by Sharon O | Mar 28, 2018 | Uncategorized
Judas Agrees to betray Jesus and also Peter learns he will deny Jesus too.
[Luke 22;1 [Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching,
2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.
3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.
4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.
5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money.
6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.]
THIS was one of the worst decisions Judas made, the root of all evil is money and he was no different than anyone else who was bribed and tempted. It was a very sad day for him.
THE last supper was the last time they all spent together and Jesus predicted what would happen.
[14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.
15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you.
18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.
22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”
23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.]
Can you imagine Jesus predicting Judas betraying him? I wonder what Judas thought? for sure he didn’t realize what he was doing for he had followed Jesus and listened to his teachings over and over.
He also predicted Peter’s denial.
[32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”]
Do you begin to wonder what was going to happen? they all couldn’t believe what he was saying and had they known they would have listened closer and leaned into the table in a more ‘interested way.’
The journey to the cross was just beginning and it all had to take place in the right order to fulfill the scriptures written.
by Sharon O | Mar 26, 2018 | Uncategorized
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
[29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them,
30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.
33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.
36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it
42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.]
THE BEGINNING OF PSALM SUNDAY AND THE WAY TO THE CROSS
[47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.
48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.]
PSALM Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a colt. The people were praising him.
It was a time of celebration even though they didn’t understand the magnitude of the moments.
Fulfilling scripture as the story unfolds to the day of the cross.
Psalm Sunday, and the week leading up to Easter. One of the hardest parts of the story to read.
by Sharon O | Mar 26, 2018 | Uncategorized
[12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
(Luke 6)
13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.]
The beginning of the group… the chosen ones who would learn and be taught by him.
These guys were special and most of all they also chose HIM.
[17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,
18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured,
19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.]
It had to have been a powerful day for all of them. To hear him teach and to see the healings taking place among the crowds, he continued to do this till the time came for him to move closer to the cross.
His Godly power walked with him along with the human part of him.
He got hungry just like the others, and tired. The teaching was hard work along with the healings.
He prepared the men to follow after him and watch and observe all that he had taught them.
The he sent them out to do the same thing.
In Luke 9 it says:
[When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,
2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.
4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.
5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.]
It was a preparation of what was to come. He knew the cross was coming and he had to teach till the end.
[18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”
20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”
21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.
22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”]
He knew what was coming and it wasn’t going to be easy for any of them, let’s continue to the cross.
by Sharon O | Mar 24, 2018 | Uncategorized
[One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, (Luke 5) the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.
2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.]
The beginning days of his circle of friends who he would teach and live with for the remaining three years before his death. He often showed power along with kindness. Strength as well as gentleness.
He was preparing the way for the men who followed him to continue the teaching and healings.
It would all be a matter of time for him and he knew that was the reason for creating his group of men to follow after him and continue the work once he was away from them.
The story continues as we move towards the cross of Easter.
by Sharon O | Mar 22, 2018 | Uncategorized
[14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit (the book of Luke), and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.
Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.
The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.
“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”
24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.]
[31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people.
32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!”
37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
Jesus Heals Many
38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.
39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.
41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.]
His ministry began with teaching and healings as he moved in the direction of the cross.
by Sharon O | Mar 21, 2018 | Uncategorized
[52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52
Luke 3:21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too.
And as he was praying, heaven was opened
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:
“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”]
I see this verse as a declaration of his identity and his ministry.
Jesus grew not only in wisdom but also in stature, I see this in the way my own grandson’s are growing up.
They change from the little boy look to the ‘young man look’ and desire to be taller than grandma.
Jesus grew up too and after he was baptized by John he went off to be alone.
[4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.”
10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;
11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.]
Jesus was put through a tremendous tempting time that was not much different than what we go through sometimes. The enemy wanted to remove his identity and test it to the fullest.
If you are … then do this. Jesus knew how to rebuke that and it was through the written scriptures.
This is the lesson for us, to memorize scripture so that in a time of testing we will understand and know, this is NOT from God this is from someone wanting to harm us.
His IDENTITY was established. “YOU are my son whom I love and who I am well pleased with.”
What a beautiful promise for us.
Can you even imagine the honor for John to baptize his own cousin and also his ‘Savior’?
Can you even imagine the people in the crowd watching the dove and then to hear the voice?
This is such a powerful point in the story as his identity is established in public now.
Which is the beginning of the process of the religious leaders attack against him as we head into the Easter story.
