Tag: Worship (Page 6 of 27)

Evil is often louder than good. We see it in the news. We see it in our lives. Criticism lingers even as compliments fade.

The evil around Jesus at the crucifixion was deafening. Mocking and ridicule by the religious leaders, by the executing soldiers, and by guilty criminals next to Jesus rand throughout the hilltop. And Jesus, the innocent One, the recipient of it all. Not only that, His own Father had forsaken Him for a time.

But then there is a voice of hope from a strange place. A voice of confession. A voice of longing. A voice of belief. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And this lone voice from a self-proclaimed sinner elicits a response from the One who had been experiencing only evil before now: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Today! You and Me! In paradise!

When all the world lifts their voice in a cacophony of evil and pain, remember those words for you: through faith in Jesus, His salvation is realy for you today and paradise awaits for eternity!

Let those words of truth and hope echo louder than any evil in your lives; for they are the ones that matter! They are the ones that will last! They are the ones for you; today and tomorrow and forever!

Scriptures

• Luke 23:26-43

The world around us is a complicated place that can be hard to figure out. Life sometimes sends us a fair bit of pain and suffering. It’s not hard to spot cruelty and injustice, pain and confusion, all around us. Much of the time, it’s probably best for us to say two things.

The first is this: “I don’t really understand how this is all fitting together, but I am here with you as we go through it.”

The other thing that we say and that we believe is: Our God is still at work, and he knows how to take the evil and use it for good.

It’s not a blind faith. The proof of it, simply put, is Jesus.

God worked good from evil for us and all people, through Jesus our King, our living, reigning King through His suffering, trial, death, and resurrection.

And God still does that today, for the people of the King.

Praise the Lord that, even though evil still hurts and affects us, it doesn’t overcome us.

It is a conquered enemy for our eternal future in paradise!

~ The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs, edited by The Rev. Scott Heitshusen

Scriptures

• Luke 23:1-25
• Acts 4:23-28

Jesus now stands before the religious leaders for a “trial.”

Sure it’s really a mockery of one, but even the leaders know they need to go through the paces to get things taken care of. If a mockery of justice will do it, so be it!

In fact, since it is a mockery, mocking this Jesus is given the green light. The guards, even before the trial begins beat and mock. When in the trial, the leaders ask questions with no intention of listening to the answers; so they can ask in mockery. “Are You the Son of God, then?” They weren’t really asking. They weren’t interested in any response Jesus was going to give; so long as they could turn it around and get to the conviction they had already decided to impose.

Jesus knows this and isn’t interested in helping them in this mockery. But He does say something interesting here: “From now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

This time of evil and darkness will be over soon, true; but is there more to this? Is He giving them the ammunition they need to get it over with; to get the Plan moving forward?

Perhaps.

Or maybe He was also giving them an out: a reminder of who He is and a chance to crawl out of their willful, blind ignorance and into the Light; into Him?

Perhaps some of both.

But we mustn’t fall into the trap of thinking that we would act differently than these soldiers and leaders. We would act godly! We would stand up for righteousness and the Righteous One!

These people likely felt they were fulfilling ‘justice’ – maybe just more efficiently.

This man was guilty; anyone could see it! They were doing their job; their godly job!

They were blind-fully ignorant!

But we are blessed now because the Holy Spirit has given us sight into His Will and cured our ignorance of His Plan! We are called to act, no longer in the blind ignorance of unbelief, but in the gracious way of salvation through Jesus!

The Holy Spirit has removed our blinders and lets us see Jesus, the Son of Man, seated at the right hand of the power of God!

All by His grace. All by His mercy. All by His spirit.

There but for the grace and Spirit of God would we go!

“Thank You, Lord Jesus, for enduring mockery for our sake and for the Holy Spirit who has removed our blind ignorance in Faith!”

Scriptures

• Luke 22:63—23:1

Heart-wrenching.

That may be the closest we come to describing the happenings in the Garden.

Jesus is about to be betrayed, denied, and much more leading to death. He knows it’s coming. He knows the immense pain and suffering about to take place – and at the hands of His friends and religious leaders who were supposed to welcome the Messiah and prepare the people for Him.

But the main antagonist in this story is the one who is not named – “Satan,” Jesus’ adversary.

He tempted Jesus at the beginning of His ministry and would return at “an opportune time.” He entered Judas and was looking for the right time to betray Him. He is looking forward to “sifting” Peter, leading him to deny Jesus. His chaos in this moment cause the disciples, not to stand firm in the temptation, but flea in fear.

This is his hour. His moment. And Jesus knows it!

He tries to tell the disciples to pray in this moment and He Himself makes sure to; with a pit in His being that is palpable.

The real battle of good and evil. Spiritual forces, flesh and blood. And this is evil’s time.

Heart-wrenching.

But where Satan and evil will have the moment, Jesus will have the rest of eternity!

Satan still works his wares. Our sinful nature still gives in to temptation and evil. These things still affect us for the moments we’re this side of eternity. But those moments will end; forever!

Jesus made sure of it; in those moments. In the Garden with blood and tears. On the cross in agony and death.

But that moment ended, and the rest – life – is yet to come!

Just you wait!

Scriptures

• Luke 22:39-62

Jesus, the greatest One of all, tells us in today’s Scripture that He is present as “One who serves” and later as the One “numbered with the transgressors.”

This at His last supper with His disciples.

Disciples whom He has taught, shared with, suffered with, laughed with, repeatedly banged His head against the wall with.

And what do these disciples, these ones whom Jesus has assigned kingdoms to and who will judge the tribes of Israel; what do they do in this last supper with their Lord and friend?

They argue – again – about whom among them is the greatest.

We are at the beginning of the end of Jesus suffering. The battle of evil in this world and the spiritual realm against God and good is climaxing.

And the disciples are going to be a part of the evil.

They will choose it. They will take part in it. They, the closest to Jesus, who have “stayed with Jesus in His trials” will fall away and deny.

All will seem lost.

And if it were left to the disciples – if it were left to us – that would be the end.

But it wasn’t left to them or us. It was left for the Suffering Servant; the One who took became sin for us; the One who took on all evil and won! Forever!

He is the Victor! He is our Victor! Through faith in Him our place in heaven is secured!

How much greater news is there than that?

“Thank You, Lord Jesus, for dealing with evil and our part in it and conquering it for us!”

Scriptures

• Luke 22:14
• Luke 22:24-38