Blind Faith

Journal entry 11/29/10 through 12/2/10

Matthew 20:29-34 (NIV)

As Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. Two blind men were sitting by the road side, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Jesus stopped and called them, "What do you want me to do for you?" He asked. "Lord," they answered, "we want our sight." Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him.

This is a brief encounter with two unnamed, seemingly insignificant people towards the very end of Jesus' earthly ministry, yet this encounter's conversation is given to us word-for-word. Jesus had performed so many miracles described in Scripture that this miracle of restoring sight seems almost common place and expected. Yet, is there more to this stop along the side of the road than we see?

Jesus, now resolute about His final actions on earth is heading towards Jerusalem. He has left Jericho and is now approaching Bethphage and will soon send two disciples to retrieve the donkey and her colt so He will ride the animal into Jerusalem on Lamb selection day in what we call, "the Triumphal Entry." The Pharisees, Sadducees and leadership of the Jewish people have been questioning who Jesus is and will soon question His authority. Yet the words of the two men along the walk towards Jerusalem are revealing.

As Jesus leaves Jericho, there is a large crowd that follows Him. I get the impression the crowd is more of a spectacle atmosphere we would see today - almost circus like - rather than a crowd of serious followers of Jesus and His teaching. We know that within the crowd are the 12 students of Jesus - 11 of these disciples will soon be permanently designated as Apostles (Judas Iscariot is not included). We know there are the women who follow Jesus, caring for Him and the 12. Some of these women are related to the 12, some are not related to anyone. From there this crowd changes regularly with some joining as students to Rabbi Jesus and then leaving when Jesus' teachings become difficult to personally follow. (Matt 19:16-22; John 6:69)

Throughout Jesus' three-year ministry, He has been the source of publicly calling out the Jewish leadership for their lack of leading God's people correctly according to God's truths. The Jewish leadership have been questioning and challenging Him at every opportunity and Jesus cuttingly tells them what is right and wrong in God's eyes. Jesus has also been the source of countless miracles. So, I think the crowd is also more of a spectacle entourage than a crowd of true seekers of God's truths; more like entertainment groupies.

People hear that Jesus is in town and go out to hear Him talk, hopefully watch Him be confronted by and answer the Jewish leadership ("Oh my! I can't believe He just said that to them!") and see all of the miracles. I can almost see street vendors and smell food vendors following the parade to take advantage and profit from Jesus. If you have nothing to do, "it's a great way to spend the day."

So to me, the crowd has a handful of serious followers who are not 100% certain of whom Jesus is but have chosen to follow Him believing it's worth the past three years' of time. There are those who join and leave as half-serious students. There are those who are there for the entertainment factor. They enjoy Jesus, like what He says. These people want the "awe inspired goosebumps" when He heals someone, want to watch the comedy when He cuts down the leadership, and they want to be seen by others in the crowd. Then, there are those that profit off of the "Jesus experience." I assume the crowd isn't any different than today's entourage of groupies.

Now this crowd is moving from Jericho towards Bethphage blind to the fact that Jesus is facing His final week on earth. From the side of the road along this parade route two voices are heard shouting, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" The shouts are loud. The crowd around them tries to hush these two silly men; they don't want to miss anything Jesus might say or do. I can imagine this scene: Mothers push their little children in front of Jesus; He smiles and rubs each kid's head as the child shyly smiles and scampers off. Maybe Pharisees are spotted in the crowd as well as temple leadership. Maybe people are spotted carrying a friend so badly lamed as they try to press their friend towards Jesus to be healed. This is it... Jesus is going to heal this lame person, the Pharisees will challenge Jesus and He will cuttingly reply. The anticipation builds - "Oh! I'm so glad we got to see Jesus today!" - and the two guys beside you shout a second time even louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Now angry, those around the men shout "Shut up!"

Jesus turns towards the shouts and calls the two men. He asks them what they want. Bam! Jesus heals them and the two men now tag along with Jesus. Seems reasonable and expected. And at first I think, "Finally! Someone healed follows Jesus." Yet, there is more to this encounter than grateful followers.

Lord - The two men call Jesus Lord giving Him authority over them as God to subject man. Not Rabbi like those who follow Jesus who simply know Him as teacher. A great teacher. A teacher from God. Even Mary Magdeline calls Jesus Rabbi after the resurrection and Jesus tells Mary not to hold onto Him in that manner (John 20:16) Soon the Pharisees will again question Jesus' authority yet the two blind men do not. These men seem to recognize who Jesus is and call Him Lord.

Son of David - A Messianic title; the Anointed One of God qualified to sit on the throne of David. The Jewish leadership who have studied the Torah (the Law) and have memorized those first five books. They have studied the Psalms and the Prophets. They know the history of the Jewish people, know the predictions, and their very daily existence is based off of this knowledge. Yet, the Jewish leadership didn't recognize who Jesus is and/or refused to recognize Jesus.

More over, the 12 core disciples of Rabbi Jesus didn't fully recognize Jesus and yet have lived with Him day-in and day-out for three years witnessing everything. Even Peter, James and John who witnessed the transfiguration, heard God say, "This is my Son" and earlier Peter uttered "You are the Christ," failed to truly understand who Jesus is, at this time. Yet these two blind men shout "Son of David."

Have mercy on us - The two blind men recognize God's characteristic of merciful through Jesus who has told the Jewish leadership and those around Him that God desires mercy not sacrifice (Matthew 9:13). That God wants us to live lovingly and compassionately (Hosea 6:6) and not restrictively, routinely or in a regimented way. Love God, love others; choose God, choose others over self.

Ever wonder how two men who cannot physically see have recognized Jesus so clearly that they see Him as Lord, the Messiah, possessing and living out God's mercy? These men see better than the entourage following Jesus. These two weak, blind men are chosen by God to shame the wise and seeing who are relying on themselves (1 Corinthians 1:25-29).

So, Jesus calls the men to Him and asks what they want. To see. And Jesus heals the men giving them the physical sight matching their Spiritual sight. Although Jesus doesn't say these words in this instance, I can almost hear Him saying to the men, "Your faith has made you well." (Your belief - in me and God - has made you well.)

The response of these men? They now follow Jesus. We don't know for how long - if they just followed Jesus to Jerusalem, for the final passion week or were part of the group of disciples who made up the beginning of the church. The point is the men followed Jesus and Jesus allowed them to follow.

The Bible recounts the numerous healings Jesus did. (Matthew 15:30) The authors of the inspired Scriptures focus on a handful of healings so we get more of the details surrounding the events. Some people when healed are appreciative and go on with their lives. Some when healed leave never thanking Jesus. Some, Jesus sends off with specific instructions. Some want to follow Jesus and in this instance Jesus allows the two healed men to follow Him. Perhaps because the blind men are living testimonies of the Gospel. (Matthew 11:5-6 - The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." The fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1-2.)

The men were physically blind yet had Spiritual sight to recognize, believe in and follow Jesus. Their faith more seeing than ours.

We're Spiritually blind with physical sight not recognizing Jesus, missing who He truly is thereby electing not to follow Him. What good is our so-called faith if it's blind to who Jesus is truly? That blindness of faith prevents us from exchanging our current life for His new life. We have blinded faith.

It's time to have Jesus open our eyes to God's truths. This make me think of the tried and true words of Amazing Grace:

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see

The Fragrance of Christ

Mark 14:1-9

Matthew 26:6-13, John 12:1-8
Luke 7:36-50 (perhaps another woman)

Other Scripture
Nard: Song of Solomon 1:1-3, 12, 4:13-14
Myrrh: John 19:38-40; Exodus 30:22-29; Mark 15:23; Song of Solomon 4:13-14; Esther 2:12
Fragrance of Christ: 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

Nard
Perfumed oil used as a fragrance for marriage consummation; brings joy, fills the room with its scent, allows lovers to remember one another as the scent lingers, heightens the anticipation of love as the scent fills the room when the beloved arrives

Myrrh
Mixed with wine as a pain reliever; as an anointing oil for the tabernacle (Holy of Holies), the priest, the priestly garments, the judgement seat; scents the robes of the King and the bridegroom; used to embalm by wrapping the body with strips of linen and tucking the spices in between the strips; 75 lbs of myrrh indicated a royal burial

Sometimes things that seem so insignificant have a deeper purpose and give clarity of understanding when given a second look. Typically, I know when God wants me to look more intently because the words suddenly strike me, then I read or hear that verse or a relating verse of Scripture several times until I go back to re-read the initial catalyst verse.

So it happened with Mark 14:1-9 as I heard it and relating verses until I spent time digging into the thing that caught my eye initially. This catalyst - the bottle of nard.

It's about two-to-six days before the Passover and Crucifixion and Jesus is enjoying a dinner in his honor at a home in Bethany. We know the house was of Simon the leper (Mark, Matt). Lazarus, whom Jesus earlier raised from the dead was there. Martha, Lazarus's sister, helped cook and serve. Lazarus's other sister, Mary, is about to take center stage (John). Mark says the meal is two days from the Passover; John says it's six days out. Luke doesn't seem to mention this particular dinner but he mentions a similar event and the conversation is directed towards a man named Simon but the house belonged to a Pharisee. Are these stories all the same or two different ones? For the meaning, it doesn't matter.

For Mark, Matthew and John, the drama unfolds as the (male) guests are reclining at the table. The men whom are leaning on a pillow would have had their feet extended away from the table. A servant or the youngest member of the host family, would have already washed the guests' feet.

Mary enters the room carrying a bulbous bottle with a long neck. It's filled with pure nard and we read that this perfume is so expensive, it's worth a year's salary. The bottle would have been sealed shut to preserve the potency of the nard. Mary would have had to break the neck off of the bulbous bottle to use the nard and once that bottle was opened, its entire contents had to be used. Only a one-time use was in this bottle and Mary would have had the perfume saved for her wedding night. As the bottle's neck is snapped off allowing Mary to pure out the nard, its intoxicating, warm, heavy scent would have begun to fill the room. People would have recognized the scent and its meaning causing conversation to stop, mouths to open and all eyes turned to Mary and Jesus.

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The worth of the nard:
From what I can lightly determine, the nard was worth a year's salary. Perhaps it was worth 350 denarius as a denarius was a day-laborer's pay for one day's work. Some say a denarius was worth $20 and today about $65. The 350 denarius would have been worth approximately 88 silver coins. Perhaps that's equivalent to $5,632 today. Today, a blue-collar income salary ranges from $18,000/year to $25,000/year. So we can imagine today spending between $5,600 to $18,000 for this bottle of nard to be used once on our wedding night. Either way I look at it, spending more than $40 for a bottle of perfume seems overly extravagant; I guess we don't value marriage as we should.

Another interesting item of note is that Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver or about 120 denarius - about half-a-year's salary. When I think of what Judas received to betray Jesus, only 30 piece of silver, not understanding the context allowed me to think the amount was too small to satisfy greed. Knowing Judas did this for half-a-year's salary I can now see the greed in Judas and his betrayal as more significant and not incidental.
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So why did women have these bottles of nard? It was more than a dowry. A woman bought and saved this costly nard to perfume herself, her clothing and bed linens in preparation for enjoying her husband on their wedding night. The scent, as all scents do, heighten the senses increasing the anticipation of being together, surrounds the experience in aromas and then lingers as it clings to everything so the memory remains. The cost and quality of the perfume shows the level of devotion for the bride to the groom and the significance of marriage.

Myrrh was another scent used in the wedding ceremony and consummation. It is also the scent of royalty and the priesthood.

In Exodus (30:22-29), myrrh is required by God to anoint the tabernacle, the priestly garments, the priest, and the mercy (judgement) seat where God Himself would sit.

When Esther (Esther 2:12) was chosen to be the Queen for Xerxes, she underwent six months of beauty treatments which included being saturated in myrrh for that time so Esther would delight the King and be a walking fragrance of her royalty.

Myrrh was also a sedative mixed with wine (Mark 15:23) to dull pain and it is also used to scent a corpse when it was wrapped for burial. If a corpse was wrapped with 75 lbs of myrrh and spices, it indicated the person was considered to be royalty (John 19:38-40).

Myrrh was also used to fragrant the bridegroom's and King's garments. When the Magi visited young Jesus (between a year to 3 years old), they gave gifts that included myrrh. In a true sense, the Magi were saying Jesus is priest, bridegroom and King of which He is.

With all of this, it is why I think the scene where Mary breaks open the bottle of nard to anoint Jesus and the subsequent following dialogue means more than just what we read on the surface.

Typically at the formal dinner, after the guests feet were washed, perfumed oil to anoint the feet and head was provided. So what Mary did wasn't out of the ordinary but the scent and her way of anointing Jesus was extraordinary and showed the level of belief in and devotion to Jesus. This nard would have been used on her wedding night and now it was gone, the bottle empty, the neck broken. There was no going back, no do-over or saving some for later. Mary was fully committed to her actions. 

Perhaps she would never save enough money to replace the nard. So if Mary were to marry someone, then she would have entered marriage without the scent of marriage, without preparing herself for her husband. However, maybe Mary was showing her complete devotion to Jesus, choosing not to ever marry and follow Jesus always.

In this scene, Mary does more than pour the nard onto Jesus's feet and head to customarily anoint Him. To complete her actions, Mary let's down her hair. Letting her hair down would have been something a woman of ill repute or prostitute would have done in public or a wife in the privacy of her home would have let her hair down for her husband only. Yet Mary performs a servant's task of wiping Jesus' feet, anointing His feet and head with perfume and does this with her hair down. The scene is rather shocking, even to Jesus's closest friends, as it was a scene that should have played out between a newly married husband and wife, in the solitary of their home, without spectators. Plus, the nard screamed the cost of her actions, level of devotion and it could not be ignored or brushed aside as trivial.

It's important to note that Jesus received the gesture. He didn't try to stop Mary then reluctantly receive the anointing and the manner of the anointing. Jesus received it and seemed to enjoy it, half expecting someone to have recognized the occasion and done this to Him, as it was customary. The cost of the perfume took the action from customary to intimate and regal at the same time.

That potency of scent said Jesus was being anointed as husband, King and priest. The scent defines Jesus to that house (and to us as we read the story), and it spoke of where He was next going.

As priest, Jesus was going into the Holy of Holies to offer the Passover blood for all of us before the mercy seat of God. We know He did that and it was accepted because at the moment He died, God Himself ripped the curtain that guarded the entrance to the Holy of Holies; we now have direct contact with God through Jesus.

As King, Jesus would lead His people to the promise land and be seated to rule over them. He has showed us and continues to show us the way and sits now ruling over our lives as each of us enters His kingdom and allows His rule.

As husband, Jesus negotiated the price of the bride with the Father, went to the bride offering her the cup of redemption (wine) saying, "I love you and give you my life." He in fact, as our bridegroom, did give His life for our life. As husband, He is now preparing a place for His bride and when that place is ready, He will come with His wedding party to claim His bride bringing us to the place He prepared where we will celebrate with Him at the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. (I believe He will smell of myrrh when He returns.)Mary did a good thing and what she did shouts to who Jesus is. Do you smell His fragrance? Do you recognize Him for who He is?

Upon Jesus' burial, we have another scent to describe Him - myrrh. When Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus buried Jesus in Joseph's prepared tomb, they wrapped Jesus with 75 lbs of spices of which would have been myrrh. Joseph and Nicodemus, by spending the high cost for the quality of spice - myrrh - and the amount - 75 lbs - stated firmly they believed Jesus to be King.

So, the fragrances of Jesus state who He is as well as who people consider Him to be. As these scents curl in our noses we are to recognize those scents and associate them with the proper meaning of Christ.

Finally, we who believe while living our lives as a testimony of Jesus as Savior and Lord are His lingering fragrance here on earth. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16) Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those being saved. To those perishing, we are the smell of death.

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July 20, 2016

When listening to the radio broadcast of Dr. Stephen Davey from Wisdom for the Heart on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, the message was from John 12:1-11 entitled "Scent from a Broken Vase". It speaks to the magnitude of what Mary did for Jesus when she poured out her perfume onto Him, at the house of her brother Lazarus. It reminded me of this journal entry I wrote five years ago.

"Scent from a Broken Vase" by Dr. Stephen Davey from Colonial Baptist Church in Cary, NC.

Dirt Proves Satan Wrong

The Book of Job

My favorite books of the Bible tend to be the ones that I've heard God speak to me the most. Haggai, Daniel, Revelation, James, Matthew, Leviticus and Job, to name a few. Although in Job, the pages of my Bible aren't reflecting lots of notes and underlines where my other favorite books are crammed with notes and scribbled thoughts. I love the book of Job because I love the entire breadth of the story and what it does say.

Typically, when I study the Bible, I read one chapter at a time many times staying in the chapter for a week or more daily reading it gleaning more and more understanding. Recently with Job, I read large chunks at a time to see the entire story unfolding in wholeness.

In Job, his sufferings are due to a point being made to Satan by God; a kind of, "Take that, dude!" At the surface, the unfolding drama of suffering seems cruel as if Job is a mere pawn on the cosmic chessboard between God and Satan. However, when you read into those story details, you'll notice that very poignant and precise points are being made by God to Satan, Job, Job's friends, and us.

The throw-down begins with Satan once again challenging God. You get the idea that the Accuser (Satan) is pointing out to God that of all of the humans He created, not one is good thereby belonging to God. To me it almost says, "Well, everyone is as bad as me so what does that say about You and Your abilities to create?"

God points out Job who God Himself states that Job is "blameless, upright, fears (respects/honors) God, shuns evil and there exists no other human on earth like Job." Wow! Powerful acknowledgment by God of Job. Truly. What kind of man was Job to receive that distinction from the very Creator of all?

It's truly hard to conceive this but, what Job endured was really an honor and not a punishment. An honor... hard to imagine and certainly something I'm not looking for, I must honestly confess. Job was selected to prove Satan not only wrong but that he has fallen so low and will never be able to surpass the very dirt of this world let alone surpass God Himself which Satan thinks he can do.

The main point being made is this: take all of God's provisions, blessings and protections away and Job will be like any other human and curse God. Curse God. Shake a fist at God in defiance, accuse Him for everything wrong, spit in His face and walk away from God telling Him you'll do it on your own from here on out because He is not good enough. Curse God.

It seems very probable because we humans associate God with love, blessings and goodness. As long as we are being continuously blessed, then we love God. We think God exists solely to make us happy with the things we want and when we're happy we may love and sometimes acknowledge God. We associate our happiness with God. Almost a "what have you done for me lately, God?" approach.

So Satan tells God that if He takes away all of His provisions for Job, Job will become like any other human and eventually curse God thereby no longer being upright and blameless.

Just the words "upright, blameless, fears God, shuns evil" are very piercing where God is stating to Satan that he is not these things; Satan doesn't possess these qualities of character. God said to Satan, in a sense, you were created with the most ability to be this and yet you chose not to be this; you've fallen so low that even a man made out of dirt is better than you.

It's also interesting to consider the setting of this drama. Satan sees God's face day-in and day-out. He witnessed God in the very act of creation and as chief angel, Satan's job was to gather all of the angels together to witness God in the act of creation cheering Him onward. Witness and acknowledge the truth, stand up for the truth. That is the job of the angels and of men.

We know from various verses in the Bible that before any creation, God existed. He then created the angelic hosts to be His witnesses. God then creates light, darkness, the stars, the cosmos, continuing on until God creates earth where He then focuses on the details of our home planet. God reveals this in Job 38:4-7 especially verses 6-7: "On what were its (the earth's) footings set, or who laid its cornerstone - while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?" You can almost see God going, "Watch this! (BAM!)" and the angels shouting and cheering wildly for God, for His ability and what just appeared in front of them created by God!

Satan watched God Himself create our world. He sees God's face daily. He sees God's glory, power, majesty, abilities and yet, Satan chose to rebel. Created the most beautiful of all angels and placed above all angels as leader, Satan eventually thinks he can surpass God and thus begins the great battle of evil versus good. "I don't need you God and I can do this on my own and do it better than you." (Isaiah 14:12-20)

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Morning Star = Lucifer in the Latin Vulgate. Interesting that both Jesus and Satan have the title Morning Star. Both "Sons of God" and yet one chooses God and one does not.
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Throughout the book of Job and throughout all of Job's sufferings, he does not curse God. Job's wife even tells him to curse God and die. (Job 2:9-10) Job's wife said Job should curse God thereby forcing God's hand to deliver the final blow killing Job. There lies the evil - force God to act. When you force someone to act, you are forcing a person to subject himself to your authority. You now surpass that person's authority forcing yourself above that person when you don't have the authority in the first place.

This helps me deal with evil events and actions around me, at times. I confess, when those actions are not directly impacting me. Satan continually tries to force God to act. If he succeeds, then God would be bowing to Satan's demands thereby giving Satan authority over Himself. God won't do that - and praise God for not doing that! Because God knows in advance what Satan will do God, not bowing His authority to Satan, allows the evil to occur yet prepares in advance to use the action as a way to draw men closer to Him sanctifying men in the process. (Romans 8:28-30)

I confess that the conversations - probably heated discussions at times - between Job and his friends are confusing to me. So much of what each man states seems right and yet wrong. Many times it's hard for me to understand the truths being spoken. However, the main point is that Job doesn't curse God because of his predicament. Job states up front that we are to accept the good and trouble from God. (Job 2:10) Our predicament should not define who God is. God's truth should define God to us.

What Job was arguing with his friends is the concept that when good happens to people, it must be because God is rewarding good behavior; when bad things happen, God must be punishing bad or evil behavior. This is not true - as Job contends - because good stuff happens to bad people and bad stuff happens to good people. Instead Job's argument is that he has lived an upright life according to God - he has loved God and loved others - the very basis for our life actions on earth. Naturally, Job wants his "day in court" before God to prove that he did not do anything evil that resulted and warranted this near destruction of his life.

I think its encouraging that God wants and allows us to reason with Him and others about Him. (Isaiah 1:18 - "Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord.) God allows us to vent to Him our frustrations with this world; that's not a sin. We are asking God to explain why, help us understand, help us become aligned with Him, help us throw off the incorrect way of thinking and understand His ways. That is good news to me as I always want to understand the logic and reasoning behind something.

Yet, Job never curses God.

What I like the most of Job is when God steps in and begins to remind Job (and us) of who He really is. "Where were you when I created the world? Surely you were there so tell me what I did?" (Rose's paraphrase of Job 38:4) I love the way God describes His creations choosing some of the things that seem like odd creations to us and shows how He delights in His creations and why. That is what I love the most of Job, too. To see God's delight in His creation, the reason why He did what He did. You can hear Him laughing and see Him smiling when He watches His ostrich run and run faster that a horse and rider.

Through it all, Job, a man of clay and dirt, does not curse God as Satan claims he'll do and Satan threw everything he had at Job - everything. And Job proved God correct that knowing God, truly knowing Him, allows you to choose to follow His authority and honor Him regardless of our circumstances.

I'm thankful Job proved that point for all of us. I certainly don't want to be called to do that.

The Working Body

Journaling for 1 Corinthians 12 – 14, September 8 through 22, 2010
Although our relationship with God our Father - through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, empowered by the Holy Spirit - is a personal relationship, we are also called to be a part of the corporate body of Christ (the Church) working together for the betterment of the greater community. Just as God is in relationship with His Son, His Spirit, man and His angels, we too are to be in relationship with others both in the body of the church and those not in the church.

Love God… love others

We’re each called to serve in a specific manner and God Himself equips us for that service. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, Paul tells us how each aspect of God has a role in calling, equipping and connecting the effort.

The Spirit provides the gift(s) necessary – those gifts are tools. Jesus calls us to a specific service within the body and for the community. And God connects the gifted person to the service through the body of believers to produce a benefit to others; a benefit He ordained.

1 Corinthians 12 also explains what those tools, of enabling from the Holy Spirit, look like in visible reality – the proof of the enabling. These tools are given for the “common good” – the ordinary, regular, day-to-day service of the collective body. These tools are not simply for the church body’s benefit but also as part of the body’s service to the recipients. The body is to work together for the betterment of others and the Spirit enables each part with the ability to perform the service it has been called to perform.

Notice how these tools of the Spirit are not for self so a person can “better himself.” If the tools were to be simply used for self improvement, then pride and ego could set in as we might think we’re capable alone without God and that thought now becomes the catalyst for sin. All of the tools described are to be used outwardly to serve, assisting with decision making and acting in service so the body can perform with expertise achieving some aspect of success/betterment through the service process. The tools and abilities the Spirit gives to the body are:

1. The Message of Wisdom – the “communication of wisdom” – the ability to communicate wisdom to the body; to know from experience how to apply knowledge in a logical and reasonable manner – logic, proven theory, understanding. Based on personal experiences (this takes time of life), the ability to be able to communicate the application of knowledge for the betterment of an individual or group.
2. The Message of Knowledge – the “communication of knowledge” – to know something or someone in a familiar way based on learned experiences (this takes time of life). To be able to communicate knowledge of someone or something to the body.
3. Faith – the ability to have complete trust and belief in something beyond our limited knowledge and ability; to possess a steadfast commitment to promises and loyalty.
4. Healings – the ability to restore someone or something to its previous or intended state of well being; wholeness and inclusiveness.
5. Miraculous Powers – the ability to do something beyond our limited capabilities.
6. Prophecy – The ability to interpret or convey God’s message to meaning. To receive a message or understanding of a message from God and to communicate that to others to teach and/or express that revelation. To be able to connect the dots of God’s messages for a comprehensive understanding of its meaning and communicate that revelation.
7. Distinguishing between Spirits – To discern or judge rightly what is of God and not of God. To know God so well that you know what is and isn’t of Him.
8. Speaking in Different kinds of Tongues (Languages) – The ability to communicate in different languages; many times, these languages are not our native or learned language but a language that is foreign to us. We may or may not understand this foreign language.
9. Interpretation of Tongues (Languages) – To be able to understand a message in a foreign language and communicate the message to others.

For those of us who are saved by Christ and are now a part of the church body, Jesus calls us into service as part of the working body. The Holy Spirit equips us with one or more of the gifts, one or more of the abilities and, God causes the parts of the enabled body to work together for the betterment of the community at large. This process of working together causes believers to trust God more. We are encouraged by God as we realize His truths and promises becoming a reality in our lives. Our confidence in Him increases as we come to know more about God and His truths. The process or working together in public causes unbelievers to also recognize the reality of God. This will help unbelievers respond to God’s calling to salvation/redemption. The process of the working body gives glory to God.

If you notice, the gifts cannot stand alone and are meant to be paired in combination with others to become a working body. A person may have more than one of the abilities but generally he will not have all of them nor should he. If a person had all of the gifts then there wouldn’t be a reason for him to be part of a working body because he could do it all by himself. There would be no reliance of God through others in the community of Christ. There would be no iron sharpens iron. (Proverbs 27:17)

Someone with the gift to communicate knowledge of something to the body needs the person equipped with the message of wisdom so that person can tell the body how to apply the knowledge. Those two parts – knowledge and wisdom – need the person of faith so that the body can continue to move passed the mental limits of capabilities (of reason) to the promises of God. Many times the promises of God seem to be beyond reasonable achievement.

People with the gift of healing need the person with miraculous powers and the person of faith so again the person wanting to restore someone is paired with the person who has the ability and paired with the person who knows God’s truths and promises.

The person of prophecy who receives a revelation from God needs someone with the ability to distinguish spirits to help discern the revelation is of-and-from God or not. Perhaps the revelation is a message of truth to the body then the person of faith who knows God by His truths and promises confirms the message as aligned to God’s truths. Perhaps the revelation is of God’s desire to restore a non-believer or believer to health. The person with the ability to discern spirits discerns the prophetic revelation is of God. The persons of healing and miraculous powers restore the non-believer’s health.

The person who can speak another language foreign to himself, needs the person who can interpret so that the language is recognized and the message is given to the appropriate person(s). The person of prophecy can confirm the message is a revelation of God. The person of discernment can confirm the message is of the Spirit of God. The person of faith confirms the message is of God’s truths.

If the message is for the body to move in a direction then the person of:

• Prophecy – receives the revelation and communicates it
• Discernment – confirms the message is from God
• Knowledge – says how the body should move
• Wisdom – tells the body the best/tested way to move
• Faith – encourages the body to move beyond its ability towards the direction God called
• Healing – restores the needed body parts so it can serve; includes those necessary
• Miraculous Powers – provides the body the ability to move beyond its current ability
• Languages – communicates the messages to all of the parts who each may speak a different operating language
• Interpretation – interprets the languages to all of the body’s parts so the entire body understands God’s call, whom to serve and the direction to move

Again, Jesus calls the body into service. The Holy Spirit equips and God has everything working together for His purpose. Romans 8:28

So what causes the body to fail its mission? Sometimes our problem is that we don’t like or recognized the role we are called to do.

With respect to recognition, many times we expect the enabling of the Holy Spirit to come with sensations and goose bumps – some sort of visible display that divine power has been transmitted to us. What we don’t realize is that what comes natural to us is most likely a gift of the Holy Spirit which enables us to do something others cannot easily do.

For example, I am good at aspects of business management specifically understanding big picture context by connecting dots of information and discerning options for actions. I am also a strong communicator both verbally and visually and can interpret complex situation into languages the common group of lay people can understand. Although I can talk a horse to death, I can also boil complex messages down to a few main points and prioritize back-up points. I would get frustrated that people couldn’t see what I could see, thinking they simply weren’t applying themselves. Things were so obvious to me and since I’m not a highly educated person, I couldn’t understand how I could see things that people smarter than me couldn’t see. So I incorrectly assumed people were lazy and I judged and treated them that way.

I realized one day that people couldn’t see things I could because God enabled me to see these things. “I was blind but now I see” was a reality suddenly in ordinary ways. This realization has helped me appreciate this ability as a gift from God, helped me be more patient and gracious towards others. Whether this is the calling of administration, prophet or teacher or a combination, it doesn’t matter. It’s a gift and now I am trying to use it guided by God’s love, receiving it in appreciation and not disgust.

Others don’t want the gift given to them for whatever reason. Either they think their gift or role in service isn’t special enough – or prestigious enough – or they see another person’s role and want the authority that comes with that role or tool; authority not given to them. Perhaps as a church we are not teaching people how to properly recognize gifts. Or perhaps we’re not reinforcing to people how essential each role is to the body.

Paul said if every part was an eye, where would the sense of smell be? He also said if the foot said it didn’t want to be the foot, that didn’t change the foot’s role within the body to something else. It remains a foot.

So, if God knows best and God is working all things together for a purpose (Romans 8:28), then we need to trust that God is giving us our specific role and ability for His reasons and purpose. And if God ordained our role in service and ability to perform that role, then our effort is special to God and essential to the body’s health and mission.

In both of Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and Ephesians, he speaks to God’s delegation and enabling. 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 and Ephesians 4:11-16

Yet, there is one motivating factor for the purpose of the body to work that is more important than the ability to work – love; specifically God’s unconditional (agape') love. This agape' love is the reason why our God does what He does, is who He says He is, and is the catalyst for and definition of His being. God’s ability to love to the depths unfathomable and without condition on that which surrounds Him, is the definition of His being. God is merciful because He is Agape'. He is patient because He is Agape'. He is forgiving because He is Agape' and on and on and on…

So that’s why Paul says the greatest gift from God is the ability to love and love without condition. If we don’t have love, then the Spiritual enabling has no meaning to exist, no reason to cause anyone to act as God calls and desires. The process of acting together doesn’t bring us closer to God without the motivation of unconditional love whereby the revelation of God will be reinforced in us so that the knowledge “of” God becomes a reality to us. Without agape' love, the body has no reason to move onward in a situation where the conditions seem unfavorable or unwelcome.

Sometimes people confuse smooth sailing with God’s will and rough seas with being out of God’s will. Yet most times, when we’re growing in our relationship with God, He calls us into the boat that cruises over the rough seas because it’s better for us to sail onward maturing in our faith, knowledge and truth of God than to remain on the sunny beach with an immature knowledge of God. Matthew 14:22-33

That’s why Paul says to stop thinking like infants only wanting to be provided for and fed, and to start thinking like mature people. 1 Corinthians 14:18-20

Maturing requires unconditional love to motivate us to move forward with God and to move forward in God’s call to serve. Agape' love should define the working body and the working parts as it defines God Himself.

Then the fruit of the working body, the fruit of the Spiritual gifts, the fruit of the call to serve, the fruit of our lives becomes patience, kindness, not being envious but content, not being boastful and proud but meek and humble. Not being rude but respectful. Not being self seeking but being others focused and seekers of God. Not easily angered but showing self control. Not keeping a list of wrongs and infractions but being forgiving. We will rejoice in truth not succumbing to lies and perversions. We will protect the weak and vulnerable and not serve those who only benefit us personally. We will be trusting and trustworthy. Our hope will be in God and His promises so we will persevere onward because love never fails or ends.

When Jesus comes in the end, all of God’s promises will be fulfilled, His throne with men, we will be made new, complete and without man-made flaw as God intended. When we know the truth fully and see God face-to-face as He now knows us fully, when all reasons to persevere cease to exist and perfection reigns, then love will remain. (Revelation 21)

So, unconditional love is the most important attribute and reason to live, move, grow and work and the very reason to have an enabled working body of Christ serving God’s world as He calls us to do. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Love God… love others.

Be a Doer, Not Merely a Hearer by Nick Weston

The following is a lesson Nick Weston gave at the New Horizons Youth Ranch in Cristianapolis Brazil (Brasil). Nick went to the Ranch for a month-long mission trip and had the opportunity to share one day during Chapel; this is that lesson. I asked Nick if he would allow me to post his lesson as it is impressive. Plus, Nick’s lesson is where my heart currently is going – the evidence of our faith is how we live out our belief and trust in God daily. This is what a true disciple of Jesus does and this is what God is calling us to do beyond our moment of salvation. What is even more impressive is that Nick is a high school senior; he’s only 17 years old. To have this connection with God, His Word and have this understanding of God at age 17 is amazing. And yet Nick's friends in the Emerging Men's Group that meets with Chauncey are all growing strongly in Christ. If only all of us had been there at 17. Anything is a parenthesis was added by me for clarification. Enjoy and thank you, Nick!

Be a Doer, not Merely a Hearer

What I want to talk to you about today is one the most important parts of our walk with Christ. Yet it happens to be one of the hardest parts for us all.

There’s a misunderstanding when it comes to being a Christian. Most people believe that our religious practices are what make us Christians. It’s easy for to us believe that because we go to church, and we go to chapel, and we own a bible and say our prayers at dinner, that we are Christians. But that is not at all what defines us and that is not at all our purpose. Going to church is a way to get to our purpose, to reach our goal. Reading our Bibles and praying is a means to get there. But that is not the goal. The goal is that every day we look more and more like Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean we have to grow our hair out and start wearing robes… but that does mean we are able to put other people’s needs in front of our own like Jesus did for us on the cross. That we are able to forgive the people who make us angry like Jesus forgives us. And you and I are able to love other people like Jesus loves us. That is our life purpose. That is why we are on this planet, whether we live in Brazil or in the United States, that is why we exist.

Now how do we do that? That is what I want to talk to you about today. We’re going to be looking at the letter Jesus’ brother, James, wrote to the Jews who were converted to Christianity. The Jewish people grew up going to synagogue, reading (and memorizing) the Torah, which are the first three books of the Old Testament. So these people knew God’s Word much better than most. Let’s look at:

James, chapter 1, verses 22-25.
22But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23Because if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror; 24for he looks at himself, goes away, and right away forgets what kind of man he was. 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who acts—this person will be blessed in what he does.

Now imagine after eating breakfast this morning, I went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror and noticed I had food all over my face. Most of you have probably noticed I’m a pretty messy eater… so that’s a possibility. But what if after noticing the food on my face, I didn’t do anything about it and left and forgot about it and came up here. You’d be staring at me thinking, “What’s that all over his face? What’s wrong with that guy?”

What possible good does it do to check what you look like in a mirror if you walk away and immediately you forget what you saw? James says it’s the same thing. What’s the point of learning and studying God’s Word if you never put it into practice. If you don’t become a Doer of what it says.

As Christians we are to obey the Bible but a lot of times we read it, then once we go away we forget what we read and we don’t obey it. James tells us that if we only hear the Word, but do not actually do what it says, that we are not really Christians, and that we are just deceiving ourselves if we believe we are (Christians).

Now if we are going to be Doers of the Word, and not just hearers, then obviously we must first Hear the Word of God. James says we must be quick to hear in verse:

(James) 1:19
My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

Hearing does not mean that someone has to verbally speak the Word to us – whether through someone’s preaching or through our own daily reading. (Hearing means) we must be exposed to the meaning of the Word. A lot of the time it is better for us to read the Bible on our own and let God speak (His meaning) to us rather than always waiting to be spoon fed God’s Word (by someone else).

But as we already know, just hearing is not enough. Paul tells us in:

Romans 2:13
For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.

If we want God to declare us righteous (in right standing), just hearing the law alone is not enough. If we want to be declared disciples of Jesus we must live out what we learn from the Bible. (A good student applies the knowledge learned.)

Not only do we have to hear the Word, we also need to know it; (understand it in a practical way). Reading the Bible is good, but how are we supposed to live it out if we can’t remember any of it? (If we don’t understand what it means to live it out?)

If after we hear God’s Word, we forget it. We might as well have not heard it at all. Just like if I were to look in the mirror and not do something about the food all over my face.

To Know God’s Word we must truly spend time reading and studying it. If you just quickly skim through the Bible just to get done with your daily reading, you might as well (have) spent your time on something more useful.

Just like if you are trying to get to know someone new. You could sit and stare at them for 45 minutes every day but, until you start asking questions and having conversations with them, you will never get to know them.

When we read our Bibles we need to ask God to speak to us through His Word. We need to ask God to use this Book to change us and to show us what we need to improve in ourselves. Don’t read this Book just to gain more information or to look like a Christian, but read this Book to change your life, to learn how God wants us to live.

Once we know God’s Word we are moving in the right direction, but we are told it is still not enough in:

Romans: Chapter 2, verses 21-23
21 You then, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal” – do you steal? 22 You who say, “You must not commit adultery” – do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob their temples? 23You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

Paul here is writing to the Jews who know the Word of God, but do not live by it. He tells them that they are dishonoring God by breaking His law.

We cannot dishonor God. We need to bring Glory to God in all that we do. So we need to keep moving forward. After we know God’s Word we must now Believe it.

Our Faith in God and his Word are essential to us becoming like Christ. It says in:

Romans Chapter 5 verses 1-2
1Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

We have faith that Jesus paid the price for our sins and this faith is what brings us in relationship with God. And with this faith, also comes the faith we have that God’s Word is living and effective, and is sharper than any two-edged sword as we learned in the Book of Hebrews.
We must truly (come to) believe that the Bible is living and is relevant to our lives today if we are going to do what it says.

Yet in James we learn that this still is not enough.

James 2:26
For just as the body without the Spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
James again tells us that if we do not have works, our faith is dead.

Now if we know God’s Word and we believe that it comes from the Most High God, The Almighty One. There’s one thing left, we must Do God’s Word. (Those are the works James speaks of where our faith is proven as we live it out daily in our ordinary lives.)

James 1:25
25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who acts—this person will be blessed in what he does.

Finally James tells us that the one who puts into practice what he learns from the Bible will be blessed in what he does, in all that he does.

Do you want to blessed by God? Would you like to know that everything you do pleases God and brings Glory to him? Then become a doer of His Word. Every day as you are reading your Bible, find at least one thing you can practice that day. As you spend time praying, ask God to show you what it is that you need to work on.

The thing we need to keep in mind is that God does not expect us to be perfect yet He still loves us. I know I personally thank God everyday for that, because as you all know I’m a long way from perfect. That is why He sent His Son Jesus to pay the price for our sins, so that we don’t have to (pay a debt we cannot pay). As long as we accept Christ as our Savior and choose to enter into His Grace.

I just want to say that over the past month you have shown me and the rest of us Americans that you are already Doers of the Word. Jesus said that we must love one another, just as He loved us. And over the last month we’ve all gotten to see this lived out by each and every one of you. To come together here from all different backgrounds, and to be able to become brothers, that is Christ’s Love. And that is how we are all supposed to live. I just want to encourage you all to keep growing in Christ, and never forget that God will always love you and be there for you. I’ll just close in prayer….

The Lord’s Passover Meal

Do we participate in the correct mindset?

In response to studying 1 Corinthian 11: 17 – 34.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul was addressing the mindset, heart and intentions the members of the Corinthian Church were approaching and participating in worship. In many respects my very own hometown of Gainesville is similar to Corinth. Although it wasn’t a college town like Greece’s Athens was then and like Gainesville is now, it placed a high premium on wisdom and Greek philosophy. Corinth contained twelve temples, with one temple housing worshipers of Aphrodite which fostered prostitution in the name of religion; we have churches on nearly every main street and our churches represent all belief systems from Christian, to Judaism, to Muslim, to Unitarian, to new age spiritualism. We also have our own prostitution shops within our county’s borders. There was a large theater and an amphitheater in Corinth like our UF football stadium; it’s hard to deny that UF is a “god” to many people be it the education and research or the Gator athletics. Corinth was on an isthmus so it was a major trade route while Gainesville is at the northern center of Florida, a large peninsula, with a major interstate (I-75) dissecting it. It was a corrupt place to live, so immoral that the Greek verb “to Corinthianize” came to mean the practice of sexual immorality. Although towns like New Orleans are probably more like Corinth than Gainesville is, we are similar so we can learn so much from Paul’s letter to one of his churches.

Paul, trained under the most respected Jewish Pharisee and teacher of the Law of that time, Gamaliel (Acts 5:34), and Paul being a member of the Sanhedrin himself from the tribe of Benjamin and having spent a lifetime studying the details of the Law and Traditions, would have known the very significance of the Passover meal, all its symbolism and its fulfillment in Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension. His warning to the Corinthian church and its manner of celebration a portion of the Lord’s Passover meal, now called the Lord’s Supper, has even more weight. We can argue the fact that the Corinthians, many of whom were Gentile believers, probably didn’t know the details and symbolism of the Jewish Passover meal but, in 55 AD, the Corinthians were less than 30 years removed from the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. We can only assume that when Paul taught the Corinthian church how to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, he would have taught the meaning of each element of the ceremonial meal. There is a tradition and a requirement that we are to know these things and pass that knowledge along to others, so truly we are not off the hook from our responsibilities either.

As stated in Halley’s Bible Handbook, the followers of the Way in Jerusalem had all of their possessions in common; they seemed to live more communally. That practice had stopped and now the Corinthians were instituting a Love Feast (potluck dinner) that followed the corporate worship with Communion – the Lord’s Supper. The wealthier members brought more food than the poor members of that church; it was supposed to be shared ecumenically. However, the cliques within the Corinthian church were strong and the wealthy would gather together eating their contributed food while the poor gathered sharing what each brought. Members drank wine to excess and soon the Love Feast became nothing more than the drunken revelries of the idol temples in town. There was no communal love in those Love Feasts, no sharing of God’s provisions with those that had little by those that had abundant. The members of the Corinthian church lost the significance of the Lord’s Supper. Paul reminds the Corinthians – and us – to pay attention to Jesus’ words at His final Passover meal and before we eat the bread and drink the cup, we should examine ourselves. (1 Corinthians 11:28, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Matthew 5:22-24)

In order to understand the significance of the Passover meal, place application on the section of that meal now called the Lord’s Supper (of which Jesus instructed us that when we gather and repeat that section of the meal to remember Him) and understand what Paul is calling us to do, we need to examine the Passover meal.

That first Passover meal took place the evening of the final and tenth plague God inflicted on the Egyptians when Moses was asking Pharaoh to let the Israelites go to worship the Lord God; Pharaoh was refusing so each plague increased in power of God’s ability and distinction of who was His and who wasn’t.

God told Moses that this last plague signaled a new beginning for the Israelites; “This is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.” (Exodus 12:1-2) On the tenth day of that month (Nisan/March-April) each family was to select a year-old, male lamb or kid goat without blemish and take it home with them. On the 14th day of that month, the family was to slaughter the lamb or goat at twilight. The Israelites were to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and top of the (front) doorframe of the house where they would eat the lamb. The lamb was to remain whole – with legs, head and inner parts – and to be roasted over a fire, not boiled or raw. The entire lamb was to be consumed with nothing left at morning and they were to eat it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. If any lamb remained after the meal, they were to burn it so that nothing remained. The Israelites were to eat the meal in haste as if they were ready to dine and dash. If a lamb was too big for a small family to consume, several small families could join together to share in the lamb so that everyone had lamb, everyone consumed the meal in haste and nothing of the meal remained in the morning. While preparing it, no bones were to be broken of that lamb and if it was shared, it was cooked and eaten in one home. The smaller communal families had to sleep in the home that had the lamb’s blood on the doorframe. Those males sharing in the meal must be circumcised and only those who were Israelites or circumcised property such as slaves. No foreigners or temporary residents were to eat the meal.

As we know, that night God passed through Egypt killing the first born of everything from man to animal from wealthy to poor from free to prisoner. Whoever had the “blood of the lamb” on its doorframe, God “passed over” that home not killing anyone in that home. (Exodus 12)

It took a strong act of belief and trust in the Lord God, His promises, His power to follow this instruction because had the Lord God not fulfilled His promise, Pharaoh would have known who the rebellious people were because each home was painted with blood on its doorframe. But, our God is faithful, true and capable so He did what He said He would do and protected whom He said He would protect.

Over the centuries, the Passover meal evolved a bit to have an order for each item of the meal and that item and order meant something. There were the four cups of wine, two items of bitter herbs, unleavened bread and the Paschal lamb. The story of the Exodus was remembered and retold and the Hallel Hymns (Psalms 113-118) were recited or sung.

The four cups of wine were warm red wine, poured out and consumed at specific times during the meal for specific reasons. I am assuming that the wine was red and warmed so it symbolized the blood of the lamb painted on the doorframe that first Passover and sprinkled on the alter at all of the following Passover sacrifices. Blood is also one way to seal a covenant - the most significant way. The four cups were:
1. Kiddush = Blessing – Blessing before the meal
2. Deliverance, Praise – before meal consumed
3. Redemption – consumed after the meal
4. Consummation – consumed at the conclusion of the evening
Each cup had a prayer to be recited over it and each cup had a verb of God recited and associated with it. Those verbs were from Exodus 6:6-7.

1. Cup of Blessing – (prayer of sanctification) Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, King of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine and you, oh Lord our God, have given us festival days of joy, this feast of unleavened bread, the time of our deliverance in remembrance of the departure from Egypt. Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, who has kept us alive, sustain us and enable us to enjoy this season. (verb Exodus 6:6) “I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.” Reminds me of Jesus saying (Matthew 11:28-30) “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” And the mention of King of the universe reminds me of the times Jesus acknowledges he is King of a kingdom. (Matthew 27:11)

2. Cup of Deliverance, Praise - (prayer of sanctification) Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, King of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine and you, oh Lord our God, have given us festival days of joy, this feast of unleavened bread, the time of our deliverance in remembrance of the departure from Egypt. Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, who has kept us alive, sustain us and enable us to enjoy this season. (verb Exodus 6:6) “I will free you from being slaves to them."

3. Cup of Redemption – (prayer) Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, King of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine and you, oh Lord our God, have given us festival days of joy, this feast of unleavened bread, the time of our deliverance in remembrance of the departure from Egypt. Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, who has kept us alive, sustain us and enable us to enjoy this season. (verb Exodus 6:6) “I will redeem you with outstretch arms and with mighty acts of judgment.” The outstretch arms points to the cross as the payment for redemption. For me, the mighty acts of judgement points to Revelation 19:11-16. The Cup of Redemption also has a place in the Jewish marriage negotiations. After the groom has negotiated the price for the bride, he brings a cup of wine – the Cup of Redemption – to his bride and says, “This cup I offer you, I love you. In offering this I offer you my life.” The bride can accept the cup and marriage proposal or decline it. If she accepts it, she sips it and says, “I accept your life and in return I give you mine.”

4. Cup of Consummation - (prayer) Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, King of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine and you, oh Lord our God, have given us festival days of joy, this feast of unleavened bread, the time of our deliverance in remembrance of the departure from Egypt. Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, who has kept us alive, sustain us and enable us to enjoy this season. (verb Exodus 6:7) “I will take you as my own people and I will be your God.” Points to Revelation 21:3 “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God.”

The bitter herbs were eaten at two times during the Passover meal and both were a bit different. The first bitter herb was parsley or celery dipped in either salt water or vinegar. This represented the tears the Jewish people shed crying out to God while in bondage in Egypt. The second was horseradish dipped in a sweet mixture of apples, nuts and honey mashed like a paste. The horseradish (maror, mar = bitter) was to bring tears to the person’s eye when consumed. The paste was called charoset and symbolized the mortar the Jewish slaves used when laying the bricks in Egypt; the tears shed during the brutal work of building Egypt in slavery.

The bread that was eaten was without a leavening agent and was merely flour and water. It was worked continually to keep it from rising then formed into flat wafers or discs and baked. The bread was unleavened because it was to represent a sinless body with leaven being sin - ego, puffed up, arrogant, pride, selfish. The unleavened bread would last longer and not spoil as fast, was lighter and easier to carry for a journey. (Again, I think of Jesus saying His yoke is light and easy.) Today the bread is called Matzah. There were three pieces of unleavened bread, stacked one on top of the other. The middle bread is broken in half with the smaller piece returned to the middle of the stack. The other half is wrapped in a linen napkin, hidden to be set aside for the end of the meal. That piece is called the Afikomen. Children or the younger guests were encouraged to find the Afikomen and bring it back to the meal to receive a redemption price. Consider these elements and think on their meaning. Three pieces of unleavened bread. The middle piece is broken in half, wrapped in a cloth and hidden to be found. In this stack of bread we see the Trinity of God, Christ's death "broken for you", wrapped and buried, hidden to be found. (John 6:33, 53, 41, 48 and 51 “I am the bread of life…”)

The lamb requirements did not change from the time of the Exodus until Jesus through to the destruction of the temple. The lamb was selected on the 10th of Nisan, must have been a one-year male lamb without blemish. During Jesus’ time, it was to be from the flocks of Bethlehem. (Bethlehem means “the house of bread”). The family brought the lamb home and it lived with the family for 4 days which allowed the family to care for the lamb. That time most likely brought the family close to the lamb as we are with a pet so to take the lamb four days later and sacrifice it as a sin offering must have been difficult for all involved. The lamb was brought to the tabernacle or temple the day before the Passover meal to be sacrificed. The family would lay their hands on the lamb to symbolize the transferring of their sins to an innocent substitute. The priests would line up between the sacrificial court area and the alter, each held a gold or silver cup that had a rounded bottom so the cup could not be placed down to rest keeping the blood from coagulating. The animal was sliced with a knife and the priest caught the blood with one of the cups. When it was full, he passed the cup to the priest who passed it down the line until the final priest poured the blood on the alter as atonement for the sin. During the killing of the lamb, the priests would recite the Hallel Hymns Psalms 113-118. The animals were sacrificed after 2:00 to 3:00 PM in the afternoon. (Jesus hung on the cross from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM when He gave up His Spirit and died.)

The lamb was hung up on hooks, skinned, and its fat portions (kidneys and such) were removed for a burnt offering to God. Its intestines (entrails) were removed and taken out of the city to be burned. The lamb was placed in a vessel to carry home and salted. At twilight the family roasted the lamb over a fire careful not to break any bones.

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The flogging during Roman times was horrific. The person was stretched around a pole and tied to it exposing his back to the soldier who would whip him. A leather tassel whip with it ends embedded with sharp objects like bits of bone was laid across a person's back. Then the soldier would pull the whip back off of the person as the sharp objects would tear the flesh off of the person. This reminds me of the Paschal lamb being skinned.
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No one who was not circumcised could partake in eating the lamb. No one who was unclean could eat the Passover meal which meant anyone who touched a dead animal (outside of the lamb), handled a corpse, a person with a disease or ailment that is considered unclean or a woman having a menstrual cycle. Unclean people had to wait until the 14th day of the second month to celebrate the Passover giving those people who were able 30 days (a moon’s cycle) to become ceremonially clean.

During Jesus’ time and for His final Passover, He arrived on what we call Palm Sunday; this was really the 10th of Nisan – Lamb Selection Day. So the “Lamb of God” from “the flock of Bethlehem” entered Jerusalem on Lamb Selection Day (John 1:29, Rev 5:6). Later that week, He directs His disciples to prepare the room where they will eat the Passover meal; by now they would have had the lamb in their possession. On the 13th of Nisan, the room would have been cleaned of all leavening and leavened bread. At night, they would have taken a wooden spoon, a feather and a lit candle and searched for any crumbs of leaven. The host Disciple would have said, “All leaven that is in my possession that which I have seen and that which I have not seen, be it null, be it accounted as dust to the earth.”

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I once heard it taught and cannot find it, that Jesus and the Disciples had their Passover meal on the Thursday because that was according to the lunar calendar of which the Essenes followed. It would have been the most accurate day for the Passover according to following God’s commands. The general Jewish population celebrated the meal on Friday. Consequently, Jesus was crucified, hung on the cross and died just as the Passover lambs were being slaughtered in the Temple for the generally practiced Preparation Day.

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On the 14th of Nisan, the meal was prepared and something to this order would have occurred. The guests would have arrived and the host would have directed a servant to wash the guests’ feet. The host Disciple did not have a servant to wash the feet nor did he or any of the Disciples take the task on himself; as the youngest, it would have fallen to John to do. Eventually as a learning opportunity, Jesus washes everyone's feet demonstrating why He came – to serve and do God’s Will - so we would know how to serve as God has called us.

The seating order would have been set with the head of the family, in this case Jesus, seated at the head of the table. The guests would have wrapped around the table in the order of oldest to youngest or most important to least important. We know John was the youngest so that’s why he was seated to one side of Jesus; why John rested his head on Jesus' chest. (John 13:22-25) We know the Judas dipped his bread with Jesus, so Judas had to have been seated on the other side of Jesus. Judas was either the most important or the oldest guest. Either conclusion of Judas gives me pause to think.

Prior to sitting at the table, the first hand washing would have occurred. The table would be set with a cup for wine, warmed red wine, one plate, and the food – unleavened bread stacked, the bitter herbs, the salt water, the charoseth mixture and the lamb. The first cup of wine would have been poured, the prayer of sanctification said and the action of God declared.

Next, Jesus and Judas would have taken the parsley and dipped it twice into the salt water. They would have passed the bitter herbs to all around the table and together they would have consumed those bitter herbs symbolizing the tears shed in captivity and slavery. The table would have been cleared of all food to heighten the story. The youngest – in this case John – would have asked three questions:

1. Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we eat leavened bread or unleavened bread but this night only unleavened bread?
2. On all other nights, we eat all kinds of herbs, but this night only bitter herbs. Why do we dip the herbs twice?
3. On all other nights, we eat meat roasted, stewed or boiled but this night why only roasted?

The father or head of the house – in this case probably Jesus – would have recounted the story of Abraham to Moses, the Exodus, the giving of the Law and the establishment of the Passover meal. They would have recited or sung the first half of the Hallel Hymns Psalm 113-114. This is Deuteronomy 6:4-9 in action.

The food would have been returned to the table after this and the second cup of wine poured, the cup of Deliverance. The prayer of sanctification said and the second action of God declared. The second hand washing would have occurred. Then they would have prayed over the unleavened bread. “Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, King of the universe who sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to eat unleavened bread."

Jesus would have turned to Judas (the oldest or guest of honor) and broken his bread, then they both would have dipped together in the charoseth and bitter herbs (horseradish) eating together. Judas would have then turned to the person beside him repeating the process and so on around the table until John would have broken Jesus’ bread. After this part of the meal, Judas leaves. He leaves having tasted bitterness and not tasted Deliverance and Redemption.

Now the meal would have been eaten and the second cup of wine drunk. After the meal, the third cup of wine would have been poured, the cup pf Redemption, and the sanctification prayer said with the third action of God declared.

This is when the Afikomen would have been found, brought back to the table, broken into pieces the size of an olive for everyone to share. Jesus would have said those famous words here:

“Take and eat; this is My body.” (This specific piece of bread in the ceremony symbolizes my body - my life - given to redeem you.)

Then Jesus takes up the third cup, the cup of Redemption, and says:

“Drink from it all of you. This is My blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (This specific cup of wine symbolizes my blood - my life - given to redeem you.)

Jesus now sings the psalms 115-118 while walking to the Mount of Olives crossing the Kidron Valley heading to the Garden of Gethsemane with a heavy heart. He will drink the fourth cup, the cup of Consummation, at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb in God’s Kingdom when all is fulfilled.

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I heard it taught once that during the ceremonies where animals were sacrificed at the temple - especially during Passover - that the blood of the animals would flow like a stream through the Kidron Valley. The Kidron Valley is between the Temple and the Mount of Olives. Jesus crosses the Kidron Valley, over or through the stream of flowing blood en route to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. If this flowing blood story is true, then what did Jesus think as He crossed that valley en route to His time of anguish and fervent prayer?

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This means that Jesus did drink the third cup after stating “I will redeem you with outstretch arms and with mighty acts of judgment.” The cup also meant the wedding proposal cup of Redemption meaning, “This cup I offer you, I love you. In offering this I offer you my life.”

When we drink the cup of communion, we as the bride are stating, “I accept your life and in return I give you mine.”

This is the very reason why Paul is outraged at the lackadaisical approach the Corinthian church was taking towards the Lord’s Supper, their Love Feast, their brothers and sisters in the faith and towards their God.

This is why we are to examine ourselves when we approach God, being truthful about who we are, confessing to God and asking for forgiveness. This is why we are to examine ourselves to make sure we don’t have something against our brother or sister nor does that person have something against us. This is why when we approach the Lord’s Supper in a lackadaisical way we eat and drink judgment upon ourselves. It's time to take the Lord's Supper seriously during worship. It's time to have the right heart for this act of worship.

While studying this section of 1 Corinthians, I was finishing a book from Ravi Zacharias when Ravi mentions the role of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea in the burial Jesus’ body. It made me think about them. Here are two men that are part of Jewish leadership. Joseph was a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin – the council of 14 – and he did not consent to the crucifixion of Jesus. He was from Arimathea in Judah and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and also a member of the Jewish ruling council – the Sanhedrin. He went to Jesus at night to study with Him. Both men took amazing risks to go to Pilate, request the body and to bury Jesus. First, touching the dead body made them unclean and unable to partake in the Passover meal. Their absence from the meal as the leaders of their households would have been obvious and alarming. Jesus was taken from the cross on Preparation Day when people prepared (sacrificed and roasted) their lambs. The men would have had fifty pounds of spices and linen strips to wrap Jesus. They were wrapping the Afikomen and placing Him in a tomb – “hiding Him until later.”

What went through their heads as they held the mutilated, unrecognizable body of the man they came to respect and follow? Did they wash the body or was it so damaged that washing Jesus would have been useless. They would have tenderly wrapped Jesus in linen strips of cloth tucking spices in so that as Jesus’ body decomposed, the smell might be lessened by the spices. Did they cry? Were they in such shock? Were they sick to their stomachs? Did they place Him lovingly in the tomb tucking Him in as a parent tucks a child in at night? Or were they on autopilot due to the shock?

When they went home, they would have had to burn their clothes because they were unclean and most likely stained with Jesus’ blood. They would have had to wait until the 14th day of the second month to eat their Passover meal. Did Joseph recall Isaiah 53:6-9 with a special emphasis on verse 9 – “… and with the rich in His death.” How did they explain to people why they missed the Passover meal and what made them unclean? They risked loosing their wealth, position in the Sanhedrin and Jewish society and being considered "dead" by their community.

However, Jesus was alive and walking the earth resurrected by the 14th day of the second month. I wonder if Jesus spoke to Nicodemus and Joseph when they celebrated the Passover meal then. And what did the Passover meal mean to the men after the resurrection? (Nicodemua, Joseph and the Disciples)

I confess that I do not approach the Lord's Supper as I should and hope to remember the significance of the elements of the supper, what Jesus said and did so that I will approach the communion as a bride who says, "I accept your life and offer you mine" and not eat and drink judgment upon myself.

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I recently heard Ravi Zacharias teach on various beliefs, how those beliefs are one dimensional and how God many times will show how He transcends all time to be the God that was (in the past), the God that is (in the present) and the God that is to come (in the future). Ravi says a traditionalist is someone who is always living in the past basing his/her existence on the traditions of the past. Now knowing the past is important because without knowledge of the past we will repeat the errors of the past but, we should not live completely in the past. The existentialist lives for the moment. For that person, living in the here and now is all there is; you cannot change the past and you don't know for certain what the future brings. Now it's important to live in the present so that you live grateful for each moment but, living completely in the present means you are not learning from the past nor preparing for the future. The Utopian lives for the future striving for the ideal society. That person may never experience Utopia but, he is living for it. Now it's good to have your eyes on the future so as you progress through life you are thinking about the implications of your actions on those coming after you but, living completely in the future means you are not appreciating the gift of today's life nor ensuring that you're learning from the past to make better future decisions.

Ravi said when Jesus broke the bread (the Afikomen), at the last supper, and instructed his disciples to eat the bread and drink the cup of wine (the cup of redemption), Jesus linked the past, present and future together in a definition of Himself. The bread and cup - its meanings were from the past and part of tradition, "do this in remembrance of me," - stated the present so that each time you partook in communion, you remembered Jesus in the present, and that He won't partake in the fruit of the vine until everything symbolized in the Passover becomes fulfilled in the future. In that moment of the Lord's last Passover meal, He stated He is the God of the past, the present and the future in those actions and words of the Passover meal.

I thought that was a great revelation to share.

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The Holy Spirit is Your Teacher

Sometimes when we approach Bible study, we think we're not educated sufficiently to understand the meaning of God's Word. Actually, I have a family member who has told me that I'm not qualified to interpret the Bible and by studying the Bible, I'm doing my family more harm than good. (Very myopic thinking.) Since I had a desire to read and understand the Bible to get closer to God and studying the Bible wasn't encouraged when I was young, in college I took "The Old Testament as Literature" simply so I could study the Bible. That class was comprised of a small collection of students who also wanted to read the Bible taking the class for the justified excuse to open the Book. I was relieved to know I wasn't the only one.

A couple of years ago, I facilitated a series of Bible study classes called "Disciple." The first year was just four ladies who also, like me, wanted to study God's Word and for whatever reason never did. They came with their brand new Bibles, eager to read. When I told them they could write notes in the margins of their Bibles as God opens the Word's meaning to them, they looked shocked. One lady, a dear friend of mine, said, "But the edges of the pages have gold! It's OK to write in the Bible?!" I said yes. God wants to be in relationship and share with you through Jesus and His Word. Write His explanations to you in your Bible so over the years you will see the evidence of Him in your life. Although the ladies were hesitant at first, by the end of that first year they had bookmarks, tabs and notes in the margins! Their Bibles reflected the loving relationship of student to teacher, child to parent, woman to God Himself. What a testimony each person has!

I can attest to the fact that the Holy Spirit is the one and only teacher necessary to learn His Word. As I study, suddenly a passage makes sense. It could be a passage I have read and/or heard numerous times and remained meaningless to me. Now, the meaning is evident and it begins to connect with other Scripture from all over the Bible. This is the Holy Spirit - no one else but Him. In 1 John 2:20 and 27, John reminds us whose we are and the promise that is alive and active within us. John says we don't need anyone to teach us but as His Spirit leads us. The Holy Spirit will teach all of us the meaning of God's Word. Over the years, with my inability to know everything and my lack of formal studies in Theology, to understand God's Word with clarity is beyond my capabilities yet many times I do understand. I can only attribute this to the Holy Spirit teaching me.

Many times when I am studying and stuck on a passage, I'll ask God what it means. Typically within a few short days - Bam! - the meaning is given. Sometimes I read it in the Bible, sometimes I hear it on the radio through one of the teaching pastors I follow or online or in church or during Family (Small) Group or a combination of places. That's when I truly know God is answering my question.

I'll admit, some days I make very little time for God and His Word or completely leave it out for the day. That's when I put the radio on when I'm getting ready in the morning or driving during the day and listen to one of the pastors teach. Just to hear God's Word when I have starved myself that day suddenly brings peace to me and a reassurance that God is merciful to me even when I intentionally squeeze Him out of my morning.

Over the years, I have relied on some solid teachers to listen to who are strong in God's Word. Here are just some that are easier to find in the Florida area (update May 4, 2015).

• Andy Stanley at North Point Church in Atlanta, online at  http://northpoint.org/messages/ or Anthem Church in Gainesville, online at http://www.anthemchurch.com/ or through his phone app called Your Move
• 90.5 FM Moody Radio - Dr. Stephen Davey, M - F 8:30 AM “Wisdom for the Heart” http://www.wisdomonline.org/ or through his phone app "Wisdom for the Heart"
• 91.7 FM (The Joy FM) - Charles Stanley, Mon - Fri at 5:30 AM
• J Vernon McGee "Through the Bible" www.ttb.org (passed away but his teachings still are aired and he's wonderful; sounds like an old time southern preacher in manner of speech)
• 91.7 FM - Ravi Zacharias, Sun 11:00 PM http://www.rzim.org/
• 91.9 FM Moody Radio - Chuck Swindol. M - F 8:36 AM, 10:30 AM
• 91.9 FM - Tony Evans - M - F, 11:00 AM
• 91.9 FM - Alistair Begg, M - F 11:30 AM http://www.truthforlife.org/radio-info/station-finder/florida/
• Other good ones on Moody are Luis Palau, James MacDonald, KP Yohannan, Chip Ingram, David Jeremiah
• Other good ones on Calvary Satellite Radio are Malcolme Wilde, Chuck Smith, Joe Focht
• Chauncey recommends John Piper
• Kevin Thorpe at Faith Church in Gainesville or online at  http://www.faithinfo.com/?page_id=1816
• When Max Wilkins was at The Family Church http://www.thefamilychurch.net/media/sermons.php
• When Bob Coy was at Calvary Chapel Ft Lauderdale

Are there any more pastors to recommend? Please add in your comments below.

Keep reading and praying and living out what God's Spirit teaches you! Please share what God is teaching you!