Musings from My Sun Porch

  “Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (I Corinthians 15: 55 NIV84)             When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they weren’t just cast from the Garden.   At that moment, a great divide was created between man and God, a divide that no man could cross.   It was a divide that not only separated man from God but also resulted in death.   Death is always the result of sin (Romans 6: 23a), and from that point on, there was no way for man to cross that great divide and no way for man to save himself.   Only a merciful, gracious, loving God could cross the great divide.               On that Easter morning, 2000 plus years ago, just after the sunrise, three women went to Jesus’ tomb.   They were there to mourn their friend, and they took spices to anoint His body. Most likely, they were still grief-st...

  Silent Saturday             Saturday, the day after Jesus’ crucifixion was the Sabbath Day.   The Sabbath is a day of worship and rest, free from any kind of work.   Although the Scripture is silent as to the activities of the people on that particular Sabbath, I have some thoughts on what that day might have been like.             The Disciples had deserted Jesus, and only John is mentioned as having been at the crucifixion.   Since Jesus had been branded as the leader of a revolt against the Roman government, it’s quite likely that His followers, especially the Apostles, were afraid for their lives.   However, fear was probably only one of the emotions that they felt that day.   Can you imagine the thoughts that must have gone through their minds?   “How could it all end this way?”   “He saved other people, why couldn’t He save Him...

  What’s “Good” about Friday? It’s the 6 th day of Jesus’ final week, the day that we call “Good Friday”.   For us, that day represents the supreme sacrifice that Christ paid so that we could have eternal life.   On that day the plan that God had set in motion back in Genesis 3 came to fruition.   For Satan, it was probably a day of celebration, thinking that he had won the victory.   Little did he know that his so-called “victory” was short-lived. When I think about that day, I give thanks for the sacrifice that Christ made on my behalf, but I can’t help but think about how Jesus felt on that day.   We’ve all read the accounts or seen the movie depictions of the terrible beatings that He endured, and we’ve heard of the cruelty of the Romans’ method of capital punishment.   However, there are two other aspects of Christ’s sacrifice that I think we brush aside all too quickly. As Thursday night drew to a close, Jesus spent time with His Father. ...

  The Night Before the Arrest             On Thursday during the last week of Jesus’ earthly life, much of the day was focused on preparation for the Passover Meal that He would celebrate with His disciples that evening.   While that last meal is very important to our faith as Jesus instituted the bread and the cup that would be a constant reminder to us of His sacrifice, I want to focus on two other events of that day that I believe were also important.             First, the example that Christ set as the Disciples entered the Upper Room that evening should resonate with every one of us.   In that culture, it was inhospitable, if not dishonorable, to fail to wash the guests’ feet when they entered the house.   That duty was generally left to the servants.   However, on that night, it was Jesus who poured water into a basin and began to wash His dis...

  Wednesday:   Where’s Jesus?               The Scripture is silent as to Jesus’ activities on Wednesday of Passover week. After the events of Tuesday, Jesus was probably emotionally and physically drained.   Any human would have been.   I’ve been in teaching situations where I have taught for a full day with only a few breaks, and I know how exhausting it can be.   In addition to the teaching, Jesus’ interaction with the Pharisees had to be mentally exhausting, so Jesus likely needed a break for several reasons.   Based on what we know about His ministry and what He was facing in the coming days, I think there are three possibilities of how He spent that day.             First, as I said, He was probably emotionally and physically exhausted.   We know that God never sleeps but we sometimes forget that Jesus was also human.   His ...

  Tuesday:   The Teacher’s in the House             On Tuesday morning of that fateful week, Jesus and His disciples began the walk from Bethany to Jerusalem.   One of the first things they saw was the withered fig tree that Jesus had cursed the day before.   While the disciples were astonished, Jesus used it as another teaching moment.   That moment encompasses only a few verses in Mark and Matthew, but Jesus’ words are a reminder to us of the power of prayer.   He made it clear to the disciples and us that prayer coupled with belief, without doubt, can move mountains.   That lesson alone would have been enough for one day, but He was only getting started.             When He arrived at the Temple, the chief priests, teachers of the law and elders were waiting for Him.   They were still licking their wounds from the events of Monday a...

  It’s Monday, Time to Clean House After His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday, Jesus returned to the home of His friends, Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, to spend the night.  The next morning, He and His disciples set out for Jerusalem.  In stark contrast to the events of Sunday, His actions on Monday seem completely out of character. As they left Bethany where His friends lived, He approached a fig tree which was full of leaves but much to His dismay, it had no figs.  At that time of the year, the fig trees were usually just beginning to get their leaves, much as trees around Kentucky do in the Spring, but they usually don’t bear fruit until later in the summer.  The fig tree that Jesus approached had all its leaves which should have been an indication that it also had fruit, but it had none.  As a result, Jesus condemned the tree so that it might never have fruit again. [1]   To us, that seems a little harsh, but it may be that Jesus saw tha...

  8 Days that Changed the World Eternity!             On March 31 st , we will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the day that we call Easter.   Over 2000 years ago, that blessed day was the culmination of 8 days of ups and downs, a seeming roller coaster ride of emotions for anyone who knew or followed Jesus.               Over the next 4 weeks, on my regular blog days (Tuesday and Friday), I want to invite you to join me as we examine the Gospel accounts of those days.   I want to look at each of those fateful days to get to know Jesus better and to understand the emotions that had to be intense for all involved.   I hope you will join me as we examine the 8 days that changed all of eternity.             Day 1:   Sunday          ...

  Recommended Resources to Continue the Journey Bible Studies ·          Blackaby, Henry T. & King, Claude V., Experiencing God , Lifeway Press. ·          Kjos, Berit, A Wardrobe from the King, Prodigy Press, Inc. ·          Moore, Beth, Believing God, Lifeway Press. ·          Moore, Beth, Jesus the One and Only, Lifeway Press. ·          Perspectives on the World Christian Movement ·          Zume’ Training Devotionals ·          Blackaby, Henry & Blackaby, Richard, The Experience , Broadman and Holman Publishers. ·          Higgs, Liz Curtis, Reflecting His Image, Thomas Nelson Publishers. ·       ...

  Day 31: Beyond The Journey “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.   With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6: 18). Read and Meditate on:        Jeremiah 29:   11 – 13       If you are reading this final section of our journey, I hope that means that you hung in there, that you overcame all the obstacles that Satan threw at you, and that you completed your commitment.   If so, I know that God has been honored and you have grown in your relationship with Him.         If you weren’t successful in completing the journey, don’t beat yourself up.   However, just as when you fall off a horse, you must get right back on, you need to step up and renew your commitment.   Don’t use past failure as an excuse.   Whatever time you were able to give Him has been beneficial.   Now, ...