Luke 24:13-35 - Two Men See Jesus

Luke 24:13-35

And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

Message: Two Men See Jesus

Time:  Luke, a non-Jew, written in Theophilus, by a physician, is a careful chronological rendering of the events of Christ's life. Luke takes his writing from primary sources - those people who had witnessed the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Luke wrote this probably from 58-60 AD as he accompanied Paul. His second volume was Acts. He writes of salvation to all men. 

What the Lord is Saying:

In this passages the past several days, I have been reading now about the Jesus that encounters us, His people. He revealed himself to Philip who told Nathanael so that Nathanael could see Jesus. And then a Samaritan woman, unexpectedly, just going to get water, meets Jesus and discovers He is the Living Water and He is all she really needs. As Jesus gets closer to the cross, He wants to do the Father's will at whatever cost. He submits to the authority and yet He is still our King, the King of Kings with all authority given to Him by God and He will be our ransom, fully man. 

Now, in this passage, Jesus has died on the cross and He meets two men, though he is not recognizable immediately by them (this is on purpose by Jesus). Initially, my impressions from this passage is these men are walking in sorrow, stuck in the moment. Even after the women had seen that no one was in the tomb, they continued to not really believe that Jesus was coming back. Yet Jesus had said to his followers previously, several times, that he would suffer, be rejected, be killed, but then rise again (see Jesus Reveals His Purpose in Coming). It is almost like the words of Jesus are echoing, "O ye of little faith." Like the disciples with him in the storm and he calms the sea, Jesus is still present. He is still with us. What He said, He will do. 

This is a message we need even today - as we stare at our world and all of its uncertainties, I wonder if we begin to question or have less faith in our God because the problems seem large. But Jesus is still Lord and He still does the impossible and we are still doing and to do greater things. God can work through any situation.   

Eventually, Jesus reveals Himself to these two men so that they can see that He is in fact alive. But then he vanishes. 

The other message here is that Jesus is true only to people when He reveals Himself to them. Despite the overwhelming evidence and even His words up to this point, some people simply will not believe. I admit that this can be discouraging. It is hard in life to present the truth and yet people remain darkened. Jesus said in John 3:5 -- “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." To see the Kingdom of God, one must be born again. When Jesus is seen, like He was seen by these two men, the light bulb gets turned on and what do they immediately do? And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. In other words, they told others. 

Promise: We need to pray that the Spirit will move in people's lives and they will know the truth. It is only by God working in a person's life that they come to know Him. Yet, our mission remains. Pray and share and sharing is automatic for great news must be shared. 

Prayer: Lord, I heard that song yesterday, O Lord You're Beautiful, and it reminded me of that Joy that I have of you and the joy of my salvation sometimes is fleeting. Sometimes it is not as alive as it was when I first discovered that You had saved me and called me to be yours. Wake Me Up Lord. I want to stay excited and thrilled and sharing You with others. I am too often dealing with my life and all that it presents and getting sidetracked. Give me rest Lord. I don't want to lose sight of You and want to stay Fired Up. Thank you Jesus for saving me, for choosing me. Be glorified. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- His Encounters - Jesus called Philip and then he told Nathanael to come and see so he could see that Jesus reveals himself to Nathanael. Then when Jesus meets a Samaritan woman, we see that Jesus knows everything about us and loves us still and wants us to drink of the living water that He offers that will give us eternal life. And Jesus is our King, but also the Man, who like Adam will atone for our sin as Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate. 

John 18:28-19:16a - Jesus Stands Before Pontius Pilate

John 18:28 - 19:16a

Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.” So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,” to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.

Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?” So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.

Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; and they began to come up to Him and say, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and to give Him slaps in the face. Pilate came out again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the Man!” So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.”

Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar.”

Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” So they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.

Message: Jesus Stands Before Pontius Pilate

Time: John is not recorded as the author, but unanimous testimony of early Christians, like Iraneus in the 2nd century declare him the author. Plus, the eyewitness account give rise that he was one of the close knit disciples and Peter already penned through Mark (the Gospel of Mark), and James died soon after the resurrection, which leaves John. It is thought this book was written between 85 and 95 AD. The Deity of Christ is a striking quality of John's gospel.

What the Lord is Saying:

Once again, I felt like I should reference the entire text in the Post. Sometimes I just do excerpts from the text. This is a familiar story, whereby Jesus is delivered over to Pontius Pilate. Pilate is only going to sentence Jesus because the Jews want this to happen. When given the option of releasing a man, the Jews choose another man, a robber. What they have against Jesus is he proclaims himself as a king and as one with authority. Jesus has always made it clear that he has authority and this has always bothered the Pharisees and Jews. Pilate did not care about Jesus. Even though he had no reason to believe he was guilty, he also had no reason to let him go and to that end, he feared his own safety and his own name if he would have gone that route in letting him go. 

One of the words that Pilate spoke of Jesus was "Behold, the Man!" When speaking of the man, Pilate is referring to Jesus as a man. Sin entered the world through a man, Adam, and now Jesus as our Savior, and as a man will atone for the sins of other human beings. It is an important distinction as it took a second Adam to reconcile us to God. Romans 5:19 declares, For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

Jesus does remark that He is King. “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” He is truth. And so he submitted to the authorities in order to stand in Truth. Jesus knew this time was coming. He knew His message was one of controversy. Many times it is recorded in the Gospel of how he would tell people that he has healed or encountered to not make a commotion about Him because He wanted to get the message of His gospel out to many and He knew that what He was putting forth would be received by some but for others they would feel threatened. Jesus is still this way. Mentioning God is fine, but once we start mentioning that Jesus is more than a man, more than a prophet, people are taken aback. But this is who Jesus is and this is who I need to proclaim Him to be, beyond what is heard on sunday morning at church. Jesus is God incarnate and He is Savior and King and Lord. 

Promise: Let us always love the truth and proclaim it even when it is not convenient for us. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Jesus and for Him being fully man and fully God and dying on the cross for my sins and then rising again, conquering death and taking me now with Him to eternal life with Him. I will conquer death in the same way. You God are Lord and King. Lord, you remind me though Lord of how I need to continue to proclaim you in the streets, in the office, throughout my life that You are Lord of my life. I admit too often my words of you are safe and I mention God but not sure amongst unsaved that I mention Jesus, you having changed my life. Lord, I want to be an ambassador for You and be a witness and proclaim You as You proclaimed me and chose me. I want to stand up for Jesus no matter what crowd or people group I am in. Show me now how to have the strength of sharing you Jesus with others. 

John 4:1-45 - Jesus Meets A Samaritan Woman

John 4:1-45

Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. And He had to pass through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”  The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?” So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”

From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.

Message: Jesus Meets a Samaritan Woman

Time: John is not recorded as the author, but unanimous testimony of early Christians, like Iraneus in the 2nd century declare him the author. Plus, the eyewitness account give rise that he was one of the close knit disciples and Peter already penned through Mark (the Gospel of Mark), and James died soon after the resurrection, which leaves John. It is thought this book was written between 85 and 95 AD. The Deity of Christ is a striking quality of John's gospel.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Well, I made this entry long by referencing the entire text from this lesson and yet, it is good to see the complete story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman. When Jesus greeted her she knew that it was unusual, him being a Jew, her a Samaritan. It seems like Jesus' first response to her about 'a drink' is that the differences between Samaritans and Jews does not matter when Jesus is offering living water or eternal life. Too much of life right now is us/them and taking sides. It is election time so those sides are more prevalent. Yet, at the same time is a message of 'together' as we walk through this pandemic. So that is one point that I see in this lesson - no divisions when talking about receiving Jesus. 

I also see Jesus saying that drinking of the water from the well will always mean that we remain thirsty and need to drink again. But, when we drink the Living Water, provided by Jesus, we are complete and have everything we need. It reminds me of the prevalence of vices like alcohol, smoking pot, or popping a pill or even eating, drinking, or taking prescription drugs -- all are a reminder of things we never stop needing or feeling like we need, some give us temporary highs and some are needed to sustain life, but no matter what they are fleeting, but Jesus and His love is full and complete. 

I have been studying through Genesis a little with BSF and noticed that God always drew out people's recognition of their sin in their life by asking questions. Jesus does this here when speaking about the many husbands that this woman has had after she has stated she has no husband. It is a reminder that Jesus knows our sins and the Holy Spirit draws that sin out in our lives with our conscience speaking to us. 

I also see Jesus talking about doing the Will of the Father and how it provides to us nourishment like nothing else. 

And once we encounter Jesus, like this woman does, we cannot help but tell others about Him. 

Promise: Jesus changes everything. In this lesson is many lessons, but notable to me is we are all the same in our need for God as Jesus provides us eternal life, water that is complete. And Jesus knows our sin and yet Loves us still. 

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for seeing me and knowing me, forgiving me and loving me. There is abundant life in You. Life is complete with you and I praise You for this. Thank you for changing the way we think and helping us see that You Lord penetrate our lives like nothing else. Thank you for the peace that you bring and for saving me. Thank you for this day in which I have the honor of baptizing my oldest son Tyson. Thank you for loving him and choosing him as Yours and the joy that he is in our lives and the lives of others. 

John 1:43-51 - Jesus Reveals Himself To Nathanael

 John 1:43-51

43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Message: Jesus Reveals Himself to Nathanael

Time: John is not recorded as the author, but unanimous testimony of early Christians, like Iraneus in the 2nd century declare him the author. Plus, the eyewitness account give rise that he was one of the close knit disciples and Peter already penned through Mark (the Gospel of Mark), and James died soon after the resurrection, which leaves John. It is thought this book was written between 85 and 95 AD. The Deity of Christ is a striking quality of John's gospel.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Yesterday (Friday) I watched the video of the service my close friend and his wife had for their son who died unexpectedly from a drug overdose last Saturday. I hurt for my friends and since hearing of it from him on Sunday, my mind has been rushing back to them repeatedly, thinking about them and this loss. They spent the service talking of the problem we have in life with addictions. The addiction cost this young man's life. Beyond the addiction was mention of his laughter and friendship and listening ear and yet the young man found that life still needed coping. He had grown in his faith, yet the pull remained to get the high and in buying the stuff he got something from a dealer that he used and then died. It was unintentional, accidental, and yet a decision. One decision as my friends said in the service and in the service it was their petition to everyone to STOP with your addictions. And then they offered the substitute - Christ - our creator, who erased our sin and grants us life - eternal life. He is the only peace in the midst of the storms of life. 

Now, as I read this passage I read of Jesus on a mission. He goes into Galilee, finds Philip and says to him, Follow Me. Philip was one of the first Jesus called. The apostles have intrigued me always. Not much is written of them and yet Jesus called them to be with Him. He chose them. And John then mentions that Philip then went to his friend Nathaniel to say, "We have found him." We have found him, as if they had been searching, waiting, for Jesus. Nathanael was at first skeptical for Jesus had come out of Nazareth and wondered, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?, but still Philip said to him, Come and See. Come and take a look yourself. 

Nathaniel was then shaken because Jesus had already seen him even before Philip had reached out to him. What an interesting sequence. Jesus calls Nathanael and yet uses Philip in alerting Nathanael. Nathanael does not end up being one of the 12 apostles that Jesus calls. And yet this calling of this man is here. It is here to show us that Jesus is the answer for everyone - for those he calls to follow Him and for those he simply calls. Nathanael and Philip had a different mission or job to do and yet both were called by Him. Chosen. 

The tragedy that my friend has experienced and the life now gone of his son, from this earth, reminds me that God calls us all, not to simply sample Him but that our lives would be forever changed. In all of us is a need to be chosen. In Jesus we have been called. O God, may you show us all that all that we need is you. 

Promise: There is no other way to God than through Jesus. And with Jesus is the only peace. 

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for calling me and for the life that you have given me. But, even like my friend's son Kyle, sometimes I am like wheat, going back and forth in the wind. Thank you for their example for they truly love you and help the Kyle's of this world to free themselves from the hook of a feeling that is always only temporary and never completely satisfying. Free my son Derek from this hold, whatever the cost. Help us as parents to do the right thing and help our children as we can, but ultimately God you are in charge - you do the calling and choosing, we are simply the conduits you ask to be involved. Thank you for that, but to you be the glory. To you God. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- Attributes of Jesus - The Divine Nature of Christ meaning Jesus is God, the God-Man, God became man, The Human Nature of Christ Jesus has the qualities of man (hunger, needing rest, not knowing future events, being tempted), Jesus the Last Adam as Adam was our federal head in ushering all sin to man, Jesus makes all alive for those in Christ, Jesus the True Israel as Israel was called by God to be His true messenger, but Jesus is the one that truly fulfilled this call, Jesus the Messiah is the One that rescues and delivers His people

- The Word of Jesus - Obedience in Childhood reminds us that each day Jesus grew in obedience and favor with God, Obedience in Baptism showed Jesus fulfilled all righteousness, as John had been baptizing all new believers, Obedience in Temptation - like men called by God before, Jesus is tempted, but he resists and defends Himself with scripture, showing perfect obedience, Obedience under the Law as Christ was born under the Law, and kept the Law perfectly to redeem man, Obedience in Suffering as even in suffering Jesus learned obedience, a sinless man suffering for sinners, 

- His Titles - Christ Our Prophet, speaking for God, with divine inspiration, His words absolutely trustworthy and never fail to accomplish His purposes, Christ the Priest, clearing the way for human beings to approach the Father in heaven through prayer, Christ Our King is King of Kings, the last and final monarch of our lives for He did it all, 

- His Atonement - In Penal Substitution the penalty is paid by a substitute and Jesus paid the penalty of sin, once for all, and with Particular Atonement is the reminder that Jesus had me in my mind when He went to the cross, not everyone, but only those who will hear His voice. Christ Resurrected reminds me that only through the resurrection am I truly saved and sealed for eternity with Him by faith and now Christ Ascension whereby our King ascends to heaven to rule at the right hand of God and sends the Holy Spirit so that Christ can continue to be present with His people on earth. 

- His Encounters - Jesus called Philip and then he told Nathanael to come and see so he could see that Jesus reveals himself to Nathanael. 

Ephesians 4:9-10 - Christ Ascended

Ephesians 4:9-10

(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 

Message: Christ Ascended

Time: Paul wrote this letter sometime in AD 60-61 after having spent time in Ephesus, a city that housed a temple for the Greek Goddess Artemis, at the end of his 2nd missionary journey and then for 2 years during his 3rd missionary journey. Many came to faith in Ephesus and this book is focused on faith and the practice of our faith - and that can be applied to any circumstance. 

What the Lord is Saying:

In the last several lessons, I have looked at Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross, paying the penalty for my sins, one of his called ones, and also that he rose from the dead. After Jesus paid the penalty for sins, he conquered death. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death and even with Jesus taking on sin resulted in death, but my salvation is found in the fact that He conquered death and rose from the dead as I learned in the verse from I Corinthians that in Christ all will be made alive. True and complete life is found in Christ. So what is next? After God raised Jesus from the dead that yielded our new life in Christ, Christ ascended to heaven. Jesus is Savior and He is King. 

There are examples of people in the Bible that did not die, but went straight to heaven (Enoch, Elijah, Serah, but Jesus died and then he was taken to heaven by God and exalted to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33). The right hand is a symbol of strength and authority. In Philippians it is written - God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth. When God created the world, the Jewish term for the universe is the heavens and the earth which is the phrase used in Genesis 1:1 and so in this verse Jesus is God's right hand Man, that every knee will bow to all in the universe (in heaven and earth). And He will reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet (I Cor 15:25). So this is the reality of His ascension - Christ dies, is resurrected and then goes on to the right hand of the father to have authority over all. As the hymn goes, "All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live."

Now, this passage in Ephesians also speaks that he might fill all things (Eph 4:10). When Jesus ascended to heaven He said, But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. Though Christ in in heaven, he has sent us the Holy Spirit so that Christ can still be present with His people here on earth. This allows us to be in community with Christ in His humanity wherever we live. 

I continue to be reminded and instructed in the work of the Holy Spirit today in my life. For by the Spirit Christ bridges the distance between me and His physical presence in heaven. So God is with us, always and still. 

Promise: Christ's ascension makes it possible for people all over the world to commune with Him still. Christ is present with us, by His Spirit so that God will continue to conform us to the image of His Son.

Prayer: Thank you God for being Lord and King over all. Thank you Jesus for going to prepare a place for me and the joy of being with you for eternity. Thank you Holy Spirit for speaking to me each day and living in my life and testifying of the truth of Jesus in my life. Continue to work in me to be your ambassador and help me to be a blessing to those you place in my life. 

 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- Attributes of Jesus - The Divine Nature of Christ meaning Jesus is God, the God-Man, God became man, The Human Nature of Christ Jesus has the qualities of man (hunger, needing rest, not knowing future events, being tempted), Jesus the Last Adam as Adam was our federal head in ushering all sin to man, Jesus makes all alive for those in Christ, Jesus the True Israel as Israel was called by God to be His true messenger, but Jesus is the one that truly fulfilled this call, Jesus the Messiah is the One that rescues and delivers His people

- The Word of Jesus - Obedience in Childhood reminds us that each day Jesus grew in obedience and favor with God, Obedience in Baptism showed Jesus fulfilled all righteousness, as John had been baptizing all new believers, Obedience in Temptation - like men called by God before, Jesus is tempted, but he resists and defends Himself with scripture, showing perfect obedience, Obedience under the Law as Christ was born under the Law, and kept the Law perfectly to redeem man, Obedience in Suffering as even in suffering Jesus learned obedience, a sinless man suffering for sinners, 

- His Titles - Christ Our Prophet, speaking for God, with divine inspiration, His words absolutely trustworthy and never fail to accomplish His purposes, Christ the Priest, clearing the way for human beings to approach the Father in heaven through prayer, Christ Our King is King of Kings, the last and final monarch of our lives for He did it all, 

- His Atonement - In Penal Substitution the penalty is paid by a substitute and Jesus paid the penalty of sin, once for all, and with Particular Atonement is the reminder that Jesus had me in my mind when He went to the cross, not everyone, but only those who will hear His voice. Christ Resurrected reminds me that only through the resurrection am I truly saved and sealed for eternity with Him by faith and now Christ ascension whereby our King ascends to heaven to rule at the right hand of God and sends the Holy Spirit so that Christ can continue to be present with His people on earth. 

I Corinthians 15:20-22 - Christ Resurrected

I Corinthians 15:20-22

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. 

Message: Christ Resurrected

Time: Paul is recognized as the author. He visited Corinth 4 years prior and spending 18 months their. After receiving news of quarrelling in the Corinth Church, Paul penned this letter in AD 55. Divisions in the church had resulted and Paul encouraged them and spoke of the truth of sin. 

What the Lord is Saying:

The last two lessons have focused on the atonement of Jesus - going to the cross to be a substitute for those called as His Sheep, but the atonement must be combined with the resurrection for there to be salvation. 

When God created the heavens and the earth (the universe) in Genesis 1, death was not created, but instead only life. In Genesis 2:17 it says, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. By Adam and Eve sinning, death enters life. God outlines the curse after they sin in Genesis 3:19, until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. And as discussed previously, the penalty of sin can only be paid through a substitute. 

As I've studied, an animal without defect was slaughtered before the Lord as a sin offering. Jesus can only atone for sin if he is perfect. Hebrews 7:26-27 says For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 

The resurrection shows us that Christ was perfect for it show us that death had no hold on Jesus. Death was the result of sin and Jesus did not have sin in Him so death could not seize Him. He had no sin and all sin was punished by Him on the cross. 

And so it is trusting in Him that then makes me saved. I am trusting that only Jesus can save me. And so Christ and His perfect righteousness is imputed to me and I have union with him by faith alone and therefore I will be resurrected as well, like He was, into everlasting life. This is the promise. Paul mentions that in these verses today in I Corinthians 15. He is talked about as the first fruits of those who are asleep. The first fruits of the harvest proves that the entire crop will come to maturity and be harvested. In Christ all shall be made alive. This is the message to me and everyone, with Christ all can be made alive. 

Promise: Christ on the cross pays for our transgressions and cleanses us from sin. Christ raising from the dead is God's declaration that His Son is perfectly righteous. And by man trusting in Him by faith, Christ's life is transferred to us so that one day we will rise as well and have eternal life in Him. 

Prayer: O thank You Jesus for the sweetness of Your Message. Thank you for the sacrifice you made for me on the cross, to nail my sin to the cross and pay for it. Thank you God for raising Jesus from the dead and now making me saved as well through the transfer of His righteousness to me. You are Savior and Lord. Thank you for the resurrection and forgive me for not getting excited about it at times and diminishing the celebration of Easter in my life as you know I have at times. Thank you for Christ, for Christ alone. 

 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- Attributes of Jesus - The Divine Nature of Christ meaning Jesus is God, the God-Man, God became man, The Human Nature of Christ Jesus has the qualities of man (hunger, needing rest, not knowing future events, being tempted), Jesus the Last Adam as Adam was our federal head in ushering all sin to man, Jesus makes all alive for those in Christ, Jesus the True Israel as Israel was called by God to be His true messenger, but Jesus is the one that truly fulfilled this call, Jesus the Messiah is the One that rescues and delivers His people

- The Word of Jesus - Obedience in Childhood reminds us that each day Jesus grew in obedience and favor with God, Obedience in Baptism showed Jesus fulfilled all righteousness, as John had been baptizing all new believers, Obedience in Temptation - like men called by God before, Jesus is tempted, but he resists and defends Himself with scripture, showing perfect obedience, Obedience under the Law as Christ was born under the Law, and kept the Law perfectly to redeem man, Obedience in Suffering as even in suffering Jesus learned obedience, a sinless man suffering for sinners, 

- His Titles - Christ Our Prophet, speaking for God, with divine inspiration, His words absolutely trustworthy and never fail to accomplish His purposes, Christ the Priest, clearing the way for human beings to approach the Father in heaven through prayer, Christ Our King is King of Kings, the last and final monarch of our lives for He did it all, 

- His Atonement - In Penal Substitution the penalty is paid by a substitute and Jesus paid the penalty of sin, once for all, and with Particular Atonement is the reminder that Jesus had me in my mind when He went to the cross, not everyone, but only those who will hear His voice. Christ Resurrected today reminds me that only through the resurrection am I truly saved and sealed for eternity with Him. 

John 10:11 - Particular Atonement

John 10:11 

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

Message: Particular Atonement

Time: John is not recorded as the author, but unanimous testimony of early Christians, like Iraneus in the 2nd century declare him the author. Plus, the eyewitness account give rise that it was one of the close knit disciples and Peter already penned through Mark and James died soon after the resurrection, which leaves John. It is thought this book was written between 85 and 95 AD. The Deity of Christ is a striking quality of John's gospel. 

What the Lord is Saying:

In Penal substitution, Jesus dies in place of others, but who are the others that He dies for? Whom did He intend to save? In John 10:11, Jesus, the good shepherd lays down His life for His sheep. Is every human being His sheep? Later in 10:26-27 Jesus says, you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice. Thus, there is a clear contrast in the words of Jesus - My sheep and not of My sheep. And so does the good shepherd lay down His live for everyone or just his sheep. Hard to say. Verse 11 says "the sheep." There is a common doctrine put forth of limited atonement versus unlimited atonement. In limited atonement, the thought is that Jesus lays his life down for his elect. Not everyone will be saved, that is clear and true, so if not everyone is saved, then did Jesus die for all people or only those that he saved. The Tabletalk magazine I read from the Reformed Faith states that Jesus died for only His Sheep, not all sheep. 

To explain further, if Jesus died for all sinners and meaning, he bore the punishment for all sinners, then it perhaps does not seem logical that some of those he paid the punishment for would then end up in hell. Now, many would argue as well that each person has a choice in his/her own salvation. So Jesus can die for all sinners and each sinner then chooses his own salvation. But this is something I have already studied previously. For instance, earlier this year I looked at Is Grace Cooperative. Granted this was a meaty sort of discussion as there have been a lot of competing thoughts on this issue. The message of the Gospel is to everyone, but we know not everyone will be saved - as we see also here there are sheep that hear and sheep that do not hear. Those that do not hear do not have in them the desire and the only way man has the desire is if God brings grace into a person's life to effect change and a new birth. 

Many thinkers argued something else, that man is involved in this process of choosing God. I think man sees this from his perspective, but it also seems very clear that many people, no matter how much arguing or reasoning you do with them, they refuse to encounter God and surrender to Him with their lives. It seems many sample God, but not many really seek Him and seek His word. So again, some will hear His voice and some will not. This is the way it is. But we are not to lose heart. We remain faithful. 

Thus, the clarification offered is Jesus dies for sinners and there are sinners that hear His voice. He does not die for those that do not hear His voice because then God would be unjust to punish in hell someone for who Christ died. This would mean that man needs to be involved and can in his soul have a desire for God apart from Him and that Jesus dies but the sinner is only changed when he chooses. But the argument we've studied is man only has a capacity or desire for God when God puts it there. God chooses us.  

I've studied this and studied it, but I will say, it is still a challenge to understand for me. But I press on and I continue to try to be faithful to His word and obedient to Him and in this obedience is speaking the truth of love to others. 

Promise: Christ died for all kinds of people, but Jesus did not die for everyone without exception. If you believe in Jesus, He had you particularly in mind when He made atonement for your sins. He loves you in particular that much. 

Prayer: O God, you have saved me. Part of my struggle with this verse is the struggle in you choosing me when I see others, that appear to not be chosen and are not on course to be chosen, from what I can see. I know that the road is narrow as you say. All I can say is thank you Jesus for showing me and leading me and letting me walk on this Narrow Road. O thank you God. You have made this unworthy man worthy. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- Attributes of Jesus - The Divine Nature of Christ meaning Jesus is God, the God-Man, God became man, The Human Nature of Christ Jesus has the qualities of man (hunger, needing rest, not knowing future events, being tempted), Jesus the Last Adam as Adam was our federal head in ushering all sin to man, Jesus makes all alive for those in Christ, Jesus the True Israel as Israel was called by God to be His true messenger, but Jesus is the one that truly fulfilled this call, Jesus the Messiah is the One that rescues and delivers His people

- The Word of Jesus - Obedience in Childhood reminds us that each day Jesus grew in obedience and favor with God, Obedience in Baptism showed Jesus fulfilled all righteousness, as John had been baptizing all new believers, Obedience in Temptation - like men called by God before, Jesus is tempted, but he resists and defends Himself with scripture, showing perfect obedience, Obedience under the Law as Christ was born under the Law, and kept the Law perfectly to redeem man, Obedience in Suffering as even in suffering Jesus learned obedience, a sinless man suffering for sinners, 

- His Titles - Christ Our Prophet, speaking for God, with divine inspiration, His words absolutely trustworthy and never fail to accomplish His purposes, Christ the Priest, clearing the way for human beings to approach the Father in heaven through prayer, Christ Our King is King of Kings, the last and final monarch of our lives for He did it all, 

- His Atonement - In Penal Substitution the penalty is paid by a substitute and Jesus paid the penalty of sin, once for all, and now with Particular Atonement is the reminder that Jesus had me in my mind when He went to the cross, not everyone, but only those who will hear His voice.  

Isaiah 53 - Penal Substitution

Isaiah 53:5-6

But He was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being upon Him; and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. 

Message: Penal Substitution

Time: Isaiah prophesied from 739-681 BC under the reign of 4 Judean kings -- Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, dying under the 5th king, Manasseh. Most likely he hailed from Jerusalem. He spoke of judgment - hoping God's chosen people would return to Him. 

What the Lord is Saying:

As I studied previously, Jesus as our Priest made it possible for human beings to approach God. Through His sacrifice on the cross Jesus covered our sin. Let's better understand the crucifixion. 

Jesus' death is described as the ransom or delivering man from the punishment for sin and to defeat Satan (our rulers/authorities). In penal substitution, the penalty is paid by a substitute. In our case, the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) as the act of sin results in death. This is described first in the garden (Genesis 2:16-17) -- The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” 

In Leviticus 4, God speaks to Moses outlining sin offerings to occur when a person sins in any of things that which the Lord has commanded not to be done. An animal (bull, goat, or lamb) will be slain in the presence of the priest with the hand on the animal, placing blood on the altar and pouring out the rest; all fat is removed and it is burned as a soothing aroma to the Lord and thus the priest makes atonement of the person and sins are forgiven. This depicts the transfer of sin and guilt from the sinner to the substitute. The sinner lives because the animal died in the sinner's place, bearing the punishment the sinner deserved. This was effective, but it was an act that must be repeated and did not represent true atonement, once and for all. Hebrews 10:4 says, "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" and therefore they were shadows of the true atonement as is recorded in Isaiah 53, "by His scourging we are healed" as "the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him." 

This is the gospel. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. 

Promise: All people have guilt for their sin or transgression, though many suppress it, justify it, or compare themselves to others, but against the Law of God we are condemned. If you have trusted in Christ alone for salvation, He has paid for your sin and your guilt is no more. 

Prayer: Thank you God for providing us, right after sin was committed by Adam and Eve, that you would bring forth a substitute for my sin in order to bring me back into the book of Life. Lord, draw people to this truth all around me. Help me to voice this to those in need. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of May is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

- The Divine Nature of Christ, The Human Nature of Christ, Jesus the Last Adam, Jesus the True Israel, Jesus the Messiah, Obedience in Childhood, Obedience in Baptism, Obedience in Temptation, Obedience under the Law, Obedience in Suffering, Christ Our Prophet, Christ the Priest, Christ Our King, Penal Substitution