Peter Denied Knowing Me

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

February 20, 2020

Peter Denied Knowing Me

Page 291

Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72;

Luke 22:56-62; John 18:17, 25-27

Full of love and loyalty, Peter makes his way to the place of Jesus’ interrogation. When questioned, Jesus tells the truth. When questioned, Peter lies. Immediately, Peter understands Jesus’ teaching: I am the vine, you are the branch. Apart from me you can do nothing. Peter embodied the weakness of sinful flesh that cannot be overcome until Jesus sends The Helper, The Advocate, The Holy Spirit.

Today in Jerusalem, at the site of the home of the High Priest, there is a statue depicting Peter sitting around a fire as he denied he knew Jesus. His loss of integrity, his act of betrayal is memorialized for all time. Also today, in Rome, there is Saint Peter's Basilica. It has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world. Tradition holds that this is the burial site of its namesake, Saint Peter.

Peter’s journey from coward to saint affirms the power of God’s promise “that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Near the statue of Peter, there is also a pit, hewed deep into solid rock. Jesus was imprisoned in this pit overnight, before being taken before Pilate. When I visited Jerusalem, I stood in this pit and read Psalm 88 to our group.

“You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths.”

Psalm 88:6

That vision is a continuing reminder to me that Jesus paid a very dear price in order to open heaven’s gate for a sinner such as me.

My Takeaway: The vision of Peter’s statue reminds me that the possibilities of new life in Christ, won by Jesus descending to the depths of the Pit, are endless.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Was Tried before the Jewish Leaders

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

February 19, 2020

I Was Tried before the Jewish Leaders

Page 287-288

Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65;

Luke 22:54-55, 63-65; John 18:12-16, 16-24

Jesus was taken to the home of the High Priest. Peter followed. Jesus stood alone before the High Priest; one of his disciples has already betrayed him, nine others had run for cover, and Peter soon denied even knowing Jesus. What Jesus had to do, only he could do, and he had to do it alone. Only the Messiah, by the sacrifice of his own life, can open heaven’s gate for the rest of us.

In Jesus’ last teaching sessions with his disciples, he stressed that leadership in the Kingdom of God is altogether different than the ways of the world. That contrast is on display when Jesus is held by the Temple authorities. Perhaps the keenest insight into the character of the powerful is in how they treat the powerless. The cruel pettiness and brutality of the Temple guards, the dishonest accusations of the leading priests all reveal the lack of character and integrity of the powerful. As Jesus stood silent before the powerful, the Suffering Servant-King, Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 53:7 is brought forward:

“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.”

By the way, remember there are no meaningless details in Scripture. While Jesus was taken before the Temple leaders, Peter warmed himself by a charcoal fire. (John 18:18) Peter will meet the resurrected Jesus by another charcoal fire in John 21:9.

My Takeaway: Still today, accusations and insults are hurled at the followers of Jesus. Still today, Jesus’ way is our way: “And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.”

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I was Betrayed with a Kiss

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

February 18, 2020

I was Betrayed with a Kiss

Page 283-284 

Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52;

Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-11

God began His relationship with humankind in the Garden of Eden with Adam. Now we are in a second garden, Gethsemane. In the first Garden, God, in the cool of the evening, came looking for Adam. In the second Garden, in the cool of the evening, sinful man comes looking for Jesus, God’s second Adam. (The Apostle Paul writes much about the ‘first’ and ‘last’ Adam in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15) Another Garden will be the setting for Jesus’ resurrection.

‘Who are you looking for?” Jesus asked. “Jesus of Nazareth” the soldiers replied.

Those gathered in the Garden heard much more than Jesus’ simple reply, “I am he.” They heard; “I AM.”

“I AM The Bread Of Life.”

“I AM The Light Of The World.”

“I AM The Gate.”

“I AM The Good Shepherd.”

“I AM The Resurrection And The Life.”

“I AM The Way, The Truth And The Life.”

‘I AM The Vine.”

With the memory of these seven ‘I am” statements echoing through the Garden, the absurdness of the moment was overwhelming: sinful man was arresting God. The arresting force drew back and fell down. I suspect we would have as well.

The arrest of Jesus reveals the truth about the brokenness of the human condition. Neither the disciples nor the religious leaders are willing to trust God. Both groups attempt to seize control of the situation in an effort to pursue their own agenda. In the midst of this, Jesus models restraint, an essential quality of God and of those who would be His disciples. Godly restraint is possible when we pray as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “not my will, but your will be done”; but that is much easier to say than do. The first step toward surrendering control of our lives to God is awareness and acceptance of our human condition.

In the Garden, Jesus asked his friends to stay alert and support him in his hour of need. They slept. Judas betrayed him.  At the moment of his arrest, Jesus called his disciples to follow his lead by showing restraint because Jesus is the Prince of Peace. The disciples chose violence.

Still today, while Jesus calls his disciples to go and make disciples, they sleep. Still today, there are those who twist and turn Jesus into a Messiah of their own making. Still today, many of the followers of Jesus prefer violence as a means to achieve their goals. Why is it so hard to get it right? Because we can’t fix our problem.

My Takeaway: There is one and only one solution:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in my body, I live by faith, indeed, by the faithfulness of God’s Son, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2: 19-20).

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Gethsemane

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

February 17, 2020

Gethsemane

Page 277

Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42;

Luke 22:40-46; John 18:1

The Mount of Olives, a mountain approximately 2,600 feet high, faces the Eastern Gates of Jerusalem. The Mount slopes gently down to the Kidron Valley. Mount Moriah, or the Temple Mount, rises on the other side of the valley. Gethsemane is an olive grove on the Mount of Olives and Jesus and his disciples went to this olive grove where Jesus prayed.

Jesus said you can pray for anything, and if you really believe, and you have no doubt in your heart, it will be yours (Mark 11:23-24). If there was ever a person who lived who had faith in God, without doubt in his heart, it was Jesus. It was with this faith that Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me” (Mark 11:36).

Jesus did not receive what he asked for. Is there a contradiction between Jesus’ teaching on prayer and his own practice of prayer? No! Implicit with Jesus’ teaching on prayer is how he ended his own prayer; “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (v.36).

Just as the evil one tempted Job in the Old Testament and Jesus in the wilderness after his baptism, so also the evil one seeks opportunities to tempt the people of God. No rational person volunteers for such an assignment, which is why Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). This is why Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, prayed three times for the disciples to be saved from temptation. (Mark 11: 31, 40, 46). When we do face temptation, and seek God’s will, we are assured of God’s help: “Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him” (Luke 22:43).

God has a plan of redemption for the entire world, and God has a particular purpose for every person to help bring into fulfillment His plan. God’s desire is for our life to always flow where we fit into His plan as opposed to fretting over how we can fit God into our plans.

Every church split, every controversy in a church is about control, and control is always about focusing on our will instead of God’s will. This principle applies to our personal lives as well. Breakdowns in marriage and family relationships can always be traced back to a fork in the road. One road is our journey toward self-fulfillment; the other road, the road less traveled, is the road of God’s will, God’s purpose for our lives.

My Takeaway: Proverbs 3: 5-6 helps us find the road less traveled.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Warned My Disciples

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

February 14, 2020

I Warned My Disciples

Page 274

Matthew 26:30-35;

Mark 14: 26-31;

Luke 22: 31-39

Today’s reading is a classic illustration of strategy and tactics. A strategy is the master plan employed to fulfill a vision. Tactics are specific actions implemented to advance the strategy. God’s vision is the redemption of all humankind. God’s strategy was simple: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The tactics of Jesus, God’s only Son, included all the miracles he performed, as well as the times when Jesus sent out his disciples “to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9: 1-6 and Luke 10:1-20). In those instances, God’s tactics included Jesus’ favor going with the disciples for their protection, and the assurance of the success of their mission. In today’s reading, Jesus told his disciples that the former tactic (Jesus’ favor for protection) will no longer be employed. Now the disciples are to “take your money and a traveler’s bag. And if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one!” (Luke 22:36). The Acts of the Apostles and the epistles of Paul contain ample proof that Jesus’ hedge of protection for his followers had been removed, as the disciples encountered many trials and tribulations in the fulfillment of their mission.

However, Jesus has not left us alone and defenseless. Jesus prayed for Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail” (Luke 22:31-32). And, “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34 NIV).

God’s vision is still the redemption of the world. His strategy for Jesus as the Messiah of Israel has been replaced with Jesus living his life through his fully- devoted followers. God’s tactics for fulfilling His strategy are for His children to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:19-20a).

My Takeaway: Without doubt, our mission is very demanding and difficult, and at times dangerous. Even so, God is faithful: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Prayed for All Believers

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

February 13, 2020

I Prayed for All Believers

Page 273-274

John 17

Jesus has brought us into the inner sanctum, the holy of holies, the very heart of God, where we can sit at his feet while he prays for us. I am in awe of Jesus’ prayer that brings his followers into a personal, intimate relationship with the Father. Jesus envisions his followers experiencing the very same unity that is glorified in the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I believe Jesus wants us to be blessed in knowing he prayed for us (John 17:20), and he wants us to incorporate his prayer into our own devotional life. Some of the phrases, such as John 17:3, suggest that John had already been incorporating this prayer into his devotional life before he wrote his Gospel. I suggest reading through the chapter aloud slowly, and make note of what words or phrases grab your attention. Focus on those words or phrases and allow the Holy Spirit to show you God’s will for you in this part of His word.

My Takeaway: Today, verse 17 caught my attention: “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.”

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Told My Disciples that I Loved Them - Part 2

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

February 12, 2020

I Told My Disciples that I Loved Them - Part 2

Page 269-270

John 16

Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit, working in and through his followers, will bring justice to the world. When the followers of Jesus lead lives of honesty and integrity, they will stand apart from the ways of the world. Their lifestyle will contrast sharply with the ways of people who do not believe in Jesus.

When the followers of Jesus speak out against injustice in the world, their beliefs will contrast sharply with the ways of the world. When the followers of Jesus work diligently in ministries of mercy and justice, as they become co-laborers with Jesus for God’s coming Kingdom, their ideals will contrast sharply with the ideals of the world.

When the followers of Jesus live with the hope of God’s future in their heart, their sense of inner peace will contrast sharply with the vast majority of people living without hope. It will be through the lives of fully-devoted followers of Jesus that the Holy Spirit “will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” (John 16:8).

Our mission is to open our hearts and our lives to the Holy Spirit so that Jesus can live his life through us. This challenge is daunting because the persecution that confronted Jesus awaits his followers as well. However, Jesus has promised us that he will always be with us; nothing can separate us from him. We can do everything through Christ, who gives us strength.

To prepare us for this mission, Jesus described to his disciples the indescribable: God’s New Creation was about to be birthed into existence through the Cross, the Grave, and the Resurrection of Jesus.  Jesus tells us to trust the Holy Spirit. One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to teach us the significance of what happened in those three days, and how to live out of this new reality.

I believe the two greatest aspects of God’s New Creation are the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gift of prayer. The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ very presence with the believer. The Holy Spirit is our guide, our teacher, the One who empowers our souls to live as fully-devoted followers of Jesus.

Jesus tells his followers that when he is through birthing God’s New Creation, his followers will have the very same standing with God the Father as he does. When our prayers embody the life of Jesus, our prayers are unimpeded as they ascend to God. Think of what that means! When we pray in the Life of Christ, we receive the full and undivided attention of God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

My Takeaway: Today is a good day to take a leap of faith, and choose to dwell in God’s new reality for us as His beloved children, with whom He is well pleased, and upon whom His favor rests.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.