Monthly Archives: June 2016

My body and blood (Matthew 26:26-29) June 20, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Leviticus 4-6

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:26-29
Jesus: Take this and eat; it is My body.
And then He took the cup of wine, He made a blessing over it, and He passed it around the table.
Jesus: Take this and drink, all of you: this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell you: I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until I am with you once more, drinking in the kingdom of My Father.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

So, I have to ask, how many times have you gone to church, heard the words, and just gone through the motions of taking communion? If you’re like most people, you get into the routine and far too often, the Lord’s Supper become just another ritual instead of a remembrance of His sacrifice for us. So how do we keep it from become routine? How can we make sure we focus on the importance of the symbols the bread and drink that we share together represent and not the action of eating and drinking?

It’s so easy to do. I have to admit that even as a minister, I have been guilty of getting busy with responsibilities, thinking about the next part of the service, and going through the motions. Reciting the words, but not focusing on their personal meaning for me. I wanted to make sure I got the ritual right and didn’t think as much as I should have about what the ritual really meant. Terrible for a minister to do that, huh? But we’re all guilty, whether in the pulpit or the pew, we sometimes let our minds wander and forget just how important this sacred moment really is.

How do we stay focused in the moment? Think about what you’re doing. Don’t let your mind wander. Satan will do his best to distract you with everything he can to take your mind away from the sacrifice Jesus made for us and the symbols of His broken body and shed blood He pointed out to us in this simple act of sharing bread and drink together. Whether your tradition uses wine or grape juice, communion wafers or bread, doesn’t matter so much as remembering the what each of these mean as symbols of Jesus’ personal sacrifice for the redemption of your individual sins.

When we stop and just think about that symbol, bread for His body, drink for His blood, it should cause us to pause and recall the sacrifice He made. I’m not sure we can fully understand what that sacrifice was really like. Many of you have probably seen the movie “The Passion” as I did several years ago and got just a glimpse of what that week was like for Jesus. But seeing His suffering on the screen doesn’t do justice to what the experience was like for Him. We saw Hollywood’s portrayal of the scourging, the crown of thorns pushed down on His head, the beam of the cross lashed to Him as He struggled up the road to Calvary. We experienced some of the sights those in Jerusalem might have seen on those days.

But we have no idea the pain, the humiliation, the cruel punishment inflicted by the Romans, the excruciating agony of the cross. Most of us have no reference points from which to begin to compare the suffering Jesus endured as He faced death as the penalty He paid for us. But from that movie, from studies you might have made of Passion week, from medical reports you’ve heard about crucifixion, when you see the bread in your hand, remember the brutality Jesus endured for you. All that should have been mine and yours as payment for our disobedience to God. As you see the juice in the cup, think about the blood He lost as He felt the whip across His back, crown of thorns on His head, the spear in His side. That blood was shed for my sins and yours so that we would not have to pay with our blood for the sins we commit.

Is it easy to let your mind wander to what’s for lunch as communion is being served? Yes. Is it easy to think of the ballgame starting in a few hours? Yes. Is it easy to think about what will happen at work this week? Yes. But if we try, we can also focus on the bread, a symbol for His body, broken for us. We can focus on the cup filled with the fruit of the vine, a symbol of His blood, shed for us. His sacrifice ushered in a new covenant. One in which we can have a personal relationship with the creator. He promised that if we ask, He will live not just with us, but in us, to help us be the person He created us to be.

Next time you come to the Lord’s table, stop, think about the bread and the wine. What does it mean for you? Really think about it. Don’t let go of the beauty of the moment as you share this special moment with others.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Judas had a way out (Matthew 26:21-25) June19, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Ephesians 4-6

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:21-25
Jesus: I tell you this: one of you here will betray Me.
The disciples, of course, were horrified.
A Disciple: Not me!
Another Disciple: It’s not me, Master, is it?
Jesus: It’s the one who shared this dish of food with Me. That is the one who will betray Me. Just as our sacred Scripture has taught, the Son of Man is on His way. But there will be nothing but misery for he who hands Him over. That man will wish he had never been born.
At that, Judas, who was indeed planning to betray Him, said,
Judas Iscariot: It’s not me, Master, is it?
Jesus: I believe you’ve just answered your own question.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

There are two things about this last supper exchange that always intrigue me. Jesus had a lot to say to His disciples during the course of that evening and all of the gospels tell us aspects of His discourse in different ways. But Jesus’ words in Matthew cause me to stop and ponder His words every time I read them.

Jesus tells His disciples one of them will betray Him. But then it seems that almost without exception each of the disciples ask if he is the one that will make the deal with the devil and betray Jesus to His enemies. Has that ever seemed odd to you? Judas was the one who would betray Jesus. In fact, he already has the money in his pocket and has given the priests the signal he will use to show them who Jesus is so there is no mistake when the soldiers capture Him in the garden.

Yet all of the disciples question Jesus because each is afraid they will become the turncoat and give Jesus over to the authorities. Each of those in that room think they have the ability to fall away and give up all they learned from Him. Each think they can fulfill the role Jesus proclaims one of them will fill. Think about that for just a moment. All of them are gathered with Him for this Passover meal. Jesus shared with them some of His last and deepest thoughts. All of them feel especially close to Him as they know they could also be part of the crowd called traitor to the crown, rioters, rabble-rousers. Those are the names the priests give Jesus and want Him arrested.

Each has the question on his lips, “Jesus, will I be the one that betrays you?” See, I think any of those disciples and any of us could be His betrayers. We could be the one that whispers to the enemy. We could be the one that nails Jesus to the cross. In fact, we all do. It’s my sins that put Him there. He died for me, for my betrayal of God.

The second thing that always strikes me about this conversation between Jesus and His disciples is Judas’ question. Judas knows. He already betrayed Jesus. He already met with the priests and took the thirty pieces of silver. He already made the plans to point Jesus out from the rest of the followers. The deed was all but done except for the kiss, the final act. But Judas had the audacity to follow suit of all the other disciples and ask, “Jesus, is it me?”

What do I learn from this? We know when we are about to give the final kiss. We know when we are on the brink of stepping across the line and going to far. Jesus gives us every opportunity to stop before we cross the line. As Paul says, with every temptation, He makes a way of escape. Judas didn’t have to be the one to betray Jesus, but he did. Judas didn’t take the warning signs from Jesus and instead carried out the act after Jesus did everything He could to give him an opportunity to escape. Remember, every other disciple carried in their heart the means of betrayal. They all questioned their motives, their resolve to follow Jesus to the end. Judas failed to take the exit when Jesus offered it. Instead, he went out of the upper room, met with the priests and soldiers, came back and placed the kiss of betrayal on Jesus cheek.

So there are three things I learn from the disciples in these short exchanges. First, all of us are susceptible to temptation and can betray Jesus if we do not keep our faith strong and our eyes on Him. Second, all of us know our position with Him. We know if we are the one selling Him out to others. Third, there is always a way of escape if we will take it. And most of the time, God points us to it pretty clearly. He makes the exit sign pretty bright, but we have to move toward the sign to get out the door. Judas answered his own question, but he still had a way out if he had chosen it.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Friends in the time of need (Matthew 26:18) June 18, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Luke 13-14

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:18
Jesus: Go into the city, find a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, ‘My time is near, and I am going to celebrate Passover at your house with My disciples.’”

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I like this about Jesus and the relationships He has built in His thirty-three years on earth. He told a few of His trusted disciples to go find a certain man. No doubt one of the many friends He made along the path of life He traveled over the last several years. Maybe the man was a family friend who didn’t berate Mary and Joseph for the son born to early to them to be Joseph’s legitimate heir. Maybe he was one of the guest at Cana who witnessed Jesus’ first miracle and became a close and trusted friend after believing Jesus was the Son of God. Maybe he was one of John’s followers present on the day John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.

We don’t know who the man was, but Jesus sent His disciples to this particular, person to let him know He was coming with a bunch of His friends. And when Jesus’ disciples came to that man and told him what Jesus said, he didn’t even flinch. He set up the room. He got provisions for them. He welcomed them in. He was happy to see Jesus and meet whoever Jesus brought with Him.

I often wonder how many of those kinds of friends Jesus made in His wanderings throughout the territories of Judea and Galilee. I think of people like Lazarus, Mary, Martha, Zaccheus the tax collector, and others who probably gave Him an open door invitation to welcome Him into their home any time He was in the area.

With our travels, my wife and I have made a few of those kinds of friends. We can call and tell them we will be in the area and they expect us to stay with them. And when they are in San Antonio, we expect them to stay with us. They are friends that if they called at midnight and said they needed a place to stay, the doors would be opened and beds would be available. They’re like family. Nothing is spared. No invitation is needed. Just show up and we will have a good time together for as long as they choose to stay. And they reciprocate if we happen through their town.

Relationships like that don’t happen overnight. Those relationships grew over years and decades as we learned about our likes and dislikes, as our kids grew up with common interests, as we discussed values and ethics and determined we were like minded in our love of God. These relationships take the brunt of life and survive the worst crises life throw at us because they help us get through those tough times. We rely on each other for prayers, an understanding shoulder to lean on, something beyond sympathy for our plight, a willing hand to help us through those crisis moments.

Jesus sent His disciples to meet such an individual. A certain man. A person with whom He grew a relationship over time until like those friends I discribed above, He could drop in without notice and be welcome. So how do we grow those kinds of relationships? How do we get to the place with others that we can drop in or have them drop in without the feeling of interruption and welcome these friends with open arms, always feeling at home with them? What is it about those relationships that make them so close and so genuine that you can share your life deeply and relish every moment with them?

I think one of the most important aspects of these relationships is the common ground in values. Deep in your heart where eternal things matter, you are kindred spirits. As I think about that list of people that I’m comfortable dropping in and out of their homes, almost without exception, they have a deep love of God and faith in Christ for salvation. All are growing in faith, but most know Him intimately.

Second, we are all open with each other. No pretense. No hidden agenda. We aren’t looking to gain anything from each other except friendship. We expect nothing in return from the time we spend together or the things we do for each other. We communicate and share joys, sorrows, hurts, celebrations, a multitude of emotions without fear of ridicule or judgment.

Finally, I think those relationships grow because from the beginning of the relationships, with small things at first, but later with whatever is needed, we have learned to trust each other to help when needed. We know we can rely on each other when the chips are down. We know when nothing else seems to work, we can turn to each other and things will get done.

Do you have those kinds of friends in your repertoire? I think Jesus made those kinds of friends wherever He went as the perfect Man and Son of God. I also think it’s more difficult for us to make and keep those kinds of friendships because we are imperfect and often not very godly. But I can tell you from decades of experience, those relationships are certainly worth the effort.

Jesus sent His disciples to a certain man. Do you have a few of those around the world you can call on for help when you need them? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

How about that tenth commandment? (Matthew 26:10-13) June17, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Ezekiel 7-12

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:10-13
Jesus: Why don’t you leave this woman alone? She has done a good thing. It is good that you are concerned about the poor, but the poor will always be with you—I will not be. In pouring this ointment on My body, she has prepared Me for My burial. I tell you this: the good news of the kingdom of God will be spread all over the world, and wherever the good news travels, people will tell the story of this woman and her good discipleship. And people will remember her.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

A woman, other writers identify as Mary Magdalene comes into the house where Jesus is eating. Breaks open a jar filled with alabaster, a very expensive perfume, and proceeds to pour it on Jesus’ feet and wiping them with her long hair. Some of the disciples are indignant and complain about the waste of this expensive gift and admonish her, telling her she should have sold it and given the proceeds to the poor.

Are you ever guilty of the disciples’ error? I have to admit, I have been. And I’m pretty sure if you thought about it a little bit, you’ve probably been guilty of the same error. Someone doing good for another person and we stick our nose in it and complain about it. We think they should be doing something else instead. Essentially, that’s what the disciples were saying. Hey, Jesus. Why are you letting her waste that perfume on your feet? She could be doing something else with the money that stuff costs.

So many times we want to second guess the good actions of other people. Did you every stop to think that maybe God prompted that person to do that act at that time for that person for a particular reason? Maybe that person needed some encouragement at just that time to keep them on track in their spiritual journey. Maybe the act performed was just the demonstration of God’s love that convinced the recipient that God is real and pointed them to His saving grace and merciful forgiveness.

We don’t know why God prompts His children to do particular things at particular times. But sometimes He does. And sometimes those acts may seem extravagant to some. But what causes us to think that way in the first place? I think it’s often that tenth commandment that gets in the way. He didn’t do that for me, so why should he do it for her? I didn’t get that extra helping of potatoes so why should He? The church recognized them for cleaning up the yard, I was there, too, why didn’t I get mentioned? Can you say covet?

We let our selfishness get in the way. Even the disciples’ comment harks back to selfishness. They wanted their plans carried out, not God’s. Why are you letting her pour perfume on you, instead of doing what we want here to do with it? If it’s up to us, we would sell it and take care of other people. Our plan is to use the proceeds for other purposes. We want to do what we want to do. Isn’t that essentially what they’re saying here? It sure sounds like it to me.

That’s the problem we have when we begin to criticize the good actions of others. When we try to categorize and assume something better or something different or something else that fits our plans should be done instead of the good work an individual is prompted to carry out for God with their personal property, we get ourselves in trouble. It’s that tenth commandment thing rearing its ugly head. We need to be on our guard as soon as it pops out of its hole.

If it’s the church’s money or an organization’s money, the answer might be different. Then the property belongs to God and is managed by a council or pastor on behalf of the congregation that it serves. In that case, there are boundaries within which to operate because the funds are not one person’s. The property is not one person’s. The decisions are not solely one person’s. So when one person does something outside the guidelines and boundaries the congregation prayerfully sets in place through the leadership of the church, there may be reason to criticize one person’s waste of the congregation’s resources.

But personal resources, when God says to do something, it’s always best to listen and do it. As with Mary’s case, there was a purpose. She prepared Jesus for burial because the women would not have time on the day He died. She probably didn’t even think about what she was doing when she went to see Jesus and anoint Him with her perfume. But as Jesus said, “wherever the good news travels, people will tell the story of this woman and her good discipleship. And people will remember her.”

Will the same be said about you for the good you do to others or because of the criticism you have for the good deeds others have done? How about that tenth commandment? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Passover happens again (Matthew 26:2) June 16, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Proverbs 4

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:2
Jesus: The feast of Passover begins in two days. That is when the Son of Man is handed over to be crucified.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

What incredible timing. We celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus and sometimes don’t think about the connection with Passover as much as we should. As Christians, we sometimes throw out the Jewish holy days without much thought unless they happen to fall on the same days as our Christian holy days. Passover is the day, though! Certainly, without Easter, Passover wouldn’t mean as much to us because Easter demonstrates that Jesus’ sacrifice works, but Passover was the sacrifice!

On that day, while the chief priest and several of his henchmen were consorting with Pilate, something they should not have been doing on this of all days, the rest of the priests were really busy. This day was Passover. What did that mean? Every family was busy getting their young, unblemished lamb blessed and prepared for sacrifice. The temple roared with the pilgrims from all over the world who came to this place to share with friends and family to celebrate the day God freed Israel from slavery from Egypt and made them a nation.

Passover for them was more important than Independence Day for us. We gained our independence from Great Britain and celebrate it as the day we became a free nation, but that’s not quite the same as Passover. The day the Jews celebrate, not only created a new nation, but demonstrated God’s sovereignty over His people and the world by killing the first born of every household across the land unless they were protected by blood smeared on the doorpost of the house. That sign caused the death angels to pass over the house and spare the first born from execution at the hand of God.

Thousands of sheep died on the day Jesus died. Thousands of Jews gathered in homes around their tables clothed in traveling garb with shoes on their feet and shared the story of God’s salvation of His chosen people, rescuing them from the hands of Pharoah. Thousands listened to the message of God’s redemption and the promise of His coming Messiah, blind to the fact that on a hillside just outside the city of Jerusalem the Romans at the bequest of their priests were crucifying the Messiah while they roasted their lamb and told their story.

God brought freedom to all who followed Him. Moses served as His spokesman and led them out of Egypt. All they need to do was follow and obey God’s commands. They didn’t and all the adults who left Egypt died in the desert except Joshua and Caleb. Through the centuries, God continued to send prophets to the Jews to tell them, “All you need to do is follow My commands and you will be free.” They didn’t and God drove them into exile.

He allowed a remnant to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple and the city. The nation began to rebuild, but under the overloard of other nations more powerful than they were militarily. God continued to tell them, “All you need to do is follow My commands and you will be free.” They didn’t. God sent His Son, the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords to free us, to redeem us from the penalty of our sins. And again God said, “All you need to do is follow My commands and you will be free.” They didn’t and instead hung His Son on a cross.

God knew all along the sacrifice would be made. And He knew it would be on Passover. The perfect sacrifice on the perfect day in the perfect place. Jesus, the sinless one, sacrificed in Jerusalem, the city of God, on Passover, the day that represented freedom, the breaking of the chains of slavery.

But there is more. Remember the other side of Passover? Remember what happened to those who did not observe the warning? Death struck every household. The sacrifice required the blood of an innocent lamb. But without the blood of the lamb, the death of the first born was the payment for God’s wrath. So blood was shed in every house. Every family saw death. The issue was whether the death was that of a lamb, a substitute, or the first born in the family.

The same is still true today. The penalty for our sins is still death. That’s what we deserve. We earned the death sentence in our disobedience to God. Every single one of us have that paycheck due us. Death stands at the door. But we have an opportunity to apply Jesus’ sacrificial blood on the door of our heart and live. His blood covers our sins and death passes over us instead of visiting us with its eternal damnation.

But the blood must be applied and that is something we must do. Like the Israelites who brushed the lamb’s blood on the doorposts of their homes, we must accept Jesus as Lord, the power of His saving grace, the sacrifice He made to pay the penalty for our sins. His blood, shed for us, applied to our hearts gives us life instead of death, freedom instead of slavery. Passover happened again the day Jesus died. It happens again every time someone in faith accepts Him as Lord. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Harsh words I don’t want to hear (Matthew 25:41-46) June 15, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 69-71

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 25:41-46
Jesus: At that He will turn to those on His left hand.
King: Get away from Me, you despised people whom My Father has cursed. Claim your inheritance—the pits of flaming hell where the devil and his minions suffer. For I was starving, and you left Me with no food. When I was dry and thirsty, you left Me to struggle with nothing to drink. When I was alone as a stranger, you turned away from Me. When I was pitifully naked, you left Me unclothed. When I was sick, you gave Me no care. When I was in prison, you did not comfort Me.
Unrighteous: Master, when did we see You hungry and thirsty? When did we see You friendless or homeless or excluded? When did we see You without clothes? When did we see You sick or in jail? When did we see You in distress and fail to respond?
King: I tell you this: whenever you saw a brother hungry or cold, when you saw a sister weak and without friends, when you saw the least of these and ignored their suffering, so you ignored Me.
So these, the goats, will go off to everlasting punishment. But the beloved, the sheep (the righteous), will go into everlasting life.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Wow! Harsh words from the Master. Eternal punishment for those who fail to show compassion to those around them. What are we supposed to do with that? Does Jesus expect us to give up everything to feed the hungry? Does He want us to sell our homes or open the doors to every hobo that walks down the road? Does Jesus want us to spend all our free time at the prison talking to inmates? Will He list us as part of the herd of goats if we don’t?

I have to tell you, I think we have gotten pretty hard-hearted and dispassionate in our country in some respects. Oh, we pour billions of dollars into disaster relief when catastrophes happen like the tsunami in Japan or the earthquakes in Pakistan or the hurricanes in Gulf of Mexico. We find it easy to throw money at problems and ease our conscience and say we are compassionate and care for people. But do we?

I think one of the problems in our society comes from the fact that a small percentage of evil people figured out how to take advantage of compassionate people and make a pretty extravagant living from it. Seven figure salaries from charitable organizations or journalists with hidden cameras following the panhandler on the street corner change from his rags into his khaki pants and polo shirt before climbing into his new Cadillac and driving to the golf course and on to his half million dollar house.

The few crooks that make it into the news sour us against those that legitimately need our help. But then we look at the taxes that come out of our paycheck and think, “Isn’t that what the government is supposed to do? Don’t they have programs to help the down and out? Haven’t I paid enough?” So we pass them by thinking we’ve done our part in the supporting the social programs the government lays out for all those who should receive help. Surely, the government will take care of anyone that needs help. All they need to do is apply and if they don’t get help, they probably don’t deserve it, right?

Well, I have a question for you. When is the last time you sat down at one of the tables in a homeless shelter and listened to the story of one of the mothers there? How did she happen to end up on the street with her two or three children? Or the guy with the Masters Degree in economics? What happened to him that caused him to live on the street under a bridge? Or the veteran that should be able to get help through the Veterans Affairs for the nightmares that plague his sleep and make it impossible for him to function during the day? When is the last time actually talked to one of them? Would that make a difference in how you feel about “those” people?

Yes, there are some crooks out in the world who would take advantage of us. Yes, there are some people who make a living by deceiving others and weaving sad-song stories to get handouts so they don’t have to work and pay taxes. Yes, our government is creating a welfare society in which we are quickly relying on the government instead of ourselves for support. But the vast majority of those in real need are not among that number. And I really think God’s Spirit in us can help us sort those out if we truly listen to Him. He can help us discern the sheep from the goats, even among that crowd.

So if we can have compassion for the animals the humane society shows on their commercials with “Amazing Grace” playing in the background, can’t we begin to have some compassion for the people around us that need a little lift in their world? The price for walking by could be pretty high. Remember Jesus’ words, “whenever you saw a brother hungry or cold, when you saw a sister weak and without friends, when you saw the least of these and ignored their suffering, so you ignored Me.”

Those are harsh words I don’t want to hear. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Stars of the jumbo-screen (Matthew 25:31-40) June 14, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 1 Kings 10-13

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 25:31-40
Jesus: When the Son of Man comes in all His majesty accompanied by throngs of heavenly messengers, His throne will be wondrous. All the nations will assemble before Him, and He will judge them, distinguishing them from one another as a shepherd isolates the sheep from the goats. He will put some, the sheep, at His right hand and some, the goats, at His left. Then the King will say to those to His right,
King: Come here, you beloved, you people whom My Father has blessed. Claim your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of creation. You shall be richly rewarded, for when I was hungry, you fed Me. And when I was thirsty, you gave Me something to drink. I was alone as a stranger, and you welcomed Me into your homes and into your lives. I was naked, and you gave Me clothes to wear; I was sick, and you tended to My needs; I was in prison, and you comforted Me.
Even then the righteous will not have achieved perfect understanding and will not recall these things.
Righteous: Master, when did we find You hungry and give You food? When did we find You thirsty and slake Your thirst? When did we find You a stranger and welcome You in, or find You naked and clothe You? When did we find You sick and nurse You to health? When did we visit You when You were in prison?
King: I tell you this: whenever you saw a brother or sister hungry or cold, whatever you did to the least of these, so you did to Me.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

We probably hear lots of sermons about judgment day and the separation of the sheep from the goats, the obedient from the disobedient, the good from the evil. Well, maybe we don’t hear many sermons about that any more, but we probably should. However, if you’ve been in the church very long and if you’ve read your Bible much at all, you know a judgment day is coming on which we will be held account for the lives we live in this present age.

Rewards and punishments will be meted out for every individual based on two things. The lives we lived, that is the good and bad we did to others. And second, whether we accepted Jesus as Lord of our life during our life now. If we accept Him as Lord, the sinful acts are forgiven and not remembered by God. That’s a pretty interesting twist to God’s omniscience. God chooses to forget our sins and never remember them again when we ask repentantly for His forgiveness. But that’s a different sermon for a different time.

What I really want us to see today in the words Jesus spoke is this sentence in the middle of His discourse. “Even then the righteous will not have achieved perfect understanding and will not recall these things.” That’s a pretty interesting thing for Jesus to say at the judgment, don’t you think?

I always pictured the judgment as this long line of people walking up to Jesus, sitting on His throne. Next to Him is this gigantic jumbo-screen, like you see in a basketball court, large enough for everyone in line to see. And as you stand there, your whole life plays out in front of you. Everything you did shows up on that screen. Everything! I mean everything! But for those whose sins have been forgiven, washed away by the cleansing power of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, when those sinful acts start to play, instead of the act showing on the screen, there is this splash of blood red that covers the screen. Words scroll across the screen in big bold letters that read, “This portion of Richard’s life (or insert your name if you’re a child of God) is forgotten, covered by My blood.”

The video of your life continues. The whole of your life plays out. And as a child of God, saved by His grace, every sin committed shows up with that same crimson cover, “This portion of Richard’s life is forgotten, covered by My blood.” But the other interesting thing about that video for the righteous, is that I think we will see things we never realized happened. Words of encouragement we gave that we don’t remember. Acts of kindness we performed that slipped our mind. Giving gifts without any reason other than giving with the thought sharing God’s love at a particular moment in time, but never remembering the reason or the moment, or even the person we gave the gift.

I think for those who live under the direction of God’s Spirit in them, we will see dozens, hundreds of acts performed through our life that just happen every day because we feel compelled to do the right thing and that right thing serves God and others in ways we do not understand. At the judgment we will see how our lives impacted the world for good or evil. It will all be made clear. Until then, when God prompts you to do something, just do it. You’ll be surprised the joy it will bring to you and others when you do. Who knows, you might really be the star on a jumbo-screen one day. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

How many disciples would that be? (Matthew 25:14-30) June 13, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Leviticus 1-3

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 25:14-30
Jesus: This is how it will be. It will be like a landowner who is going on a trip. He instructed his slaves about caring for his property. He gave five talents to one slave, two to the next, and then one talent to the last slave—each according to his ability. Then the man left.
Promptly the man who had been given five talents went out and bartered and sold and turned his five talents into ten. And the one who had received two talents went to the market and turned his two into four. And the slave who had received just one talent? He dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money there.
Eventually the master came back from his travels, found his slaves, and settled up with them. The slave who had been given five talents came forward and told his master how he’d turned five into ten; then he handed the whole lot over to his master.
Master: Excellent. You’ve proved yourself not only clever but loyal. You’ve executed a rather small task masterfully, so now I am going to put you in charge of something larger. But before you go back to work, come join my great feast and celebration.
Then the slave who had been given two talents came forward and told his master how he’d turned two into four, and he handed all four talents to his master.
Master: Excellent. You’ve proved yourself not only clever but loyal. You’ve executed a rather small task masterfully, so now I am going to put you in charge of something larger. But before you go back to work, come join my great feast and celebration.
Finally the man who had been given one talent came forward.
Servant: Master, I know you are a hard man, difficult in every way. You can make a healthy sum when others would fail. You profit when other people are doing the work. You grow rich on the backs of others. So I was afraid, dug a hole, and hid the talent in the ground. Here it is. You can have it.
The master was furious.
Master: You are a pathetic excuse for a servant! You have disproved my trust in you and squandered my generosity. You know I always make a profit! You could have at least put this talent in the bank; then I could have earned a little interest on it! Take that one talent away, and give it to the servant who doubled my money from five to ten.
You see, everything was taken away from the man who had nothing, but the man who had something got even more. And as for the slave who made no profit but buried his talent in the ground? His master ordered his slaves to tie him up and throw him outside into the utter darkness where there is miserable mourning and great fear.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The story Jesus tells us about heaven in today’s lesson fits our society much better than some of the previous stories He’s told the crowd around Him. In our capitalistic, materialistic world, we understand using money to make money. We understand in our country how much easier it is to get the second million once you get the first million. You’ve learned the rules. You know the ropes. After the first million, you know how to use the right people and how to avoid others so that money multiplies.

The world’s economy makes it easy to multiply riches once you have them. We see it around us everywhere. The old euphemism that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer really happens in a lot of places. And it is at least relatively true in most of the world today. Those with wealth know how they got that way and they know how to continue to build on it.

So the master comes home from his trip and rewards those who doubled the funds he entrusted to them and punished the one who did not use the funds entrusted to him. How should we interpret that in our spiritual lives and in terms of the end times Jesus has been talking to His disciples about?

God gives each of us gifts, talents, skills, experiences that He expects us to use in service to Him and others. What talents, gifts has He given you to serve and edify His church? Is it preaching, teaching, hospitality? Is it one in the long list of spiritual gifts that Paul gives us in his writings? Maybe it’s the gift of math that you can use to help the treasurer of your church or to help others understand budgeting to help them out of or to avoid the stranglehold of debt. Maybe you are gifted as a mechanic and can serve some that need transportation but cannot afford to get their car fixed right because of their current situation.

What talents, gifts, skills, experiences has God given you that you can share with someone around you that can help them see the love of God. Can you use those gifts and multiple the disciples in His kingdom? That’s our task, after all, to make disciples in every nation. Are you using the gifts God has given you to double the disciples in your neighborhood? It’s an interesting question to ponder. How many disciples would that be? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

How’s your oil level? (Matthew 25:1-13) June 12, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Ephesians 1-3

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus: Or picture the kingdom of heaven this way. It will be like ten bridesmaids who each picked up a lantern and went out to meet a certain bridegroom. Five of these women were sensible, good with details, and remembered to bring small flasks of oil for their lanterns. But five of them were flighty, too caught up in the excitement of their jaunt, and forgot to bring oil with them. The bridegroom did not turn up right away. Indeed, all the women, while waiting, found themselves falling asleep. And then in the middle of the night, they heard someone call, “The bridegroom is here, finally! Wake up and greet him!” The women got up and trimmed the wicks of their lanterns and prepared to go greet the groom. The five women who had no oil turned to their friends for help.
Ill-prepared Bridesmaids: Please give us some of your oil! Our lanterns are flickering and will go out soon.
But the five women who’d come prepared with oil said they didn’t have enough.
Prepared Bridesmaids: If we give you some of our oil, we’ll all run out too soon! You’d better go wake up a dealer and buy your own supply.
So the five ill-prepared women went in search of oil to buy, and while they were gone, the groom arrived. The five who stood ready with their lanterns accompanied him to the wedding party, and after they arrived, the door was shut.
Finally the rest of the women turned up at the party. They knocked on the door.
Ill-prepared Bridesmaids: Master, open up and let us in!
Bridegroom (refusing): I certainly don’t know you.
So stay awake; you neither know the day nor hour when the Son of Man will come.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Another story that should warn us about being unprepared for Jesus’ coming. Once again, those around Him understood the customs well and got the nuances of the story we probably miss. A few days ago, I mentioned the wedding practices of Jesus’ day in which the Father decides when the wedding will take place. He determines the additional room on the family’s house is sufficiently prepared for his son to bring in his bride and tell his son, “Go, get your bride.”

That’s the day the wedding takes place. No other announcement. That’s it. People in the village looked forward to the wedding feast and knew it was near as they watched the new construction near completion, but not until the father told his son to get his bride did anyone know the wedding would take place that day.

So the rest of the story. These were a big deal in a small village. It meant not just the expansion of the family, but the perpetuation of the family name, succession of property, passing of the family legacy and so much more. The wedding was a big deal. But to go to the wedding you had to join the wedding party as it passed through the narrow paths between the bride’s home and the groom’s home. If you missed the procession, you missed the wedding and you missed the feast.

When the revelers saw the times was getting close, they often stayed at the ready. Not knowing exactly when the father, son, and the rest of the wedding party would come by, people would wait by the roadside so they could join in and not miss it. That’s whats happening with these bridesmaids. The ten wait by the road expecting the wedding party to come by at any time. But they don’t know exactly when it will be because the father hasn’t released his son to fetch his bride yet. They know it is soon because the room looks like it’s done. They better be ready.

Five had the appearance of being ready. But it was just appearance. They looked good on the outside, but didn’t have everything they needed. They didn’t bring any oil. Maybe they expected the party to pass by in the daytime. Maybe they expected the party to pass by at least by early evening. But for whatever reason, the father delayed the coming. Those unprepared were left out. And like with Noah’s ark. Like the untrustworthy servant. These unprepared bridesmaids found themselves shut out.

They missed their chance. They knew what they needed to be part of the feast. They had part of their equipment, but didn’t pay attention to the details.

How about us? We know what it takes to get into the wedding feast. It takes confessing our sins, asking forgiveness. Believing in Jesus, God’s Son, as the means of our salvation, the one who sacrificed Himself to pay the penalty for our sins. It takes true repentance, turning away from sin and toward obedience to God. We know what we need to make it to the feast, but have we prepared? Have we accepted Him as Lord? Are we watching for Him and keeping at the ready for the moment He passes by?

Only you and God know the answer to those questions. But you can know. And in just a few moments in prayer with Him, you can have the assurance that you are ready and waiting at the roadside. If He tarries before coming, it means keeping oil in your lamp, staying prayed up, keeping Him as Lord, living the life He wants you to live.

How’s your oil level? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

What kind of servant are you? (Matthew 24:48-51) June 11, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Luke 11-12

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 24:48-51
Jesus:But imagine that the master’s trust was misplaced, that the supposedly responsible servant is actually a thief who says to himself, “My master has been gone so long, he is not possibly coming back.” Then he beats his fellow servants and dines and drinks with drunkards. Well, when the master returns—as certainly he will—the servant will be caught unawares. The master will return on a day and at an hour when he isn’t expected. And he will cut his worthless servant into pieces and throw him out into darkness with the hypocrites, where there is weeping and grinding of teeth.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

In our culture this sounds like a pretty brutal punishment for a wayward servant. We can’t fathom anyone taking such extreme measures because someone exploited their position. I was thinking of the Enron executives as I read these verses and even those, as bad as it was for their investors, we didn’t tear them into pieces and throw them into darkness. Imprison them? Sure. Make them pay back the funds they squandered? If we can. Ruin their reputation and make sure they can never do that to anyone again? I hope so. But tear them into pieces? We just can’t imagine that kind of punishment.

But let’s go back to the culture in which Jesus lived. Remember He lived in a small country occupied by the Romans. The Romans were knows for their methods of imposing unique forms of cruelty on those who disobeyed. And they very often performed those acts of cruelty in public so others would not be so quick to follow suit with their disobedience.

Because of my military travels, I’ve seen what men can do to other men. The horrors of war are not soon forgotten when you see just how inhumane we can be to each other. The Romans perfected those skills. That’s the culture in which Jesus lived. And there was no such thing as firing a servant. Servants were slaves to the owner. Often the individual sold him or herself to the master because that was the only way the individual could survive in a world with no social support and only the rich and the poor. You either owned or were owned. It was a matter of survival for many.

So when a servant earned the privilege of running the master’s entire household, acting on the master’s behalf, the master placed an incredible amount of trust in that servant. The master’s entire wealth was in that slave’s hands at that point. But if that kind of trust was given, the master expected his wishes to be carried out. If not, those living in that culture knew how to inflict incredible pain and a lasting message to others who would dare to disobey.

So here we are in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, our national anthem reminds us. We know nothing of the culture Jesus talks about in this description of the master’s return. Those around Him understood it clearly. Perhaps even some of them were slaves in some Roman’s household and understood how their master handled disobedience. Jesus’ description didn’t surprise them.

But read a little further into Jesus’ words. Think about the tasks given the servant and the tasks Jesus has given us. Just before His ascension, Jesus gave His disciples, that includes us if we follow Him, a command. Remember what He told us? “I am here speaking with all the authority of God, who has commanded Me to give you this commission: Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age.”

So that leads us to some pretty important questions in light of the description Jesus gave that day of His return and the coming judgment. First, am I one of His followers? If not, I won’t even have the opportunity to share with Him in glory. I’ll be part of the left behind, Jesus described earlier. I’ll never have an opportunity to carry out His tasks. I’ll face the full force of God’s wrath at judgment.

Second, if I am one of Jesus’ disciples, what am I doing to fulfill the task He gave us to go reproduce ourselves? Am I making more disciples? Am I teaching others the practices others have taught me so they can draw closer to God through solid Christian disciplines? Am I showing them how to follow the commands Jesus gave as a living example of obedience in front of them every day? How do I measure up? Am I a faithful, trustworthy servant working diligently until my Master’s return? Or am I a worthless slave not expecting Him to come any time soon and wallowing in disobedience?

Both kinds of servant will receive something from the Master. I’d much rather receive His praise and invitation to join Him that to hear His anger and be thrown into the pit where there is weeping and grinding of teeth. How about you? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.