passion week fast day 3

Still with me?  That’s good.  I’m very glad.  I’m splitting today’s devotion up into two days because the points I need to make are rather long.

Read John Chapter 1 vs. 1-18

Go read, or you won’t get it.  Trust me.

So many times we think about Jesus being God himself, and indeed that is true.  However, that is not how we are saved.  We are saved because ‘the Word was made flesh.’ (v 14).  None of this would be possible had God not put on flesh in the form of Emmanuel.  Many see the miracles of Christ, and think wow He is God incarnate, but they forget that the humanity of Jesus meant so much more.

Jesus lived his last days as a human, no big miracles, no fuss, no muss.  BUT, and it’s a big BUT, He taught us some character traits we need as human children of God.

1. On Monday, Jesus entered the temple, and when He saw the merchants, He began shouting and knocking over tables (Matt 21:1-17).  Jesus got angry!  We know that Jesus was sinless, so that would mean that it was okay for Him to be angry.  Why?  Most people think losing your temper is sinful.  It is, but not when you are angry for God.  Jesus was angry for a righteous reason!  The people were defiling the temple of God.  That is a right and just reason to be angry.  So, Jesus shows us that anger is a God given human emotion, and it is okay to be angry for actions that are blasphemous toward God.  We need to be serious about our faith.  Tolerance is an important part of showing love, but that does not mean that we love God any less.  That means that we can stand up for what is righteous, but not cram it down others’ throats.
2. On Tuesday, Jesus teaches his disciples the importance of faith in prayer (Matt 21:18-22).  He teaches us that we must have faith when we pray for anything.  The same day He teaches with many parables, and is questioned about the greatest commandment.  His response in Matthew22:37-40 is ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’  WOW! The most important thing is love.  Sometimes this is forgotten.  Everyone is trying to do good, and keep all these laws, but NEWS FLASH, Jesus came to do away with the law.  All we have to do is love, and the rest falls into place.

So on Monday, He showed us we can be angry for God, and on Tuesday, He teaches us that love is more important than anything else.  What anamazing God we have!  Go read 1 Corinthians 13.  Yes, the whole tiny chapter.  Paul teaches about love.  This is the greatest commandment, so we should probably learn what it’s about.  We must learn love.  It needs to be so engrained in us, that it pours out onto everyone around us. That, my friends, is the key to the kingdom.  Be about God’s business, and love!  Go love on someone, and I’ll post more of Jesus’ humanity tomorrow.  I love you all.

passion week fast day 2

Ok, so if you’re still sticking with me after yesterday, here it goes…

Read Psalm 22

Seriously, go read it, or you will not understand the rest of this.  Give yourself a few minutes.

Now, I’m sure you recognized v. 1 “My God, my God!  Why have you forsaken me?”  Jesus is quoted saying this on the cross, but this is not the only time Jesus quotes this psalm of David.  Jesus quotes Ps. 22 NINE times in his last THREE days.  In order for him to quote this passage so much, it had to be something He was focused on intently.

I believe there are two reasons for this.  The first is that the disciples needed it.  They didn’t have the New Testament to look at and think, It’s all good guys, He rises in three days.  It wasn’t in vain.  Jesus knew these disciples would think all was lost after He had been placed in the tomb.  Despite them all being told by Jesus himself what was going to happen, they didn’t get it.  He knew they would need something tangible to look at -   something that showed them that God’s glory would be displayed, that there was hope.

The second reason was that Jesus needed it.  David wrote this psalm at a time when he felt his lowest, yet he knew God was there in it all even though He seemed far off.  David didn’t go through the experiences in the psalm; this was prophetic of what Christ was going to suffer. V 8 the mocking of the people, v 14-16 the physical anguish, v17-18 casting lots.  Christ knew what was coming.  He needed to meditate on this psalm to remind Himself that in all this He would endure, God was there and would be triumphant.  Most importantly, He needed to remember that the people would see and believe v 22-31.

Jesus knew what was coming.  He knew the mocking He would face.  He knew the brutal torturous death He would endure.  Did He run from it?  No, He embraced it, and prepared Himself for it.  He got ready for the cross.  He prepared Himself to suffer FOR YOU.

Thank Him today!  As Psalm 22 states in v 22, ‘Declare the wonder of [His] name!’

Think on these things.  I will post again tomorrow.  I love you!

passion week fast day 1

Good Morning Ladies (and Gents that are joining in the fast),

In order to really focus on this Passion Week, God laid on my heart to fast beginning this evening at sundown at the start of Passover and up to the Seder meal on Friday.

For today’s devotion time, I’d like everyone to consider the occurrences and meaning of Passion Week. Think of what it meant that the shouting went from ‘Hosanna’ at Christ’s triumphal entry to ‘Crucify’ at his trial just five days later. In just 5 short days, Jesus went from hero to zero in the eyes of the people.

In today’s time we use the word, passion, to mean the equivalent of zeal, a strong or compelling emotion. However, many people don’t realize that the root of the word, passion, is quite different. Passion comes from the Greek word meaning suffering, as in Christ’s suffering on the cross. Just think for a moment how ‘passionate’ Christ had to be about us to suffer the way He did. Think of how God’s love for us was displayed in the ‘passion’ Jesus endured at Calvary that day.

God’s perfect will was done on the cross. He reached his mighty hand into this earth to put an end to all suffering, by allowing his perfect Son to die. It’s over! It’s done! He wins. End of story. The fat lady sang.

No matter what you may be facing this week, month, or year, remember that God loves you more than anything.

Please feel free to leave comments, and I’ll post again tomorrow. I love you all!