Category Archives: Jesus

Easter 2015 – Reflections

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How Would You Rewrite the Resurrection Story?

This may seem like a strange question but as I read and reread the stories of Holy Week I noticed Easter Sunday did not get a lot of print from the Gospel Writers. I started counting from the story of the “Triumphal Entry” or Palm Sunday to the women going to the tomb and the events of THAT day and this is the count of the verses I came up with:

  • Matthew 369 vs. 15 and 5 of that is about the guards – 4%
  • Mark 233 vs. 8 then the add on of 6 – 6%
  • Luke 233 vs. 49 – 17%
  • John 275 vs. 23 – 8 %

Luke, the Gentile, wrote the most and he wasn’t even there.

Does this seem right? Resurrection Sunday, Easter, the most important day in Christianity and from the writers we get a total of 101 verses!

If we look at the narratives it is even more shocking. Most of the verses are talking about the women or the guards with Jesus just making cameo appearances. In Mark Jesus does not even show up until someone added it at a later time (argue with the editors of the NIV). The main message on Easter Sunday from the angels and Jesus was “Go to Galilee”; well at least in Mark and Matthew. Luke and John deal with the measures Jesus took to convince unbelieving disciples that He was alive. (SIDE NOTE: This, being one week later was when Jesus showed up to have a heart-to-heart with Thomas and restore him.)

How could this oversight have happened? Why so little about the most important day in Christianity?   John went on to write Revelations and three epistles. Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles and Mark probably did the writing of 1 and 2 Peter for his uncle. Matthew preached to nations and got martyred.

0h, wait maybe they wrote about what was important! What do you do with the Resurrection? How has Jesus coming back to life changed everything?  Never mind they are fine just the way they are written.

Easter 2015 – Things Given to Jesus on Easter

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Communion005

During Holy Week Jesus borrowed and was given things all during the week. Saturday is different in that He took and gave; specifically, He took from the Satan and gave to man.

On the First Day (of the week) Jesus being a brand new creation and the new High Priest of God did not borrow anything but He was given things by people. Matthew 28: 9 the brave women who were determined to tend to a dead body, instead found a living Jesus and gave Him worship. This “new” Jesus who walked and talked to a desponded Cleopas was invited to dinner and disappeared after a prayer (Luke 24: 30). The final thing He was given, on this day, was something (fish) to eat from the disciples (He had to ask for it) because He had to prove He was actually real (Luke 28: 41). Worship and fellowship with food sounds like a PLAN.

Easter 2015 – Saturday

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Saturday of Holy Week is often overlooked. Matthew is the only Gospel that records anything about it; Matthew 27: 62 – 66 tells of the posting of the guard at the tomb. Jesus, however, was busy doing things. Paul and Peter mention some of the important things He JESUS-35949400971did on this day. Many sermons have been wrapped around a reference by John in Revelations 1: 18 where Jesus has the “keys of death and the grave” and it has been stated that He took them on Saturday.

Paul in writing to the Ephesians (4: 8 -11) talks about when Jesus descended into the earthly regions; this is a quote of Psalm 68:18. While He in this region He took the captives that had been there, put them in His robe and ascended. He also, at that time, “gave gifts to men” so that we can be prepared for service.

Peter wrote to the “strangers in the world” (1 Peter 3:19 and 4:6) that after Jesus’ physical death the Spirit allowed Him to preach to those who disobeyed God before Noah’s Flood. This seems like it would have happened before Jesus led out captives.

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Easter 2015 – Things Borrowed

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In the Hillsong United song Love Is War, from their Zion album, they make a statement that Jesus’ tomb was borrowed. That phrase started this study. I realized that was not the only thing borrowed or lent to Jesus during what we call Holy Week. I will also be looking at the things that were given to Him and then there was Saturday.

  • Palm Sunday – Jesus directed two disciples to go borrow a colt, (Matthew 21:1-11) this was to fulfill Isaiah 62:11. The people putting (lending) down their cloaks
    Jesus on the Donkey

    Jesus on the Donkey

    and cutting branches equate to the “red carpet” treatment and cut down on the dust the guest of honor had to deal with.

  • Monday – Jesus left Jerusalem each night and went to the Mount of Olives/Bethany to sleep, a place to stay (Luke 21:37).
  • Tuesday – Jesus borrowed the Temple Courtyard to do His teaching; he did this Monday through Thursday but here are the references listed with Tuesday: Matthew 21:23, Mark 12:35, Luke 20:1 and 21:38.  A coin (denarius), Jesus asked for this to end the question about paying taxes to Caesar: Matthew 22:19, Mark 12:15, Luke 20:23.
  • Wednesday – Nothing is recorded about Jesus borrowing anything on this day.
  • Thursday – The “ROOM” or upper room may be the one in Acts 12:12 which belonged to John Mark’s mother. The other things Jesus used, which probably were in the room, were a towel and washbasin. Matthew 26:18, Luke 22:16, and John 13:4.
  • Friday – To stay with the song Love Is War I will say that Jesus borrowed Joseph’s tomb but really Joseph thought he was giving it to Jesus.

This thought is just an extra but in Luke 23:25 when Pilate released Barabbas that made him the “scapegoat.” He was released and Jesus was sacrificed this practice was ordered in Leviticus 16 and was done on the Day of Atonement.

Christmas – Have You Been to Bethlehem

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Christmas – Have You Been to Bethlehem

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Shepherds, simple shepherds, out doing their job by camping in a field so they could guard sheep; sheep that would be used for sacrifice in the Temple to worship God. Working at night outside Bethlehem (House of Bread) so they could take care of their families. Sounds like a lot of people today who are doing everything they can just to earn a living. Then a “that night” happened in their lives. The Good News was told to them and they were told exactly what they had to do. Granted they had an angelic concert with a lot of praise but how many people after getting the Good News have a concert of witnesses The_Shepherds004praising God for things done in their life. But these guys did something bold and very life changing. They went and saw for themselves and in doing so they found Jesus and the first thing they did was to tell other people. You don’t think that was a big deal! Look in Nativity_Scenes002Luke 2:17 – 20 as they told people, they praised God and glorified Him but the people that heard were just “amazed” but not moved enough to go find Jesus for themselves.

What about you? Have you heard the Good News? If you have, have you purposefully gone to “Bethlehem” to find Jesus? Have you praised God and told people of the things you have seen? If not, make God’s day and give yourself as a present to Jesus.

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