Friday, March 29, 2013

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Friday, March 29, 2013      I Told My Disciples that One Will Betray Me and 

Another Will Deny Knowing Me      

Page 262-264         Matthew 26:21-29; Mark 14:18-25; Luke 22:19-30;

John 13:21-38

Three times, in today’s readying, Jesus told his disciples how his life was going to end. Three times they failed to comprehend. Was it because the truth that Jesus was The Messiah was incomprehensible? This episode reminds me that Jesus wants us to know him. This episode also reminds me of just how dense I can be, how close I can be to the heart of God, and yet be oblivious to his presence.

Yet, in the midst of such human failure around the table, Jesus grants the disciples entry into the Kingdom of God. All people who accept God’s call to Christian leadership will at some point in their journey follow Jesus on a very lonely path. Just when you need your people to grasp your vision, to see God’s hands at work, they’ll turn away. Even so, God’s sheer grace is bestowed upon His church, and the Kingdom is destined to move forward, in spite of our failures.

Jesus, as he prepared to complete his journey to Golgotha, is clothed only in his humanity. The divine powers he used to calm storms, raise the dead and heal the sick are left on the table. He’ll go before his adversaries armed only with his trust in God and thus will model for his followers the leadership behavior of a Suffering Servant of God. The prophecies about the Servant Messiah in Isaiah 52-53 will be fulfilled in the next few days.

Jesus begins his Farewell Discourse by reflecting on the exchange of glory between Father and Son. The very essence of God is goodness, mercy, holiness and love. The Glory of God is the revelation of God’s essence. This glory is revealed through the presence of God. God, as a burning bush to Moses, and as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night for the Israelites during the exodus, are examples of God’s Glory. The ultimate expression of God’s Glory is in the life, death and resurrection of our Lord, Christ Jesus.

The Glory of God is meant to be an unbroken circle. God’s glory is shown or revealed to His people, and in return His people give glory to God. This responsive glory is expressed in adoration, honor, praise and obedience. The giving of glory to God in a worship service is called doxology. Expressions of doxology are throughout the Psalms and the New Testament, and these scriptural expressions inspired two forms of doxology used most often in worship today:

Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.

And

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Sē’lah 

<><  <><  <><  <><

What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

The second edition of my book, First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGQL5JC

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Monday, April 01, 2013      My Promise 

Page 267-268         John 14: 1-31

Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Thursday, March 28, 2013 I Washed My Disciples Feet        

Page 261-262         John 13:3-20

Today is Maundy Thursday which was established by the church to remember Jesus’ lessons in our readings for today and tomorrow. The word Maundy is a translation of Jesus’ words in John 13:34: “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” (Emphasis mine.)

In the opening verse of today’s reading, Jesus said that God had given him “authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.” (John 13:3) This would be a good time to meditate on just what leaving this world entailed for Jesus. Betrayal by one of his twelve disciples, denial by the leader of his disciples, excruciating pain, and public humiliation are just some of the markers along the final path of his journey.

Jesus, the Word who had become flesh, “took the humble position of a slave” and washed the feet of the disciples. That act of humility alone is sufficient to inspire the great hymn of the early church recorded by St. Paul in Philippians 2:5-11. Jesus wrapped his humility in love: “He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end” (John 13:1)

This is another good time for meditation. When you think of your identity as a Christian, or perhaps as a leader in your church, is your minded flooded with memories of Jesus loving his disciples to the end, to the uttermost? Do you remember the Messiah washing the feet of his disciples?

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God,

he did not think of equality with God

as something to cling to.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God

and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

and gave him the name above all other names,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

The second edition of my book, First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGQL5JC

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Friday, March 29, 2013      I Told My Disciples that One Will Betray Me and 

Another Will Deny Knowing Me      

Page 262-264         Matthew 26:21-29; Mark 14:18-25; 

Luke 22:19-30; John 13:21-38

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Wednesday, March 27, 2013       My Disciples and I Prepared to Eat the Passover Meal Together        

Page 261      Matthew 26: 17-20; Mark 14:12-17; Luke 22:7-18; John 13:1-2

The forces of evil recruited Judas to betray Jesus, which allowed Satan to unleash false allegations against him. When the charges of blasphemy, heresy, and false messiah were leveled against Jesus, Satan’s plan came together with the crucifixion of Jesus, but God wasn’t finished. Just as God turned Pharaoh’s oppressive tyranny against him to set the Israelites free, so God turned Satan’s fury against him to set the whole world free from slavery to sin and death.

When Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples, he announced God’s New Covenant with all people. When Jesus said he would not eat the Passover meal again, or drink wine again until the Kingdom of God had come, he was not referring to his coming again in final victory to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He was looking ahead just three days to when his resurrection would establish the Kingdom of God within the life of every person who considers themselves “to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). The Apostle Paul was emphatic that the followers of Christ hold dearly to the freedom Christ has won for us: “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Galatians 5:1).

To help us hold tight to our new freedom, Jesus used a simple meal to illustrate the value of his suffering and death. A few days, later it was in the breaking of bread that the two disciples in Emmaus, neither of whom were at the Passover meal with Jesus, recognized him. (Luke 24:30-31) It is no wonder that many Christians choose to celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion weekly, if not daily. Through the sacrament, we are remembering we have been set free by the death of Christ, or as the Apostle Paul put it:

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory”  (Romans 5:1-2).

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

The second edition of my book, First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGQL5JC

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Thursday, March 28, 2013 I Washed My Disciples Feet        

Page 261-262         John 13:3-20

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Tuesday, March 26, 2013  Judas Betrayed Me

Page 255      Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16; Mark 14:1-2, 10-11; Luke 22: 1-6

When the editors of The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ merged the four Gospels into one narrative, they had to change the original texts in important ways. The original four texts are theological narratives, told from the perspective of their authors. In order to present one continuous story, told in the first person as an autobiographical narrative, the four Gospels had to be rearranged. The editors also rearranged the material into what they believe is a chronological sequence. This editing of the four Gospels can make for significant changes in interpretation of the material. Our reading for today, Matthew 26: 1-5, 14-16 is an example of this.

Between verses 5 and 14 is the story of Mary anointing Jesus. (We read this passage on Tuesday, March 05, 2013, page 217) This story was so very important to the early church it is included in all four Gospels. For our reading today, the contrast in Judas’ appreciation of value is astonishing. In Matthew’s Gospel, “a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over (Jesus’) head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”” (Matthew 26:7-9). In John’s Gospel we learn it was Mary that “took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard” to anoint Jesus (John 12:3). John also tells us that it was Judas Iscariot who objected and said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor” (John 12:5).

In our reading for today we learn that Judas “went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver” (Matthew 26:14-15). Thirty pieces of silver was probably worth three months wages.

The base minimum wage today is $7.25. At this rate, Mary’s perfume that she extravagantly used to anoint Jesus would cost $15,000. Judas’ betrayal of Jesus would have rewarded him just $3,500.

As I was thinking about how astonishing is the contrast between the value of Mary’s extravagant love and Judas’ cheap sell-out of Jesus, I began to realize how astonishing are the infrequent expressions of extravagant love for Jesus in my life, and how frequent are the relatively minor inconveniences that cause me put down my cross.

A church built a small secluded chapel for prayer and meditation. They furnished it with twelve chairs, each bearing the name of one of the disciples. If you were to visit that chapel which chair would you choose? The church reports that the chair marked “Judas” is the one most heavily worn with use.

That story used to surprise me. Not anymore.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

The second edition of my book, First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGQL5JC

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Wednesday, March 27, 2013       My Disciples and I Prepared to Eat the Passover Meal Together        

Page 261      Matthew 26: 17-20; Mark 14:12-17; Luke 22:7-18; John 13:1-2