Approaching Easter... thoughts...

murjahel

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JESUS ILLUSTRATES WHAT HIS SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS, HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, WOULD MEAN


PARABLE OF TWO SONS


Jesus taught the parable of the two sons, showing that some who reject will someday recant their refusal and do as they had been instructed. Some others who promised, may not follow through and do as they had promised. God has feelings, and He feels the rejections, He feels sadness for failed promises, and has joy in some who finally accept His plan.

Matthew 21:28-32 (KJV)
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Verse 28
A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard

This is an illustrated sermon, showing that the despised sinners will be saved, but, the self-righteous chief priests and elders will often choose to be lost.

Verse 29
I will not: but afterward he repented, and went

This illustrates that many time, those who choose to be sinners, later often choose to repent and do the will of God.

Verse 30
I go, sir: and went not

This shows the awareness of God, that those who start out looking holy, righteous, and good, sometimes turn out to be the hypocrites, the self-righteous, who promised God but did nothing for Him.

Verse 31
That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you

The publicans were the hated tax collectors, the helpers of the Romans, hated by the people, despised for their collaboration with the captors.

Verse 32
For John came unto you in the way of righteousness

John was a prophet who came to ready the scene for the Messiah, Jesus. He preached ‘righteousness’, and condemned sin. People hate this kind of prophet, but before great events of the age, we find prophets like John are sent. Righteousness is preached, so that mankind can make a choice, and choose either to serve the Lord, or to serve themselves and their carnal desires.

Some who reject the Lord, may later reconsider. Some who accept may backslide. The ones who ultimately obey, are the ones pleasing to God. Jesus knew this in His last days before the crucifixion, and we should realize it in the last days before the judgment.

The Lord thus taught the disciples that we may not always know who are the ones worthy of judgment in this last day. For many who at one time seemed to be the righteous, virtuous, and obedient saints may soon fail and fall away. Others who seemed to be sinners, hypocrites, abusers, etc. may repent and begin serving God. Stephen prayed, and Paul was saved. We should not give up easily in our prayers for those in the church who seem to be soon to be judged for sins.

John the Baptist was the illustrated prophet of this sermon of Jesus. John had a lesson by his example for us. He was a ‘prophet’s prophet’.

Instead of the white garments of a priest, John chose to wear "raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins." These rough garments were common for many prophets of God.

False prophets often wore such rough garments to persuade people to think they were prophets. John was for real, a prophet.
Zechariah 13:4
"neither shall they wear the rough garments to deceive..."

His dress was similar to that started by Elijah. Elijah had preached of national judgment, and is prophesied to be one of the two witnesses that return someday just before the second coming of Jesus. John knew that he was to pre-figure this mighty prophet.

II Kings 1:8
"a man girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah, the Tishbite."

Leather girdles were worn only by the poor. The rich people used silk or linen, decorated with gold, silver, and precious stones. Therefore, the prophets were announcing with their garments, that they were identifying themselves with the poor, and renouncing the seeking of money of this earth, and shunning the recognition and approval that comes to those who display wealth and social status.

John ate "locusts and wild honey..." (Matthew 3:4) This was a clean food (Leviticus 11:22). Only the poor ate locusts with butter or honey after they were salted and dried. They were like potato chips of our day, but not food associated with the finer restaurants, or served by great chefs.

The mature locusts were often plagues to the land of Israel. They were unfortunately too common in the land. The poor could easily gather many of these, to make from them a meal. The wings and the legs were removed, and they could be boiled or roasted.

People in Arabia, and many east of the Jordan still eat such locusts. They are sold in the market places of Arabia. The taste is described as not palatable, but only pleasant to the very hungry.

The honey is perhaps bee honey, or maybe even tree honey. Bee honey could easily be found in holes of the rocks, or in the holes of trees. Tree honey was the sap that exuded from palms or fig trees.

Perhaps the two parts of his diet were put together, for some used the locusts and honey together to make cakes.

John the Baptist was like many true prophets, not serving for money, not seeking prestige and status amidst the people. Today, many who call themselves prophets drive a Porsche, a Mercedes, or a Cadillac. They want a television show with prominence, status, great pay checks. These are not prophets, for their emphasis is on their own status and not on the unpopular message from God, but on the status they seek to be put in the category of prophets like Elijah, Isaiah, and Moses. There prophets were not famous while alive and true prophets of today will not be popular in their human lifetime either.

THE MESSAGE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
WAS REPENTANCE,
UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS

John’s ministry began in the 15th year of Tiberius soon after he had turned 30, the age when a priest would begin his Temple ministry, or step away from it to a prophetic ministry instead. He began his ministry by going into the wilderness, deserted fields, about the countryside. He did not seek the fame of huge crowds in Jerusalem, but the loneliness of empty fields. People watching from the towns on the hillsides, and from the walk paths through the empty fields would wonder at seeing a prophet preaching a sermon to no one in the field.

They began to stray from the towns, and from the paths to the empty field, to see what he was saying. Like Ezekiel, who preached to trees and mountains as directed by God; John the Baptist preached first to empty wilderness, and soon a crowd would gather.

John the Baptist went about 'PREACHING'. Preaching is a big part of the gospel ministry of a prophet.

I Corinthians 14:3
"...he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and to exhortation, and to comfort..."

Many who read this find that ‘preaching’ is a calling they do, whether it be in an empty wilderness, or in a filled cathedral. We may preach on message boards, or web sites, and not know much of who is being sent there to read what is preached. We may preach to those who are around us, as they turn their heads only to appear to be listening. We preach because the message burns within us, and we must. In our dying day, given opportunity, we will preach. We are called, and that calling will make us preach till there is no more breath within us. John was the greatest of the Old Testament preachers.

Matthew 11:9-11
"What went you out to see, a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, more than a prophet... among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist."

THE CONGREGATION

Matthew 3:7
"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptisms, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"

Three groups are mentioned as being at the sermons of John the baptist. There were: REPENTERS, PHARISEES, AND SADDUCEES...

The Pharisees (Matthew 3:7) were a sect of self-righteous and zealous Jews who held to the letter of their interpretation of the law and traditions of their religion. There were the bitterest enemies of Jesus, for they sought prestige, wealth, and were in doctrinal disagreement with the simple interpretation of Jesus of the real message of God. While the Pharisees tried to make it very difficult, and almost impossible for the common man to be saved, Jesus came and showed how easy God had made salvation. They hated Jesus for such simplification, and attempted over and over to trick Jesus.

The Sadducees (Matthew 3:7) were a radical and nationalist sect. They denied the supernatural, the angels, demons, and the resurrection.

John the Baptist called the Pharisees and the Sadducees to be a "generation of vipers". The vipers were not ordinary snakes. They were poisonous asps or adders. The common ones were 4 inches long, no thicker than a wire. They lurk under stones or in the cracks of old walls. They are very deadly and aggressive.

Some of those who listened to John's sermons repented. John sought to have repenters. He longed for a congregation of repenters. The word "repent" comes from "metanoia" which refers to a real change of mind toward sin, and to sin's root cause.

Repentance is:
not just a seeking of different circumstances,
not a sigh of regret,
not just a remorse,
not simply a regret of the trouble that sin led one to.

Repentance is a real change of mind and attitude toward sin and its cause...

The repenters were recognized by their confessions of sins. Confession of sin was a new thing for Israel. They had grown accustomed to having only one day a year on which to repent of sins, the Day of Atonement. Some, a few, would go to the burnt altar at the temple to offer sacrifice for individual confession of sins, but that altar was ignored by most, except on the Day of Atonement.

There was not a practice of spontaneous confession following the committing of sin, and of feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist came and opened their eyes to the sins of the people and demanded a baptism to show to the world that they had already repented their sins.


The preaching of John the Baptist focused on urgency, for he preached that the fulfillment of his prophecy was "at hand". The world of his day, and of ours would prefer if the prophetic message was not preached as being urgent. Many do not care if Jesus would come "someday", but when someone says that he is coming "soon" they get upset. for urgency demands action now!

 
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murjahel

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part 2

John emphasized in his preaching a personal responsibility and repentance.

The Jewish people had trained themselves to think that because they were descendants of Abraham, they were saved. Many in our times, think they live in a Christian nation, go to a church, and have a Bible in the home, so they must be Christian and headed for heaven. Many are not.

John preached:
Matthew 3:9
"Do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our Father..."
His baptizing of the repentant in water was just a beginning of change in their lives, for he preached a bringing forth of "fruits worthy of repentance..." (Luke 3:8). To John, repentance, water baptism, were to be followed by radical change in life.

This is the ‘righteousness’ that he preached, a baptism into righteousness. This truth is far greater a truth than most have realized. The repentance allowed them to be baptized, but what is the symbolism of the baptism? The baptism brought them to righteousness.

Righteousness is the Greek word ‘diakaiosyne’. It means to be brought into right standing, justified, made pure in the sight of... Jesus chose to be baptized by John, despite the fact that He had never sinned, so He did not need to repent. Jesus chose to do it anyhow, for the message that the baptism itself teaches.

The water baptism taught by John illustrated the ministry of the Messiah that he preached. Water baptism symbolically showed the burial of Jesus, and the emergence from the water, as a coming resurrection to new life. Jesus died and was buried, and rose again to guarantee us a new life in Him, a resurrection to come.

John instituted a water baptism as a symbol of repentance and dedication to the new kingdom of resurrected ones, that was about to come.
The new kingdom of God was to be entered into, by the convert, in our case a repentant convert, taking the death of Jesus for us, so that we emerge from the salvation experience a newly enlivened person in the Lord. Water baptism does not save, but it is an illustrated sermon of what salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection does for us.

John saw himself as the forerunner of such a kingdom of those in resurrection life with Jesus. John wanted to announce that One Who was coming. John illustrated in baptizing repentant ones, what salvation was going to do, in the kingdom that was ‘at hand’.

Jesus chose to let John baptize Him, so that we would look at the baptism in a clearer light. It is not just the repentance that is key here, surely repentance is needed by we, the sinners. The illustration of the baptism, i.e. immersion into death, emergence into new life, is what Jesus would do here on earth for us, and as we partake, at salvation, of His death and resurrection, we share eternal life.

THE WATER BAPTISM

Water baptism is a testimony of what Jesus did for us on the cross, and as we come to Him to take up our own crosses, and serve Jesus with a death to our former lives, we are emerging into eternal life in Him.

Jesus did not need to repent, but He still desired to be baptized. It happened at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. The Spirit anointed Him with power, God blessed Him from heaven. Jesus, at the same time, committed Himself to do God's will. He was not baptized unto repentance, but showed forth what His burial in the earth, was to be likened to this burial in water. He was not held in death, but had to be resurrected, made alive anew in power, because He died sinless.

Now, we get baptized, showing forth our ‘death’ in Him, bringing His resurrection power to bring us up out of the water, to new life in Jesus. The dove alighting upon His head was symbolic of the fact that now we have the Holy Spirit of power anointing us in this new life in Jesus.

The symbolic baptism does not save, it illustrates what Jesus came to do. John had the privilege of announcing, through the many baptisms that he did, what Jesus, the ‘Lamb of God’ came to do.

When we accept death to self, in Jesus, at our salvation, we are promised resurrection life by His sacrifice for us. We are promised the ‘Dove’ that will alight upon us in our lives.

So, when John the Baptist, objected to baptizing Jesus, it was not only because he knew that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus had not had the Spirit descend upon Him and remain, until after the baptism of John. Therefore, John had a different motivation to object. John the Baptist and Jesus were related. Their mothers were very close (Luke 1:36-45). Both John the Baptist and Jesus were now about 30 years old. They had spent much time together as youngsters. They were at least at the annual feasts in Jerusalem. John knew therefore that Jesus had no need to repent. John knew that Jesus had acted, talked, thought, etc. without sin. Jesus had love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. John knew that Jesus was already dedicated to God to His kingdom.

Once the voice of God spoke, and the dove remained upon Jesus immediately following the baptism in the Jordan, John had the fulfillment of his revelation concerning the Messiah. He now knew for sure that Jesus was truly the Messiah. God declared from heaven:
Matthew 3:17
"This is My Son, Whom I love; with Him, I am well pleased."

God put His blessing upon Jesus, and at the same time completed a revelation to John. When we serve the Lord, we become part of this dying with Christ, dying to our sinful nature, and being resurrected to new powerful living in Jesus.
 
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murjahel

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REJECTERS WILL BE JUDGED
AND PUNISHED


PARABLE OF HOUSEHOLDER,
VINEYARD, AND REJECTED SON

Jesus personally warned the disciples that He would be killed, but judgment would be certain. We too do not need to fear those who reject and persecute us. Judgment is certain upon them. We are to pray for mercy upon those who persecute, reject, and despitefully use us, for their judgment is already predetermined for their rejection.

Matthew 21:33-46 (KJV)
33 Hear another parable: There was a certain Householder, Who planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, He sent His servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35 And the husbandmen took His servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36 Again, He sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
37 But last of all he sent unto them His Son, saying, They will reverence My Son.
38 But when the husbandmen saw the Son, they said among themselves, This is the Heir; come, let us kill Him, and let us seize on His inheritance.
39 And they caught Him, and cast Him out of the vineyard, and slew Him.
40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render Him the fruits in their seasons.
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The Stone which the builders rejected, the Same is become the Head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that He spake of them.
46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitude, because they took Him for a prophet.

Verse 33
parable: There was a certain householder

This parable, preached by Jesus on Tuesday, before the last supper, before the betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion of the next 24 hours, illustrates that the responsibility of preaching the kingdom of God would be taken from the Jews and given to the Gentiles. Those who reject, may seem to get away with rejection of Jesus, of His good news, but judgment is predetermined upon them, unless they repent.

The ‘householder’ planted a vineyard, and protected it with a hedge, and built a tower to allow guards to protect it. The tower was a booth for watchmen that were to guard the vineyard.

The vines in some vineyards were planted in rows 8 or 10 feet apart and staked to the ground. In other vineyards, the vines were planted in 2 rows and slanted toward each other, forming an arch. The plants grew 6 to 8 feet high. Vineyards were sometimes fenced with stone wall three to four feet high, and had thorny bushes planted on top of the walls. The winepress had two parts, the receptacle for the grapes and the vat for the juice. Juice was made by the feet of the people pressing the grapes. Some vats were up to 10 feet square and up to 20 inches deep.

let it out
This means it was leased, allowed to be watched over, by others who would gain from its growing, but would not be owners of the land. There were a couple kinds of leases possible:

1. The hired laborers received part of the crop in payment for their work for the householder’.
2. Full rent was paid in money, and the owner received only that, and the whole of the crop was reward to the leaser.

Leases could be for a year, for life, or were hereditary. This lease referred to was to be hereditary. The Jewish people were chosen to spread the gospel message of God. Now, they were to face the Messiah, and accept or reject Him, and they not only failed to preach Him as Savior to the world, they rejected Him totally, even for themselves.

Verse 40
what will he do unto those husbandmen?

Many think God is so loving that He does not punish the rejecters of His law. Yet, He does, and the Bible is quite plain about it.

Verse 41
He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render Him the fruits in their seasons

This was their answer to the question of Jesus. Jesus has a way of asking questions that the answer we give reveals our own judgment. The Jews rejected Jesus, and therefore were removed from their work, and their position was given to the church. Now, regardless of nationality, if we are in His church, we have the vineyard to protect, to grow the gospel message for the whole world.

Verse 42
Did ye never read in scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

There is a story that when they were building the Temple in Solomon’s day, the cornerstone arrived earlier than planned, and was moved out of the builder’s way. When the structure was finished, the cornerstone was then to be placed in its place. They could not find it then. After a search they found it had rolled over the hill, and was at the bottom. The ‘Stone’ once rejected was found, was in perfect condition, and took its place as the Cornerstone.

The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner

This story applied to Jesus Who was rejected by the Jews. After a period they would finally accept Him as their Messiah.

Romans 11:25-29 (KJV)
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Lord’s doing... marvellous in our eyes

The Lord's plan is marvellous, and we must be in awe of its greatness.

Romans 11:33 (KJV)
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Verse 43
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

The nation is the Greek word: ethnos (G1484), meaning a race or nation, referring to the mostly Gentile church who took the place of Jews.

Acts 13:46-49 (KJV)
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

Verse 44
whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever He shall fall, He will grind him to powder


There is an allusion here, doubtless, to:
Isaiah 8:14-15 (KJV)
14 And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a Stone of stumbling and for a Rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

Having revealing Himself as the One Who is the Stone, or a Rock, Jesus then proceeds to the consequences of rejecting Him. He that falls upon Jesus, in stumbling, is broken. In the end judgment, the continued rejecters will be ground into powder by the Rock falling upon them in judgment.

This refers to the custom of stoning. A scaffold was erected, twice the height of a person. The criminal would be pushed off, and as he hit the stone below, he would be injured, but not normally killed. The witnesses of his crime would then take a huge stone, and drop it upon the criminal’s chest, killing him. Others could then take stones and throw them upon the criminal.

Verse 45
they perceived that he spake of them

I guess the ‘innuendos’, if that is what one wants to call them, made it clear to them that they were the ones who fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah. Jesus did not need ‘innuendo’, for the verse is plain in meaning, their conscience confirms it is true of them.

Jesus is the Son that was killed in the parable. Many prophets had, and have since, been killed. Judgment is coming on those who reject the Lord, and those who reject us. We do not need to fear the abusers, judgment is certain if they do not repent.

I Peter 2:7
"The stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner."

Jesus is the "Stone Which the builders rejected", and is now become the "Chief Cornerstone", and has since been the "Rock of offence". Many are still rejecting Him, and rejecting us, who are the "body of Christ." Someday, the grinders will grind the rejecters to powder.

Jesus wept over the rejection that many have given to Him. We too face rejection today as the true "body of Christ". We should weep over those who have rejected the opportunity to be part of the body of Christ.

SEE PART 2
 
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murjahel

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PART 2

JUDGMENT IS STILL COMING
FOR THOSE WHO REJECT

Jude 4
"FOR THERE ARE CERTAIN MEN CREPT IN UNAWARES, WHO BEFORE OF OLD ORDAINED TO THIS CONDEMNATION (krima), UNGODLY MEN, TURNING THE GRACE OF GOD INTO LASCIVIOUSNESS, AND DENYING THE ONLY LORD GOD, AND OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST..."

Into our churches have "crept" people who are not Christians and who will be judged with a damnation when this judgment begins. The people were about to reject Jesus when He spoke the sermon of Matthew 21. Today, some are still rejecting Him.

II Peter 2:1-3
"FALSE PROPHETS... FALSE TEACHERS... DAMNABLE HERESIES... DENYING THE LORD... PERNICIOUS WAYS... COVETOUSNESS...
MAKE MERCHANDISE OF YOU... WHOSE JUDGMENT (krima) NOW OF A LONG TIME LINGERETH NOT, AND THEIR DAMNATION (krima) SLUMBERETH NOT."

Peter promises that those in the congregations of the last days that are teaching damnable heresies, have rejected the Lord Who taught us what we should believe, will receive the damnation judgment. There are some of the last days that are teaching doctrines that are contrary to the Scripture. If believed and acted upon, some false doctrines will damn a person. We must be very careful in these last days.

Matthew 12:36-37
"THAT EVERY IDLE WORD (rhema =claiming to be speaking for God, when it is not truly the message of God) THAT MEN SHALL SPEAK, THEY SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT THEREOF IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT (krima). FOR BY THY WORDS, THOU SHALT BE JUSTIFIED, AND BY THY WORDS, THOU SHALT BE CONDEMNED (krima)."

This indicates that the words of the people in the congregations identify the "GOOD MAN" and the "EVIL MAN" (Matthew 12:35). We had better be careful to watch what we say for God. God is well aware of what we say, and when we claim to speak for Him, we had better be sure He is the true inspiration of what we say.

We can boldly come to this day of "krima". Undoubtedly, it will be soon. The Bible is very clear. Yet, we do not have to live in fear.

In I John 4:17 we read:
"HAVE BOLDNESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT (krima)"

This boldness is received when we live in "LOVE" as John describes in his epistle. Whenever we lack the "LOVE", we stray toward hypocrisy, trouble making, and false doctrines. If we keep the love for our brethren, and for our Lord, we will not need to fear the krima judgment that Peter warns will someday come. The gift of exhortation is the ministry of love to a congregation. If we are actively restoring this gift to the congregations, the judgment will not have so many tares to remove. Many of the current tares may be restored to the congregations as wheat.

When this judgment upon the church does come, it will purge the church for the double portion time of revival.

Joel 2:23
"HE WILL CAUSE TO COME DOWN FOR YOU THE RAIN, THE FORMER AND THE LATTER RAIN IN THE FIRST MONTH."

What will cause this great revival to suddenly have a double portion? Joel predicts that the former and latter rain will occur at the same time. The double portion is the time when the revival of the last days has twice to revival blessing of the revival time the early church had.

Could it be that the cleaning up of the church will bring forth a church that is unhindered by the hypocrites, and troublemakers, and thus more motivated toward revival? We must purify ourselves, as we are to "EXAMINE" ourselves in the time of communion. This command to "EXAMINE" ourselves is given for a real purpose.

Remember, that if we fail to "EXAMINE" ourselves, the Bible says that we eat and drink "DAMNATION (krima)" to ourselves (I Corinthians 11:29-30). Properly following the prescription of what we are to do when we partake of communion will help keep us from having to fear this judgment of the church. The communions observed in many congregations of the last days are a pale shadow of what the Lord wanted observed. The observation of communion was to be a part of the observance of the ministry of exhortation. The reconciliation and ministry to the body of believers was to precede the partaking of the elements.

Moses preached a warning of the death angel of the Passover. Those who did not heed the warning to put blood on the doorposts found the judgment came to their own house. Many in the last days are not heeding the exhortations being given in the last days. The harvest of tares will finish the purification of the congregations of the last days. Then will come the double portion of revival that the church will soon enjoy.

When Ezekiel was shown a vision of what it was like in Jerusalem, he was shown an idol at the entrance to the temple, pictures of false gods painted in the rooms of the priests in the temple, and many other vile sins within the temple. God's presence left the temple. Prophetically, it described the sinful state of the church of the last days.

Isaiah also referred to this judgment:

Isaiah 5:24:
"as the fire devoureth the stubble, and as the flame consumeth the chaff..."

Isaiah 9:18:
"For wickedness burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briers and the thorns."

Isaiah 9:19:
"For the people shall be as the fuel of the fire..."

The church has been led astray by many false prophets in our day. There are many who are ignorantly following heresy and the heretics. That is why God announced in Isaiah 9:14-16, that He would do surgery on the church and remove the "head" and the "tail". This refers to the leaders and false prophets. God says of these people, that they "teach lies" and that they "cause them to err."

The Lord continues to refer to those who will be so judged in Isaiah 9:17:

"...for everyone that is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth that speaketh folly."

This is reminiscent of what the Lord described as those to be judged in Matthew 13's teaching:

Matthew 13:41
"The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity."

The judgment on rejecters will come, and shall not be cancelled. We need to be sure we are not rejecters. We have a Lord to choose, to preach His name, and His word. In this parable of the vineyard, the mistreatment of the workers against the ‘Son’ will be judged. Jesus knew that the disciples would be confused, seeing the mistreatment, but not seeing a judgment upon those who rejected Him. Jesus wanted them to know that the Householder, i.e. God would someday have a day of judgment.
 
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murjahel

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DURING PASSION WEEK,
JESUS ANNOUNCED THAT THE KINGDOM WILL HAVE GUESTS,
BUT MANY ARE CALLED, FEW MAKE IT.



PARABLE OF THE WEDDING FEAST



Finally, Jesus relates the parable of the wedding feast. And He tells of the two invitations given, and the implications of such to the gospel message.


Matthew 22:1-14 (KJV)
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Verse 1
again by parables

The Lord has cleansed the temple of the moneychangers twice in this week already. The plot to have Him killed is progressing as He speaks here in this sermon. The last supper is in several hours, and Jesus is relating some important truths for His followers to contemplate in the next few days, as He will be in the center of the earth, in paradise. The parable is a story, that illustrates truth, but is not something easily used to charge someone with heresy. The truth of the parable is evident, and then can be applied to the truth that the Lord truly wants His followers to realize. This parable illustrates the truth found in verse 14: “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Many had been called into this kingdom about to emerge, and yet, only a few will choose to enter it, to be a part of it.

Verse 2
kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king ...


The ‘certain king’ of the parable is not stated, for this is but a parable. The king represent God, the Father. The marriage is illustrative of the marriage supper of the Lamb, to happen in heaven during the last part of the tribulation here on earth. The Lord has been inviting guests to that wedding for millennia. The groom is the Lord Jesus, the ‘bride’ is the New Jerusalem, the eternal home of the Trinity, and of all the family of God. That union is likened to a marriage.
We, the guests, are like the ‘adornment’ of the bride, i.e. the city.

Jesus had promised to go and prepare for us this city, and the marriage supper of the Lamb is the day of the opening of that heavenly city for us.
John 14:2-3
"IF I GO AWAY, I WILL PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU..."

Some have thought of heaven as a ghostly, unreal, indefinite state. Heaven is as physically real as the city and building in which you live. There are actual streets of gold, and actual rooms, and mansions. We will literally stand before the manifest presence of the real God, on a real throne. We will throw our literal crowns about the real, nail scarred feet of Jesus, our Savior. We will have real bodies in heaven. Jesus went to heaven in a physical body.
Luke 24:39
"BEHOLD, MY HANDS AND MY FEET, THAT IT IS I MYSELF; HANDLE ME AND SEE, FOR A SPIRIT HATH NOT FLESH AND BONES AS YE SEE ME HAVE..."

Revelation 19:
7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come and His wife hath made herself ready.
8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

The marriage supper of the Lamb, is a time, when there will be a feast celebrating the grand opening of the New Jerusalem... The bride of the Lord is that city, the saints are the 'linen' adornment of that city.

After all the saints have gotten to heaven, this event can take place, we see it inserted here in Revelation just before the description of the battle of Armageddon. At that time, the church has already been in heaven, the trib. saints (those saved after the rapture) are also there, the 144,000 finished their 3 and a half year ministry, and are there. The two witnesses have been slain, and a few days later resurrected, and there is a reunion, celebration day, in which we get to walk the streets of the New Jerusalem shortly before the return to conquer the Antichrist and his armies at Armageddon.

This will be a 'blessed' day, and we are told here to 'be glad and rejoice' when it comes. Jesus said that He would not drink of the fruit of the vine again, until He would drink it with us in heaven (Matthew 26:29). We are told that the New Jerusalem is in heaven.


Revelation 21:
9. And there came unto me, one of the seven angels who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
11. Having the glory of God; and her light was like unto a stone most precious,
even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

The New Jerusalem is the heavenly city, built and prepared to be our eternal home, but more important, prepared to be the eternal home, the bride of Christ. The celebration of that event is what the wedding feast that Jesus is speaking of in this parable illustrates.

The visions of the New Jerusalem:

made Abraham live in a tent willingly, for many years, living in a nomadic tent amidst a pagan people in a strange land, for his hope was in that city built by God, and he lost all desire for a city, or home, built here by mankind.

made Isaiah able to serve Manasseh, whom Isaiah knew would someday kill him, but the vision of the “Lord, high and lifted up”, upon the city of New Jerusalem, gave Isaiah the courage and strength he needed.

made John able to be shown all the horrible judgments to come, suffer exile and loneliness on the prison isle of Patmos, and still pray “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20)

made Paul, who was shown paradise, able to endure the thorn in the flesh, battle a wicked world, suffer imprisonment, be beheaded at the end, and still face such times with joy.

The Lord does not pass out visions as videos from Netflix. The visions are to prepare us for battle, to uplift us. If we avoid the visions of battle and trials, we will miss the revelations of victory and triumph to come following that judgment. Many remain in darkness today, sitting in the pew not knowing the joy that is soon to come. Jesus is preaching this sermon, this parable in the sermon, to illustrate to them in that trying time of the crucifixion, and in our day now, being attacked by the devils, as the rapture approaches, that there is a joyous wedding feast that we are invited to attend. Many will be called, many will reject, and even persecute the ones doing the inviting, but have hope and joy, for that feast will of certainty take place.

Verse 4
Again, he sent forth other servants

It was customary for two invitations to be sent. One announced the feast, and it was to make sure the people were aware, could prepare for it, and have their lives organized to allow attendance. The second invitation came when the host had all things ready, and was announcing now is the time to come.

Verse 6
slew them

This second group were slain, killed. John the Baptist was one of this second group. He announced the ‘kingdom of God is at hand’, and they slew him. Jesus preached the same message, and they were in a few hours to slay Him. But though Israel rejected here, there would still be another invitation given, which would be to the ‘highways’, the places of travelers, the places of those without their own homes, and those would be invited. The good, the bad, the most moral, the least moral, are all invited to find salvation, and invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Israel did to God's messengers what the men of this parable did to the king's servants. Israel was to be judged for this rejection of the ones inviting them to the marriage feast.

Verse 8
they which were bidden were not worthy

The Jewish leaders, the ones plotting with Judas to kill Jesus, as Jesus was speaking here in this sermon, were part of the ones that history has shown were not worthy to be chosen. The Lord revealed to the early church, that the invitations to the marriage supper of the Lamb was to go out to the Gentiles, now, for many of the Jewish people had proven unworthy.

Acts 13:46-52 (KJV)
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Verse 9-10
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage... both bad and good

The king of this parable had his servants search out other guests. God loves all the world, not willing that any should perish. His plan called for Israel to be the messengers of His great mercy, of the invitation to fellowship with God again, as intended before the fall. Israel rejected that chosen goal for them, and now the church is given the message, the invitation of God to the marriage feast, to take to all, good and bad, of the world.

This was not a normal occurrence, for all people, good or bad to be invited to such a feast. The king was intent on filling the feast with guests. The poor would not have clothes fit for such an event. Therefore, the king has robes prepared to dress the attenders. The ones who would come willingly, would be dressed in robes of the king, with none to appear better than another. We are promised robes of righteousness in heaven. We too, will not be dressed any longer in our garments of filthy rags. We will be part of the family of God, dressed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

SEE PART 2.
 
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murjahel

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PART 2...

Verse 11-12
king came in to see the guests... how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?

The wedding garment was given at the entrance door. To be in the feast, and not have a garment given at the door, meant that the person had broken into the feast, was not there by invitation, had not wanted to wear the wedding garment. The only way to be at this feast in heaven is to accept the garment of Jesus, be clothed in His righteousness. Any desire to show off our own garment, our own righteousness, is prideful and evil. We have no inner purity to claim, other than the purity of Jesus. He died for our sins, we must wear His righteousness, and not ever brag on our own.

The man was speechless and was without excuse. When we face humans who are frail and not omniscient, we may be able to convince them of our purity, goodness, and sinless nature. When we stand before the King, we will be speechless, in desiring to convince the all knowing God.

Verse 13
Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth

Those that do not come by the One way provided, and receive the righteousness of Jesus to be their garment in heaven, will be sent to hell, to the darkness of eternity, weeping, gnashing teeth in suffering pain of having missed the opportunity provided to be at the marriage feast in heaven.

Verse 14
For many are called, but few are chosen

Many have rejected the message of the Old Testament, and the final call of the church age. We in the last days are now to call all we can, from the highways and hedges, from the rich and the poor, and from any who will heed the call.

During this last call before the feast, some will be found in the church who do not have a wedding garment on. Those who came into the wedding feast were greeted at the door, and they were given a special robe of celebration to wear. If someone came in uninvited, they would have to sneak in another way, and they would not have the garment on them.

These are like the tares of Matthew 13, and represent the false prophets, the troublemakers, the abusers, the hypocrites of the church congregations of today. The Bible clearly warns of a judgment upon those who did not come in through the right door. Their judgment will come in the last days, as warned by I Peter 4:17-18, by Ezekiel 9, and by Matthew 13.

Let us follow the example of Jesus and weep before the Lord. Many have neglected to come to the feast... and many have tried to appear to be part of the kingdom... but their judgment is definitely predicted... and certain.


Jesus had these things on His mind when He wept upon the day we call His triumphal entry. Palm Sunday was not a day of rejoicing for Him, though many others rejoiced, Jesus wept, for He had these things related in the parables on His mind.

The disciples were enthused, the scribes and the Pharisees were angered. Yet, Jesus had on His mind the rejection of many, the false professors of faith, the judgment to someday come upon the fake and hypocritical ones who profess a relationship with the Lord.

On the original Palm Sunday, Jesus was reminded of this coming judgment, and wept openly about such sinners and their judgment to someday come. He spoke of these things to the disciples. He rebuked the chief priests and the moneychangers. And Jesus warned others of the rejection and its consequences.

Beware of enthusiasm on Palm Sunday, for some enthusiasm is surface, and many have not counted the cost of being in Christ's kingdom. The disciples did not listen to these parables and lessons of Jesus, and several days later were filled with doubt, confusion and fear. The scribes and the chief priests did not listen, and were soon plotting the crucifixion. Many other people did not listen, and were soon shouting "Crucify Him!"

These parables of this sermon were meant to prepare the disciples for the hard days ahead. The pain of seeing Jesus betrayed, arrested, beaten, falsely tried and then put to death, was very difficult. We find this sermon recorded in the gospels, for the sermon was recalled later, but had they heeded the message of this sermon earlier, there would not have been the fear and dread of the next few days. We need to study the Word, for these sermons of Jesus still have need of preparing us for what we face in our ministries.
 
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murjahel

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TRICK QUESTIONS, VERBAL CHALLENGES CAME AGAINST JESUS DURING PASSION WEEK, HE SILENCED THEIR ATTACKS, SO THEY SOON MADE THEM A PHYSICAL ATTACK...

Many were being convinced in these last days of Jesus’ ministry that He is the Messiah. The religious leaders were greatly jealous of this acclaim, of the praise that He was getting. They had been used to the acclaim, the attention, and wanted it back. They also wanted an excuse to stone or have Jesus killed.

Jesus had said some things that scattered some followers. The rich young ruler had heard words from Jesus that sent him away sorrowful. The thousands that were fed with a few loaves and fishes, left the next day due to the sermon of the bread of life that Jesus preached. Yet, the crowd here was becoming more and more convinced that Jesus is the Messiah. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and others wanted a Messiah, but not at the expense of their popularity and power.

Jesus did not ‘goof’ the answers to the rich young ruler, nor to the thousands who wanted manna daily from Him. Jesus said what He meant, meant what He said.


Matthew 22:15-46 (KJV)
15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle Him in his talk.
16 And they sent out unto Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that Thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto Him a penny.
20 And He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They say unto Him, Caesar's. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him, and went their way.

Notice it was the ‘disciples’ of the Pharisees that accompanied the Herodians. The Pharisees themselves did not want to associate with the Herodians, for they were bitter enemies. Yet, having the same ‘enemy’ often makes ‘enemies’ to be friends. The common enemy of Jesus, makes many become our enemy too. We can love them, pray for them, speak God’s truth to them, and they will hate us for it.

The Herodians were a political, religious party. There are some today in congregations who mix politics with Christianity, and are attempting to gain political power, rule, own, and control, and in so doing think that is what will win the world, as they try to gain power too, by becoming one of that belief. These Herodians joined with the Romans, became the tax collectors, sought to do business with them, persecuted some of their own faith who stood for Godly principles against the Romans. We see those same tendencies today in some preachers, and in their messages. The Herodians of Jesus' day were like those of today who try to mix heathenism, political correctness, and prosperity seeking, with true Christianity. This religious group attempts to make Christianity more palatable to the world by adopting their methods and ideology. These Herodians believed the doctrines of Herod the Great, advocated submission to Rome, and advocated some pagan principles when they felt it was necessary.

The Pharisees hated these Herodians. Yet, they teamed up with them, for they hated the loving, wise, miracle working Jesus more. It does not make sense to us, but it does to the world. Christ Jesus even agreed with some of the doctrines of the Pharisees, for He told the disciples to do as they say, but not as they do.

Jesus also agreed with the Herodians on some issues, for He told them to render the poll tax to the Romans, and Jesus led several Herodians to salvation (Matthew, Zacchaeus). Jesus was not against ‘government’ for God had taught that government was allowed by God to rule for the good of the people. We are told in the Word to pray for government leaders. Jesus was loving and offering forgiveness to the Herodians, while the Pharisees were wanting them dead.

Yet, the two groups became friends long enough to try to trick Jesus, with the intent of bringing His death.

Verses 17-20
What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

The word ‘tribute’ is the Greek word, kensos (G2778), meaning ‘poll tax’. The Jewish people were forced to pay this tax to the Romans, and serious punishment was given if it was not. Jesus ‘perceived their wickedness’ and their evil intent. Jesus was given gifts of the Spirit, while He was ‘emptied’ of His divine powers. The Spirit gave Him a word of knowledge, word of wisdom here to know their thoughts and intent.

Jesus asked them, ‘Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?.’ This was an exposing of those who were His enemies. The onlookers all knew from this that this was a trick question, with intent to trap Jesus. We still find this type of thing happen in our day. In Sunday School classes, message boards, etc. we find some who will ask questions, not ones they truly want or need an answer, but ask with the intent to make the answerer look not as intelligent as themselves. The Holy Spirit is still capable of giving revelation of their intent, and the answer to confound them.

Verses 19-20
The ‘penny.’ Jesus asked for was a ‘denarion’ (G1220) which had the image of the caesar, and the superscription of his name. Jesus knew this, but wanted to have it spoken by them. They were carrying coins from doing business with the Romans, wanting to take advantage of their presence, but not wanting to pay the taxes to them.

Verse 21
Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's

Honesty requires that the owner of the coin receives the coin. If Jesus had favored just Caesar, the people would be against Him. If He had favored against Caesar, the Romans and Herodians would bring charges against Him. The answer of Jesus, kept either group from being able to charge Him.

THE SADDUCEES QUESTION

Matthew 22:
23 The same day came to Him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked Him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at His doctrine.

The Sadducees of Jesus' day were like the modernists, liberals of our day. They denied the resurrection, and denied the existence of miracles. There are some today in churches that deny the miraculous workings of God. They try to explain away the answers to prayer that a church will experience when it believes God.

Verse 24
Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother

Some like to flaunt what little Bible knowledge they have. These critics of Jesus wanted to trap Him with the Bible question. Could He be made to look foolish or uneducated.

Verse 25
seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother

The rabbis taught that if a woman had two husbands in this life, only the first will be her husband in the resurrection.

Verses 28-29
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? ...Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God

They were insincere in their question, for they did not even believe in a resurrection. They were mocking Jesus’, and no matter what He had answered, they would have mocked Him. They did not know the Scriptures, nor did they understand the power of God.

The phrase ‘in the resurrection’ speaks of the time of the resurrection, which is a time covering almost seven years. The dead in Christ are resurrected and the church is caught up and given new bodies at the resurrection, and later tribulation saints, the 144,000, and the two witnesses are later resurrected. That is called the ‘first resurrection’ and the seven year period is the time of which Jesus speaks. During that time, during that seven years in which we are in heaven, we are going to be very busy with the reward time, the worship time, the marriage supper of the Lamb, and the preparing to return for Armageddon. During that time, we will not be marrying, giving in marriage, etc. Yet, we have eternity to go after that, and we see children aplenty in the descriptions of the millennium and the new earth. God created Adam and Eve to bear children and our goal of replenishing the earth, and planets also, will be an eternal work.

The purpose of marriage was to replenish the earth, after the fall of Lucifer and the pre-adamites. After armageddon, after the destruction of the multitudes of the millennial judgment, there will be a need to plenish the new earth.

Verse 31-32
have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
The Sadducees believed the books of Moses to be the only Scriptures. Jesus quotes from Moses, and shows that Moses believed the three men, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were still alive when he spoke. If these three men were still alive hundreds of years after their bodily death, then all who cease to live in these mortal bodies are alive yet in the spirit. The Sadducees believed in annihilation of the person at death. Jesus’ answer that the dead in body, are still live in soul and in spirit, and that God is the God of living souls, refutes the annihilation idea. It also proved the Sadducees did not know the Scriptures very well.

They had tried to prove Jesus was ignorant of the Scriptures, but He proved that they were unlearned and unenlightened.

Souls are immortal, and God is the God of the living.

I Corinthians 15:39-58
(53, 54)
“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying, that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.’

Death of one’s body came upon all at the fall. When we get saved, the body is still, temporarily, bound for death. The soul is given life, eternal life with Jesus. At the first resurrection, the eternal soul puts on an incorruptible, eternal body, to live forever with the Lord, in our new body and our eternal soul.

The wicked die in body, but their souls go to hell, there to be until the second resurrection gives them eternal bodies for their already eternal soul. They spend eternity in the lake of fire, body and soul.

The body is fantastic in its creation. We are yet to see all the wonders of the spirit and soul that God has created. They are the true person, the body is just a ‘throwaway’. The new spirit body, which we will have for eternity, will outshine and outperform any human body here. Its wonders are beyond comprehension.

Romans 8:23
“And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body.’

Therefore, this body is not fully redeemed. It is awaiting the ‘adoption’, the time of rapture/resurrection, and then it will be transformed into a spirit body, that is eternal, and clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

Now, we have the ‘first fruits’ of the Spirit, and our spirit is clothed in righteousness, and is made alive again. It had been dead in sin. We await that adoption, that transformation, and do a bit of ‘groaning’ (as Paul puts it) waiting for that event.



THE PHARISEES QUESTION

Matthew 22:
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose Son is He? They say unto Him, The Son of David.
43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
44 The LORD said unto My Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool?
45 If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son?
46 And no man was able to answer Him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions.

Verse 34
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

The Sadducees were put to ‘silence’ by the answer of Jesus. We are promised such wisdom and words of knowledge that we can put hecklers and those that badger us to silence.

1 Corinthians 12:8 (KJV)
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

John 14:12 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

James 1:5 (KJV)
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Luke 21:15 (KJV)
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

SEE PART 2
 
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PART 2

So, we need not fear when given questions to challenge or to try to make us look stupid, for the Spirit will speak through us, with His wisdom and power.


Verse 35-36
lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him... Master... which is the great commandment in the law?

The ‘lawyer’ is a Scribe. These ones knew the Law, i.e. the books of Moses, and were interpreters of such laws. They read to the people from the law, they answered questions regarding the law of God. This lawyer calls Jesus to be ‘Master’ which is the Greek word didaskalos (G1320), meaning ‘teacher’. He was not addressing Jesus to be the ‘Lord’, or the ‘Messiah’, but was degrading him to the same level as he had himself.

The scribes divided the law into 248 positive ones, and 365 negative commands. This made 613 commandments, which is the number of letters in the ten commandments. This was a form of Jewish mysticism, and has no real importance in reality. They doted on numbers, letters, mystical interpretations of passages, missing the plain truths presented by God.

Mysticism formed early into Judaism. One mystical school of thought came to be known as Kabbalah. The word comes from the root ‘qof-bet-lamed’ (QBLH), which literally means ‘to receive, to accept’. The word is usually translated ‘tradition’.

This false sect claiming to be part of Judaism had the belief that they claim is a special knowledge of God’s existence. They believe that God first taught this secret knowledge to a select group of angels in paradise. After the fall of mankind, these angels taught this secret knowledge to disobedient mankind of the earth to show them how to return to their former nobility. Adam passed on to Noah this secret knowledge, and Noah passed it on to Abraham. Abraham supposedly let slip out this to the Egyptians during his sojourn there, and they used this secret knowledge in their religion. Moses, supposedly, who was taught by the Egyptians, learned this secret from these Egyptians. This knowledge was supposedly then passed down only orally, and not put into writing.

The Kabbalah heresy was and is a Jewish mysticism practice. They seek wisdom and confirmation for their doctrines in the Hebrew Scriptures. The Torah (Pentateuch) has 304,805 Hebrew letters. The Kabbalah-ists believe that hidden in those letters are this secret wisdom meant for those with the intelligence or gift to find such. To the Kabbalah-ists, every letter of the Hebrew language is a channel to God or to His message for us. Finding the hidden messages was and still is the past time of Kabbalah-ists.

This lawyer believed in many of the mystical ways of interpreting the writings of Moses. Here, this kabbalah-ist, wanted Jesus to state what He thought the ‘great commandment’ was. Jesus was not going to validate this mystical lawyer, nor his heresy.

Jesus plainly states what is undeniably plain in the writings of Moses. The truth is plain, the heresies take argument, twisted logic, and naivety to ever look acceptable. The plain truth, as stated by Jesus, is Scriptural, and is hard to resist.

Verse 37
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind

Jesus gives a direct quote of the law, one which this lawyer, had he not been distracted by heretical methods of interpretation and of seeking truth, should have easily known.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (KJV)
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Deuteronomy 10:12 (KJV)
12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

Deuteronomy 30:6 (KJV)
6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Was that some truth this ‘lawyer’, this one supposedly the most educated in the Word of God, that there was in the land, would not know???! Of course, had he not been distracted with letter counting, seeking hidden truths in the numbers of letters, he would have seen this obvious truth of the greatest law of God.

Love for God must come from the heart, the inner affections, from the soul, i.e. one’s consciousness, and from the mind, i.e. the thoughts. All of one’s being needs to be involved in the love for our God. These lawyers of the pharisees were consumed by love, but it was a love for themselves, for the acclaim they wanted from others.

Verse 39
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself

This was the second commandment that Jesus found very easy to learn from the written laws of Moses.

Leviticus 19:18 (KJV)
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Verse 40
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets

The ‘lawyer’ should have known this, and had he truly been a student of the Spirit of God, the plainness of this truth would have been very observable and evident in the law. These two commandments are the sum of all responsibility of God’s children.

Now, Jesus turns the tables. He asks them a question. He answered their best attempts to trip Him up, but they failed. Jesus now confronts them with a question, and they will not be able to answer. We have a saying, ‘turnabout is fair play’, and here Jesus turns the questions back to them.

Verse 42-45
What think ye of Christ? whose Son is He? ... How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he His son?
...The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool
...how is He his son?

All enemies, even death itself, will be conquered by the Lord, by the end of the Millennium.
1 Corinthians 15:24-28 (KJV)
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Jesus is David's Lord because He is God, and a descendant of David in humanity, but His deity makes Him David’s Lord. Jesus became a man through Mary of the house of David.

This question was one the Pharisees had ignored, for their chosen doctrine did not fit the Scriptures. They were confounded, and unable to answer the question of Jesus, without admitting that this ‘Man’, Jesus, had every right to claim to be King, and Deity.

Verse 46
word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions

Their mouths were silenced. Just as the Sadducees were silenced, so were they. They resorted from this point on, not to try to discredit Jesus, but to plot to take His life. When people today are confounded by the Word of God and its wisdom, they often resort to deceit, violence, and destruction.
 
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murjahel

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THE TRIAL OF JESUS

The moral decay in this world is horrendous.

Prayer has been taken from the schools, and now a generation has grown up, that seldom prays at work, or elsewhere. The average Christian prays less than a minute a day.

Bibles were also taken from the school, and now the trash in books being read in schools is shamefully perverted, sinful, and untruthful.

Abortion has created a generation hardened to murder. Over 55 million innocent babies have died since the legalization of abortion. Guilt ridden, shamed mothers and fathers of those children bear a guilt that needs to find the forgiveness of Jesus.

Moral decay is seen in premarital sex, perversions being promoted in sex education classes, homosexual marriages. Homosexuality is being justified as ‘good’, and not ‘evil’.

Christian youth who go out to the flag pole and pray are shot by morally corrupted fellow students. In Littleton, Colorado, the young men asked who was a Christian before they shot them. In China, 7000 Christians are killed every week.

These sins and others fill this world. Punishment is deserved, probably more than ever before on this world. Yet, as Christians, we have escaped our punishment. We have had Jesus stand trial for our sins, and bear them on His body, pay with His life... and conquer for us the penalty that sin demands. The rest of this sinful world needs to be aware of the forgiveness, and restoration from sin, that the trial of Jesus obtained as possible for us.

The devil knew he could get mankind to sin. It was not a hard task. When Jesus came, the devil saw that all his hard work in dooming us, might be lost. The devil had John the Baptist beheaded. The devil had them attempt to stone Jesus. Many of the 70 disciples were killed around the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, in an attempt of the devil to stop this message of Jesus from reaching more people. Jesus told John to care for His mother, Mary, during that treacherous time. The devil was desperate. He started this desperation killing when he had heard the wise men say the Messiah had been born. The early church records that 14,000 babies were killed by Herod’s soldiers during that month.

In these last days, there is a plot of the devil to kill the saints of the Lord. We shall see more of that in the days just prior to Jesus’ return.

The horribleness of this world is all due to the fact that Jesus offers salvation, and the devil wants to stop mankind from finding that salvation. Jesus’ trial provided redemption for us. We are taught that when we see the ‘Beginnings of sorrows’, we are to look up’ (Luke 21:28) The devil gets desperate to stop God’s plan... but in the trial of Jesus, in His death for us, and for our sins, Jesus has provided victory.

Jesus not only took your death,
He also took your trial.

Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea between 26 to 37 A.D. He ruled that area for a bit longer than Jesus was there to minister. His official home was in Caesarea, and he came to Jerusalem only at feast times, to keep order. He is said to have been the kind of person who enjoyed the spectacle of the torture and death of a person. One time, he mixed the blood of certain Galileans with the blood of their sacrifices.

Luke 13:1
“There were present at that season, some that told Him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.”

The plotters of Jesus’ death, knew also of the evil nature of Pilate, and felt sure they could get this Galilean, i.e. Jesus, condemned to death too. Yet, in Jesus, at His trial, Pilate saw a man in whom even he could find no fault. Suddenly, this wicked man did not want to take part in the death of Jesus. Pilate sent them to Herod, Herod sent Jesus to the Sanhedrin. When Jesus was sent back, Pilate appealed to the multitudes there, to punish the wicked Barrabas or the pure Jesus. He hoped they would choose to kill Barrabas. Yet, the people were the hard and cruel ones, Pilate was denied, when he asked to release Jesus. The crowd and their leaders threatened Pilate to report him to Caesar if he did not kill Jesus.

So, the judge of the trial was blackmailed and coerced to bring a guilty verdict, and bring death to an innocent man, i.e. Jesus. The trial was at an illegal time of day, the death sentence was carried out illegally... but it worked together for good, because Jesus died for our sins at that crucifixion.

The pharisees provided lying witnesses at the trial. The crowd was stirred up to yell ‘crucify Him’, when several days before many were shouting ‘hosanna’ to the same Person. The intimidation against Pilate brought therefore the death sentence at that trial.

This was a trial of an innocent man, Who died for the sins of every generation. We can claim, if we choose, to let His trial be ours, His death be ours, His resurrection be our guarantee of ours. He went to trial for us, for we are more than guilty, He is totally innocent.


Judas had proclaimed Jesus to be innocent.
Matthew 27:4
“I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.”

Pilate’s wife had claimed Jesus to be innocent. A dream had shown her in the night that this man was innocent. It is said, she later became a Christian. Pilate is said to also have then been led to accept Jesus due to her witness.
Matthew 27:19
“his (Pilate’s) wife sent unto him, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that just man...”

Pilate had realized Jesus was innocent of the charges even at the trial.
Matthew 27:24
“...washed his hands... saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.”

Herod had realized Jesus was innocent.
Luke 23:15
Pilate said of Herod, “I sent Him unto him (Herod), and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto Him.’

A thief of the cross said of Jesus:
Luke 23:47
‘this Man hath done nothing wrong...’

The centurion who led the soldiers of the crucifixion said:
Luke 23:47
‘Certainly, this was a righteous Man...’

Those that one would not suspect of mercy, saw in Jesus though, that He was a just, righteous, innocent Person. Those that should have known that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior, were the ones pushing for, providing liars against Jesus.

The trial began with a betrayal from one of Jesus’ own disciples. Jesus knew that betrayal was coming. Jesus knew from the beginning of His ministry which one would betray Him. He also wept greatly in Gethsemane, knowing this betrayal was being carried out by His ‘friend’. The betrayal was finalized with a ‘kiss’ upon the cheek of Jesus, an event that must have previously indicated devotion and love for the Messiah.

The verdict of death was already decided by the perpetrators of the trial. They would not settle for any punishment less than death.


Jesus was sent first to Caiaphas’ house, and there faced Annas, the former High Priest. Then later faced Caiaphas. They already had decided to have Jesus killed, but the method of doing so was still being decided.

Annas questioned about Jesus’ teaching. This was illegal, for the proper way to charge Jesus with heretical teaching was to produce witnesses of it having been taught. The duty of an accuser is to produce witnesses as evidence, but to question one on their own teachings was not allowed by Jewish law.

Then the Sanhedrin assembled. They needed at least a two thirds quorum to be authorized to make decisions. The law also said that a night session of the Sanhedrin was illegal, and this was a night session.

Two false witnesses were brought forth, and of course, lying witnesses are forbidden in the law. They said that Jesus had said that He would destroy the Temple and then rebuild it in three days. The two witnesses could not agree on the lie they told, and the falseness of their witness was evident.

Then, Jesus was asked if He were the ‘Son of God?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Thou sayest it.”

False accusers were brought to Pilate. If they were to enter the court of this Roman, they would feel defiled, especially since the Passover was about to begin. So, they had Pilate come out to them. That feeling of needing purity, did not stop them from lying to Pilate, from falsely accusing Jesus. One kind of purity was important to them, purity of speech was not. This is not unlike many today.

They based their argument on Jesus claim to be ‘King’. Jesus answered not a ‘word’ (rhema). Their accusation did not ring true, their stories varied too much, and Pilate could find in Jesus, no criminal activity.

Therefore, the sentence of Pilate to kill Jesus, was judicial murder, for Jesus had not been found guilty of any crime. The trial was illegally held. The witnesses were deemed to be liars. Jesus had uttered nothing that made Him self condemned.

This trial was illegal, the verdict was incorrect, the injustice was evident. The world could not deal with the message of Jesus, and felt they could stop Him via this trial and its judgment. Yet, the Lord has victory, and no illegal, unjust trial could prove even one sin in this Savior.
 
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A

AbbaLove

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Would like to respond to two previous unanswered posts on this thread that were quickly passed over by our prolific poster. So will start another thread and begin by transferring the two following posts in this thread (which were passed over) to a Resurrection Sunday thread I'll start within an hour.


I can't object to the scriptural aspects of what you are saying. but as for the holiday of Easter , I still have a tough time not thinking of it as a pagan holiday....I also don't think too highly of so called " good friday " , it seems more likely that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday...
Just 26 more days till Easter April 20th ... it might take that long to read all of this, but worth it. :)

Wasn't Easter March 31st last year?
 
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murjahel

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This 'prolific poster' had a first post on this thread, that showed that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday, and resurrected on Sat eve... found on Sunday, the post resurrection Sunday, is the day they found the risen Lord... so there is not a Resurrection Sunday, but a 'finding the resurrected Lord Sunday'...

this has all been shown and explained... by the 'prolific poster' (LOL)... that is why he is called 'prolific'... Now, back to where we were on the further truths found in the Word... Over half of John's gospel was on the last week wherein the crucifixion and resurrection occurred... it was the main message of all of Paul's sermons to new areas... so I join some very prolific speakers too... LOL



THE TIME OF THE CRUCIFIXION

The Passover time was a three day sabbath. It began that year on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. and ended Saturday at 6 p.m. There has been an error within Christian circles for many centuries. Years ago, while studying the Bible, some Catholic priests saw that they wanted to take the body down from the cross before the sabbath began. Since most sabbaths are Friday at 6 until Saturday at 6, they assumed that this meant that Jesus was crucified on Friday. This has brought about the teaching and observance of "Good Friday."

This was not the ordinary Sabbath. This was the Passover Sabbath, and it was a three day Sabbath. Jesus then would have had to be crucified on Wednesday, and in the tomb before 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

This makes us able to understand the rest of prophetic teaching concerning the event.

Matthew 12:40 tells us:
"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

If Christ were crucified on Friday, there is no way to get "three days" and "three nights" before Sunday morning. Yet, there is Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights, and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday days, between the crucifixion and the resurrection in the correct teaching. Jesus was resurrected on Saturday about 6 p.m., and was already out of the tomb. before daylight when the women arrived in the morning. We should celebrate a "Good Wednesday" to be accurate.

Many ministers and Bible scholars have known this, but allow the idea of "Good Friday" to continue. It is time we correct this errant teaching and show how Jesus fulfilled Bible prophecy in His three day, and three night time in the heart of the earth!

The passover is an appropriate time for the crucifixion. It celebrated a remembrance of the time when the lamb was slain and the blood sprinkled upon the doorposts in Egypt just before the deliverance. The Passover taught the concept of freedom, and deliverance through the shedding of the blood of the lamb. John the Baptist had said - "Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world."(John 1:29). The message of Passover taught the freedom from sin, guilt, and death through the death of a lamb. Jesus came and fulfilled the type and shadow that Passover represented. We do not celebrate Passover as they did in the Old Testament, for we now have the fulfillment of Passover in Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain for our sins!!!

JUDAS, THE BETRAYER

Judas agreed to betray the Lord.


Matthew 26:14-16 (KJV)
14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Judas had an unavailing remorse, but lacked true repentance.

Matthew 27:3-10 (KJV)
3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.
7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.


The chief priests purchased a potter's field (a worthless field filled with broken pieces of useless pottery.) This field was filled with those remnants of the failures of the potter. No one wanted to walk across such a field, for it would cut, scrape and hurt to walk across all those pieces.

This broken pottery was a fitting type for Judas, for he had been the one piece of pottery that the Lord had labored, as the great POTTER, but had to cast out broken and useless. The flaw in that piece of pottery known as "Judas" was his love for money.


Judas went to this same field of a potter, before they purchased it, and he hanged himself there upon a tree in that worthless field. After he had broken his neck in the hanging, his body fell from the tree upon the broken, sharp pieces of pottery below. His body was mutilated by the broken shards of pottery. His blood flowed upon these broken pieces. The field became known as the "field of blood." When the body was found the next day, the chief priests decided to use the money of Judas to purchase it, and use the field to bury Judas, and others who were worthless, and had no proper burial spot, nor could their families afford such.

Acts 1:16-20
"Men and brethren, this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein; and his bishoprick, let another take."

This part of Psalms, which Peter in his sermon tells us refers to Judas, also adds some more revelation concerning him...

Psalms 69:25-28
"Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. For they persecute Him Whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. Add iniquity unto their iniquity, and let them not come into Thy righteousness. Let them be BLOTTED OUT OF THE BOOK OF THE LIVING, AND NOT BE WRITTEN WITH THE RIGHTEOUS."


Judas did not find repentance and redemption... but had his name blotted out of the book of life... This is quite a warning for us... who walk with the Lord daily as did Judas... We have read of the great miracles of Jesus, which Judas stood there and literally watched... He failed and betrayed that same Lord... and so could we, if we choose! Beware of the sins of Judas.
 
 
THE ARREST OF JESUS

The betrayal by Judas, and the arrest by the servants of the High Priest came quickly.

Matthew 26:47-56
"Judas, one of the twelve came... with him a great multitude with swords and staves... betrayed Him... sign... Whomsoever I shall kiss, hold him fast... Friend, why are you come?... laid hands on Jesus and took Him... all the disciples forsook Him and fled."

Judas was a disciple about whom Jesus had said, that his name was written in heaven. Yet, this one who had been saved, betrayed the Lord Jesus. It is "funny" how the religious people of then and now can betray, let down, turn on, and attack each other.

THE DENIAL OF PETER

Jesus had foretold the denial of Peter. First it was told Peter in the upper room John 13:8, and also in Matthew 26:

Matthew 26:31-35
"Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended of Me this night: for it is written: 'I will smite the Shepherd, the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.' (Zechariah 13:7) But after I am risen again- I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answered and said, Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended... This night before the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] crow, thou shalt deny me thrice... though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee... Likewise said all of the disciples."


The fulfillment of this word from Jesus is told to us in Matthew 26:69-75:
"Peter sat without the palace and a damsel came... Thou wast with Jesus of Galilee... he denied before them all... I know not what thou sayest ... another maid... This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth... he denied with an oath... They that stood by said - surely thou art one of them... speech betrayeth thee... began he to curse (katanathematidzo = to call curses on self if not true what he had said) and to swear (means to swear by the name of God if it was untrue). I know not the man... [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] crew... Peter remembered ... went out... wept bitterly..."

THE TRIAL

Then the Lord was taken to a mock trial.

Matthew 26:57-68
"...led Him away to Caiaphas... scribes and elders were assembled... Peter followed afar off... sought false witnesses... found none... at last two false witnesses... said 'This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days...' Jesus held His peace... Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power... High Priest rent his clothes saying, Blasphemy!... They answered and said, 'He is guilty of death!' ... spit in His face... buffeted Him... smote Him with the palms of their hands... saying, 'Prophesy... Thou Christ... who smote Thee?"

Note the disdain of the Sanhedrin and the religious people. It is quite common in congregations of today for people to become judgmental, 'holier than thou', and to do evil to those who are Christ-like. Some people who were shouting "Hosanna" a few days before were now shouting - "Crucify Him."

Were they fickle? Were they absent? Were they silent? or were they present and deceived by the passion of the religious leaders? When some passed by the cross and realized Jesus had been crucified, did they protest? When they were traveling out of the city to prepare for the Passover meal were they upset at seeing their Lord bearing the cross to calvary? In our day, we see many abuses and Christians hurting Christians, where are the saints who will protest? Are they silent? all absent? fickle? deceived? We find the same questions today, for they must all be like the disciples who forsook Jesus, for most are not heard from, and the victims of todays' spiritual abuse go through the trials alone, as did the Lord.

The chief priests, elders, and scribes taunted Jesus to come down from the cross. They reviled Him. These were the attackers. Intercessors rarely attack, and attackers rarely intercede.


When Jesus was before Pilate, the two witnesses that came forth to lie about Jesus must have "laid it on thick." but Jesus did not try to speak forth a "rhema" word of rebuke against the false accusers.

Matthew 27:11-26
"...governor asked... Art Thou the king of the Jews?... Thou sayest! ... when He was accused of the chief priests and elders, He answered them nothing... Hearest Thou not how many things they witness against Thee?... He answered them never a word (rhema)... governor marveled greatly... to release unto the people a prisoner... had then a notable prisoner, Barabbas ... Whom shall I release, Barabbas or Jesus?... when he was sat down... wife (Claudia Procula) sent to him... Have nothing to do with the just man... dream because of Him... chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude to ask for Barabbas... What evil has He done? ... cried out, Let Him be crucified... I am innocent of the blood... scourged Jesus... delivered Him to be crucified."
 

THE MISTREATMENT OF JESUS

The mistreatment of Jesus was incredible, and hard to believe that they could enjoy doing these things to One Whom no one could find a charge that was true to incriminate Him as worthy of mistreatment. Here was One Who had healed the sick, raised the dead, taught love and mercy, and offered salvation to all who would accept, and they did these horrible things to Him.

Matthew 27:27-32
"...stripped Him, put on a scarlet robe... crown of thorns, reed in His right hand (mock sceptre), bowed the knee and mocked Him... spit on Him... took reed and smote Him on the head... mocked Him, took robe off Him and put on His own raiment... led Him away to crucify Him.. found a man of Cyrene... Simon.. compelled to bear His cross."

This was sport to these soldiers. They enjoyed the mistreatment. People may watch gory movies on television, and yet, it is far beyond that to treat people as these men did Jesus.
 
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murjahel

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One reason why Paul had to write the correcting letter of I Corinthians, was that in his original visit to Corinth, his sermons were only on Jesus and Him crucified... So, his starting of the church there, was prolific messages on the passion week...

1 Corinthians 2:2 (KJV)
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

John, the apostle, from chapter 10 to 21 of his gospel are the events and sermons of Jesus in the last several months during which was the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension... So, his writings there were prolific on this week of time...

I know that I am going on and on with messages that some churches squeeze into a Easter sermon... but there is far more to know and consider...

John later wrote his epistles to take care of church problems... Paul later wrote several letters to Corinth to handle problems... and I write on other subjects too, but in this thread, the multitudinous truths need more than a passing mention once a year....
 
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murjahel

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The THREE ANOINTINGS of JESUS




There were three anointings of Jesus, by mankind, shortly before He did His ministry of dying for our sins, making a way for us to be forgiven, and to live in heaven.

The three anointings are these:
1. Some time before the passion week, in the town of Nain (about 20 miles south of Capernaum in Galilee) at the house of Simon the pharisee, Jesus was anointed.
2. Later, just before the passion week, six days before the passover, in Bethany, at the house of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, Jesus was anointed again.
3. Finally, at the house of Simon the leper in Bethany during the passion week, Jesus was anointed a third time.


The Hebrew word translated ‘Messiah’ means ‘anointed One’. The Greek word also translated ‘Messiah’ means ‘anointed One’. When prophets, priests, or kings were set apart to do their ministry, they were ‘anointed’. We call Jesus to be the ‘Christ’. The word is sometimes translated ‘Christ’, sometimes translated ‘Messiah’, and other times translated the ‘Anointed’. They all come from the same word. The Hebrew word for ‘Messiah’ is ‘mashiah’, and in all the thirty-nine times that it occurs in the Old Testament, it is translated in the Septuagint to be the Greek word "Christos." It simply means “anointed.”

Priests (Exodus 28:41; Exodus 40:15; Numbers 3:3), prophets (1Kings 19:16), and kings (1Samuel 9:16; 1Samuel 16:3; 2Samuel 12:7) were anointed with oil, and consecrated, dedicated to the work of their ministries.

The great Messiah, that is, Jesus is anointed "above his fellows". Jesus embraces in Himself all three of these ministries.

Psalm 45:6-7 (KJV)
6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit at the time of the baptism by John the Baptist. There were three later ‘anointings’ of oil, performed by mankind, both sinful and righteous mankind, later in His ministry. Just shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus was anointed with oil. He was consecrated to the final and most vital part of His ministry, just prior to it.

THE FIRST of three ANOINTINGs

Luke 7:36-50 (KJV)
36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And He said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And He turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest Me no water for My feet: but she hath washed My feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest Me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss My feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed My feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

This anointing was done in the city of Nain (Luke 7:11). This town was a day’s walk from Capernaum. This was not Mary Magdalene, for she was of the city of Magdala. This woman was a ‘sinner’, who needed forgiveness. Jesus was anointed by her to be a ‘prophet’, and His prophetic message is shown here. The lesson Jesus teaches here at this anointing is that there is a need for forgiveness for our wrongs. The message of those in ministry today needs to address the sins of mankind. Without reference to them, we are failing in our ministry.

Jesus speaks to Simon, the pharisee, here. He tells the story of a man forgiven a little, and another forgiven much. The appreciation of the one forgiven the most, will be most happy with salvation’s message. Simon had not appreciated Jesus, had not done what would have been done for even many strangers traveling through the area. Jesus had been slighted by Simon’s disregard, his lack of appreciation for Jesus and His ministry.

Many today think little of how they offend Jesus. They use His name in vain, they ignore speaking to Him, they do not follow His commandments, they do not repent of their failings. Some others, will, like this woman, realize their sins, weep before the Lord, and appreciate His calling of them from their sins. She was forgiven. Was Simon?

To come to Jesus, we need to find first His message. We need to fall before Him and repent of our sinfulness, and then receive His forgiveness. This woman anointed Him, after she broke in tears and repentance of heart. The message we preach needs to be His message, and to often today, people want to ‘anoint’ Him as ‘King’ but have not yet anointed Him as the One with the prophetic truth about sin and salvation.

The anointing oil was in an alabaster box. This means the container came from the city of Alabastron, Egypt. These containers were made of soft marble, and were small boxes of various shapes. Most of them held about a pint.

Eastern people rested in a reclining position, with head toward a table, feet stretched out behind. This repentant woman approached Jesus, coming first to His feet, and there washed His feet with her tears of sorrow for her sins. Kissing the feet was a custom of the Greeks and Romans showing reverence, respect. She respected the Lord, unlike Simon had done. She was repentant of her many sins, and even if Simon had fewer sins, he was unrepentant, and disrespectful to the Lord Jesus.

This was the first of three anointings, two later the week of His death. Yet, in this first, we see that first the words of Jesus need to be heeded, the call to repentance for sin needs to be addressed. We need to anoint Jesus as speaker of the message of truth.

This woman was a ‘sinner’. Simon thought he was righteous. Yet, he was critical of Jesus in watching and listening to Jesus. He questioned whether he should heed the words of Jesus For Simon reasoned in himself that Jesus was unaware of her sinfulness, or Jesus would not have let her touch Him. That made Simon question whether Jesus was a prophet at all.

Moses had prophesied that the Messiah would be a ‘great prophet’. Jesus’ first part of ministry was the work of a prophet. This sinful woman heeded the words of Jesus, came in repentance and grief over her sins, and anointed Jesus in honor and respect of His message.

Today, prophets often are thought of, as Simon did, as attackers on sinners. That is not true of the real prophets. Sin bothers prophets, but sinners are on the hearts of true prophets. Jesus did not come to condemn sinners, like this woman. Rather, He came to forgive the repentant, and to encourage all who will to repent and sorrow for the sins that have separated mankind from God. Jesus heart of love, was the heart of the True Prophet of God, and all of us should have hearts like unto His. She anointed His feet with her tears of repentance, and He lovingly forgave her sins. This was the loving Prophet that Moses had said would come.


stay tuned for anointing 2 and anointing 3...
 
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murjahel

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THE SECOND of the three ANOINTINGs

John 12:1-12 (KJV)
1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
11 Because that by reason of him, many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

Again, an alabaster box was used to carry the anointing oil. This was a ‘pound’ (the original word referred to something of 12 ounces in weight). Spikenard was an ointment, made of spiked nard . Nard was a bearded grass of India, from which was made a fragrant oil. The word for pure is pistakes, meaning it was a liquid form of the nard. It was poured over Jesus feet. This was sanctifying the feet in where they were about to take Jesus, as He would walk that long walk from where He was beaten, to the place where He was crucified on that rugged cross for our sins. His priestly work of offering Himself as a Sacrifice for sins, is the priestly work of the Lord Jesus, the Christ (the Anointed One).

A pence was the average daily wage a person earned. So, this oil was worth three hundred days wages. Almost a years wages were spent on this nard. This shows the costliness of the sacrifice Jesus offered. The innocent, never having sinned, God Who came from His glories in heaven to live on this corrupt earth, gave His life willingly for our sins.


THE THIRD and concluding of the ANOINTINGs


Matthew 26:6-13 (KJV)
6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

This story is told also by Mark. We find the same story is told, and this anointing, preceded by the two that showed the problem, i.e. the need of a ‘Prophet’ to show the sin, and the need of a High Priest to offer atonement. Now, this final anointing speaks of the wonderful reward of the first two, whereas, Jesus is anointed King, Victor, Savior, Mighty God Who has made it possible for us to be forgiven.

Mark 14:1-9 (KJV)
1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

This event happened two days before the passover. Since the passover was a three day Sabbath, this was on Monday. There was a meeting of the priests in Jerusalem conspiring to kill Jesus. There had already been a secret meeting of Judas with the priests, but the final arrangements on how the arrest would take place was not done. Jesus did not say ‘the Son of man shall be betrayed’, rather He said ‘the Son of man IS betrayed.’ The priests were not meeting to decide if they would kill Jesus, they were meeting to decide how. The meeting was to decide how to do this evil deed as quickly, and privately as possible.

The woman is not identified, but it was likely again Mary, the sister of Martha. It could have been Martha just as easily though. She poured this ointment upon His head. This was done before His death and resurrection, for it was an anointing toward the reason He can wear the crown of King of kings. He has conquered sin, death. Death would have no hold on Him, .. He was sinless. He took all our sins, paid our debt for sin, but conquered death by dying for our sins.

All the disciples disagreed with the ‘waste’ of the oil. Judas disagreed hypocritically, for he was not concerned for the poor. The others had purer motives. The disciples were censured by Jesus, and told that this ‘deed’ of the anointing would be spoken of for all generations. This anointing was the final of the three. Jesus came anointed to be our great ‘Prophet’, our High Priest, and now as our King of kings.

The disciples did not realize the supreme importance of this anointing. If this was not done, if mankind did not realize that Jesus was to be the Atoning Victor, Ruler and Magistrate of all the universe, then the purpose of His life was totally then missed. Jesus had to tell them that this anointing is the of dominating and prestigious importance.

Did the woman understand about Jesus’ soon coming betrayal? She likely did and Jesus had foretold about His betrayal, arrest, sacrifice, resurrection. It is a wonder to me that the disciples did not understand, and were confused, for the gospels record several times, at least, that Jesus tried to tell them what was about to happen. This woman must have ‘listened’, and Mary was a listener. She had also anointed Him earlier, for the priestly work He would do, now, upon His head, in preparation for the crown He was about to claim, she anoints Him. This, I believe, was at least partially understood by this woman. Mary, the sister of Lazarus, had sat at Jesus’ feet, ignoring the dinner preparation, and was intent on the message of Jesus. She is the likely person of which this speaks.

The broken alabaster container of the oil speaks of the brokenness of the crucifixion, the degrading mocking, the beatings, and nailing to a rugged cross. Humiliating and demeaning was this event, but it caused Jesus to die, pay the price for sin, conquer both sin and death, and be resurrected King. The Bible calls this event the ‘gospel’, i.e. ‘good news’.

Jesus said ‘she did it for My burial”. The woman did it out of love, and she loved Jesus with all her heart. She had loved listening to His words, and must have understood the gravity and blessing to come of His work. Jesus loved us immensely, was to do this work for us. He left the glory of heaven, paid a great personal price, to come and live in this sinful world for thirty three years, suffering for us. His life was demonstrated love. This woman was demonstrating her love and trust in the Lord.

This was a sacrifice for her. Almost a year’s wages were spent on the oil. She had ‘done what she could’, meaning this was the most she could spend, she had no more to give.

Jesus gave all He could. He was not a sinner, but He died for sinners. He was perfect, but He died for the imperfect. He gave His all, as she gave all she could. He gave every drop of His blood, she gave every drop of the oil.

We see different reactions in other situations. David danced with joy, his wife, Michal complained. Prophets weep and speak out of a broken heart, and people mock them. This woman gave her all, poured it out in love, and the disciples criticized.. She is a model for us, we need to give all to the Lord, in loving appreciation for Who He is, and for what He has done for us. He is now King, due to His love.


THE ANOINTED ONE WAS HIS OFFICIAL TITLE


The official title of the Lord Jesus, was ‘Christ’. It is used 514 times in the New Testament. This is sometimes translated ‘Messiah’ but that refers to the Hebrew word for ‘ANOINTED’. Jesus came as the ‘ANOINTED ONE’. It speaks of one who is ‘anointed or consecrated to a work.’ Jesus came to do the works of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king. Jesus is anointed to do that work.

Isaiah 61:1-3 (KJV)
1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because the LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.

There, in Isaiah, we see that Jesus was to come, anointed to ‘preach’, i.e. the work of a prophet. He was to ‘comfort, oil, teach praise, as does a priest. And He was to take ownership, rulership by making us ‘the planting of the Lord’. He was doing all this that ‘He might be glorified’ becoming the King. So, Jesus came to do those ministries. God anointed Him to that work. Mankind is to accept that work that Jesus came to do, and ‘anoint’ Him too in that work He has done for us.

Jesus, the Anointed Messiah, is still the "the seed of the woman" (Gen 3:15), "the seed of Abraham" (Gen 22:18), the "Prophet like unto Moses" (Deut 18:15), "the Priest after the order of Melchizedek" (Ps 110:4), and the ‘King of kings’ (I Timothy 6:15). Jesus is He "of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write." The Old Testament is full of prophetic declarations regarding the Great Anointed One and the work He was to accomplish. Jesus the Christ is Jesus the Anointed One, the Savior of men. This name denotes that Jesus was divinely appointed, commissioned, and accredited as the Savior of men (Heb 5:4; Isa 11:2-4; Isa 49:6; John 5:37; Acts 2:22).

Under the law, prophets as well as priests and kings were anointed with oil. We see that Jesus was anointed by the Spirit to be a witness of the Father’s grace, and not in the usual way; for Jesus is differentiated from others who had a similar office. The voice which thundered from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, hear him” distinguished Him from all others. For that reason, Paul says, “I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified,” (1 Cor 2:2). We today, have to be in awe of the works that our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, did for us, and we say in exclamation: “Who shall declare his generation?” (Isaiah 53:8).

Jesus did the work He was anointed to do. He spoke as a Prophet, telling us the message and plan of God. He, as High Priest, offered Himself as the sacrifice for our sins. He now is worthy to be ‘King of kings’. God proclaims still: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool,” (Ps 110:1). So, someday, Jesus will rule this entire universe, as King. We can anoint Him to be our King, our High Priest, and our Great Prophet, now.

God has “given Him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11).

This King of kings is still the perpetual Intercessor Priest. Christ (Anointed One) Jesus now bears the office of priest, so that His work renders us to have God the Father be favorable and full of grace to us, and to admit us into this most honorable family of God. To this purpose are the words of Christ Jesus, “For their sakes I sanctify myself” (John 17:19).

All this was possible, for while we were ‘yet sinners’, Jesus, the Anointed One, came and proclaimed the message of forgiveness for our sins. As a Prophet, He began His redemptive work. The work of prophet continued on, into His priestly ministry, offering Himself as the spotless Lamb. Now, He wants to be our King of kings, and rule our lives with love.
 
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murjahel

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HIS CRUCIFIXION SERMON

part 1


EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS CRUCIFIXION SERMON


Jesus was a prolific speaker, preacher. He preached while fishing, He preached while walking down a road, sitting on a hillside, watching donors give their offerings at the Temple, eating dinner with publicans, hanging on a cross, etc... His whole life was speaking and speaking. He began at least by age 12, when He stayed behind after the feast time, and caused His parents stress in seeking to find their Child, and found Him in the Temple speaking to the main teachers of the faith.

Jesus was still speaking words of exhortation, comfort, and lovingly added one, at least, soul to the kingdom via His sermon on the cross. Others were touched by this prolific message from one dying and suffering, but still not shut up from preaching.

We have to go to all four gospels to find all the words of this message on the cross. One gospel writer recorded some, another recorded some others. Looking at the four gospels, we can gather much information as to what was the mission of this sermon.

There are great truths in a few words, exceptional revelations of the heart of Jesus, and amazing information shown about the humanity, and deity of our Savior given while suffering from 39 stripes, numerous punches, a crown of thorns, nails in His hands and feet, hanging in a position wherein He had to push up to gather enough breath to speak.... Yet, this prolific Preacher of good news kept talking.


The Passover time was a three day sabbath. It began that year on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. and ended Saturday at 6 p.m. There has been an error within Christian circles for many centuries. Years ago, some saw the body taken down from the cross before the sabbath began. Since most sabbaths are Friday at 6 until Saturday at 6, they assumed that Jesus was crucified on Friday. This has brought about the teaching of "Good Friday."

Yet. this was not the ordinary Sabbath. This was Passover Sabbath, and was a three day Sabbath. Jesus then would have had to be crucified on Wednesday, and in the tomb before 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

Matthew 12:40 tells us:
"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

If Christ were crucified on Friday, there is no way to get "three days" and "three nights" before Sunday morning. Yet, there is Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights, and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday days, between the crucifixion and the resurrection in the correct teaching. Jesus was resurrected on Saturday about 6 p.m., and was already out of the tomb. before daylight when the women arrived in the morning. We should celebrate a "Good Wednesday" to be accurate. And Sunday, we observe when they found the resurrected Jesus.


The betrayal by Judas, and the arrest came quickly.

Matthew 26:47-56
"Judas, one of the twelve came... with him a great multitude with swords and staves... betrayed Him... sign... Whomsoever I shall kiss, hold him fast... Friend, why are you come?... laid hands on Jesus and took Him... all the disciples forsook Him and fled."

Jesus had foretold the denial of Peter. First it was told Peter in the upper room John 13:8, and also in Matthew 26:
Matthew 26:31-35
"Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended of Me this night: for it is written: 'I will smite the Shepherd, the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.' (Zechariah 13:7) But after I am risen again- I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answered and said, Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended... This night before the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] crow, thou shalt deny me thrice... though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee... Likewise said all of the disciples."

The fulfillment of this word from Jesus is told to us in Matthew 26:69-75:
"Peter sat without the palace and a damsel came... Thou wast with Jesus of Galilee... he denied before them all... I know not what thou sayest ... another maid... This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth... he denied with an oath... They that stood by said - surely thou art one of them... speech betrayeth thee... began he to curse (katanathematidzo = to call curses on self if not true what he had said) and to swear (means to swear by the name of God if it was untrue). I know not the man... [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] crew... Peter remembered ... went out... wept bitterly..."

Then the Lord was taken to a mock trial.

Matthew 26:57-68
"...led Him away to Caiaphas... scribes and elders were assembled... Peter followed afar off... sought false witnesses... found none... at last two false witnesses... said 'This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days...' Jesus held His peace... Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power... High Priest rent his clothes saying, Blasphemy!... They answered and said, 'He is guilty of death!' ... spit in His face... buffeted Him... smote Him with the palms of their hands... saying, 'Prophesy... Thou Christ... who smote Thee?"


It is common for people to become judgmental, 'holier than thou', and to do evil to those who are Christ-like. Some people who were shouting "Hosanna" a few days before were now shouting - "Crucify Him." Were they fickle? or were they present and deceived by the passion of the religious leaders? In our day, we see abuses and Christians hurting Christians, where are the saints who will protest? The chief priests, elders, and scribes taunted Jesus to come down from the cross. They reviled Him.

When Jesus was before Pilate, the two witnesses that came forth to lie about Jesus must have "laid it on thick." but Jesus did not try to speak forth a "rhema" word of rebuke against the false accusers. Jesus was a prolific speaker, but when falsely accused, when hated and despised, knowing His messages had no open hearts into which to be received, He kept quiet.

Matthew 27:11-26
"...governor asked... Art Thou the king of the Jews?... Thou sayest! ... when He was accused of the chief priests and elders, He answered them nothing... Hearest Thou not how many things they witness against Thee?... He answered them never a word (rhema)... governor marveled greatly... to release unto the people a prisoner... had then a notable prisoner, Barabbas ... Whom shall I release, Barabbas or Jesus?... when he was sat down... wife (Claudia Procula) sent to him... Have nothing to do with the just man... dream because of Him... chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude to ask for Barabbas... What evil has He done? ... cried out, Let Him be crucified... I am innocent of the blood... scourged Jesus... delivered Him to be crucified."


The mistreatment of Jesus was incredible, and hard to believe that they could enjoy doing these things to One Whom no one could find a charge that was true to incriminate Him as worthy of mistreatment. Here was One Who had healed the sick, raised the dead, taught love and mercy, and offered salvation to all who would accept, and they did these horrible things to Him.

Matthew 27:27-32
"...stripped Him, put on a scarlet robe... crown of thorns, reed in His right hand (mock sceptre), bowed the knee and mocked Him... spit on Him... took reed and smote Him on the head... mocked Him, took robe off Him and put on His own raiment... led Him away to crucify Him.. found a man of Cyrene... Simon.. compelled to bear His cross."

The soldiers enjoyed the mistreatment. These events led up to this final sermon preached by Jesus in His human body. The next sermon of Jesus would be in paradise, to the ones there awaiting His crucifixion so they could be taken on to heaven.


stay tuned for the sermon...
 
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murjahel

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JESUS COULD NOT KEEP FROM PREACHING US A SERMON, EVEN AS HE CARRIED THE CROSS, ON THE WAY TO GOLGOTHA


Luke 23:26-49 (KJV)
26 And as they led Him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
27 And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him.
28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?



Crucifixion was not a mode of punishment of the Jewish people. The Maccabean King, Jannaeus, did use it once to kill over 800 in Jerusalem once. Even the Romans did not use crucifixion until the time of Caesar. During the last siege of Jerusalem 68 to 100 crosses a day were utilized for crucifixions. The soldiers began to amuse themselves with variations of the crucifixions. Crucifixion was of Phoenician origin, and Rome had later adopted it. The punishment was reserved for only those crimes of idolatry and blasphemy.


There were three kinds of crosses used. The Andrew’s cross was a large X, the crux commission was a T, and the Latin cross which was a t. Most believe it was the last one, for a sign was posted above the head, and this is only possible with the third one.


The location of the crucifixion was called ‘Golgotha’, which means ‘the place of the skull.’ Some think that ‘skulls’ littered the area, and therefore it was called that name. Yet, it was illegal to allow skulls to lay around, so it is likely due to the shape of the hill that the place was called ‘golgotha’. The site is located two to three minutes from the roadway, and it has a high, rounded, skull-like rocky plateau, with a sudden depression beneath, as though the jaws of a skull had opened.


The trip to Golgotha, for a crucifixion, began. Six soldiers led by a centurion walked with Jesus. One carried a sign, supposed to notify on-lookers of the crime of the criminal, but Jesus’ sign said, ‘This is Jesus, King of the Jews’. The walk was a long one, walking about the town, so many would see and know the fate of criminals. Jesus was weak from the 39 stripes, the mocking and jeering had weakened His stamina, and the long night of no sleep made Him unable to carry this heavy cross. He falls under the weight of the cross.


The Old Testament had prophesied that the Messiah would be weak in His crucifixion time.

Psalms 109:24-25
“My knees are weak from fasting; and My flesh has grown lean, without fatness– I also have become a reproach to them; When they see Me, they wag their head.”


The soldiers press into service a slave from Cyrene, named Simon. The city of Cyrene, from which Simon came, was a city of Libya, in North Africa. (latitude 32 degrees 40' North, longitude 22 degrees, 15' East) This city was therefore West of Egypt, and separated from Egypt by the Libyan desert. It was where Barca and Tripoli are now. This city was 2000 feet above sea level, and ten miles from the ocean. There was a high range of mountains to the south, (about 80 miles away). This range of mountains sheltered this area from the Sahara heat. The area has a great variety of climate and vegetation. The soil is very fertile. Cyrene was a Greek colony in 630 B.C. It was a center known for its great education. Many Jews were transported there in the dispersion. The Jewish occupants and the converts of such made frequent trips to Jerusalem for feast times. In Jerusalem, the Jews who had been raised in Cyrene, had their own synagogue (Acts 6:9). At the time of the persecution of Stephen, some Cyrenians converted to Christianity. Some of the Christian converts of Cyrene went to Antioch, and preached there the ‘Word, to the Jews only.’ (Acts 11:19)


Matthew 27:32 NAS
‘As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene, named Simon, who they pressed into service (compelled in the KJV, Greek, aggareuo, to be a courier, to press or draft into public service) to bear His cross.”


Mark 15:21 NAS
“ They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear His cross.”


Luke 23:26 NAS
“And they led Him away, they seized (KJV ‘laid hold upon’, Greek epilambanomai, to take hold of)a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed (Gk, epiththemi, imposed upon) on Him the cross, to carry behind Jesus.”

Paul mentioned Rufus and his mother, as being in the church of Rome.

Romans 16:13
“Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.”


So, this Simon, had two sons, Alexander and Rufus.

‘Alexander’ meant ‘defender of men’, and ‘Rufus’ meant ‘red, or reddish’.
The name Rufus was a common ‘slave’ name.

Mark, at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus was a young person, and he is the one who mentions Simon as being the father of Alexander and Rufus. So, it is likely that Mark and these two boys were near the same age. Likely, Simon was in Jerusalem for the Passover feast, and had brought his family with him.

These two young persons became well known in the Christian church, and Mark seems to assume the readers all knew who these two were. The mother of the two sons, and wife of Simon, had obviously done some kindness to Paul, and Paul considered her like his own mother.


Since Rufus and his mother are mentioned in the list of those in the church at Rome, it is likely that they had been taken there in their ‘servitude’. This pressing into service by the Romans may have been made permanent, and this family was transported to Rome to serve further. In the lists of names of the servants of Nero, we do find the names of brothers, Alexander and Rufus.

So it seems that these two became household servants of the most wicked and despicable man of the age, Nero. As servants of the emperor of Rome, indentured to the most anti-Christian gentile of the time, these two not only had found Jesus as Savior, but were in the toughest place to serve their Lord. Rufus, is called by Paul to be ‘chosen of the Lord’, so, he likely was one of the leaders of the church in Rome.


The results of Simon of Cyrene bearing the cross were that Simon himself was saved; Alexander and Rufus, his sons, were saved; the church at Rome was blessed with their testimonies; Rufus became a leader in the church at Rome; many in the household of Nero were saved (including the wife of Nero); and the story has been in the Bible for countless more to be blessed by it.


Our cross bearing will lead to souls being saved too, if we do it as we are called to do. Jesus had a purpose in His carrying of the cross, and He has a purpose in telling us to do the same. The first one to bear the cross of Jesus, was this Simon of Cyrene. He bore it, and his family became part of the early church. Many have been blessed by his story, and by the following events due to his carrying of the cross. The wounds of the cross we bear, are great. So are the benefits of carrying this cross.

Verse 28
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me ...

In 70 A.D. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. While Jesus was beginning the sermon of the crucifixion, His mind was on the victims of the judgment that would come as a result of this cruel act done upon Him. He is not dreading the crucifixion, He is seeing it as part of God’s plan. Yet, these women, their children, the innocents of Jerusalem, would shortly, in three decades, be facing destruction of the city, the Temple, and multitudes of Jewish people killed.

This prophetic word was for the ‘daughters’, i.e. the women, of Jerusalem. These women were from Jerusalem, not from Galilee. They were told to weep for themselves and for their children. Christ foresaw their terrible sufferings over 30 years later when many in this same crowd perished in the horrible carnage which took place on the capture of the city.

Other women were in the crowd, women who were followers of Him. These were part of the 70 disciples, and wives, mothers, friends of the disciples.

Luke 23:49 (KJV)
49 And all His acquaintance, and the women that followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

Luke 23:55 (KJV)
55 And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how His body was laid.

But this part of His sermon here, is directed to the women of Jerusalem, that shortly would see great judgment, and be affected by the horrible carnage that would ensue.

Verse 29
Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck

The famine in Jerusalem during the Roman siege of the city left many thousands dead. Women often had the choice of feeding what little food was available to themselves, or to their children.

Verse 30
Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us: and to the hills, Cover us

There is a similar cry during the tribulation, but this verse refers to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

In the sixth seal of the tribulation, similar words will be said, as they cried out in 70 A.D. The wrath of God for the ones who reject Jesus, who mistreat the Lord and His disciples, is great. Sin does not escape judgment. Sin is either judged on the cross for us, or sin will bring judgment on us. We must accept the judgment of Jesus for us, on the cross.

Revelation 6:12-17 (KJV)
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

These words of ‘fall on us’ to the rocks, is a cry of desperation, hoping for any kind of death rather than the kind of death they were facing. Many felt this despair at the time of the siege of Jerusalem. In the tribulation, there will also be this kind of desperation.

SEE PART 2.
 
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murjahel

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PART 2

Verse 31
For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

This is a proverb expressing the truth that if the Romans would do this to Jesus, as sinless, full of truth and life, as He is, then what will they do to the ones in 70 A.D., who would be rebellious, evil, murderous. In this proverbial statement, Jesus is the fruitful and living "green tree"; the Jews are the "dry tree," dead and unfruitful. If the Romans could treat Jesus with this cruel crucifixion, Who had never given them offense, what will they do to the nation that provokes them greatly.

Jesus had prophesied much about this coming judgment. His coming preceded it by a few decades. Jesus warned the disciples, and told them what to do when the city would be put into siege. They were to flee to the mountains, and hide in caves till the judgment was over.

Matthew 24:1-2 (KJV)
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and His disciples came to Him for to shew Him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

In 70 A.D., the city of Jerusalem was destroyed. Every stone of the Temple was thrown down. Some of these stones were 94 feet by 10 ½ feet, by 13 feet. There were 162 marble columns that were 52 feet high. These stones were thrown down, and the destruction was so complete that Micah’s prophecy was fulfilled, that the site would be plowed.


Micah 3:12 (KJV)
12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

The Temple was set afire, and the gold melted and went into the cracks of the stones. This required the soldiers to move and cast away all the stones in order to retrieve the gold.

Many had rejected the Messiah, Jesus, Who had come to them. They rejected Him, crucified Him, and refused the idea that they had sinned in so doing. This brought swift judgment from God allowing the Romans to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple.

The Jewish nation had considered themselves the "chosen people." They had an exclusive claim to God, they thought. They have over the centuries come to believe that God preferred them over all other nations. This is not the true meaning and concept that was taught of God. God presented Himself to this world as One who "no respecter of persons." He is also presented as "the same yesterday, today, and forever." So He does not prefer one nation over another.

The idea of being a "chosen people" refers to Israel being chosen to perform a special ministry for God. The Jewish nation were chosen of God to be the vessel that He would use to evangelize the rest of the world. They not only failed in that mission, but many lost their own salvation and rejected the Messiah that was to come and to provide the salvation for all of mankind. God turned from this "chosen people", and chose the "church" to now be the ones given that special ministry to the world.

There is no distinction with God. He loves all. He has no preference in people. The church, however, has the same tendencies as the Jews. The church has tended to shut out certain people, races, etc. throughout its history. There have been cliques, denominational factionalism, bigotry, bias, and exclusivism in many church peoples.

The church is to be "one body in Christ." It is to have many members, but each are to be dependent upon the others. God does not give preeminence to any. He does not even want a priesthood in the church. All of the church are equal in God's eyes. He may give different gifts and offices to those in the church, but never makes any person, or persons, superior or more favored than another. Male or female; rich or poor; right-side-of-the-tracks or wrong-side-of-the-tracks; educated or uneducated; black, white, red, or yellow; are all loved and cherished by the same God -the Lord of Hosts.

I Corinthians 12:13-26
"For by one Spirit are ye all baptized into one body... one body is not one member, but many... if the foot shall say -Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body - is it therefore not of the body? ... God hath tempered the body together."


Galatians 3:28
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ."

Colossians 3:11
"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian (strangers and foreigners), Scythian (lowest type of bond slaves), bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all."


There is salvation offered to everyone. Not all will accept it, some refuse it, and are doomed to fiery judgment. He created many different races, two genders, and allowed many cultures, not to later choose to love only part of them, but to love all.


John 3:16
"For God so loved the world."

I Timothy 2:4-5
"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

II Peter 3:19
"not willing that any should perish."

Revelation 22:17
"And the Spirit and the bride say 'Come'. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely."


God intends for the church to carry on where Israel failed. We are to do now revival what the Jewish people failed to do then. We are to carry the gospel to all genders, all races, all economic levels, to everyone. God is the "Lord of Hosts."

Jesus experienced in the day of this sermon, the rejection of Israel. He was condemned to death, and He knew that this rejection would bring doom to the people. Here in the first words of the sermon, He expresses a grief for the judgment that would come to them, for their rejection
 
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LarryP2

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Originally Posted by Yitzchak:
"I can't object to the scriptural aspects of what you are saying. but as for the holiday of Easter , I still have a tough time not thinking of it as a pagan holiday....I also don't think too highly of so called " good friday " , it seems more likely that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday..."

The Eastern Orthodox Church (2,000 years old, 300 million members) insists that it celebrated the First Easter exactly one-year after the Resurrection. .That is an adamant contention that I have never seen disputed at all. Read Early Christian history and you will immediately notice that the first Pascha ("Easter") celebrations were 100 percent focused on the Resurrection.

There simply is NO "Pagan Influence" on Pascha.
 
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murjahel

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Originally Posted by Yitzchak:
"I can't object to the scriptural aspects of what you are saying. but as for the holiday of Easter , I still have a tough time not thinking of it as a pagan holiday....I also don't think too highly of so called " good friday " , it seems more likely that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday..."

The Eastern Orthodox Church (2,000 years old, 300 million members) insists that it celebrated the First Easter exactly one-year after the Resurrection. .That is an adamant contention that I have never seen disputed at all. Read Early Christian history and you will immediately notice that the first Pascha ("Easter") celebrations were 100 percent focused on the Resurrection.

There simply is NO "Pagan Influence" on Pascha.

no argument here
 
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murjahel

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JESUS FORGIVES, EVEN WHILE ON THE CROSS

Luke 23:
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided Him, saying, He saved others; let Him save himself, if He be Christ, the Chosen of God.
36 And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering Him vinegar,
37 And saying, If Thou be the king of the Jews, save Thyself.

Verse 34
Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do

While they were casting lots for His garment, these unwitting helpers of the crucifixion, found that Jesus had love and mercy for their part. Most, if not all of us, would have trouble speaking mercy to terrorists who were torturing us, due to orders from their superiors. Even when others unwittingly do less wrong to us, as braking their car on the freeway, unaware of how close we are behind them, or someone who steps out into our way in a supermarket aisle, often gets a dirty look, or cruel words. We find it hard to be merciful to even those who are unwitting accomplices to things that hurt us in even minor ways. Jesus was ‘nailed’ to that cross, and the cross He gives us holds us back too, with spiritual nails. We hang upon it, we cannot walk away and hide. It is real, and we must let it happen. We must speak forgiveness, and let them continue in their crucifixion of us.

Jesus arrived at Golgotha around 9 a.m. First, the upright of the cross was planted into the ground. It was not high, but the victim’s feet were only a foot or two off the ground. The lips could be moistened with a sponge attached to a short stalk of a hyssop. The transverse part of the cross was placed on the ground, and the victim was laid upon it. The arms would be bound, then ropes were used to draw up the victim to the upright piece.

In the case of Jesus, his hands and feet were also nailed to the wood.

And they parted His raiment, and cast lots

Casting lots is unfamiliar to most of us. We do not do it, and at best, we understand ‘flipping a coin’ to make a decision. This was a custom in those days, and had gone on for centuries. David divided the priests by lot. Canaan was divided by lot. Casting lot by the righteous, was considered an appeal to God to render a decision on a matter that the people could not decide.

The manner in which it was done is not known for certain. The most common of methods was to write the names of persons on stones, and the names of the office, or portion to be divided on other stones. They were put in one or more urns. In this case, the four had claim, so, into one urn were put stones with the four names, and the one ‘cast’ out of that urn, became the owner of the outer robe of our Lord.

There was a quaternion (four soldiers charged with delivering Jesus to Golgotha, and crucifying Him there) that had the right by law to take the garments of the condemned prisoners. They parted the garments, each choosing one of the items. There were sandals, a girdle (belt like garment that held the garments close, and could be used to carry items), the outer robe, and the head-dress. These four parts could be claimed. The outer robe was normally two parts, but in the case of Jesus, it was ‘without seam’, knit from head to toe. The High Priest wore an outer robe made without seam also. They did not want to rend it, for it had greater value than a normal outer robe. In casting lots for the garment, they fulfilled prophecy.

Psalm 22:18 (KJV)
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

This part is made clearer in John’s gospel.
John 19:
23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also His coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted My raiment among them, and for My vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

The women in Jerusalem collected money to pay for strong wine with myrrh in it, to deaden the pain. Jesus refused this.

Two others were crucified on this day. One was to the right of Jesus, the other was to His left. There was a sign at the top of the cross of the Lord Jesus, written in Latin, in Greek, and in Aramaic, stating that this was ‘Jesus, the King of the Jews. This was meant by Pilate to be a mocking of those who had pressed him to crucify this man he had deemed innocent of any real crime.

Isaiah 53:5-8 (KJV)
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken.

Verse 35
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided Him,

The people, who had in curiosity, or in desire to see a bloody crucifixion, along with the members of the Sanhedrin, and the priests, who wanted to make sure their goal was achieved, had followed Him to this place. They turned up their noses at Him, mocking.

Psalm 22:7-8 (KJV)
7 All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the LORD that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him.

They mocked the Lord, but look at their charge. They charged Jesus with ‘trusting’ God, and that Jesus delighted in God. That is a wonderful set of charges to have against one. If some mock one of us, hopefully that is the worst charge they could come up with, to mock us.

Jesus was oppressed, afflicted, betrayed by a friend, led as a Lamb to slaughter, falsely accused, forsaken by all. We, who today bear the cross that Jesus gave us, can be ‘wounded’, ‘bruised’, ‘oppressed’, ‘afflicted’, ‘stricken’, and also feeling like a ‘lamb’ brought to slaughter. These afflictions are real and at times, the pain is felt deep through our souls.

The supreme religious council had plotted and planned His death. An insulting price of a slave was paid to a betraying friend to secure the arrest of Jesus. A few days before, all of His disciples had declared to ‘never forsake’ nor betray Him. The darkest hours of His earthly life had come, and crowds had cried out, ‘crucify Him’, though’ He had never done any of them harm.

The words of others, crying out, to or about us, hurt us deeply. Jesus felt the pain of unkind, unloving words. We too, bearing this cross He gave for us, feel the hurt of cutting words.

Verse 36-37
And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If Thou be the king of the Jews, save Thyself.

The soldiers chided and mocked showing the spiritual ignorance of the people. If Jesus had saved Himself, then He could not have saved any of us. It was mandatory for our salvation, that Jesus not save Himself. He was ‘Chosen of God’ to bear our sins, take our death, so that we might have life.

This could be expected of heathen soldiers, for they had contempt for the Jewish people, and they had loyalty to Caesar. The Jewish priests, and those who had studied the law and the prophets, had no such excuse.

It was in this context that Jesus prayed ‘FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO...’

Many find it hard to be as forgiving as was Jesus. He had all the physical abuse, an illegal trial, now hanging on a cross with mockers railing on Him. Yet, He was forgiving.

When we accept the Lord, we are made into ‘new creations’. As a new creation, we have all the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law .

Those were in me, in you, in all of the saved. Yet, what has happened? Why now is forgiveness and longsuffering, love and peace gone from so many lives? Why do some Christians have no ‘joy’, little ‘love’, fleeting ‘peace’? We find that happens in most Christians, and few have those fruit of the Spirit continuing on and on. We are supposed to have them. They are what can make us be able to forgive those who hurt us, abuse us, mock us. We need to be able to pray for their forgiveness, so if they ever repent to Jesus they can be saved. They need mercy.

The devils attacked Jesus through this trial and crucifixion.

1 Corinthians 2:8 (KJV)
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

The devils are still attacking all that take the name of Jesus. The devils attacks are merciless. All these attacks are assaults on our spirits, on our bodies, on our persons.

We are not put on crosses, but we are attacked in a multitude of ways. Television programs glorify selfishness, lusts, greed, avarice, and perversions. We walk through a shopping mall, and hear words that assault our spirit. We see attitudes in the neighborhood which shake our faith, our temperance. We are confronted by the angry, by the ones upset in life, and our meekness and longsuffering are assaulted. The curse upon this world assures that weather chaos, job insecurity, personality conflicts, physical weaknesses, etc cause us to feel assaulted, and battered. The assaults upon mankind are against our bodies, our souls, and our spirits. The food we eat has been genetically changed and who knows what we eat. The body is assaulted by non-nutrient food, insufficient rest, insufficient exercise. The pills mankind has devised to counter those, are full of side effects, requiring more pills with more side effects. The assaults against our bodies are all encouraged by the devil, and seldom fought by the Christians.

The assaults against our soul involves the inappropriate contentographic world that has filled the magazines, the television programs, the bill boards, the theaters, and the most every venue out there. The soul is also attacked by the language, the vocabulary of the society. The words include blasphemy, cursing, insults, vile humor, insults, and anger. The words fill our ears, pass through our mind. Even when disdained, the words have become so common, our minds are tainted by them. The soul is flooded with the news events reported on television, internet, and in newsprint. The violence, vile and evil actions of man against man, fill the news.

The assaults against our spirit are ‘other gods’ that try to take place of real Lord and Savior. Voices in our heart are often not the voice of God, but purport to be God suggesting revenge, anger, discouragement, etc.

The assaults come daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, to all of us. We desperately need the fruit of the Spirit to be able to say with Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them...’ Sometimes, if we lack that fruit, we react far differently than did Jesus. Many come to times of fear and loss of control. There is sometimes not even time to figure out what is happening. We may panic, we may lose focus of what is important. We can grow cold and calloused, we can feel physical and mental changes in our person. The assaults are going to continue till we meet Jesus in heaven. We need to keep the fruit of the Spirit dominant over the alternative, the works of the flesh.

The curse upon this world, the oppression by devils, the weakness of our flesh all bring assaults on the love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc. that we had the moment of salvation. We need to have to cleanse out the assault damages. These are not random events, but a daily confrontation, impossible to totally avoid. If we don’t want to live a Christian life that is missing much love and joy, we need to face these troublesome ravishments of our spirit.

When facing the assaults of the devil, our heart rate may quicken, our blood pressure may rise, our throat may choke, and our hands and feet may tingle. The assaults on our spirit are no laughing matter. We may feel like we are unsaved, or we may feel this is really what the Christian life is. Both those are incorrect. God wants us to be ‘more than conquerors through Christ.’ The Lord wants us to have ‘life abundantly’. We are told to ‘walk in the Spirit’. It is time we get a handle on the kind of daily healing we need to face the ‘facts’ of life on a cursed world. We, like Jesus, can declare to the ones who bring us harm, that we are praying for them, not against them.

The devil would like to make us feel as though we are helpless, and that impending trouble and its resulting effect on the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is inevitable. The assault may be inevitable, the loss of joy, peace, love, etc is not inevitable. We do not need to awaken every morning in a state of fear and stress.

Some Christians have resorted to prescription drugs and alcohol to settle their stress. That adds another assault to our lives. Emotions get out of control, with anger, depression, stress, panic attacks, and sullenness to be where joy in the Lord should be. Some, if not most, begin to live a worldly life, feeling the joy they thought they would have when becoming a Christian. Drugs and alcohol never help. In fact, they are a big part of the devil’s plan for his assault on us.

.
 
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