[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 296-Matthew 26-28; John 21 summary!]

In Exodus 21-23, we find many examples of casuistic or “case law.” Rather than go in depth on the dozens and dozens of individual laws written there, let’s look at a couple of specific categories.  First, we find Exodus 21 addresses the fair treatment of slaves. What? As 21st century Americans the idea of “fair treatment of slaves” sounds like an oxymoron. How can a slave be treated fairly? That’s a great question. The truth is slavery is not an acceptable practice. It was practiced in Israelite society, and American slave owners used passages such as Exodus 21 to justify their ownership of slaves. We could wish if they were going to carry out the onerous practice, they would at least have followed the commands found in Exodus, because the Israelites were expected to treat their slaves fairly, and to give them specific rights.  Some say the Bible is not a culturally-conditioned book, but Exodus 21 shows us it is. By the time of the New Testament, slaves were still used, but the Apostle Paul mandated slave owners treat their slaves fairly, and at least in one case as a “brother.” He pointed out that gaining one’s freedom was a good goal.

As Jesus’ followers, we need to admit the Bible’s positions on slavery, and then affirm the need to eliminate the practice. The truth is human trafficking, which is a modern form of slavery, is rampant in the world. Our first goal is always to share the gospel, and to offer people the opportunity to be freed from sin and death through Jesus’ salvation. A second goal must accompany that first goal, and it is to free people from all forms of slavery however they are lived out practically. Literal slavery, whether for sexual purposes or labor purposes or any other purpose, is sinful. As Jesus’ followers we are called to work to eliminate it. We must also work to free people from slavery to addictions of all types.

Some say Christians ought to avoid “social justice” issues. James, the brother of Jesus, told us if we see people who are hungry or without clothes, but offer them only a “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” but don’t do anything to help, that is wrong. As we read Exodus 21, we need to read it in light of all of the Bible’s teaching, as well as the history of Christian experience to our day. Sometimes we won’t be able to come to easy answers for what to do, but in every case, we must seek Jesus’ will and then carry it out in the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s also extremely helpful for us to remember, Jesus came to establish a newcovenant. Slavery was part of the old, Mosaic covenant, so we must emphasize Jesus’ new commandment that goes along with His new covenant: Love one another as I have first loved you. When we do that, slavery becomes an obvious breach of love.

Throughout Exodus 21-23, we find God’s concern for fairness, justice, and living in appropriate relationships with one another. Some of the recommendations seem extreme to us, and they are by today’s standards. We must remember God was establishing a people who would be set apart from the pagan nations surrounding them. The laws He offered did that. He promised to bless and protect the Israelites, and that blessing was contingent on their obedience to Him. We will find throughout the Bible, God’s people have not been able to live up to the standards of the Law, which is why Jesus had to come. He fulfilled what we could not by living in perfection, thus making it possible for us to be in relationship with God and each other as God always intended. God’s action in Jesus was extreme. As we read the laws in Exodus, we will do well to remember God’s ways for His people at any moment often will be counter or against the culture. When we see that, let’s ask, “Why is God doing that, or establishing this law at this moment?” That question helps us go through the hard task of discerning God’s purpose rather than dismissing it, because it doesn’t fit our culture’s biases. We must also compare the practice to the new commandment. When any practice contradicts the law of loving one another as Jesus first loved us, we must dismiss it.

When we considered Mark 5 for the first time, all the way back on day five, I noted this is one my favorite chapters in the Bible. I wrote extensively about it then. If you want to review my comments, go back to the Day 5 reading!

Day 296-Matthew 26-28; John 21

Matthew 26-28 record the events leading to Jesus’ arrest; the Last Supper; Jesus’ arrest, trial and condemnation by the Jewish leaders, His condemnation by the crowd, which led to Pilate’s condemnation of Him; His crucifixion, death, and burial; His resurrection and ascension (return) to heaven. We have read these chapters several times now, but every time we turn to them, we are reminded of the amazing love God had for us that He permitted Jesus to endure what He did for us. As the God of the universe in the flesh, Jesus endured the weight of every sin past, present and future on the cross. When He rose from the dead, the miracle and the angels that accompanied it, tell us it came from heaven. The guards at the tomb were overwhelmed to the point of “becoming like dead men,” at the coming of the angel and the earthquake. Jesus proved His resurrection by appearing to a handful of people the day He rose from the dead. But the Apostle Paul tells us at the end of 1 Corinthians, Jesus was seen by 500 people after He rose, certainly an adequate number to convince us of the reality of the resurrection. Before Jesus returned to heaven, He charged us to go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations. That “Great Commission” is repeated in some manner in all four gospels and the book of Acts. That tells us how important it is and how necessary for us to pursue it.

As the book of John closes in John 21, John offers us the account of Jesus reinstating Peter. In a powerfully simple scene, Jesus takes Peter aside and asks him three times, “Simon, Son of John, do you love?”  Each time Peter tells Jesus he does. When Jesus asked the third time, Peter was cut to the heart, because he realized this was the number of times he had denied Jesus. As the conversation drew to a close, Jesus told Peter a powerful truth: He would die bearing witness to Jesus. He would be known not as the one who denied Jesus, but the one who stood fast even to death. John closes the book by telling us Jesus did many other things not recorded in the book, and if everything were written down, all the books in the world wouldn’t contain them. While that might sound like an exaggeration, think about it for a moment. Jesus was with God the Father from the beginning. In John 1, we’re told He created all that exists. Imagine everything Jesus has done from then until now! It wouldn’t be possible to write down each detail. The great news for us is: That same Jesus loved us enough to die and rise again for you and me, so we, too can experience being reinstated from our sins, and given opportunities to love and serve Him. 

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 295-Matthew 24-25; John 20 summary!]

Even though we list the reading from the Old Testament first each day, let’s turn first to Mark 4. This is our second time through Mark, and I want to point out something about the format of Mark and chapter 4 specifically. When we went through Mark the first time, I didn’t point out Mark’s gospel is more action-oriented, and focuses more on Jesus’ healing, exorcisms and other miracles than on His teaching. But in Mark 4 nearly the whole chapter is devoted to Jesus’ teaching.  That’s why I want to focus on it today.

First, we read the Parable of the Sower and Jesus’ explanation of it. This parable helps us understand each of us responds to Jesus’ message of salvation differently, and some never respond.  Even those who respond to the message and grow, don’t all produce the same amount of fruit. If you think that isn’t fair, you’re right. God loves each of us, but He gives us differing amounts of talent and ability. He is God, so He gets to do that. By human standards of fairness and equality, God’s ways don’t always make sense.  We need to get over that if we are going to let God rule in our lives and become all He created us to be. Comparison always leads to either pride or depression among us, so let’s be grateful for who God created us to be and live our lives to His glory.

Jesus comments next about putting a lamp on a stand. The obvious point is we aren’t to hide who we are in Him, but to let others know, so they can know Him, too. Jesus tells us the measure we use in life is the measure we receive. That’s so vital. I always say we can’t control everything in life, but we can always control our allegiance, our attitude, and our effort. If we align ourselves with Jesus, live with the attitude that we “get to” follow Him, rather than “have to” follow Him, and give 100%, our lives will be blessed even in the hardest times. I don’t mean we’ll always get what we want, but we will always know God’s favor and presence, even when we don’t feel them.

Next, Jesus tells the Parables of the Growing Seed and the Mustard Seed. Many of Jesus’ parables focus on the agrarian culture in which He lived. While we can still understand them, they must have made an even greater impact when virtually everyone who heard them was a farmer of some kind. Both of these parables remind us God’s work is beyond our understanding. We don’t know how a seed grows, but God does, and He provides the growth. Even a tiny seed, such as a mustard seed, can produce results far beyond our expectations. That’s the Kingdom of God, and we get to experience it here and now, because of Jesus’ presence through the Holy Spirit, and one day, we’ll experience it fully.

Mark closes out chapter 4 with an amazing sign Jesus performed: the calming of a storm.  I’ve always loved this account, because it reminds me the events in my life that seem catastrophic, that seem like they will drown me, are nothing more than opportunities for a nap for Jesus! I might think I need to shake Him awake, but as always, He has it, whatever “it” might be. I still find myself stressed out far more often than necessary, but the one who calmed the storm, can certainly handle our stressors.

In Exodus 18-20, we find two significant events: 1) Jethro’s visit; and 2) God’s visit! Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law visited Moses and during the visit helped Moses see he needed to set up a system of judges to mediate disputes among the Israelites. Jethro rightly saw Moses would wear out both himself and the Israelites, if he tried to decide every dispute. Jethro’s model didn’t help only the Israelites. It’s a helpful model for any group with more the twenty people to understand the importance of sharing leadership.

In chapters 19-20, God has Moses get the people ready for His visit to them, which took place on the top of Mt. Sinai. When Moses and God met on the mountain, God gave Moses what we call the Ten Commandments. These were the primary laws for the Israelites, although God would give them more than 600 more. The Ten Commandments are called “apodictic” law, which is a fancy way of saying they are absolutely true in every case. Such laws start with “You shall…” or “You shall not…” The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God, while the final six deal with our interactions with each other. We would expect apodictic laws relating to God, but it is important to remember God told us how we are always to act, and never to act toward each other as well. We will see through the remainder of Exodus and then in Leviticus and Deuteronomy as well, God adds many casuistic or “case” laws. They are commonly described as “if…then…” laws. As in, “If a man does ‘x’, then the punishment is ‘y.’” Some of the casuistic laws applied in the wilderness environment and in the establishment of the nation of Israel. Some of the laws were specifically reinterpreted by Jesus, and we’ll address that from time-to-time as we come to them.

Some have asked me, “Do the Ten Commandments still apply, because we are under grace, not under law?” The short answer to the question is: Jesus said they apply and made them even more stringent, so they do apply. Honoring God, our parents, and not killing are always mandated in our lives. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for all our sins, so the eternal penalty of them is gone, but we live with the consequences of breaking these commands, because they break our relationship with God and others at least on a temporary basis, and often they hold legal consequences as well. While we are under grace, not under law, the Apostle Paul reminded us in Galatians 5 we ought never use our freedom as an opportunity for our sinful natures.

Day 295-Matthew 24-25; John 20

In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks of the coming destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. It would happen about forty years after His death and resurrection, yet the details are uncannily accurate. He also continued to talk about various signs of the end of the age, or of His return. While the details seem to apply in some manner to every era of history the key truth for us is Jesus tells us to be ready. Being ready is a vital call and challenge for each of us as Jesus’ followers.

In Matthew 25, we read two parables about Jesus’ coming, and one illustration of what will happen when He returns. The first parable is the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Each of the virgins awaited the return of a “bridegroom,” who is an image for Jesus. Five were wise, and brought extra oil, in case the bridegroom came later than expected. The other five were foolish and brought no extra oil. When the foolish virgins’ lamps went out, they went to look for more oil. That would have been impossible in the middle of the night. The five wise virgins were permitted into the wedding banquet. This is another way of Jesus saying, “Be ready!” The second parable is often called the Parable of the Talents, because a master went on a trip and left his money in the trust of three of his servants. The measure of money was called “talents.” The master apportioned the money differently. One servant received five talents of gold, another two, and the third received one. We’re told the master did this to account for variations in their abilities. While the master was away, the first two servants worked diligently and doubled their master’s money. The third buried the money. When the master returned home, the first two servants were praised equally for their faithfulness and invited to share their master’s joy. The final one was condemned for being lazy and wicked and cast out into outer darkness. The point of the parable is not that we must work to be praised by God, but we must be faithful and ready when He returns. In the final illustration, Jesus tells us when He returns the people will be divided into two groups: the “sheep”, and the “goats”. The sheep are those who did Jesus’ will in small, everyday ways. The goats are those who did not. The illustration shows us that Jesus values our daily efforts to meet the needs of His children, and rewards those who carry them out faithfully.

As we return to John 20, we read the account of Jesus’ resurrection. The key points of John’s account are: 1) Jesus appeared alive first to Mary Magdalene; 2) Jesus appeared to ten of the remaining eleven disciples (Judas had hanged himself) at one time; and 3) Jesus appeared to Thomas, who was missing during Jesus’ first appearance to the disciples, and Thomas fell before Him in worship. John tells us at the end of the chapter why he wrote his gospel: so that we might believethat Jesus is the Messiah, and that by believing we might have life in His name! 

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 294-Matthew 21-23; John 19 summary!]

In Exodus 15-17 we read of the Israelites’ first experiences on the freedom side of the Red Sea. The first act of the Israelites as free people was to offer a song of deliverance to God. They remembered what God had done for them. This was a high point for the Israelites. When God delivers us, blesses us, provides for us, the appropriate response is praise.  Unfortunately, the people of Israel didn’t get it right for long. Soon after their praise service in the wilderness, they came across a pool of water that was bitter. They complained.  God made the water safe to drink.  Next the Israelites complained they didn’t have meat to eat. God provided quail and manna. When the water ran low the Israelites complained again. God provided water.  Are you sensing a pattern.? The Israelites had seen the amazing power of God through all the plagues in Egypt, through the parting of the Red Sea, and now as He provided time after time for each of their needs. Yet, every time they faced a problem, they complained. What can we learn from this?   Don’t complain.  Easier to say than to do, isn’t it? God promises when we put Him first, He will provide for our needs. The Israelites in the wilderness are an incredible example of the truth of that. Let’s not learn from their pattern of complaining at every turn, but from their praising God when He provided!

In Exodus 17 God showed the Israelites and us an important lesson as the Israelites fought the Amalekites. The lesson doesn’t come directly from the battlefield, but from Moses, who watched the battle from a vantage point above the conflict. When Moses held up his staff the Israelites prevailed, but when Moses grew tired and lowered the staff, the Amalekites did. Finally, Aaron and Hur stood beside Moses and held up his arms so the staff was always raised. The Israelites prevailed!  What’s the point? At least two come to mind: 1) Intercession is vital; and 2) We all need help. Moses’ intercession for the Israelite soldiers had as much impact as those who were in the middle of the conflict. We need to remember the spiritual component of every conflict in our lives. We can’t see it, but there is always a spiritual battle going on around us, and our intercessory prayers are vital to victory.  Aaron and Hur ultimately became as important to the victory as Moses. He couldn’t bear the staff alone. Many times, we want to be “Lone Rangers,” but even the Lone Ranger had Tonto!

As we reread Mark 3, we are reminded of Jesus’ interaction with the religious leaders on a Sabbath, which as usual was negative. The religious leaders were more concerned about observing their traditions, than with a man being healed.  As we remember this moment, it’s vital for us to remember never to let our traditions or pre-conceived ideas get in the way of letting Jesus work in our lives.  Massive crowds continued to follow Jesus as His teaching, preaching, healing and delivering ministry continued to impact the region of northern Israel.  In the midst of all the activity, Jesus took time out to select the twelve disciples. Mark tells us Jesus called them first that they might “be with” Jesus. Interesting, isn’t it? Jesus needed to train the twelve to take over when He left, but the first thing they needed to do was simply be with Jesus, to be in relationship with Him. This helps us see how important it is for us to have others with us in relationship and in training for future ministry.  As Jesus continued to minister, He had another run in with the religious leaders who said He was able to cast out demons by the authority of Satan. Jesus responded by pointing out that no kingdom or house divided against itself can stand.  Finally, Jesus’ family got involved. They thought He might be crazy. When some in the crowd told Jesus His family was looking for them, He told the crowd anyone who does His Father’s will is His mother, and sister and brother. What a helpful reminder that Jesus’ ultimate goal was to bring each of us into His family, a family that will continue forever!

Day 295-Matthew 21-23; John 19

Matthew 21 records Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As we have seen in reading through all four gospels, only Matthew records Jesus riding on two donkeys at once. The point is the same: the people recognized Jesus for who He was–the Messiah. But as we know this acclamation wouldn’t continue. By Good Friday, the same crowds called for Jesus’ death.  Next, Jesus cleansed the money changers out of the Temple, which was another major challenge to the religious leaders’ authority. The next morning Jesus cursed a fig tree for not having fruit. He used the moment to point out the importance of faith in our lives. After this, the religious leaders went on the offensive asking Jesus to tell them the source of His authority? He responded with a question for them: Where did John the Baptist get his authority–from God or people. The leaders knew they were trapped, because if they said from God, Jesus would ask why they didn’t listen to him, but if they said from people, the crowds would attack them, because the crowds believed he was a prophet. When they said, “We don’t know,” Jesus said He would not tell them where His authority originated. After this, Jesus told a parable of a man with two sons. He asked both of them to do some work for him. One said, “No,” but then did work, while the other said, “Yes,” but then didn’t. Jesus asked which did the will of his father? They responded, “The one who did his father’s will.” Jesus told them in the same way the tax collectors and sinners would go to heaven before them, because of their response to Jesus. The chapter closes with Jesus telling a parable of a vineyard owner whose tenants abused and killed the servants he sent to collect his prophets at the time of harvest. Finally, the man sent his son, thinking they would respond to him, but they killed him, too. The message wasn’t lost on the religious leaders, so they decided it was time to get rid of Jesus.

Matthew 22 starts with Jesus telling the Parable of the Wedding Feast, in which all of the invited guests turn the Master down when told it is time to come. He then invites the poor, the lame, and any who will come. This again shows how the Kingdom of Heaven will be received by those the religious leaders would never have expected. This is followed by three “tests” set before Jesus by the religious leaders. The first was to ask Jesus whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. The leaders thought they had Jesus before, because whether He said yes or no, they “had” Him. The problem is Jesus didn’t say yes or no. He had a coin brought to Him and asked whose inscription and picture where on it? When the leaders responded it was Caesar’s, Jesus told them to give to Caesar what was Caesar’s and to God what was God’s.  Next, the Sadducees came with a question about the resurrection. Because we’ve all read it a number of times at this point, we know they didn’t believe in the resurrection, and their question involved a woman who had been married to seven brothers, and whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus pointed out that we are not married in heaven but are “like” the angels. He also pointed out that at the time of Moses’ being confronted by God in the burning bush, God told Moses, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The present tense verb makes it clear the three patriarchs were alive and with God, thus verifying the resurrection of the dead. Finally, Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment in Moses’ Law? Jesus answered without hesitation: It is to love God with everything we have, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This shut up the leaders. Jesus ended this encounter by asking them whose son the Messiah is? He asked this because everyone knew the answer was supposed to be King David, yet David called the Messiah “Lord.” After this no one dared asked Jesus any more questions.

In Matthew 23, Jesus pronounces seven “woes” over the Pharisees. The word used in the original Greek, which is translated “Woe to you” is a strong word that could be translated “damn you”, so Jesus was moving toward His final conflict with the leaders, which would end in His arrest, condemnation, and crucifixion. The chapter ends with Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem. He knows the inevitably of this being the place of His crucifixion, even though it is the center and heart of Israel.

As we return to John 19, we read the record of Jesus’ being handed over for crucifixion by Pilate, even though Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. Then Jesus is crucified, and in John’s account Jesus ensure that John will care for His mother, Mary, after Jesus’ death. When the soldiers go around breaking the legs of those who had been crucified, they found Jesus was already dead, so they pierced His side with a spear, rather than breaking His legs. This is significant, because a prophecy in the Old Testament had said not one of His bones would be broken. Finally, Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, who was a Pharisee, but who had apparently believed Jesus was the Messiah. Nicodemus assisted Joseph as they buried Jesus and started the embalming process. As the chapter ends, it seems all hope is lost. But we know the rest of the story!

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 293-Matthew 18-20; John 18 summary!]

Exodus 12-14 offers us one of the most amazing events in the entire Old Testament: the parting of the Red Sea. Yet before it happened, we read of Moses instructing the Israelites not once, but twice how the Passover was to be observed every year forever in Israel’s history. God’s deliverance of the people of Israel from slavery is an amazing “redemption” story. After all, redemption is freeing slaves by paying the cost of their freedom.  The Passover foreshadows Jesus’ redemption of humanity through His death on the cross. Many have noted the Israelites were to put the blood of the Passover lambs over the tops of their doorframes and on the sides. If you “connect the dots” it forms a cross. Jesus told His disciples of the New Covenant He was about to establish through the shedding of His blood at a Passover celebration. The connection is obvious and intentional.

We read when the Israelites left Egypt, they numbered 600,000 men, and of course the men had wives and children, so the population of Israel had multiplied from 70 people when Jacob went into Egypt to about two million 430 years later! God’s promise to Abraham was being fulfilled, and it had taken place through many storms. The storms weren’t over, as we read in chapter 14. As the Israelites left Egypt God had Moses lead them by a circuitous route rather than the direct one, because He didn’t want them to face battle against the Philistines. God knew His people, and even though they looked like an army as the left Egypt, they were not battle tested. As we start to see even in chapter 14, the slaves were leaving Egypt, but the slave mentality of Egypt was still in them.

When Pharaoh changed his mind and sent soldiers to attack the Israelites, the Israelites were literally stuck in the middle. The Red Sea was on one side and the Egyptian army on the other. They cried out in panic to Moses, but Moses’ words of reassurance are some of the most incredible in the entire Bible. Even though you have already read them, let’s read them again together: ¹³But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. ¹⁴The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Exodus 14:13-14 (NLT) Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today…Just stay calm. How many times we need to hear and heed those words.  Most of us are activists. We live by the old adage, “Don’t just stand there, do something!” Often this is good advice. But there are times when God says, “Don’t just do something. Stand there. I have this.”  In the case of the Israelites, God delivered an amazing miracle, parted the Red Sea, saved the Israelites and destroyed the Egyptians. Wow! What an amazing God.  In our case, God destroyed sin and death, and created a home for us with Him forever. Wow! What an amazing God

As we read Mark 2 again, we’re reminded how early in Jesus’ ministry the Jewish religious leaders came against Him. They couldn’t accept His power to forgive sin, or His choice of disciples, or His lack of observance of the religious rules.  At every point, Jesus reminded them He was Lord – Lord over sin, over disease, over people’s destinies and over the Sabbath. I am so grateful Jesus has this, whatever the “this” may be in our lives right now!

Day 293-Matthew 18-20; John 18

Matthew 18 offers us several brief teachings from Jesus. First, He told the disciples the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven is the one who is like a child–childlike, not childish. Childlikeness means trusting, loving, filled with wonder. Childish means immature, short-tempered, and filled with self.  Next, Jesus warned us not to be the ones who put temptation to sin in the way of one of His little ones. Next, Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep, and how it isn’t His Father’s will for even one person to perish. The chapter closes with Jesus telling us how important it is to forgive those who sin against us. After telling us of its importance, He offers a powerful parable about a servant who owed his master vast sums of money. The master showed compassion on the servant and forgave him. But then the servant went out and failed to forgive a fellow servant who owed him a small sum of money. When the other servants brought this servants action to the master, the master had the servant and his family thrown into prison! This shows us how important it is for us to forgive others as Jesus has forgiven us.

In Matthew 19 we read a similar account to that in Mark 10, where the Pharisees question Jesus about divorce. The next two aspects of the chapter are also the same. It was likely the same moment. Jesus asked the Pharisees what the Law of Moses said about divorce. They told Him the Law permitted it. Jesus told them that was only because of human hardness of heart, but from the beginning God’s intention was for a man and woman to be married for as long as they lived. That is still His intention for us! Next, Jesus is approached by some families with their children for Jesus to bless the children. The disciples attempted to stop them, but Jesus rebuked the disciples, laid his hand on the children and blessed them. Finally, we read of the rich young man who came to Jesus seeking eternal life. When the man had told Jesus he had followed the Law since his youth, Jesus told him to go sell all he had, give it to the poor, and he would have riches in heaven. Then he could come and follow him. The man went away said, because he couldn’t give up his wealth. The disciples were astonished, because they assumed worldly wealth was a sign of God’s favor. Often it is. In this case it was the prison that kept the young man from being free to serve Jesus.

In Matthew 20 Jesus tells the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. As we know by now, the parable tells of a vineyard owner who went to the town throughout the day at various times and hired workers. He told the ones hired in the morning he would pay them a denarius, or a day’s wage. The rest he told he would pay fairly. As it turned out the master paid those who worked only one hour a denarius. When the ones who started first received their pay, they were upset, because they also received one denarius–the amount they had agreed would be their wage at the beginning of the day. They said the master was being unfair. He reminded them he had paid them fairly, and he had the right to be generous to the others if he desired. The point of the parable is no matter when in a person’s life he or she comes to the Lord for salvation, each one receives the same reward–salvation! Next, Jesus told the disciples of His impending death for a third time. This time, the mother of James and John came to Jesus and asked Him to put her sons in the positions of authority and power at His right and left when He came into His Kingdom. Jesus told her He didn’t have the right to make that commitment. It was up to His Father. The other ten disciples became upset when they heard of the request, so Jesus took the opportunity to remind them the greatest in God’s Kingdom is the one who serves the most. Finally, Jesus takes some time while the group is walking along to heal two blind men. This time Jesus tells them it would be done according to their faith, and their faith was enough, because they were healed. 

As we return to John 18, we return to the account of Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, questioning before Annas and Caiaphas, the high priests, Peter’s denial of Jesus, and Jesus trial before Pilate. We have read the account in all four gospels, and what stands out to me in each account is Jesus’ calmness while everyone else is in a frenzy. He knew He was going to beaten and crucified, yet He answered calmly or remained silent. When the crowds jeered He stayed calm. He watched and listened as Peter denied Him, but in Luke’s gospel alone we’re told after the third denial Jesus turned to Peter and looked at Him. Imagine that: Jesus’ friend, follower, and confidante Peter, denied ever knowing Him, and Jesus looked calmly into His eyes. Only the Savior of the world could have responded in that way.

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 292-Matthew 14-17; John 17 summary!]

Exodus 8-11 shows us eight more plagues on the people of Egypt and the prediction of the final plague: the death of the firstborn.  As we read Exodus 8-11, we see over and over again Pharaoh tells Moses if he relieves Egypt of the current plague, he will let the people of Israel go into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD.  Each time once the plague ends, Pharaoh goes back on his word. The interesting thing is sometimes we read that Pharaoh’s heart was heard or remained hard, and at other times we read God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.  So, which was it? Was Pharaoh’s heart hard, or did God hardened Pharaoh’s heart? We have to read out of the text what is there. The text tells us both, which means Pharaoh’s heart was hard and God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Which came first? God had told Moses he would harden Pharaoh’s heart in order to show His power to both the Israelites and the Egyptians. Some have concluded that makes God unfair. After all, if God hardened Pharaoh’s heart then how could Pharaoh be held accountable for having a hard heart? It’s a great question.  I’m not going to defend God, because He doesn’t need me to defend Him.  I will say Pharaoh started out with a hard heart as every person does. We are all sinners. None of us are righteous. Are hearts are hard.  Does God further harden some hearts, so they can never become soft? It appears that way as we read the Bible from cover to cover, but never more so than with Pharaoh. Yet, repeatedly we see both that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and that Pharaoh hardened his own heart.  The ultimate answer to this question remains for us to learn when we see Jesus face-to-face one day. For now, the application I take from the situation is when God offers His grace to us, we do well to receive it. When we harden our hearts over and over again, God shows us in His word that He eventually gives us what we want. That is our hearts become hardened to His grace. Does that mean the longer we wait to respond to God’s grace, the less likely it is we will respond? In practice, that’s exactly what it means. God’s grace is available in each of our lives, until we die. But the clear message of the Bible is the sooner we respond to it, the better!

Today we turn to Mark 1 again. As we continue through the 1-year plan, we will repeat gospel readings at times. My purpose in having us do this is I want us to become familiar with the “outline” of each of the gospels over time. As we become more and more familiar with Jesus’ life story, it will become more and more part of our minds (heads) and our souls (hearts). Mark 1 offers us a great deal of action that covered a relatively short period of time.  We read first of John the Baptist preparing the way. That likely took place over a matter of months, and certainly not more than a year or two.  Jesus’ baptism and temptation took place over a period of forty days. (We know that from Matthew and Luke’s gospel, which is why we need to learn the outline of each of the gospels.) The calling of the first four disciples, seems to have taken only a matter of minutes.  Jesus teaching in a synagogue and driving out an evil spirit took a few hours at most.  Jesus’ healing of Peter’s mother-in-law and the healing of many of the townspeople took an evening.   Jesus praying in a solitary place took a few hours. When His followers came to find Him to take Him back to serve the people He served the day before, it took Jesus only minutes to tell them they were going somewhere else.  Finally, Jesus’ healing of a man with leprosy took only moments.

This brief chunk of Jesus’ life reminds us that important, even vital events can take place in moments, although sometimes they take longer. Jesus’ entire ministry on earth was only about three years, so we don’t have any examples of Jesus waiting for years for something He prayed about to take place. That makes sense, though, doesn’t it? Jesus didn’t come to invest a lifetime on earth, and to show us every possible scenario for our lives as His followers. Jesus came to live a perfect life, die a sacrificial death, rise from the dead, and return to heaven, from where He would send the Holy Spirit to His Church. As we read Mark once again, let’s remember Jesus’ purpose was to seek and save the lost. The examples of teaching, preaching, healing and delivering we read about, show us the power of God in Jesus’ life and the power He offers us as His followers. What one thing you read about in Mark 1 will you apply in your life today?

Day 292-Matthew 14-17; John 17

As we return to Matthew 14, we read of John the Baptist’s death, of Jesus feeding the 5,000, walking on water, and healing many people in Gennesaret. John’s death shows us how callous King Herod was. Jesus miracle of feeding the 5,000 is the only one of His miracles recorded in all four gospels.

In Matthew 15, Jesus and the religious leaders have a debate over the Jewish ceremonial hand washing. The religious leaders condemn the disciples for not always making certain they did it, and Jesus condemns the leaders for not following the actual Law of Moses. Jesus made it clear it isn’t what we eat that defiles us, but what’s in our hearts. Next, we read of the faith of a Canaanite woman. At first, Jesus wasn’t going to heal her child, because she wasn’t a Jew, but then she offers Jesus a great response to His unwillingness to heal the child, so He does. Jesus heals many people after this, and feeds four thousand men and their families miraculously.

Matthew 16 offers us another example of the Pharisees demanding Jesus for a “sign” of His authority, which is odd considering He just fed 4,000 people. Jesus tells them they won’t receive a sign. Then as Jesus and the disciples travel, He warns them of the “leaven” of the Pharisees. He was not talking about bread, but about their teaching and lives. In one of the most important actions of his life to this point, Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God.  Jesus blesses Peter for this announcement, but shortly after, Peter tells Jesus he ought never die. Jesus calls Peter “Satan” for such a statement, and then tells the crowd to follow Him, they must deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow Him.

Matthew 17 records Jesus’ transfiguration with Moses and Elijah, which was witnessed by Peter, James, and John. After this amazing time, they return to the rest of the group to find the other nine disciples unable to cast a demon out of a boy. Jesus casts out the demon after noting His frustration with them. Jesus again predicts His death, and the chapter closes with the account of Jesus sending Peter to catch a fish that will have coins in its mouth, with which Peter can pay the Temple tax for Him and Peter.

As we return to John 17, Jesus offers His “High Priestly Prayer” on behalf of the disciples. This closes out the long section of prayer Jesus offers to His Heavenly Father on their behalf. This also is the last thing that happens before Jesus is betrayed by Judas, arrested and starts the process of moving toward His crucifixion.

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 291-Matthew 11-13; John 16 summary!]

Exodus 5-7 reminds us of Joseph’s early days in Egypt. God was with Joseph, yet Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers; served faithfully as a slave in Potiphar’s household, but was falsely accused of rape; and ended up in prison, where he was a model prisoner, yet wasn’t released for a number of years. Similarly, when Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh to demand the release of the Israelites from slavery, Pharaoh immediately increased the work load on the Israelites. This does not sound like God delivering the people from slavery, does it?  When the Israelite leaders went to Pharaoh to complain about their increased work load, Pharaoh’s response was, “You must be lazy. Otherwise, why do you want to go out into the wilderness to worship your God?” In other words, “It’s your fault that you’re undergoing this increased work load. When the Israelite leaders left Pharaoh, they saw Moses and Aaron. Immediately, they told Moses and Aaron it was their fault that this increased burden had come to the people, and they weren’t going to listen to them anymore.

Can you imagine being Moses and Aaron? They had done everything God told them to do. The result was their people were in a far worse condition than before they had done anything. Or at least it seemed that way. If you have been following Jesus for any length of time, you have probably experienced this principle:  When you commit yourself to serving the LORD, life often gets harder, before the deliverance comes.  I don’t know how many times over my life I have deepened or renewed my commitment to follow Jesus, and soon afterwards, if not immediately, life got harder.

I can go all the way back to my teenaged years when I committed to asking our basketball team to pray together and dedicate the season to the Lord. The other four starters said, “Yes.” We got down on our knees and prayed to God and dedicated the season to the Lord. The result? Our team went 4-17 (for those of you who aren’t familiar with won-loss notation, that’s 4 wins and 17 losses.) We were one of the worst teams in the history of our high school from a win-loss standpoint, and we had a lot of other problems. In the middle of the season my brother Kenn had the cornea of his eye torn at practice.  It didn’t seem that God answered the prayer at all.

Yet, if you know my story, you know it was that injury to Kenn’s eye that led to several key events: 1) God healed Kenn’s eye through the prayer of Pastor Andy Weigand; 2) I experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit; and 3) God called me to serve Him as a pastor.  I wish I could say, that was the beginning of everything going wonderfully, but as we will read in the rest of Exodus and on through Deuteronomy, the Israelites continued to go through a series of challenges and deliverances.

As we turn to Mark 16, we read the account of Jesus’ resurrection. Mark’s account is the shortest account of Jesus’ resurrection, and the earliest manuscripts of Mark include only verses 1-8. Thankfully, even the shorter version of Mark tells us of the empty tomb, the angel’s announcement of Jesus’ resurrection, and the promise of Jesus meeting the disciples in Galilee. The longer ending reminds us Jesus called us to go to the ends of the earth with the good news of His salvation. No one’s life is ever the same after experiencing the resurrection power of Jesus. In the short-term, that difference will include some roadblocks and problems. In the long-term it means victory and eternal life!

Day 291-Matthew 11-13; John 16

In Matthew 11, the disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus to ask whether He was the One who was to come, or if they should look for another? The question was John’s not theirs. John had been arrested for his work, and as he sat in prison, he wondered whether Jesus was really the Messiah. Jesus’ answer was a quote of Isaiah’s prophecy of what the Messiah would do. Jesus affirmed John as the greatest man ever born of woman, and then said the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. As the chapter continues Jesus condemns Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their unwillingness to trust Him as Messiah and to repent. Finally, Jesus tells the crowds if any are tired and overburdened to come to Him, because His “yoke” is easy, and His burden is light. The yoke was used to couple two ox or cows together to multiply their work. When we yoke ourselves to Jesus every burden and work is lightened and made easier.

In Matthew 12, Jesus tells the religious leaders He is Lord of the Sabbath, when they question Him about His disciples picking grain to eat on the Sabbath. Jesus also heals a man on the Sabbath, which evoked their wrath. Jesus pointed out to everyone that He is God chosen servant. When the Pharisees say Jesus cast out demons by the prince of demons, He said that every sin we commit will be forgiven but sin against the Holy Spirit. He defined the sin against the Holy Spirit here as attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus went on to tell us that a “tree” is identified by its “fruit,” meaning we can judge between Him and the religious leaders by the work accomplished. Jesus told the people who would not give them a sign of who He was except for the “sign of Jonah,” which referred to His three days in the tomb, as Jonah had been in the belly of a great fish. Next, Jesus told a parable warning of the danger of having an evil spirit cast out of a person, without the person then being filled with the Holy Spirit. Finally, Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him, but Jesus responded that His mother and brothers were those who did the will of His Father in heaven.

In Matthew 13, Jesus told the Parable of the Sower, and told the disciples why He told parables. After that, He explained the Parable of the Sower. Then Jesus told the Parable of the Weeds, and of the Mustard Seed and Leaven. After that He explained the Parable of the Weeds. After telling several more parables, we’re told of Jesus being rejected in Nazareth.

As we return to John 16, Jesus continues His farewell discourse to the disciples, which included more information about the Holy Spirit as well as words of comfort that they would be sorrowful (at His death), but eventually their sorrow would turn to joy. 

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 290-Matthew 8-10; John 15 summary!]

As we move to the Book of Exodus, chapters 1-4 introduce us to the Israelites being enslaved by the Egyptians. It’s amazing that any king of Egypt could ever forget what Joseph did for his nation, but this one did, and assumed the Israelites who had grown greater in population than Egypt, would one day side with Egypt’s enemies and escape the country. The king’s response was to enslave the Israelites and put restrictions on their ability to continue multiplying, by killing the male children born to the Israelites.

One of the amazing results of the Egyptians’ decree that the Israelites had to kill their male children, was when Moses was born, his mother kept him alive for three months, and then made a small boat out of reeds and put Moses in it  and set him adrift in the Nile River. As God’s providence would have it, one of Pharaoh’s daughters found Moses, and decided to adopt him. That meant Moses lived for forty years as a prince in Egypt.

Somehow Moses knew he was a descendant of the Hebrews, and one day when he saw an Egyptian slave driver mistreating one of the Hebrews, and as we read, he killed the slave driver. The next day, two Hebrews were fighting with each other, and Moses attempted to intervene. One of the men asked whether Moses was going to kill them as he had killed the Egyptian. When Moses realized his murder of the Egyptian was known, he took off into the wilderness.

Again, God ordered his steps and he “happened” to come across some Midianite shepherdesses. He helped them with watering their sheep, interceding between them and some shepherds who were harassing them. As a result, the women’s father gave one of his daughters to Moses as a wife and gave Moses the job as the shepherd of his sheep. While this might not seem important at first glance, Moses had forty years of leadership training as a Prince of Egypt and then forty years of training leading sheep. It seems the combination would be great experience for his next vocation: leading the people of Israel out of Egypt.

God called Moses in a most unusual and supernatural way: He appeared to Moses in a burning bush, but although the bush was on fire, it wasn’t consumed by the fire. Amazingly, instead of going along with God’s plan right away after such a clear and powerful demonstration of His presence, Moses argued and debated with God about his lack of qualifications for the task. He also told God he would lack credibility with both the people of Israel and the king of Egypt. Eventually, God got tired of Moses’ excuses and told him to just do it!

I don’t know whether you have ever been called by God to do something and argued with Him about it. I have. In fact, my call to serve as a pastor came when I was seventeen. It wasn’t as dramatic as Moses’ call, but it was dramatic. Even so, I told God flat out I would not become a pastor and struggled against becoming one for five years. Eventually I gave in, but I didn’t become a whole-hearted servant of Jesus until long after that. It comforts me to realize one of the greatest leaders of the Old Testament era, and one of the greatest leaders in all history, begged God not to put him in a leadership position. It helps me, and all of us to see we don’t have to feel qualified to serve God for Him to call us to serve Him!

In Mark 15, we read of Jesus’ trial before Pilate, His condemnation by the people (and not Pilate!), and Pilate’s agreeing to have Jesus crucified. We also read of Jesus’ crucifixion, and how the people mocked Jesus and challenged Him to come down from the cross to prove He was God’s Son. He could have done that, but He would not derail His purpose of paying the penalty for the sins of humanity for His own benefit. When Jesus died, one of the Pharisees, named Joseph, asked Pilate for permission to bury Him in his tomb. Pilate agreed, and the stage was set for Jesus’ resurrection. Not a single person believed it was going to happen. Otherwise, the women wouldn’t have come to the tomb early on Sunday morning to finish embalming Him, and every one of the remaining disciples would have been camping outside the tomb on Easter morning to get a first glimpse of their risen Lord.

Jesus had told His followers a number of times, at least three that are recorded in the Gospels, that He was going to be handed over to the religious leaders and the Romans, tried, convicted, and crucified. But they were not to worry, because He would rise on the third day. Each time they heard the message the disciples, the women, and the crowds were either confused, misinterpreted it, or ignored it. It’s easy for us to wonder why, because we live on the resurrection side of Easter. We know Jesus rose from the dead. But had we lived in His day, believing would not have been so easy.

Thankfully, Jesus didn’t need an audience to rise from the dead, although I’m sure the angels of heaven witnessed it! More about that tomorrow.

Day 290-Matthew 8-10; John 15

Matthew 8-10 are action-packed when compared with the teaching chapters of Matthew 5-7. Matthew 8 starts with Jesus cleansing a leper. This miracle is recorded in Mark 1, so we see the Gospel writers didn’t always record the events in the same sequence. They did record the details quite similarly in most cases. Some have seen these “discrepancies” as “proof” the gospels were made up stories and not actual events. The slight variations in details are what we would expect if various witnesses had seen the same thing happen and told someone about it. Matthew was with Jesus from Matthew 9 on, so he wasn’t there for all the events recorded. Mark is thought to have written his gospel from Peter’s perspective. In any case, Matthew tells us about Jesus healing the leper, then the centurion’s servant, then Peter’s mother-in-law and many others. Next, Matthew interjects the account of Jesus telling a few men the cost of following Him. Finally, we read what is the account of “Legion” in Mark 5, but here is the account of two men filled with demons. This is an important detail, so it might have been two separate events. However, Matthew also has Jesus ride two donkeys at His triumphal entry into Jerusalem rather than the one recorded in the other three gospels. The details differ, but the point is the same: Jesus has powerful authority over evil spirits.

In Matthew 9, Jesus heals a paralytic, but first forgives his sins. Tis causes an uproar among the religious leaders. Next, Jesus calls Matthew, and Matthew throws a party to introduce Jesus to his friends. This causes another uproar among the religious leaders, because Jesus was hanging out with tax collectors and other “sinners.” Jesus pointed out He came to call the sinners, not the righteous to repentance. John the Baptist’s disciples come to ask Jesus why his disciples don’t fast? They noted that they fasted, as did the disciples of the Pharisees. Jesus pointed out no one fasts when the wedding feast is taking place. Jesus was comparing Himself to the bridegroom, and He said His disciples would fast when He was taken away.  After this, we find the record of Jesus healing a dead girl, and a woman who had been suffering from a bleeding disorder for twelve years. Next Jesus healed two blind men, and finally wo blind men, and finally a man who was deaf and unable to speak.  Matthew shows us Jesus power to bring the Kingdom of God to the earth in all these examples. As Jesus surveys the crowds, He turns to the disciples and tells them the “harvest” is plentiful, but the workers are few. Then He tells them to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send workers.

As chapter 10 begins, Jesus calls those He just told to pray for workers as His twelve disciples and sends them out on their first missionary endeavor. Jesus gave the twelve extensive directions before sending them out. He told them to rely on God’s provision. He told them they would be persecuted. In the midst of that, they were to rely on God’s provision. He promised them if they remained faithful they would receive great rewards even for the smallest act of kindness done in Jesus’ name.

As we return again to John 15, Jesus continues His discourse with the disciples before His arrest. He uses a powerful analogy to show the disciples how vital it is for us to stay “connected” to Him. Jesus says He is the vine, and we are the branches. He makes the point clear: If we remain in Him, we will bear fruit, much fruit, and more fruit. If we don’t stay connected to Him we will die. Jesus reiterates His new commandment for us to love one another. Then He tells the disciples the world will hate them, because it first hated Jesus. He promises the Comforter, the Holy Spirit will come to be with them, and He will bear witness to them, and they will bear witness to the people about Jesus. What a powerful reminder that remaining connected to Jesus means living in the power of the Holy Spirit!

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 289-Matthew 5-7; John 14 summary!]

As Genesis comes to an end, so do the lives of Jacob and Joseph. While the “patriarchs” of Israel are considered to be Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, without a doubt Joseph’s contribution to Israel’s history was great. As we read the accounts of such men, we might think, “What is my role? What kind of legacy will I leave?” Few leave the kind of legacy Joseph left. He saved at least two nations, and possibly more through his work as a leader in Egypt. Not bad for a man who was sold into slavery by his brothers and spent thirteen years as a slave and a prisoner.

As we look at the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we see they contributed in differing degrees to Israel’s formation and history. Obviously, Abraham’s position was prominent, because God gave the promise of founding a people set apart for Himself through Abraham.  Abraham’s faith is remembered in three books of the New Testament, and he is mentioned in others. Not only Christians, but also Jews and Muslims consider Abraham to be their spiritual “father.” Abraham’s imperfections were overcome by his deep and abiding faith, which is why we remember him thousands of years after his life.

Isaac wasn’t as prominent, and in truth contributed little to the legacy of Israel except his two sons: Esau and Jacob. The younger would become both famous and infamous for his intimate struggle and relationship with God, for his twelve sons and for moving his family to Egypt, where Israel was “born” in the sense of their becoming a sizable nation. As we read of Jacob’s “blessings” on his sons, and two of his grandsons, we see Jacob didn’t pronounce only good over his sons. That makes sense, because some of Jacob’s sons were rebellious, and none of them were perfect. When Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, he took a page from his own life, by giving the greater blessing to the younger, rather than the older as the cultural tradition would have expected.

As we consider our own legacies, remember, no one knows the full extent of her or his influence on others in this life, nor how that influence might impact another’s eternity. Until we get to heaven, we will never know the full extent of our influence. That’s where our legacies will count the most. Perhaps, in what we considered to be a casual conversation, someone came to trust Jesus as Savior and Lord, or at least took a first step, or a next step in that direction. A small offering we gave to a missionary might have been the resource necessary to lead someone to a saving relationship with Jesus. As long as we point people to Jesus through our words and lives, we will leave legacies that matter in eternity.

Mark’s gospel reminds us not all legacies are positive. In chapter 14, we read of Mary anointing Jesus at the home of Simon the leper. During Jesus’ time there, Judas left to betray Jesus to the Jewish religious leaders. At the last supper, Jesus told the disciples one of them would betray Him. Each one asked, “Is it I, Lord?” No one was so sure of himself as to say, “I won’t!” Jesus told Peter before the night was over, Peter would deny ever knowing Jesus three times. We all know it happened, but Peter couldn’t imagine it happening at the moment Jesus spoke the words. Thankfully, Peter’s legacy doesn’t end around that campfire where he denied Jesus three times. Our lives are filled with opportunities to speak up for Jesus or to remain quiet; to live out our faith in Jesus toward others, or to stand in the shadows doing nothing. How we respond day-by-day forges the legacies we leave behind on earth, and much more importantly the legacies we forge in heaven.

As you and I go about today, which is the only day we’re guaranteed to experience, let’s build into our eternal legacies by representing Jesus faithfully, in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Day 289-Matthew 5-7; John 14

Matthew 5-7 are Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. These three chapters contain so much powerful content! This is our fourth time of reading through it, so the teachings ought to be part of our store of “information” about Jesus.  The key for us, though, is to take the information and let it transform us by applying it in the power of the Holy Spirit. As you read these three chapters today, select one section, and pray through it asking Jesus to fill you with the Holy Spirit and let you live it out. For example, it could be Matthew 7:12: Do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.  Ask Jesus to empower you to treat others as you would want to be treated. Better yet: Ask Jesus to empower you to treat others as He would treat them!

As we return to John 14, we return to one of the most powerful statements Jesus ever made. We find it in John 14:16: I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me!  The entire chapter contains some of Jesus’ final words to the disciples before His arrest, trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection. But these words remind us no one but Jesus can lead us to our Heavenly Father. No one but Jesus can give us truth for living, and no one but Jesus gives us the life that is truly life. The word John used for life is “zoe,” which is God’s life. It is different than the typical word the Greeks used for life, which was “bios.” We use the word bios to make our English word, biology. But zoe is the abundant life Jesus told us He came to bring in John 10:10. Here in John 14, He reminded us He doesn’t only have such life to offer us. He isthat life!

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 288-Matthew 1-4; John 13 summary!]

As we continue Joseph’s story in Genesis 45-47, we see the ultimate fulfillment of Joseph’s teenaged dreams: his whole family bows before him. Joseph’s leadership in Egypt saved the Egyptians and then the entire people of Israel, which at that time numbered only 70 people. As Jacob travelled to Egypt, he stopped in Beersheba to offer sacrifices to God. God spoke to Jacob and promised his family would “multiply” in Egypt. How true that promise was! When the Israelites left Egypt 400 years later the people of Israel numbered 600,000 men, most of whom had wives and families. We can assume the total number of Israelites must have been at least two million people. God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled generation by generation, and it was Joseph’s hardships that led to the open door for the Israelites to travel to Egypt, where that promise would be multiplied.

One of the most challenging tasks we face in life is to determine when we are being blessed and when we are being cursed. The reason it’s a challenge is God often takes the tests, trials, and temptations we face and uses them for good. In Romans 8:28 we read: In all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.  It doesn’t say all things are good. It wasn’t good that Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, or that he became a slave in Potiphar’s house, or that he was falsely imprisoned. None of those realities were good, and Joseph could easily have seen them as curses from God. Instead, Joseph saw God’s goodness remaining with him in each situation. Ultimately, they led to Joseph becoming the second in command in all of Egypt. We would certainly consider that a blessing.

As Jacob and his family travelled to Egypt, they must have been overwhelmed by God’s blessing in their lives. Rather than living through a horrible famine in a land without resources, they were moving to the best land in Egypt. Best of all for Jacob, he was being reunited with his favorite son, Joseph. It was a blessing for Jacob and his family. Yet, hundreds of years later the blessing turned into a curse, as a king came to power in Egypt who forgot about Joseph. He enslaved the Israelites and they would suffer under harsh conditions for many decades. During that time the people multiplied. So, even in the time of slavery, God was with His people.

We do well to learn from these examples, because each of us face times of “blessing” and “cursing” in our lives. How we respond to the times will be determined by how we view God’s presence in our lives. Jesus promised He would never leave us nor forsake us. In Mark 13, He told us what it will be like as the time of His return draws near. Many read Mark 13 and think, “All the signs are taking place!” That is true. The signs have been taking place throughout history. What I take away from Mark 13 is Jesus is with us, and Jesus will return to be with us in all His fullness one day. In the meantime, we are to rely on His promises to be with us always, and to never leave us nor forsake us. We are also to be ready when He returns! While many invest (spend?) most of their time trying to determine when Jesus will return, our time is better invested by living in the power of His Spirit through the blessings and challenges, and even the curses of life, with a constant readiness for His return, and a focus on helping others come to know and serve Jesus so they can be ready, too.

If Jesus comes back today, the best thing for us will be for Him to find us living faithfully in His presence and being ready. That way, whether He returns today or not, we will live today to the fullest. Joseph could have moaned and groaned day after day from the moment his brothers turned him over to the Ishmaelite traders. Instead, he lived each day with the expectant hope that God’s promises are true, and God was with him. He never lost the dream God gave Him, and thirteen years and many hardships later it came true. God is faithful whatever experiences we may be facing right now, so let’s live in His presence and to His glory every moment!

Day 288 – Matthew 1-4; John 13

Today we finally make it to the New Testament! We have been reading one of the four gospels each of our days along the way, but from now through the end of our 365-day Bible Reading Plan we will be reading in the New Testament. For the next week, we will be reading in two gospels at the same time: Matthew and John. That is because we’re going to finish out John, which we started a couple weeks ago. When we complete John (for the fourth time!), we will move forward through the New Testament reading only one book at a time. Wewill read Matthew and Luke one more time for good measure as we read through the New Testament. It is so important for us to understand the life, teachings, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He is the central “actor” in the drama of life, so we want to know what Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John recorded about Him. My commentary through the four gospels will be brief, because we have been through each one at least a couple of times already. As you read Matthew focus more on what you haven’t seen before, or on what the LORD impresses on your heart as vital. While every word of every author in the Bible is true, in each of our lives, when we’re listening to God’s voice through the Holy Spirit, He speaks some words more deeply to us. As always, the key is not merely to read the words, or even to read them and reflect on them, but to live them out in the power of the Holy Spirit. Only as we apply the words does the Lord use them to transform us.

Matthew 1 offers us the genealogy of Jesus, tracing His line back to Abraham, the “father” of the Jewish people. As we have noted, Luke’s genealogy goes all the way back to Adam, because he wrote from a Gentile perspective. The end of Matthew 1 tells about the birth of Jesus.

Matthew 2 offers us the record of the wise men’s visit to Jesus, along with Jesus and His family moving to Egypt for protection from Herod’s massacre of the innocents. At the end of the chapter, the family moves back to Israel and settles in Nazareth.

Matthew 3 records the ministry of John the Baptist, and having just read Malachi, we see how he fit the role prophesied for him. We also read of Jesus’ baptism, which marked the official start of His ministry.

Matthew 4 tells us the first act of Jesus’ ministry was to be tempted for 40 days by Satan. Before Jesus went public with His offensive against Satan, and bringing the Kingdom of God here among us, He battled privately. As we read the three major temptations Jesus faced from Satan, we see Jesus offering Scriptural rebuffs to Satan’s offers. How important it is for us to know God’s word, so we will also be prepared to respond to Satan’s lies and deceptions. At the end of the chapter Jesus proclaims the message of repentance, because God’s Kingdom is coming, which was also John’s message.  Jesus calls His first four disciples: Peter, Andrew, James, and John as the chapter closes. We’re told Jesus ministered to great crowds of people, teaching them, healing them, and casting demons from them.

As we return to John 13, we’re reminded of the servant heart, and servant action of Jesus.  As Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, an action reserved for slaves, He showed them no act of service is beneath His followers. When He finished, He told them if they knew “these things” which are His commandments, they would be blessed if they did them. Knowing Jesus’ words is good, but they don’t bring blessing until we do them. Jesus then told the disciples one of them would betray Him. He gave them a new commandment for the new covenant He would establish the next day through His crucifixion: Love one another as I have loved you. The chapter ends with Jesus telling Peter he is going to deny ever knowing Him three times that night. Peter denies the prediction of his denial, but Jesus is always right, and as we’ve seen through our reading of the four gospels, Peter did deny Jesus, as all of us do in various ways in our lives. Thankfully, Jesus forgives us when we repent, and the cross shows us He paid the penalty for our sins before we committed them!

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 287-Malachi 1-4; John 12 summary!]

Genesis 41-44 show us God was, indeed, with Joseph! When Pharaoh had two dreams no one could interpret, the cupbearer remembered Joseph. Joseph was brought to interpret the dream, and you have to love his honesty. When Pharaoh told Joseph he had been told that Joseph could interpret his dreams, Joseph said, “I can’t do it.” Imagine, being set free from prison to come before the King of Egypt and given the opportunity to gain your freedom if you could interpret a couple dreams. Would you say, “I can’t do it.”? Joseph followed up the comment by saying God would do it. And God did it! Joseph’s interpretations proved correct and resulted in him becoming Pharaoh’s right-hand-man.

When the famine spread to neighboring lands, Joseph’s brothers left Israel and travelled to Egypt to see whether they could buy grain. Just as God had shown Joseph, his brothers knelt down before him. The drama of the situation must have been intense, because it certainly reads that way. As we close out today’s reading, Joseph is about to reveal himself to his brothers, but the experience of having them all with him was overwhelming. God’s grace in Joseph is so powerful he holds no animosity toward his brothers. He strings them along for a time, but his ultimate intention is to save them and his entire family.

What would you have done in such a situation? Would you be able to forgive such a plot against you? The short answer is: only if God were with you. God’s presence in Joseph’s life throughout his time in Egypt was never more obvious than in his interactions with his brothers. We often say, “I don’t get mad, I get even,” but Joseph held no such intentions. We can learn so much from his response to his brothers.

As we turn to Mark 12, we see Jesus interacting with the religious leaders. Jesus knows His time on earth is short, His crucifixion is near. Yet, He takes the time to tell a parable about the impending death, and the implications of it. Then He shows the Sadducees and Pharisees that none of their questions can trap Him. He demonstrates the reality of the resurrection, and the ultimate authority of God. Finally, He stumps the religious leaders with the question of how the Messiah can be both David’s son and Lord.

Chapter 12 ends with Jesus pointing out to the disciples the faith of a poor widow who gives her last two pennies to God. Jesus reminds the disciples the woman’s gift is incredible, because it was all she had. The quantity of our gift isn’t the measure of it, but the quantity of the sacrifice involved in the gift. As we give our time, talents, treasure and touch as Jesus’ followers, we do well to remember the widow’s example, and Jesus’ response to it.

Day 287-Malachi 1-4; John 12

As we turn to Malachi, we find a prophet who served after Haggai and Zechariah. Their calls to return to the LORD and to build the Temple had been partially heeded, as the Temple was rebuilt. However, the people’s hearts had not returned to the LORD. Malachi condemned the priests for their unfaithfulness, the people for their lack of true worship, for their injustice, and for their unwillingness to offer tithes to the LORD. Malachi refers to both John the Baptist and Jesus, calling them “messengers” of the LORD. 

In Malachi 1, the LORD tells the people of Israel of His love for them and reminds them He loved Israel but hated or rejected Esau. Thus, the people needed to return to the LORD. The LORD rebukes the priests harshly for offering blemished animals to Him. He reminds them that a son offers allegiance to his father, and a servant to his master, but He is their father and master and they offer “blind” and “lame” sacrifices to Him. He asks them whether the governor would accept such offerings, and calls them to repent.

In Malachi 2, the LORD continues to rebuke the priest for their failure to offer true worship. He tells them they will be humiliated and their offspring as well. He reminds them of His relationship with Levi, and how the priests were blessed in earlier times, because they honored that relationship. The LORD also rebukes Judah as a whole. One of the chief complaints the LORD offers is the men’s lack of commitment to their wives. He tells them He hates divorce and calls them to honor their commitments to the wives of their youth. As Malachi 2 closes we start to read about the LORD’s coming messenger. (Remember, the chapter and verse distinctions are artificial, so chapter three is a continuation of these closing verses.)

In Malachi 3, we read of the messenger of the LORD who will come and prepare His way. This is a prophecy of John the Baptist. We find that the messenger will condemn the injustices practiced by the people and call them to faithfulness. In this chapter the LORD focuses on how the people have “robbed” Him. He even asks rhetorically, “How can a man rob God?” He answers His own question: In tithes and offerings. While we live after the time of Jesus, in an age of grace, not Law, the point here is so vital: Everything we have belongs to God. When we fail to recognize that and keep everything He has entrusted to us for ourselves we are robbing Him. We must be generous as He is generous. He tells the people to “test” Him. In so many places, God tells us not to test Him, but here He tells us to test His generosity and faithfulness. When we are faithful God is more so! The LORD tells the people, He will put the names of the faithful in a book of remembrance. What an amazing picture for us, and we know in the final book of the Bible, Revelation, we read of the Book of Life, where the names of the faithful are recorded. This book is also referred to in Daniel, so we can be sure that it is a reality.

In Malachi 4, the prophecy ends with a picture of the coming day of judgment. In that day the people will be separated into those who are faithful and those who are not. The LORD promises to send His messenger, who will be like Elijah, the final promise of the final prophet of the Old Testament is that the message will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. He tells us if this does not happen it will usher in destruction. As we look around in 2019, we see the need for this prophecy to be fulfilled. The hearts of many fathers and children are not toward each other. We must all repent of our part in that and move toward our children or parents as the case may be. We can only do that in the presence of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, but we must do it.

As we return to John 12, the chapter begins with Jesus being anointed by Mary, Lazarus’ sister. Some in the group, led by Judas Iscariot complained about the “waste” of money, because the ointment Mary used was costly, and the money it would have brought could have been used to feed the poor. On the face of it, the argument seems sound. But Jesus proclaimed Mary’s act was the generous one, because it showed her deep love for Him. We must never let our desire to do the expedient thing in Jesus’ name, overcome our desire to do the loving thing. Following this, Jesus marches triumphantly into Jerusalem, and is recognized for who He is: The King of kings. The triumph is short-lived as more bickering erupts between Jesus and the religious leaders and people. They still don’t understand who Jesus is, and when He tells them He must be “lifted up” i.e. crucified, they respond with their theology that the Messiah must remain forever. In the end, Jesus tells them He came to save the world, not to judge it. The distinction He makes is powerful: The word will judge the people, not Him. In other words, when we know the truth and reject it, we are judged by our response to the truth. Jesus came to offer us a saving relationship with Him, and when we do, we move from darkness to light. How vital it is for us to take that step, because unless we do we will face the judgment we brought on ourselves for that failure, when we face Jesus at the end of our earthly lives.