of course, any other man claiming to be God would have been written off as crazy, but Jesus gave no evidence of being crazy. In fact, just the opposite. Even His mother and brothers thought He had lost it but Jesus ignored them and refused to go home with them so that they could keep an eye on Him.

What was the difference between His claim and any other claim that did not even warrant consideration? Evidence! Jesus kept insisting, ‘Look at the evidence.’ There were at least three witnesses to authenticate His claim – John the Baptist, the Father and His works. For anyone to be proved guilty of a charge, there had to be two or three witnesses. Jesus produced three witnesses to prove that He was guilty of being the Son of God.

But the authorities still dismissed His claim and so did the disciples even though Peter had confessed his conviction, on behalf of the Twelve, that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. But, as far as Jesus was concerned, Peter might not have even bothered to make that confession because he had no idea what it meant.

The Holy Scriptures presented two streams of thought regarding the Messiah; He would be both a king and a Suffering Servant. Since the Suffering Servant did not fit their expectation of what Messiah would do, they dismissed it and refused to listen to His instruction about His impending death.

It was only after His resurrection that it began to make sense to them, and especially when the Holy Spirit fell on them at Pentecost and did what Jesus said He would do – lead them into all truth.

How often we are just like the disciples – uncomprehending and unbelieving until the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the truth. It’s not just that we can’t understand. We actually don’t want to understand or believe because the truth is too painful to receive. But there is always “resurrection”, and understanding and faith come when we allow the Holy Spirit to interpret life, not according to our expectations but according to the truth.

The presence of Jesus in our pain makes all the difference because only He can make sense of it all. Even if nothing changes, He is there – Emmanuel – and that’s all that really matters.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

 

 

 

 

Walk In The Light

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WALK IN THE LIGHT 

“To this they replied, ‘You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!’ And they threw him out.'” John 9:34 NIV.

Strange isn’t it, to what lengths people will go to prove they are right, only to dig themselves deeper and deeper into their own guilt! No matter what they said or did, it didn’t make the Pharisees right and the healed man wrong! Education, status, position, standing in society or in the church, title or anything does not make lies the truth.

“Jesus heard that they had thrown him out and, when He found him He said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is He, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in Him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshipped Him.'” John 9:35-38 NIV.

Two perspectives; two conclusions! The Pharisees rejected Jesus as the Son of Man and ended up by evicting the healed man from the synagogue (vs 22) because he acknowledged that Jesus was from God. On the other hand, Jesus found the man and invited to faith in Him as the Messiah. The man gladly responded, completing the conviction he had that Jesus was from God and entering into the kingdom of God.

In spite of the Pharisees adamant claims, the “in” were “out” and the “out” was “in”!

Not only could he now see but his healing had also given him spiritual “sight” into the unseen realm of faith. The action of the Pharisees only served to intensify their blindness while the healed man had never seen so clearly in his life before.

“Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into the world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’ Some Pharisees who were with Him heard Him say this and asked, ‘What? Are we blind too?’ Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” John 9:39-41.

Amazing how those Pharisees got the point! They were sharp enough to realise that Jesus was talking to and about them. They had accurately judged and condemned themselves but still refused to acknowledge that they were guilty.

It is this aspect of ownership, rulership and authority of the world that the unbeliever refuses to accept. To accept the truth that God is the Creator of the universe is to acknowledge His ownership and authority over everything, including human beings who do not want to be ruled.

When Adam disobeyed God’s instruction at the beginning, he declared independence and illegitimately snatched the right to make his own rules. However, his action does not cancel God’s authority — it only compounds man’s guilt.

“But to the wicked person God says, ‘What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you…When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But now I will arraign you and set my accusations before you.'” Psalm 50:17, 17; 21 NIV.

The one difference between God’s way and all the ways of false religions is that God has appointed a Judge who will judge the world in righteousness. “For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” Acts 17:31 NIV.

The very ones who refused to recognise Him; who maligned Him and those who believed in Him; who falsely arrested, accused and had Him crucified, will face the blazing light of His glory and give an account of their deeds. He will not need to say a word. They will finally “see” in the light of His truth, every lying word they ever spoke or thought and every wicked deed they perpetrated in the name of God.

Jesus invites us to “walk in the light” now so that we will not need to be ashamed at His coming.

A True Son

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A TRUE SON 

“‘Who are you?’ they asked.’Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,’ Jesus replied.’I have much to say in judgment of you. But He who sent me is trustworthy, and what I heard from Him I tell the world.’ They did not understand that He was telling them about the Father. So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.'” John 8:25-29 (NIV).

Another outrageous claim if it were not true! “I always do what pleases Him.”

This was the hallmark of the Son of God. He always did what pleased the Father. Have you ever wondered what that was? What do you think it is that pleases the Father more than anything? We can speculate and find many answers to this question. He was generous and merciful just like the Father — that would be a good answer and it would be true. He glorified that Father in everything He did — that would also be true.

But what is it that surpasses everything else that pleases the Father? To find the answer we have to go back to the beginning. At the beginning of human history God gave Adam one instruction in the Garden of Eden, ‘Leave that one tree alone.’ If that one tree was going to be an issue between man and God, Satan made sure that man would focus on it until it became so important to him that it would become the reason for their disobedience.

The history of God’s ancient people was a history of disobedience, focusing especially on God’s instruction, ‘Do not worship idols.’ They worshipped the idols of the surrounding nations until they became vile, like the thing they loved (Hosea 9:10). Disobedience took them to Babylon and eventually to crucifying their Messiah.

God had a different verdict on David, their model king, the man who followed their first king, Saul, who was rejected because of his disobedience. “After removing Saul, He made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'” Acts 13:22b (NIV).

Books have been written about David, the only man in the Bible of whom God said, ‘A man after my own heart’, giving many reasons for God’s approval, yet it is recorded plainly in the Word that God was pleased with him because ‘He will do everything I want him to do.’ David may have slipped up on more than one occasion but the drift of his life was that he ‘inquired of the Lord,’ and then followed through on God’s instruction.

Compare him with his predecessor, King Saul; Saul failed to carry out the two instructions we read about in Scripture.  Because of that God could not trust him to be the leader of His people. Saul had a dangerous self-consciousness that made him a people-pleaser and he disqualified himself from being the first of a dynasty of kings.

Jesus could claim, without a qualm, that He was the true Son of God. His obedience to the Father was absolute and unquestioning. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He wrestled with the horror of the cross until the blood ran, He still submitted to the Father’s will and endured everything without resistance. “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.” 1 Peter 2:23 (NIV).

Is it not true that God is more interested in our obedience than in our achievements? It is our obedience that makes our achievements of significance to God because obedience gets the job done. “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him…” Hebrews 5:8, 9, (NIV). Obedience is best learned by obeying!

Obedience presupposes that one knows what God’s requirements are and that presupposes that one spends time with the Father and in His Word. We have the pattern of the Son, perfect in every way. And we can’t say that of the Pharisees!

Don’t you also want to please the Father? Then find out what He wants of you and do it!