… how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? … For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! … If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
~ From 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
This life is but a vapor. Our hope lies not in this world.
Because Jesus Christ is risen Lord, God and King, we have hope;
because Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead, we live.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Jesus' Last Days VII –
Excuse
Today, in joining with people across the globe to observe Good Friday and remember our Savior's last day, I am reminded that my kind and gentle sister Mary once pointed out to me that an explanation is not necessarily an excuse.
Then Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
~ Luke 23:34 (NKJV)
It seems to me that in asking for mercy on behalf of sinners He loved, Jesus offered His Father an explanation with making excuse.
We tend to confuse the two and too easily offer explanation for how we come to commit sin. We may take a measure of solace in knowing that "to err is human." When placing blame, it lands comfortably upon the provocation of someone else, whether mortal or demon.
Whatever explanation we might offer, God's Word says we "are without excuse" (Romans 1:18-21).
Perhaps worse, none of us even begins to comprehend the severity of our sin or the extent of its effects.
It's been said that the surest proof of the existence of Hell (and therefore how very bad sin is) may be found in the fact that Jesus died horrifically to save us from God's wrath against sin.
It stands to reason that the death of Jesus, extreme as it was, is of greater magnitude than even such immense sin. And it follows that the love of God outweighs them both.
"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "
~ Luke 18:13 (NKJV)
Putting faith in Christ is to be excused for inexcusable sin and discover a chasm of gratitude. Growing in Christ is both learning how to sin less and seeing our sin all the more.
Dear Father, thank You for Your great love and mercy and perfect justice. Lord Jesus, thank You for revealing this to us.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Then Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
~ Luke 23:34 (NKJV)
It seems to me that in asking for mercy on behalf of sinners He loved, Jesus offered His Father an explanation with making excuse.
We tend to confuse the two and too easily offer explanation for how we come to commit sin. We may take a measure of solace in knowing that "to err is human." When placing blame, it lands comfortably upon the provocation of someone else, whether mortal or demon.
Whatever explanation we might offer, God's Word says we "are without excuse" (Romans 1:18-21).
Perhaps worse, none of us even begins to comprehend the severity of our sin or the extent of its effects.
It's been said that the surest proof of the existence of Hell (and therefore how very bad sin is) may be found in the fact that Jesus died horrifically to save us from God's wrath against sin.
It stands to reason that the death of Jesus, extreme as it was, is of greater magnitude than even such immense sin. And it follows that the love of God outweighs them both.
"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "
~ Luke 18:13 (NKJV)
Putting faith in Christ is to be excused for inexcusable sin and discover a chasm of gratitude. Growing in Christ is both learning how to sin less and seeing our sin all the more.
Dear Father, thank You for Your great love and mercy and perfect justice. Lord Jesus, thank You for revealing this to us.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Jesus' Last Days VI –
Preparing for Passover
Today is Wednesday. On a Wednesday nearly two thousand years ago, the disciples of Jesus were preparing for Passover, not knowing that Jesus, "Lamb of God," was about to become the true Passover Lamb.
Twenty-some years ago, someone rocked my preconceptions about Good Friday, asserting that Jesus actually died on Thursday. Today is your turn to be challenged. (If you wish to bypass the relevant details of the Jewish calendar, skip down to the red letters.)
" 'The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the fifteenth day of the same month. You will eat bread made without yeast for seven days. On the first day of this feast you will have a holy meeting, and you must not do any work. For seven days you will bring an offering made by fire to the Lord. There will be a holy meeting on the seventh day, and on that day you must not do any regular work.' "
~ Leviticus 23:6-8 (NCV)
Although our society changes the calendar date at midnight, the Jewish day begins a few hours earlier at sundown. Our month is aligned with the sun, according to the Gregorian calendar. The Jewish month is aligned with the moon, beginning on the day when the new moon is visible at dusk. (A lunar month is 29.6 days long, so the Jewish calendar month is either 29 or 30 days long, and a "leap month" is added when necessary.) The first month of the year, Abib (Exodus 12:2 & 13:4; also called Nisan, Esther 3:7), began with the first new moon of spring. Important to note is that the New Moon is among numerous biblical feast days celebrated as a Sabbath, in addition to the regular Sabbath on the seventh day of the week.
During the week of Jesus' last days, the tenth of the Abib was on a Sunday, when each Passover Lamb was selected and brought to the household, in accordance with Exodus 12:3-5. (Sunday was also the day when Jesus was brought to Jerusalem.)
The fourteenth of the month—Passover—was on a Thursday, which began at dusk at the end of the day on Wednesday. The fifteenth of the month was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6, above), which occurred on a Friday and was an additional Sabbath. Saturday was also the regular Sabbath. As commonly occurred, that Passover included back-to-back Sabbaths, so no work could be done for two days straight.
Why does any of this matter?
But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
~ Matthew 12:39-40 (NKJV)
Our traditions observe the Last Supper at the end of the day on Thursday and our Lord's crucifixion on (Good) Friday. But all four Gospels attest that the resurrection occurred on the first day of the week, Sunday. No matter how you count the days and nights, Jesus could only fulfill His own prophecy by being killed on Thursday—His tomb undisturbed for three nights (not two) because of a "double" Sabbath.
Thus Wednesday was the day of Jesus and His disciples preparing for Passover, and Scripture describes only that activity on this day.
When this was first explained to me, I resisted the notion that Good Friday could be any other day of the week. It seemed blasphemy. Christian tradition held me tight. Then Jesus—the Word of God—started challenging just about every area of my life, including things held dear. And I learned to let God's Word and Spirit trump my preconceptions.
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
~ Romans 14:5-6 (NKJV)
I still observe Jesus' death on Good Friday with fellow Christians. I love celebrating a Maundy Thursday meal when I get the opportunity. I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. The day is honestly no big deal. What's important to me is the life of my Lord Jesus, not the day of the week.
More important yet is that I have hope because I have faith in Jesus. Because there is no hope at all in this world apart from believing that Jesus means what He says, and trusting Him to fulfill His every Word.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved. Dependence on God, Hope, Word of God
Twenty-some years ago, someone rocked my preconceptions about Good Friday, asserting that Jesus actually died on Thursday. Today is your turn to be challenged. (If you wish to bypass the relevant details of the Jewish calendar, skip down to the red letters.)
" 'The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the fifteenth day of the same month. You will eat bread made without yeast for seven days. On the first day of this feast you will have a holy meeting, and you must not do any work. For seven days you will bring an offering made by fire to the Lord. There will be a holy meeting on the seventh day, and on that day you must not do any regular work.' "
~ Leviticus 23:6-8 (NCV)
Although our society changes the calendar date at midnight, the Jewish day begins a few hours earlier at sundown. Our month is aligned with the sun, according to the Gregorian calendar. The Jewish month is aligned with the moon, beginning on the day when the new moon is visible at dusk. (A lunar month is 29.6 days long, so the Jewish calendar month is either 29 or 30 days long, and a "leap month" is added when necessary.) The first month of the year, Abib (Exodus 12:2 & 13:4; also called Nisan, Esther 3:7), began with the first new moon of spring. Important to note is that the New Moon is among numerous biblical feast days celebrated as a Sabbath, in addition to the regular Sabbath on the seventh day of the week.
During the week of Jesus' last days, the tenth of the Abib was on a Sunday, when each Passover Lamb was selected and brought to the household, in accordance with Exodus 12:3-5. (Sunday was also the day when Jesus was brought to Jerusalem.)
The fourteenth of the month—Passover—was on a Thursday, which began at dusk at the end of the day on Wednesday. The fifteenth of the month was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6, above), which occurred on a Friday and was an additional Sabbath. Saturday was also the regular Sabbath. As commonly occurred, that Passover included back-to-back Sabbaths, so no work could be done for two days straight.
Why does any of this matter?
But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
~ Matthew 12:39-40 (NKJV)
Our traditions observe the Last Supper at the end of the day on Thursday and our Lord's crucifixion on (Good) Friday. But all four Gospels attest that the resurrection occurred on the first day of the week, Sunday. No matter how you count the days and nights, Jesus could only fulfill His own prophecy by being killed on Thursday—His tomb undisturbed for three nights (not two) because of a "double" Sabbath.
Thus Wednesday was the day of Jesus and His disciples preparing for Passover, and Scripture describes only that activity on this day.
When this was first explained to me, I resisted the notion that Good Friday could be any other day of the week. It seemed blasphemy. Christian tradition held me tight. Then Jesus—the Word of God—started challenging just about every area of my life, including things held dear. And I learned to let God's Word and Spirit trump my preconceptions.
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
~ Romans 14:5-6 (NKJV)
I still observe Jesus' death on Good Friday with fellow Christians. I love celebrating a Maundy Thursday meal when I get the opportunity. I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. The day is honestly no big deal. What's important to me is the life of my Lord Jesus, not the day of the week.
More important yet is that I have hope because I have faith in Jesus. Because there is no hope at all in this world apart from believing that Jesus means what He says, and trusting Him to fulfill His every Word.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved. Dependence on God, Hope, Word of God
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Jesus' Last Days V –
Feast of Words
Today is Tuesday. Scripture records more of Jesus' teachings for this single day than any other. Just over five percent of the entire New Testament relates the words of Jesus spoken on the Tuesday before His death.
"Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
~ Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)
Jesus begins the day with the above exhortation. He goes on to verbally spar with and utterly vanquish various members of Jewish leadership. He rebukes religious hypocrites. He affirms both a scribe who understands the heart of the law—love the Lord and love neighbor (Mark 12:28-34)—as well as the destitute widow who gives more with two mites than any rich man (Luke 21:1-4). He describes in detail for His disciples (and us!) the signs to accompany His second coming. He tells numerous parables.
The day is a feast of words like no other.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
~ John 1:1,14 (NKJV)
Here is the Word of God in all His glory, wielding truth and displaying grace.
The Word of God made flesh closes His last day of public teaching by describing one of the final events humanity will experience as our era closes. It well sums up the heart of all else Jesus has taught.
"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry … thirsty … a stranger … naked … sick … in prison …?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels … Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "
~ Matthew 25:34-41, 45 (NKJV)
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
"Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
~ Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)
Jesus begins the day with the above exhortation. He goes on to verbally spar with and utterly vanquish various members of Jewish leadership. He rebukes religious hypocrites. He affirms both a scribe who understands the heart of the law—love the Lord and love neighbor (Mark 12:28-34)—as well as the destitute widow who gives more with two mites than any rich man (Luke 21:1-4). He describes in detail for His disciples (and us!) the signs to accompany His second coming. He tells numerous parables.
The day is a feast of words like no other.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
~ John 1:1,14 (NKJV)
Here is the Word of God in all His glory, wielding truth and displaying grace.
The Word of God made flesh closes His last day of public teaching by describing one of the final events humanity will experience as our era closes. It well sums up the heart of all else Jesus has taught.
"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry … thirsty … a stranger … naked … sick … in prison …?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels … Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "
~ Matthew 25:34-41, 45 (NKJV)
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Jesus' Last Days IV –
King Jesus
Today is Monday, the beginning of our work week. On His last Monday before His death, Jesus set about His work as King Jesus.
So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"
~ Mark 11:15-17 (NKJV)
(As mentioned in yesterday's post [Acclaim], according to Mark's Gospel the temple cleansing occurred on Monday rather than Sunday, as is traditionally held.)
Random observations about Jesus' first day as King and some implications for us:
• On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed a fig tree. It's covering of leaves indicated fruit should be present, though it was the season for neither leaves nor figs—and the tree indeed proved to be naked of fruit. The Bible's first mention of fig leaves is their covering of Adam and Eve's nakedness, when they shouldn't have had fruit. On both occasions, God's investigation results in His curse upon His creation, a rare occurrence. (I've no idea how to make an application for this, but the connection interests me.)
• At the beginning of His ministry, on a previous Passover, Jesus fashioned a whip of cords to drive sellers from the temple (John 2:14-17). But in this temple cleansing, no mention is made of a whip, suggesting that perhaps His coming as King was now sufficient authority.
• Jesus did not simply "clean house" and drive out the sellers as a single event, but continued to turn away anyone else who might carry wares through the temple (Mark 11:16, above).
• Preachers and commentators usually surmise that Jesus called the sellers "thieves" because of unfair rates on money exchange and exorbitant prices on sacrificial animals. But since Jesus refers to the temple being a house of prayer, He may have been even more offended about the praise and attention being stolen from God.
• Jesus spent His final days in Jerusalem, but He did not make Jerusalem His dwelling place and stay there at night.* He knew the Jewish crowds had offered only a superficial welcome to their King, anticipating a kingdom of their choosing. King Jesus will reside in Jerusalem on a future day, when the people of Israel have accepted the kingdom He offers (Ezekiel 43:6-7).
• We no longer live in an era when sacrifices are offered to the Lord our God in a temple. Now, our bodies are both living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) and temple of God:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
~ 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NKJV)
* Sunday and Monday nights were spent in Bethany (Mark 11:11, Matthew 21:17. Tuesday and Wednesday nights were spent on Mount Olivet (Luke 21:37, Luke 22:39).
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"
~ Mark 11:15-17 (NKJV)
(As mentioned in yesterday's post [Acclaim], according to Mark's Gospel the temple cleansing occurred on Monday rather than Sunday, as is traditionally held.)
Random observations about Jesus' first day as King and some implications for us:
• On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed a fig tree. It's covering of leaves indicated fruit should be present, though it was the season for neither leaves nor figs—and the tree indeed proved to be naked of fruit. The Bible's first mention of fig leaves is their covering of Adam and Eve's nakedness, when they shouldn't have had fruit. On both occasions, God's investigation results in His curse upon His creation, a rare occurrence. (I've no idea how to make an application for this, but the connection interests me.)
• At the beginning of His ministry, on a previous Passover, Jesus fashioned a whip of cords to drive sellers from the temple (John 2:14-17). But in this temple cleansing, no mention is made of a whip, suggesting that perhaps His coming as King was now sufficient authority.
• Jesus did not simply "clean house" and drive out the sellers as a single event, but continued to turn away anyone else who might carry wares through the temple (Mark 11:16, above).
• Preachers and commentators usually surmise that Jesus called the sellers "thieves" because of unfair rates on money exchange and exorbitant prices on sacrificial animals. But since Jesus refers to the temple being a house of prayer, He may have been even more offended about the praise and attention being stolen from God.
• Jesus spent His final days in Jerusalem, but He did not make Jerusalem His dwelling place and stay there at night.* He knew the Jewish crowds had offered only a superficial welcome to their King, anticipating a kingdom of their choosing. King Jesus will reside in Jerusalem on a future day, when the people of Israel have accepted the kingdom He offers (Ezekiel 43:6-7).
• We no longer live in an era when sacrifices are offered to the Lord our God in a temple. Now, our bodies are both living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) and temple of God:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
~ 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NKJV)
* Sunday and Monday nights were spent in Bethany (Mark 11:11, Matthew 21:17. Tuesday and Wednesday nights were spent on Mount Olivet (Luke 21:37, Luke 22:39).
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – use @gmail.com *after* buildingHisbody
Copyright 2013, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
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