Preaching Jesus In Spite Of Persecution

Acts 5:29-42 KJV; 1st Sunday after Easter; The apostles continued to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ even as they were persecuted and faced death. Will you?

Palm Passion Sunday Matthew 27 2023

Matthew 27; KJV Palm-Passion Sunday - a reading from the day of Jesus' execution.

Who Betrays Him?

He Sees; He Knows

And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.

And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 

                                                                               (Mark 14:12-16 KJV)

The two disciples were able to make the preparations to observe the passover just as Jesus had told them. How did Jesus know about this upper room and that the owner of the house would allow them to use it for the passover?  They had no telephones. They didn't even have telegraph. It makes no mention of anyone carrying a message back and forth between Jesus and the homeowner prior to them coming into Jerusalem. And, if Jesus had sent anyone to make the arrangement to use his property it would have been one of the disciples he sent to make the preparations with the landowner. How does Jesus know what is going to happen?

How does Jesus know that he will be betrayed by Judas? How does he know that he will be executed and be resurrected from the dead? How does he know? 

He knows! He knows what tomorrow will bring even when we do not. He even knows what we are thinking; what we are worrying or rejoicing about; what we are planning in our hearts. He knows and he cares and is with you no matter what you may be facing.

Listen to him and follow in his footsteps for he knows that death has no power over those who would believe in him. He knows that life in the Kingdom awaits you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.  

Indignant And Arrogant

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 

                                                                               (Mark 14:3-10 KJV)

Indignant and I'd say a bit arrogant were some of the disciples. Why should this woman waste money on such an extravagant gift for Jesus?

Was Judas, the disciple in charge of their money, upset to see such waste? Or, was he upset because he thought Jesus was making excuses for this mere woman who was being so forward? Maybe, he felt offended because Jesus reminded them that they could help the poor whenever they wished. Maybe Judas felt that Jesus was hinting that they themselves, including Judas, could do much more to help the poor.

Apparently Judas' feelings were hurt. He was one of the indignant. So indignant that he wanted to get even with Jesus so he betrayed him and handed him over to be tried.

Judas isn't the only one. Humankind has a habit of striking back when things don't go exactly their way. Humankind also has a habit of pointing fingers at others and blaming these others for the poor in the world. They could help so much more if they were only willing! But, here Jesus reminds us "For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good."

Do good to one another. Help those in need. It is not just the government's job to do that. It is ours. It is up to each of us as individuals and as members of the Body of Christ to help those in need. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Betrayal

"Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

And they laid their hands on him, and took him."

                                                                                   (Mark 14:42-46 KJV)

It was time to wake up and face reality. Jesus' betrayer was at hand and he wanted those who were with him to actually be with him when he faced his betrayer. Jesus did not run and hide from his betrayer. He did not hide from those who would take him to his death. He faced them. He went willingly to his death for the sake of the world.

In the Gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke we hear Jesus warn us that he would be put to death and that those who would be his disciples; those who would receive eternal life in the presence of God, must also be willing to follow him even to death.

"And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." 

                                                                                   (Mark 8:31-35)

Do not fear what man might do to you. Face the betrayers. Face those who would  befriend you and kiss you on the cheek in order to betray you. Rather, trust that the Lord will work all things for the good of those who believe and trust in him.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Betrayed

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. (Matt 26:47-50 KJV)

A follower; a friend, betrayed him. He betrayed him with a kiss. It takes so little sometimes to turn a friend into an enemy. You don't even have to do anything  out of your norm and you could find yourself in the courts because a friend or even a family member has turned you in to protect themselves and what they desire no matter how trivial that desire might be. 

Those charges against Jesus were charges contrived of false accusations because of such things as fear, jealousy, and even disappointment as in Judas' case when he realized that Jesus did not have the same goals in mind that Judas had. 

It is a sad thing when someone you love turns against you to protect and preserve their future. But, it happens and it happens way to much. There are those who will throw their own children under the bus to keep from being hit themselves.

But, that is not the way with Jesus. He knew that Judas would betray him. Yet, he willingly threw himself under the bus to save us. He willingly bore our sins. He was executed for our sins. He did not turn his back on us. 

Judas betrayed the innocent Jesus with a kiss. May God help us to be faithful to the one who would not betray us. Let our love for the Lord be genuine.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Following Jesus To Death And To Life

And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again. (Matt 20:17-19 KJV)

Today, I am heading to my death. I'm going to walk right into the camp of those who want to kill me and you're coming with me. That's what Jesus told his disciples. And, they went. They followed him to Jerusalem. Only one, Judas, was not willing to participate as a possible victim. Once inside of Jerusalem, he went to the other camp. He regretted his actions and ended up in death before all of the others.

Sometimes, it is easier to take the other side. Sometimes, it might feel safer to ignore those who blaspheme the name of Jesus. Sometimes, we switch the subject and go another way instead of being willing to take up our cross and follow Jesus. 

But, is it really easier to go another way and stray from God's side? Is it really easier to lay down your cross and walk away? For the most part, the disciples did not see an option. They only knew that they wanted to follow their beloved Jesus. Yes, they all faltered at times in fear for their lives. But, in the end, all but one, picked their crosses back up and followed Jesus through the gateway of death into eternal life.

We all may get weary and afraid from time to time as we recognize that we might also become the persecuted. But, we must persevere in faithful witness to the life, death, and life of as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jesus the Bearer of Good News

He who bore your sins is the bearer of Good News.

Listen to Jesus! Believe Jesus for he is your life and salvation!

Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith

                                                                                                         (Mark 6:1-6 NIV)

There are days that I just marvel at the faith of some of the people around me. There are those who just so absolutely trust the Lord and then there are those who plainly exhibit their lack of trust in him although they may say they do.

Jesus was not trusted by everyone when he walked the earth two thousand years ago. He was especially not trusted by those who knew his family personally. Sometimes, familiarity truly does breed contempt. It is not so different today for those who share the Good News with others. There will be some who will listen. There will be some who will do all they can to turn the ears of the listeners away from the one who speaks God's truth and toward the gossiping back-biters whose aim is to cause dissension and to turn the attention on themselves and their own purposes. There will be those who whisper, "Who do they think they are preaching to us?" "We know him or her. He or she is no different than us." Well, then if the bearer of Good News is no different that you; maybe it's time to start sharing the Good News as they do! 

It is not about the preacher. It is not about the bearer of the Good News. It is about the Good News itself. It is all about the Good News that the bearer brings to others. It is about the Good News that through faith in Jesus as our Savior we have received life in the presence of Almighty God for all eternity.

There will be dissenters. Jesus had dissenters. There are still multitudes today who do not believe him. If others will not believe you and the Good News that you bring do not fret. You can be assured that you are in good company. You are in the company of Jesus and his followers.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Celebrate Life!

   "Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
   But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
   “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
                                                                                                                             John 12:2-8 NIV

You are celebrating with friends. You are having a very pleasant time and suddenly someone begins to complain about something - maybe it's because you are having too much fun - maybe they are a bit jealous. Who knows? There seems to always be someone who wants to insert a bit of drama into the party so that it is not so enjoyable for others. 

Judas was the kill joy at the party that was held in Jesus' honor. Can you imagine! Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead and Judas finds something to grumble about! Lazarus' sister, Mary, celebrated with a gift of expensive perfume poured on Jesus' feet and then she let her hair down and wiped Jesus' feet with her hair. Judas was not happy and let his opinion be known. What a extravagant and wasteful gesture on the part of this woman! Jesus tells Judas to “Leave her alone, it was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

As the writer from Ecclesiastes wrote:
    "There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

    a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
    a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
    a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
    a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
    a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace." (Eccl 3:1-8)

There is a time to weep and a time to laugh. There is a time to rejoice and to dance. There is a time to tear down and a time to build things up. Just because we may feel like it's time to tear things apart, doesn't necessarily make it so. Put a clamp on the desire to destroy the joy of LORD that others experience. Let those who rejoice in the LORD, continue rejoicing. Do not let jealousy or greed get in the way of others rejoicing in the gifts of God; namely, the gift of life. We who were once dead in our sins, now live!

Let us worship that Lord with joy and thanksgiving for the opportunity; the privilege, to live life in His presence. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Deserting Jesus

  In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)  and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus.  He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”

  (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

  “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

    “‘May his place be deserted;
    let there be no one to dwell in it,’

  and,

    “‘May another take his place of leadership.’

  Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

  So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.                                       (Acts 1:15-26 NIV)

It is a sad thing when one would turn their back on Jesus. But, that is what his friend and follower, Judas, did. There was nothing left to do for the disciples after his death, but to replace him so that there would be the twelve to witness to what they had seen of Jesus' life; from his baptism to his ascension. Two men were nominated; Matthias was elected by casting lots. Casting of lots helped avoid biases and divisions among the people. There were no great debates as to who the better candidate was. There were no expensive campaigns. There were no recounts. They simply trusted that God would guide the results of the lots; whatever those lots might be.

Even today, we encounter those who would turn their backs on Jesus; betraying him; deserting him and his church. Sometimes, they will choose to stay within the church as they don't even realize that they have turned their backs on Christ, simply because they happen to like the ritual of being there or they like serving to serve their own egos or maybe they have a more secular political purpose in mind.

Some find themselves disillusioned because the church is not what they want it to be for them as individuals. They cannot comprehend they mystery of the kingdom of God. When they choose to leave, like Judas, they also find themselves without hope.

Our hope is found in Jesus Christ. Without him, we can do nothing. It is a sad thing for all involved when we lose a brother and sister in Christ to worldly desires. Hear the witness of the many generations that speaks of Jesus' gift of life and salvation for you. Receive it and live life in the Kingdom of God, in the Body of Christ, even today.

God's Peace - Pr. J