Words Of Christ Devotions

[nChrist]

October 17

I Have Overcome the World

Joh_16:23-33

"My mother told me there would be days like this.  She was a little vague, however, on the fact that such days would run in packs."

Have you ever wondered why you have such troubles?  Jesus told you that you would, but as Christians—as "good people" - we often wonder, "Why me?"

First, God allows these troubles so that he might refine you and shape you into an instrument of his purpose.  Before we had children it was easy to criticize other people's brats;  now we are much more understanding of the little darlings.  More to the point, our troubles have given us insight into children—and ourselves.  Sometimes we can even help others with such insight.

Did you really think Satan has forgotten about you?  Once you were part of his kingdom—but you changed sides.  You defected!  As is the way of this world, he wants you back—and in the meanwhile he will do what he can to get back at you.
Indeed, if you are a Christian you have made the choice to be the friend of God.
Therefore, you are not a friend of this world.  The world sees you as "different."  Different you are;  you do not accept the world's principles, like "Look out for number one."  You are a threat;  therefore you will be opposed and have trouble.

There is one reason you cannot run from.  It is your own nature.  None of us is perfect;  we carry around our own sins.  If you run away from your troubles by going to a tropical paradise, the first person you know there is—you.  We carry our sins;  we create our own troubles.  Even if we do it in a different place.

So, we are going to have troubles.  But take heart, Christian.  There is a big difference between trouble and defeat.  Trouble overwhelms us when we try to handle it ourselves.  With the peace of Christ in your heart, however, matters are different.  God refines you?  Thank him.  Satan attacks you?  He is defeated by your Lord.  The world despises you?  It's not your home anyway.  Your own sin besets you?  Take it to the one who can both forgive and heal.  You are not your own;  you are not alone.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 19

Glorify Me

Joh_17:4-8

Most Christians nod their heads agreeably when you speak of the glory of God.  They have no idea what it means to bring glory to God, but it sounds like a good idea.

Christ is more explicit.  He tells us here in practical terms how to do it:

Note that he is speaking of glorifying God on earth.  So this is not something mystic in heaven, but here with us.

Note the verb:  completing.  God is not glorified in half-done, slipshod work.

It is work for God that glorifies God;  the work of Christ was to reveal God to us.

This is one reason we must be wary of "working our way into heaven."  If we are working for salvation, where is the work for the glory of God?  Indeed, we cannot work our way in.  Our Lord makes it clear in this passage that his disciples were given to him by the Father.  Does this mean that God has picked out some chosen few, and the rest have no choice?  No—it means that we cannot come to the Father unless he calls us.  And call us He has.  He will have mercy upon those upon whom he will have mercy.

For their part, the disciples have had to react to this offer by God in an acceptable way, for God will force no one into the kingdom.  He gives us three things here:

First, they obeyed.  It is the root cause and ground of faith—obedience.  If you will not obey, you cannot have faith.  Your pride will prevent it.

They also accepted the word.  The phrase in the original means to take within.  The idea is that the word has become a part of them.

They also knew with certainty just who Jesus is.  The foundation of all relationships is in knowing the other person.

Would you bring glory to God?  Then heed this example:

Accept and obey the word given to you.

Complete the work—whatever it is—that God has given you through the Holy Spirit.
Remain—with certainty—in the personal relationship between you and the Lord.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 20

On Their Behalf

Joh_17:9-14

No problem so vexed the early church as the unity of the Trinity.  In this passage Jesus goes to some length to show his equality with the Father.  He does this in context of his prayer for his disciples, which we now examine:

By a variety of overlapping phrases Jesus makes it clear that he and the Father are not only equal, but one.  This is the key to this passage.

He asks the Father for protection for the disciples.  He is returning to his heavenly glory.  Until now, Jesus has been their protection.  He's the one who took on the religious authorities.  Now they will be without him, bodily—but that protection is still needed.  So he asks his Father to provide it.

He makes it clear that they are not "of the world."  That means that they have completely believed in what Christ taught and no longer accept the world's view of things, but rather have turned to God's way.

Note the purpose of all this:  that we, the church, may be one.  Not just one in name, but having the same essential unity that God the Father has with Jesus Christ the Son.

But we do not have that unity.  Far from it;  we have any number of denominations and sects which proclaim that they, and they alone, are the possessors of salvation.  Bitterly they proclaim all others to be worse than frauds;  devils and AntiChrists, all.  Why is this so?

First, it is because we refuse to imitate our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the model of sacrifice;  we will not sacrifice anything for the sake of the unity of the church.  That's someone else's problem, right?

Second, because we deny our need for the protection of our God.  We can do all things ourselves.  We think ourselves so strong we do not see our weakness and need for unity.

Finally—all too often—because we are "of this world."  If the world proclaims that bank robbery is now a morally righteous thing (call it self-service income redistribution), then we flock to proclaim how the church has taught this all along.  Whatever the cost, we must be relevant.

Perhaps the reason we are not truly united is that we are not truly His.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 21

Sanctification

Joh_17:15-19

Christ tells the disciples that he sanctifies himself, that they may be sanctified.  This is an illustration of the principle method of the Christian:  the imitation of Christ.

What does it mean, he sanctifies himself?  It means that he is preparing himself to be the sacrificial Lamb of God.

It was for this purpose he was sent.  It is not an accidental ending to his life; it was his mission.

In the Old Testament, sacrifices had to be consecrated before being presented; hence this sanctification at this time.

This is no symbolic sacrifice;  it is his physical death, death in the body.

It is the death of the one who is sinless—who never participated in evil.

This sacrifice is made so that we might be reconciled to God.

It is done for the sake of the disciples.

So, then, how are we to act in imitation of our Lord in this?

As He was sent by the Father, so we are sent—and should go just as obediently.

As his physical body was present with us, so we are now the physical body of Christ—his visible presence in the world.

But we are not "of the world" - just in it.  We are to be kept from evil.

We are to be the "ambassadors of reconciliation" - bringing the Good News to all people.

It sounds like an impossible task.  How should we go about it?  Christ gives us our beginning step:  we are to be sanctified.  How?  By the truth.  And what is this truth?  The word of God, spoken by our Lord and, through the Holy Spirit, his Apostles.

So many of us think we have no time for the reading of the Scriptures, much less time to meditate upon them and pray over them.  We are far too busy—and far too frustrated.  We tell ourselves that we will get around to it someday—perhaps when we retire.  It is foolishness to think so.

Our Lord did not just tell us to take in the word of Truth—he set the example for us.  How we need to follow it!

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 22

A Prayer for Unity

Joh_17:20-23

In the one prayer we have recorded by Jesus concerning us—those who were to become disciples after his Ascension—he asks for one thing:  our unity.  What we have done with that is indeed a pity.

This unity starts with the message of the Apostles.  All unity in Christ depends upon our following the Apostles' doctrine, which is found in the Scriptures.  Our unity is unity with them.

That all may be one

We are to have the same unity that Christ and the Father have.  This sounds difficult to understand—but remember:  Christ and the Father are different persons, but the same essence.  We are to be likewise different persons, same spirit.

That they be one in..

We are to be one in the Father and in Christ.  This has a purpose:  that the world might believe.  We've heard this before.  Remember that God is love, and that by our love for each other the world will know we are his disciples.  By loving each other we are one.  God is the God of peace, not the god of faction and argument.

This also tells us the root ground of lifestyle evangelism.  We are not all required to be brilliant speakers, polished debaters or missionaries.  But we are required to love one another, and as such we are to be the light of the world.

Given them the glory.

It is a most extraordinary statement:  Christ has given us the glory that the Father gave him.  Why?  Did he not tell us that the church would do even greater things than he had done?  So it is that the church has worked miracles and expanded far beyond the nation of Israel.  But this glory was given for a purpose.  Is it not interesting that we are given this glory so that we would be one?  Our factions and fractions diminish the glory God has given us.

This unity then gives rise to a demonstration to the world.  The world should know, through our unity:

That Jesus Christ was sent by God the Father—to die on a Cross, rise the third day, ascend and some day return, that we might have salvation, and

That God the Father loves us just as he loves Jesus Christ—for we are brothers to him, joint heirs of the kingdom of God.

We take our factions so lightly.  Don't like the preacher?  Form another church.  Is this for the glory of God?

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 23

Be With Me

Joh_17:24-26

It's the postcard cliché—"Having a wonderful time, wish you were here."  Usually sent to relatives in Wisconsin by people in Hawaii, preferably in February, it is perhaps more appreciated by the sender than the receiver.

It's a little different here.  Jesus knows what magnificent things are in store for his disciples.  He prays that they may indeed receive these things:

To be with me—so often we hear at funerals that the deceased is "now with the Lord."  But do we remember that our Lord desires this?  It's a welcome home from the one who loves us most.

To see my glory—this is an awesome thing.  To see the glory of God is accorded very few individuals throughout the Old Testament.  Isaiah sees God and immediately thinks himself doomed for his sins.  Now the Lord asks that his disciples see that glory;  indeed, the glory they will see will be that of the Risen Lord.

Our love in them—the love that God the Father has for Christ the son—is to be in us.  Can you imagine the intensity and joy of that love?  God is love, and that love is to be in us.

Christ himself in us—Indeed, not just the love, but the spirit of Christ himself is to be in us.  This is the prayer which binds the church together, for if his spirit is in us, then we are his body—the Body of Christ.

It sounds awesome, and it is.  We read such passages and often pass them over.  We think that this must be something which will happen only at our Lord's return.  But consider how our Lord plans to do this—indeed, did this:

He made known the Father to the disciples.

He will continue to make him known.

That's it?  That's all?  Yes.

So often we see the faith as "what we do" - when our Lord tells us so often that it's "who we truly know."  We look for mighty miracles, for great works, for large numbers working for the kingdom, and our Lord tells us this is not the way.  The way is to know the Father, deeply and intimately.  If you know him, his love will be in you;  the Spirit will grow within you; and when you leave this world, then you will see—the kingdom of God is within you.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 24

Peter's Denial, Part Two

Mat_26:30-35

Most of us are very good with advice.  We know how to give it to others—and we know how to ignore it when it comes from others.  This is particularly true with our relationship to God.  How often our prayers are full of "good advice" to God—and how often we ignore his good advice to us.

Here is a great example of this.  Did God say the disciples would fall away this night?

First, it was prophesied in the Old Testament.

Christ quotes it and repeats it.

Even then, Peter says no—and Christ tells him again, filling in the explicit details.

But none of the disciples believed that this would happen.  It's not just Peter;  it's all of us.

Our Lord knows better than anyone how to deal with this situation.  He does not become angry at the disciples for what they will do;  rather, he tells them that he will redeem this as well.

He tells them first that he will rise from the dead.

He will meet them—going ahead of them—in Galilee.  The angel at the tomb will repeat this to the women.

There, at the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus restores this same Peter.  As he was warned three times, he denied three times—and was three times over restored to his leadership of the disciples.

There's a lesson for us here:

No matter how much we dislike the wisdom the Lord brings to us, He will bring his will into action.  We can deny it; we can't prevent it.

He will warn us—again and again, not just once—of the foolishness of our ways.  By prayer, by reading, by friends and family, by circumstance and reaction He will provide the necessary warnings.

But when we disregard him, the way to redemption is also provided.  He will not leave us in our sins.  If we humble ourselves and repent, he will provide a way for us to return to his love and service.

Peter is one of the most lovable characters in the New Testament—because his mistakes stand out with his virtues.  He's "just like us."  He was restored;  we can be restored, too.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 25

In the Garden

Mar_14:32-42

One of the comforts the Christian may take from the scene in the garden is this:  our Lord is just like us.  He does not want to die.  He approaches death just like we would.

My soul

We sometimes have the misimpression that since Jesus is God, he therefore could not have really had any problems in life.  He tells us here that he has a soul like our own, for it is capable of feeling that overwhelming sorrow that impending death brings.  Is there anything more depressing, more sorrowful to man than the death sentence?  How would it feel to hear the doctor say, "You have six months to live?"  How much worse to know that it was less than a day, and that death would be horrible.

Asking for help—and not getting it

Isn't it typical of us that we ask our friends to be with us in times of trouble?  We know that our friends can do nothing about death;  but somehow we don't want to go to our Maker alone.   In earlier times the church would organize a "watch" for those who were dying.  This was so that a soul would not go home alone.

The Lord took with him those men who were his closest friends;  they failed him on this night of nights.  The love of God kept him from bitterness;  the soul of man was sorrowed.

Asking for help—and not getting it

What an example our Lord gives us here!  It is the model of prayer;  it is the model of submission.  See the relationship he has with his heavenly Father:

He calls him "Abba, Father" - the term is one of endearment, most closely "Daddy" in English.

He acknowledges that God is the one who can do all things—all things are possible for God.  But not all things are in his will.

He asks directly for what he wants—to be spared this death, the death where he is made sin for us.

But in this supreme moment, as in all things, he is the example of obedience.  Not my will, but yours be done.

Lesson for us

Our Lord will not condemn us for our fears, for he felt them too.  He gives us the example of what to do with them:  take them to God the Father, imploring his mighty power—and being obedient to the result.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 26

Lost Not One

Joh_18:2-9

In this account we see the beginnings of the Crucifixion.  Beginnings are important, for they tell us what might, and might not, be.

The power of Christ

One thing is certain:  the Crucifixion is not a mark of weakness in Jesus, the Christ.  On the contrary, we can see his power displayed even here:

Do you see how the fear of him hit those with the weapons?  The ones with the swords fell to the ground.

They had to ask twice to make sure they had the right man—despite the fact that they had torches by which to see, and a traitor to guide them.

By the power of his righteous voice he saves the disciples from this armed community—even after Peter acts in violence.

Voluntary nature of the Crucifixion

Was Jesus forced into the Crucifixion?  Certainly not;  this was God's plan from the beginning.

These men fell to the ground at his voice—what power did they really have over him?

He did not have to go to that garden—where Judas would know where to find him.

He could even have denied who he was—but then, he wouldn't have been who He Is.

Lessons for us

Imagine the power in that voice—He who spoke and the worlds began.

This power is displayed here for the purpose of keeping his disciples free from the control of Satan.  That same power is working for us today.

He volunteered for this suffering.  We, the imitators of Christ, should follow him in this.

The righteous voice that created heaven and earth speaks here;  honesty and protection flow from his lips.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 30

Before the Sanhedrin

Mat_26:57-68

Once in a while you will come across some brilliant fellow who will tell you that Jesus was a nice guy, a brilliant teacher who said some very clever and wise things—but he never claimed to be anything more than that.

Point him to this passage.  In the most dangerous of circumstances—in front of people who wanted to crucify him—he claimed to be God.  Their reaction clearly shows they understood him that way;  that's what that word "blasphemy" means.  So let's look at who He said He Is:

The Christ

The word "Christ" is simply the Greek form of the Jewish Messiah—the "Holy One of Israel."  Promised from the earliest days of the Old Testament, this is the one who was to come and redeem the nation of Israel.  He is that Holy One.

The Son of God

If you want to take this literally, fine.  He was born of a virgin named Mary, you might recall.  His father then must have been God.  But you must also take it in the more common sense—that this is God in the flesh.  God—the creator of heaven and earth—took on the form of one of his creatures and walked this planet.

Sitting at the right hand

The Jews understood this clearly too.  They believed that the end of time would bring forth God—and for a man to say he would be sitting  (a sign of equality) at the right hand of God implies that he is equal to God.  That is the explicit claim of Jesus of Nazareth.  Even to this day, it is impolite to sit in the presence of the Queen of England;  how much more so in the presence of God!  Yet  this man claimed exactly that.

Coming on the clouds of heaven

A clear reference to the end of time prophesied in the Old Testament, this is also a claim of being God.  The scene is awesome.  Interestingly, since Michelangelo painted it on the Sistine Chapel, most artists have shunned it.  It is  too awesome.  That awesomeness belongs to Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.

You may look at it this way.  Anyone who claimed the things that Jesus did—and under such circumstances—must be a nut case.  If he's not crazy, then he's a demon of hell.  Or we must think the unthinkable and know the unknowable:  that God in the flesh has walked among us, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

October 31

Yes, I AM

Luk_22:66-71

Have you ever been on a jury?  Then you know that evidence comes in two forms—that which is personal testimony of those involved, and other, more factual testimony, often presented by expert witnesses.  As a juror, you must determine the truth from these two types of testimony.  Jesus lays out both for them in two simple statements.

If I told you, you would not believe me

Do you think they might?  He knows better:

If they could believe him, they would have obeyed his teaching, for it was honest and true.  They didn't then;  they won't now.

They recognized the authority of the Law and the Prophets.  At what point did Jesus fail to uphold that authority?

The truth:  they were angered by his personal testimony—for it convicted them of their hypocrisy.

If I asked you, you would not answer

What would he ask them about?  Perhaps the testimony of their own eyes, of their own knowledge and of the events around them.

Evidence of their own eyes:  what about all those miracles?  We know from the Old Testament that even the great miracles of Moses were met with stubborn unbelief—and with just as little justification.

Evidence of their own knowledge—these were the experts in the Old Testament Scriptures.  Could they not seek out the prophecies of the Christ?  Or would that have meant admitting that they were wrong?

If nothing else, look at the events around them.  See the sinners who turned from their wicked ways in repentance, and did so joyfully.

I AM

The Greek wording here (verse 70) carries the meaning "I AM."  It is the name of God;  his accusers understood it as such.  Here is God in the flesh, asking you:  did you really hear and obey his teaching?  Have you not seen his mighty works, in your lives and others?  Will you not follow Him with a whole heart?

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

November 1

Before Pilate

Joh_18:28-38

No doubt Pilate had heard of the man before.  But it would hardly do for the Roman governor to go chasing after some itinerant preacher.  But now the man is here;  it seems reasonable to inquire just who he is.

Who is He?

Jesus reveals three aspects of his character and mission:

He is a king—the king of kings, the ultimate authority of the universe.  All legitimate authority, whether in government, the church, marriage—all legitimate authority is derived from Him.  If not, it is evil, and it will fall.

He is God—in the flesh.  For this he was born into the world, taking on the same kind of body that you and I have.

He did this so that we might know the truth—the Truth which sets us free.

Lessons for us

It seems a brief passage, but for the imitator of Christ there is much to learn in this one.

His kingdom is not of this world.  It is in this world, but it is not of this world.  So those of us who are in his kingdom are not to use the ways of this world, no matter how tempting that might appear.

In particular, we are not to advance the kingdom by the use of military might.  Islam was established by the sword;  the kingdom of God comes in love and mercy.

We are to testify to the truth.  First, this means we are to be honest, so that all will know our testimony is true.  But it also means that  we are to witness to others about what Christ has done in our lives.  You are the leading expert on what Christ has done for you;  let your expert testimony be heard.

Finally, we are to listen to Him.  We are to be on the side of truth, and this must mean that we are to listen to him.  How do we do this?  We must read his words in Scripture;  hear his motives in prayer;  discern his will in the lessons and sermons of others;  and take the Godly counsel of those he sends to us.

Truth is often prickly.  It irritates people.  But what would you have—a world in which inconvenient truth is crucified?

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

November 2

I Find No Guilt

Joh_19:1-11

Silence is often very eloquent.  Here we find the silence of Jesus which unsettles the Roman governor.

Why this silence on our Lord's part?

First, to satisfy the words of the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 53:7).

But also this:  so that in complete meekness — as befits a sacrificial lamb—He would become the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

You would have no power.

Pilate understood this.  He lived in a hierarchical system of authority, descending from the emperor.  Ultimately the emperors would have themselves proclaimed as gods, for such is the nature of those who understand power.  They know that it must have a legitimate basis, or it is merely tyranny, and doomed.

We don't.  Our society denies the authority of God, and therefore rejects the only legitimate source of authority.  Without it, only time separates our society from its demise.

Our Founding Fathers told us that governments derive their "just powers" from the "consent of the governed."  Powers, yes;  authority, no.  If the governed do not consent, there is no power.   If there is no acknowledgment of God, there is no authority.

But sometimes there is authority without real power—for the governed do not consent, and those in authority go about in fear.

The greater sin

Let us be perfectly crisp on the point:  Christ is comparing the sins of the Jews and Pilate.  He is not letting Pilate off the hook.

Pilate acted out of fear;  he acted out of weakness—moral weakness.  But to be the weaker sinner is to be just that:  a sinner.

We think otherwise today;  we hear people say, "At least I'm not as bad as .."   When you hear that, remember that it's the admission of sin.

The imitation of our Lord

Again our Lord gives us the supreme example.  First, understand that he endures this treatment with all patience.  We too should be patient in the face of evil, remembering the fate of those who do not repent.  Like him, we should be willing to suffer in the cause of righteousness, knowing that it will prevail.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

November 3

Weep For Yourselves

Luk_23:26-31

Back in the days when it was assumed that all were sinners, our civilization developed the concept of "just desert".  The idea was that the punishment must fit the crime.  If it could be proved that only the death penalty would deter or reform jaywalkers, would we be justified in executing them?  Of course not;  the crime is not so serious.  We believe, instinctively, that some crimes are horrible and deserve great punishment, while others are minor and are to be treated accordingly.

So then:  what did Jesus do to deserve this?  His "just desert" is the glory of heaven itself.  So perhaps it is not so surprising that he found the words written here.

They are prophetic in one sense, for the city of Jerusalem would be sacked, the Jews driven out into all the world, within 40 years.  But in another sense we can see something even more serious.  If this is the fate of the truly innocent, dying for our sins, then what about those who deserve it?

The Old Testament speaks of the "Day of the Lord," which is also called the "Day of Wrath."  It is that day when God deals out justice to the wicked.  Consider:

If God permitted the Crucifixion, what will he do to those who are genuinely sinners without the hope of Christ?  We often think the warnings of hell fire to be "overstated" or "just a metaphor."  But if this happens to the innocent Lamb of God, what would be fair and just to those who are wicked indeed?

If our Lord was without the comfort of his Father—if he was indeed so utterly alone during this time, then what sense of utter loneliness and despair will come upon those who have no hope of Christ?

There is a message for those who do hope in Christ, as well.  Our Lord suffered to the point of the painful, shameful death by Crucifixion.  How then is it that so many of us reject the idea that a Christian is to suffer for the kingdom of God?  The truth is that God exempts us from the penalty of sin, but not from suffering.  If they did this to Jesus, what would be our "just desert?"

And if we, those made righteous by the sacrifice our Lord made on the Cross, are to suffer in this life—what of those who have no hope in Him?  Since we know this to be their fate, how can we be silent about it?  Speak, while there is  still time.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________

[nChrist]

November 4

Father, Forgive Them

Luk_23:34

It is sometimes more interesting to note what Jesus did not say than what he did:

There is no sense of accusation in his tone here.  There is not a word of, "Forgive these dirty, rotten, murdering..."

There is no sense of self-pity in his tone;  not a word of "Woe is me, but I forgive them."

There is no sense of "Look what I've done for these ingrates."  Just, "Forgive them."

Jesus not only intercedes with the Father for their forgiveness, he does so in a sense of "self--forgetfulness."  This forgiveness is not about Him;  it's about them.  It's not about how much he is suffering;  it's about the love God has for them.

What He does say

Note his plea:

"Father" - the plea is not upon his own merit, for he is made sin who had no sin.  It is upon his relationship with the Father.

"Forgive them" - simple, direct and to the point, not enumerating the offenses nor naming the perpetrators—lest he leave someone out.

"For they do not know what they are doing" - ignorance, we know, is no excuse.  But Christ uses it in his plea to the Father.  They could not use it to justify their acts;  he could use it as grounds for forgiveness.

How we should forgive

There are lessons in here for us concerning our forgiving.

We should not be those who forgive in injured pride; nor those who forgive while whining in self-pity.  Our grievances should not be the basis of their forgiveness.

We are to ask the Father to forgive—and consider ourselves committed to that forgiveness, as if it were a vow to God, for we are forgiven only on the basis of Christ's sacrifice.

We should soften our own hearts by reminding ourselves of whatever there might be in the mitigation of their offenses—such as ignorance.  Thus we are much less likely to have need of forgiving the same offense seven times seventy.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________