February 16, 2016
Leaven is a substance, typically yeast, that is added to dough to make it ferment and rise. It helps make bread light and fluffy and more tasty. So, why does God prohibit its use in the grain offering? The Bible doesn’t answer this question directly, yet it does offer several hints. Consider how Jesus used the symbol of leaven to describe the false teaching and hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt.16:6,12, Mark 8:15, Luke 12:1). He warned his disciples to “beware the leaven” of their teaching. In the apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he used leaven to illustrate how a little wickedness and corruption will “leaven the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:6-8). So, he warned them to purge it out and become a “new lump.” If leaven is the biblical symbol for sin and death, then it would be taboo to offer it on the altar of blessing and life.
February 15, 2016
Jesus became famous in the region of Galilee for his miracles and authoritative teaching. He made Capernaum His center of operations when He first began His ministry. This was a strategic location. Located at the Northern end of the Sea of Galilee, it was a major crossroads with the Via Maris (“Way of the Sea”) passing through it and the King’s Highway intersecting just North, connecting Cairo to Damascus and beyond. Here, Jesus called His first disciples and began to teach, “Repent of your sin and believe the Good News!” Great crowds of people began to travel to the area to see and hear Jesus. This is our calling today. We want to make Jesus famous, not ourselves. We want “his fame” to spread “everywhere.”
February 14, 2016
The Great Commission. Christ’s command and call: Make disciples. Go to all the nations declaring the Good News, then be busy baptizing and teaching those that answer the call to follow Jesus. Christ’s promise: His presence. He will be with you always. So go. Don’t know where to start? Read Acts 1:8 for directions. Now get going. Time’s a wasting…
February 13, 2016
The modern separation between the sacred and the secular is not the wholistic view of faith and vocation that is seen in the Bible. Consider these two men whom Moses named in the Exodus story because of their God-given talent as craftsmen. He described Bezalel as being “called by name” (Ex.35:30) by the Lord to work as the lead craftsman in building the tabernacle. Both he and Oholiab were similarly gifted by and called by God to do this highly skilled work. Moses even described Bezalel as being “filled with the Spirit” (Ex.35:31), not only to do all kinds of specialized work as a craftsman, but also as one whom God “inspired to teach” (Ex.35:34) others his craft.
All work is sacred when it is done as “unto the Lord” (Col.3:23).
February 12, 2016
Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor over Judea, made a show of washing his hands and declaring himself “innocent” of Christ’s blood. Yet in reality, he was fully responsible as the ranking representative of Roman law. How strange that the one who condemned the Innocent One to death would declare himself innocent instead. Many of us are like Pilate in our attempts to wash our hands of Christ’s blood. We question God’s goodness and lift ourselves up as innocent. However, the truth is this: We are guilty. It was our sin that sent Jesus to the cross. And when we finally admit our guilt and accept His payment, it is that alone which actually washes away our sin.
February 11, 2016
Fulfilling the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah, Jesus was silent before his accusers: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isa.53:7). Every time I read the story of Christ’s trial and crucifixion, my mind screams against the injustice. I hear myself saying, “Speak up Lord. Don’t let them falsely accuse you.” But then I remember. He did this for me. He stood before a human judge and was condemned to death. Jesus, the Son of God, went silently “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter” for me.
The One who spoke the universe into existence was silent. He was condemned in our place, so that there is now “no condemnation” for those who are in Him (Rom.8:1).
February 10, 2016
When Jesus was arrested, Peter tried to blend in as one of the crowd, following Jesus from a distance. This, after following so close must’ve been unbearable. Following Jesus at church is one thing, but following Him in the public square is another. Do you try to blend in with the crowd? Are you trying to follow Jesus from a distance? When will you go public with your devotion?
February 9, 2016
The night Jesus was betrayed to be crucified, He joined His disciples in singing a hymn before going up to the Mount of Olives to pray and await His betrayer. What hymn did they sing? The traditional hymn that the Jews would have sung for Passover were the “Hallel” (“praise”) psalms found in Psalms 113-118. As the Rabbi, Jesus would have led the hymn, no doubt from memory, “Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! (Psa. 113:1)… When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language (Psa. 114:1)… The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul! (Psa. 116:3-4)… Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? (Psa. 118:5-6)… Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psa.118:29). I wonder, did His voice break with emotion as He sang? Did the disciples feel the heaviness of the Spirit blanket the upper room during their singing? Did the heavenly choir of angels grow silent to hear their Lord’s voice? Listen all creation! The Lord Jesus is singing on the night of His betrayal!
February 8, 2016
What Jesus said is true. Wherever the gospel is preached the story of a woman’s extravagant generosity towards Jesus is told. A woman in Bethany came up to him with “an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and poured it on his head” (Matt.26:7) causing those in attendance to accuse her of waste. Yet, Jesus accepted her gift, rebuking her critics and declaring her offering a “beautiful thing.” The parallel reading for this story found in Mark 14:3-9, informs us that the ointment was worth nearly a year’s wages (300 denarii or 300 days wages). And this unnamed woman poured the whole thing out upon Jesus. What crazy love is this? What extravagant generosity? It is the only right response for those who have recognized and received Christ’s crazy, extravagant generosity towards us.
February 7, 2016
It appears that the parable of the ten virgins was given by Jesus to his disciples in a private setting, as a further illustration of what the Day of his return would be like. As such, this parable seems particularly aimed at the state of the church at Christ’s return. The ten virgins had many things in common. They were all invited to the wedding. They obviously kept company together. They all had lamps. Yet, only five of them had oil for their lamps. And only those five were welcomed into the marriage feast, while the five without oil were not. The clear implication is that many will claim to be followers of Christ without having actually received the “oil” of His salvation. This “oil” cannot be shared from another, it must be received directly from the Lord. Thinking to wait for the Day of his return is a deadly procrastination, for it will be too late. The Day of Christ’s return will reveal that many who claim to be believers, are not. Get your “oil” from the Lord now. Be ready.