November 17 / Matthew 27:1-31; Mark 15:1-20; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-19:16

Matthew 27:1-26; Mark 15:1-15; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-40;
Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; John 19:1-16

Jesus answered, “… Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

John 18:37-38

Though coming from a wildly different background, Pilate is just like the Pharisees in that He cannot perceive Truth. The Truth is standing right before him, speaking to him face to face, yet he cynically asks, “What is truth?”

So Pilate turns from Jesus and listens instead to the crowd, that crowd that asks for the release of a criminal, but regarding the Son of God cries, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21)

And so I ask the same question I’ve asked several times before this year: To whom do you listen?

Of course, it is easy to look back on this sham trial of Jesus with 20/20 hindsight and to side with the one innocent Man. We know how this turns out, so we know the right answer here. But how about in our own daily lives? It gets a bit more challenging there. Are we of the truth? Do we listen to His voice? Or do we listen to all those other voices clamoring around us — the news media, social media, Hollywood, friends, family, employers, employees, politicians, pundits, preachers, protesters, Big Tech, experts in this, experts in that, advertisers, AI? Or how about that ever-present voice inside our head: Self?

To whom do you listen?

See also:

November 16 / Matthew 26:57-75; Mark 14:53-72; Luke 22:54-71; John 18:12-27

Matthew 26:57-75; Mark 14:53-72; Luke 22:54-71; John 18:12-27

And He said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Luke 9:23

Today’s reading, as dark as it is, should shed some light on the above verse, giving us a graphic illustration of what it means to “deny” someone. Here, though, Peter does not deny himself. Instead, he denies the Lord, swearing, “I do not know the Man!” And that is our daily choice. I can either deny myself or I can deny Jesus. It’s one or the Other. There is no middle ground.

So what will it be? Whom are you going to deny today?

See also:

November 15 / John 17:1-18:11; Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:39-53

John 17;
Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-11

How would you define “eternal life”? Would you say, “living forever” or “not dying” or perhaps “going on living, even after dying”? Or maybe it’s “going to heaven (and not hell)”. We could build a pretty good case for any of these notions from various Bible verses. Yet the core of eternal life is missing from them. Jesus gives it to us here in His “High Priestly Prayer” to His Father:

And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent.

John 17:3

So, do we know God? Or do we just know a bit about God?

See also:

One more thing…

I don’t think we can come anywhere close to imagining the agony Jesus faces in the Garden of Gethsemane. All our attempts at description or portrayal are flawed in one way or another and fall far short. But that does not mean that we should not try to enter in, try to relate to Him, try to join Him in His struggle to submit His will to the Father’s. So even if you think you are familiar with this story, spend some extra time with Jesus in Gethsemane today.

November 14 / John 14-16

John 14-16

Once again the Gospel of John overwhelms us, like trying to get a drink from a firehose. I would therefore urge us all to spend some extra time — quite a lot of extra time — on these few chapters of John (and the next), prayerfully reading and rereading what Jesus has to say and letting it all soak in.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

I expect that most of us are somewhat familiar with this verse. We’ve read it before, multiple times. We’ve heard it before, too, with sermons on the vine and branches, bearing fruit, etc. And we nod our heads in assent to the truth of Jesus’ words. But my own lived experience, coupled with my observation of many others, is that we continually need to be reminded of this truth, because otherwise we have a tremendous capacity to try to “live the Christian life” on our own. Oh, yes, we may pray for Jesus’ assistance, but when it comes right down to it, where “the rubber meets the road”, we try to go it alone. Yet Jesus tells us right here that any attempt to follow Him while disconnected from Him is futile — for apart from Me you can do nothing! So we need to carefully evaluate our relationship with Jesus Himself. Are we abiding in Him? Is He abiding in us? If not, then our best efforts will only turn us into Pharisees, and I think we all know that does not end well. So it is time to lay aside the burden of striving to follow Jesus without Jesus. Let Him in. Let Him lead. Let Him do.

See also:

November 13 / Matthew 26:17-35; Mark 14:12-31; Luke 22:7-38; John 13

Matthew 26:17-29; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-30; John 13:18-30;
John 13:1-17, 31-35;
Matthew 26:30-35; Mark 14:26-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:36-38

In today’s readings, Jesus employs two tremendous physical activities to build up and instruct His disciples (including us). He establishes the Sacrament of Holy Communion, feeding us with His body and blood, and He washes the disciples’ feet. With both actions, He says words that we are to take to heart:

Take, eat; this is My body.

Matthew 26:26b (cf., Mark 14:22b; Luke 22:19b)

Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Matthew 26:27b-28 (cf., Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20b)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

John 13:34-35

Yet it would seem that we are poor listeners. Large swaths of the (Protestant) Church treat Communion as mere memorialism, devoid of any notion that Christ might really be present in the bread and wine. How would things change if we all were to truly discern the Body and Blood of Christ? And what would the Church look like (or the whole world, for that matter) if we Christians were to — shock of shocks! — actually love one another as Christ has loved us?!

Hmmm. Maybe we need to again listen to Jesus and actually do what He says.

See also:

November 12 / John 12:20-50; Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14:1-11; Luke 22:1-6

John 12:20-50;
Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14:1-11; Luke 22:1-6

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

John 12:24-25

This is not the first time we’ve heard such a thing from Jesus. Consider these other times:

And whoever does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Matthew 10:38-39

Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26 (cf., Mark 8:34-37; Luke 9:23-25)

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.

Luke 17:33

Do you think that maybe Jesus thinks this is something we need to hear? Do you think that maybe we each need to die in order to enter into real life? But note that Jesus does not ask of us anything that He Himself is unwilling to do. His own Cross is rapidly approaching!

See also:

One more thing…

A few days ago I gave you all some homework. I explained that, in my opinion, John 12:2-8, Matthew 26:6-13, and Mark 14:3-9 all describe the same event while Luke 7:36-50 depicts a different, much earlier anointing, but I speculate that the cast of characters in these two different events is the same. Your homework was to consider that notion and fill in the blanks between Luke’s account and these later accounts. So, what did you come up with? Here are a few of my thoughts:

  • In Luke, the host is “Simon the Pharisee”. In Matthew and Mark, the host is “Simon the Leper”. If this is the same “Simon”, then our arrogant Pharisee has fallen from his high position to one of outcast. Given that he is now the host, he must have been healed of that leprosy. Who might have healed him? How might Simon’s experience have changed his attitudes, both toward Jesus and toward others?
  • In John, Martha serves the dinner, suggesting that she lives in the house. Is Martha then married to Simon (the host)? Or is she perhaps Simon’s daughter? (If she is Simon’s daughter, then that makes Mary his daughter, too — and Lazarus his son.)
  • In Luke, “the woman” clearly has a bad reputation — certainly in the eyes of Simon the Pharisee. Now consider that this woman is Mary, Martha’s sister (and Simon’s sister-in-law or daughter?). Think about the family dynamics, with Mary as the (repentant) “black sheep” of the family. How might that play into the additional scene where Martha serves and Mary sits at Jesus’ feet in Luke 10:38-42?
  • In Luke, “the woman”, grateful for forgiveness, uses some of the ointment from her alabaster flask to anoint Jesus. She is clearly dedicated to Jesus. Now Mary breaks that alabaster flask (Mark 14:3) and pours out all its contents. Her relationship with Jesus has gone from dedication to total devotion.

By the way, I want to re-emphasize that this is all pure speculation, so there is no basis for dogma here. We need to carefully distinguish between what Scripture actually says and what we imagine. The same goes for various artistic works like The Chosen. I highly recommend that video series, which provides an excellent portrayal of Jesus and His followers. But always keep in mind what bits are truly drawn from Scripture and which are artistic license — and don’t substitute the latter for the former.

November 11 / Matthew 24:36-25:46; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 21:34-38

Matthew 24:36-25:46; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 21:34-38

Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Matthew 24:44 (cf., Luke 12:40)

Are you ready for Christ’s return? Are you awake and watchful? No? Why not? Perhaps you think that since He has delayed thus far that He will continue to delay even longer, maybe indefinitely. Maybe He will delay — or maybe He won’t. You don’t know. But even if He delays another thousand years, you still don’t know when your own final day will come. And we should all recognize that we cannot push that one off indefinitely. So, are you ready?

See also:

November 10 / Matthew 24:1-35; Mark 13:1-31; Luke 21:5-33

Matthew 24:1-35; Mark 13:1-31; Luke 21:5-33

As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

Matthew 24:3

The remainder of Matthew 24-25 is Jesus’ response to these questions, and what He says must be puzzling to the disciples. From where we sit, looking back upon the Resurrection and Ascension and 2,000 years of history, we immediately (and properly) interpret “Your coming” as the Second Coming of Christ, which remains in our future. The disciples, though, do not yet understand that there is to be a Second Coming. Despite Jesus’ prior statements, they do not yet understand that the Cross is just days away. They remain bewildered by His talk of the Resurrection, and they most certainly do not anticipate the Ascension. So they are not (yet) looking for a return of Christ — He’s right there! — but more of a broad revelation of Christ, with attendant glory and Kingship, victory over their oppressors, and the end of the age, ushering in a new world order a la Isaiah 11-12, 65:17-25.

Little do the disciples expect Jesus’ answer to range over millennia into the future, but that is what they get. Much of what Jesus says is fulfilled about 40 years hence with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Some of what Jesus says is fulfilled somewhat continually throughout history (e.g., wars and rumors of wars), with various periods when one might well interpret events as boding Christ’s imminent return (e.g., the fall of Rome, the Black Death, Hitler). And, of course, we are still looking for the global revelation of the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Mt. 24:30)

As I said a couple of weeks ago, Jesus is the ultimate Realist. He does not paint a pretty picture. He speaks of tribulation and distress, of lawlessness and peril and suffering. He urges us to put away all illusions (or delusions) that the world is friendly and benign. We do not live in “Leave It to Beaver land”. We need to face that reality and not panic when the whole world goes to pot. Nor should we be led astray by false reports of some “christ” over here or over there. (Mt. 24:23-25) But we should most definitely pay attention to what is going on in the world and anticipate His return, with full assurance that what Jesus says will stand forever. (Mt. 24:32-35)

See also:

November 9 / Matthew 22:23-23:39; Mark 12:18-44; Luke 20:27-21:4

Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40;
Matthew 22:34-46; Mark 12:28-37; Luke 20:41-44;
Matthew 23:1-39; Mark 12:38-44; Luke 20:45-21:4

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

Matthew 23:13a,15a,23a,25a,27a,29a

Jesus gives the scribes and Pharisees quite a tongue lashing, calling them hypocrites, blind guides, whitewashed tombs, a brood of vipers. How is it, then, that we can read these words and still so often live more like the Pharisees than like Jesus? Might a little self-evaluation be in order? Let Matthew 23 roll around in your head today and see whether anything Jesus says finds its mark in you yourself. To that end, have a listen to “Alas for You”, the Godspell musical version of this chapter.

See also:

November 8 / Matthew 21:23-22:22; Mark 11:27-12:17; Luke 20:1-26

Matthew 21:23-32; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8;
Matthew 21:33-22:14; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19;
Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’? [Psalm 118:22-23]
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they held Him to be a prophet.

Matthew 21:42-46

Jesus makes this reference to Psalm 118 at the conclusion of the Parable of the Tenants (or Wicked Vinedressers), and it is clear to all that Jesus is speaking about the religious authorities — the Pharisees, the chief priests, the scribes, the elders — and their rejection of Him. They are the builders, and He is the rejected Stone. They are the wicked vinedressers, and He is the murdered Son. But do the religious authorities rethink their position? Do they take an honest look at themselves, at Jesus, at the Scriptures, and at the evidence? No. They just further harden their already hard hearts.

Jesus knows full well where He is headed. He knows that His words rankle the authorities. He knows He is not going to win them over. None of this is a surprise to Him. And He presses on, speaking the Truth — all in obedience to the Father.

So what are you going to do with this Stone today — not yesterday or tomorrow, but today? Are you going to push Him aside, looking for a better option? Or is He your Cornerstone?

See also: