burial

Do As I Have Done

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” – John 13:12-20 ESV

Earlier in John’s narrative, he described Jesus as having “laid aside his outer garments” (John 13:4 ESV). The Greek word is tithēmi and it means to “lay down, to wear or carry no longer.” The same word is found three times in Jesus’ Good Shepherd discourse as He discusses His pending death.

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down [tithēmi] my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down [tithēmi] of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down [tithēmi], and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” – John 10:17-18 ESV

It is no coincidence that John chose to use this very same word when describing Jesus laying aside His outer garment in preparation to wash the feet of the disciples. And when Jesus had completed His task, John states that He “put on his outer garments” (John 13:17 ESV). Again, notice the word John used to describe this action by Jesus. It is lambanō, a Greek word that means “to take what is one’s own” or “to get back.” And it is the same word used in Jesus’ discourse on the Good Shepherd when He stated that He had the authority to lay down His life and to take it up again (lambanō).

John, writing long after the scene he personally witnessed and experienced in the upper room, is revealing his understanding of what took place that fateful evening. While the true meaning behind Jesus’ actions had evaded him that night, with the coming of the Holy Spirit, John had been able to comprehend the symbolic meaning behind the foot washing.

In taking off His outer garment, Jesus was signifying His death. And by taking up and putting on the very same garment, Jesus was illustrating His resurrection. And all that He did in-between was meant to reveal the spiritual cleansing that would come as a result of His sacrificial and selfless death.

It is interesting to note that Jesus, having put on His outer garment and rejoined His disciples at the table, asked them, “Do you understand what I have done to you” (John 13:12 ESV), and they made no reply. They had no idea what this strange and unexpected ritual meant. Because they had not yet received the Holy Spirit. Jesus will later tell them, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26 ESV).

Having their feet washed by their Master had been uncomfortable for the disciples. It had been an awkward experience that had left them embarrassed and confused. But after the coming of the Holy Spirit, their spiritual eyes would be opened and they would be able to see the events of that evening from a whole new perspective.

But on that night in the upper room, Jesus made no attempt to explain what He had done. He simply challenged them to follow His example.

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” – John 13:13-15 NLT

It is important that we see understand Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet as what it was, “an acted parable of the Lord’s humiliation unto death” (George R. Beasley-Murray, “Baptism, Wash.” In New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology). Jesus had provided them with a tangible demonstration of His coming death on the cross. It was going to require abject humility, the laying aside of His divine rights, and the willing sacrifice of His life. And the apostle Paul would later use the death of Jesus as an example for believers to follow, calling them to live lives of humility and selfless service.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had… – Philippians 2:3-5 NLT

And then he describes the “attitude” or mindset of Jesus they were to emulate.

…who though he existed in the form of God
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
but emptied himself
by taking on the form of a slave,
by looking like other men,
and by sharing in human nature.
He humbled himself,
by becoming obedient to the point of death
—even death on a cross! – Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

And Jesus commended His disciples for recognizing Him as their “Lord and Teacher.” He seems to have used these words in a non-spiritual and more “earthy” sense. He acknowledges that His disciples saw Him as their Rabbi or teacher and respected Him as their superior. But they were not yet fully convinced of His deity and true identity. So, Jesus seems to be emphasizing that, if their “Lord and Teacher” would be willing to humble Himself and wash their feet, they had no excuse for viewing themselves as too good to follow His example. If Jesus could humble Himself and do the unthinkable, so could they. There was no place in His Kingdom for pride, arrogance, or self-conceit.

And Jesus makes it clear that His washing of their feet had been intended as an example to follow, not a mandatory perfunctory ritual to be mechanically performed. The word “example” means “a sign suggestive of anything.” HIs washing of their feet had been intended as a representation of a far greater act of selflessness they would need to make. And Jesus would later reveal to His disciples just what that more significant act of sacrifice would be.

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:12-13 NLT

The disciples had no idea what was coming. Even though Jesus had repeatedly alluded to His coming death, they were not yet able to grasp the weight of what was taking place around them. So, Jesus simply called them to follow His example.

“I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.” – John 13:16-17 NLT

It is likely that all they heard Jesus saying was that they should wash one another’s feet. And it is even more likely that they couldn’t understand why. But before any of them could ask for clarification or express their confusion, Jesus changed the subject.

“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’ I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah.” – John 13:18-19 NLT

Jesus was preparing His disciples for what was to come, including His betrayal by the hands of Judas. But Jesus lets them know that all of this was divinely ordained. He had chosen them all, including Judas. Each of them had a role to play. For Judas, his role would be to betray Jesus into the hands of the religious leaders, and his act would be in direct fulfillment of Scripture. Jesus quotes from Psalm 41:9, revealing that He had chosen Judas to fulfill the prophecy it contained. Nothing that was about to happen would be a surprise to Jesus. He would not be caught off-guard by Judas’ actions or shocked by the outcome of His pending trials before the high priest, Pilate, or Herod. It would all take place according to God’s sovereign plan. And Jesus wanted His disciples to know that He knew. In time, they would look back on all that happened and recognize that He had been who He had claimed to be: The Messiah.

And speaking prophetically, Jesus lets the disciples in on what the future has in store for them. When He has ascended back to His Father’s side in heaven, they will become His ambassadors, His “sent ones,” acting on His behalf and fulfilling the will of the Father in His absence.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.” – John 13:20 NLT

And this would all be made possible by His death, resurrection, and ascension, and the Holy Spirit’s coming.

“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 NLT

They will have plenty of opportunities to do as He has done, selflessly sacrificing their lives for the spread of the Gospel and the glory of God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Anointed and Appointed to Die

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. – John 12:1-11 ESV

The public ministry of Jesus has come to a spectacular close, culminating with the raising of Lazarus from the dead. And while John indicates that many who witnessed this miracle ended up believing in Jesus, their conversions only intensified the hatred of the Sanhedrin for Jesus. These men had threatened any who expressed belief in Jesus as the Messiah (John 9:22) with ex-communication from the synagogue and yet, Jesus’ popularity continued to spread.

Jesus would perform no more miracles or deliver any more messages. His focus had shifted from demonstrating His divine power and authority to accomplishing His God-given mission. John reveals that it is only six days until the Passover celebration begins and Jesus, knowing that the day of His sacrificial death is drawing closer, has the end in mind. Luke records that as “the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51 ESV). Jesus was resolute and determined to carry out the will of His Heavenly Father. Nothing would distract or deter Him. And everything that John records in his gospel from this point forward is intended to prepare his readers for the final phase of Jesus’ life: His death, burial, and resurrection.

Just days before His own death, Jesus returned to the scene of His greatest miracle: the town of Bethany where He had restored Lazarus to life. This was a risky move on Jesus’ part because “the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him” (John 11:57 ESV). But Jesus was walking in perfect obedience to His Father’s will and there was nothing the Sanhedrin could do to prevent God’s redemptive plan from unfolding just as He had sovereignly ordained it.

According to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus was invited as the guest of honor at dinner hosted by a man named, Simon, whom John describes as a leper. The New Living Translation describes Simon as “a man who had previously had leprosy” because it would have been unlikely that any guests would have shown up to a party in his home if his disease was still active. He would have been considered ceremonially unclean and unapproachable. We know nothing about this man, but it seems likely that Jesus must have healed from his leprosy and the party was his way of expressing his gratitude.

Among the guests are Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. By this time, Lazarus had become somewhat of a celebrity. The news of his death-to-life transformation had spread rapidly and it likely that his home and former grave had become local tourist attractions. No doubt, some enterprising entrepreneur had begun giving tours of the very spot where Lazarus had walked out of the tomb – alive.

It is no coincidence that Lazarus, the man who was formerly dead but was now alive, was reclining at the same table with Jesus, the man who was alive but would soon be dead. The very one who had restored Lazarus to life was preparing to experience death so that others might live.

The entire tone of this party, hosted by Simon as an expression of gratitude to Jesus and intended as a time of celebration, was about to change. As Jesus and the other guests reclined at Simon’s table, Mary, one of the sisters of Lazarus, took the opportunity to express her sincere gratitude to Jesus for what He had done for her brother. In a premeditated display of humble and costly devotion to Jesus, Mary “took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair” (John 12:3 ESV).

John, having been an eyewitness to this event, recalls how the smell of the nard immediately permeated the room. As soon as Mary opened the jar containing the aromatic oil and began pouring it on Jesus’ head and feet, everyone’s attention was riveted on this unexpected and somewhat unorthodox scene. And when Mary began to dry Jesus’ feet with her own hair, everyone in the room would have been shocked and filled with indignation. In fact, in his gospel account, Matthew records that even Jesus’ disciples were surprised by Mary’s actions.

…when the disciples saw it, they were indignant. – Matthew 26:8 ESV

Matthew even indicates that the disciples were appalled by what they considered to be Mary’s overly extravagant and wasteful use expensive perfume to anoint Jesus.

“Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” – Matthew 26:8-9 ESV

But John reveals the true source of this seemingly frugal-minded outburst from the disciples. It had been Judas who expressed righteous indignation at Mary’s wastefulness.

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” – John 12:4-5 ESV

And with this insight, John sets the stage for what is to come. Judas is going to play a major role in the unfolding drama surrounding Jesus’ last days on this earth. And his comments provide a stark contrast to the selfless, humble, and sacrificial actions of Mary. Judas had no real love for Jesus. He had entered into his relationship with Jesus solely for what he could get out of it. It was not that Judas was totally unbelieving. He likely considered Jesus to be the Messiah, but his expectations were selfish in nature. Judas probably harbored strong hopes that Jesus would prove to be the next King of Israel and, as one of His disciples, he would stand to benefit. Judas was an opportunist. And, as John makes clear, Judas had taken advantage of his role as treasurer to line his own pockets.

…he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. – John 12:6 ESV

Judas had no sense of what was really going on. All he saw was a missed opportunity to make a profit without any cost to himself. But Mary had sacrificed greatly, having spent what was the equivalent of an entire year’s wages to purchase the nard that she poured on the head and feet of Jesus. But to her, it had all been worth it. What price could she put on the life of her brother? He had been dead but was now alive. She had lost him but, thanks to Jesus, had received him back.

And Jesus reveals that there was more to Mary’s actions than even she was able to grasp. Her anointing had a far greater significance than she had originally intended. Matthew provides us with Jesus’ response to His indignant and ignorant disciples.

“Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.” – Matthew 26:10-12 ESV

Unbeknownst to Mary, she had actually prepared the body of Jesus for His coming burial. And Jesus warns the disciples to allow her to keep whatever nard remained so that she might keep it for the day of HIs death. But all of this escaped their understanding. He was headed to Jerusalem in order to sacrifice His life on their behalf, but they had been overwhelmed by the smell of perfume and the apparent waste of resources. Little did they know that their Master was about to pour out His life for them. In just a matter of days, His costly blood would pour from the wounds on His back, brow, hands, feet, and sides. Later on, in the upper room, Jesus would use a cup of wine as a symbol, stating “my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you” (Luke 22:20 NLT).

Jesus was headed to the cross. But the disciples’ minds were elsewhere. And years later, as John penned the words of his gospel, he must have wondered how they could have been so blind. It all made sense this side of the crucifixion, but at the time, they had been oblivious to all the signs that pointed to His coming death.

And John brings the sobering reality of the circumstances back into focus as he reveals the crowds gathering outside Simon’s home, anxious for a glimpse of Jesus and Lazarus. And these crowds will play a vital role in all that happens in the days ahead. But there is another group of individuals who will play an even more significant and sinister part in Jesus’ last days: The religious leaders of Israel. When they discover that Lazarus’ so-called resurrection has made him a virtual calling card for Jesus, they decide to put him to death as well. While Caiaphas had originally said that “it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish” (John 11:50 ESV), he was now willing to up the ante. If Jesus and Lazarus had to die to save the nation of Israel, so be it.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

According to Plan.

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
    for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
    my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
    or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
    you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’” – Acts 2:22-28 ESV

Peter flatly denies the accusation that they are drunk with wine. They are under the influence of the Holy Spirit and what the crowd had just witnessed was in partial fulfillment of the prophecies of Joel. With the resurrection of Jesus, something new was happening that was the beginning of the last days and would eventually usher in the final judgment of mankind. And all of, Peter insists, was part of God’s divine plan. Even the death of Jesus had been “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23 ESV). His crucifixion had not been an unexpected setback, but the central part of God’s foreordained plan of redemption. Peter would later write about this in his first letter.

18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. – 1 Peter 1:18-20 NLT
And yet, Peter lays the blame for the death of Jesus at the feet of the Jews to whom he is talking. It was their shouts of “Crucify Him!” and their refusal to accept Pilate’s offer of clemency for Jesus that had resulted in His death sentence. Peter makes it emphatically clear, “With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him” (Acts 2:23 NLT). Not exactly the kind of rhetoric that wins friends and influences enemies. Speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter was not interested in political correctness. He was out to present the gospel in all of its glory. The fact was, the Jews had willingly participated in the death of Jesus, the Messiah. And Peter states that they were without excuse. Jesus had been attested or proven to them through the many signs and wonders He had performed. These miracles had been ample proof that He had been sent by God. And yet, they had refused to accept Him as their Savior and Messiah. He had not come as they had expected. He had failed to appear as a king or mighty warrior. Sure, He had performed miracles, healed the sick, turned water into wine, fed the multitudes and even raised the dead, but they had been looking for another David, not an itinerant rabbi from Nazareth.
But, in spite of their role in the death of Jesus, Peter informs them that God had another plan in mind. His Son was destined to die for the sins of mankind, but He would live to come another day. Peter declares, “God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip” (Acts 2:24 NLT). Yes, they had killed Jesus, but God had raised Him back to life. And, some time later, after his conversion, Paul would write to the Corinthian believers, “if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17 NLT). It was Jesus’ resurrection that made possible mankind’s forgiveness from sin. His death paid the debt, but His resurrection proved that His life had been sinless and a worthy offering. Death is the penalty for sin (Romans 6:23). But Jesus had died for our sins, not His own. So His death was temporary in nature. God released Him from the horrors of death. On the cross, just moments before He died, Jesus had cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46 NLT). As Jesus took on Himself the sins of mankind, His heavenly Father was forced to turn away from Him. The sins of mankind separated Him from His Father for the first time in all eternity. That is what sin does. And death is not just the absence of life, but eternal separation from God. The Father didn’t turn away from Jesus, but from the sins He bore on behalf of you and me. Jesus died so that we might not have to. And He was raised to new life as proof that we too will one day follow His example. Paul went on to explain the significance of Jesus’ resurrection to the believers in Corinth.

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. – 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 NLT

The next thing Peter weave into his address to the crowds is a quote from King David. He uses Psalm 16:8-11 to prove that Jesus was the fulfillment of the words of David himself. In the psalm, David had written of God’s close proximity to him through all the trials of life. God was at his right hand, nearby and always available. But Peter turns this statement into a prophetic utterance concerning Jesus, the Messiah. One of the reasons he does so, is that David states, “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption”, and yet, David would eventually die and his body would most certainly decay in the tomb. But Jesus, the Son of David, would not undergo decay. He would not be abandoned by God to death and the tomb. He was raised back to life after three days.

Using David’s own words, Peter applies them to Jesus. “You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence” (Acts 2:28 NLT). Just days before His death, Jesus had reassured His disciples with these words:

1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” – John 14:1-4 NLT

And just a few verses later, we hear Jesus state those wonderfully reassuring words:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6 NLT

Jesus is the way of life. And He has returned to the Father, as proof that His way works. He has taken His rightful place at His Father’s side and will one day return for all those who believe in His name and who have placed their trust in Him as their Savior. And the amazing thing is that, those in Peter’s audience, who had vicariously played a part in Jesus’ death, could also take part in His resurrection by recognizing Him for who He was: The Son of God and the Savior of the world. And, as we shall see, many in the crowd that day would do just that. Their sins were not too great. Their role in Jesus’ death was not too much that it could not be overcome by the love of God and the sacrificial death of His Son. As Paul so aptly put it: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 NLT). Their sin had led to His death. But His death could lead to their salvation. And all according to plan – the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

A Contrary Gospel.

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. – Galatians 1:6-10 ESV

Paul is astonished. It had probably only been a few months since he had been to the province of Galatia and helped launch the first house churches. But now he had received word that those who had accepted Christ were beginning to abandon the gospel message they had heard for another one. There is no doubt that Paul had made clear to them the gospel message. He had probably told them the very same thing he had said to the believers in Corinth:

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. – 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ESV

The heart of the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. That is what Paul believed and that is what he preached. He had had a personal encounter with Jesus after His death. He knew the resurrection was true. He knew the gospel to be powerful because it had radically transformed his own life. And so, when he received news that the believers in Galatia were “so quickly deserting” the gospel for a “different” one, he was amazed and appalled. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

The Greek word Paul uses is μετατίθημι (metatithēmi) and it can mean “to transfer one’s self or suffer one’s self to be transferred” (“G3346 – metatithēmi (KJV) :: Strong’s Greek Lexicon.” Blue Letter Bible. http://www.blueletterbible.org). Under the influence of others, the believers in Galatia had begun to transpose or translate their allegiance from the gospel that Paul had preached to another version of the gospel. Paul called it ἕτερος (heteros) – another gospel. It was different in nature, form, class, and kind. It wasn’t an expansion of Paul’s gospel, but a different one altogether. It was a distortion or perversion of what Paul and the apostles had preached. Yet those who were preaching this contrary gospel didn’t make that distinction. They were promoting it as the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were pawning it off as the real thing and that is what made it so dangerous.

Paul was so adamant in his stance against these purveyors of counterfeit gospels, that he desired them to be accursed – ἀνάθεμα (anathema). In essence, Paul was delivering them over to God’s judgment. The Greek word Paul used means “a thing devoted to God without hope of being redeemed” (“G331 – anathema (KJV) :: Strong’s Greek Lexicon.” Blue Letter Bible. http://www.blueletterbible.org). These are strong words from Paul and they convey how seriously he took the gospel. It was not something to be toyed with, added to, expounded upon or distorted in any way.

Paul was not out to win friends and influence enemies. He was out to preach the good news of salvation made possible through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was determined to preach a message of life change and transformation. His was a message of faith, not works. It was based on the law of the Spirit of life, not the Mosaic law. The gospel that Paul preached made man completely dependent upon the grace and mercy of God. No one could save themselves. No one was capable of earning favor with God through human effort. And anyone who taught that man could achieve righteousness and earn justification with God apart from faith in Christ alone was preaching a false and deadly gospel.

Paul wasn’t out to please men. If he had been, he wouldn’t have preached the message he did. No one likes to hear that they are sinners and that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 ESV). No one enjoys being told that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV). Who wants to be told that they are under God’s wrath and totally incapable of doing anything about it? And yet, that is the message Paul preached, over and over again. He was not telling people what they wanted to hear. He was telling them what they needed to hear: the good news of God’s grace made available through the death of His Son.

There are many gospels today. Some are slight variations on the real gospel. Others are complete aberrations, distortions of the truth of God masquerading as hope. They tell people what they want to hear. They make false promises. They take salvation out of the hands of God and place it in the hands of men. Religious rule-keeping becomes the means of redemption. Self-effort replaces dying to self. Men become their own saviors and salvation becomes little more than escape from the troubles of this life rather than the promise of eternal life. False gospels almost always show up in the form of either legalism or license. They promote self-salvation or self-gratification. They become all about living up to a set of rules or living as if there are no rules. Both are false. Both are dangerous. And Paul would have us avoid them like the plague.

.

Gone, But Not Forgotten.

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I will come to you.” If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. – John 14:25-28 ESV

As the time for His crucifixion drew near, Jesus began to ramp up the intensity of His teaching to the disciples. In an attempt to prepare them for all that was about to happen, He inundated them with increasingly more detailed specifics regarding the events surrounding His arrest, trials, death and resurrection. He broke the news to Peter he would end up denying Him. He told them He was going to prepare a place for them and would one day return for them. He claimed to be the way, the truth and the life; and the only way of access to the Father. Then He dropped a bombshell by telling them “whoever believes in my will also do the words that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12 ESV). That pieces of news had to have left the disciples’ heads spinning. And that was followed up by the promise of “another Helper” – the Holy Spirit – who would live in them. Taking in all of this information had to have been like drinking from a fire hose for the disciples. It was information overload. And in the midst of it all, Jesus told them, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1 ESV).

Their belief in God was to be focused on His promise of the Messiah. They needed to believe that Jesus was the One for whom they had long been waiting. But they also needed to believe Jesus and take Him at His word when He promised to be with them, even though He was leaving them. They needed to believe that Jesus was going back to the Father and would be preparing a place for them, and that the Father would send another Helper to not only be with them, but live within them. It was essential that they believe the reality of the coming Holy Spirit and understand His function. Jesus said, “he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26 ESV). Jesus would be gone, but far from forgotten because the Holy Spirit would provide the disciples with a perfect recall of all of His teachings from the last three years. But not only would they remember all that Jesus said, they would understand, probably for the first time. When we read the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, it would be easy to wonder how they could have recalled so well what Jesus had said. I doubt very seriously that they were taking copious notes during their time with Jesus. But Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit would supernaturally energize their memories explains a lot. They would be given a Spirit-empowered capacity to recall the teachings of Jesus and to understand them. The result of this would be peace. Jesus said, “Peace I have with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27 ESV). Their ability to enjoy peace in the midst of all that would take place in the days after Jesus’ death and resurrection would be the direct result of the Spirit’s presence and His instruction regarding the words of Jesus. Paul reminds us that the fruit of the Spirit are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,  and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV). These are the characteristics of Jesus. As the Spirit teaches us about Jesus, we see His character produces in our lives. He is gone, but far from forgotten. He is absent physically, but with us spiritually. Jesus said, “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (John 14:20 ESV). When the Holy Spirit came, the disciples realized that the very Spirit of God had taken up residence within them. Not only did they have the Holy Spirit present with then, they had the indwelling presence of the entire Godhead – Father, Son and Spirit. Jesus clearly said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23 ESV).

Jesus left. He returned to the Father. But He did not leave us alone. The very Spirit God Himself lives within us. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have made their home with us. Paul tells us, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9 ESV). The Godhead, in all its triune glory, lives within each and every believer. Can I explain it? No. But I believe it. We have the full essence of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – living within us. And that formidable presence allows us to understand the Word and the will of God, as well as the commandments of Jesus. And not only do we have the capacity to understand them, we have the Spirit-empowered strength to obey them. So that we can increase in our knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10) and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Romans 6:1-11

/ kdmiller55 / 1 Comment

New Life In Christ – NOW!

Romans 6:1-11

When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. – Romans 6:10-11 NLT

Jesus Christ didn’t just die as our substitute, He died as our representative. He stood in our place during His trials and the scourgings that accompanied them. He took the ridicule and verbal abuse that should have been aimed at us. He suffered the pain and agony of having his hands and feet pierced with nails – meant for us. He hung on a cross as a representative of all mankind, bearing the brunt of the penalty for their sins, not His own. That day, we died along with Christ. We were joined with Him in his death. Paul reminds his readers that when they experienced New Testament water baptism, they were symbolically buried with Christ. The very act of baptism is a public testimony of the believer’s belief in and dependence upon the sacrificial death of Jesus on their behalf. But Paul goes on to emphasize that as important as the death of Jesus was, it means nothing without His resurrection. “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the power of the Father, now we also may live new lives” (Romans 6:4 NLT). Paul is stressing our progressive sanctification – our ongoing transformation into the image of Christ through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

The real point Paul seems to be trying to stress in this section is that, because of our identification with Christ in both His death and resurrection, we have the capacity to live new lives. “We know that our old sinful natures were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6 NLT). That’s the crux of Paul’s argument. Because of our association with Christ in His death and resurrection, we have been set free from the power of sin in our lives. And we should KNOW that, not just intellectually, but experientially. Our experience should confirm for us that we have a new power available to us that makes a life of righteousness possible. And that power is the Holy Spirit. Paul speaks of this life-transforming power later on in this same letter. “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you” (Romans 8:11 NLT). That’s why Paul can go on to say, “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do” (Romans 8:12 NLT). Just as Christ was raised from the dead, never to die again, so too have we been raised to new life, never to have to be enslaved to sin again. Jesus, in His resurrected state, lives for the glory of God, and so should we. Our new lives should be a testimony to the power of God in our lives. Our newfound ability to live holy and righteous lives should be a regular reminder of the reality of Christ’s death and the Spirit’s power. Which is why Paul reminds us, “So you also should consider yourselves dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11 NLT). We have to constantly remind ourselves that Christ’s death paid for our sins, but His resurrection provided the power we need to live free from sin in our daily lives. We have not only been saved, we are being saved every day of our lives as we allow the Holy Spirit to empower us and provide us with the strength we need to put our own sinful natures to death. It is a progressive, ongoing process that will never be complete until God calls us home or Christ returns for His bride, the church. Paul started this section with a simple, rhetorical question that needs no answer. “Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” (Romans 2:2 NLT).

Father, I want to live the life You’ve called me to live in the power You’ve provided to make it possible. I have been crucified with Christ. My sins have been paid for. My debt has been paid. I have been set free from slavery to sin and its rule over my life, but the truth is that I can so easily find myself falling back into old habits and living as if I am still a slave. I don’t utilize the power of the Holy Spirit in my life like I should. I try to live the Christian life in my own strength and it always produces the same ineffective results. Continue to show me how to live in Your power and not my own. The same power that raised Your Son from the dead resides within me and I want my life to reflect His presence and power in my life more and more with each passing day. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 114 – Matthew 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

My Time Has Come.

Matthew 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13

“As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’” – Matthew 26:18-20 NLT

The timing of Jesus’ triumphal entry, betrayal, trial and crucifixion was no fluke. The fact that this all happened during the celebration of Passover was no coincidence. This was the high holy week for all Jews and the city of Jerusalem would have been filled to capacity with pilgrims coming from all over the known world at that time. Luke tells us in Acts that there were “Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabs” (Acts 2:9-11 NLT). The city would have been a melting pot of different nationalities, consisting of all those who had converted to Judaism. Passover was a seven-day celebration that was followed 50 days later with the celebration of Pentecost, which commemorated the giving of the Law on Sinai. The energy level within the city would have been at an all-time high. People were everywhere. It was a festival and celebration, that would have had a holiday feel about it, much like Christmas does for us.

As the day for the celebration of the Passover meal approached, the disciples went to Jesus and asked Him where He wanted them to prepare the meal. This would not have been the first time they had celebrated Passover together. Ever since Jesus chose them as His followers, they would have made their way to Jerusalem each year, and eaten this meal together, much like a family, with Jesus as the head of the household. What the disciples didn’t know was that this particular Passover meal was going to be a radical departure from all those they had participated in before – all the way back to their childhoods. The entire last week of Jesus’ life, commonly referred to as Passion Week, was filled with significant allusions to the Old Testament celebration of Passover, most of which would have escaped the notice of the disciples. In Jesus’ instructions to His disciples, he said, “My time has come…” Jesus fully grasped the significance of what was about to happen and what it had to do with the Passover. He knew He was about to play the part of the innocent lamb, sacrificing His life in order that men might escape the grasp of death – just as in the days of the original Passover in Egypt.

His time had come. The climax of His earthly life was fast approaching. And as He sent the two disciples to make preparations for what would be His last Passover meal, His mind had to be swimming with thoughts regarding what was about to take place in the days ahead. Meanwhile the disciples who had been tasked with the preparations for the meal would have had their hands full. In reading the different accounts of this story in the Gospels, it appears as if all they had to do was procure a room. But there were extensive rituals to be performed. There was an unblemished lamb to purchase, sacrifice and prepare. In fact, these two disciples would have been the ones to actually take the life of the lamb they had chosen. There in the Temple grounds, along with thousands of other pilgrims, they would have watched as the life blood of their lamb was drained into a vessel, and then poured out at the foot of the altar. Then the lamb was “skinned, and cut open, the fat, the kidney’s, and liver, set apart for the altar; the rest wrapped in the skin, and carried home from the Temple.… As the new day approached, at sunset, the carcass was trussed for roasting, with two skewers of pomegranate wood, so that they formed a cross in the lamb. It was then put in an earthen oven of a special kind, resting, without bottom, on the ground, and was roasted in the earth” (J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ).

Prior to this, they would have had to prepare the house in which they would be taking their meal together. They would have had to have removed all leaven, fermented grain or liquid, and anything that might defile the house. All the vessels to be used in preparation of the meal had to be painstakingly cleansed. This would have been an all-day affair. A blast from the silver trumpets in the Temple would have announced to all Jerusalem that the Passover had arrived. The time had come, just as it had over the years. But this time it was going to be different. This time there would be a new Lamb. This would be the final Passover. Once this week ended, there would never be a need for another lamb to ever be sacrificed again. No more blood would need to be shed. No more sacrifices would need to be made. A new covenant was going to be instituted. And while all of this escaped the notice of the disciples, Jesus was fully aware of what was going on and the eternal significance of the role He was about to play. It was for this moment He had come and the time had come for Him to do what only He could do.

Father, it is difficult to understand what these final days would have been like for Your Son. It is impossible to grasp what was going through His mind and heart as He drew closer to those final moments of His life. What He did, He did willingly. He was not forced or coerced. He was not made to die in our place. He did it gladly and out of love for us – in spite of our unlovableness. Thank You for sending Him to die in my place. Jesus, thank You for being willing to be obedient, even unto death – just for me. I know I didn’t deserve. I know I had done nothing to earn it. But You did it anyway. And I am eternally grateful. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 112 – Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8

/ kdmiller55 / 1 Comment

Anointed For Death While Alive.

Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8

“She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.” – Mark 14:9 NLT

There has always been a fascinating story to me. It is full of interesting turns and twists and raises more than just a few questions. One of the most intriguing things about this passage is a statement by Jesus. It is one that I overlooked for years. After having been anointed and hearing the protests of Judas about the wastefulness of this action, Jesus responds by saying, “I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed” (Mark 14:9 NLT). I can’t help but read that statement and ask, “Was He right?” Have the actions of this woman been remembered and discussed wherever the Good News has been preached? There is no doubt that this passage has been preached and the events contained in it have been discussed, but I really question whether her deed has been remembered and discussed. I am not saying that Jesus was wrong, but I am suggesting that we have perhaps missed the significance of the moment as Jesus saw it. His statement suggests that the actions of Mary were not to be overlooked or misunderstood. The disciples, especially Judas, saw what she did as wasteful and unnecessary. It seemed extravagant and a tad over-zealous on Mary’s part. But Jesus said that what she did should be remembered and discussed among all believers everywhere for all time. Why?

I think there are several things going on here. First of all, it is just days before Jesus’ trial, crucifixion and death. He has told His disciples what is going to happen in Jerusalem, but they are refusing to believe it. Jesus has His attention focused on the task at hand – His sacrificial death for the sins of all mankind. The disciples are focused on the Kingdom. They are still anticipating that Jesus is going to establish His earthly Kingdom and they are going to rule and reign at His side. They have no room in their plans for a suffering Savior or a martyred Messiah. Jesus is fully aware of all that is about to happen to Him. He knows Judas is going to betray Him. He is painfully aware that Peter is going to deny Him. He knows that every one of the disciples will desert Him. So when He walked into the home of Simon the leper in order to attend a special dinner held in His honor, His mind was on the events that faced Him in just days. But this dinner was a celebration. Simon, the host of this event, had been healed from leprosy by Jesus. In attendance was Lazarus, who Jesus had miraculously raised from the dead just days before. Along with him are his sisters, Mary and Martha. This was a joyous occasion, and all in attendance were celebrating the life, health, and wholeness of these two men: Simon and Lazarus. Jesus was the center of attention, because He had made it all possible. It was a feast, complete with fine food and good wine. And then, in the middle of it all, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, stood up and took a bottle of costly perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head and feet. This would have been a stop-down moment. The smell would have been overwhelming, as the pungent aroma of essence of nard filled the room. All eyes would have been riveted on Mary as she knelt at Jesus feet, weeping and wiping up the excess perfume with her own hair. Jaws would have dropped. Whispers would have been passed back and forth. Mark tells us that some at the table were indignant at what they saw. Judas, the treasurer of the disciples, spoke up and commented on the wastefulness of it all. “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor” (John 12:5 NLT).

But why did Mary do what she did? Jesus seemed to indicate that Mary knew what she was doing. He said, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial” (John 12:7 NLT). But I don’t think that was Mary’s intent. I don’t believe she anointed Jesus, aware that He was going to be dead in just a few days. Her action was purely out of gratitude for what Jesus had done for her brother. He had raised Lazarus from the dead, and she was overwhelmed with gratitude. So she took the best that she had and gave it to the Lord. She blessed Him for having been a blessing to her. Unknowingly, she was anointing Jesus for burial – while He was still alive. The fragrance of that perfume would have been with Jesus even when He hung on the cross. The oil from the essence of nard would have mixed with His blood as He was scourged by the Roman guards. It would have mingled with His sweat as He hung on the cross, enduring the physical pain and the verbal abuse of the religious leaders. And as Jesus breathed His last breath, the smell of that perfume would have filled His nostrils.

This selfless, sacrificial gift would last much longer than the meal or the accolades of the guests. Even the shouts of “Hosanna” that had accompanied Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem that previous Sunday would soon be changed to screams of “Crucify Him!” The people at that dinner were there because they had either seen or heard about Jesus’ miraculous raising of Lazarus from the dead. Jesus was a celebrity. He was a rock star. But none of them went out of their way to sacrificially thank Him for all that He had one. One person, Mary, took the time and sacrificed her resources, to express gratitude to Jesus for His ministry in her life. And her thankful actions were seen by Jesus as a preparation for His coming death.

Jesus was on His way to die – on their behalf. The disciples were busy planning for the Kingdom, even debating who would have the highest positions in Jesus’ new administration. The people were thinking that things were looking up. The Messiah was here and, once He claimed His rightful throne, He was going to get rid of the Romans once and for all. But Mary could think of nothing else than expressing thanks for what Jesus had already done in her life. She expressed gratitude.

Jesus made a point of saying that what Mary had done for Him should be remembered and discussed among believers everywhere and for all time. Why? Because she alone expressed the proper response to Him. She was not asking for more. She was not demanding that He set up His Kingdom. She was not wanting Him to perform more miracles or prove Himself in any other way. He had already done more than enough for Mary and she showed Him just how grateful she was. And in doing so, she helped prepare His living body for His coming death. Her action of gratitude would have more impact than even she intended. She did what she could. She gave what she had. She showed how she felt. And she should be remembered.

Father, how quickly we blow past this story. Or we get hung up on the wrong things. This woman’s simple, sacrificial act of thanksgiving to Jesus would have a long-lasting impact on Him. He would remember what she did in the days ahead as the aroma of the perfume helped encourage Him during the darkest moments of His life. She anointed for death while He was still living by expressing her love and gratitude for what He had already done. May I learn to do the same. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org