He Lives

MESSAGE for Easter: "He Lives"

From virgin womb to virgin tomb, Jn. 19:41.

“Who will roll the stone away?” was the question in Mark 16:3. 

 

> Often, these stones weighed in excess of a ton. The three Marys were willing to commit a great crime, to prep the body of Jesus, as subjects in the Roman empire with a government guarded grave. 

 

Let me point out right here and now that the stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out. The Son of God, in flesh or spirit, had no need of help to leave the cave of His entombment. He was gone BEFORE the stone was moved by an angel that created an earth quake so all might see Him gone. 

 

> This happened early on the first day of the week. By Hebrew calendars, that is Sunday, Mt. 28:1, Mk. 16:1 & 2, Lk. 24:1. The angel was sitting on the stone, waiting for them. “Come and see”, he said. “Tell his disciples”. I put to you that all believers today are His disciples; you and me. Come and see. His life and crucifixion are not disputed in history. 

 

> Common sense: Crucifixion is the most horrific type of torture and execution ever devised by the human race. In previous writings, I established that He was dead when removed from the cross. It is recorded that over 500 people saw, spoke to and/or heard Him after his crucifixion. How could a man who suffered such torture and endured hanging on a cross, for six hours in the sun, walk across the room? let alone TRAVEL to visit with over 500 people in different locations?????

 

> The priests of the temple had bribed the soldiers to say Jesus' disciples took His body, Mt. 28:12-15. This rumor continues to this very day. Those of us blessed to accept Him and have the Holy Spirit, that He gives to us dwelling in our body, know the truth. The truth has set us free.

 

 

> The angels instructed the women to tell His disciples, "AND PETER", in particular, Mk.16:7. First Corinthians 15:5 tells us He appeared to Peter first. This is a conversation only mentioned in Paul’s account. Nothing is mentioned of what was said; it was highly private and personal, just like our own relationship with our Savior. Jesus was very concerned about Peter and the burden of guilt he was carrying, Jn. 21:15-17. We all carry burdens of guilt. Just as we are all called to a purpose, with the gifts He gives us, Peter was chosen for His part in the life of Jesus and the teaching of the good news, of the beautiful grace of God.

 

> When the disciples heard, Peter and John ran to the tomb, Jn. 20:1-10. John reached the tomb first but hesitated at the door. Peter charged past him into the tomb and saw the burial wrappings. Then, John went in. The gospel tells that “He saw and believed.” In those four words, we are informed that John understood everything at that moment. Peter only saw Jesus gone, Lk. 24:12; John SAW AND BELIEVED. 

 

> When you see the account of the Passover, death and resurrection, do you see or do you believe? - truly, in your heart. Do you know beyond physical evidence? 

 

> After they left, Mary Magdalene stood outside the tomb crying, Jn. 20:11-12. When she stooped to look into the tomb, she saw TWO angels sitting where Jesus body had lain. This image reminds me of the Ark of the Covenant.

 

 

> The Ark was made with two angels on top, one at each end, guarding the Mercy Seat, where the annual sacrifice for sin was made every year in the Holy of Holies. This seat was where the innocent blood of a perfect lamb was shed that covered the sins of Israel (man), represented by the three items inside the ark. The Ark represents Jesus and His blood covering the sins of mankind.

 

These two angels were seated in the tomb, on the platform and the image is like the two angels seated on the top of the Ark of the Covenant. We are being told, the one who paid our sin debt is risen from death, under His own power, so we are free to live and walk with the Lord in peace, without fear of anything in this life. Since He is the "first born of many", we are sure to rise with Him in the near future to our promised place in the New Jerusalem.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

 

Death of The Messiah

"Death of the Messiah"

(Second part of Friday's message)

Roman soldiers divided His clothes among them and cast lots for His under garment. His clothes must have been very nice for the Roman soldiers to want them and argue about His gown that was woven from one thread, Mt. 27:35, Mk. 15:24, Lk. 23:34. My point is, Jesus did not go around in rags or sack cloth as He is often portrayed.

* The time frame is very revealing: 

 

> His trial began early morning, He was nailed to the cross at 9:00 am and died at 3:00 pm. He hung for six hours; the seventh, He entered His rest - just like the seventh day of the week. Six hours of bleeding, sweating and joints being pulled apart.

 

> From noon to three, there was an eclipse, Mk. 15:25 & 34. Ancient Chinese history recorded this event; it happened just as written. When Jesus was born, the angels turned the night sky to day with their glowing light. When He died, day was turned to night by the hand of God. 

 

> Just after He gave His spirit back to the Father, there came an earth quake, Mt. 27:51. God’s hand tore the temple curtain (a large, tall, heavy drape) from the top to the bottom to open up the one place He occupied once each year so that we might now have direct access to the Father at all times, Mk. 15:38. We no longer need a priest to speak to God for us. We can speak to God directly, anytime, anywhere. Only Jesus can now serve as high priest in the heavenly temple and plead our petitions to the Father; only He has experienced physical life.

 

> Jesus died at 3:00 pm; the same time that the last sacrifice of the day was made in the temple. It was finished in the temple the moment He said, “It is finished”. The pure human sacrifice had been made. (Blood is created by a fetus, in the womb, from it's bone marrow; it has nothing to do with the babe's mother. Jesus blood was pure - His own divine blood, capable to atone for us.)

> A converted centurion is mentioned, Mt. 27:54, Mk. 15:39. His name was Manlius (Lat: “Morning”; a new beginning.) 

 

 

> There can be no dispute that Jesus was dead when taken from the cross. It is clear, by medical standards, that the sac of fluid around His heart ruptured, Jn. 19:34. Lambs were sacrificed; Jesus was young when He died so that we could live forever. His body was prepared and laid in the tomb before sunset. The next day was a Sabbath on which no work is done. Within 24 hours (from Last Supper to burial) God’s plan of salvation, devised before time began, was fulfilled and the enemy was thwarted - all according to His will. Every prophesied detail had been done. Magnificent!

 

 

> The sign on the cross was in three languages, Aramaic (a slang version of Hebrew), Greek and Latin. In the Aramaic, it read, “Jesus Nazareth King Jews” - four words. (The language had no vowels or used any articles.) If you take the first letter of each word, it would spell “YHWH”. **Reading Aramaic (the top line), right to left, compare to the Hebrew name, in the second image. Any Hebrew who could read, who saw this knew what it said. All the educated priests and Sanhedrin officials knew this name - the name of God in the burning bush, "I Am". They became livid. The sign on the cross, over Jesus read “Yahweh” (I Am, I Was, I Am Coming). This is why they demanded Pilot change the sign. He refused.

It is finished.

Friday: The Agony

MESSAGE for Friday of Easter week; "The Agony"

 

> The crucifixion starts with the scourging that literally skinned Jesus alive. This was not common with a crucifixion but I feel Pilot thought it would invoke pity from the crowd so they would release Jesus. During this physical ordeal, He was struck, mocked and spit on by a company of Roman soldiers. Mt. 27:26 and Mk. 15:16 - 19.

Shame is a big element of eastern cultures. It was shameful to be crucified naked in public; to one’s self, family and community, Jn. 19:23.

 

> There appears to be some conflict about who carried the cross and when. Reading the accounts in the first three gospels closely, Mt. 27:32 & 33, Mk. 15:20 & 21, and Lk. 23:26, we conclude the weakened Jesus carried the crossbar as far as the city gate, where they ran into Simon, the Cyrene, who was on his way into the city.

On the cross, Jesus was offered wine twice. The first time, was standard to crucifixion. Wine was mixed with “gall” (1 grain of frankincense) to numb the senses. He refused this wine mixture, Mt. 27:34. He was supposed to suffer in our stead.

 

> The second was after He stated He was thirsty. This was wine vinegar and He drank from the sponge on the stalk of hyssop. {Looking at Heb. 9:19, a cleansing ceremony was performed by Moses using the blood of a sacrifice (wine on the cross) with a red woolen cloth and hyssop to confirm the covenant between Israel and God. You can find this in Ex. 24:8. Jesus, the sacrifice, was redeeming that covenant.

 

> Jesus died at the time of day (3:00 pm) that the last sacrifice of the day was made in the temple. The last animal sacrifice of the day; Jesus the one true sacrifice for mankind. 

 

 

 

SEVEN LAST STATEMENTS:

1. “Father forgive them, they know not what they do”, Lk 23:34. Our glorious Savior was asking forgiveness for unrepentant people. In the language of the Bible, the number one represents the head of the house; the leader. Jesus is speaking, in His number one statement, to the head of our house, Father God.

 

2. “Today you will be with me in paradise”, Lk. 23:43. The number two, His second statement, represents a house. Jesus was assuring the repentant sinner that he has an eternal home with his Savior.

 

3. “Woman here is your son. . . Here is your mother”, Jn. 19:26 & 27. This perfect man was thinking of others as He hangs naked and stripped of His very skin, Ps. 22:17. The number three means to lift up in pride. The mother He was proud of and the apostle He was proud of were being lifted up to care for each other.

 

4. “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”, Mt. 27:45. This is a reference to Psalm 22. This is the only time Jesus refers to the Father as “My God”. He is a man taking the sins of the world for all time upon Himself; He was speaking for sinful man. For a brief heart wrenching moment, the Father became God in judgement of men. They were not speaking as the perfect son to a loving father; it was ultimate sinner, under judgement, to God. The number four references the earth. Jesus was man of the earth with the sins of the world upon Him.

 

5. “I thirst”, Jn. 19:28. Jesus thirsts for us to be with Him. How much do we thirst for Him? The number five is the number for grace. Jesus is the ultimate grace of God to us through His sacrifice.

 

6. “It is finished”, Jn. 19:30. The number six refers to mankind. Jesus work on this earth, as man, was over. He made His stand and finished what He was born for. Just as He created the universe in six days, His six statements summarize the reason for His life on earth. It is time to rest.

 

7. “Father into your hands I commit my spirit”, Lk. 23:46. The number seven means completion. His human life is now complete, cut off from this physical earth. Here is the power of our Lord Jesus. Then, He hung His head and GAVE up His spirit.

 

> Through archeological findings, we know that everyone who died on a cross died with their back or neck broken because they threw their head back so violently reaching for that last breath of air. Jesus was in complete control when He BOWED His head and He gave up His spirit. No one took His life. He died exactly the moment He was supposed to, under His own power; fully in control of the situation.

This is our Lord

Passover Week

Easter Week: Palm Sunday celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as king. Until then, it had been David's city. Jesus entry did not turn out the way people wanted or expected. It was better.

> So like people; we never think as well or as great as God.

> This was the first day of Passover week. The city was teeming with people from all over. It was great joy to celebrate the Exodus. "Passover" refers to how God had the death angel pass over the homes of the Israelite slaves, when the angel came for all the first born of Egypt. An amazing miracle to the people and a very scarey time.

> The angel knew to pass over any home that had lamb's blood framing the door posts. A fore sign of the blood of our lamb, Jesus, that saves us to eternal life. Whoever was under the blood of the lamb was saved/ whoever is under the blood of the lamb, Jesus, will be saved to eternal life with Him.

> The people were set free from Egypt. "Egypt" in Hebrew translates "stress". The people were set free from their stress of slavery, just as belief in Jesus sets us free from worry and fear. We are free to choose and we are free to live eternally with Him and no one can take that from us. Our relationship with Him is spiritual.

> Moses (Heb: "Moshe") was the instrument the Lord used to set the people free from Egypt ("stress"). His name means "drawn out" (from the water). In Egyptian, the name "Mouses" means "born by water". I think it amazing his name in either language is so similar. God had a plan.

> Take the name Moses and read Isaiah 63:11 - 16. Moses was the instrument by which the Lord parted the Red Sea and let the people through - a type of baptism. Moses name relates to water; the Holy Spirit is related to water more than any other element. When we are baptized, we receive the Holy Spirit (the living water) by which we are helped through our lives as believers. God works in us through the water (Holy Spirit). The Lord worked out a huge problem for the Israelites so they could pass through the water - to safety on the other side and a new life in a promised land. AND he closed the way behind so the threat was gone - by using the water (Holy Spirit). The Lord did this by using the one who was drawn from the water for this purpose. 

 

 

> Isn't God wonderful !? So far above us in thought and compassion. And, His word (The Bible) is so complete and proves itself over and over, front to back, time to time and inside out.

> Back to the ride into Jerusalem: Our Savior, born of a virgin, made His triumphant ride into His city on a virgin donkey; from a virgin womb, riding a virgin donkey to a virgin tomb. So pure.

> The people shouted "Hozannah!", Heb: "Save us, please!" Little did they know how He came to answer that plea. We were saved and are now free.

Praise God!

 

The Rocks Will Cry Out

If God is not praised, the rocks will cry out. Lk. 19:40 - Nature will "cry out"/erupt/ rebel. As praise to God has become less and less, nature does more and more damage.

 

> Look around you; nature is running amok. Seasons are changing, oceans are rising, birds don't know when to migrate, storms, volcanic activity, floods, droughts, earth quakes and on and on. 

 

> Who can add 2 + 2 - ?an is trying to address smog, air pollution, drought, floods, wild fires, global warming, carbon emissions, volcanoes and everything else that is going out of control in nature.

 

All we need is God on our side.

> School minus God = ___

> Families minus God =___

> Relationships minus God =___

> Business minus God = ___

> Law minus God = ___

> Medicine minus God =___

> Government minus God =___

> The world minus God =___

 

Revelation 3

The third letter of the Hebrew alphabet is "gimmel" which represents lifting up in pride. These are the three final letters to the last three churches, or church ages.

 

> To the Church at Sardis (means Prince of Joy); addressed to the Pastor (angel), from The One who holds the Holy Spirit and the 7 pastors in His right hand (Jesus, V. 5). In verse one, they are reminded that He sees all; there are no secrets from The Lord. This church is chastised for losing enthusiasm for worship, being faithless and having no charity. (Isa. 52:1, Jer. 51:39) He warns He will come without warning so now is the time to invigorate what little strength they have left. However, He compliments the "few" who have not soiled themselves with this lack of enthusiasm. 

 

 

 

> To the Church at Philadelphia (means Brotherly Love); against their weakness, they have managed to keep God's word and upheld His Son's example of love. For this, The Lord will have Godless nations fall at their feet and admit The Lord loves this church of brotherly love. He further promises to save this church from end time trials because of their patient endurance. Another promise is given to put these people in the New Jerusalem (Isa. 62:2) with a new name (Eze. 48:35).

Note: This church of brotherly love was not told to repent.

 

> To the Church at Laodicea (means People's Rights): Here Jesus is referred to as the "Amen" - the last word and author of God's creation. (Isa. 55:4, Prov. 8:22) He is addressing the last age of the church (TODAY) and proclaiming they are not enthusiastic or anti God's teachings; we are neutral - without feeling. Today, we are so blessed (we think by our own hands), we believe we have no need of God. We are instructed to learn from our trials, be cleansed of wrong doings and use the "Balm of Gilead" (Jesus) to open our eyes and see ourselves as we are. He reminds us we are dearly and tenderly loved so we will be disciplined if we do not repent. He is waiting to live in us, Jn. 14:23. His final promise for following Him is to sit with Him on His new throne, in the New Jerusalem, forever.

To be continued . . . . .

 

Revelation 2

The second chapter corresponds with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The letter "bet" references a house, entering a house or the family inside. Chapter two addresses four churches (houses of God with His children inside) down through the ages. John is told to write, to the Pastors, what Jesus is saying. 

 

> The first church is in Ephesus, which translates as "Place At The Back". In Acts 20:30, Paul warned this church about following false teachers. Here we read this church has forgotten the excitement they felt when they first believed. They are told to repent or lose their light to the world of outreach and growth; the church will die. They need to regain the feeling of first love. If they repent, find their first zeal, they will be rewarded with eternal life. Gen. 3:22

 

> Smyrna means "Myrrh". The the Pastor of this poor church, rich in faith, John warns of coming persecution and reminds them of rewards of remaining faithful. They had an issue of some Gentiles getting circumcised thinking this was condoned by God and not understanding circumcision was of the Old Covenant. They did not understand the New Covenant no longer required this work under grace of and faith in Jesus resurrection. Their trial is to remain faithful through persecution to attain life forever.

 

> The church in Pergamum (means "First Class Courage"), withstood 200 years of persecution, remaining faithful to God. Now, in this place of pagan rituals, idolatrous feasts and sexual sin, they were following idolatrous teachings of Balaam. The "Balak Theory" (enticing) teaches: if you can't condem them, corrupt them. They also were clinging to teachings of other corrupters of the people. They are told to repent or come against the Word of God (Jesus), which is more to fear than the sword of Rome. 

 

 

> Then, John writes to the leader in Thyatira (means "Sacrifice of Labor"), commending their great works that have even increased in recent days. However, they are tolerating a false prophetess and being led away into sexual vice and idolatrous practices. I Kings 16:31. She is going to be punished along with those who continue to follow chants, spells and the zodiac. A reward of authority over nations will be given to those who do the will of the Lord to the end.

To be Continued . . . . .