Matthew 26:1-16

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” Twice Jesus predicts His death in today’s reading – first in verse 2 when He says that …the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified…, then again in verse 12 when He said of the woman who had anointed His head with oil that …she has done it to prepare Me for burial. These are probably two different occasions, but I don’t recall any reading that we’ve had where He predicts His death twice in just a few verses. Interesting.

Also, twice in today’s reading we see different aspects of the Jewish leaders’ plot to kill Jesus, first in Mt. 26:3-4 where they are openly discussing taking Him by trickery (stealth) and killing Him and then later in Mt. 26:14-15 where they bargain with Judas for Judas’ betrayal of Jesus.

This betrayal thing is interesting. All this final week of Jesus’ life we have seen Him openly teaching in the temple with the Jewish leaders unwilling to take Him at that time because of His support among the people. So the bargain with Judas must have been for Judas to alert them as to where Jesus would be with no crowd around. Just a few days ago we learned that Jesus was spending his nights that week on the Mount of Olives with His disciples. After a few days Judas would have known that pattern. So it may have been that Judas was leading the Jewish leaders to Jesus’ evening/nighttime location and that he was fortunate to find Jesus praying alone in the Garden of Gethsemane, with only Peter, James, and John nearby and the rest of Jesus’ disciples (followers?) further away at their evening resting place. So Judas’ betrayal would have been some days in the making, in the end a well-thought, well-planned, well-executed activity. So sad…

Slava Bohu!

John 12:44-50

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” Continuing in John 12… My Study Bible points out that today’s reading, the end of chapter 12, marks the end of Jesus’ public ministry. Chapter 13 in John begins the Last Supper.

If anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. (v. 47) Jesus makes it plain here that His mission was to save the world. I like that He also makes clear that judgment comes at the end of the world, not at the end of His ministry.

For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me has Himself given Me … what to say and what to speak. … What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told Me. (vv. 49-50) All of the Gospel writers have reported on Jesus withdrawing to a lonely (quiet) place to pray. It’s more clear to me now than ever before that these times in prayer were in part preparing Him for what He would be saying – as the Father had directed Him. We have a similar resource available to us, the Holy Spirit: …for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. (Luke 12:12) We have but to listen!

Slava Bohu!

John 12:37-43

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” Continuing in John 12…

There’s a lot to see in the last two verses for today: Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. (vv. 42-43) It’s good to see that many of the rulers were believing in Jesus, but sad that they would not confess Him. We suspect that some (many?) came around later – recall Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea at the end of Jesus’ life.

It’s also sad that the “approval of men” was more important to these rulers. Unfortunately, it’s understandable. Back in those days the Jews were “one nation under God” and their synagogue worship was the center of their lives (in addition to their three trips to Jerusalem every year). So someone put out of the synagogue effectively became an outcast to all their friends and neighbors – and maybe even family! I’ve seen so much “Pharisee” in me as we’ve read through the Gospels this year that I probably would have also been hard-pressed to be one of those who openly confessed Jesus had I lived back then.

A verse from yesterday that I had meant to comment on, but forgot: These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. (v. 36) I had wondered at His “hiding Himself”. So often He made Himself available even when He was tired. So I was wondering if maybe He simply went off to pray, to be with His Father. Or maybe He just hid Himself…? Interesting!

Slava Bohu!

John 12:27-36

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” Continuing in John 12… Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. (v. 27) Jesus is still a day or two away from His crucifixion, but He is essentially saying the same thing He will say at Gethsemane, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) It’s striking to me that He could see His future and still soldier on! Even to know that crucifixion awaited Him… Why not negotiate with His Father for a more “tolerable” death, like stoning or beheading? Would not the same outcome have prevailed – His redemption of the world? My soul is troubled, along with His.

In today’s Daily Devotional Archbishop Beach reminds us that “The enemy is always at work, and he never sleeps.” So Satan was watching Jesus speaking to the people and predicting His death. What was Satan thinking? That he could see his victory approaching, that Jesus would be an innocent lamb, willingly led off to His slaughter…? Or did Satan sense in any way that Jesus would achieve His victory through His death? Jesus had predicted that He would rise on the third day, so Satan must have known of the Father’s plan. He had even heard Jesus’ confident assertion that …now will the ruler of this world be cast out. (v. 31b) My guess is that Satan was powerless to stop it, even though he knew what was coming.

What does all that say to us in this life? We have the same Holy Spirit living within us that Jesus had. We can also be overcomers if we are as confident of the outcome as Jesus was. Lord, increase our faith!

Slava Bohu!

John 12:20-26

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” Back to John’s Gospel… An item on the “primacy” of Andrew… I have commented before on Andrew being left behind at the Transfiguration, but then being included as one of the four who were speaking with Jesus at the Mount of Olives. And that list of four – Peter, Andrew, James, and John – so easily rolls off the tongue! So here we again see Andrew seemingly in a position of leadership. Some Greeks contact Philip (also a Greek name) wanting to see Jesus. But Philip does not go directly to Jesus – he first goes to Andrew, then they go together to Jesus. Interesting…

These Greeks came “to worship at the feast”. My Study Bible seemed to discount their “faith”, that they were “attracted to Judaism by its monotheism and morality”, but that they did not want to fully convert – likely they were not interested in being circumcised! Still, I find it interesting that these Greeks came to Jerusalem for the feast and wanted to see Jesus. Had they come all the way from Greece, or were they residents of one of the many Greek cities in the Roman Empire, or did they live in Jerusalem? It matters not – what’s important is the spread of Jesus reputation and their desire to meet Him. I have no doubt but that this kind of interest was important in the spread of the Gospel after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Slava Bohu!

Luke 21:34-38

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” Luke offers some very different thoughts on these End Times than the other two Synoptic writers. He gives us, in my mind, a delightful reading today, for a couple of reasons… First, And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him. (v. 38, ESV) The NASB said that the people …would get up early… That’s a nice item to have recorded. I guess the people wanted to get good seats?! This verse gives a good sense of Jesus’ standing with the people, probably frustrating the Pharisees all the more!

Second, … at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. (v. 37) Nothing big here, except that I had been wondering if Jesus returned to Bethany every evening after He was …every day… teaching in the temple. (v. 37) So I guess He was “camping out” with His disciples? Jesus had said earlier that …the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. (Luke 9:58, NLT)

Third, another encouragement verse: But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. (v. 36) Escaping and standing… I think that’s what we all want. Jesus is offering an “out” to His followers. All the more reason why we want to “stay awake”!

Finally, verse 34: But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life. (NKJV) I doubt that many of us are carousers or drunkards, so I’m glad that He included the “cares of this life” (or “worries of life”, NASB) – a good reminder to us to “not be afraid” of anything that befalls us (thank you, Debbie, for yesterday’s reminder). He is in control – if we let Him. How can we not…???!!!!

Slava Bohu!

Mark 13:32-37

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” Debbie mentioned a few days ago that Jesus was holding these “Last Days” discussions with his twelve apostles (or a few of them). I hadn’t thought about that until she mentioned it, but today’s last verse confirms that – And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake. (v. 37) Interesting.

In verse 34 Jesus distinguishes between the servants and the doorkeeper. I wonder if that’s significant. The servants were assigned …each to his work…, while the doorkeeper’s charge was …to stay awake. But then He charges them all (and us, too) to Stay awake! (v. 37) But I do wonder at that distinction.

Much of our discussion last Sunday, in so many words, focused on this “stay awake” charge. Jesus uses this phrase three times in these six verses. I think He means it!

Slava Bohu!

Matthew 25:31-46

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” The Final Judgment… These details of the Final Judgment occur only in Matthew. Jesus leaves little doubt as to the existence of heaven and hell: Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (and) Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (vv. 34, 41) These verses are the most vivid portrayals of heaven and hell that we find in the Gospels, especially “the eternal fire”. Jesus confirms these words in today’s final verse: And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (v. 46) We seldom begin our non-believer sharing time with questions of heaven and hell, but there are occasions when that reality is a reasonable question to ask. Carol and I experienced that very situation not long ago when we were on a short vacation and the question of heaven or hell was appropriate to a young man with whom we were speaking. But typically we don’t lead with “hellfire and damnation”! Still it’s a real fear that we have for those we love.

Slava Bohu!

Matthew 25:14-30

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” The talents… To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. (v. 15) Maybe I’ve noticed it before, maybe I haven’t – that he gave to his servants each according to his ability. That’s an important caveat to this parable that we need to remember. We each have gifts and they vary in type, quality, and abundance. I’ve long believed that the Lord gifted me in math and public speaking, a perfect complementary pair for my lifetime spent teaching economics. Surprisingly to me, these two gifts are often listed as two of the greatest fears that people have. So the Lord who gifted me with those two gifts expected me to use them accordingly, but He does not expect nearly as much from others in using these two gifts. By contrast, I am not gifted in art or music. So you don’t see me singing in the choir or leading an elective at Creative Arts Camp. However, you will hear me singing from the pews, and you’ll find me actively participating in Creative Arts Camp. And if you don’t think you are particularly gifted, you need to do some serious soul-searching or find a “gifts inventory package” that can help you to see where God has gifted you. We are all gifted, in thousands of ways!!

Slava Bohu!

Matthew 25:1-13

Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” An insignificant, but interesting item… Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. (v. 7) My Study Bible guided me in understanding this sentence. The ten virgins were going outside to meet the bridegroom, so they probably would have been using torches as “lamps” instead of typical oil lamps (to withstand the night air). The torches were rags soaked in oil and mounted on a stick. The outer edges of the rags burned while the torches were lit, and those outer edges needed to be “trimmed” and new oil added when the torches were lit again. So that’s some understanding for “trimming their lamps”. I had always wondered!

A couple of items of note… When Jesus is telling parables, some items might seem unlikely for real life. There are two of those items in this parable. First, when the bridegroom is coming at midnight and the five foolish virgins have no oil, the wise virgins tell them to go buy oil from the dealers. At midnight…?? Maybe not. The second item is that the foolish virgins were shut out from the wedding when they arrived late. If they were like bridesmaids I would expect that they would have been known to the bride and that they would have been admitted. Again, strange…! However, Jesus is telling a parable and making a point that the Kingdom will be shut to those who are unprepared when He returns.

Finally, once again we have those fearful words, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you. (v. 12) Lord, help us to be known to You!

Slava Bohu!