Author: Edtucner

He Gave Them What They Wanted

Luke 23:25                                    He Gave Them What They Wanted

“And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will” (NKJV).

 

Jesus had been brought to Pilate because the religious leaders wanted Jesus killed.  He was interfering with their plans, making the people doubt their biblical accuracy. They were afraid that the Romans would take their power away, so they incited the gathering crowd to cry for the crucifixion of Jesus.  So the crowd cried, “Crucify Him!  Crucify Him!”  These are the same people who threw palm branches and even their cloaks on the path the donkey carrying Jesus into Jerusalem was following.  Just a few days before, they hailed Jesus with the words, “Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!  Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David!  Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Mark 13:9b-10 (MSG).  How soon they forgot.  How easily they were persuaded by the religious leaders.

Why were they shouting?  What did they want?  What was the choice they made?  They shouted because, like many a mob, there were instigators shouting those hateful words at first.  But it didn’t take long before the crowd took up the chant.  “Crucify Him!”  Pilate tried three time to release Jesus because he found no fault in Him, but as the crowd increased their clamor, he gave in to their wishes. They wanted Barabbas, the rioter and murderer released.  They chose chaos and murder over the pure love of God.  Wow!  What a choice they made!  We would never do that today, right?  Well, maybe we would.  Church attendance is down, and many churches have closed.  More and more of our entertainment features murder and mayhem.  A former President of the United States announced that the USA is no longer a Christian nation.  Many college campuses are inflamed today with riots to the extent that graduation ceremonies have been cancelled, and the cries of the rioters are calling for the eradication of the nation of Israel.

We haven’t changed as much as we might think.  Mankind is not getting better and better no matter what the claims are of those opposed to our God, Jehovah, and His Son Jesus Christ.  But wait.  Later in Luke, chapter three, we learn that after Jesus had committed His spirit to His Father, a great darkness fell for three hours in the middle of the day.  In verse 48, we are told, “All who had come around as spectators to watch the show, when they saw what actually happened, were overcome with grief  and headed home” (MSG).  The NIV uses the words, “…they beat their breasts and went away.”  Was repentance beginning?  Might repentance begin and grow into a mighty move of God today?  We can pray for that to happen.

Beauty When All Parts Fit Together

Psalm 133:1                 Beauty When All Parts Fit Together

“How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live in harmony” (TLB).

 

Students at Grace Christian School were taught to live by this verse.  It didn’t always happen that way, but it certainly was a good daily point of reference.

I made a meat loaf for dinner today, (I’m the meat loaf chef at our house.) and while I was making it, I realized how much this verse applied even to the meat loaf.  I put together many ingredients: ground beef, red peppers, orange peppers, yellow peppers, onions, eggs, Ritz crackers, catsup, meat loaf seasoning, and even a little brown sugar.  (Before you question my list of ingredients, you should ask my wife how it tastes.)  Of course I didn’t just put all the ingredients in the loaf pan and put it in the oven.  The ingredients had to been combined, and I did that by hand.  It makes for messy hands, but it also makes for well-mixed ingredients.  I don’t really have a recipe in the manner of specific amounts of each ingredient each time, so my meat loafs are not always the same.  The main ingredient is the ground beef, but three pounds of ground beef by itself just make a very big, rather tasteless hamburger.  The other ingredients add flavor, each one its own special addition to the whole.

That’s a long way to get to brothers living in harmony, but I think it makes a point.  The main ingredient in any church is the Word, and its exposition.  If that’s all that happened in a church, it could be a church that has no effect on the surrounding community.  God purposely adds all kinds of ingredients to every church, and no two churches are exactly the same.  Just as each ingredient in a meat loaf adds its own special flavor, so each member in a church adds his or her own special flavor to the whole.  The Word and its exposition is certainly central, but if there were no praise and worship, much would be missed in each service.  If there were no one to plan the order of service, always subject to the Holy Spirit of course, services could be chaotic.  If no one made sure that the bills were paid, the church wouldn’t last long.  If no one organized the collection of funds, the finances could be a mess.  If no one cleaned the building, people would soon stop coming.  If no one reached out to his or her neighbor and friends, the church would not grow.  Everyone’s voice is important to God in the singing of worship and praise.  He loves to hear your voice singing His praises.  Making people welcome, especially newcomers, is vital to the health of every church.

I didn’t put much brown sugar in the meat loaf, but it made a difference.  If you don’t think you add much to your church, remember the brown sugar in the meat loaf.  Every ingredient is important in meat loaf, and every person is important in the church.  If you don’t believe me, just ask God.  He added you to your church, and you can expect Him to stir all the members together so that the church not only lives in harmony, but also witnesses to the surrounding community.  If that’s not happening, maybe the members need to become more amenable to God’s stirring.  Maybe we need also to be ready for Him to turn up the heat so the community becomes more aware of the church.

“I Love You”

John 3:16                                                                  “I Love You”

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (KJV).

 

Jesus spoke these words directly to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews who came to Him at night to inquire of Him what He could not or would not inquire during the public time of daytime.  He wanted face-to-face conversation to understand better the message given by Jesus.  This conversation must have lasted quite a while for it takes up over half of John, chapter three.  We so often neglect the rest of John, chapter three, yet it deserves close study for the many truths that Jesus declares to Nicodemus.  Even so, from this chapter of many basic truths of the Gospel, the one verse, John 3:16, has come to be the most Gospel that many people ever read or know.  As such, it has great importance in spreading the Good News.

In each of the following translations of John 3:16, the full love of God is declared.  Read the many versions given below, and let the truth of the message settle in your heart and mind partly because of the repetition, and partly because of the various ways in which man paraphrases the real words of God, “I Love You!

(NIV) ”For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

(MSG) “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only  Son.  And this is why : so that no one need be destroyed;  by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.”

(Phillips) “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son that everyone who believes in him should not be lost, but should have eternal life.”

(NEB) “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, that everyone who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life.”

(NLT) “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

(CEV) “God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.”

(NLV) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever.”

(AMP)  “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

(EASY) “God loved the people in the world so much that he gave his one and only Son to save them. As a result, everyone who believes in the Son will not die. Instead, they will live for ever with God.”

(WE) “God loved the world so very, very much that he gave his only Son. Because he did that, everyone who believes in him will not lose his life, but will live for ever.

Yes, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Time Alone with the Father

Mark 1:35                                           Time Alone with the Father

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (NIV).

 

Fellowship is good.  Spending special time with friends is good.  Gathering with large groups of people to praise the Lord and hear His Word preached is certainly good.  But, even Jesus needed to get way from everything and everybody to spend time alone with the Father.  We find this happening several times in the Gospels.  It seems that Jesus needed the close personal contact with the Father with no possibility of distractions.

If Jesus, the Son of God, had to get away from everything to spend time alone with the Father, how much more do we need to do the same.  Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is a very close, intimate one, and we need to be able to spend time when we can focus our conversation entirely with Him.  He loves mankind in general, but He loves me in particular, just as He loves you, and He yearns for alone time with each of us, to hear from our hearts.  Yes, God does know everything about us, but He also desires to talk with us and hear from our hearts how we are doing, what we are wondering about, how we feel about Him, if there are any requests we have for Him.  Focused time alone with Him also gives us the opportunity to hear from His heart how much He loves us, and what plans He has for us.  For me, that close, focused time alone with God is enhanced when I can be outdoors enjoying His creation.  It draws my attention to Him.

I cherish the times my wife and I can get apart from the concerns of life and just spend time together sharing the deepest feelings of our hearts.  Our relationship is strengthened every time we do that.  We should be desiring to do what we can to deepen the relationship with our Father God, and spending time alone with Him shows Him that we are eager and willing to make an effort to make that special time happen.  I encourage you to plan a time in the near future to spend extended time alone with Father God.  He’s waiting to meet you and spend special alone time with you.

 

Creation Calls Us to Him

Psalm 19:1-4                                             Creation Calls Us to Him

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God.  The skies display his craftsmanship.  Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known.  They speak without a sound or a word; their voice is never heard.  Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.  God has made a home in the heavens for the sun” (NLT).

 

The declaration of God by the heavens is remarkable.  Go outside at night and look at the stars and a full moon; then go out at night and see the stars when the moon isn’t shining.  It’s a quite different view.  Without the light of the moon, the stars shine brighter, and there are many more stars visible.  My wife and I are planning to visit a designated “dark sky” area this summer during new moon, and we also plan to stay awake as long as it takes to see the Milky Way.  From the pictures I’ve seen, it’s spectacular.  Other beauties of the night skies include the brilliant light of meteors (falling stars), and the view of the Northern Lights.  How many sunsets have you seen, and no two are alike?  We’ve seen sunsets from Maine to Hawaii and Alaska, and I am always rewarded for taking the time to look, not just glance, at a sunset.

During the daytime, we have the normal sight of the sun—a sight too bright to look squarely at it.  Then there are the days with clouds—partly cloudy to overcast.  Bright white puffy clouds floating across the blue sky pull my eyes heavenward.  It’s enjoyable to watch the sun play hide and seek with the clouds, sometimes making their edges stand out brilliantly.  Even an overcast sky holds my interest with the several types of clouds that cover the sky.

I’ve seen a total eclipse of the sun in Maine, and several partial eclipses of the sun in Arizona.  I’ve also seen total and partial eclipses of the moon in both Pennsylvania and Arizona.  Each of them has held my attention while they were occurring.  Nighttime light in the middle of the afternoon will get and hold your attention.  It certainly gets the attention of animals, as birds go to roost and land animals lie down as if to sleep.

So what is the point of all this discussion of the beauty available for enjoyment in the skies?  Go back to the top of this message and reread Psalm 19, verses one to four.  That’s right, “The heavens proclaim the glory of the Lord.”  Look and see.  Look and learn.  Look and believe in Jesus Christ, the creator.  He created all this beauty for our enjoyment and to draw us to Him.  The next time you look at the sky, spend at least a few minutes thinking about the Creator.  Creation beckons us, and the Creator calls us to Him every day.

Even Little Things Matter to God

Matthew 6:4                                    Even Little Things Matter to God

“…so that your giving may be in secret.  Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (NIV).

 

This little waterfall adds little to the flow of the mighty Snake River in Idaho, and very few people even see it.  It’s back a poorly marked dirt road with barely a wide space in the road for parking.  We drove past it, even knowing it was there, but we did go back and find it.  It was worth the effort we made to see it.  To most people who drive by on U. S. route 26, it doesn’t even exist.  We were rewarded for making the extra effort to find it.  God, of course, knows where this sparkling gem is located, and He appreciates it.  He created it to be right where it is, and it fulfills its purpose of adding to the flow of the Snake River (and its secondary purpose of adding beauty to its surroundings.)

Those little things you do for the Church, the unnoticed things, may not be noticed by many, but God notices them.  He takes note of them, and He lays up rewards in Heaven for each of them.  It’s not just the small things you do for the Church; it’s the little things you do for your neighbors, your friends, and even strangers.  God notices them all, and He appreciates the heart that thought enough to perform these little things.  Often the person who is the recipient of the small favor does not even know who did it, but he or she appreciates it also.  He or she may even say a short prayer of thanksgiving and blessing upon the thoughtful person.  So don’t give up doing the small things.  They are noticed and appreciated, and rewards are laid up in heaven for the doer of them.

May God bless you greatly for all the small, thoughtful things you do.

Pray for Our Leaders

Hebrews 13:7                                                 Pray for our Leaders

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.  Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (NIV).

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My foray into the watering of my plants yesterday gave me a continuation of what I considered yesterday, the feeding we receive from the Word of God.  I could view the plants in our garden as individual plants or I can see them as a coordinated group.  All receive the same watering, but each one grows differently.  Their differences add “flavor” to our flower patch.   In fact, I might say that their differences complete the picture.  Each one looks better because of the others.   The same can be said for the Church.  We all receive the same teaching, but we may well react differently.  We each have separate and individual gifts for separate and individual works.  When we all receive the feeding well and grow as we receive the Word of God, the Church shines for our Lord and growth occurs.

It is the responsibility of the leader, the one we call “pastor” to preach, teach, admonish, correct, and train us in the ways of the Lord.  That’s a heavy responsibility, and we need to appreciate and pray for our pastors as they lead us forward in the work of the Kingdom.

As a congregation, we all receive the same teaching, and when we apply it to our lives in the manner intended by God, church growth occurs.  I don’t mean church growth in terms of numbers, although that may well occur, but growth in the lives and witness of each of us as followers of Jesus Christ.  As we learn and as we grow, we support and complement each other so that the work that God intends for our church is accomplished.  Our individual works bring “flavor” to the work of our church.  Our individual works move our church forward on the road of completion of our task.  Only when we work together can we shine the brightest for our Lord.  We each receive blessing from the written Word, and we each receive the spoken Word as given by our pastors as an additional blessing.  It is the intention of God that His chosen pastors will open the Scriptures beyond what we may see on our own.  It is indeed His intention that our pastors lead us in the direction God has for our church.

So, let us give thanks for our leaders, our pastors, and let us lift them in prayer so that each one may fulfill his or her purpose given by God.

The Word Waters My Soul

Matthew 4:4                                             The Word Waters My Soul

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written : “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”’” (NIV).

 

These words were spoken to satan by Jesus when He was being tempted, and they ring true today.  We have an entire book that contains sixty six specific messages penned by numerous writers over many, many years.  This Holy collection provides us with God’s Words to humankind.  I believe they were written over so many years by so many people so that we can see God’s love and care for us from many different perspectives of man.  But God has only one perspective, and it can be stated simply as, “I created you, and I love you!”

I was watering our flowers this morning, and I had a thought that this watering can be compared to the food we get when we read the Word of God.  While I am watering the flowers, they are receiving their refreshment directly from the faucet or watering can, and they can drink all they need to satisfy their immediate thirst.  But some water is not immediately absorbed, but it goes into the soil so it can be drawn upon later when the flow of water is not present.

When I read the Word, I am immediately refreshed by the Word of God, and I rejoice in knowing that I am reading the very thoughts of God.  He meant these words for me today, just as He meant them for all who read them whenever they read them.  The words that the prophets and Jesus spoke were immediately absorbed by those who heard them, and they have been alive for thousands of years because they are relevant to everyone born of man.

Beyond the immediate blessing while reading the Word is the continued blessing we receive as we think about those words over the next few days or even weeks sometimes.  Frequently I receive a revelation about the Scripture that I read several days later.  It has been demonstrated to me many times that the Holy Scriptures have more layers of meaning that I can possibly absorb at one sitting.  I need to stretch my roots deeper in order to glean the refreshing that has sunk deeper in my mind waiting for me to consider it.  That’s also one way in which my Bible reading reminds me of a certain class of animals, the ruminates. I need to do as they do, bring back the nourishment that I haven’t yet fully digested and ruminate on it.

The thoughts I received as I was watering my plants this morning have served to remind me to look beyond the immediate blessing I get when I read His Word.  There are always additional blessings waiting to be harvested.

Love As Jesus Loves

Ephesians 5:1,2                                                 Love As Jesus Loves

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (NIV).

 

I came across this picture and was struck by a deficiency in my walk with the Lord.  If I see the glacier as the love that God has poured into me and see the tickle of water flowing out from the glacier as the amount of his love that I allow to flow through me to others, I realize what a small amount of His love that I share.  I should be overflowing with His love.  I should not be able to hold it back.  I, as a Christian, may be the only Bible that some people see.  When I realize that, I know that it is my joy and responsibility to share the love of God with many.

We often think of the mission field as being in other continents, other countries, but there is a great mission field right in our neighborhoods, in our work places, and even in our families.  When our lives mirror the love of Jesus Christ, we will draw many to Him.  I’ve quoted this before, but it deserves repetition.  I don’t know who first said it, but it speaks volumes: “Preach a sermon every day.  When necessary, use words.”  My life should be lived in a manner that reveals the love of God as shown through Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His life for us.  I don’t mean that I need to die on a cross as Christ did, but I do need to put more sacrifice in my life so that others can be blessed by my actions.  God’s love and blessings are straining to gush forth.  That’s his nature, and I need to incorporate it.  I need to preach a sermon to someone today without using words.

Oh, just a note about glaciers.  When a lot of water flows from a glacier, it usually gets smaller because the source has become less.  Here’s where the analogy of this message breaks down.  The source of love from Father God never decreases.  In fact, the more we share His love, the more love He gives us.  We can never outgive God, especially in love.

Justice from the Heart of God

Luke 18:6-8                                          Justice from the Heart of God

“Then the Master said, ‘Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying?  So what makes you think that God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people?  Won’t he stick up for them?  I assure you, he will.  He will not drag his feet.  But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?’”

 

The corrupt judge in the earlier part of this parable gave in to the persistent widow who kept badgering him with her plea for justice.  Jesus assures His listeners that the Father will step in and gain justice for His people, particularly for those who are persistent in their prayers, asking Him for His help in granting justice.  This is definitely an encouragement to keep on praying even when we haven’t yet been granted what we ask.  There is a key word in this parable, and that word is “justice.”  I don’t believe that we can use this parable as encouragement to continue to pray for just anything we may want or desire.  It is specific to the quest for justice, for His help when we have been wronged.  God is not the spendthrift gift-giver who gives gifts haphazardly.  He always has purpose in His giving of gifts.  He knows the difference between good gifts and bad gifts that may eventually bring harm.  He, the omniscient God, certainly knows what is good for us and what is harmful to us.  When we have been wronged and deserve justice, He will see that we get justice.

God’s ultimate judgment comes about when we die.  If we have any sin listed in our account we will not be permitted in heaven.  Wait a minute!  I have sinned, and I don’t know anyone who hasn’t.  You mean that I have no chance to get into heaven?  No, that’s not quite true.  What is true is that we have all sinned, and what is also true is that Jesus died on Calvary for our sins and arose three days later with victory for us because He had paid the debt for all our sins, and they are no longer listed in our accounts.  So, I can spend eternity in heaven even if I have sinned?  That’s right, as long as we have asked Jesus to forgive us for our sins and have accepted His sacrifice on our behalf and call Him Lord.  So, God gives us more that the justice we deserve; He also gives us grace in the forgiveness of our sins.  He provides justice for us here on earth and grace for eternity.